Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Lavender Scones

A long, long time ago, I posted about my best friend Lauren's Mom's (aka Julie Mom's) lavender scones.  I'm OBSESSED WITH THEM.  I love them so much I can't even tell you.  Not too long ago, I welcomed an exciting treat in the mail - Julie Mom had sent me my own box of lavender scones!!! GET OUT OF HERE I said.  I've been rationing them out like a Civil War soldier at Gettysburg.  I still have a couple left but not for long.  I want them to last forever.


Thanks Julie Mom for my amazing, delicious gift.  I love them so much I just had to share them with you guys.

Here's the recipe!

3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2 -inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons dried lavender buds (more or less, depending upon availability)
1 cup chilled buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into large 
bowl. Ad butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix 
in lavender buds. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form. 
Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly to bind dough, about 4 
turns. Form dough into 1-inch thick round. Cut out using 2 1⁄2” round biscuit cutter. 
Transfer to baking sheet. Bake until top of scones are golden brown, about 15 minutes. 
Let stand on baking sheet 10 minutes. Serve scones warm or at room temperature.

Stay hungry! 

Monday, October 27, 2014

Baked Spaghetti Pie

****RECIPE UPDATE*** - I made this recipe differently this weekend and it came out way more delicious.  See below for revised recipe. 

Salt & Pepper
1 Lb of Spaghetti 
1 Lb of Pancetta, diced
3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Ramano 
3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan 
3/4 Cup Mozzarella, Shredded 
1 1/4 Cups Heavy Whipping cream
3 Tbs Butter 
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped 
8 Eggs, whisked
3 Tbs of Vegetable Oil 

Cook your spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente - 8 - 9 minutes or to the instructions on the box.  Rinse with cold water and let pasta dry for 20 or so minutes in the strainer. Move the pasta around with your hands while cooling so it stays nice and loose. Chop the pancetta and cook in a little olive oil until nice and crispy.  Drain the oil and set aside to cool.  Give the pancetta a rough chop. Heat butter up in skillet over low heat and add garlic.  Saute over very low heat until garlic starts to turn translucent - about two minutes.  Do not overcook garlic - you don't want any color on it at all.  Add cream to the pan.  Continue to heat over medium low heat.  Add pecorino ramano.  Add LOTS of black pepper.  Continue to heat cream for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until cheese begins to melt.  Remove from heat and cool - about 15 minutes.  Add mozzarella and add parmesan to cooled cream mixture.  Stir.  Add pancetta to eggs.  Mix.  Pour in pasta and mix everything together with your hands.  Add cream mixture.  Season with salt and more pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Heat a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes with 3 tbs of vegetable oil.  Add pasta mixture and turn heat down to medium low. Press down with your hands.  Let it cook for 4 minutes without touching it.  Get a spatula and run the spatula around the edges.  Lift underneath and check - if it's golden brown get the spatula and run underneath the pasta and lift very gently.  If the pasta isn't golden brown or sticks, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes or so.  Don't rush it.  Put a cutting board that's been misted with a little Pam or rubbed with oil on top of the spaghetti and flip so you can get the other side crusty.  While the pasta is on the board, add another TBS of oil to the pan and let it heat up over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add pasta and cook for 1 minute.  Without flipping, place pasta in pan in 350 degree oven for 6 minutes.  Remove and let rest for 30 minutes before serving.  Serve at room temperature with a little tomato sauce or as is.

________________________


During our recent trip to Italy, we had a lot of good food.  I mean...a lot.  We went to Positano as well as Rome.  It was some of the best food I had in my life.  

You know when you eat something that you expect will be good but it turns out to be absolutely outstanding?  That was this...the baked spaghetti pie (or whatever they actually call it) in Positano. While we were heading out of town, I went to get a scoop (or four cough cough) of gelati, but then I spotted...this.  I took a hairpin turn on my way to deliciousness.  You should have seen Charlie's face when I came out of the crowded store with this instead of my usual Italian sweet treat.  Here's an actual pic of the spaghetti pie... 


Ever since we got back, Charlie and I have talked about it.  OMG remember that crazy spaghetti cheesy meat thing we had in Positano?  We should try to make it.  We really should.  Well...we finally did.  And it came out great. 


If I don't mind saying so myself. 


Italians use guanciale in lots of recipes.  It's cured pork jowel - think of a saltier and fattier bacon.  It's amazing.  We had it all over Rome in carbonara and other popular pasta dishes gives creamy pastas an extra salty porky kick.  It's only available at specialty stores, so you can easily substitute pancetta, which is what I did.  I asked the deli counter to cut me 1 lb at setting 20 (you'll end up with 5 large, thick disks) and then I just gave it a rough chop.


Brown the pancetta in a little olive oil until nice and golden brown.  About 15 minutes or so over medium high heat.   This is what you want.  Make a little extra because you'll have "casualties."  You have to taste it...ya know...for poison.



While it's browning up, shred yo' cheese. Charlie the cheese thief was roaming around.  Hide yo' cheese, hide yo' wife.  Sorry.  Anyway, I'm not totally sure what cheese they used in Italy, but I went with a mix of provolone and parmesan.  I just asked the deli counter to give me a 3/4 lb block of provolone, which I then just shredded at home.  TA DAAA.  


This is one of my Mom's tricks...Sargento's Artisan Parmesan.  This is the only Parmesan in the history of Parmesan that really melts well.  Luckily, it comes shredded.


Next, whisk up 8 eggs.


Ok - onto the pasta.  You want to cook the spaghetti al dente in salted water (follow box instructions...I cooked mine for 9 mins). Strain and let cool for about 20 minutes.  Next, rinse with cold water and loosen with your hand and then let dry in the strainer for another 10 minutes.  You don't want to work with super hot pasta because it will scramble the eggs and if you let it cool as is, it would form a big block...so rinsing with a little water will help it stay nice and loose.  You can also use left over spaghetti.  I never ever have left over spaghetti...ever...but if you do great and you're probably skinny.  Double great.


Once the pancetta has crisped up and cooled, mix it with both cheeses and the egg....


...like so.


Next, add your pasta.  Get up in there with your hands...you want to make sure everything is well incorporated.


I enlisted Charlie's help because the next few stages are a little complicated.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a generous drizzle of light oil (vegetable, canola, whatever).  Add the pasta mixture.  You will hear it sizzle.  That's what you want.


Press the pasta firmly down.  Now...pay attention.  This next step is important.  Lower the heat down to medium low.  LEAVE THE PASTA and don't touch it for 4 minutes.  Once the 4 minutes is up, get a spatula and run it around the edges to remove the pasta from the sides.  Next, gently run the spatula under the pasta and lift ever so carefully.  If it's golden brown, continue to run the spatula under different areas, and lift.  If the pasta gives you a hard time, let it cook for another two minutes and try again.  Don't force it.  You'll know when a nice brown crust has formed and it's time to move on to the next step.


This thing was HEAV-AY so Charlie had to help me flip it.  He got a wooden cutting board and sprayed it with a little Pam so the pasta wouldn't stick to the board.  He then put the cutting board on top of the spaghetti and flipped it over.  I would have photographed it but I was too busy yelling and micromanaging the situation.


Once the pasta is out and onto the board, place the pan back onto the heat and add some more oil.  Let the oil heat up for 1-2 minutes and then slide the pasta back in.  Let the other side cook for about 1 minute and then place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 6 minutes.


Remove it and let it cool for a minimum of 30 minutes.  If you can wait that long.  I waited for 25 minutes.   Oh boy. Check it.  Check it good.



mmm...


I was very proud of myself with this one.  I think I high fived Charlie more than twice.  Ok maybe four times.


Here's the recipe!

Salt & Pepper
1 Lb of Spaghetti 
1 Lb of Pancetta 
1 Lb of Provolone, Shredded (or four cups shredded)
1 Cup Parmesan, Shredded 
8 Eggs, whisked
3 Tbs of Vegetable Oil 

Cook your spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente - 8 - 9 minutes or to the instructions on the box.  Rinse with cold water and let pasta dry for 20 or so minutes in the strainer. Move the pasta around with your hands while cooling so it stays nice and loose. Chop the pancetta and cook in a little olive oil until nice and crispy.  Drain the oil and set aside to cool.  Add pancetta to eggs and cheese.  Mix.  Pour in pasta and mix everything together with your hands.  Season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes with 3 tbs of vegetable oil.  Add pasta mixture and turn heat down to medium low. Press down with your hands.  Let it cook for 4 minutes without touching it.  Get a spatula and run the spatula around the edges.  Lift underneath and check - if it's golden brown get the spatula and run underneath the pasta and lift very gently.  If the pasta isn't golden brown or sticks, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes or so.  Don't rush it.  Put a cutting board that's been misted with a little Pam or rubbed with oil on top of the spaghetti and flip so you can get the other side crusty.  While the pasta is on the board, add another TBS of oil to the pan and let it heat up over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add pasta and cook for 1 minute.  Without flipping, place pasta in pan in 350 degree oven for 6 minutes.  Remove and let rest for 30 minutes before serving.  Serve at room temperature with a little tomato sauce or as is.

Stay hungry!