Food 52's Plum Olive Oil Ricotta Cake: https://food52.com/recipes/23750-olive-oil-ricotta-cake-with-plums
I guess I'm on a ricotta tear? I've been making this cake for probably a decade. It is like Marian Burros' plum torte on steroids. Double the zest (I add orange) for some added tang.
4) Samin's Beet, Avocado, Citrus Salad: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025086-citrus-beet-and-avocado-salad
This eternally flexible and versatile recipe is a weekly item at my house, especially if there are CSA beets to use. On pick up day, I boil or roast them, and throw them in a container with olive oil, vinegar, s&p to marinate until I decide to use them. This recipe is visually stunning, and takes advantage of the delicious citrus coming our way as well. You can add jammy eggs, tinned fish, or substitute to your heart's desire. In her book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin includes a beautifully illustrated matrix on how the salad can be adapted as well (pp. 223 and 242).
NYT's Lemon Ricotta Pasta Bake
From our member:
I made this last week and it was delicious, filling and comforting - just the way an adult mac and cheese should be. I used the kale and chard from last week's share instead of spinach - a quick blanch and a rough chop will make for a hearty substitute.
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 to 6 servings
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rigatoni
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage (or Italian pork sausage), casings removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3 garlic cloves, grated
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 6 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
1 cup ricotta
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup/4 ounces shredded mozzarella
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
FOR GARNISH
Basil leaves
Crushed red pepper
Lemon zest
PREPARATION
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package’s instructions. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Step 3
In a large (preferably ovenproof) skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it’s cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan.
Step 4
In the same pan (no need to wash it), lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir for 1 minute, allowing the flour to become fragrant and nutty. Slowly stir in the milk, gently picking up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
Step 5
Next, mix in the grated garlic, lemon zest and reserved ¾ cup pasta water. Stir until a thick sauce comes together that coats the back of a spoon; 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and immediately stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
Step 6
Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the chicken sausage, spinach and shredded mozzarella. Give it a good mix until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer the pasta mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other 3-quart baking dish).
Step 7
Cover the top with the slices of fresh mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella topping is melted with golden brown flecks. Garnish with basil leaves, crushed red pepper and more lemon zest to taste before serving.
Samin Nosrat's Panzanella
From our members:
While we still have tomatoes, this salad helps with my "summer is over" denial syndrome. Samin's recipes are expertly written, including subtle ways to compound flavor, like the tomato vinaigrette (which, btw, is a great way to use overripe tomatoes and savor their flavor). I add sweet peppers and mozzarella to mine, but chickpeas or white beans would also be lovely. For a quick shortcut to stale bread, leave cubes of fresh bread in the oven overnight with the light on for a little heat.
recipe from Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
½ medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
225g torn croutons, see recipe below
double batch of tomato vinaigrette, see recipe below
450g cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved
675g flavourful small tomatoes (about 8), cored and wedged into bite-sized pieces
4 persian/lebanese cucumbers, stripey peeled** and cut into 1cm slices
16 basil leaves
Flaky sea salt
**Remove the skin in alternate strips, leaving some behind and removing some.
In a small bowl, toss the sliced onion with the vinegar and let it sit for 20 minutes to macerate. Set aside.
Place half the croutons in a large salad bowl and toss with 125ml of vinaigrette. Place the cherry and wedged tomatoes on top of the croutons and season with salt to encourage them to release some of their juices. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
Continue assembling the salad: add the remaining croutons, cucumber, and macerated onions (but not their vinegar, yet). Tear in the basil leaves in a large pieces. Dress with another 125ml of vinaigrette and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed, adding salt, vinaigrette, and/or the macerating vinegar to taste. Toss, taste again, and serve.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one night.
Torn Croutons
recipe from Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
*you only need HALF this recipe for the above Summer Panzanella recipe.
450g loaf day-old country or sourdough bread
75ml extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200C. For more tooth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread, then cut the loaf into 2.5cm-thick slices. Cut each slice into 2.5cm-wide strips. Working over a large bowl, tear each strip into 2.5cm-size pieces. Alternatively, you can just tear croutons directly off the loaf, as long as you get somewhat evenly sized pieces.
Toss the croutons with the olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning.
Toast the croutons for about 18 to 22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes. Rotate the pans, switch their oven positions, and use a metal spatular to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they begin to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake the croutons until they’re golden brown and crunchy on the outside, with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside.
Taste a crouton and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed.
When done, let the croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 200C.
Tomato Vinaigrette
recipe from Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
*you need DOUBLE this recipe for the above Summer Panzanella recipe.
2 tablespoons diced shallots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 large or two small very ripe tomatoes (about 225g)
4 basil leaves, torn into large pieces
55ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Salt
In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot sit in the vinegars for about 15 minutes to macerate, to soften the harshness of the shallot.
Halve the tomato crosswise. Grate on the largest hole of a box grater and discard the skin. You should be left with 100g of grated tomato. Add it to the shallot. Add the basil leaves, olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Smash the garlic against the workshop with the palm of your hand and add to the dressing. Shake or stir to combine. Taste with a crouton or slice of tomato and adjust salt and acid as needed. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and remove the garlic before using.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days.
Ribollita
Ribollita is one our member’s favorite way to use tuscan kale. What better way to eat it tahn to slather with bread and parmesan?
Ingredients
1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 large red onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 to 3 carrots peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves finely chopped
28 oz canned whole San Marzano tomatoes (or any whole canned tomatoes you like)
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15- oz cans cannellini beans drained and well rinsed
1 inch Parmesan rind
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 lb kale, thick stems and veins removed, chopped
grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Tear the bread into large pieces and put it on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss to make sure the bread is coated. Spread the bread in one layer on the sheet pan. Bake in the heated oven for about 10 minutes or until somewhat toasted and golden brown.
In a large cooking pot, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, celery and carrots. Sprinkle a little kosher salt. Lower the heat to medium and cook, tossing regularly, until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, tossing regularly (do not let the garlic brown).
Add the tomatoes, white wine and broth. Cook over medium heat for little bit, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, combine about 1/2 cup of the brothy tomato mixture and 1 cup of the cannelini beans. Puree.
To the pot with the tomato mixture, add the parmesan rind, fresh thyme, bay leaf, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir to combine. Let simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Now add the white beans (both the whole and pureed beans) and fresh kale (stir to make sure the kale is submerged in the soup) to the cooking pot. Let the kale cook for a few minutes. Add 1/2 of the toasted ciabatta bread and stir. Let simmer a little bit longer until the kale has fully cooked and the bread has softened and absorbed some fo the liquid (see notes).
Remove from the heat. Remove what is left of the Parmesan rind, bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Top the soup with a bit more of the toasted bread. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan, if you like. Enjoy!
Fresh Strawberry Cake
From one of our CSA members:
I absolutely adore strawberry season, and this is the perfect use of this week's strawberries! Best served with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream :) Fresh Strawberry Cake
Modestly adapted from Martha Stewart Living (June 2005), via Karen Tannenbaum
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Servings: One 9-inch cake, 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk (low-fat is fine)
• About ¾ pound strawberries, hulled and halved
INSTRUCTIONS
•Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or 9-inch round cake pan).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be thick.)
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down, so that they completely cover the batter (the recipe calls for approximately ¾ pound of strawberries; use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.
• Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
• Cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
