We’ve been on a pizza kick all weekend. There’s no such thing as Neapolitan style thin crust pizza here in Las Vegas so Katie and I spent the weekend toying with recipes. At this point we’ve tried recipes from Mark Bittman, Giuliano Bugialli and god knows how many online recipes.

I finally checked out Heston Blumenthal’s (of The Fat Duck) recipe from his book “In Search of Perfection”. Interesting, and I’m sure it is great, but it requires 24 hours to make a pizza dough. I started messing with it, and I think I have a pretty decent substitute that only takes a few minutes to put together (and another hour and a half or so to rise).  This recipe utilizes weights – so get yourself a simple scale if you don’t already have one, it’s a great tool for the kitchen, especially if you’re getting into baking.

Here goes:

• 350 g King Arthur AP Flour
• 190 g beer (of your choice, we used Sierra Nevada “Tumbler” Autumn Brown Ale)
• 10 g luke warm water (roughly 120 degrees fahrenheit)
• 7 g (one package) active dry yeast
• 2 g granulated sugar

In a small bowl, mix the luke warm water, sugar, and yeast. allow to bloom for ten to fifteen minutes.

In a mixer, combine the AP flour and beer. add the water and yeast mix.

Combine thoroughly.

Cut the resulting ball in three equal parts, roll them on a cutting board until round.

Place each ball in an individual bowl that has been lightly oiled.

Smear the surface of each dough ball with an additional 1/4 teaspoon olive oil to prevent the dough drying out while it rises.

Cover each bowl with a dish towel and let sit in a warm place (80 degrees or warmer is best).

After approximately an hour to an hour and a half each dough should have risen to nearly double its original size.

Roll out the dough as thin as possible and top with your favorite ingredients.   We made two different pies, one topped with bolognese sauce we had been playing around with, and another “white pie” that was topped with olive oil, garlic, chili flakes and fresh clams (use raw clams, they’ll cook thoroughly by the time the crust is crisp) and lots of fresh herbs when it comes out of the oven.

We baked the pies in a 500 degree convection oven on an inexpensive pizza stone ($9.50 at Target) for six to seven minutes, use your judgement.  When the crust looks brown and crispy, you’re probably done.

Hope you like!!

Photo credit Channel4

As people who claim to know anything about Italian cooking, it is not hard to imagine how we ended up in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy on our trip after loving the food and culture in the Amalfi Coast and the Tuscan wineries and restaurants. The Emila-Romagna is an area many famous Italian chefs, including Mario Batali, herald as one of the food capitals of the world.  The Emilia-Romagna, a rather wealthy area of Italy, is home to Bologna, a city that is responsible for both Bolognese sauce, which Italians call ragu, and to the cold cut that shares its name, which Italians call mortadella.  West of Bologna you will find Parma, home to the famous Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and to Prosciutto de Parma.  Between these two cities lies Modena, the birthplace of Balsamic vinegar.  With all of these culinary highlights, it is a wonder we didn’t spend our whole trip here!

Of all of the wonderful offerings of this region, I intend to dedicate the remainder of this post to just one room, in a tiny osteria in the city of Modena, hidden in the back of a little market, containing only four beautifully set tables, in which Adrian and I were served what must be the best meal we have ever eaten.  We would have never in a million years found this jewel of a restaurant had we not been led there by Mario Batali’s online guide to traveling in Italy.  His praise for the restaurant claims that if you are to travel to any one place in Italy, “it must be here.”  High marks from an iron chef who has made his career studying and preparing authentic Italian cuisine.  So we heeded his advice, and we went there.  And “there” was the highlight of our whole trip.

The market that sits in front of this hidden restaurant is called Macelleria de Guisseppe Guisti.  It is a small little market with an amazing selection of cured meats, cheeses, and jarred goods, as well as a nice variety of balsamicos. There is also a cafe next door, but don’t mistake this for the real jewel, which we only found when Adrian questioned the man servicing the meat counter about “l’hosteria?”.  The man replied, “si, si” and shuffled us behind the counter, through swinging doors and a dim hallway into a room that couldn’t have been more than ten meters in width and length.  It contained only four tables, two of which were occupied.  He seated us, and we smiled at each other victoriously, glad we hadn’t had much of a breakfast.

Our waitress, who we soon learned was the great, if not the great-great granddaughter of Guisseppe himself, spoke enough English to give us some insight into the menu and to recommend a local Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine, served chilled, that locals drink with everything.

Our plan of attack, since it was around one in the afternoon, was to just go for a big lunch and not have to eat for the rest of the day, if ever!  So we decided on sharing an antipasti, each ordering a primi piatti, and splitting a secondi.   For the first course we decided on a seasonal dish, a zucchini blossom, stuffed with simple risotto, dipped in a batter, fried to perfection, and drizzled (of course) with an aged balsamic vinegar.  It was absolutely divine.    The risotto stuffing was perfectly al dente and undoubtedly seasoned with Parmigiana, and the flavor of the zucchini blossom was the star of the dish.

For our pasta course, we went with one seasonal and one very traditional dish.  The waitress told us that they had “special” fresh ricotta, so I ordered the tortelloni with ricotta, spinach, and lemon zest that was lightly sauced with butter.  The dish was so fresh, and if you can imagine anything tossed in butter tasting light, that is the only way I can describe it.  The fresh pasta that encased the tortelloni was perfectly thin and cooked to perfection.

Adrian went with a regional specialty for his primi – Pappardelle con Guanciale, or thick cut pasta with the cured cheeks of the pig.  Again, the pasta was so perfect, it was almost the star of the dish, were it not for the unbelievable, rich and slow sauce.  We both reluctantly switched plates to sample each other’s, only to become increasingly confused about which dish to fight for.  Either one of these dishes would have certainly been the best pasta we had ever had.

For our secondi course, we opted for their house made sausage, which the waitress assured us was their specialty.  We decided to trust her on that, wisely.  The sausage was formed in perfect disc-shaped patties, coated in a light breading, and deep fried until it had a perfect golden crust to encase the savory juices within.  The sausages were accompanied by a perfect zabaglione, which is an incredibly light custard made with whipped egg yolks, sugar, and Lambrusco wine.  Having a sweet accompaniment to such a savory dish was surprising at first, but when we tasted them together, it was indescribably delicious.  Who ever thought of that should be knighted.

To finish the meal, we couldn’t pass on their homemade ice cream drizzled with a reserve aged balsamic vinegar, an absolute treat, after which we expected to have to request a wheel barrel to tote us out to the street.  Remarkably, though, we felt wonderful, which is a testament to the perfect portion sizes and simplicity of the food we had just eaten.  Or perhaps it was the ease on our wallet that left us feeling so great – the whole meal cost less than sixty Euros.

We left through the back door, which puts you at the very end of a long alley.  Just outside the door, accross the alley, there was a wine store that carried an innumerable collection of Italian wines.  The lights were low and no one was presently in the wine shop, but the door was open nonetheless, despite the fortune of wines within.  Only in Italy!  We were pleased at the opportunity to just snap a few photos and let the high from that most incredible meal carry us back to our hotel in Bologna.

There are not many places in the world that I’ve seen like Toscana (Tuscany to us North Americans).  Especially in the summertime, when man, that Tuscan sun is intense – the movie didn’t lie about that one.

So after an amazing few days down on the Amalfi Coast, Aimee and I made our way via rental car (a little go-cart-esque Fiat) from Sorrento up the A1 highway to the hills of Tuscany.  Along the way, we stopped in Montepulciano quickly, took some pics and (not surprisingly) bought a bottle of Brunello wine – really great stuff.

Tuscany is the home of wine in Italy for the most part – the place where Chianti comes from, the pinnacle of the ancient Sangiovese grape, which is responsible for the makeup of the region’s most popular wine, Chianti Classico.  Chianti, as we learned at the Castello Fonterutolli outside of Castellina, MUST contain no less than 80% of Sangiovese grape – other than that it’s up to the vintner, many use Cabernet Sauvignon to complement.

We spent out time between the town of Siena – an awesomely ancient city (like going back to the middle ages in terms of the architecture, art and just the feel of the city).  In terms of food, we really enjoyed Siena as well, tasting probably what was the second best meal of our time in Italy, on Aimee’s birthday at the Antica Osteria da Divo, a fantastic little restaurant that we literally stumbled upon after a rather embarrassing incident driving through the mainly pedestrian streets of the Siena town center.  The restaurant was perfectly suited for Siena, with terra cotta floors and high, wood beamed ceilings.  The only light came from candles on the tables and around the room.

It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get some pictures of this food, as it really was delicious.  We started with Crispy Herb Scented Anchovies with Eggplant Cake and Basil Sauce, then sampled some of the regional specialties.  In Tuscany, they’re famous for their use of wild boar, which we sampled in the Pici with Wild Boar Ragu.  Pici is a hand rolled, or “pinched”, pasta that is shorter and much thicker than spaghetti.  We also ordered a risotto dish with zucchini and zucchini flowers served in a hollow wheel of pecorino cheese.  When they scooped the risotto out of the cheese, the dish was delightfully rich and creamy – a nice touch!   Since we had just been in Montepulciano, and we were planning to head to Chianti in the next couple of days, we decided to order a Brunello to sip throughout the meal.  Delicious all around for sure.

In Tuscany, Aimee and I also fell head over heels in love with perhaps our favorite ingredient in all of Italy this time of year – the tomato.  Bruschetta you see was in full bloom there, and we took full advantage in Tuscany.  Perhaps the second best Bruschetta we sampled in Italy was at a cafe right on the Siena’s main square the Piazza di Campo.  So simple and delicious – something that we’ve already re-created here at home for dinner.  Just toast up some crusty bread, rub the surface with a garlic clove, and top it with tomatoes tossed in a little olive oil, salt, and dried oregano.  That’s it.  But believe me, that is enough.  In the heat of July, bruschetta is a perfect snack.

Other highlights of Tuscany besides the wine and the food was the coffee – especially at the famous Siena roaster Nannini, which roasts their own coffee and offers homemade gelato and around 1,000 different types of pastries and biscotti.  It offers very few tables, but there is a long espresso bar at which you can stand and sip your cappuccino or espresso and nibble on your pastry.

We also sampled some of the traditional dishes of Italy in Tuscany, such as Pesto Genovese, Fagiuoli all‘Uccelletto – the traditional Tuscan white beans in a simple tomato sauce.  Panzanella, a salad made with bread, cucumbers, and tomatoes, is also a regional specialty during the summertime, but the authentic version unfortunately falls a little short of the american adaptation.

Rather than making the dish with fresh baked crusty croutons, as we often see Giada prepare it on the Food Network, the serve it with mushed up day old bread, sparingly incorporate peeled and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, and dress it with little more than olive oil.  It is served chilled and lacks much acidity.  This is one dish we tried that we definitely prefer to eat at home.

All in all, Toscana’s stunning scenery and rich history make for a memorable experience.  We’ll certainly be back.  For now, off to Bologna, Modena and Emilia-Romagna!!

So with a few days of married life under our belts, Aimee and I set off to Italia – a place we’ve long looked forward to traveling together for the sights, architecture, art, bot mostly the food and wine.  Our first stop on the trip was the Amalfi coast, where after loads of recommendations, we decided to stay in Positano, a town literally built into a 3-4K foot mountain with views right down to the Mediterranean and cool shops and restaurants throughout.

In terms of the food, we figured two things: first, we’re on the water, so the seafood must be delicious.  Second, we’re near Napoli (Naples), the home and origin of pizza, so we thought that sampling a few of these local delicacies was a good idea.  We really had no idea about which restaurants were which, but we tried to stick by our guns and find places that were more like holes in the wall instead of fancy places looking for Michelin stars.

Our first night in Italy, quite tired from a red eye flight and the day of traveling that followed, we struck out and found a restaurant called ‘Ristorante Il Capitano’, situated on a corner of a steep Positano street, just overlooking the harbor and water. Quite a setting, and they complimented it with a duo Lute and Guitar player for a small charge (something that every restaurant in Italy does I’ve learned).

Our meal started with perhaps my favorite dish of the trip so far: Thinly sliced fried Zucchini, dressed with salt, vinegar and olive oil.  Imagine something like a plate of small potato chips, but instead of potatoes, they’re zucchini instead.  Delicious, and something that I’ll try to reproduce for sure.  We then ate a pasta dish made from homemade squid ink pasta served with small fishes and tomatoes.  Delicious, and the pasta, albeit not the best made pasta I’ve ever had, was flavored with the quid ink and insanely good.  We then shared a pizzetta with some salumi and simple fresh tomatoes from San Marzano, which I later learned are grown in the area on the southern slope of Mount Vesuvius, just outside of Napoli.

This pizza really changed my idea of pizza totally around, and not just on the pizza front – on all food in general.  The food here in Italy is SO SIMPLE.  These people who cook here (basically everyone) don’t try to do too much.  It’s a lesson I needed to come here to learn – less is more.  For example, the tomato sauce they use for the pizzas in Napoli: it’s literally just pureed tomatoes – possibly a touch of garlic, but that’s basically it, and that’s all it needs to be.

Our eating experiences in Positano continued at the Saraceno D’Oro, right down the street from our hotel.  We ate simple things here as well, such as simple spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, bruschetta con tomate (best bruschetta I’ve had BY FAR) and the best thing (again) was the pizza – this time with Fungi Porcini, fresh porcini – tasting almost as delicious as if there were actual truffles on the pizza.  The bruschetta was made by the way the restaurant prepared the bread – it was baked fresh, then simply toasted to perfection (not just thrown in the toaster – it was golden brown throughout) then rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, before the tomatoes went on.

In terms of drinks, the Amalfi coast is known for it’s citrus groves, mostly lemons – so you can imagine it’s the home of limoncello.  What I was surprised by is that every little gift shop and bar in Positano and Amalfi makes their own version of the stuff.  We tried a couple different samples, and liked them all, especially at the Saraceno D’Oro where they gave us free samples after our meal.

As we drove out of the south of Italy, through Sorrento, Napoli and the surrounding coast, we were more than content and happy we had gone there and experienced the culture, views and of course of the food of the Amalfi coast – it’s qite a place.  Oh, and if you’re considering coming here and also potentially Cinque Terre, take it from me (I’ve been to both places) go to the Amalfi Coast, it’s much bigger and more dramatic.  Don’t forget you’re in the home of pizza!

Next Stop: Tuscany: Siena and Chianti!

I have taken on two challenges with the invention of this recipe:  the first is making a pasta-less lasagna that is hands-down delicious (you’re welcome, gluten-phobes and carb-free dieters!); the second is creating a dish that even the most critical loather of eggplant simply could not resist.  Eggplant is a touchy vegetable for some people.  How many times have I heard the claim that eggplant is “bitter”?  My response – slander!  How could such a succulent, beautiful gift from the Earth be given such a bad reputation?  The answer is the same as with most vegetables we grow to dislike.  It’s like a bad dog:  the problem is not the offender, it is the handler.  The bitter eggplant was poorly cooked.  But don’t worry, I am here to show you how to be the pack leader of eggplant.

When cooked properly and patiently, eggplant metamorphosizes, becoming tender and sweet.  In this recipe, it makes a great substitute for pasta because it is easy to cut thin and it holds its shape, but the sweet flavor it adds brings the dish to a new place.  It already created one convert when I made this dish for my good friend’s mother, unaware that she didn’t like eggplant.  She enjoyed the dish so much, she called me right after dinner to rave about how pleased she was to finally like eggplant.  Her daughter later verified that she had to ask her to stop saying, “Yum, this is so delicious,” after every bite.  Quite a compliment!

This lasagna has three different components, and then a nice cheesy top.  I find it easiest to prepare the three components separately, and then assemble and cook the lasagna.  I chose to make a tomato sauce that was loaded with veggies like fennel and kale for additional flavor and nutritional merit.  It would also be tasty with a more simple tomato sauce.  It is a little involved, so plan ahead and complete all of the steps except for baking it.  It can wait to be baked for a couple of days in your fridge.  Remember – it is a labor of love.  It is not supposed to be easy.  The messier your kitchen is when you are done and the more love you put into giving each layer just the right amount of sauce, the more delicious it will taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 bulb of fennel, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup of chopped kale
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• A handful of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 28 0z can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 cup of dry white wine

• 1 large container of ricotta cheese, whole milk or part skim
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and red pepper to taste

To prepare the eggplant:

Peel the eggplant.  Using a mandolin, slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch pieces.  Lay them out on paper towels and season them liberally with salt.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large, nonstick skillet and put a layer of eggplant in the skillet at a time.  Cover the skillet with a lid, as this will help the eggplant steam and become soft and sweet without having to use too much oil.  Cook for about three minutes and then flip.  Cook the second side for another three minutes and remove. Place cooked eggplant on the paper towels and reserve for assembly.  Repeat this process until all the eggplant is cooked, adding more olive oil to the pan as necessary.

To prepare the sauce:

You may use the same skillet you used to cook the eggplant if it is plenty big.  Heat another two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions, fennel, red bell pepper, and garlic.  Season with salt and crushed red pepper to taste.  Let the vegetables soften until they become translucent, about six or seven minutes.  Add the kale and toss or stir until it is coated with the olive oil. Add the wine and let the alcohol cook off for about 4 or 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.  Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat while you prepare the ricotta mixture so that all of the flavors may blend.

To prepare the ricotta mixture:

Combine the ricotta, eggs, scallions, and basil in a large bowl.  Mix well. Set aside for assembly.

To assemble:

Assemble the lasagna in a large Pyrex cassarole dish.  I love using glass because you can see the beautiful layers of the lasagna.

Start with a layer of half of the eggplant on the bottom of your dish.  I alternate the pieces, fat side up, fat side down, for a more even layer.

Next, evenly spread a layer of half of the ricotta mixture over the eggplant.  Make sure you reach all the way to the edge so you can see each layer.

Next, ladle half of the tomato sauce over the ricotta layer and spread it out evenly, all the way to the edge.

Make one more layer each of the eggplant, ricotta mixture and sauce.  Top the dish with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. If you are preparing the dish ahead of time, stop here and put it in the fridge.  Otherwise, it is ready to bake.

Baking the dish:

Bake the dish at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn the oven to broil and bake for another 5 minutes, until the top is golden brown.  Let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes, and serve!  Serves 6-8 people.

You may think that the title of this post makes it sound like some big, heavy, complicated, difficult recipe to produce, but I want to assure you that it’s anything but.  One of the beauties of rustic Italian food is that it’s all relatively simple, even for an elegant meal such as braised duck.  This meal was almost done all in one pot, the only other hardware we used was the pot to cook the pasta and another small pan to being the pasta and braised duck sauce together with a little pasta water.

In terms of the sauce with the braised duck, well that’s actually pretty simple too.  There’s a protein: fresh organic duck legs that we bought at Savenor’s here in Boston – Some vegetables: standard mirepoix (carrots, onion and celery) along with garlic and fennel – Some liquid that starts as braising liquid and ends as the pasta sauce bringing everything together.  Other than that, a few herbs and a very simple garnish of basil and Parmesan and you have a dish that’s wholesome, hearty and a great way to serve duck!  Here’s the idea:

Serves 6-8

• 4 organic duck legs, skin on
• 3-4 medium carrots – cubed or diced
• 4 medium stalks of celery – trimmed and cubed
• 1 large yellow onion  – diced
• 1 large head of fennel – sliced in half and then cut lengthwise into strips
• 4-5 cloves garlic – rough dice

• 2 bay leaves
• A handful of dried mushrooms – porcini or shitake
• Around a cup of dry red wine (good quality preferred!) – I eyed it, like 1/3 of the bottle
• 1.5 cups good quality chicken stock
• 1 28 oz. can of peeled whole tomatoes (San Marzano preferred if you can find them)
• 1.5 lb dried Tagliatelle nests
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Basil and Parmesan for garnish

The best equipment to do this recipe in is your classic dutch oven.  If you don’t have one of those trendy Le Creuset or other models, then a good sturdy heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid will do ok, but will make you stir more.

Start by removing the fat and skin from your duck legs.  Reserve a couple little pieces of the skin and fat though, instead of tossing it out straight away.  Salt your cleaned duck on both sides and pour a glug of olive oil into your pot that you should start over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is almost smoking, add the duck legs and sear on one side until it’s brown.  Flip them and do the same on the other side and then remove the duck from the pot.  Add in the reserved pieces of duck fat and lower the heat to medium.  Render out some of the fat, then remove the skin pieces and discard them.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot along with bay leaf and stir to combine.  You don’t want to color the vegetables, so stir often to prevent them from browning.  After 5 minutes or so, add the fennel and stir to combine.  Cook all of the vegetables together for around 10-15 minutes, then add the wine and the mushrooms.  Let the alcohol cook off for 2 minutes, and then add the tomatoes and chicken stock to the mix. Once the tomatoes are added, crush them up a bit with the back of a wooden spoon on the side of your pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then add lower the heat to low, maintaining a melow simmer.  Add the duck legs back to the pot and cover.  Let this cook for around an hour or until the meat starts to pull back from the end of the leg bone.  Once the duck is done, remove it and pull the meat off of the bones, shred the meat with 2 forks (should look a little like the pic) and then discard the bones.  Leave the sauce uncovered and turn the heat up slightly, then put the pulled meat back into the post.  Sitr frequently, letting the sauce cook down to your desired consistency – around 15-30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking down, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.  Once the pasta is finished, combine it in a warm skillet with a little pasta water from the cooking process.  Plate and top the dishes with fresh basil (chiffonade) and some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

This one was one of the first recipes that I noticed and wanted to try when I picked up the ‘Jaime at Home’ cookbook.  It’s one of those recipes that is fairly intimidating (you have to make your own pastry crust) yet ultimately totally rewarding (because it’s so damn good).  Jamie Oliver makes this with spinach…not having any around I opted for Kale, a favorite veggie of Fresh Dish lobster roll author Taylor Barstow.  One of the things I really like about this recipe is the Parmesan cheese, which I supplemented with some Gruyere – Mario Batali (along with many others) considers Parma ‘the king of all cheeses’ – and if you were a doubter before, try this recipe and you’ll likely change your mind.

The ham in the original recipe called for ‘smoked ham’, which I couldn’t find in the market and didn’t have the time to smoke the ham myself.  So instead, I opted to use some prosciutto (how can you go wrong, right?) and some standard black forest ham, which turned out to add a little bit of sweetness and was great.  I’d recommend it again. Also, don’t deterred about the 3 onions – I know it seems like a lot, but you’re going to want all of them, trust me.  I was skeptical, but this tart is one that will feed a family and leave leftovers.

I’ll admit, I’m not a baker (though I’m striving to learn), so making the dough was a little bit of a challenge.  Especially because the ingredient increments were in ounces, and I don’t own a scale.  Oh man.  I was able to sort of estimate measuring out the ingredients and it turned out great, thank the lord.  I was actually thinking that we’d be ordering pizza for a little bit.  In any case, if you have the time and want to make something truly memorable, try this:

For the pastry crust (make this first):

• 1  3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup lard or shortening – cut into cubes
• Leaves from one sprig of rosemary AND/OR a few sprigs of thyme – chopped
• 1 large egg – beaten
• 2 Tbsp. whole milk
• 1/3 cup shredded (not packed too tight) cheddar cheese
• Big pinch of salt

This recipe really works best with a food processor (at least I think so…I don’t have a mixer) but you can probably have a mixer if you have one.  Start by adding the flour, cheese and lard with a big pinch of salt to the food processor and combine them for around 30 seconds.  The mixture should become sort of grainy, but still rather fine.

Add the herbs, egg and milk and mix together for another little while, just until the mixture comes together.  Once it looks good, dump out the mixture onto a lightly floured board and clump the dough together into a ball but don’t knead it!  Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Ingredients for the Filling:

• ~1/2 lb. black forest or other ham
• 6-8 slices of Prosciutto – thinly sliced
• 2 cups creme fraiche
• 3 eggs
• Several sprigs of oregano – leaves picked, some chopped, others left whole
• 3 medium sized red onions – diced
• 1 medium bunch of kale – stems removed and finely chopped
• 3 medium cloves of garlic – finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese – grated (reserve 1/2 of it for the topping!)
• 1/2 cup good Gruyere cheese – grated
• Extra virgin olive oil
• A small amount of butter for greasing sheet
• Salt and pepper

While your dough is in the fridge, start the onions in a pan over medium heat and sweat them until they’ve turned translucent, but don’t let them color.  Add in the kale, in batches (there will be a lot to add) and cook down, mixing it together with the onions.  Next add the chopped oregano and garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Add in the wine and cook until 3/4 of the wine has cooked off.  Once this is done, kill the heat and set the mixture aside.

Next, you should grab your dough out of the fridge and also grab a baking sheet.  Roll out your dough to around 1/4″ thickness.  Patch the dough as necessary, but don’t let it rip at all.  Grease your baking sheet with your butter and carefully place the rolled out dough onto the sheet.  Go around the rim of the baking sheet with a fork or knife and remove any access.  Prick the dough all over with a fork and place it into the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

At this point, preheat your oven to 375 F.  Make the topping by mixing the creme fraiche, eggs and cheeses together in a mixing bowl.  Chop or rip the ham up to your desired size and set aside.

When you dough is ready, pull it out of the freezer and pop it right into the oven for 6-8 minutes or until it’s golden brown.  Remove it and you’re ready to build your tart.  I put the onion/kale mix on first, being sure to cover all of the tart shell.  Next, add the ham and prosciutto and top with the creme fraiche mixture.  Top with the reserved Parmesan cheese, the whole oregano leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes, or until the topping has turned golden brown.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes and cut as you like.  Enjoy!

Summer has come and gone and as usual, I’m wishing for more of the nice weather and great fresh, simple ingredients and recipes.  Fall season is here though, and with it brings the awesome earthy, organic flavors of squash, apples and mushrooms.  I gotta say, it might be my favorite season of the food calendar.  The nights get shorter, the beer gets darker and so does the food.  Bring it on!

Our local farmer’s market is still hanging on to some of the last fruits of the summer though, as there was still an abundance of summer squash, as well as some late season tomatoes, which I’m happy for as I try to wrap my head around doing some canning for the winter.  This recipe really was thrown together at the last minute and the final product was good, so I’ve decided to post it – if for nothing else then as another good idea on using summer squash – an ingredient that I find sort of difficult to innovate dishes around.  When in doubt – make a pasta, it is really hard to screw up.

The dish is sort of similar to one of Aimee’s classic pasta recipes like Linguine with Little Neck Clams and Chorizo Sausage or Pork, Spinach and Feta Ragu with Vodka Sauce. The one thing that differentiates this dish from the rest is some of the ingredients, the fact that it doesn’t include any meat (hence the ‘Primavera’ aspect of it) and the combination of summer and fall flavors.

I also added some Marscarpone cheese to the dish to finish it, as it added a layer of creaminess to the dish, something I like with veggie pastas.  The other tip I want to share is a method of finishing a pasta, something I will always do now (especially after reading Bill Buford’s book ‘Heat’).  This method entails actually under-cooking your pasta somewhat in the pot, then removing it and finishing it in another pan with a tablespoon or two of your pasta water.  This really creates an awesome binder between the flavors that are in play and will make any pasta better, I promise.  The pasta itself will finish cooking and your final result will be perfect!  Here’s how it went:

For the tomato sauce first:

• 1/2 a large white onion (1/2 for the sauce, 1/2 for the veggie portion)
• 1 medium carrot – shredded on large holes of a box grater
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup good (at least decent) red wine
• 1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional and add based on your own heat preferences)
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano (optional)
• Salt and fresh pepper
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

Start the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and carrot and season with salt.  Sweat the onion and carrot and let them cook for 5-10 minutes.  Add the garlic, oregano, a little more salt and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so.  Add in the wine and let it reduce by half to 3/4.  At this point, you should start the rest of your dish!!!  Add in the tomatoes and the bay leaf with a little more salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, add a little water and keep the sauce at a slow simmer while you cook the rest of the dish:

• 2 medium summer squash or 4-5 small round summer squash – shredded on a box grater
• 1 bunch red kale (or green) – chopped
• 1 small head fennel – sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 a large onion (large dice)
• Small bunch of basil, 1/3 to 1/2 a cup – roughly chopped
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup almonds – whole and chopped, then toasted in a small pan over low heat until golden brown
• 1/2 cup good dry white wine
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese, ricotta, feta…)
• 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Start a large pot of boiling water.  In another large skillet (aside from the sauce) over medium/low heat, add the butter and olive oil.  When they’ve come up to temperature, add the onions and fennel and cook them for around 10 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.  Add in the kale and combine it with the other veggies – it should wilt a little as it cooks down.  Before adding the squash, turn up the heat on the pan a bit and make some room for it on one side of the pan.  Add it in and let it brown a little bit before mixing it together with the rest of the veg.  Finally, add the basil and cook to combine.

In a small separate pan over medium/low heat, add in the almonds and brown them until golden, then take them off the heat.  When the water comes up to a boil, add a few pinches of salt and the pasta, stir and cook until it’s JUST al dente and kill the heat but don’t drain it!

Meanwhile, when the veggies are cooked to a desired doneness, add in the wine and cook off until there’s very little left.  At this point, add in the tomato sauce that you made in the separate pan to the veggies and cook together for a few minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasonings to your liking.  Add in the marscarpone and mix together.

So now you should be ready to combine the sauce and the pasta.  The way I do this is in a separate pan (the one I used for the sauce).  Simply ladle around a cup of the sauce into the pan once it’s gotten hot, and grab a bunch of pasta with tongs and add it to the pan and combine it with the sauce.  Next, add in around 1-2 tablespoons of the water you cooked the pasta in to the pan and mix together.  Serve the pasta on a dish of your choice and top with grated Parmesan.  Buon appetito!

A long time ago, I made up the decision to give up eating beef and, consequently, I didn’t eat meatballs for many years. About a year ago, I saw a woman in an Italian restaurant eating spaghetti and meatballs and seeming to enjoy every bite, and I realized how much I missed eating them.  It then occurred to me that meatballs, like burgers, could certainly be made without beef.

I began a search for authentic meatball recipes, and I found one that used buttermilk, an ingredient that I don’t often use, but the author of the recipe claimed to have tried several different recipes and suggested this method above all others so I decided to give it a try.   I chose to substitute the ground beef with ground turkey and hot Italian sausage meat, and the result was even more delicious than any meatball I remember from my years of eating beef.  The recipe would work just as well with ground pork, lamb, chicken, beef, or veal any combination you prefer.

The reason I love this meatball recipe is it produces very moist and tender meatballs, despite the fact that I use turkey, which is leaner than beef, and therefore has a tendency to dry out. The Parmesan, parsley, and garlic add wonderful flavor.  I often don’t mention that the meatballs are made without beef to my guests until the have already tried them, and most admit that they would not have been able to tell the difference, or even that they like them better.  Try them out and you can be the judge.  Here’s how they are made:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey meat
• 3 hot Italian sausages, removed from its casing
• 1 egg
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 slices of white or Italian bread
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 lb. (standard package) dried semolina spaghetti
• 4 cups prepared simple tomato fennel sauce (see previous post)

Begin by soaking the slices of bread in the buttermilk until the bread becomes soft enough to smash into a mush with a fork, about 1/2 hour.  In a large bowl, mix the meat, egg, garlic, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper, and bread mixture until thoroughly combined.  Do not be afraid to use your hands to mix.

To form the meatballs, use a tablespoon and scoop heaping spoonfuls of the meat mixture into your palm.  Gently roll into a ball, taking care not to over work the meatball, and place on a cookie sheet.  Try to form the meatballs to be uniform in size.

Once all the the meatballs are prepared, heat a large, heavy bottom pan, such as a dutch oven, over medium high heat and add about two tablespoons of olive oil.  Place one layer of meatballs in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them.  Do not try to turn the meatballs until they are brown on the first side, and then turn them to cook on the other side.  Once the meatballs are browned on all sides, remove from the heat.  At this time, cook the remaining meatballs in the same way.

Once all of the meatballs are browned on all sides, add the sauce to the pan (see previous post for recipe).  Stir to work all of the browned bits into the sauce, and reduce the heat to low.  Add the meatballs back into the sauce, making sure they are fully submerged.  Let them finish cooking in the sauce, for at least another twenty minutes or so.

Pour the sauce and meatballs over spaghetti, garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves six people. Enjoy!

I admit, it is a little cliche, but the New Year has brought about a good excuse for me to become more motivated to eat well and exercise.  Truthfully, I am feeling quite positive about my new lifestyle, except for one thing:  I know I need to cut back on my over-consumption of pasta.  Pasta is my achilles heel.  I love it.  Not only is it the first thing that usually comes to mind when I am thinking about what to cook, it is usually what I crave whenever I am seeking any sort of culinary comfort.  For these reasons, I eat a lot of pasta.

As part of my resolution, I am seeking ways to get the same comfort and satisfaction I get from pasta without actually using any pasta, and this was the first dish that really hit the mark.   Preparing it was as easy as throwing together pasta dish, and eating it felt deliciously familiar and comfortable.  The other bonus to this dish is that the mushrooms could be stuffed with many different ingredients.

Allow one large portabello for each person you are feeding.  I served the dish with a light salad, and I was stuffed – no pun intended.

Ingredients:

• 4 large portabella mushrooms, with stems, brushed clean
• 5 pieces of Canadian bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch peices
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small red or greed chili, finely diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 can or jar of tomato sauce
• Salt
• Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the mushrooms clean with a most towel.  Remove the stem, chop into 1/4 inch dice and reserve.  In a shallow baking dish, season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a tablespoon of olive oil each.  With the underside of the mushroom cap facing up, place in the oven to begin roasting.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add two tablespoons of olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the Canadian bacon.  Once the Canadian bacon is beginning to brown, add the onion, peppers, and garlic and salt to taste.  Cook until the vegtables begin to soften.  Add the mushroom stems.  Continue to saute until the vegtables are soft, about 7 mimutes. Turn off the heat and add the breadcrums and the feta cheese.  Toss throughly until mixture is combined.

Remove the mushroom caps from the oven.  Carefully remove the caps from the dish and pour in the tomato sauce.  Return the mushroom caps so that Top the caps with the stuffing mixture.  Cover with mozarella cheese and return to the oven.  Bake the mushrooms at 375 for twenty minutes.  Turn the heat up to 475 for the last few minutes just to brown the cheese.

Serve one stuffed mushroom to each person and cover with the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.  Serve immediately.