I’ve been thinking about this recipe since I first made it for Christmas Eve dinner.  I admit it – I’m obsessed.  But sweet potatoes take so much of the starchy heavyness out of gnocchi (though they are still quite… Read the rest of this post

I’ve been thinking about this recipe since I first made it for Christmas Eve dinner.  I admit it – I’m obsessed.  But sweet potatoes take so much of the starchy heavyness out of gnocchi (though they are still quite toothsome) and the ricotta further lightens them up.  Then sage and brown butter, plus a few slivered almonds?  Elegant, and delicious.

I also loved that the gnocchi could be made several hours in advance – a lifesaver for this mutli-course meal.  (They were a first course – to follow was my mothers beef braciole, roasted beets and kale, and my Nana’s fig cakes)

This was a first attempt at pasta making for me – not as scary as I had feared. I’m still guessing at the purpose of the fork in rolling out the dumplings, but they looked about right, so I was happy.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage, and Almonds [Download PDF]

Based on a recipe from Bon Appétit

makes: 10 to 12 servings

ingredients:

2 pounds yams, rinsed, patted dry, pierced all over with fork
12 ounces fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups (approximately) all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter
6 tablespoons chopped fresh sage plus whole leaves for garnish
½ cup slivered almonds

how to:

Bake sweet potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool. (they can also be microwaved)

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and discard skins.  Transfer 3 cups of potato to large bowl. Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg.  Mash to blend together.  Mix in flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 20 pieces.

With a fork sitting tines up on the cutting board, push your thumb into each dumpling, rolling it off the edge of the fork to create an indented roll.  Transfer the pieces to the parchment sheet, and cover with a towel.  Roll each piece over tines of fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment or wax paper. Let cool – they can sit out for up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until butter solids are brown and have toasty aroma, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add chopped sage  – the butter will bubble.  Turn off heat. Season sage butter generously with salt and pepper.

Transfer half of sage butter to large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of gnocchi. Sauté until gnocchi are heated through, about 6 minutes. Empty skillet onto rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining sage butter and gnocchi.  With the remaining butter, toast the almonds slightly.

Divide gnocchi and sauce among shallow bowls. Garnish with sage leaves and almonds.

Baked pasta and cheese – not much better than that!  But add some glorious sauteed leeks and the dish becomes an entirely different and more wonderful creation.

The Comfort Foods issue of Bon Appetit has had me craving casseroles,… Read the rest of this post

Baked pasta and cheese – not much better than that!  But add some glorious sauteed leeks and the dish becomes an entirely different and more wonderful creation.

The Comfort Foods issue of Bon Appetit has had me craving casseroles, and the combination of leeks and cheese is one of my favorites.  Adding nutty whole wheat penne and substituting lowfat milk for whole made me feel a little better about myself, and I thought a combination of gruyere and cheddar would give it a nice twist.

Served with a green salad and some light red wine, it’s a simple and comforting meal.

Continue after the break to read the recipe:

Baked Mac and Cheese With Leeks
4 servings
Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2009

prep: 35 minutes total: 55 minutes

equipment: glass baking dish, saucepans

ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large leeks, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups lowfat milk
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
dash hot sauce
1 large egg
1/2 pound whole wheat penne pasta

how to:

1. Cut the leeks lengthwise, and then crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Put in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Pat dry. Set a pot of salted water to boil.

2. Melt the butter in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, stir to coat and cover the pan.  Let cook, stirring occasionally until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and add the flour. Stir to coat  and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the milk, bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add all but 1/4 cup of the cheese, mustard, and hot sauce.  Stir until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and season with salt to taste, then set to cool while the pasta cooks.

3. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook about 10 mintues until al dente. Drain, put back in the pot.

4. Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Slowly add about 1 cup of the cheese sauce. Stir this portion back into the rest of the sauce.

5. When the pasta is done, pour on the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Grease your baking dish, and pour in the pasta. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top.

6. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

As a Pittsburgher, I was issued a terrible towel at birth, so this past Super Bowl was one I actually cared enough to watch!  But more importantly, I cared enough to make a Pittsburgh classic – the Pierogi.

Essentially… Read the rest of this post

As a Pittsburgher, I was issued a terrible towel at birth, so this past Super Bowl was one I actually cared enough to watch!  But more importantly, I cared enough to make a Pittsburgh classic – the Pierogi.

Essentially a mashed potato ravioli (my Italian grandmother smiles, my Polish ones turn in her grave), these little dumplings are rich and delicious, smothered in butter and onions.  I love them best when they’ve been boiled, but then given a spell under the broiler to crisp up the dough before serving.

Definitely a labor of love, the comforting weight of the dumplings in my stomach made me almost as warm as the spectacular win.

Check out the recipe after the break!

Pittsburgh Pierogi
Adapted from Epicurious

Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 large onion
1 stick unsalted butter

Filling:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
pinch freshly ground nutmeg

1. Make the dough. Sift together the flours in a bowl. In a large measuring cup, measure out the water, and beat in the eggs and salt. Pour liquids into the center of the flours and mix gently until the dough comes together. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour as you need it, until it becomes smooth and stretchy, about 8 minutes. Set the dough on a plate and cover with a towel or a bowl until ready to be used.

2. Start the topping. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then slice thinly crosswise. Melt the butter in a large skillet. When it’s melted, add the onions, and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

3. Make the filling. Boil a salted pot of water. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes, and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mix with the cheese, salt and pepper, and nutmeg. Mash until smooth with a potato masher. Set aside to cool. when it’s cool and you’re ready to roll out the dough, scoop out about 1 teaspoon at a time, roll into balls, and set on a plate (this will make assembly easier).

4. Roll out the dough. Take half of the dough, keeping the remaining dough covered. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8th of an inch thick, or 15 inch round. Using a round biscuit cutter (about 2 1/2 inch in diameter) cut out rounds. Place the dough in the palm of your hand, add a lump of potato in the center, and pinch the center together. Pinch along the edges to form a dumpling, making sure it’s sealed all the way along. If it doesn’t stick, brush lightly with water. Set on a floured smooth kitchen towel or piece of parchment as you assemble the remaining pierogi.

Once that batch of pierogi are finished, move on to cooking them, and continue to roll out and assemble the other half of the dough.

5. Boil a pot of salted water. Add the pierogi in batches, stirring once or twice to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom or together. Cook for 5 minutes once they’ve floated to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon, and put them in the pan with the butter and onions, stirring to coat. Continue the process until all the pierogies are cooked.

If desired, spread the cooked peroigies and butter in a large baking dish. Broil for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.