tomato and corn pie from smitten kitchen.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

slice tomatoes crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired, place on towel and sprinkle with salt.  let sit for 30 min or more. Spread 1 tbsp dijon on crust.  Spread a small amount of cheese on crust then Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, basil, chives, salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

An idea: Want to slab pie this and serve it to a crowd? I agree, it would be brilliant. This is how I’d approach it: Make 1 1/2 batches of the crust (slab pies require more crust for the same amount of filling) and arrange the filling in one layer instead of two in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch pan. Increase the amount of butter you brush the top with to a tablespoon or two and the baking time to about 45 minutes (this is an estimate, you should take it out when it is golden and the filling is bubbling). Be sure to remove the tomato seeds; that extra wetness could make for a slab pie mess.

Mexican Corn Dip from showmetheyummy.com

4 ears of corn cooked
4
oz
cream cheese
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup Cilantro minced
1/4 cup Basil minced
Crumbled cotija or feta for topping
Cilantro basil, green onion for topping

 

  • Place corn kernels, cream cheese, mayo, and spices: chili powder, paprika, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper into microwave.
  • cover and cook for a few minutes
  • Stir in lime juice, cilantro, and basil.
  • Taste and re-season, if necessary.
  • Place dip into serving dish and top with cheese, and other toppings and serve warm with tortilla chips!

 

Mushroom Lasagna with Pancetta and Sage

Why this recipe works:
To make a mushroom lasagna recipe with no-boil noodles and widely available mushrooms, we found that roasted portobellos gave the dish concentrated mushroom flavor. A very loose béchamel sauce had enough liquid to properly hydrate the noodles.

If Italian fontina is not available, use whole milk mozzarella rather than a
rubbery Danish, Swedish, or American fontina. We like the mushroom sauce made with whole milk, but both skim and low-fat milk are acceptable.

*  1/2 ounce  dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed well
*  1 cup  water
*  2 pounds  portobello mushroom caps (about 10 medium), cleaned and cut into
2- to 3-inch by 1/4-inch slices
*  4 tablespoons  olive oil
*  8 ounces  pancetta , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (omit)
*  2  large red onions , chopped medium (about 4 cups)
*  8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, & broken into rough
pieces
*  4 med cloves  garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1
tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon)
*  1/2 cup  dry vermouth
*  3 tablespoons  unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing pan
*  3 tablespoons  unbleached all-purpose flour
*  3 1/2 cups  milk
*  1/4 teaspoon  nutmeg
*  1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
*  1 tablespoon  minced fresh sage leaves
*  8 oz  Italian fontina cheese, rind removed and shredded (about 2 1/4
cups)
*  1 1/2ounces  grated Parmesan cheese  (about 3/4 cup)
*  12  no-boil lasagna noodles
*  2 tablespoons  minced fresh basil leaves
*  1/2 teaspoon  grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

1.  Cover porcinis with water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with
plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife, and
microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften,
about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and roughly chop (you
should have about 3 tablespoons). Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer
lined with paper towel into medium bowl. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread
portobello mushrooms in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2
tablespoons oil, tossing to coat mushrooms evenly; sprinkle with 1/2
teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss again. Roast mushrooms until
shriveled and all liquid released from mushrooms has evaporated, about 30
minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Set mushrooms aside to cool.

3. While portobellos roast, heat 1 tablespoon oil and pancetta in 12-inch
nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until pancetta is browned and
crisp, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to large
bowl; pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and
1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are
browned around edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer onions to large bowl with
pancetta and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, process button mushrooms in food processor until uniformly
coarsely chopped, about six 1-second pulses, stopping to scrape down bowl as
needed. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over
medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped button mushrooms and cook,
stirring occasionally, until browned and all moisture has evaporated, 6 to 8
minutes.

5. Reduce heat to medium and stir in porcini mushrooms, 1 tablespoon
garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently,
until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vermouth and cook, stirring
occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add butter and cook until melted. Add flour and cook, stirring
constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add reserved porcini soaking liquid,
scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Add milk and nutmeg. Increase
heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer until sauce has thickened and reached consistency of heavy cream, 10
to 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups). Remove from heat and stir in 2
tablespoons parsley and sage.

7. Combine fontina and Parmesan in medium bowl. Toss cooled portobello
mushrooms with onions in large bowl. Place noodles in 13 by 9-inch ovensafe
baking dish and cover with hot tap water; let soak 5 minutes, agitating
noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and
place in single layer on kitchen towel. Wipe baking dish dry and coat with
butter.

8. Using rubber spatula, evenly distribute 1 cup mushroom sauce in bottom
of baking dish; position 3 noodles on top of sauce. Spread 3/4 cup sauce
evenly over noodles followed by 2 cups mushroom-onion mixture and 3/4 cup
cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, sauce, mushroom-onion mixture, and
cheese two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of last layer of
cheese. Spread remaining sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining
cheese. Lightly spray large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and
cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

9. While lasagna is baking, combine remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 1
teaspoon garlic with basil and lemon zest in small bowl. Increase oven
temperature to 500 degrees, remove foil from lasagna, and continue to bake
until cheese on top becomes spotty brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove lasagna
from oven and sprinkle evenly with herb mixture. Cool 15 minutes, then cut
into pieces and serve.

Serves 10 to 12.   Cooks Illustrated, Published September 1, 2006.

Summer Tomato Pudding from Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Tomato Sauce
Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium to large onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper to taste
generous pinch hot red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tightly packed tablespoons fresh basil, torn
1-3/4 to 2 pounds good-tasting tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (do not seed or peel), or 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with liquid
Olive oil for the baking dish
7- to 8-inch piece of baguette, a couple of days old if possible, cut into 1-inch thick rounds

Custard
5 large eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
1 cup half and half, or heavy cream
1 cup whole or skim milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Flavorings
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 ounces firm, fresh, whole milk sheep or cow cheese, or cream cheese, thinly sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup pitted Niçoise or oil-cured Moroccan olives
1 good-tasting medium tomato, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds, or 1 cup halved, flavorful grape tomatoes

1. Make the tomato sauce: Lightly film a 4-quart saucepan with the olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Add the onion with some salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until golden. Stir in the garlic and basil, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up as they go into the pan. Bring the sauce to a lively bubble and cook, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until thick. Stir often with a flat wood spatula to keep from sticking. Taste for seasoning. Cover and set aside 15 to 20 minutes to mellow or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

2. Assemble the pudding: While the sauce cooks, oil an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cover the bottom of the dish completely with the bread slices.

3. Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together in a large bowl the eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, half-and-half, milk, and Parmigiano cheese. Pour half the custard over the bread and let it soak in for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the feta cheese, and half the slices of the fresh cheese. Tuck in half the basil leaves.

4. Cover everything with the tomato sauce. Pour in the rest of the custard, scatter the olives over the custard, push the sliced tomatoes and rest of the basil leaves into the custard, cover with the rest of the fresh cheese and sprinkle with the remaining feta.

5. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, then raise the heat to 375ºF. and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Finally, uncover and bake another 20 minutes, or until the thermometer inserted near the center of the pudding reads 200ºF. to 210ºF.  Let the pudding rest at room temperature 15 minutes. Serve it hot or just warm.

Makes an 8-inch-square baking dish of pudding and doubles easily. Tomato sauce and custard could be done a day ahead and refrigerated.

between 200ºF. and 210ºF. and then give it at least a 15-minute rest before serving.

 

Smitten Kitchen’s One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup semi-pearled farro
1/2 large onion, sliced into quarters and then sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
8 to 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Handful of basil leaves, julienned or 1 tsp dried basil
sprinkle of oregano
parsley
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Add broth and farro to a large sauce pan and soak 10 minutes. As you finish chopping your veg, add them one by one to the pan. Add salt and red pepper, basil, oregano and parsley followed by the olive oil.

Set the timer on your oven or microwave for 30 minutes, then turn the burner on high. Bring the pan, uncovered, to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally. At the end of the 30 minutes, the farro should be perfectly cooked and liquid absorbed.

Pour the contents of the pan into a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with the basil leaves and parm, then drizzle lightly with olive oil. Eat while hot.

 

Tomato Stew With Basil Dumplings from washingtonpost.com

  • FOR THE STEW
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Three 14-ounce cans chunky tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  • FOR THE DUMPLINGS
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small bits and chilled
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves, plus torn or ribboned basil, for garnish
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

For the stew: Melt the butter in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir the onion, bell pepper, salt, dried basil and black pepper; cook, 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tomato puree, brown sugar and vinegar. Reduce the heat to medium; let the stew cook while you make the dumplings.

For the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil.

Whisk together the egg and milk in a liquid measuring cup. Pour over the flour mixture and stir just long enough to form a soft, sticky dough.

Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Use a 1-ounce spring-release scoop or two soup spoons to drop golf-ball-size dumplings evenly over the surface of the stew. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the dumplings are firm, fluffy and somewhat dry on top.

Uncover and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the torn or ribboned basil and serve warm.

Chunky Eggplant Sauce from washingtonpost.com


¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 12-ounce eggplant (unpeeled), cut into ¼ -inch by ¼ -inch by 3-inch strips
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt, or more as needed
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced (see NOTE)
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano, or more as needed
12 basil leaves, torn
1 pound dried bucatini (or substitute penne rigate, rigatoni or orecchiette)

½ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

Heat the oil in a wide, deep-sided saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, 30 seconds, then add the eggplant, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Partially cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring often, or until soft, allowing the liquid from the lid to drip into the eggplant if it seems dry.

Use a fork to crush the eggplant in the pan to a chunky consistency, then add the tomatoes and the teaspoon of fresh oregano. Increase the heat to medium; cook uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick (the cooking time will depend on how juicy your tomatoes are). Stir in the basil and keep the sauce warm.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the bucatini and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook according to the package directions (al dente), about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce in the pan, and add just enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to create a sauce that coats the bucatini. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper and oregano, as needed.

Serve hot, dusted with the cheese.

4 to 6 servings (makes about 1⅔ cups sauce, enough for 1 pound of pasta)

NOTE: To peel the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to score a large X on the bottom of each one. Drop into a bowl of just-boiled water and let sit for a few minutes, until you see the peel curling back from the edges of the X. Drain and let cool, then peel and discard the loosened skin.

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Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil from NY Times

  • Fine sea salt
  • 12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)
  • 2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste
  • cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • Fresh lemon juice, as needed
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat; add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.
  3. Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.

Michael Ruhlman’s Pasta with Tomato Water, Basil, and Garlic

  • ripe tomatoes, large dice
  • 1 1/2 to 2teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 12 ounces spaghetti or any pasta you like
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • cup basil, cut into ribbons
  • ounces butter, cut into three chunks
  • Olive oil, as needed
  1. Season the tomatoes with the salt and toss them well.
  2. Put a big pot of water on to boil.
  3. Smash the garlic with the flat side of a knife, give it all a few rough chops with the knife and set them a side in a small bowl.
  4. Cut the basil into ribbons or roughly chop it. Take a pinch of this basil, chop it finely, and add it to the tomatoes to season the water.
  5. Cook your pasta, drain it, put it back in the pot, and oil the pasta to keep it from sticking to itself. (Meanwhile, even if your water isn’t boiling yet, you should still get your garlic cooking in the next step).
  6. Heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook it till it is just beginning to brown around the edges and soften, a couple minutes. Give it a pinch of salt if you wish.
  7. Pour the tomatoes into a strainer or colander over the garlic so that the tomato water will stream into the pan below. Set the strainer with the tomatoes into the bowl so they don’t drip on the counter, and swirl the sauce to bring it to a simmer. Add the butter while continuing to swirl or stir the sauce. Keep the sauce moving until all the butter is melted. Add the pasta and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Divide the pasta among four bowls and top with the tomatoes and basil.  Serves 2 to 4

Italian dressing from familyfoodonthetable.com

  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Measure all of the ingredients into a large jar or other airtight container. Cover and shake well. That’s it!

Notes:

This dressing will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. But the oil and vinegar will separate. Just pull it out and let it sit for a few minutes to come to room temperature and then shake it really well to mix it up again.
You can add 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard to this for a tangy version – we love it that way, too!