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Ingredients:
36 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette bread, about 1 loaf 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 ounces Gorgonzola, sliced 3 tablespoons honey |
Directions:
| Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. |
| Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. |
| Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. |
| Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately. |
Comments:
| I absolutely loved this recipe. Some of the ladies were a little apprehensive about the honey and were unsure if the sweet and salt flavors would really complement each other. So rather than drizzling the honey on all the slices, I placed the honey on the table and gave them the option to do so. Some preferred it with the honey while others preferred it without it. I personally preferred it with the honey. |
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Ingredients:
Pesto: 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see Cook's Note) 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan |
Pasta: 1 pound trenette or other short-cut pasta 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus 1/2 cup 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 (1 1/2 pounds) medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper |
Directions:
| For the pesto: In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add the cheese and pulse until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. |
| For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Put the pasta into a large serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss until coated. |
| In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant turns golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. Add the pesto and toss until the eggplant is coated. |
| Add the eggplant mixture to the serving bowl with the pasta and toss until all of the ingredients are coated. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve. |
| Cook's Note: To toast the pine nuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool completely before using. |
Comments:
| I was not a huge fan of this recipe because it came out too bland for my liking. If I try it again in the future, I will definitely need to season the eggplant with some spices to give it some more flavor. |
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Ingredients:
1 pound stale country-style bread, crusts removed and cut into thick slices 1 1/2 cups milk 3 large eggs 1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped to yield 2 tablespoons 1 bunch basil, leaves chopped 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced Salt and pepper 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce |
Directions:
| In a large bowl add the bread slices and milk. Let sit until the bread is soaked through, then squeeze dry. Crumble and tear the soaked bread into smaller pieces and process in the food processor, using quick pulses, to yield 4 cups soaked crumbs. |
| Mix the crumbs in a bowl with the eggs, cheese, herbs, and garlic, adding salt and pepper, to taste. Form into round balls about 2 inches in diameter. Set aside on a rack or plate to dry for about 15 to 20 minutes. |
| In a saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil to frying temperature, about 360 degrees F, and fry the bread balls until brown on all sides. Remove the balls as they brown and drain on a rack covered with paper towels. |
| Have the tomato sauce ready. Arrange the balls on a platter and lightly cover with sauce. Serve immediately. |
Comments:
| The website had a recipe for the basic tomato sauce, but I just used a ready made one from the grocery store. The recipe called for 3 eggs but after reading the comments on the site, I decided to use 2 eggs. I would suggest only using 1 egg since the mixture was still too wet. Before I was able to form the meatballs from the mixture, I had to add some more flour to dry it out enough to handle. I decided to bake the meatballs for 15 minutes to dry them out even more before frying. I was very pleased with the final result. The texture and flavor was great. This is a nice alternative to nut based vegetarian meatballs especially when cooking for guests with nut allergies. |
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Ingredients:
8 fluid ounces carbonated water 3/4 fluid ounce passion fruit flavored syrup 3/4 fluid ounce watermelon flavored syrup 1 fluid ounce half-and-half cream |
Directions:
| Fill a tall glass half full with ice. Fill to 2/3 with carbonated water. Pour in watermelon and passion fruit flavored syrups, then float the half-and-half cream on top. Stir when ready to drink. |
Comments:
| Instead of passion fruit and watermelon flavors, we used different combinations of hazelnut, raspberry, and caramel syrup. |
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