Rustic Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients for the crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup vegetable shortening or cold, unsalted butter
1/4 cups ice water, or as needed

* * * * * *

Preparing the filling:
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs total), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 T melted butter
pecan halves, for decoration

Preparing the pie:
In a food processor, pulse together all the dry ingredients and the butter into short bursts until the mixture forms pea-sized lumps. Add the water through the feed tube as you pulse until the mixture forms a stiff dough and pulls away from the sides of the food processor bowl. Form the dough into a 6-inch disk and wrap it in plastic; chill for one hour. The dough can be made in advance. It can be kept refrigerated for several days and even frozen.

When ready to make the pie, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch round and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Flute the edges. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is set and beginning to brown slightly. Remove the pie pan from the oven and let it cool.

Put the sweet potatoes into a medium pot and cover them with water by an inch. Bring to a boil. Boil slowly until the potatoes are tender with no absolutely no resistance at the center when pieced with a fork.

Drain off the water and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Do not use a potato ricer or food processor.

As you mash the potatoes, add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; then whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla. The butter goes in last.

Once the filling is well-mixed, pour it into the baked pie crust. Arrange pecan halves around the outside edges and sprinkle the top of the pie with more ground cinnamon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is set and the edges of the crust have browned.

Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Bobby's Beignets

These can be served with dusted with confectioners' sugar, jam, Nutella, etc.

Ingredients:
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
2 T unsalted butter, softened
2 quarts canola oil, plus more to oil bowl
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preparing the beignets:
Mix the yeast, water, and sugar in a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Add the salt, lemon zest, nutmeg, egg, milk, and 1 1/2 cups flour; mix on medium speed until combined. Add the butter; mix until incorporated. Add 1 3/4 cups flour, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the remaining 1/4 cup flour by hand until the dough is smooth, about five minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about one hour. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch down. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a one-inch round cutter; place on a floured baking sheet. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a medium pot or deep fryer until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry the beignets in batches, rolling them around constantly with a slotted spoon, until golden brown all over, one to two minutes. Transfer the beignets with the slotted spoon to a platter lined with paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Makes about 60 beignets

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Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients:
2/3 cup plus 2 T all purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) bag sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate, melted

Preparing the macaroons:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place flour, coconut and salt in a mixing bowl and gently toss together. Stir sweetened condensed milk and almond extract together and fold into the coconut mixture until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Using a small cookie scooper (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) scoop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake macaroons for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the outer shell begins to brown.

Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes before dipping the bottoms in the melted chocolate, drizzling the tops with chocolate, and setting them on wax paper.

Makes 20 macaroons

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Honey-Poached Peaches and Apricots

Serve with olive oil wafers.

Ingredients:
4 apricots
2 peaches
2 T white granulated sugar
2 T honey
1 drop orange flower water
2 T chopped pistachios

Optional: creme fraiche

Preparing the fruit:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. With the point of a knife, make a cross in the bottom of the fruits. Plunge them into the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and plunge into a bowl of ice cold water. Peel, pit, and slice onto a platter.

Put the sugar and honey in a saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add a few drops of orange flower water. Pour over the fruit, then scatter over the nuts. Serve with creme fraiche on the side.

Serves 4

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Fougasse

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups (345 grams) sifted flour
1 teaspoon yeast
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 T olive oil
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives


Optional: chopped sun-dried tomatoes, egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of water), large-grained salt

Preparing the fougasse:
Put the flour in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water. Stir 1/4-cup (60 grams) flour from the large bowl into the yeast to make a paste. Let sit until it starts to foam, about 10 minutes.

Make a well in the flour. Crack in the eggs, and add the salt, oil, and chopped rosemary. Pour in 1/4-cup (60 ml) water and mix. Finally, add the yeast starter to combine, and gradually draw in the flour to make dough. Add the olives (and sun-dried tomatoes, if using) and knead into smooth dough. Place in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and roll into a thin rectangle, using a rolling pin. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking sheet and place the dough on top.

Cut three or four slits down each side, to give the bread a split-leaf philodendron-type look. Separate the slits with your fingers to make long holes. Let the bread rise 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk together the egg and water, if using. Brush the top of the bread with the egg wash, sprinkle large-grained salt over the top, then bake until risen and golden, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

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Goat Cheese and Shallot Quiche

Ingredients for the crust:
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold butter, cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the filling
3 large shallots, halved, skins on
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cups 2-percent milk
3 eggs, at room temperature
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (1/2 cup) goat cheese, crumbled
2 cups baby arugula
6 pieces thinly sliced prosciutto

Preparing the For the quiche pastry:
In a large bowl, put the flour, salt, and butter cubes. Using the tips of your fingers, mix the ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water a little at a time until the dough just comes together. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a disk. Cover the disk with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to chill for an hour.

* * * * * *

Preparing the quiche:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly flour the work surface, roll-out the dough and put in a pan with a removable bottom. Allow the dough to hang over the edges. Trim the edges slightly, still leaving an overhang of dough. Poke or dock the bottom of the pastry with a fork.
Put the crust on a baking tray and cover the bottom of the pastry dough with aluminum foil. Fill the crust with dried beans or pastry weights and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and beans, and then put the pastry back in the oven until the bottom is golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.
Remove the pastry crust from the oven. While the pastry is still hot, brush a thin layer of quiche egg mixture over the bottom to seal.

* * * * *

Preparing the filling:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the shallots in a small saute pan skin-side up and coat with olive oil. Season the shallots with salt and roast for 30 minutes, until tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Peel the skins from the shallots and set the shallots aside. Put the milk in a pot over low heat until scalded, set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, thyme, salt, and pepper until incorporated. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture.

Scatter the roasted shallots and goat cheese into the base of the pastry crust.
Pour the egg mixture into the prepared quiche pastry crust. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, until the custard has set. Remove the quiche from the oven and allow to cool. Slice the quiche into portions and put the arugula and prosciutto over the quiche.

Serves 4

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Meatballs Napolitano

Ingredients for the meatballs:
2 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
1 cup milk
1 small bunch flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
9 ounces ground beef
9 ounces pork
2 eggs
2 ounces pecorino, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 buffalo mozzarella, drained and chopped into little pieces
unseasoned bread crumbs
extra virgin olive oil, for frying

* * * * *

Ingredients for the sauce:
extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 (12-ounce) cans of peeled cherry tomatoes, or 36 ounces of fresh cherry tomatoes [Canned tomatoes are better for a sauce that needs cooking for a long time.]

Preparing the sauce:
Pour just enough oil into a saucepan to cover the surface. Add garlic and tomatoes, mashing them slightly. Boil the sauce for 5 minutes and simmer for another 3 minutes. Set aside.

* * * * *

Preparing the meatballs:
Cover the bread with milk, and let soak.

Put meat into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add to meat. Chop the parsley and garlic together and add to the meat. Add the eggs and the pecorino, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix by hand and shape the meatballs, and push a small piece of mozzarella into the middle. Pat into shape. Roll the meatballs in bread crumbs.

Add olive oil to a frying pan and heat, When it's very hot, add the meatballs for 5 minutes, or until they have formed a crust. Don't crowd the pan. Turn over and when golden brown and crusty on both sides remove the meatballs from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, cover and cook very slowly on low heat for 45 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by half.

Serves 6

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Chocolate Bacon

Ingredients:
8 slices thick cut bacon
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces white chocolate, melted, optional for garnish

Preparing the chocolate bacon:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until the bacon is cooked to your liking - 15 minutes for soft bacon, 20 minutes for crispy bacon.

Let bacon cool on the parchment paper for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Cover another baking sheet with parchment paper.

Set up a double boiler with a heat-proof bowl over simmering water. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl and stir with a fork until smooth and completely melted.

Using tongs, carefully dip the bacon into the melted chocolate turning to coat all sides in chocolate. Transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining slices of bacon. Drizzle with the white chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.

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"The Maple Kind?"

Maple Bacon Ingredients:
3/4 pound thick-cut smoked bacon (16 slices)
1 to 2 T maple syrup

Preparing the bacon:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown.

Remove the pan carefully from the oven (hot grease in the pan). Brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

Serves 4 to 8

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Beet Chutney

Serve with roasted meats or chicken or Indian curries.

Ingredients:
8 to 10 ounces Chioggia beets, roasted and peeled
extra virgin olive oil
1 T freshly grated ginger
1 or 2 serrano peppers, minced
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
a pinch of ground cayenne
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T red wine vinegar
white granulated sugar, to taste
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Preparing the chutney:
Cut into 1/8 inch dice and put into a medium bowl. Add the ginger, serranos and orange zest, toss and season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the vinegar, taste, correct for salt and taste again. If it seems a bit flat or flavorless, add a teaspoon of sugar, stir and taste again. Repeat 2 or 3 times until the flavors blossom. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Makes 1 cup

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