Roasted Pepper & Goat Cheese Bruschetta
1 Loaf of Country Style Italian Bread, cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick
2 Roasted Red Peppers (Recipe Below)
6 Tbsp Goat Cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme (or your herbs of choice)
Oil for drizzling
Sea Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
Roasted Red Peppers:
1 Red Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Wash, chop, remove seeds and slice the pepper into thin pieces. Place pieces on a baking sheet and broil until the skin starts to blacken. Remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the skin from the peppers. Slice the peppers into thin pieces. Place pieces into a bowl w/ minced garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and parsley and mix well.
Bruschetta Directions:
Broil both the bread until each side is golden brown. Arrange the roasted red peppers on the pieces of bread. Sprinkle with goat cheese, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Top with fresh thyme (or herbs of your choice).
Roasted Garlic Focaccia
Roasted Garlic:
4 Whole Heads of Garlic
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
Focaccia:
5 Cups All-Purpose Unbleached Flour
2 1/2 Tsp Instant Yeast
3 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sea Salt
2 Cups Warm Water
Topping:
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Dried Oregano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F Remove the outer skin of the garlic, keeping the bulbs intact (do not remove the cloves). Cut off the top of the bulbs. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil (do not forget this - otherwise it will burn). Bake pieces for 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Let the garlic cool to room temperature.
Focaccia:
Mix your flour, oil (3 tbsp), salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Add half the water and stir. Continue to add water until it becomes a bit shaggy. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 5 minutes or at least until it is smooth. Add 2 tbsp of oil to a bowl. Place dough in the bowl and make sure all the sides are oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for about an hour to an hour and half. It should double in size.
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Divide your dough into 4 equal balls. For each ball: cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly cover with olive oil. Take a ball of dough and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten with your hand and stretch it out until it is about 8 inches in diameter. Cover the dough with a towel for 10 minutes.
Take a head of garlic (4 heads for each ball) and squeeze it over the dough. Spread the soft garlic all over the top of the bread evenly. Take your fingers and make dimples in the top of the dough. Drizzle olive oil over the dough evenly. Sprinkle sea salt and dried oregano over the top.
Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes (it will be golden brown). Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Farrotto Primavera (Risotto with Farro)
Serves: 5
1/2 Cup Onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cups Farro
6 + Cups Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
1 Cup Spring Peas, shelled
1 Cup Fava Beans, shelled & skinned
1 Cup Asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
Heat broth in saucepan on low heat. In another saucepan, heat the olive oil, butter and onion until it becomes transparent. Add the farro and white wine to the saucepan (w/ onions), mix well and cook over medium heat. After a few minutes, add in the broth slowly. Cook the farro mixture for 20 minutes.
Mix in the peas, asparagus, fava beans and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining butter and Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve with additional pepper and cheese if desired.
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Serves: 8-10
Roasted Vegetables:
1 Eggplant, stemmed removed and chopped
1 Red Onion, peeled and chopped
2 Zucchini, peeled and chopped
1 Red Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Yellow Pepper, seeded and chopped
5 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Bechamel Sauce:
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
6 Cups Milk (I used non dairy milk)
Pinch of Nutmeg, ground
Salt & Pepper to taste
To Assemble Lasagna:
2 Boxes of Lasagna Noodles
2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, diced
Preheat oven to 400°F. Placed prepared vegetables and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes (turn vegetables over half way through baking). Remove from oven and let them cool to room temperature.
Bechamel Sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan on low heat. Add the flour and mix well. Cook for a few minutes and then slowly add in the milk. Whisking continuously. Simmer and whisk often. Cook until the sauce has thickened (not too much though). Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set the sauce aside.
Lasagna:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the bottom of a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish with butter and 1/2 cup of the sauce. Arrange the noodles over the sauce. Next layer the noodles with some of the vegetable mixture and top with Pecorino cheese and some more of the sauce. Layer more of the noddles on top. Add the vegetables, sauce, Pecorino and mozzarella cheese. Repeat this layer again (or at least until you don't have anymore noodles). Finish the top with the rest of the sauce and Pecorino cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
(I had extra vegetables, so I put the rest on top)
Strawberry Tiramisu
Serves 8-10
Strawberries:
5 Cups Strawberries, sliced
2 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Sweet Marsala Wine - or sub with grape juice
Cream Filling:
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2 (8 ounce) Tubs Mascarpone Cream
1/3 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine - or sub with grape juice
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
Savoiardi:
2 Packages Ladyfinger Cookies
1/4 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine - or sub with grape juice
Topping:
Sliced Strawberies
Melted Dark Chocolate
Combine the strawberries with the sugar and wine in a bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
In another bowl, mix the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Then add the powdered sugar.
In another bowl, beat the mascarpone with the wine for about 4 minutes. Add the white chocolate and beat until smooth. Fold in the heavy cream.
Mix the orange juice and wine in a separate bowl. Dip each cookie into the orange juice mixture and arrange the cookies in a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish.
Once the bottom is covered with cookies, spread half of the mascarpone mixture over them. Then top with all the berries. Add another layer of cookies (that are dipped in the orange juice mixture). Finish with the rest of the cream mixture. Make sure it is spread evenly over the top.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (I would recommend more). Serve with melted dark chocolate and strawberries. Enjoy!!
