Tag Archives: nutmeg

Spinach & Parmigiano Torta

May 14, 2015 rusticoblog

We can’t get enough of leafy greens. Spinach, broccoli raab, escarole, beet greens, Swiss chard, kale, cabbage… at least one vegetable green and leafy finds its way to our table at every meal. And while I adore these vegetables simply steamed and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, or sauteed with garlic and chili flakes, I love incorporating them in more “dressed up” dishes like the torta below.

Essentially a souffle, this torta is baked in a pretty oven-to-table pan so it can be served all puffed up and golden straight from its cooking vessel. Denser and less airy than a classic French souffle, it is a lovely main course accompanied by green salad and crusty bread. Try using different greens as they appear at the farmers’ markets this spring; spinach, always available, is an excellent jumping off point.

Serves 2 as a main course

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 pound fresh spinach, leaves only, washed thoroughly
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup 2% or whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (preferably set on convection bake). Lightly butter an 8-inch x 4-inch oven-to-table pan (or any ovenproof pan with a 4-cup capacity). Dust the bottom with 1 tablespoon of the Parmigiano.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and drop in the spinach. Cook 3 minutes, or until soft and silky. Drain, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking, and squeeze dry. Chop finely and set aside.

In a small but heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly with a wire whisk, until the flour loses its raw smell, about 2 minutes. Do not allow the flour and butter mixture to take on any color, so monitor the heat carefully and whisk constantly.

Quickly pour in the milk, still whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and cook over medium hear 3 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmigiano. Now whisk in the egg yolks, beating thoroughly to avoid scrambling them in the hot milk mixture. Beat in the spinach and set aside.

In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the spinach mixture.

Pour into the buttered oven-to-table pan and dust the top with the remaining tablespoon of Parmigiano. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden, set, and puffed. Serve hot.

Soup

Roasted & Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

March 16, 2015 rusticoblog

Spring is almost here—and while I am thrilled about the weather warming up, the longer days, and the return of birds and squirrels and chipmunks, I’m not quite ready to stop enjoying hearty, comforting winter fare quite yet. So today I made this soothing soup with roasted butternut squash, a hint of ginger and nutmeg, and a swirl of sour cream. The flavors are rich and deep, but the soup itself very low in fat and calories, and quite filling.

Be careful with the amount of ginger you use, as it really lends the soup an unmistakable spicy note; too much will take the soup from soothing to jarring!!

Serves 2

For the squash:

½ pound peeled butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup water, plus extra as needed
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon minced ginger
2 sage leaves, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

2 cups chicken broth
½ cup 2% milk, plus extra as needed
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sour cream

Make the squash: Preheat the oven to 350° (preferably set on convection bake). Toss all the ingredients for the squash on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add a bit of water if the squash is drying out or browning too much before becoming tender.

When the squash is tender, puree the squash, shallot, and ginger (along with any liquid on the baking sheet) until very smooth using a blender or food processor. Slowly pour in the broth and milk. Season with the salt and pepper and puree again.

Transfer to a pot and heat over a medium flame until the soup thickens to the consistency you like and the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

To serve: Ladle the soup into 2 bowls. Garnish each with dollops of sour cream and drag a toothpick through each sour cream dollop to swirl a pretty pattern through it. Serve immediately.

Main Course: Vegetarian

Creamy Parsnip Sformato

March 2, 2015 rusticoblog

In Italy, there is a class of dishes (some sweet, some savory) that goes by the name sformato, from the word forma, which means mold or shape. Like frittata, a close cousin, a savory sformato is egg-based, but it is heavier on the vegetables, creamy in texture, baked in a mold, then unmolded (hence the name) before serving.

I make sformati with whatever vegetables I have on hand; in the winter, butternut squash, parsnip, fennel, and cauliflower are favorites. If using a starchy or fibrous vegetable (like the four mentioned above), I find it best to boil the vegetable before puréeing it; watery vegetables such as mushrooms or eggplants do better sautéed fist, then puréed. And while I bake sformati in individual ramekins for company, I usually bake a sformato in one large soufflé dish if it’s just the two of us sharing it. Cast iron or enameled cast iron skillets like the one pictured here are a great baking vessel too. In this case, I serve the sformato still in the skillet or soufflé dish, and it’s so comforting to dig in while the sformato is still hot from the oven!

Serves 2

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 ounces (1 medium) parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice (weigh after peeling)
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces young goat cheese
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites

Preheat the oven to 375° (preferably set on convection).

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cast iron or enameled cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the skillet with 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmigiano.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Drop in the parsnip and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Boil 3 minutes, or until the parsnip is fork-tender, then drain and cool under running water. Blot dry thoroughly before proceeding or the sformato will be watery.

Place the parsnip, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the remaining 3 tablespoons of the Parmigiano, the nutmeg, pepper, goat cheese, and whole eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, then transfer to a bowl.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until soft peaks hold; the whites should hold their shape when the bowl is turned upside down. If they do not hold their shape, beat a little longer. Fold gently into the parsnip mixture, being careful not to deflate it.

Spoon into the prepared skillet. Immediately bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden, set, and puffed. Serve immediately.

Fresh Pasta

Beet Greens & Two-Cheese Ravioli in Light Tomato Sauce

October 1, 2014 rusticoblog

We eat a lot of beets at home. My husband loves them roasted, and he is happiest when I serve them with just a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper as a salad. Sometimes I add walnuts, Feta cheese, a scattering of fresh herbs (dill or tarragon work best), thinly sliced onions, and a splash of sherry vinegar. Other times, I stir in grated garlic, chili flakes, cilantro, toasted sunflower seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a hint of red wine vinegar.

Since we eat so many beets, that leaves us with a lot of beet greens and beet stems. They never get discarded, and serve as inspiration for many meals. I boil the greens, then serve them with olive oil, lemon juice, and slivered garlic, or top focaccia dough with them before baking under a veil of Pecorino. As for the stems, they are delicious roasted: I boil them just a few minutes, then roast them with olive oil and grated Parmigiano, covered snugly under a sheet of parchment paper, for 10 minutes at 325 degrees. And I often prepare colorful beet greens and cheese ravioli, as below, napped in a light tomato sauce.

Even though the ingredient list looks daunting, the preparation is actually quite easy, so try this the next time you have beet greens at home. And if you have spinach but no beet greens, that works too!

Serves 6

For the dough:

2 and ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter and trays
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs

For the filling:

½ pound fresh beet greens (or spinach leaves), washed and finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ pound fresh whole-milk Ricotta
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

For the egg wash:

1 large egg, beaten to blend

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 basil leaves
8 large ripe plum tomatoes or 4 large beefsteak tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 3 cups diced)
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To cook the ravioli and serve:

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into fine strips

Make the dough: Mix the flour and salt on a counter and shape into a mound. Make a well in the center and add the eggs to the well. Using your fingertips, work the flour into the eggs, then gather into a dough and knead by hand; add a little water if the dough is too dry or a little flour if it is too moist. Knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth, then shape into a ball, wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add the beet greens (or spinach) and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cool water and drain. Squeeze dry and chop. Reserve the pot of boiling water to cook the ravioli later.

Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl, stir in the chopped boiled beet greens, and adjust the salt to taste if needed. Set aside.

Assemble the ravioli: Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 sheet at a time and keeping the others covered, roll each piece out into a thin sheet using a pasta machine; the sheets should be nearly transparent after rolling. Be sure to lightly dust the sheets of pasta with flour every time you roll them through the pasta machine or they may stick or tear.

Brush 2 of the lasagna sheets lightly with the egg wash. Arrange the filling in small mounds about 1 inch apart on the 2 lasagna sheets you just brushed with the egg wash. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna sheets. Use your hands to press out any air pockets around the filling and seal the edges well. Cut into squares using a fluted pastry wheel. Spread the ravioli out on a lightly floured tray in a single layer and refrigerate until needed, covered with a clean, dry towel. (The ravioli can be shaped up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered with a clean kitchen towel, or they can be frozen for up to 1 month; if you freeze the ravioli, do not defrost them before dropping them into the boiling water, but allow 1 extra minute for cooking.)

Make the sauce: Place the olive oil and basil in a 10-inch saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, or until the basil releases its aroma, then add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the suace is soupy, cook it, uncovered, for a few minutes. If it is too dry, add a bit of cool water to loosen it.

Cook the ravioli: Return the reserved beet greens cooking water to a boil. Drop in the ravioli and the 2 tablespoons of salt and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes. Remove to a heated platter with a slotted spoon (reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water). Gently toss the ravioli with the tomato sauce, add the olive oil, sprinkle with the Pecorino, and stir very gently since the ravioli are delicate. If needed, thin out the sauce with some of the reserved pasta cooking water.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the basil.

Fresh Pasta

Garnet Yam Gnocchi in Sage Butter Sauce

March 20, 2014 rusticoblog

Gnocchi were my favorite pasta when I was little. I was especially fond of potato gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce, which my mom made to perfection. Lately I’ve been making a lot of sweet potato and garnet yam gnocchi; maybe because in winter, I crave something a bit sweet, and using yams or sweet potatoes gives me an excuse to add a touch of freshly grated nutmeg to the dough.

Whatever type of tuber you use (Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, garnet yams, regular yams, sweet potatoes), be sure to weigh the flesh after baking, before adding the specified amount of flour; that way, your gnocchi will emerge light and delicate, never heavy. And remember: gnocchi dough should never be kneaded, just mixed and gathered gently with your hands, or else you’ll end up adding more flour than necessary and your gnocchi will be heavy.

To learn how to make gnocchi in a hands-on cooking class with me, and to really understand what the correct texture is for handmade gnocchi, check out our cooking class calendar: we feature handmade gnocchi of every variety (even Ricotta) about once a week or so!

Serves 4

For the gnocchi:

3 medium garnet yams (about ¾ pound each), scrubbed
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces or 130 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for the tray and counter

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 sage leaves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To cook and serve:

2 tablespoons salt
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Make the gnocchi: Preheat the oven to 350°F (preferably set on convection).

Place the yams on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, poke each with a fork once or twice to prevent bursting, and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Place the flesh in a bowl. Weigh out exactly 1 pound and reserve the rest for another use.

Using a ricer, puree the yam flesh directly onto the counter.

Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Add the flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms.

The mixture should form a soft, cohesive mass; add a little more flour if the dough is very sticky. Stop mixing once you see no more white streaks in the dough.

Cut into 8 pieces. Dust each piece with flour. With lightly floured hands, gently roll each piece into a 1-inch-thick log. The dough will be soft, but resist the temptation to add more flour unless the dough is really sticky; also be sure not to knead the dough, or else it will require additional flour.

Cut into 1-inch pieces, toss gently with flour, and spread out in a single layer on a floured tray. (The gnocchi can be made up to this point 12 hours ahead, spread out in a single layer on a floured tray, and refrigerated, uncovered, until ready to cook.) Be sure the gnocchi are not touching each other because the dough is soft and rather sticky.

If you’re nervous that the gnocchi are too soft, try boiling just one or two at this point; that way, if they seem too soft once cooked, or fall apart in the water, you can adjust by adding a touch of flour to firm them up.

Make the sauce: Melt the butter with the sage, salt, and pepper in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat until aromatic. Keep warm.

To cook: Bring 6 quarts of water to a very gentle boil. Add the gnocchi and the salt, and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface,a bout 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wide, shallow platter, reserving 1 cup of the gnocchi cooking water.

Add 1/2 cup of the gnocchi cooking water to the sauce in the skillet and swirl once or twice to combine. Pour over the gnocchi in the platter and mix gently with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano, and stir gently to incorporate. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If needed, thin the sauce out with a bit of the gnocchi cooking water. Serve hot.

Main Course: Vegetarian

Pasta Gratin with Swiss Chard, Fontina, and Nutmeg

February 28, 2014 rusticoblog

Our good friend Bill Bateman just came back from Val d’Aosta, where he goes every winter to ski and enjoy the food and scenery, and we were once again the lucky recipients of some fabulous Fontina cheese he bought while there. What an amazing cheese! It melts incredibly well, and the aroma is subtle, milky, nutty, grassy. Of course I wanted to incorporate the Fontina in as many dishes as I could while it was still fresh from Italy, so here is one recent creation, based on a recipe I found in Gourmet Magazine a few years ago and doctored to my taste.

I used homemade egg pasta cut into curly pappardelle for this dish; but you can certainly use store-bought, as long as the pasta is fresh and thin. And while I made this dish to showcase Bill’s Fontina, you can use Raclette or Gruyere instead, as these are often easier to find.

For ideas of how to use your Swiss chard stems (do not throw them out–they are delicious and nutritious!), see our post on chard stems.

Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an appetizer

1 large bunch Swiss chard, preferably rainbow, ribs removed and reserved for another use (see note above), leaves coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
¼ pound fresh egg pasta (ideally Pappardelle or tagliatelle)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (1 and ½ cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
½ cup whole or 2% milk
2 ounces Mascarpone (preferably imported Italian)
2 ounces Fontina from Val d’Aosta, rind removed, grated
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 350° (preferably set on convection).

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the coarsely chopped chard leaves and 2 tablespoons of the salt, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft; remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cool water and keep the water boiling. Drain the chard, cool under running water, and squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. Chop finely and set aside.

Add the fresh pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook, until al dente, about 2 minutes; drain and toss with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until golden and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chard and sauté another 5 minutes, or until the chard is warmed through and wilted. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

Brush an oven-to-table roasting pan with olive oil; I find an 8-inch square or 9-inch x 4-inch pan works well.

Place the drained pasta and chard mixture in the pan and mix with your hands or tongs.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and Mascarpone; add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. The mixture will be lumpy, which is fine; the lumps will dissolve once the pasta is placed in the hot oven. Stir the egg mixture into the pasta and chard.

Scatter the Fontina on top of the pasta, and sprinkle with the Parmigiano.

Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. You can slip the pasta under the broiler for 5 minutes for extra crunch on top. Serve hot.

Rustico Cooking