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GNOCCHI ALLA SORRENTINA
Makes plenty, serves about 6
GNOCCHI
3 lbs large baking potatoes
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Unsalted butter, at room temperature, as needed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the potatoes, prick them with a fork and place them on a sheet pan in the oven for 2 hours. Allow them to cool slightly and scoop out the insides. Rice or mash the potatoes and set them aside.
Beat the eggs and yolk lightly together in a small bowl. Add them to the potatoes along with the flour, rosemary, salt, some freshly ground black pepper. Mix with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough is smooth. Turn it our onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes then lest rest for another 10.
Portion the dough into 6 chunks and roll them into thin 1/2 in. thick logs then cut into 1/2 in. pieces. Using a generous amount of flour, roll it over the back of a fork to make the traditional shape. Place finished pieces on a floured sheet pan. Once all pieces are cut and shaped, place into a freezer to store up to two weeks.
If cooking right away, add them to a pot of boiling salted water. When they rise to the top, let them cook for another minute before removing with a slotted spoon. Drain the pasta well and toss with butter or oil.
GNOCCHI ALLA SORENTINA
1lb fresh crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp EVOO
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
5 basil leaves, hand torn plus some for garnish
1lb Gnocchi
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
1/2lb mozzarella
Cut the tomatoes into chunks and send them through your food processor to crush them then set aside. In a large skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper and heat on the lowest setting until it starts to sizzle, around 10 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, salt and basil. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375. Add the gnocchi and Parmesan to the sauce and transfer to an oven safe dish. Top with mozzarella and place in the oven for 20 minutes. For the last 2-3 minutes, broil the dish so the top layer browns a little. Allow to cool for several minutes then enjoy!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. While making the gnocchi, if the potatoes are still pretty hot when you're going to add in the egg, you might want to temper them with some of the potato so you don't end up with bits of cooked egg in your gnocchi. In the bowl where you have the egg, add in a little bit of the hot potatoes while whisking constantly. Then add the egg/potato mixture back to the potatoes.
2. It will take a lot of attempts to get a decent looking gnocchi - just keep at it, and honestly it doesn't matter at the end of the day if you're baking it in a cheesy red sauce.
3. I like to pan fry (or air fry if I had an air fryer) the gnocchi. Gnocchi does not have the most pleasing texture in my opinion. Frying it off makes it a little crunchy on the outside. I think if I made this again, I would make my cauliflower gnocchi instead since it is a lighter pasta.
HAMBURGERS
Makes 6
HAMBURGER BUNS
60g All-Purpose Flour
43g instant mashed potatoes
28g nonfat dry milk
25g granulated sugar
8g salt
2 tsp instant yeast
4 tbsp unsalted butter + 1 tbsp melted for topping
227g water, lukewarm
Combine all dough ingredients and mix, either by hand or with the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, to make a soft doubt. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour. Once doubled in size, place dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide into 6 pieces. Then roll each into a tight ball.
Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet and flatten gently. Cover again and let rise for another 60-90 minutes. With about 20 minutes left, preheat your oven to 350, then bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until they are lightly golden brown. Brush the buns with melted butter and let cool on a wire rack.
HAMBURGERS
Everybody has a favorite burger - it can be the classic (American Cheese, pickles, ketchup, mustard) or you could make it fancy like the one pictured. This is my take on a local burger joint's burger with caramelized onions, mushrooms, bacon and a mornay sauce (fancy for melted cheese sauce) with a 1/3 lb patty lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.
Alternatively, you can make a turkey burger using the Bourbon Bacon Fig Jam on this site with some melted Brie, crispy prosciutto and fresh greens. Just make sure to season the turkey since it can be a particularly bland meat. My go to is onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin and coriander.
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Always toast the bun. That is my biggest pet peeve.
2. Sprinkle any bun toppings (sesame seeds, everything but the bagel topping, etc.) before baking using an egg wash to make it stick. I totally forgot that. Also, invest in a $2 paint brush or an actual $5 basting brush to brush the buns with butter - it's something I need to do.
3. Everything - burgers, jam, life - is better with bacon. (But we already knew that one.)
IRISH CREAM
Makes about a wine bottle full
IRISH CREAM
1 cup heavy cream
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of Jameson Whiskey
Graham Crackers, crushed (optional)
Marshmallows (optional)
Add the cream, milk, coffee, syrup and vanilla to a blender or food processor. Mix on a low speed for 30 seconds so the ingredients are well combined.
Then slowly add the whiskey while the blender is running and mixing for another 30 seconds to make sure it is well combines. Transfer the cream to a sterilized bottle (think clean empty wine bottle or a large mason jar with lid).
Prepare your glass by dipping the rim in some chocolate syrup and rolling the dipped portions in your crushed Graham Crackers. Serve the Irish Cream over ice and topped with a toasted marshmallow then enjoy!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Instead of just a toasted marshmallow, I floated it on a portion of Hershey Bar on top of a Graham Cracker... basically a smore. And since I don't have a campfire in my apartment, I recommend putting it in a cold oven and allow it to cook while the oven is preheating to 350, the put on a high broil for 2 mins. You will likely have to monitor this the first time you're doing it. I'd also recommend a chocolate frosting rim since the syrup was dripping everywhere.
2. A blender probably would have been easier to use, but I don't have one and my food processor did just fine. I imagine a whisk and a sturdy hand would take longer but also would do in a pinch if you're out camping and didn't want to make your life easy by buying a bottle of Bailey's.
3. Super easy and (in my opinion) tastes better than store bought - especially when you can control the quality and quantity of the Whiskey.
JAMBALAYA
Makes enough for a small army
JAMBALAYA
1 lb smoked ham, cubed
1 lb spicy hot sausage cut in pieces
1 cup chopped onions
1 lb bag of uncooked rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 lb shrimp (frozen or fresh)
4 cups boiling water
Place ham, sausage, and onions in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add rice and stir well then add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil let go for 5 minutes. Lower heat and cover the pot cooking for 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender. When rice is fully cooked, fluff with a fork and enjoy!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. The flavor was a little light for me, so I added some Slap Ya Mama spice and it made the dish much more complex in flavor and spicy.
2. I panicked a little because most jambalayas are deep red, but I sourced this recipe from the Queen of Cajun Cuisine, Leah Chase. I'd recommend learning more about her since her story is amazing. Keep the faith, this recipe is amazing and not bright red.
3. This recipe initially called for fresh shrimp and two types of sausage. I used frozen shrimp and one type of sausage. It turned out just fine if you're trying to watch your grocery spending.
KATSU CHICKEN CURRY
Serves 4ish
KATSU CHICKEN CURRY
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 tsp ginger, grated
4 cloves of garlic, grated
½ an apple, peeled and grated
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
5 tbsp butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water or chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 pieces eggs beaten
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and ginger and continue to cook for another minute. Add carrot, potato, apple and water (or chicken stock). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Set aside.
While simmering, create the roux by melting 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then add ¼ cup of all purpose flour, stirring continuously until the mixture has thickened - about 4 minutes. Add curry powder and garam masala and cook for 1 minute to incorporate. Add the spice roux to the carrot/potato mixture and stir until well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add water or chicken stock as necessary. Cook for several more minutes adding paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
Make the chicken Katsu by rinsing the chicken with running water and patting dry. Place the chicken between plastic wrap and beat until it is about ½ in. thick. Heat oil in a pan to 350. While the oil is heating, dredge the chicken in this order: flour (shake off excess), egg, panko, egg, panko. Fry the chicken until the panko turns golden brown and the internal temperature is 165. Remove from pan and allow to cool before slicing. Serve curry over a bed of rice, topped with the chicken and enjoy!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. I initially found this recipe to be pretty bland, so I added in the paprika and cumin to try to spice it up. I would also recommend seasoning your dredge flour and using chicken stock instead of water.
2. Be careful with how much water/stock you put in there. I added too much which is why the curry color is on the lighter side of more traditional Japanese curries.
3. When making the roux, watch the spices because they can burn easily.
LEMON BARS
Makes plenty to share
LEMON BARS
CRUST
1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp kosher salt
FILLING
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light with the paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt then slowly incorporate it with the butter mixture at a low speed. When the dough is just mixed, dump onto a well floured surface and gather into a ball.
Line a 9x13x2in baking sheet with parchment paper and press the dough into the sheet. Chill for 15 minutes then bake for 15-20 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack.
While the crust is cooling, whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35minutes until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar then enjoy!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Put parchment paper down! I lost half of my batch and a spatula trying to detach the bars from the baking pan.
2. I need to read the recipe better. I started mixing the filling while the dough was baking and was desperately trying to cool the crust down - I was trying to avoid having lemon scrambled eggs while not letting the filling separate.
3. My crust seemed to really like detaching from the filling when serving - I assume the crust might not have been incorporated enough and/or I baked it too long, but I'm no expert.
Note: Special thanks to my Mom for letting me borrow her kitchen for an afternoon to make the lemon bars and for not laughing too hard at me for all the mistakes I made...