farro crostata {savory&vegetarian}

as spring arrives

so does my realization

that i have been tucking into

 thick suppers of  roasts and shanks

for months

with the promise of long days

and 

evenings of light

my desires change

i begin to crave

hearty vegetarian suppers

when i was offered the opportunity 

to try

Tuscan Fields Organic Farro

i jumped at the chance

i enjoy the meaty texture and nutty flavor of farro

using it mostly in soups and summer salads

however

for this recipe

i took inspiration from a classic (and favorite)

italian easter pie

pastiera

substituting savory elements

for sugar and fruits

this farro pie 

is

lovely as a simple supper

by itself

paired with a leafy salad

or 

as a sliver of a starter for a seasonal tasting menu

  

   farro crostata

(printable recipe)

1/2 cup onion--thinly sliced

1/4 cup onion--finely chopped

1 clove garlic--finely chopped

1/2 tsp fresh or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup organic farro alle verdure by Tuscan Fields -cooked

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 extra large eggs

1/2 cup grated parmesan (+more for topping)

generous pinch kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup cream

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

olive oil

1 sheet puff pastry

pour enough olive oil in the bottom of a skillet to just cover the bottom. toss in thinly sliced onions and over low heat, slowly caramelize. if you find that they are starting to cook to quickly, add a couple of splashed of hot water to slow down the cooking.  once fully caramelized (about 20 minutes), remove from pan and reserve. 

meanwhile, whisk together the farro, ricotta, eggs, parmesan, salt pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl.   using the same skillet in which you caramelized the onions, without washing, add a tiny bit of olive oil (1 tsp) and over low heat, saute the chopped onion, garlic and thyme just until the onion becomes translucent--keep from browning.  pour in the cream, use a spoon to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan.  allow the cream to come to a simmer, then slowly stir into the farro and ricotta mixture.

place your puff pastry on a cookie sheet or in a pie tin.  it is not necessary to shape it into a circle, if it is square.  gently spoon the farro mixture into the center of the pastry, allowing it to naturally move towards the edges.  allow for at least 2" from the mixture to the edge of the pastry. scatter the caramelized onions on top and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese.  fold the pastry ends towards the center, overlapping itself and the farro mixture as necessary to keep the contents within the confines of the pastry.  alternatively, you can line a pastry tin with puff pastry and simply fill with the farro custard.

bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30-40 minutes.   after 25 minutes keep a watchful eye that the custard is not "souffleing"--you do not want to over cook this, as it will dry it out and it will taste a bit eggy.  this crostata is meant to be creamy.  serve warm or room temperature.

*i received several samples of Farro from Tuscan Fields, free of charge, to utilize in recipe experimentation.  in exchange i am entered in a drawing to win a scholarship to Eat Write Retreat

roasted beet soup

i love borscht

really i do

especially on chilly nights

when 

stick to your ribs

is a necessity

sometimes, however

i like my beet soup

to be rich and creamy

without the meatiness of a borscht

that is when

i make this

vegetarian

(and vegan if you don't add the creme fraiche & butter)

it is light in heft

but not in flavor

roasted beet soup

(printable recipe)

1 lb beets-peeled*

olive oil

2 leeks--white and light green only--cleaned and cut in half

2 cloves garlic--peeled

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

4 cups vegetable broth (or water)

juice of 1/2 lemon + 1 tsp finely grated zest

knob of butter (optional)

1/4 tsp white pepper to taste (or more to taste)

salt to taste

serve with creme fraiche

preheat the oven to 350F. fill a roasting pan with the beets, leeks and whole garlic cloves.  cover lightly in olive oil and a bit of kosher salt.  toss to make sure the vegetables are all lightly coated in the oil. roast until fork tender (about 1 hour). allow the vegetables to cool slightly and then cut into medium size pieces (1 1/2-2").  toss the vegetables (beets, leeks, garlic), along with any pan juices into a stock pot.  add bay leaf, thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest and cover with broth.  gently simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.  remove the bay leaf and the thyme stalk.  toss in butter (if using) working in batches, whirl the soup in a blender or food processor, until smooth.  if it becomes too thick, add a bit more broth (or water).  pour into clean stockpot as your batches reach your desired consistency.  if you wish for smooth and silky soup, push the blended soup through a fine sieve.  add pepper and taste for seasoning.  serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche stirred through

*for my soup i used a variety of colors, you can use whichever beets you have on hand.  use red to get the great color of this soup, but golden beet soup would be beautiful as well.

chard & ricotta pie

up at the cabin

i don't always have a full larder

but

i do have a garden

and

a few cheats in the freezer

which leads to

simple

creative

dinners

i was able to whip this

up in a snap

mostly because

our garden overflows

with 

chard

 chard and ricotta pie

10 sheets filo dough

olive oil

grated parmesan

1 garlic clove--finely chopped

1/2 medium onion--finely chopped

2 Tbs olive oil

1 bunch (about 12 large leaves/4 cups chopped)--chopped--discarding stems

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan

2 eggs

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp freshly grated parmesan

a few turns of the pepper-mill

use an 8x10 pan.  layer the filo by brushing each sheet with olive oil, and a light sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  the bottom layer should be 6 sheets.  trim the ends and set aside.  

in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on low--toss in the garlic and onion.  cook just until the onions begin to sweat and turn translucent. do not allow the garlic to brown.  toss in the chard and allow to wilt, giving a good stir to evenly cook.  after about 5 minutes, toss in about 1/4 cup of water and cover.  allow the chard to get nice and soft. allow to cool slightly. strain off the liquid and place in a bowl.  add the ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and pepper.  

evenly spread into the prepared filo crust.  

take the remaining 4 leaves of filo one by one and scrunch them in a loose accordion.  place on top of the spinach layer, making sure to cover the entire top of the pie.  drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a bit more cheese.

bake at 375F for about 30-35 minutes.  you will look for the filo to be nice and crispy.

serve warm or room temperature. 

this is very easy to crisp up in the oven for a "next-day" treat!

ripe figs with ricotta & honey

it is a given

if i were to find myself

naked

roaming the garden of eden

surely i would be

occupied

with

plucking and eating figs

not with

modesty

of.

any.

sort.

figs are good

fresh or dried

plain

&

gilded

for a simple and gorgeous treat

serve these

as an appetizer or dessert

gilded figs

ripe fresh figs

ricotta cheese (fresh if you can get it)

sea salt

honey

toasted walnuts

slice the figs in half, and put a generous scoop of fresh ricotta on top.  drizzle your best honey to just cover the ricotta, sprinkle a few grains of sea salt and top with a walnut half.  serve chilled or room temperature.

**tastes great accompanying a cold glass of prosecco