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

chocolate eclairs

while in paris last fall

hubster and i made a quick stop

at

lauduree

a beautiful pastry shop known world-wide 

for 

gorgeous confections and beautiful tea salon

only in paris for the afternoon

arriving 

via chunnel from london in the morning

and scheduled

on a sleeper train to barcelona, later in the evening

we were making a whirl-wind day of it

while waiting in a very long taxi queue, i spotted a gentleman

with a car for hire

because it was hubster's first time in paris

 and 

we wanted to see as many sights as possible, in our short stay

i made a unilateral decision 

a hired car was definitely the way to go

thankfully

pierre was a good sport

and 

negotiated fairly with me

despite my butchering of his beautiful language

as i waved hubster from the taxi queue, i saw a look i have never before seen 

one that perfectly combined the relief he felt that we would be on our way

and 

worry that i had blown our entire travel budget on a frivolous luxury

he was partly right

the day was perfect

we climbed the eiffel tower, stood under the arc de triomphe

glided down the the champs-elysees, spent hours in the louvre

relished in a languid lunch with a bottle of wine

and

shared afternoon tea with well dressed dames at laudree

drunk with culture and satiated with sweets

i eagerly purchased the laudree sucre cookbook

a beautiful tome with a cover of suede

presented in a gift box

so beautiful and full of promise

i tucked it away for the rest of our journey

and promptly forgot about it

recently i discovered this little jewel

and became inspired

which is why

on a whim

i made eclairs

printable recipe

i am linking this to hearth and soul

and
a little birdie told me

harvest trifle

i know i have previously mentioned

i lived in england,

for a time

and while there

one of my favorite pastimes 

was

dissing the food

except

here is my confession

while  in england

i ate some really good food 

food that i find myself trying to duplicate

and sometimes craving

(jacket potato with baked beans anyone?)

one thing that is indisputable

if you don't count fruit cake

is 

the brits know their sweets

i looked forward to "pud" every night

my harvest trifle 

is a twist on the traditional 

to reflect the colors and flavors 

of fall

Harvest Trifle
(printable recipe)

1 pound cake (batter dyed orange--optional)

1 recipe vanilla custard (recipe follows)

1 recipe chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1 Tbs Contreau liqueur

whipped cream

shaved chocolate for decorating.

cut the pound cake into large chunks, and set on a sheet pan, allowing to stale a bit. warm the marmalade and then add to it the contreau (you can use a bit more than 1 Tbs if you like). in a trifle dish, or other serving piece, layer 1/2 the cake, 1/2 the custard, drizzles of marmalade, 1/2 the whipped cream and drizzles of chocolate.  repeat, ending with the whipped cream and topping with shaved chocolate.  The key is not to layer like a cake, you really do a layer of cake then, dollops of the other items, then the layer of cake pieces and dollops of the others.  think about each bite and what mix you want to have. the chocolate and marmalade are strong flavors, so you want to use a bit more sparingly.  

to make the custard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

pinch salt

4  large egg yolks

3 Tbs cornstarch

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbs butter

heat the milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan, over low heat. meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch.  when the milk is at a simmer, slowly pour into the eggs, while whisking the eggs constantly.  pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat until it thickens.  do not let it boil, but make sure it just begins to bubble before you pull it from the heat.  pour into a clean bowl and add butter and vanilla.  cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding, and refrigerate until cold

for the ganache

heat 1 cup cream to a simmer, add 1 1/2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate. stir to combine. use while warm, but not hot.  you can use the leftover over ice cream, or roll into truffles.

i'm linking this to

just something i whipped up

rhubarb and strawberry custard tart

we like rhubarb around here

it is so yummy baked in puff pastry

or

 slow cooked to jam

or

finely diced raw and tossed in a bit of sugar and cardamom on top of sweet panna cotta

or

complementing apples and blueberries in a crispy warm cobbler

or like this

churned into a custard protected by strawberry soldiers

in a crispy-buttery crust

can't you just taste it?

actually, if you swing by right now

you might just get the last slice

Rhubarb and Strawberry Custard Tart
(printable recipe)

2 1/2 cups rhubarb--cut into large dice

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3 Tbs lemon juice

4 egg yolks

4 Tbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs unsalted butter

1 lb  fresh strawberries

1 pre-baked pie or tart shell
place the rhubarb, sugar,  1/4 tsp salt and lemon juice in a saucepan.  cook on medium heat until the sugar is melted, the rhubarb is soft and the sugar syrup is nice and red and bubbly.  meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, cream and vanilla until pale yellow.  slowly temper the eggs with the rhubarb and sugar, then put it all back into the saucepan.  turn the heat to low and stir continually until it begins to thicken to a custard. allow the mixture to just bubble...don't let it go to a rolling boil, but you can let it bubble once or twice.  pour into a clean bowl and stir in unsalted butter.  let it cool to lukewarm, then pour into prepared crust.  top with whole strawberry soldiers, or slice strawberries and lay flat on top.  place in refrigerator to chill before serving.
*if you are worried at all about your crust sogging, one of my tricks is to "seal" it with a bit of white chocolate.  this just provides a layer between the moisture..which helps keep the crust, crusty.

the end of the white whipped road

i've been having fun with whipped egg whites this week

here and here

and now

i present you with my final meringue entry

for the time being

pavlova

it is THE BEST

dinner party dessert

because all components can be prepared in advance

and composed at the final moment

 presented

to oohs and ahhs

that make you feel like

the finest 

french pastry chef

but 

for the record

we have the aussies to thank

for this crunchy-creamy-pillowy confection

not the french

so maybe you might tell your friends

to tuck in

rather than

bon appetite

Pavlova
(printable recipe)

1 recipe meringue piped into individual nests

1 recipe pastry cream or vanilla pudding

1 recipe fresh whipped cream

fruit of choice

For the Cherry Pavlova

pastry cream

6 large egg yolks

5 Tbs cornstarch

2 1/2 cups milk ( i used 2%)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbs unsalted butter

fruit

2 cups pitted fresh cherries

1/4 cup sugar

juice of 1 large lime

1 Tbs cherry herring liqueur (optional)

for pastry cream:  Whisk the egg yolks and the cornstarch in a bowl. set aside.  In a saucepan, simmer milk, sugar and salt.  Once it is simmering, temper the eggs with the hot milk.  Return to the saucepan and whisk continuously until the custard begins to thicken.  Once you see large bubbles coming up through the middle of the pot, remove from heat. Pour into a clean bowl (use a sieve if you feel you have overcooked), and stir in butter and vanilla.  Place clingfilm over top and refrigerate until ready to use.  

for the fruit:  Place cherries, sugar, lime and liqueur into a small saucepot.  Place over low heat and allow to simmer until a nice syrup forms and cherries are softened.  Allow to cool until ready to use.

Whip cream with a bit of confectioner's sugar and vanilla to taste.  

When ready to put together, take a bit of the whipped cream and whisk it into the custard to soften it up a bit, it will give it a nice creamy consistency.This is also a great filling for cream puffs.

Fill the meringue nest with the custard.  Top with the fruit and then place a generous dollop of cream on top.  

cherry pavlova

kiwi pavlova 

made with a dessert sauce of kiwi, pineapple juice and some sugar

bittersweet chocolate pavlova

there is a bit of chocolate ganache tucked under the custard 

and a bit more chocolate shaved on top

sunday giving, sunday grace

On Sunday, Julie and I had our box collection party for Operation Christmas Child.

If you measure success in bringing people together for a wonderful cause, sharing stories, laughter and good cheer, and a pile of shoe boxes full of goodies, then our "box collection party" was a great success.
We have such generous friends and family who put together beautiful gifts that will make wonderful surprises for the children who receive them.
So, thank you to my dear friends who generously gave of their time and spirit for this cause.

In order to show our gratitude, Julie and I put out a spread and gave everyone a gift.

We had a

give a box, take a box 

Table

Each box was filled with cream scones and a bundle of tea

we also gave each person a jar of marmalade

so they could sit back, enjoy a bit of tea

and revel in their generosity

it was the least we could do

We also had a

please eat a lot 

Table

I love German Chocolate Cake...but I also love pie. So, Tedesco Tart was born.

Tedesco Tart 
(printable recipe)

(tedesco is german in italian--how's that for complicated!)

1 recipe chocolate crust

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips--melted

1 recipe vanilla custard (or 2 boxes pudding if you are going rogue)

1 recipe coconut topping

1 recipe bittersweet chocolate ganache

Blind bake the chocolate crust in a tart tin at 325 until done.  Once it is cooled, spread melted milk chocolate in a thin layer over the entire bottom and up a bit of the sides.

Once the chocolate is cooled, pour cooled custard or pudding in the crust and spread evenly. Pour an even layer of ganache over the top and let firm up in the fridge.  Top with coconut topping.  Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving if a cold day. If a warm day, it will need less time to ease up.

Chocolate Crust

( from Claudia Flemming's "The Last Course")

1 cup unsalted butter--softened

1/2 cup + 1Tbs confectioner's sugar

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

pinch of salt

In a mixer cream butter and sugar until just combined...you do not want to incorporate too much air in this.  Add yolks and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.  Mix all dry ingredients together and add to the butter mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Pat into a circle and chill until firm, about 1 hour.  Roll out and fit into a 9" tart pan.  You will have excess dough. I like to have my crust a bit thicker than normal for this tart as it is holding a lot of stuff! But if you like a thinner crust, by all means, roll it thinner.

Blind bake at 325

Vanilla Custard

2 1/2 cups whole milk

pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbs unsalted butter

1/4 cup + 3 Tbs Cornstarch (i know it seems like a lot but this recipe needs to have a firm custard)

Heat the milk to just a simmer over low heat.  Meanwhile whisk together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Once the milk comes to a simmer, use it to temper the yolks.  Put the entire mixture back into the pot and on the stove over low heat. Use a whisk to whisk while the mixture begins to thicken.  You do not want to cook the eggs, but you do need the custard to thicken.  Once the mixture bubbles in the middle, and is a big thick mess, take it off the heat.  If you think you may have cooked the eggs, then run it through a sieve...if you are confident, then don't.  Pour mixture into a clean bowl and add the butter and vanilla.  Whisk until the butter is melted.  Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until cold. Or you can put the bowl over a bowl of ice and stir until it cools.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (use 60% or higher)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

heat heavy cream to just a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let sit until chocolate begins to melt.  Stir until it becomes nice and glossy. Add vanilla. Let cool just a bit, but make sure it is still pouring consistency when you pour onto tart.

Coconut Topping

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans

Place milk, sugar, yolks and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until thickens--about 15 minutes or so.. Keep an eye on it and stir frequently. Don't freak out if it looks like the eggs are cooking, because they will. It will also start to darken a bit.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans.  Let cool before placing on tart.

So, that is it.  Looks like a lot of work, but it isn't..it comes together nicely.  It's a great holiday dessert.