Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Spelt lasagna noodles and roasted tomatoes ready to go!

Wondering what to do with a bumper crop of zucchini and tomatoes? Try this improvised version of a classic favorite. I am using whole spelt noodles (from VitaSpelt) to keep it really healthy and nutritious. Thinly slice the veggies you have, broil them, and layer them with the cooked pasta and whole cheese from pastured cows.  Rather than sticking to just my suggestions, use any summer vegetables that tempt you--  artichokes, spinach, chard (the leafy stuff you can saute, not roast, of course), carrots, parsnips, onions, whatever is in season and abundant near you will go just fine.

Instead of a heavy, slow-cooked tomato sauce,  roasted Roma tomatoes will keep this lasagna summery and fresh. For cheese, a classic combo of ricotta and mozzarella is always welcome, but don't be afraid of substituting chevre in the middle or provolone on top. Maybe there is fresh farmer cheese at the greenmarket. Maybe there is something else that strikes your fancy--sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or roasted peppers? Follow this basic formula, whichever you choose. Serve it with some simply dressed greens

Try using a few varieties of summer squash

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

3-3 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes
4 T+   extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
sea and freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg spelt lasagna noodles
2 lb assorted zucchini and summer squash
10-15 leaves fresh basil, washed
1 15 oz container pasture-raised ricotta
3 cups shredded provolone cheese


Preheat oven to broil. Put a big pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil to prevent a nasty clean-up.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/3" thick slices and transfer them to the lined sheet pan. Add a tsp of the minced garlic and about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently rub tomatoes with seasonings with clean hands until evenly distributed. Place under the broiler for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Thinly slice summer squash the long way (1/4"-1/3" thick slices?).  Transfer to the pan that the tomatoes were in and season with the remaining oil and garlic, as well as sea salt and pepper. Broil these for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Let cool and switch oven to 350 F.

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, prepare a 9"x13" lasagna pan. Lightly oil with extra-virgin olive oil.

Layer lasagna in baking dish beginning with a layer of tomatoes and basil leaves, then pasta, then summer squash, pasta, ricotta. Repeat pasta and veggies. Be sure to layer the tomatoes on thick in the middle, so lasagna is saucy and fresh at the same time.  Discard excess tomato juice in bowl (or use it in minestrone) Finish with some tomatoes, then top with shredded provolone.

Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Rosemary Bread sticks ready to go out.

Chicken Tetrazzini.  It isn't the first thing that comes to mind when menu planning.  I have yet to be tempted to put it on a client's menu or our own.   For me, it has connotations of gloopy gloppy canned cream of something mixed with frozen bits of something and slopped up. It sounds pretty gross and I'm not sure where this peculiar vision came from, but it is what I think of when the words chicken tetrazzini pass my way.  When it was requested by a favorite client who loves to entertain, who am I to say no?  I said yes, of course! For 30 people?  Sure. Why not?
 

Cheese Platter prep

The crowd was pretty casual and were all friends, a group of avid bicyclists as a matter of fact (I guess they bike off all the pasta and bechamel calories or something because these people can seriously eat.).  Last year, I cooked for the same gathering and provided a gi-normous 50 lb white lasagna so full of cheese and butter that I'm still not completely over the ordeal.

Prep for tetrazzini recipe x 5.  That's a lot of tetrazzini!

In recipe research I learned that there are gloopy gloppy versions of chicken tetrazzini that are sort of 'instant' where you mix together some cans of stuff and boil chicken, but there are also some 'from scratch' recipes that involved fresh veggies sauteed, pan-cooked chicken breasts in butter, fresh parsley, and bakery bread crumbs.  It's a little more (okay, a lot more) work, but, in my humble opinion, totally worth it.  I choose bechamel any day over a can of pasty gelatinous 'stuff'.  I served a huge Boston and Red leaf lettuce salad, a big vegetable saute, assorted fresh bakery rolls, as well as a serious appetizer/cocktail hour and dessert from The Little Red Hen Bakery on the upper east side (chocolate layer cake and ice cream for this crowd).

It all went off without a hitch and everyone had a good time.  The recipe I ended up using was one from Giada de Laurenttiis, who tends to make very decadent 'Italian' food.  I trust her when it comes to something like this, since she doesn't head for the canned goods shelf in the pantry every time she cooks.  She does it right, and for this chicken tetrazzini, so did I.  I multiplied her recipe times five for this crowd (which hilariously brought the first ingredient to 45 tablespoons of butter.).  Here is the recipe with some changes and additions, as I deemed necessary.  I added the chopped roasted red peppers and changed just a bit of procedure.

...and there it is.  This one wins the award for biggest tetrazzini

I just had a flash!  This would be the perfect answer to all of those turkey leftovers you just don't know what to do with!  Turkey tetrazzini a few days after Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season?  I don't know...it could be a new tradition...

Chicken Tetrazzini

recipe adapted from one by Giada De Laurentiis

9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups chopped fire-roasted red peppers, medium dice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguini
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1/4 cup bakery breadcrumbs


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13x9 baking dish.  Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly.  Coarsely shred the chicken in to bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan.  Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushorooms evaporates and the mushrooms become golden, about 12 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the roasted peppers and wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes,  Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper.  Increase the heat to high.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but stilll firm the to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes.  Drain.  Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture.  Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well-blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.  Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend.  Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.  Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter.  Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Cornmeal Gnocchi

I have never really understood obsession that some people have with pasta.  It's good, but it's rarely so good I crave a repeat.  Honestly, I probably ate a ton of it in college with plain old jarred sauce and just got sick of it,  forgetting how great fresh pasta with a delicate and flavorful sauce can really be.  This being said, I really and truly appreciate fresh, homemade pasta, probably more than the average joe.  I have tried my hand at making pasta a few times and know it isn't foolproof.  Even simple semolina pasta made by hand involves skill, practice, and a handful of luck.

Well, this weekend with my foodie friend, Lori, in town for a visit, we headed to Little Italy on Saturday night.   Along with a few other food-loving girls, we headed to Holly's favorite, Da Nico Ristorante.  They don't take reservations, but we were seated in their huge, sprawling garden within ten minutes.  A beautiful and unique house-made bruschetta-type flatbread came to the table right away.  It was delicious.  It was a round flatbread-type crust that suggested a brick oven in action.  This crisp and flaky crust was topped with ripe, sweet tomato chunks just chopped and tossed with garlic, lemon, and basil.  When your ingredients are this fresh and impeccable, simplicity like this is the way to go!

On such a warm and beautiful night, we ordered a crisp and citrus-y Pinot Grigio and took our time perusing the menu.  The pasta selection was great!  Traditional preparations like pomodoro sauce and Bolognese sauce were offered, as well as creative preparations like spicy vodka sauce with olives and fresh mozzarella, pesto, and various chicken and seafood preparations.  All pastas were made in house.  They also had a vast selection of pizzas and non-pasta entrees/secondo corso as well.  Delectable.

Potato gnocchi is always where I gravitate on an Italian menu if it is offered.  Those chewy little potato dumplings are so addictive and I like them with just about any sauce.  So that is what I ordered--Gnocchi Napolitana.

It arrived and was outrageously delicious.  It may be the most tender, yet flavorful gnocchi I have had.  Very fresh mozzarella was chopped into pieces about the size of the gnocchi and the mixture was gently tossed in a very fresh and delicate tomato sauce and topped with a huge sprig of aromatic basil.

My friends enjoyed the Rigatoni with Olives and Fresh Tomatoes, a special that offered Lobster Chunks in a Spicy Vodka Sauce that was divine, and a classic Spaghetti with Bolognese.  We ate well.  At the end, the waiter brought us a plate of zeppoles on the house (not that we were able to eat much more!).

The service here was great and we felt not a bit rushed, which is a rarity and a huge plus for a busy garden restaurant like this in NYC.  What a great spot!  This is a place to remember for great Italian eats.  A hidden gem!

Now that I am thinking about gnocchi, I will share a gnocchi recipe that I haven't made in ages, but was a huge hit and often-requested dish with my clients a few years back.  I would serve this with a roasted pepper-infused tomato sauce or cilantro butter.  It isn't traditional like what we had on Saturday, but it is a guaranteed hit!

Buon Appetito!

Cornmeal Gnocchi

1 cup cold mashed potatoes

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/2 tsp sea salt

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together to make a soft dough.  The best way to do this is mashing everything together with clean hands.

Divide the dough into fourths.  On a floured board with floured hands, roll each quarter into a rope 12 inches long.  Slice each rope into 15 pieces.  After slicing, roll the dough between two forks the make some cute ridges, if you like.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi.  Cook until the gnocchi float to the top.  Drain and serve with a classic or creative sauce.

The simplest homemade pasta that there is!

Chews in the 'Cuse

As great as city living can be, sometimes you just have to get out and reconnect with how the other half lives. It's easy to forget what it feels like to just hop in the car and go somewhere without traffic or go out to brunch without an hour-long wait.  Last weekend we headed 4 1/2 hours north to Syracuse, NY where our good friends, Matt and Nicole, moved for graduate school and a break from the New York City pace.  The sun was shining Thursday as we hopped into the car with iced coffees and a charged ipod.  We drove upstate via New Jersey and Pennsylvania and hit Syracuse before the sun was even down!  Aaaahhh.  Out of the city!

our gracious hosts enjoying some local craft beer

We enjoyed some awesome cheese and wine (way too much, I may add.)  as soon as we arrived.  Nicole and I share a love of cheese and she always has a knack for cocktail hour.  Her cheese platter had an aged blue served with honey, a young gouda served with grainy mustard, and a pungent Tallegio that needed no condiment!  Yum.  We then enjoyed some grilled trout that Will had caught the day before, as well as grilled flank steak for the carnivores, grilled summer squash, and rice a'la nicky (No explanation needed.  It's good.)

Well, we were moving slowly the next day, but we managed to motivate and get out in the evening  and hit the world-famous Dinosaur Barbecue.  There we were bowled over by the exquisite craft beer selection, impeccable house-made sauces, and perfection at every turn--not your typical barbecue joint.  They have a few locations including in Rochester and in Harlem, so if you are near one, you definitely want to stop in. We started with truly excellent fried green tomatoes.  My friends enjoyed ribs, chicken, and assorted meats slathered in house sauces and charred to perfection.  I enjoyed the best blackened catfish I've had outside of New Orleans and my Carrot Raisin Salad and Macaroni and Cheese rivals any southern grandmother's.  Each was perfectly seasoned and had depth of flavor including a slight spicy-sweet curry essence in the carrot raisin salad.  Awesome.

We enjoyed a sweet and savory waffle breakfast at a local favorite, Funk and Waffles.  They feature Gimme Coffee (always one of my favorites!) and some house combos, but also a list of batters and toppings to create your own perfect waffle.  I had whole grain batter with spinach and feta.  Needless to say, it was sooooo good.  The guys got classic buttermilk with chocolate chips and they were gone in an instant.

Pastabilities.  The name just doesn't do the place justice.  For our last night chillin' in the 'cuse, we went out to an Italian favorite and enjoyed AMAZING bread with "spicy tomato oil", which was a housemade tomato sauce diluted with rich olive oil and infused with heat.  We could have just had that it was so delicious and fresh...but we didn't.  The fried calamari was ho-hum, but that was quickly forgotten when my balsamic grilled tuna with polenta triangles, sauteed spinach, and roasted yellow peppers arrived.  Perfection.  Will and Nicole enjoyed a local favorite "Chicken Riggies" which we learned about that day that includes a spicy vodka sauce with some cream worked in and cooked with chicken and tossed with rigatoni (aka riggie).  They loved it!  Matt had asparagus and angel hair with pistachio lemon pesto and creme fraiche.  This place is not your every day pasta joint and we went home fat and happy once again.

If you think we haven't eaten enough in just a few days, yes, we went to brunch before we left town.  L'Adour served up the most ooh la la French brunch in town. Crepes, Galettes, Croque Monsieur, pastry, coffee, and something called gingerbread toast topped off our weekend.

If you are ever in Syracuse, don't be afraid that you won't find any good restaurants.  That town knows how to eat.  It was a weekend full of good food and great friends!  Here is a classic recipe for chicken riggies.  It's not about the chicken, but about that delicious sauce, so do what you will, whether it's a classic chicken and riggie toss or a nouveau riggie with veggies.

Chicken Riggies

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cubanelle pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 2 hot cherry peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and keep warm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook in the hot oil until lightly browned on all sides, and no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and keep warm. Stir the onion, garlic, and cubanelle peppers. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers, hot cherry peppers, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the heavy cream and cooked chicken. Simmer 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.