cavatelli with brown butter beets, ricotta and pistachios

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  tbd
servings:  4

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds beets - peeled and finely grated in a food processor
1 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 pound fresh or dried cavatelli
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

steps:
1.  in a small bowl, combine ricotta, orange zest and sage.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoons of butter.  cook until foam subsides and butter is a deep hazelnut color, about 5 minutes.  stir in beets and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  reduce heat to low, cover and cook until beets are very tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.  stir in vinegar.  season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

3.  meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cavatelli until al dente.  drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid.  transfer pasta to a large warmed serving bowl.  toss with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the grated cheese and most of the reserved liquid.  toss well, add remaining cooking liquid if necessary to reach a creamy consistency.  stir in beet mixture.  season with salt and pepper.  dollop spoonfuls of seasoned ricotta on top of pasta and sprinkle with pistachios and pepper.

- new york times, october 2013

alder's pub cheese with potato bread chips

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  tbd
servings:  2 1/2 cups

ingredients:
1/2 loaf sliced potato bread, cursts removed
melted butter
sea salt
1 bottle red wine
5 cloves garlic - peeled
2 large shallots - peeled
2 thyme branches
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red miso paste
2/3 cup whole milk
6 ounces cream cheese - at room temperature
2 1/4 cups aged cheddar - coarsely grated
pistachio nuts - chopped

steps:
1.  preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  place a slice of bread on a clean surface and use a rolling pin to flatten it as thinly as possible.  brush both sides of the bread with butter and sprinkle lightly with salt.  repeat with remaining bread slices.  spread flattened slices out on baking sheet.  bake until golden and crisp, about 4 hours.

2.  meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, combine the wine, garlic, shallots, thyme bay leaf and clove.  bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.  use a rubber spatula to press on the solids and extract additional liquid.  whisk in mustard and miso.  cool to room temperature. 

3.  place a medium bowl in a freezer to chill.  meanwhile, in a food processor, combine 1/3 cup of the wine mixture (save or discard the remainder), milk, cream cheese and cheddar.  run until the mixture is fairly smooth, stop to scrape down the sides occasionally.

4.  scrape the mixture into a medium-sized pot.  cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 150 degrees on an instant read thermometer and the cheese is melted, 8 - 10 minutes.  pour mixture into the chilled bowl and whisk to cool.  chill in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 4 hours.

5.  serve pub cheese in a bowl with the potato bread chips alongside.  garnish cheese with pistachio nuts.

- new your times, october 2013

spiced pumpkin pots de creme with sauteed apples and pistachios

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  tbd
servings:  6

creams ingredients:
3 1/2-ounces pumpkin
1 vanilla bean - seeded
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

garnish ingredients:
1 large apple - peeled, cored, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 vanilla bean - seeded
1 tablespoon butter
1 heaped tablespoon unsalted shelled green pistachios

creme steps:
1.  steam the vanilla bean until soft.  puree with the pumpkin and set aside.

2.  preheat the oven to 320 degrees.  in a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar. 

3.  in a pot heat the milk and heave cream with the rest of the spices.  stir in the pumpkin mixture. 

4.  while stirring, pour the warm milk batter into the egg batter.  divide batters between 6 ramekins.

5.  bake the creams in a water bath for 30 minutes, or until the center of the creams is set.  remove from the water and let cool.  refrigerate until creams are completely set.

garnish steps:
1.  in a frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  add the apple, sugar and vanilla bean.  cook, stirring occasionally, until soft; about 5 minutes. 

2.  top each cream with the apples mixture and pistachios and serve.

- la tartine gourmande