This flourless Spanish Almond Cake (Tarta de Santiago, or St. James’ Cake) came to us from Recipephany’s Senior Cookie Advisor, Joanne Hofmann Sexeny (see Pecan Praline Cookies). Moist, sweet, light and fluffy, this simple cake tastes luxurious and looks elegant. “It’s my best almond cake go-to,” Joanne said, pointing us to the Tarta de Santiago recipe on Epicurious. Then out of the blue we got an email from Steve Granek, also a fan of the Epicurious almond cake. He had stumbled onto Recipephany and suspected that the cake and its backstory would ring our chimes. Well, did it ever. Steve bakes the cake frequently, and in many variations—with lemon and orange zest, only lemon…
-
-
Grammy Brody’s Irish Soda Bread
For the hearty brown soda bread that the Irish swear by every day, you can’t beat Matt Murphy’s Irish Brown Bread. But when you want its light, slightly sweet, raisin-studded cousin, Grammy Brody’s Irish Soda Bread will make your St. Patrick’s Day. This quick and easy soda bread bakes up a celebration-worthy loaf every time, without any need for practice, special skills, or fresh buttermilk. Irish soda bread notoriously calls for buttermilk because its lactic acid activates the soda, creating the bubbles that cause the bread to rise. But really, who keeps buttermilk in their fridge? Sure, it’s easy to make a buttermilk substitute by souring a cup of milk with a tablespoon of…
-
Punjab Pasta with Chicken or Chickpeas
This one-pot wonder couples Indian masala with Italian pasta, a fusion made in heaven. Known in India as Masala Pasta or Desi Pasta, it’s a popular street food and a favorite quick meal for families. Dan, Recipephany’s Chief Name Generator, calls it “Punjab Pasta.” And what do you know, the dish actually comes from that northwestern region of India. This tomato-rich Italo-Indian hybrid packs a punch of Punjab flavor into a hearty, comforting pasta bowl. Just open a couple of cans and a box of pasta and you’re halfway there. Chicken gives Punjab Pasta a richness, and chickpeas make a perfect vegetarian dish and cut the prep time to nearly nothing. The pasta cooks…
