Pissaladiere

From the kitchen of One Perfect... I can't tell you how often I've made pissaladiere. It is a favorite of mine and it is one of the dishes I make when I'm on my own for dinner. This is often called a Provencal tart. That's a bit of a misnomer because the pie, which is layered with caramelized onions, anchovies and olives, contains no eggs. While I may not be right about this, I think of pissaladiere as a pizza that gets its name from the anchovies, or pissala, that are stirred into the onions to intensify their flavor. While the recipe I'm featuring tonight comes from Dorie Greenspan, I use Julia Child's recipe more frequently. The recipes are similar, but Julia's uses a pie crust as the pizza base. I suspect Dorie's recipe is more correct in its use of a pizza type dough, but I don't want you to get hung up on what you use as the base. I've used flat bread, and tubed pizza dough to hold the filling and because this pie is more about the filling than it is  about the crust, I have never been disappointed . It is simple to make and if you are adventurous and like strongly flavored foods, pissaladiere  just might become a favorite of yours. The onions can be made a day before you assemble the pie and once it is baked the pie can sit for several hours before it is served. Do try this. I don't think you'll be disappointed and it fits into Lenten menus. Here is how the pie is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Pasta Puttanesca with Cauliflower

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a fabulously frugal meal that's packed with gutsy flavor. While it is inexpensive to make, it was too costly to include in the recipes I featured for the SNAP challenge, so I held on to it to share with you as a Frugal Friday feature. The recipe is straightforward and uses commonly available ingredients that come together so quickly that you can rest assured that dinner will be on the table in 30 minutes or less. This is a variation of the classic Puttanesca that I featured years ago and I think you will find that the addition of cauliflower lends a meaty texture to the bold sauce that so many enjoy. It makes a perfect meatless meal for Lent and if you enjoy bold flavors I think you'll love this pasta, though I suspect you'll need to prepare a milder tomato sauce for any children who share your table. The recipe for the newer sauce appears directly below. I've also provided a link to the original Puttanesca recipe, complete with it's history, following that. I also wanted to remind you that documentary "A Place at the Table," which features Jeff Bridges and Top Chef's Tom Colicchio, opens in select theaters today and will also now be available for download from iTunes and On Demand. I hope you'll be able to see the movie or read the companion book which you can find HERE. Now on to the recipes.

Pasta Puttanesca with Cauliflower...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Real Simple

Ingredients:
3/4 pound penne or some other short pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small head cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), cored and cut into small florets
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return it to the pot.
2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, salt, and black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juices, olives, capers, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, until cauliflower is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.
3) Toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve topped with the parsley and Parmesan. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: For classic Puttanesca flavor, add 2 to 3 chopped anchovies or a teaspoon of anchovy paste along with the garlic. They will add a delicious brininess to the finished sauce.

Classic Puttanesca -  Recipe found HERE

One Year Ago Today: Cinnamon Nut Muffins

















Two Years Ago Today: German Chocolate and Cocoa Almond Cream Cake















Three Years Ago Today: Chicken Mole Poblano















Four  Years Ago Today: Brown Buttered Corn with Fresh Basil

Jansen's Temptation

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I knew nothing of April Bloomfield until I began to work my way through the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in Food last year. At that time she was executive chef of the Breslin and the Spotted Pig in New York City, and I decided to make the ricotta pancakes that had helped to make her eclectic style of cooking famous. I loved the pancakes, as did my family, so I began to clip her recipes whenever I came across one that could be made in a home kitchen. I tend to do a lot of Scandinavian cooking at this time of year, and in that stash of recipes I had been collecting was one for Jansen's Temptation, a Swedish potato gratin that is made with heavy cream and anchovies. I made the dish this past weekend and was really pleased with the results. As is my habit, first time through, a recipe is always made to the developer's specification. Theme and variation are saved for later performances. This is a delicious dish, but next time I prepare it, I'll use light cream or half-and-half to make the cream base in which the potatoes cook. While I found the gratin to be overly rich, the Silver Fox loved it, so, despite its creamy excess, it will again appear on my table, though in a somewhat lightened form. The flavor of the infused cream, which contains onions, anchovies and fennel, is a wonderful and the dish is not difficult to make. I hope you will give this remarkable recipe a try. I think you will be delighted with this Swedish classic. Here's how Jansen's Temptation is made.

Jansen's Temptation...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of April Bloomfield

Ingredients:
2 cups cream
3 cloves garlic, quartered
2 tablespoons thyme, plus a little extra for garnish
1-3/4 ounces anchovy fillets, plus 4 extra for garnish
2/3 teaspoon ground fennel
4 tablespoons butter
2 peeled onions, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 to 6 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into sixths
Bread crumbs, as needed

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) To prepare cream base, bring cream, garlic, thyme, anchovies, and fennel to a boil. Remove from heat and let ingredients infuse for 10 minutes. Once cooled, purée in blender until smooth.
3) In a medium sauté pan add 2 tablespoons butter. Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt and remaining butter and continue cooking until onions are very soft, but not brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve until assembly.
4) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heavily season water with salt and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until very tender (there should be no resistance when pierced with a knife), about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Strain and set aside.
5) Assemble dish by placing a layer of cooked potatoes wedges in bottom of a 9-inch gratin dish. Follow with a layer made with half the onions. Top with remaining potato wedges and finally, remaining onions. Pour cream over layers until dish is full, and almost overflowing.
6) Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and fresh thyme. Top with 4 anchovy fillets and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to rest a minute or two, but serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Peanut Brittle

Two Years Ago Today: Quick Bread Round-Up

Three Years Ago Today: Moravian Spice Cookies

Cauliflower Salad with Red Pepper, Olives and Anchovies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first sampled this salad in the Italian kitchen of my childhood. Mrs. S. made it for her family, but only during the Christmas holiday. The dish originated in Sicily and it was called insalata di rinforzo. She called it reinforced salad because its ingredients were refreshed every day until the feast of the Epiphany was celebrated. At that point, it would miraculously disappear from her table and not be seen again until the following Christmas. I had really fond memories of the salad which looked like an element of giardiniera, but tasted nothing like its acrid pickled cousin. I had for years tried to duplicate it, but was never able to get it quite right. While searching for recipes that could be used to represent the work of Marcella Hazan, I stumbled on her recipe for the salad and, of course, had to try it. What was lost had now been found and I wasted no time making it. I love the way this salad looks and I really like its heady earthy flavors. The salad, which is very easy to make, is strongly flavored and not meant for the faint of heart. Those who share my love of full-bodied foods are in for a taste treat. Please note that the recipe uses capers and anchovies, neither of which are favorites of the general public. I'd love to tell you they can be omitted, but that is not the case. It's best not to attempt the salad if you aren't going to use them. Hazan's recipes have a lovely balance of flavors and I think you'll really like this salad. Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower Salad with Red Pepper, Olives and Anchovies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Marcella Hazan

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, about 1-1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons capers, drained
4 flat anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet red bell pepper,peeled, cored and cut into thin strips
10 black Greek-style olives, pitted and cut in half
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar

Directions:
1) Trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut an x in the root. Bring at least 6 cups of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover pot, and cook until stem of cauliflower can easily be pierced with a fork, about20 minutes. Drain and cool.
2) Break cauliflower clusters into bite-sized pieces and put them in a salad bowl. Add capers, anchovies, bell pepper and black olives and toss gently to combine. Add vinegar and olive oil and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield 4 to 6 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Feta Cheese
















Two Years Ago Today: Kona Coffee Cookies









You might also enjoy these recipes:
Marinated Vegetable Salad - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Chopped Vegetable Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing - David Lebovitz
Vegetable Salad with Cheese - Eat Pray and Blog
Orzo Vegetable Salad - Maine Food and Lifestyle
Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad- My Life in Food

Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Forgive the alliteration. I know it's bad, but my children named this dish years ago while making merry at the dinner table. It was a working mother's secret weapon and I made it a lot when I needed something fast and easy to pair with broiled steak, chicken or, in a pinch, even poached eggs. The making merry part was usually at my expense and the alliteration was the result too many good teachers and overactive, albeit creative, imaginations. This was back in the day when we didn't grill, we broiled and at that time pesto, the basil and pine nut variety, was sweeping the country. My children didn't care for the standard version, so I had to search for and experiment with other types. The one I found for our use is based on a recipe developed Patricia Wells and it is much easier to make than its more familiar cousin. The pungent portion of the alliteration comes from a few anchovies that are added to parsley as it's processed. Unless you let it sit too long you won't know they're in the sauce, though I must admit their flavor can become harsh if it sits for too long before being served. This is one of those rare sauces that I like to make just before I add it to the pasta. Freshly made, it is delicious and the anchovies are barely discernible. This is very easy to make if you have a food processor. There are folks who insist it is more flavorful if made in a mortar and pestle. I leave the method up to you. Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect bite, inspired by Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and minced
3 cups loosely packed Italian parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound capellini
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Combine garlic, salt, anchovies and parsley in bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times, or until the sauce is well-mixed. Scrape down sides of bowl. While machine is running, add lemon juice and olive oil in a slow stream. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2) Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt and return to a boil. Add capellini and cook according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of water, and transfer to a very large bowl. Add 3/4 of pesto to pasta and toss to coat strands evenly. Add water by tablespoons if it seems to dry. Cover bowl for 1 minute. Toss again and add oil to moisten pasta. Transfer pasta to serving bowls, adding a spoonful of reserved pesto to each bowl. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipe:
Pasta Puttanesca - One Perfect Bite
Capellini Capricciosi - One Perfect Bite
Fusilli with Fennel, Sausage and Wine - One Perfect Bite

Pasta Puttanesca

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ladies of the evening are credited with creating this pasta dish. While that makes the origins of the dish more interesting, there's not a lot to support the claim. Pasta Puttanesca did not become popular until the 1960's. A more likely truth can probably be found in the purses of frugal Italian housewives. The sauce is made with a handful of ingredients, many of them leftovers, and by using a bit of this and a bit of that, a filling and delicious pasta could be made for pennies. I'm not completely immune to kitchen fable and romance. My favorite story regarding the origins of the dish comes from the book "Top 100 Pasta Sauces" by Diane Seed who reported, "My introduction to this famous pasta dish occurred when I overheard two elderly priest discussing the pros and cons of spaghetti alla puttanesca ("whore's spaghetti") as they deliberated over the menu in a Neapolitan restaurant. Made of ingredients found in most Italian larders, this is also known as spaghetti all buona donna - the good woman's spaghetti - which can be misleading if one is not familiar with the ironic insult "figlio d'una buona donna" - son of a good woman." Now how does that explain how this particular sauce got its name? In the 1950's Italian brothels were state owned. Italian prostitutes were, for all intent and purposes, civil servants, but they were only allowed to shop once a week and could not shop with "good" Italian housewives. Their meals were made from odds and ends and tinned goods in the kitchens of the brothels. This sauce became one of their specialties. They did not create it, but they sure made it popular. When I was working and my ravenous teens could not wait for a "real" meal, this became one of my go-to suppers. I could have it on the table in 20 minutes and quell the revolution before it gained a foothold in my kitchen. I made this at least once a month back then and it is still a favorite of mine on days when the clock runs out before my schedule does. It's perfect for a Lenten Friday supper. Here's the recipe.

Pasta Puttanesca...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons minced anchovies (about eight fillets) or 1 heaping tablespoon anchovy paste
1 can (28-oz) diced tomatoes, drained, reserve ½ cup juice
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup black olives (kalamata) pitted and chopped coarse
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves and or basil

Directions:
1) Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, mix garlic with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; set aside. When water is boiling, add salt and the pasta; stir to separate the noodles. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain then return pasta to pot. Add 1/4 cup reserved tomato juice and toss to coat.
2) While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic mixture, pepper flakes and anchovies to pan. Cook, stirring, frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes.
3) Stir capers, olives, and parsley into the sauce. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to combine, adding more tomato juice to moisten if necessary. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, sprinkle an additional tablespoon of olive oil over pasta before serving. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Capellini Capricciosi
Fusilli with Fennel, Sausage and Red Wine
Ravioli with Salmon and Vodka Cream Sauce

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday