Let’s face it, they don’t look like the bite-sized, curled-up potato dumplings we call gnocchi. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, baked semolina gnocchi (gnocchi alla Romana) look more like polenta. But there’s no corn, just durum wheat semolina—a creamy, dreamy ingredient famous for making the tastiest pasta. Chewy, slightly sweet, and with umami-rich Parmesan or Romano, baked semolina gnocchi nails it as an app, side dish, or comfort-food main course. Our friend and cooking inspiration Joanne Hults (of Steamed Chinese Buns and Montreal Slaw) delighted us with this classic years ago. Since the dish goes back to ancient Rome, variations show up all over the web. While I wouldn’t mess with Joanne’s…
-
-
Chicken with Red Gravy
To many Italian-Americans, “gravy” means tomato sauce cooked all day with various types of meats. Flavors mingle, meat falls apart, herbs kick in, and you’ve got a world-class Sunday pasta dinner. Chicken with Red Gravy riffs off that beloved tomato-wine sauce. But with chicken thighs rather than red meat, it cooks faster, tastes lighter, and soaks beautifully into quick-cooking polenta or couscous. So you can treat your family or guests to the joys of red gravy whenever the mood hits you. But is it Italian or French? When I gave this recipe (which I adapted from The Boston Globe) to my sister-in-law Chris, she exclaimed, “It’s ‘Meal A’!” I had forgotten that her go-to…
-
Beef and Chickpea Stew in the Pressure Cooker
Chickpeas love to hang out with Moroccan spices. Add umami-rich beef chuck to the party and you get Beef and Chickpea Stew. It tastes like restaurant fare and yet, thanks to the miracle of the pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cooks up fast for an easy, impressive dinner-in-a-bowl. Beef may get top billing, but the heart of this stew lies in the chickpeas—those little balls of high-protein goodness with nutty flavor and tender chew. We could go on and on about the virtues of chickpeas, but we’ve already done that in our Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine (a vegetarian cousin) and Pasta e Ceci posts. If you’re into substitutions, you can make this stew with…
-
Greek Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono Sauce)
Josephine “Josie” McCarthy, cooked up some unusual dishes for her time. But that was her job. An Emmy-nominated host of TV and radio cooking shows in the 1940s and ’50s, she coaxed audiences to go beyond the mundane. And her sublime Greek Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono Sauce) did just that. These mint-flecked meatballs in bright lemon sauce are so good they could headline a Greek menu. Yet down-to-earth Josie just called them “the same old ground beef done up to be very important.” Josie shared thousands of recipes on her TV show and compiled the most popular ones in Josie McCarthy’s Favorite TV Recipes. A weeknight dinner that’s special enough for…
-
Beef and Pea Curry (Keema Matar)
What magic ingredient transforms ho-hum ground beef and frozen peas into exotic lusciousness? Garam masala. This blend of warm spices usually gets sprinkled on sparingly at the end of Indian cooking for a bright, fragrant finish. But in beef and pea curry (Keema Matar), a heap of garam masala added early on infuses every spoonful with the excitement of a Bollywood extravaganza. If pumpkin spice had a savory, more sophisticated, less seasonal cousin, it would be garam masala. Besides cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom, garam masala throws in cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Garam masala adds mysterious warmth to tomato sauce. You can find a similar effect in Greek tomato sauce, which leans on…
-
Moroccan Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato Cooked Salad)
Moroccans love their cooked salads. And although it starts with “z,” zaalouk ranks high on their list of favorites. Eggplant, tomatoes, spices and herbs mash up into a richly flavored, umami-packed side dish or dip that just needs some crusty bread or (even better) pita chips to complete it. Even though “zaalouk” means to mash or puree, leave it a bit chunky to show off the lovely eggplant and tomatoes you picked up at the farmers’ market. Moroccan zaalouk also ranks high with Len and Miriam Discenza, who gave us this recipe with an enthusiastic you’ll-love-this recommendation. Even if you’ve got a go-to eggplant appetizer like baba ganoush or Grandma Annie’s Romanian Eggplant Dip,…
-
Basmati and Wild Rice with Chickpeas
Basmati and Wild Rice with Chickpeas, from award-winning British cookbook author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi, has “Middle East” written all over it. It’s a Sephardic relative of the classic Arab lentil-rice dish Mujaddara. Crispy fried onions, spiced chickpeas, tiny currants, and fresh herbs make a taste explosion. All those textures, flavors and colors form a striking side dish or vegetarian main course. The one ingredient that takes it beyond the Middle East is wild rice. A close cousin to rice, it grows primarily in the Great Lakes region, far from the land of milk and honey. Native Americans lived on it, and yet it wasn’t until the late 1950s that this chewy, nutty grain…
-
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…
-
Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
We’re big fans of the ancient chickpea, that protein-packed morsel whose sweet, nutty taste stands out from other beans. And its charming round shape complements specialty pastas. So it’s no wonder that Italians created pasta e ceci (pasta with chickpeas), a beloved comfort food made in a simple, classic Italian style. Recipephany’s Italian-in-Residence, Dan, makes the quintessential pasta e ceci using traditional ingredients and techniques. He gets so many requests for his version I’m embarrassed it has taken me so long to post it. “I love this as a pasta dish,” Dan says, “but it also doubles as a soup when you add more broth.” Both ways qualify as true Italian pasta e…
-
Light Fish Chowder
Many New England restaurants will serve you a heavy, stew-like chowder laden with cream and thickeners. We prefer this light fish chowder. A milky broth allows the sweet flavors of the fish and potatoes to come through. Creamy but not too rich, it makes a cozy meal that soothes the soul, bowl after bowl. Only warm squares of Cakey and Sweet Cornbread can make it any more perfect. Happily, it’s a snap to make. You start by quickly poaching fish in water with some aromatic veggies. Then you set the fish aside for later so it won’t overcook. The cooking water becomes your fish stock. And the chowder stays light because the only starch…
-
Braided Bread with Pesto (Treccia al Pesto)
Got basil? Whirr it into pesto and swirl it into an elegant braid of Italian bread. You won’t believe how easily this Braided Bread with Pesto (Treccia al Pesto) comes together into a fragrant, flavorful appetizer. And as a side bread, it can spruce up an everyday meal. The twisted braid idea comes from our son-in-law Gordy. His “crown bread” filled with tapenade and blue cheese (from Nadiya Hussain of the Great British Baking Show) blew us away. With its dark filling and gorgeous layers, it got mistaken for dessert when he took it to a party. We simplified the bread recipe and substituted pesto because our garden basil has gone berserk. And…
-
Montreal Slaw with Fresh Herbs
You’ve heard of Montreal bagels and the Montreal Express, but what about Montreal Slaw? That’s the style of no-mayonnaise coleslaw our friend Joanne has been making for years, and to everyone’s delight. Lightly pickled, sweet and crunchy, it makes you wonder why mayo ever intruded in the first place. I recently stumbled upon the name “Montreal Slaw” in Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven’s marvelous book, The Way We Cook: Recipes from the New American Kitchen. Coleslaw recipes date back to the 1700s in the Netherlands (koolsla, or “cabbage salad”), before the Era of Mayonnaise. And while Americans gleefully embraced mayo in slaw, Europeans—and apparently our Northern Neighbors as well—chose to stick with a simple, tangy vinaigrette.…
-
Pressure-Cooker Chicken Minestrone
Minestrone—that famous medley of veggies, beans and macaroni in tomato broth—means “thick soup” in Italian. But don’t stop with veggies—switch it up with tender bites of chicken. Chicken pumps up the flavor, mellows out the tomatoes, and turns a chunky soup into even more of a meal. Pressure-Cooker Chicken Minestrone falls somewhere between stew and soup—”stoup,” if you will. We got our classic minestrone from longtime pal Elinor Lipman. Most people know her for her novels, but she’s also a clever cook and baker. Her latest success, Ms. Demeanor, is a finalist for this year’s prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor. In it, to our delight, she spices up her usual witty dialog and…
-
Classic Indian Curry with Meat or Chicken
Call it “Curry 101.” This recipe taught us how to blend aromatics and spices into a savory paste—the secret to a classic Indian curry. This paste can flavor meat or chicken, and makes a bright sauce with chopped tomatoes or a smooth and tangy sauce with yogurt. No matter which variation—whether red or golden brown—this curry rivals authentic Indian take-away. We say “take-away” because that’s what they do in the UK, the source of this recipe. Brits love Indian food (some say chicken tikka masala outsells fish ‘n chips) and this recipe comes from Cooking the Indian Way published in London in 1962. And as much as we idolize Madhur Jaffrey, the Godmother of…
-
Steamed Chinese Buns (Bao) with Chicken or Char Shu Pork
Our friends Joanne and David made these pillowy Steamed Chinese Buns long before the term “bao” (short for “baozi”) became fashionable. Fluffy and full of flavor, these buns rival those you’d get at any restaurant. The secret is the soft, enriched dough which puffs up high and airy in the steamer. Stuff it with Char Shu Pork or David’s Garlic-Ginger Chicken and you’ll be in bao heaven. Joanne started making this lighter-than-air dough using a recipe she found in the 1986 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. David, who knows his way around a wok, created this luscious Garlic-Ginger Chicken filling to go with it. We’ve also tacked on a sweet and salty Char…
-
Anchovy Bread (Sfogliata)
A tiny grenade of umami, the humble anchovy gives chefs a secret weapon for deepening the flavor and richness of sauces and stews. It melts away as it cooks, leaving only salt and a savory meatiness. But Italians take anchovies out from behind the curtain, celebrating them in the dish bagna càuda, in robust pasta sauces, and as a classic pizza topping. And this Italian Anchovy Bread (aka Sfogliata), sliced into colorful little pinwheels with luscious paprika-spiced filling, further proves how anchovies can command center stage. We first learned about this easy and elegant bread from Ruth Reichl’s book, My Kitchen Year. Ruth, the longtime Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet and acclaimed food critic at the…
-
Dan’s Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Dan, Recipephany’s grillmaster, can make just about anything tender, juicy and deliciously smoky on his (t)rusty old Grill Master barbecue. Usually he just plays it by ear, mixing up rubs and sauces with seemingly random herbs and spices. He knows when something’s done by using common methods like an instant-read thermometer, and by being “open to vibrations in the ether.” But for his Marinated Grilled Shrimp, he sticks pretty closely to this recipe—although he rarely uses a measuring cup. And every time it comes out tangy, luscious and with a slight Italian accent. The secret is the simple marinade. The fact that I often request Dan’s Marinated Grilled Shrimp attests to its magnificence. After…
-
Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
This soup hits the spot when I want a simple, quick, yet indulgent way to enjoy my all-time favorite veggie. It captures the bright taste of broccoli sweetened by aromatics and smoothed out with melted sharp cheddar. The real recipephany here is a bit of magic. Instead of turning olive drab—as broccoli likes to do after a few minutes of cooking—this soup stays vibrant green. How? A few handfuls of spinach do the trick. So it looks as fresh as it tastes. Crusty bread makes it a meal. Don’t confuse this with the thick, cream-laden broccoli-cheddar soup made popular by Panera restaurants. Our favorite cream alternative, bouillon, rounds out the flavor so you get…
-
Claire’s Beef Knishes, Butcherie Style
If wishes were knishes…they’d all taste delicious.—Variation of old Scottish rhyme Little pastries stuffed with meat, potatoes, and other savory fillings, knishes immigrated to the US with Russian, Polish and Ukrainian Jews in the early 1900s. They soon dominated delis, knisheries and food carts in New York City. This inexpensive snack/meal spread to Kosher delis and restaurants across the country—so what’s not to like? But as Jewish delis have dwindled, so have knishes. Our local Stop and Shop no longer carries them in the deli case. But we don’t kvetch. Thanks to our daughter Claire, we have the best recipe for this nosh that you can find anywhere. Using Science and Laboratory Superpowers, she…
-
Tante Marie’s French Sorrel Soup from Charlotte Turgeon
If you could cross baby spinach with lemon, you’d get something like sorrel. It brightens salads, sauces and omelets, but best of all makes a marvel of a soup. And nothing captures the flavor and simple pleasures of the French countryside like this dish: French Sorrel Soup. Remarkably fast and easy to make, this elegant, tangy soup goes from zero to the table in less than 15 minutes. No potatoes, no aromatics, no cream. An egg yolk swirled in at the end adds a bit of richness, and some toasted bread served in the bowl gives it depth. The hardest part might be finding the main ingredient. Popular throughout Europe, sorrel is rarely seen…
- Appetizers, Beans, Cheese dishes, Main Dish, Mexican, Side Dishes, Vegetable, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Raegan’s “Quesabeanas,” Refried-Bean Quesadillas
Recipephany Test Kitchen’s Chief Taster, Dan, likes to call these “Yummy Chongas” or “Tacodilla Grandes.” But their developer, Raegan Sales (also known for the best No-Knead Focaccia), calls them “Quesabeanas,” and that sums them up pretty well. Refried beans sweetened with caramelized aromatics and spiked with hot sauce bulk up the humble quesadilla. A soft bean filling fuses with melted cheese so when you bite into the toasty flour tortilla, you taste nothing but delicious squishiness inside. And while it masquerades as fun food, the Quesabeana—especially with lots of toppings—includes all manner of healthy food groups. While Raegan came up with the Quesabeana, her husband, our son Andrew, inspired the crispy cheese crust. “He…
- Appetizers, Breakfast, Cheese dishes, Egg dishes, Main Dish, Side Dishes, Snacks, Vegetable, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Spinach Squares
We could say that good old-fashioned Spinach Squares are staging a comeback, but they never actually went away. Also called “spinach brownies,”—no, there’s no chocolate—these squares bring to the savory portion of a meal what fudgy brownies bring to dessert. Cheesy-rich and luscious, they invite you to have just one—and then one more. Stir these up in minutes as an easy alternative to Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie). An appetizer, snack, side dish or even main attraction, Spinach Squares freeze and reheat well. The recipe makes a big batch, so you can serve some and still have enough for another occasion. And they make great finger food, even sneaked cold from the fridge. Surprisingly, Spinach…
-
Punched Potatoes from Richard Nasser
Our friend Richard Nasser served these heavenly punched potatoes and they made us think of what makes a great french fry: crispy outsides with soft, creamy insides. Our daughter, when she was little, nailed it when she said her favorite fries have “a lot of filling.” Yes, we want them crisp, but the real potato punch is in the “filling.” “Punched potatoes” apparently come from Portugal, creating some nice English alliteration. They are also known as ”smashed potatoes.” As both names imply, the idea is to flatten them. As our guest contributor, Richard shares his technique for creating the optimal “flesh/skin ratio” that make these potatoes totally irresistible. “I don’t know the national provenance…
-
Pasta with Fresh Tomato and Sage Sauce
Our new favorite pasta sauce has all the earmarks of a Neopolitan classic. Quick and simple, it exemplifies the short-order-cooking style typical of great Italian food. It simmers just long enough to get saucy and tangy, then clings lovingly to the pasta of your choice, careful to let the creamy flavor of the wheat shine through. It includes the usual suspects: chunked-up tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, sage…. Sage? What’s with the sage? We know how Italians season tomatoes with basil and oregano, and occasionally with rosemary and thyme. Sage goes into saltimbocca and brown butter sauce, but not red sauces. But why not? Sage belongs to the mint family, along with all those…
-
Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sage in the Pressure Cooker
As the days get shorter, keep the sun in your life with gleaming risotto lit with golden butternut squash. Plump little Arborio rice grains turn creamy yet keep a nice al dente chew. Swirled with sweet winter squash, it’s a comfort food to rival mac and cheese. The pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) cooks it up perfetto in just about 5 minutes, without any of the watching, stirring and all-around fussing that scare cooks away from risotto. Fresh sage plays the hero here, propelling the savory flavors into the stratosphere. Dried sage can work, too, but fresh velvety leaves add the brightness of garden greens. If you don’t have a pressure cooker or its…
