Pissaladier Nicoise

I am going to start this blog with a statement: I never knew an onion could taste so good. Ever. (And if you live in an apartment, open the front door to let the fragrance out. Make your neighbors jealous. Very very jealous...)

Julia Child is an inspiration to home cooks everywhere. I had wanted to try her recipe for Pissaladiere Nicoise, or Onion Tart with Black Olives, for quite some time. Though she might not agree with my using a pre-made pie crust, the culinary attempts of a busy New Yorker must pick his battles. Especially in our tiny kitchen. Charlie makes this microscopic counter his pasta-making paradise. I am (and will always) be impressed with this. Let him have this glory, I am not as talented. Or patient. Pillsbury is a god-send.

Julia suggests making a large pie. This would have been fine, but my heart was set in attempting to make individual tarts. I don't know why, I just wanted to. To have a little pie just for yourself, like a birthday present, makes your meal so much more special. It's fun food. I am glad I did this, and I am glad for several reasons. To start, one slice of this finished pie could have easily led to two, or even three! Making smaller tarts, instead of a large one, controls the craving to eat the entire thing. Once you make this, you will know what I am talking about. Secondly, small leftover tarts make great lunches or "to-tired-to-cook" dinner. They also freeze well.

Materials:
2-2 1/2 lbs. Spanish onion
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. dried herbs (I used oregano)
16 pitted black olives (I hand-pitted the oil cured Greek ones. These are a personal addiction.)
2 cloves of garlic
salt
pepper
a pinch of cloves
Pre-made Pillsbury pie crust
1-2 cups of White (or Rose) wine

1. Finely slice the onions length-wise and sautee in 1 Tsp butter.
2. Add seasonings
3. Sautee for 30 minutes. When softened completely, add your wine and turn up the heat for 5-10 minutes more. This will caramelize the onions and evaporate the alcohol. What you are left with are golden-brown strings of yumminess.
4. Add olives and discard bay leaves.
5. Place mixture in pie crust(s) and bake for 10 ins. on 450.

I apologized to Julia for not following her EXACT recipe. I didn't have the materials to make an herb bouquet (I mixed the seasonings in WITH the onions), and I really wanted to add my leftover Rose with which to deglaze the pan. I also used butter instead of oil, but when has Julia turned her back on butter? I figured she would have been OK with this, and if she were here to eat one of these gems, I think she'd let me off the hook. They were crisp, moist, and made me want to make a million of them for a cocktail party. They were SO cute and oh so good. I never knew an onion could taste like this.

Julia's seasoning has always lended itself to the smaller amounts, which always make me uneasy. I know this is the "American" in me, the person who is used to big, super-seasoned cuisine. I was proven wrong. Such delicate amounts took something as simple as an onion to such unexpected heights. Thank you, Julia. We owe you one.

Empanadas de Hongos y Calabaza

Effort. Now there is a word with weight. It takes effort to stay in shape. It takes effort to succeed at your job. It takes effort to stay on a budget. Effort is, no doubt, an everyday requirement. Effort (sometimes) can be a joy, which is the point I wish to make with this blog.

Those who follow this blog know that Charlie and I bring our lunch everyday. Well, almost everyday. I am vegetarian; Charlie is not. Summer, in my world, equals "salads", but how often can someone eat a salad for lunch? For me? Not a problem. However, I am still adjusting to cooking for two, and that is a challenge. There's that word again: Effort. The thought of making another salad for my meat-eating boyfriend brought me to tears. What could I make (a quantity of) that has vegetables and satisfies two people's lunches?

I broke my salad routine to make Empanadas de Hongos, or Mushroom Empanadas. (Mushrooms, in Spain, are called 'champinones', which to me sounds better than 'hongos'. Our friend Jenny would agree. I will never forget the face she makes when she says that word. Hongo. I will even quote her: "Hongo?! Yuck. It just sounds so gross. Why would you want to put something called an 'hongo' in your mouth"?) For those of you who embrace mushrooms, as I do, please read on.

In Mexico, mushrooms and spinach are a popular combination. That provided the inspiration for these small empanadas. (This is also a fun way to get some dark, leafy greens into your diet.) Squashes, like pumpkin, are also a frequent Mexican ingredient. I made two fillings: Portabella/Spinach and Pumpkin/ Black Bean. I grew up with empanadas Chilenas which resemble an Italian calzone. They are large, rectangular, and just one can fill up an entire plate. In Chile, we don't mess with our empanadas. Argentinians, however, make smaller, more bite-sized empanadas. This is easier to work with (and a great portion controller), thus a variety of empanaditas were in order.

Mushroom filling:
1 pack of Pillsbury Pie-Crusts (There are 2 crusts in a pack)
1 6 oz. pkg of Baby Portabella Mushrooms
1 1/2 cup Baby Spinach
Dash of: Adobo, Epazote, Onion Powder, and Ancho Chili Powder

Pumpkin filling:
1 cup of canned Pumpkin or Butternut Squash
1/2 cup of canned black beans, rinsed and dried
Dash of: Chipotle Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Zuckerrubensirup (This is a German condiment made of concentrated sugar beets. It tastes just like a lighter molasses. Feel free to use molasses, maple syrup, or honey.)

Preheat oven to 450. Use a large mug and cut disks into the dough. Fill the right half of the disk with filling and fold over to create a cresent shape. Wet edges with warm water and press to seal. Press the ends of a fork along the rounded part of your empanada for a more secure seal. Bake for 20 mins.

The ingredients are few. The effort, though a bit time-consuming, is minimal at most. Such minimal effort goes such a long way. What fun food. I can now rest assured that several days of lunches are pre-made, healthy, and definitely not a salad. Cooking-for-two takes some getting used to, but is well worth the magic word: Effort.

Falafel Inspired

It is a weeknight and post-work energy is low. It is not gone, however... there seems to be just enough energy to dismiss digging into the take-out menu stash. That said, what can we make for dinner that is quick, easy, and healthy? I had a craving for comfort food, and to me, that denotes hot "out of the oven" items. Both Charlie and I are trying to be more health-conscious, so that slashes the initial comfort food ideas (such as Macaroni and Cheese). While on the subway, I was brainstorming in my head ... Empanadas? ("Nah... too Heavy.) ... Taco Salad? ("Nah ... too much stuff to buy) ... Falafel? And the eyebrow raises...

The pantry was stocked with canned Garbanzos which makes making falafel (chickpea patties) an obvious choice. And thanks to Charlie's shopping spree this past weekend, the pantry now features some unique items like Artichoke Hearts. How could I add this to the menu? The never-fail combo of Artichokes with Spinach made my mouth water, but what does that have to do with Falafel? I said to myself, "David, just get in the kitchen and have some fun".

This is what I came up with:

Items:
1/2 10-oz. bag of pre-washed spinach leaves, raw
1/2 15-oz. can of garbanzos (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 14-oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained
1-2 TBSP. of Tahini
1/4 cup of crumbled Feta Cheese
1 egg
A splash of water

... and heavy dashes of:
salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, corriander, pimenton, cumin, and oregano

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine all items into a food processor. Mixture will be dry. (If you feel that your mixture is too dry, add some additional water, but not too much.)
3. Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper.
4. Scoop mixture onto parchment into roughly 1-1.5 inch-wide circles. (I used our baby ice-cream scoop.)
5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. "Falafel" will be light, but just firm enough to hold together without falling apart. Makes about 18-24 mini-Falafel balls.

This dish is so easy and could easilly be served as an appetizer at a party. You can hardly taste the spinach, which could make this a great candidate for getting kids to eat their leafy greens. I served this alongside a simple salad of cherry tomatoes in oil, salt, and oregano. Dinner could not have been easier (or healthier). And Charlie even licked the bowl... A sure sign that this invention is "blogging material". Happy cooking, and happy inventing!

Huevos Arriba

Since David will be starting graduate school in Spain for a year, I have decided to try some classic Spanish recipes with a few adaptations. Spain is legendary for the thousands of egg (huevos) dishes, so I started with a less common, but beautiful egg dish.

Huevos Arriba is a "puffed egg" dish, in that the yolk and white of the egg are used separately. Basically, seasoned, beaten egg whites are piled on to slices of lightly toasted bread. A well is made in the whites and a yolk is placed on each well. After 15-20 minutes of baking, you have a beautiful presentation.

Ingredients:
For the eggs:
4 eggs, separated (be careful not to break the yolks)
4 slices good quality firm bread (we used Portuguese Saliol, but any good quality Italian bread will suffice - each slice should be 4"x5" (length/width) and no more than 1" thick)
1/2 cup finely diced or shredded cheese (such as manchego, gruyere or asiago)
1/4 cut finely chopped olives (I used a combination of green and kalamata marinated in garlic, olive oil, and parsley)
1/4 cup finely chopped pimiento (roasted red peppers preserved in oil)
small amount of butter or margarine


For the garnish
1 small shallot, chopped fine
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped mushrooms (1/4"-1/2" pieces)
6-8 small pieces of pimiento
2 tbs butter
1/8 cup olive oil
salt
ground pepper
1/2 garlic clove (finely minced or use a press)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter one side of the bread and place on a jellyroll pan, butter-side up. Once oven temperature is reached, place bread in for 1 minute. Beat the egg whites into hard peaks. Gently fold in the cheese, olives, and pimiento. Place 1/4 of the mixture on each slice of bread, building a mound. Using a spoon, make a well in the center of each mound and carefully place one egg yolk in the mound. When finished return the slices to the oven for at least 15-20 minutes or until the eggs are soft cooked and the whites are browned. (if you like "well done" eggs, turn the heat down to 300 and bake a bit longer).

While the eggs are cooking, saute the shallots for 2 minutes in the butter and olive oil on medium/medium-high heat. Add the garlic, cook another minute, then add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they are tender, about 7 minutes.

To serve, spread a small mound of the mushroom mixture on the plate, place a few pimiento pieces on top and then place one or two of the bread/egg slices on the plate.

The garnish, bread, and egg white/yolk create a ravashing mixture of textures and layers of flavor. If you guest are not eating with their eyes closed, then check their pulse! David claims this is the best breakfast dish I've ever made. How I will top this remains to be seen.

Buen Provecho & Buon Appetito!

Aperitivi

Recently, on a vacation in Chicago, some family members let us stay in their home. Charlie and I rolled up our sleeves on our final night in the city. As a "thank you" gesture, we treated our hosts to a home-made dinner. A request was put in for a lighter meal, which immediately made us think of our many aperitivi in Milano.

What is "aperitivi", one might ask? Perhaps you have heard of similar versions hailing from other cultures. For example, Spainish small plates (tapas) or Greek appitizers (mezes) are in the same category as Italian aperitivi. The principal is the same: Snacks to be shared in a group accompanied by wine to satisfy one until the later dinner hour.

Spring has sprung! Asparagus, naturally, was the first item purchased. This started our "wave of ideas" for all of our aperitivo items:

Roasted Asparagus - Red Pepper Salad

Olive Oil Seared Scallops

Crostini with crushed Herbs and Melted Buffalo Mozzarella

Grape Tomato, Feta, and Almond Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Rocket dressed with Oil, Sea Salt, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts

Chilled White Wine


The funniest thing to happen to us on this cooking adventure was the space. The Piccolo Gourmet was no longer "piccolo". The kitchen was the largest in which we have worked. In fact, despite cooking in the space of our dreams, we still worked close together out of habit.

So now that warm weather is upon us, get out to your market and enjoy that special, seasonal produce. Such savoured ingredients, like asparagus, are available at their peak for short windows of time.

Making aperitivi is a great concept to springboard from. Having multiple plates makes even the smallest meal feel more "upscale". And think of how you can use ingredients in a different way. A single mushroom is a bore, but by simply stuffing the cap with a filling, you create something elegant in a matter of seconds. Enjoy those warm breezes that are upon us, and good luck creating light bites in celebration of summer!

Lasagne – with an “e”

Well, for those of us who grew up on typical American-style lasagn-“a” – trying to find the equivalent in Italy would most likely lead you to a type of Neapolitan lasagna (only made once a year) featuring lasagne sheets layered with ricotta (substituted in many areas of the US with cottage cheese), as well as red sauce, meat, and mozzarella. Some American traditional styles may also include other ingredients like mushrooms and onions.

Once again, like many other Italian dishes, the intent of lasagn-e was “lost in translation” as it travelled across the Atlantic. Traditional lasange from Emilia-Romana contains one or two ingredients - at the most - layered between marvelously thin and delicate sheets of pasta.

So began another adventure in our “micro kitchen.” First I made the fillings - two for my first attempt. The first was a simple fresh, whole milk ricotta cheese with parsley and a hint of nutmeg. The second consisted of butternut squash seasoned with sautéed onion, parsley, and a shot of amaretto. I added an egg yolk to each filling. I also grated 1 ½ cups of freshly grated Grana Padano to sprinkle over each layer.

For the pasta, I used 3 extra large eggs and approximately 2.5 cups of flour. Again, practice is all you need with the pasta dough and in less than two tries you will be an expert. Or, you can follow the instructions in numerous Italian cookbooks on making pasta with a food processor. I use Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking as my Italian culinary “reference manual.”

You’ll need some space to do this. First, lay out several kitchen towels and lightly flour them. You will lay your pasta sheets out on these as you complete them. Once you have your pasta dough is made, let it rest for 30 minutes, then divide into 4-5 equal sized pieces. Make sure to tightly wrap the other pieces so they do not dry out while you are making your sheets. Make your sheets the same way as noodles using the pasta machine starting with the widest setting and thinning the sheets gradually one setting at a time. I stopped at setting #6, but I would like to get to an even thinner sheet – a goal for next time 

Once you have all of your pasta sheets rolled out you’ll want to cook them before making the actual lasagne. Drop one or two sheets at a time into a large pot of boiling salted water (6 quarts) - after about 30 seconds, take them out (fresh pasta cooks VERY fast) and drop in a pan of cold water to stop the cooking. Rinse them off gently and lay them on towels to dry (you will need a few more towels – I used a beach towel for the post cooking process. Make sure you turn them over several times to keep the sheets from sticking to the towels!

After all the sheets are cooked and dried you can start trimming them to fit in your lasagne pan: I used 9x13 metal pan well greased with olive oil. I also took 2-3 tablespoons of the squash filling, dilute equal amount of water and spread in bottom of pan to prevent sticking. Add your first layer of lasagne sheets, then top with one of the fillings and the Grana Padano. Continue layering (alternate the fillings), topping each layer with a generous helping of Grana Padano. Make sure to leave at least a 1-inch overlap between sheets when you trim an place them in the pan. Leave them a bit long lengthwise also– they will shrink during the cooking.

Once all the sheets are used up, , top the last layer with Grana Padano and place in the oven for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Make sure to watch the last 10 minutes so the cheese does not burn. Let rest about 15 minutes before serving.

These amounts actually made a Lasagne about 1 1/4 inches high, which is not as high as typical American style, but the flavors and delicateness of the pasta will remind you of a savory “strudel.” Another advantage of smaller portions is less worrying about stepping on the scale during your next trip to the gym.

It was a bit of work, but after 2.5 hours – the results were incredible. Another session of eating and moaning was accompanied by a simple salad and a wonderful sparkling white Bordeaux from Modena.

Era Squisito!

Making Your Own Stuffed Pasta - removing the fear and adding the fun

Since our first trip to Italy in 2008, we’ve been missing that fresh, delicate, stuffed pasta that is ubiquitous in Emilia-Romagna. In particular, the zucca capallecci in Ferrara still haunts my taste buds.

So, for Valentines Day, I decided to make stuffed pasta as a special present for David. Not only would I make the pasta by hand, but I would use our pasta machine, covered in an inch of dust, for the first time. I usually roll my pasta out by hand when making noodles.

I also decided to create a new filling: I figured if I’m going to take on this project, might as well go all the way. So, here we go…

Stuffed pasta with fresh ricotta cheese, braised leeks and beet greens in a walnut-butter sauce

Take two cups of flour and make a well in the center. I use a large flat salad bowl to do this which saves me some cleaning time. Break two extra large eggs into the well and beat gently with a fork until well blended. Don’t worry about mixing flour in at this point. Gradually scoop more flour into the beaten egg until you have a soft dough. At this point, I use my hands and knead in whatever flour I need until the dough is still soft, but only slightly sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and let rest for 30-60 minutes.

For the filling – place 1 cup fresh, whole milk ricotta cheese in medium bowl. Finely chop the white part of one leek and the tops of 4 medium sized beets (cut off the stems up to the leaves). Saute the leeks in some olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add the beet greens. Saute both until both are tender and let cool for 10 minutes.

Mix the leeks and greens into the ricotta plus one egg yolk about about ¼ teaspoon salt, several grindings of fresh pepper, and just a few sprinkles of nutmeg. Set aside.

Set up your pasta machine and spread out two kitchen towels that have been dusted with flour. Divide your dough in four pieces and beginning on the first setting, put the dough through the machine, lightly dust this “sheet” with flour and repeat. I went to setting # 5, but #6 would make an even thinner more delicate pasta sheet.

Note: Before rolling out your last pasta sheet, fill up a 6 qt pan with water with 2 tsp of salt and heat to boiling.

I roll out and fill one sheet of pasta at a time to prevent it from drying. Once you roll out one sheet, trim it down to a square and determine how large you want your ravioli to be. For an average size, you will need a strip about 4 inches wide that can be folded over. Drop about 2 teaspoons of filling about 2 inches apart on one half of the strip, keeping at least ½ inch from each edge. Moisten the edges slightly (you can dip your finger in water or use a pastry brush – this is optional, but I like to be sure the ravioli do not break open during the cooking.) then fold one side on top of the other. Press the pasta down around the filling and when sealed, separate using a knife or pastry wheel. Place on a very lightly floured towel while rolling out and filling the rest of the dough.

Cooking the pasta and tossing in the sauce is the easiest part…

Finely grind/pulverize ½ cup of walnuts and grate 1 cup of Grana Padano. Place ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup butter in a saucepan. Add two whole garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley and sauté for 5 minutes then remove the garlic. Turn heat to lowest possible setting.

Cook 10-15 ravioli in the boiling water – they will cook very fast, about 1-2 minutes – enough to get them hot is all that’s needed. Gently drain and place in a warmed serving dish (I fill mine with hot water and let it set for 10 minutes). Pour the butter/olive oil sauce over the ravioli, then the ground walnuts and ½ of the grated cheese. Toss gently and taste. Correct for salt/pepper and serve immediately with additional grated cheese.

Next step: Enjoy watching dinner guests moan and eat with their eyes closed.