This Baked Pasta with Meatballs and Olives is a recipe I wouldn't necessarily make this time of year. It's a rather hearty meal that I prefer during cooler months. Usually, by now... by May, it's getting warmer and nice enough to be outdoors occasionally for dinner. By this time, I should be composing salads and wondering when the radishes will be big enough to pick and add to the greens. I should be purchasing strawberries at the grocery for a strawberry-rhubarb tart -- all things I had hoped to do while my family visited from Ohio for four days.
But we had yet another snow this past week. And although we were lucky here in St. Paul, Minnesota, not to receive snow that needed shoveling as many near-by communities did, our snow was mixed with a cold, constant rain that lasted for days. All of the meals I prepared for my family were baked in the oven. Nothing was grilled outdoors, and there was no sitting on the patio under warm spring sunshine. The way this year has gone so far, we may be eating hearty pasta dishes well into July...
Baked Pasta with Meatballs and Olives
+ adapted recipe from the Food Network +
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for brushing
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, crushed with your hands
• 1 15-ounch can plum tomatoes, crushed, or 2 cups of homemade tomato sauce
• 4 large sprigs of basil
• 9 ounces pancetta, diced and browned
• 2 cups meatballs, cooked and halved (the recipe I use HERE)
• 1 cups sliced, roasted, red peppers
• 1 cup chopped black or green, pitted olives (I used green French Picholine)
• 3 cups grated, mild Provolone cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated ricotta salata 1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Cook the rigatoni to package directions; drain.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until the garlic just begins to color. Add the large can of crushed plum tomatoes, and the small can of crushed plum tomatoes (or the 2 cups of fresh tomato sauce). Rinse out the tomato containers with a total 1 cup of water, and add this water to the skillet along with the sprigs of fresh basil. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs and season the mixture with salt.
4. Stir the browned pancetta into the sauce, then add the meatballs, roasted peppers, and olives.
5. Brush a large 3 to 4-quart baking dish with olive oil. Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce, along with half of the grated provolone and half of the ricotta salata. Mix gently, then spoon into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top of pasta.
6. Bake pasta on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes (the original recipe called for baking at 450˚F for 15 minutes, but I prefer baking longer at a lower temp).
TAKE a LOOK:
What can I say? It's another healthy salad.
adapted recipe from COOKING by Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone
SALAD:
• Olive oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups cooked wild rice
• 1/2 pound smoked turkey (or chicken), diced or shredded
• Couple handfuls cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
DRESSING:
• 4 to 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
1. Place a small skillet over medium heat and drizzle with a film of olive oil. Add the red onion and sauté until onion is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Make the dressing: Place the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce in the bowl of a food processor. Mix to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until smooth.
3. In a serving bowl, combine the salad ingredients with the dressing; mix gently. Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
• My daughter added diced avocados to her salad and highly recommends doing so.
TAKE a LOOK:
Yes indeed, I'm thanking Gwyneth Paltrow for dinner last night. I subscribe to her blog GOOP, which "curates the best of lifestyle to help her readers save time, simplify, and feel inspired". Hmm... Let's just say, I occasionally find a recipe I want to make. My quest to back-off from baking desserts nearly every day in this new year (shall we take bets on how long this lasts?), has me sourcing recipes that focus on salads, ancient grains, and in this case... lentils.
When I actually sat down last night to my dinner of lentil "meatballs", I ate them on top of brown rice (orzo would also be nice accompaniment) with a very good drizzle of basil oil and alongside seared broccoli. Don't shy away from salting the "meatballs". They will definitely benefit from it. LENTIL "Meatballs"
• adapted recipe from GOOP •
SERVES 4
• 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• pinch of each: dried fennel seed, dried thyme, dried rosemary
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Ricotta
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the center of the oven. Bake until the tomatoes are seared and begin to burst. Remove from oven and reserve. (Keep the oven temperature at 375˚ for baking the "meatballs".)
2. Drizzle olive oil into a skillet and over medium heat, add the onion. Sauté until softened; a minute or two. Add the garlic, fennel seed, thyme, and rosemary and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the lentils and tomato paste. Pulse until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the lentil mixture, panko, onion and herb mixture, Ricotta, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add more panko breadcrumbs if mixture seems too wet. Form into small balls and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt; place baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, flip "meatballs" and bake an additional 5 minutes, until browned.
4. While the lentil "meatballs" are baking, make the basil oil. Using a mortar & pestle or a food processor, combine fresh basil and oil. Mash or pulse until a good drizzling consistency.
5. Serve the Lentil "Meatballs" alongside the cherry tomatoes and drizzled with basil oil, either alone or on top of rice or pasta.
TAKE a LOOK:
I took a break from holiday cookie baking today and made this Tomato Tarte Tatin... again. It's been less than a week since I had friends over for dinner and made this tarte for the first time. All of my fears about eating tomatoes out-of-season are no longer a concern. The caramelized sugar that's combined with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and garlic, ensures the plum tomatoes will have a velvety sweetness to them.
Once the tomatoes have baked for two hours in the caramelized sugar mixture, they are drained and returned to the skillet, covered with a buttery tart pastry, and baked until the crust is golden. Once removed from the oven, cover the skillet with a large plate and flip. Both tartes were served with arugula tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and Parmesan shards.
Tomato Tarte Tatin
• adapted from about.com
TARTE CRUST
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• generous 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
TOMATO TARTE TATIN
• 2 pounds plum tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely shopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for greasing skillet
TO MAKE THE CRUST:
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and salt; pulse briefly. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the size of small peas. While continuing to pulse, pour in 3 tablespoons of the ice water. If the dough seems dry when pinched together, add more ice water, drop by drop, just until the dough holds together. Transfer to plastic wrap, shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for about 2 hours.
TO MAKE THE TARTE TATIN:
1. Preheat oven to 275˚F.
2. Slice the plum tomatoes in half and place on a large plate, cut side up. Sprinkle with the salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle sugar evenly into a large ovenproof skillet and place skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally while the sugar melts and turns golden. Turn heat to low and deglaze caramelized sugar by pouring in the red wine vinegar and stirring constantly. The sugar will seize and become a hard lump, but be patient and continue stirring. Adjust heat a little higher if necessary. Eventually you will have a smooth lump-free mixture. At that point, remove from the heat. Stir in the olive oil, garlic, and fresh rosemary.
4. Place the tomatoes skin side down into the skillet, tucking in tightly if necessary. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are slightly smaller and shriveled.
5. Increase the oven heat to 400˚F. Remove the tomatoes from the skillet with a slotted spoon to drain. You will need an 8 or 9-inch ovenproof skillet for baking the tarte tatin (I use an old cast iron pan). If using the same skillet that the tomatoes were baked in, wipe it dry before coating with a light film of olive oil. Return the tomatoes to the skillet, skin side down.
6. Roll the pastry dough into a large circle. Lay the rolled dough over the tomatoes and gently tuck the edge of the dough inbetween the tomatoes and sides of skillet.
7. Place the tarte tatin in the oven and bake until the crust is golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Once removed from the oven, place a large plate over the skillet, and using potholders, hold the skillet and plate together tightly and flip. The tarte tatin will release onto the plate. Garnish the Tomato Tarte Tatin with sprigs of fresh rosemary. Tarte can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
TAKE a LOOK:
There are recipes I have had in my files for years. I am always tearing out, writing down, or copying somehow, anything that sounds good to me. This was one of those recipes. But whenever I ran across it, while rifling through my files, the ingredients were out-of-season. The stars were aligned this week when I pulled the recipe and had both August garden tomatoes and watermelon in my kitchen.
I am crazy for this salad! I served it with grilled chicken paillards, a potato salad with grainy mustard and sopressata, and green beans. If you'll be having a barbecue over the upcoming holiday weekend, MAKE THIS! I'll be doing a little traveling the next two weeks; getting away to celebrate our (40th!) wedding anniversary (yes, I was very young when I got married). And, I will also be visiting my family in Ohio. It's been quite a while since I've spent time with Antique-of-the-Week Susan, and I have yet to see the historical property, The Willow Tree, that my nephew has been renovating. Postings will most likely be few and far between the first half of September, but I will have my camera along, and plan to photograph The Willow Tree inside and out. A wedding is scheduled there during our visit, so I might also get a few photos of the event preparations. It will be a nice break from all of the projects and deadlines I've created for myself prior to my daughter's November wedding. Have a great weekend! Tomato & Watermelon Savory Salad
recipe by Bill Smith | SAVEUR Magazine • September 2008
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• a 4 pound seedless watermelon
• 1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes (I used Purple Cherokee and an heirloom cherry tomato)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and cayenne. Quarter and thinly slice half of a small red onion. Toss it with the vinegar mixture and set aside to rest for about 30 minutes; this will help to soften the onion. Cut the flesh of the watermelon into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a large bowl. Core the tomatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes; add tomatoes to the watermelon. Right before you plan to serve the salad, pour the vinegar mixture over the watermelon and tomatoes, along with the olive oil. Season with addition kosher salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper.
TAKE a LOOK:
I can't say that August is my favorite time of year. I prefer September and October; most likely the result of living in Kansas City for 10 years. I had just gotten married and we moved there so I could attend the Kansas City Art Institute. I hated the summer. We didn't have air-conditioning for the first 8 years we lived there and that will make you hate summer in Kansas City. I'm sure my husband was sick-and-tired of hearing me say, "I think I'm going to perish". I would walk to the grocery store just to cool off. Once inside, I would forget about the heat and took my sweet time buying all kinds of food items (especially in the freezer section). When I finally stepped outdoors and returned to our second floor brownstone apartment I no longer had an appetite, nor did I feel like doing anything in my hot kitchen with all that I had just purchased. I looked forward to September and October. My hunger returned and it was cool enough to put my shorts aside and wear pants again for the first time since May.
I live in St. Paul, Minnesota now and August is much cooler here than it was 440 miles south. And I'd have to say that August is my favorite month gastronomically. If you grow your own tomatoes or have access to garden tomatoes through a local farmers' market, you understand.
And one of my favorite ways to eat a tomato is in a sandwich. No bacon. No lettuce. Just bread (make that really good bread), mayo, heirloom tomatoes, and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Sometimes I have Basil Mayonnaise in my refrigerator and that will make this sandwich even better.
Basil Mayonnaise
• 1 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Whisk all of the above ingredients together. The mayonnaise can be kept in a jar in the refrigerator for one week.
More Tomatoes:
Last year I planted cucumbers in my vegetable garden for the first time. I put in three plants which produced more cucumbers than were humanly possible to eat. I thought I was playing it safe by planting two this past spring. Next year -- I'll only be putting one in my garden.
I wonder if my neighbors know that it's me dropping the bags of cucumbers at their door, knocking, and running away as fast as I can!
So now I'm always on the lookout for something... anything delicious to make with a cucumber. My neighbor pulled this Cucumber, Tomato, and Pineapple Salad with Asian Dressing out of her refrigerator the other night when I stopped by and gave me a sample. I loved it! Cool, refreshing, healthy, and a fantastic way to not only use up cucumbers, but also tomatoes, jalapeños, and mint from my garden. I see this as a great side dish to grilled meats and fish. Tonight I served this salad alongside baked Salmon Croquettes; a family favorite.
Cucumber, Tomato, and Pineapple Salad with Asian Dressing
adapted from a recipe by Alexis Touchet
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 jalapeño chile, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian Fish Sauce
• 1 small cucumber, halved, seeds removed, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 cups fresh or canned pineapple, 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
• 2 medium tomatoes (1 pound total), cut into chunks
1. Mince the garlic, combine with the salt and using the blade of a knife on a flat surface, mash into a paste. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the lime juice and the sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the oil, jalapeño, fish sauce, and the reserved garlic paste.
3. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.
TAKE a LOOK:
One of the best things that has happened for me through LivingTastefully's Passions to Pastry is the people I have come in contact with and the friendships that have developed. One of those I now consider a friend is fellow Francophile Stacey of Stacey Snacks. Can't decide what to make for dinner tonight? Go to Stacey Snacks for inspiration. There's a new recipe posted almost daily, and it's always the kind of food I like to eat!
This Cherry Tomato & Corn Clafoutis is from one of Stacey's recent posts. I made if for dinner last night (I finally have some cherry tomatoes to work with -- no thanks to my French Bulldog Pipi who finds the ripe tomatoes before I do!), and my family loved it! The only change I made to the recipe was to add just a few more tomatoes. I served it alongside a dry-rubbed, grilled salmon and a salad of greens, roasted beets from my garden, toasted walnuts, and fresh goat cheese -- all tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
I'll send you to Stacey's post for the recipe. And please, if you haven't been to Stacey Snacks before, take some time to look around. Enjoy!
TAKE a LOOK:
It's the end of October and I have yet to pull my tomato plants from the ground. Occasionally, I will still pick a handful of red cherry tomatoes from the vines -- unheard of at this time of year! What I have an abundance of, however, is green tomatoes -- beautiful, big, green tomatoes.
If you are in need of a recipe to use up any green tomatoes you might still have, try this one for Green Tomato and Onion Gratin. I ate this one night as a main course. It would be great served alongside a beef or pork roast.
:: adapted from a recipe by Claire Robinson::
• 1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/4-inch wide pieces
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 4 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (I used Gruyére)
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Render bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat removed from the skillet.
3. Add the onion rounds to the remaining bacon fat in the skillet in batches and cook, without breaking the round slices apart, until there is some golden color, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
4. To assemble the gratin: Overlap the tomato slices in one row in a large baking dish. Next, make a slightly overlapping layer of the partially cooked onion slices, keeping them intact. Repeat the layers until all of the tomatoes and onions have been used. Season lightly with salt and heavily with black pepper. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the top of the tomato-onion layers, and follow that with the grated cheese and bread crumbs.
5. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. If browning too quickly, cover the gratin with foil.
TAKE a LOOK:
Another great recipe from the Macrina Bakery and Café Cookbook. This book has never let me down! The only change I made was to substitute red cherry and yellow pear tomatoes for the roasted Italian Romas called for in the original recipe. My small, garden tomatoes made an extremely sweet topping. I can see baking this tart in the winter and topping instead with roasted red bell peppers. The cheese-filled galette with tomatoes, arugula, and olives is a meal in itself; just add a glass of white wine and you're set!
Roasted Tomato & Olive Galette with Fontina | adapted from Macrina Café and Bakery Cookbook
• 2 cups grated fontina cheese• 2 cups ricotta cheese• 3 eggs• Kosher salt• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (I used a sprinkling of dried)• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme• Freshly ground black pepper• Tart dough, chilled (recipe here)• Egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water• 5 Roma tomatoes• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil• Handful of fresh arugula• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.2. Combine fontina cheese, ricotta, eggs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, oregano, thyme, and a little freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk to fully blend ingredients. Set aside.3. Roll the tart dough into a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully lift it to a prepared baking sheet. Spoon the ricotta mixture onto the center of the rolled circle and spread to cover 10 inches, leaving a 2-inch border. Lift the border over top of the filling and pleat. Lift each fold of the pleat and brush underneath with egg wash to seal the crust (this helps to hold the pleated edges together during baking). Brush all exposed dough with egg wash, then place the galette in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.4. Preheat oven to 375˚F.5. Wash and core the tomatoes, then cut each into 10 to 12 pieces. Combine chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a bowl and toss together. Pour tomatoes onto a prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on center rack of the oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until edges are deep brown. Set aside to cool. Leave oven on.6. Remove tart from refrigerator and bake on center rack of oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.7. Tear the arugula leaves into pieces and place in a bowl with olives, fresh lemon zest, and remaining olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss together. Spoon arugula mixture onto the galette and scatter roasted tomatoes over the top. Serve at room temperature. TAKE a LOOK:
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