My favorite carrot cake had a perfect 1:1 ratio of cake to frosting. That explains why it was my favorite. Rich, dense, moist and flavorful, it was perfection. However, I quickly realized that that much frosting had to be overcompensating for something. That's what fat, sugar, and salt does anyway, right? It adds flavor to the flavorless. So when it came time for me to make my own rendition of this classic cake, I aimed for flavor and moistness in the cake itself, with the frosting as an added bonus. The addition of pumpkin and butternut squash create an earthier flavor and richer texture, plus the addition of classic pumpkin pie spices (ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc) turned up the volume on this autumnal dessert. It ends up becoming the Great Pumpkin Cake, so be sure to have at least a dozen friends around to try it. Enjoy!
Spiced Pumpkin Cake:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled pecans, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup of finely grated carrots
1 cup grated butternut squash
1 cup of canned, pureed pumpkin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside. With a mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and pale. Gradually add the sugars and beat for a few minutes, until the batter is thick. Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and pumpkin alternatively and beat on low just until incorporated. Add the veg, pecans, and coconut and mix just to combine. Evenly divide the batter between three greased cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
3 cups unsalted butter, softened
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons canned pureed pumpkin
2-3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
7-8 halved pecans
Directions:
Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer until light and a little fluffy, add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until combined. Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt, zest and vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar and pumpkin puree alternatively. Turn the mixer on a low speed so it doesn't blow out everywhere.
On a cake platter, place one layer of the cake. Working from the center outward, smooth about a half inch of frosting. Add the second layer, repeat. On the third layer, add a large deal of frosting and working outward push the frosting over the edge, covering the sides. Continue smoothing the frosting until the entire cake is covered. Grab a handful of coconut and gently press into the sides. Continue until the entire cake is covered. Decorate the top with pecans and enjoy!
Classic Almond Biscotti
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 cup of sugar
3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups of flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
Preheat the oven at 375 F. Mix together the butter and sugar until they form moist crumbs, clumping together. Add the 3 eggs and mix together until light in color and the mixture forms ribbons when you lift the whisk out of the batter. Add the vanilla and mix well. Then, add the dry ingredients in batches of about a 1/2 cup at a time. Mix on low until just blended. Add the chopped almonds and mix until just blended.
On a cookie sheet with a silicon pad or parchment paper, place the mixture (which is now a very thick dough). Heavily flour your hands and form the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches high, and 3 inches wide. It may take up the entire length of the cookie sheet. Brush the beaten egg over the log, then cover with the sliced almonds. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut the loaf into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping once. If the biscotti appear too moist in the center, put them back in the oven for an extra 5 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
Tina's English Toffee:
For me, this toffee is the epitome of the Christmas Season (we start badgering Tina to cook it the day after Thanksgiving), and something I look forward to nibbling on every year. Nothing is more depressing than reaching for my family's toffee tin and finding it empty, like a dead Christmas tree in the gutter. So please cook up this toffee until your kitchen is heavy with the scent of butter, sugar, and the holiday spirit.
Ingredients:
1 pound unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the pans)
2 cups white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk chocolate, chopped
2 cups finely chopped toasted almonds
Directions:
Melt the butter, sugar, water and salt over a low flame, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to boil, turn the heat up to medium. Meanwhile, grease two cooking pans with butter. After 15-20 minutes, the mixture has reached 305 F. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla, stirring to incorporate. Be careful not to burn yourself or the mixture, but if you do, and I have, run your hand under room temperature water (never cold or hot water) to subside the pain. Immediately take the hot toffee and pour into two greased cooking pans and smooth until evenly coated and about 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick. Put the pans into the fridge to let the toffee cool (this will take several hours, or leave the toffee in over night, uncovered).
Once the toffee has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator and carefully loosen the pieces (you can do this by hand or with a knife). If it cracks, it's not a big deal.
Melt the two types of chocolate over a double boiler, stirring to combine. Once the chocolate has melted, use a spatula to coat one side of the toffee, and then immediately sprinkle heavily with the chopped toasted almonds. This must be done immediately because the cold toffee can cause the chocolate to harden before the almonds can stick. Put the toffee back in the fridge to cool the chocolate. Once it has hardened (it takes about an hour), flip and coat the other side with the chocolate and almonds. You will probably have chocolate and almonds left over, which you can use for more toffee. Let the toffee cool in the fridge until hardened again. When it's ready, take the toffee out, and using your hands crack it into irregular pieces. Bag them or stick them in a tin for your own enjoyment.
SWEET TREATS FROM FOOD FOOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
GIRLS' NIGHT IN ON FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
My sister and I are pretty busy ladies, and even though we live together, "quality time" isn't necessarily a guarantee. I'm an early bird, she's a late sleeper. I pass out by midnight and she'll burn that oil until two or three. So setting aside a night to just hang out on the couch requires both of us to pull out our calendars and see what can work. This week on Food For Thought, I make some of Amanda's favorites and she swings by the set to try them out. Delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts with homemade aioli, gooey mac and cheese, molten chocolate cake with maple whipped cream, and Amanda's favorite salad with mango chutney vinaigrette round out this decadent meal for two.
Rosemary Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli
*1 large egg
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, shallot, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, stirring half way through so they evenly brown. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and enjoy right away.
For the garlic aioli, combine the garlic, egg, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl. With a whisk (electric is easiest), mix together to combine. While whisking quickly, drizzle in the olive oil and combine until it forms a pale yellow sauce and not a moment more (it can break down pretty easily). Garnish with chives and serve immediately with the Brussels sprouts for dipping
Much like when I have attempted to speak a foreign language, making macaroni and cheese has proven to be a frustrating, awkward experience, where I inadvertently insult the people on the receiving end of my efforts. And much like the 5 years of Spanish under my belt, my 20-some attempts at a good macaroni and cheese seemed in vain, leading me no closer to my goal. My problems varied from attempt to attempt: too dry, too gummy, too dense. But this last round: success! Flavorful and silky with an even ratio of cheese to pasta. The trick is in the béchamel, and using common sense when choosing the amount of pasta. The gremolata breadcrumbs add a bright and fresh flavor to this rich mac and cheese. So get ready to curl up with one of the ultimate comfort foods. Enjoy! 
Classic Mac & Cheese with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Gremolata Breadcrumbs:
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 slices Italian bread
small handful flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
3 cloves of garlic
2 oz Parmiggiano
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
For White Sauce:
3-4 cups milk (you might need more to get the right consistency)
1 yellow onion, roughly sliced
1 bay leaf
Pinch of chili flakes
1 tablespoon black pepper cloves
1 garlic clove, halved
For Roux:
3 oz butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup Gruyere, grated
1/2 cup gouda, grated
1 cup sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
8-12 oz elbow macaroni
Preheat oven to 375 F.
The first is the topping, which is bread, lemon zest, garlic, parm, and olive oil. All this goes in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and the parm has become small crumbs. Add the parsley and pulse a couple of times (you don't want green bread crumbs).
For the sauce for the mac and cheese, heat the milk in a small saucepan with all of the milk ingredients, but be careful not to boil it. Add butter to another pot and let it melt. Add the flour, and stir to create a roux (this will give something for the cheese to cling to).
Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk through a strainer and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheese half the pepper, and nutmeg. Salt to taste. Stir well.
Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Start with about 8 oz and fold into the cheese sauce. If you like more pasta, add more. Pour into greased ramekins (or baking dish). Put the crumbs on top of the mac and cheese, covering the entire top layer.
Do you have 20 minutes? Good. Here's how you play this out:
Molten Chocolate Cake with Maple Whipped Cream
12 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 large pinch cayenne (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Preheat oven to 400 F
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and salt, and add it to the melted mixture. Whisk it together quickly so the eggs don't cook. Add the vanilla, cayenne, and flour. Mix until just incorporated.
Grease the ramekins and fill until almost full with batter.
These are ready to go right into the oven: Bake for 10-11 minutes, 12 if you don't want if super gooey.
Meanwhile whip together the cream, maple syrup, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
While I’m waiting for Amanda, I can’t resist, I have to try this. Here’s how I present it: Flip the cakes onto plates and serve with a dollop of cream. It’s beautiful and no one will know how easy it was.
Amanda's Favorite Salad
8 oz arugula
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 pear, (bosc or anjou) thinly sliced
1/4 cup thompson raisins or dried currants
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon mango chutney
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Just combine all of the ingredients, except for the chicken breast, and mix thoroughly.
In a sealed container, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and shake to combine. Lightly dress the salad, plate, and fan out the chicken breast on top.
HOLD THE DRESSING until you’re ready to serve salad; greens start to wilt as soon as they come into contact with an acid, which starts the process of breaking them down.
PIZZA NIGHT FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
My brother Henry and I have officially started a tradition. Well, we've done it twice, so that counts, right?
It's called Pizza Night, and though I make pizza for the fam at least a couple of times a year (or at least whenever Henry badgers me about it), its big moment is on Christmas day.
After presents and breakfast Henry and I make the dough, and while the family is out to the movies, it rises. Everyone picks out their toppings and we stand around the kitchen eating our piping hot pizza. This time around (for the inaugural Christmas Day pizza, click here) I took the leftovers from my Christmas Eve pasta and some inspiration from my favorite Italian Classics. The results were delicious:
NOTE: All of the pizzas use the same dough recipe.
Pizza Dough
For 4 10-12 inch pizzas
3 cups high gluten flour (I use King Arthur's Bread Flour), though All Purpose is fine too.
1 teaspoon yeast (half a pack)
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 70-80 degrees, not too hot or you'll kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil
In a the bowl of your electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and on the second highest speed (8 on a Kitchen Aid) knead the dough for 15 minutes, or until it has formed a ball on the hook and has completely pulled away from the sides of the bowl. The best test to see if it's elastic enough is to pull off a tablespoon of dough and stretch it into a square. You should be able to pull it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. It is tears knead it for another minute. When it's ready, knead on the highest level for an extra two or three minutes. Lightly oil a container with olive oil, add the dough, and cover with a lid (or plastic wrap if using a bowl). Mark or mentally note where the dough is, and note where it should be for it to triple in size. Set aside in a warm spot (on top of the fridge is great) and let it ferment for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tripled in size.
An hour before making the pizzas set your pizza stone in the center of the oven and crank it up as high it can go for at least an hour.
When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and stretch at the edges, moving the dough through your hands in a circle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get it as thin as you can and put it on a flour baking peel or rimless cookie sheet. Add your toppings and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or pureed if you prefer that texture)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
Bring the olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and minced garlic up to heat over a medium flame for about a minute. Stir in the tomatoes, paprika and the fresh oregano and bring to a gentle simmer.
Breakfast Pizza
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 4 small pizzas)
Classic Margherita
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 4 small pizzas)
1/2 cup red sauce
8 oz bufala mozzarella (2 balls), sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 16 slices)
1/2 cup basil, chiffonade
Olive oil
Preheat oven on highest heat with a pizza stone for at least an hour. On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese (there should be a lot of space around each slice). Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of basil and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 8 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Herbed Breadsticks
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 10 medium breadsticks)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup corn meal, finely ground
Olive oil
1/2 cup butter, melted
When you make the pizza dough, add the garlic and oregano to the mixture, and continue normally. Preheat oven on highest heat with a pizza stone for at least an hour.
When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into 5 equal pieces, and divide those pieces again. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and roll out into logs about 12 inches long. Roll the logs in the cornmeal and place on the floured baking peel, one at a time. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown. Brush with butter and serve. Enjoy!
BROWN SUGAR SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE
I need to get better at naming recipes. Usually, I just list the ingredients in a tasty sounding matter, but for this recipe...there's too much tasty! Obviously I have to mention the blueberries, but what about the brown sugar, giving it a deeper, almost maple-y flavor? I should also bring up the sour cream, adding a tangy richness. What about the cinnamon streusel? Nah, you'll find out about that soon enough.
This recipe is a play on my mom's sour cream coffee cake, also known as the BEST CAKE EVER. My brother had it as his 18th birthday cake. It's moist, a little tart, and laden with cinnamon and pecans. I thought, why not merge this awesomeness with my other favorite baked good, blueberry muffins.
So I give you: Brown Sugar Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake...with cinnamon streusel!
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
8 oz unsalted butter (two sticks)
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 cups Sour Cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 half pints blueberries
For Cinnamon Streusel:
1/2 cup flour
2 oz butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together (it should be a creamy, consistent texture and blonde looking). Add the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Sift together the dry ingredients and add a quarter at a time, alternately adding the sour cream. Lastly, add the vanilla. Pour into a greased sheet cake pan.
To make the cinnamon streusel, cut together the butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt until the butter is the size of small peas.
Sprinkle the batter blueberries, and then the streusel on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow it to cool completely, then slice and serve. Enjoy1
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
These are the ultimate make-ahead dessert. Bake some cookies, stick a little ice cream between them, and leave them in the freezer until you want to eat them. You can get extra credit for making your own ice cream, but in a pinch, I just buy my favorite flavors from the local ice cream shop. My favorite part are the toppings, and I went a little crazy.
Pistachio is one of my "litmus test" flavors when it comes to ice cream and gelato. If they get that right (not too sweet, not too almond-y, and just a touch savory), I'm sold for life. Especially with bittersweet dark chocolate? MWAH! Heaven! And with all of the dark, rich flavors in the cookies, which aren't too sweet because they're meant to be paired with ice cream, pistachio was a must try. Also, cayenne pepper and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations that I go back to again and again. Sprinkle a little around the edge and you have a surprising kick on an icy treat. Enjoy! 
Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
Dark Chocolate Cookies
For 24 cookies (12 sandwiches)
8 oz butter, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup grated or finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
For Ice cream sandwiches
1 quart of your favorite flavor (I chose vanilla and chocolate
Toppings (I did vanilla + sprinkles, vanilla + grated chocolate, chocolate + salted pistachios, chocolate + cayenne pepper)
Preheat oven to 350F. With a mixer, blend together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the mixer on low speed. Add the vanilla and chocolate and blend until the dough becomes a rich, dark brown. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and using a cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and top with sugar crystals is you like. Bake for 15 minutes and cool completely on a rack.
You can make the ice cream sandwiches ahead and refreeze them, or make them to order. Just pick your favorite flavor, scoop out about a 1/2 cup, and press onto the cookie (softened ice cream works best). Top it with another cookie, and roll the sides in your favorite topping (nuts, sprinkles, chocolate, whatever!). Enjoy!
OUR PIZZA TRADITION
Henry and I have officially started a tradition. Well, we've done it twice, so that counts, right?
It's called Pizza Night, and though I make pizza for the fam at least a couple of times a year (or at least whenever Henry badgers me about it), its big moment is on Christmas day.
After presents and breakfast Henry and I make the dough, and while the family is out to the movies, it rises. Everyone picks out their toppings and we stand around the kitchen eating our piping hot pizza. This time around (for the inaugural Christmas Day pizza, click here) I took the leftovers from my Christmas Eve pasta and some inspiration from my favorite Italian Classics. The results were delicious:
1. Cherry Tomato Margherita with Lemon Zest and Truffle Salt
2. Broccoli Rabe with Hot Sausage
3. Pasta Pizza (Roasted Butternut Squash, Sunchokes, and Fennel with Walnut Pesto, finished with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage)
4. Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic vinegar and Chevre
Enjoy!
NOTE: All of the pizzas use the same dough recipe.
Pizza Dough
For 4 10-12 inch pizzas
3 cups high gluten flour (I use King Arthur's Bread Flour), though All Purpose is fine too.
1 teaspoon yeast (half a pack)
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 70-80 degrees, not too hot or you'll kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil
In a the bowl of your electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and on the second highest speed (8 on a Kitchen Aid) knead the dough for 15 minutes, or until it has formed a ball on the hook and has completely pulled away from the sides of the bowl. The best test to see if it's elastic enough is to pull off a tablespoon of dough and stretch it into a square. You should be able to pull it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. It is tears knead it for another minute. When it's ready, knead on the highest level for an extra two or three minutes. Lightly oil a container with olive oil, add the dough, and cover with a lid (or plastic wrap if using a bowl). Mark or mentally note where the dough is, and note where it should be for it to triple in size. Set aside in a warm spot (on top of the fridge is great) and let it ferment for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tripled in size.
An hour before making the pizzas set your pizza stone in the center of the oven and crank it up as high it can go for at least an hour.
When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and stretch at the edges, moving the dough through your hands in a circle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get it as thin as you can and put it on a flour baking peel or rimless cookie sheet. Add your toppings and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Cherry Tomato Margherita with Lemon Zest and Truffle Salt
For 4
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp lemon zest
2 balls bufala mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
4 pinches truffle salt, or a few drops truffle oil, or you can buy cheese with truffle in it.
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade (thinly sliced into ribbons)
On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese (there should be a lot of space around each slice) and dot with the halved tomatoes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and truffle salt and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 8 minutes and top with a little basil. Slice and enjoy!
Broccoli Rabe with Hot Sausage
For 4
1 lb broccoli rabe (rapini)or a head of broccoli if you can't find it
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flake
1 pinch lemon zest
8 oz taleggio grated (or mozzarella)
4-5 fresh hot Italian sausages
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Grated Parm, optional
Break the broccoli rabe into 1 inch chunks. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the broccoli rabe for 1 minute and the stick in an ice bath. Blanching the rabe makes it sweeter and turns is a gorgeous bright green. You can skip the step if you prefer a more bitter flavor, just saute it for a little longer.
Strain the broccoli rabe and dry completely on a towel. In a saucepan, heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flake and cook until the garlic just starts to toast (careful that it doesn't brown). Add the broccoli rabe and saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, push the sausage out of its casings and in a pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil, saute it until the bits are completely brown and cooked through.
On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the sausage and broccoli rabe. Top with some parm and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 8 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Pasta Pizza (Roasted Butternut Squash, Sunchokes, and Fennel with Walnut Pesto, finished with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage)
For how to prepare the vegetables and walnut pesto, check out this recipe.
For 4
8 oz roasted butternut squash
8 oz roasted sunchokes
4 oz roasted fennel
1/2 cup walnut pesto
8 oz grated mozzarella
Grated Parm, optional
4 tblsp unsalted butter
12 sage leaves
On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of walnut pesto onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the roasted vegetables. Top with some parm and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 8 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and continue cooking until it turns golden brown and starts turning nutty. Drizzle a quarter of the brown butter and sage leaves over the pizza. Slice and Enjoy!
Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic vinegar and Chevre
For 4
1 head radicchio, or small red cabbage, quatered
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, plus more for drizzling
8 oz fresh chevre (fresh goat cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 425 F. In a small oven-safe pan, drizzle each quarter of radicchio with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the leaves start to wilt. Turn up the oven to broil and broil until the edges start to brown. Take the radicchio out, slice into 1 inch sections, and immediately cover with balsamic, turning to dress.
On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one) smooth 2 tablespoons of sour cream onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the radicchio. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 8 minutes and finish with a drizzle of balsamic and some ground pepper. Slice and enjoy!