Olive-oregano Muffins

Ingredients: 1 cup Whole Wheat flour

1 cup Pastry flour
1 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

200 g feta cheese

8-10 pitted olives

1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt

butter

Directions: Preheat the oven to 370 F. In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt and oregano. Add the egg, yogurt, crumbled feta, chopped olives, and stir to combine. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray and place a dollop of the mixture in each cup filling about 2/3 of the cup. On the top of itch cup put some butter. Bake in a 370F oven for about 40-45 minutes until the muffin tops start browning. Let the muffins cool in the pan, about 5 minutes, and then remove from the pan and let cool for 5 additional minutes before serving.

Golden French Apple Tart

Ingredients

9x9-inch puff pastry sheet

Flour for dusting

4 ea. Apples, preferably Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith

½ Tbsp. (7 g.) brown sugar

3 Tbsp. (40 g.) unsalted butter

Powdered sugar for dusting

 

Instructions

For the crust: roll out puff pastry into 10-inch (25 cm) square sheet and 1/8-inch (3,2 mm) thickness. Prick the dough with your fork. Cut a circle and transfer to a greased baking tray or into a non-stick pan. Peel and core 4 apples and slice them thinly using mandolin slicer or a sharp knife. Carefully arrange the sliced apples over the round puff pastry sheet. Sprinkle some brown sugar and cover with butter cubs. Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Bake for about 50 minutes. Set the oven to broil. 

Dust the baked tart with powdered sugar and place the tart under the broiler a few seconds or until caramelized. 

Transfer the apple tart immediately on the wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

Mediterranean Salad

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces

3-4 heirloom tomatoes

3 bell peppers (red, green and yellow)

1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly

6-8 Kalamata olives

1-2 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place eggplant rings in large pan and bake until ready.  Remove from oven and keep them in a jar with some olive oil for few hours. Grill the peppers and let sit until cool enough to peal. Cut up them and the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice red onion and mash it with some salt and 1 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar. In large salad bowl toss together baked eggplant rings and peppers, tomatoes and onions with olive oil and the rest of Balsamic vinegar. Add Kalamata olives and capers, and toss again. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with the finely chopped parsley.

Peach Tarte Tatin

3-4 medium unpeeled peaches, quartered, pitted

½ cup strawberry (optional)

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

1/2 stick (70 g) unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean, scrape the seeds out or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh juice from a half of lemon

½ packet of “Lady Fingers” (about 11-12 biscuits) or Challah bread or brioche

1-2 tablespoons of melted butter

Use an 8-inch-diameter non-stick round cake pan or skillet with 1 1/2-inch-high sides

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook sugar in the small non-stick skillet. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat. Quickly stir in unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice and vanilla. Stir well. Remove from heat. Place unpeeled peach quarters, skin side down, in concentric circles atop caramel in cake pan, covering caramel completely. Add some strawberries. 

Bake until peaches are just tender about 40 minutes. During the baking cover the pan with aluminum foil for 20 minutes after - remove the foil. Take out the cake pan from oven. On the top of baked peaches arrange 11-12 biscuits. Fill the gaps with crumbs. Brush the biscuits with melted butter. Bake the tart until is deep golden, about 25 minutes more at 375°F. Allow the tart to cool in the fridge before flipping it over. Cut around edge of cake pan. Place a large platter over the cake pan. Using oven mitts, hold cake pan and platter firmly together and invert, allowing tart to settle onto platter. Carefully lift off cake pan. Warm before serving. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream. 

Tip: To unmold it easily, warm up the bottom of the pan a few seconds over high heat – Thank you, Bruno Albouze.

Gennaro’s Zesty Orange Rice Cake

1.7 litre milk

1 vanilla pod

½ lemon, zest only, in large pieces

200g / 7oz  sugar

300g / 10½oz Arborio rice

5 large free-range eggs, separated

50ml / 2fl oz orange liqueur

40g / 1½oz raisins

1 orange, zest only, grated, plus extra for serving

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 24cm/10in loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. Place the milk, vanilla pod, lemon zest and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice and simmer on a medium to low heat for about 20–25 minutes, until the rice is al dente and has absorbed the milk but still has a creamy consistency. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove vanilla pod and lemon zest. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and liqueur until creamy. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the egg yolk mixture to the cooled rice, then fold in the stiffened egg whites, followed by the raisins and orange zest. Pour in the prepared tin and bake in the oven for one hour. Serve Gennaro's Orange Rice Cake warm or cold, sprinkled with some powdered sugar and a little extra orange zest to finish.

Banana Raisins Muffins

 

¾ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup olive oil (or coconut oil)

½ cup yogurt

1 egg

2 medium bananas, mashed (around 1 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375º degrees. Mix the egg with the brown sugar, olive oil and yogurt. Combine flour with baking powder. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Add mashed bananas and vanilla, mix just until flour is moistened. Fold in raisins. Using a non-stick muffin pan or muffin papers, fill muffin cups approximately 2/3 full with batter. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and let cool.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):

1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water

Pecan and Gingersnap Layer: (optional)

1/4 cup (25 grams) pecans, toasted and ground

1/4 cup (25 grams) crushed gingersnap cookies

Pumpkin Filling:

3 large eggs

2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 - 15 ounce can (425 grams) pure pumpkin

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Short Crust Pastry: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Add 1/8 cup (about 2 tablespoons) water and process just until the dough holds together when pinched. If necessary, add the remaining water.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Tuck the overhanging pastry under itself and use a fork to make a decorative border. Alternatively, you can trim the pastry to the edge of the pie pan. With the remaining pastry make decorative cut-outs (leaves, pumpkins, etc.) and with a little water, attach them around the lip of the pie pan. Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes.

Pecan Gingersnap Layer: Toast pecans in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool and then place the pecans, along with the gingersnap cookies, in a food processor and process until finely ground. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the unbaked pie crust. Cover and return the pastry to the refrigerator while you make the pumpkin filling.

Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in bottom third of the oven. 

Make the Pumpkin Filling*: In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills. Bake the pie for about 45-55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has browned (the center will still look wet). (A knife inserted about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from side of pan will come out almost clean.)

Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature with maple whipped cream. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.  Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

* Pumpkin puree: If you have the time and are so inclined, you can make your own puree using the smaller pumpkin varieties like Sugar Pie, Baby Bear or Cheese Pumpkin (approximately 5-7 lbs., 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 kg.). To begin this process, first cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise, remove all the seeds and stringy fibers, and then place cut-side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for approximately 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours (depending on size) or until easily pierced with a knife. Scoop out the pulp and puree in a food processor until smooth. You do need to extract all the liquid, so strain the pumpkin through a cheesecloth lined strainer and then cool the puree before using.

Adapted from: Joy of baking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqjooS7TYKc

Green Fantasy Frittata

6 large free-range eggs

½ cup (50 g) zucchini

½ cup (50 g) leek

½ cup (50 g) green peas

½ cup (50 g) sliced mushrooms

1-2 tbsp. (20 g) goat cheese

3-4 tbsp. (30 g) feta cheese

2-3 tbsp. (20 g) Cheddar/Parmesan cheese

salt

freshly ground black pepper

a few sprigs of fresh mint

lemon juice

olive oil

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Place a small non-stick ovenproof frying pan (roughly 20 cm) on a low heat. Slice the leek and mushrooms, put the green peas and zucchini cut into small cubs, then add to the pan with a lug of olive oil and fry gently for few minutes. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Stir gently for a minute or so, then scatter over the feta, put the goat cheese cut into cubs and grate a little more Cheddar/Parmesan on top, if you like it extra cheesy. Add some lemon juice and the sliced fresh mint. Place the pan in the hot oven for about 5 minutes, or until golden and risen. When the frittata is ready, turn it out onto a board and serve with your favorite salad. 

Gougères

1 cup (250 ml) water

3,5 ounces (100 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubs

Large pinch of salt

1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1/3 cup (50 g) shredded Gruyère cheese, plus more for sprinkling

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg 

  

Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Stir over until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the dough into a bowl; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add the cheese and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

When making the choux pastry, it is important to be sure that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next. Don't worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first. Keep beating, and it will come together nicely.