ladies who dine

This month... aaah, this month we explored Italy, another absolute favorite of mine, a cuisine whose rich history & wonderful regional variations have always captured my imagination & my taste buds. I must admit I was a bit nervous attempting a new recipe, since one of our lovely dining compatriots is Italian, & a fantastic cook. Her family holds an annual meatball contest, evidence that they take their food seriously. How fantastic is it that her wife has won the top prize for her meatballs a few years in a row now? Obviously, she has found the right partner!

We had a heavenly dinner in their quintessential New England home, a gorgeous & stylish antique cape with many original details, set in what couldn't be called other than a magical piece of land surrounded by old stone walls. Perfectly tender ricotta gnocchi in a roasted tomato & corn sauce, insalata caprese, baked butternut squash & polenta with toasted pine nuts & parmesan, artichoke heart, caper, green olive & fresh garlic pesto, eggplant caponata, ricotta fritters with genoa salami, & award winning meatballs marinara were passed around the long wooden table & thoroughly enjoyed. I think none of us wanted to leave. Oh, & I do believe the cannolis came out alright...

cannolis

adapted from a few recipes, all reportedly passed down through generations by beloved Sicilian Grandmothers

3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes

2 cups unbleached white flour

4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp unprocessed cocoa powder (optional, though I highly recommend it)

3/4 cup marsala wine

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white, beaten

cannoli molds

2 cups well drained sheep's milk ricotta

you can use cow's milk ricotta for a lighter tasting filling, but if you'd like a more authentic, rich flavor, & have trouble finding the sheep's milk variety, use a 1:1 ratio of cow's milk ricotta & goat cheese (chevre)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Shaved bittersweet chocolate, or ground toasted pistachio nuts

canola or vegetable oil for frying

prepare the shells

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon & cocoa powder. Add the marsala a Tbsp at a time until well incorporated. Be careful not to over-blend the dough; gentle handling ensure a flaky, light texture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & let rest in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8" thick. Cut the dough into 4" circles with a cookie cutter, or the rim of a drinking glass. Roll the circle with one or two strokes in one direction to make an oval, & place the cannoli mold length-wise across the dough. Fold one side of the dough over the mold, then the other, sealing the edges together with a little bit of egg white.

Deep fry the cannolis in 2" of oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, & gently twist the mold to remove it when they are slightly cooled.

A word of caution: when removing the cannoli shells from the oil, remember that they are hollow & you must carefully tip out the hot oil that is inside before removing them!

prepare the filling

Combine the ricotta (& chevre, if using) & vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually, tasting often & adjusting the sweetness to your taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

assemble the cannolis

When the shells have drained & cooled & you are ready to serve them, pipe the filling into the center, & dip the ends in the chocolate or crushed nuts. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

rustic goodness

Our apple CSA arrives weekly, meaning we have been eating a lot of apples out of hand, & coming up with new ways to cook & enjoy them. So far we have savored Sansas, Honey Crisps & Galas, & look forward to this week's Pinovas.

I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "rustic" attached to a recipe, my ears perk up & I imagine a hearty, stick-to-the-ribs dish that isn't fussy, but big on flavor & personality. I made this apple tart with some of the Galas we had left from last week, the succulent locally grown ginger we picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend, & some dates I had left over from a cheese plate, & decided it deserved the "rustic" moniker. Happy Autumn!

rustic gingered apple, date & nut tart

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 Tbsp chilled sweet cream butter

1/4 cup toasted walnuts & toasted almonds, ground finely

1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 large apples, peeled, cored & sliced thinly

2 Tbsp freshly ground ginger (I suggest young ginger, which is juicier & has a more fruity taste)

dash fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup raw sugar

2 Tbsp raw honey

1/4 cup dried dates, pitted & cut into strips

dash cinnamon

prepare the crust

cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the ground nuts & cinnamon. Add the eggs, & mix until a dough is formed. Gather the dough into a ball, & place in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you have a circle 1/8" thick, then use it to line an 8" tart tin. Prick the pastry, line it with parchment paper & baking beans, & bake at 400ºF for about 10 minutes.

prepare the filling

toss the apples with the sugar, ground ginger & lemon juice. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, then add the honey. Stir the butter & honey mixture into the apple mixture, being sure to coat all of the apples well.

assemble the tart

line the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell with the dates, then layer the apple mixture on top. Arrange the top layer of the apples, if it pleases you. Sprinkle with cinnamon & bake at 400ºF for about 30 minutes, until apples are soft & the crust edges are browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or fresh whipped cream.

farm to market

Fall came like someone flipped a switch this year, the leaves turning & falling almost simultaneously, the hot & humid weather swapped for brisk days & even cooler nights. Everything was a little early this year; pumpkins have already made an appearance, & the market stalls overflowed with autumn bounty. The hot summer weather that crisped our grass made for some incredibly delicious peppers, & we've been stocking up on many different varieties including Hungarian hot wax, poblano, chili, nardellos (fabulous grilled simply with olive oil & salt & pepper) & marconis, & enjoying them throughout the ensuing weeks. We even found some tender & flavorful locally grown young ginger, which is fantastic grated on just about anything.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year, but I can't help but feel a little wistful that it's already here, signaling that the farmer's market will soon close up shop & we will have to wait until next year for fresh, local produce. We are so very lucky to have an abundance of farmers & food artisans in our area, & people who appreciate & support good, local food, from those who grow it to those who prepare it.

We make a habit of freezing freshly picked berries & home grown pesto, & I have made jams & conserves in years past, but I am eager to try my hand at canning next year. Until then, I feel as though we are living like gluttonous bears, happily gorging ourselves in preparation for the long, barren winter.

a swiftly tilting canvas

Serena Malyon created these stunning 3-dimensional manipulations of Van Gogh paintings by using the saturation, contrast & blur filters in Photoshop to achieve a "tilt-shift" effect (traditionally created by adjusting the depth of field while shooting with a specialized camera lens), without any additional artwork added to the images. Kind of brings those childhood dreams of being able to step into a painting to life.

from here via here

songs for sore eyes

CD package design that has recently caught my eye

 Michael Rogers

 

Jeff Gburek 

 lethe - kuwayama kiyoharu

 

Sabiné Heusler

challah good

While living in San Francisco, my husband would woo me with a delicious brunch while we lazed about the morning & read the Sunday paper. His challah french toast won a big place in my heart, as well as my stomach. Somewhere along the way we began going out for brunch more, & our at-home repertoire went the way of fritattas & omelets. 

I was very excited this past weekend the mixing bowls & nutmeg grater appeared out of the cupboards, & the heady aroma of french toast filled the house. He's still got it.

challah french toast

a husbandly treat

challah bread, sliced  about 1 inch thick

4 eggs

splash milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

freshly ground nutmeg to taste

Lightly beat the eggs. Add a splash of milk, cinnamon & nutmeg, mixing well.

Heat a Tbsp. of light oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When a drop of water splashed on the skillet sizzles & disappears, dip slices of bread in the egg mixture one at a time, covering each piece well, & place on skillet. Cook each side until golden brown, & serve immediately with fresh butter & maple syrup.

ask forgiveness

An achingly lulling song to welcome the dusk...

i've seen it all from ask forgiveness
Bonnie Prince Billy/Björk/Lars Von Trier