Cranberry Lemon Squares

It seems as though my holiday break this year has been characterized by a few things, namely cooking and knitting. I have become slightly obsessed with knitting in the past month and have made several scarves as holiday gifts for friends and family. I have fallen into somewhat of a nightly ritual as I sit on the couch each evening watching Friends and knitting yet another scarf. I don’t know exactly how long this new obsession of mine will last…it could just be a passing thing or it could stick like my love of cooking. In any case I am quite proud of the results so far and everyone who received one of my scarves as a gift thanked me with kind words and lots of hugs.

Besides the knitting, I have also been in the kitchen quite a bit these past few weeks. I almost feel like it’s making up for lost time as I was so busy before. Along with cooking and baking some family favorites I have also had the chance to try out some recipes that I had been saving for a while.

One such recipe was for these cranberry lemon squares. I don’t know why cranberries are associated with the holidays considering they taste good year round. Maybe it has to do with the traditional cranberry sauce that most people eat with their holiday turkey this time of year. Regardless of the reason, the extra emphasis on cranberries during the holiday season makes me crave them in my cooking and baking. 

These little squares I baked up the other day were a perfect cranberry treat because of the wonderful combination of flavors. The sweet, buttery, lemon-zested crust was contrasted beautifully by the tartness of the cranberry filling. I greatly enjoyed these squares because they were quite similar to my grandmother’s berry crumb bars, but the fact that there were whole cranberries in the filling gave it an extra pop and burst of flavor in the mouth. Once again another holiday success!

Cranberry Lemon Squares 

For the dough:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (juice reserved for filling)
• 1 cup, cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla 

For the filling:

• 1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 500 grams)
• ½ cup sugar
• Reserved lemon juice
• 2 tbsp corn starch

1. Combine the ingredients for the filling and set aside. 
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and lemon zest.
3. Using a food processor or mixer, slowly mix in the cubed butter pieces. The butter should become coated in the crumbly mixture and become the size of little peas. Don't overmix.
4. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and a few tablespoons of water. The dough will remain crumbly but it should be easy to clump together.
5. Press about ¾ of the dough down into a parchment-lined 9" x 13" pan. Spread the filling over top. The cranberries will not cover all of the dough but try to spread them out evenly all over the pan.
6. Use your fingers to crumble the remaining dough over top of the filling. Don't press it down.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until the dough on top becomes golden.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.          

Lasagna Roll Ups

By now the little petite lasagnas I came up with years ago have become a family staple in my household. My mom routinely asks me to make them and has made them herself on more than one occasion. She has told me more than once that she loves how they have all the great flavor of traditional lasagna but is already individually portioned and convenient to take to work or school. 

In an effort to mix things up a little I decided to try out a new but similar concept: lasagna roll ups. Like the petite lasagnas, these roll ups are also individually portioned and therefore easy to pack up. However these roll ups are even more like the real thing because they use lasagna noodles while the petite lasagnas use wonton wrappers. 

As with a lot of new recipes, the first time I make something it takes a bit longer because I have to learn the technique while I’m doing it. These roll ups were no exception; my first few were not nearly as great as the ones I made toward the end because I overfilled them. As a result, when I went to roll up the pasta I had filling spilling out the sides. I adapted for the subsequent rolls and had much better results. 

Due to the fact that I had some chicken leftover from stock I had made, I decided to use it in the filling. I had never actually tasted chicken lasagna before, only having the ground beef and vegetarian versions. I can’t quite say that I liked it as much but I did like the idea of the roll up. I think that in the future I will stick to the same filling as the petite lasagnas but apply it to the roll up just for some variety.

Lasagna Roll Ups
Note: These ingredients and directions are for the roll ups with a vegetarian sauce. If desired, add a layer of meat filling before sprinkling with cheese and rolling up the pasta.

• 12 lasagna pasta sheets 
• 1 500 g container ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5-6 large mushrooms, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, crushed
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil 
• Optional: ¼- ½ tsp chili pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. Cook the pasta sheets according to the package instructions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat then sauté the onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried thyme and basil, chili flakes (if using), and 2 tsp of dried oregano. Mix everything well and season with salt and pepper.
5. Using a hand blender or standing one, blend everything until an even consistency (note: it will still be chunky, not smooth, just make sure there are no large pieces). Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. While the sauce is thickening, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, fresh parsley, and remaining tsp of oregano. 

To Assemble:

1. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan.
2. Lay down each pasta sheet individually. Spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture along the pasta sheet, leaving about ¼” on each side and a ½” at the top.
3. Spread a layer of sauce over top the ricotta mixture. If using a filling spread that on top.
4. Sprinkle some freshly grated cheese over the sauce.
5. Working from the bottom, carefully roll the pasta sheet up and place the roll, seam side down, into the pan. Repeat with remaining pasta.
6. Pour the remaining sauce over top of the rolls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the cover in the last 5 minutes to allow the cheese to fully melt and bubble. 

 
 

Gnocchetti with Puttanesca Sauce

Along with the seafood fettuccine alfredo I made for dinner the other night, I also made this gnochetti pasta with a puttanesca sauce. Like the basic egg pasta, I was taught to make this pasta during my trip to Italy in the summer. It was actually this time last year that I first tried something similar when I made ricotta gnocchi with chives. Although I have yet to make the traditional gnocchi using a potato dough (due to the fact that I don't own a potato ricer) I think it's only a matter of time.

For this particular pasta it uses two different types of flour: regular all purpose, unbleached flour as well as durum wheat flour (also known as seminola flour). Finding the seminola flour was more challenging than I anticipated and I ended up having to go to a different grocery store than my usual Safeway because they didn't carry it. Still, I was determined to make this pasta so I made the special trip to Save-On-Foods and bought the flour, as well as some extra for the future.

I'm not going to lie and say that this pasta was easy to make. It's not that it was difficult, just time consuming. After making the dough, working with one chunk at a time, I had to roll it into thin tubes, cut it into pieces, and then roll each piece along the back of a fork (as I don't own a gnocchi board) to create the little ridges. A year ago, when I made the ricotta gnocchi, I grew frustrated with the fork rolling process and stopped after about ten pieces. However when I was in Italy I learned the importance of the little ridges and why, even though time consuming, it is a step that should not be skipped. What I thought was originally aesthetic turned out to have a purpose: the ridges expand when the pasta is cooked and the resultant grooves create space to hold sauce, making each bite of pasta filled with flavor. My fork rolling efforts were rewarded when I saw how well the pasta clung to the puttanesca sauce.

Between the two pastas, my family enjoyed this one more because of the sauce. Like me, most of my family members are more tomato sauce lovers rather than cream sauce. I think the little shapes also appealed to them since the pasta looked cute and fun to eat. Now that I have made these two pastas I really want to try making ravioli, but for that I think I will need a little time and also the right equipment. Until then, I will stick to making pre-made pasta, though definitely with my own sauces.

Gnocchetti with Puttanesca Sauce

For the Gnocchetti:

• 1 cup flour
• 3 cups durum wheat flour (seminola flour)
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

1. Combine the two flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil and stir through with a fork.
2. Form a well in the middle and add the hot water. 
3. Add the baking powder to the well of water and let it foam. Using the fork, start to mix the water in with the flour, adding more if necessary to moisten the dough.
4. Once the dough starts to come together use your hands to create a ball of dough. It should be quite soft and somewhat spongy. Add more hot water if it feels too stiff.
5. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and knead it for 4-5 minutes until it is soft and uniform.
6. Working with one chunk at a time (about the size of a small plum), stretch and roll the dough to form a long, thin tube about ½" inch in diameter. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a damp cloth while you work.
7. Cut the tube into pieces about ¾" wide. Roll each piece over the tines of a fork, applying gentle but firm pressure, to form the ridges in the pasta.
8. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Note: it is easier to roll the dough if it is moist, therefore if it starts to dry out don't be afraid to add a little water to it.
9. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water. The pasta is ready once it floats up to the top, generally 4-5 minutes.

For the Puttancesca sauce:

• 2 28 oz cans whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tin (approximately 6 fillets) anchovies
• ¼-½ tsp chili pepper flakes
• ¼-½ cup olives, chopped
• 2 tbsp drained capers
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: 2-3 sprigs of basil

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and melt the anchovy fillets. Mix the anchovies to help them break up into pieces.
2. Add the garlic and saute until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add the chili pepper flakes and olives and mix thoroughly.
3. Mix in the tomato paste and continue cooking for about a minute.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices. Then add the basil, if using, and the capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and reduces. It can take between 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how thick you want it. Taste again for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.

Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo

Ever since I returned from my trip to Italy I have been dreaming of making fresh pasta and my dreams finally came true a few days ago. I planned a family dinner for which I prepared two different types of pasta as well as my now famous poached pears for dessert. It was definitely a big undertaking to make both pastas at once and create the entire meal from scratch all by myself in five hours, but I did it and I was extremely proud.

Each pasta took me an hour to make starting from making the dough and finishing with the desired cut and shaped pasta. For this particular pasta I had to use a pasta machine, generously given to me by a family friend, in order to roll the pasta into sheets and then cut it into long strips. I didn't have a drying rack so I improvised by using the edge of a large bowl as well as some baking pans to lay out the pasta.

Although I used the recipe I was taught in Italy to make the pasta itself, I completely improvised when it came to the creamy Alfredo sauce. Initially I went to my favorite food blogging website tastespotting.com but a lot of the recipes seemed to have too many ingredients and steps. I knew I would be spending a lot of time on making the pasta itself so I didn't want to laden myself with a complicated sauce as well. I ended up using cream cheese, milk, and Parmesan cheese as my base and then thinned it out with some of the water that I used to cook the pasta.

Personally I'm not a big fan of creamy sauces anyway...I'm more of a tomato/marinara kind of girl but I was quite satisfied with the result. The next day when my friend came over I gave her some to try and she said it was great and just like a real Alfredo sauce. I think the seafood also helped to add some flavor.

Overall I was pleased with how smoothly the entire dinner turned out. At first I was afraid I had bitten off more than I could chew but by breaking down the tasks step-by-step I was able to accomplish everything I had set out to do and the dinner turned out to be a success. Everyone complimented me on the dinner and we had a great time enjoying each others company in the spirit of the holidays.

Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo

For the pasta:

• 3-4 cups flour 
• 5 large eggs
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Start with 3 cups of flour in a large bowl and form a well in the middle to hold the eggs, salt, and olive oil.
2. Scramble the eggs with a fork and start to pick up the flour from inside the well, incorporating it gradually until the eggs are no longer runny.
3. Using your hands, bring all the flour from the outside of the well into the center and form the entire mass into a ball. If necessary add more flour if the dough feels too wet.
4. Once the dough has formed, knead it until it is smooth and satiny but not too tough. Use the heel of your hand and give it a quarter turn after each push into the center. 
5. Cut the dough into 5-6 pieces and cover all but one piece with a damp, clean dish towel to prevent it from drying out.
6. Start with the rollers at the widest setting and feed a piece of dough through. Fold the dough into thirds and press down firmly at the seams. Feed it through again with the folds perpendicular to the rollers. 
7. Repeat the folding and rolling about 4-6 times or until the dough feels smooth and satiny. If it starts to feel sticky dust it with some flour.
8. Decrease the space between the rollers by one notch and feed the dough through again. Without folding the dough, continue to decrease the space, one notch at a time, while feeding the dough through the rollers. If the dough becomes too long and unmanageable, cut it in half crosswise. 
9. Keep thinning and stretching the dough until it is the desired thickness, most likely the second-to-last notch setting on most machines.
10. To cut the pasta, feed the sheet of dough through the cutting rollers. A wider cutter will produce fettuccine; a narrower cutter will produce chitarra or tagliarini noodles.
11. Once the pasta has been cut it can be laid out to dry or cooked immediately. Dried pasta can be frozen for later use. Please note that fresh pasta cooks very quickly, between 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the noodles.

Note: It is easiest to do all the rolling and thinning and then do all the cutting. Lightly sprinkle each sheet of dough with flour to keep from sticking and cover with a dish towel to keep from drying out until ready to cut.

For the sauce:

• 2 cups (16 oz) cream cheese
• 1 cup milk
• ½-¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the cream cheese and milk. Stir or whisk constantly until the cream cheese has melted.
2. Add the Parmesan cheese and oregano. Continue to stir until the cheese has all melted and become fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Thin the sauce to desired consistency by slowly adding some reserved water that the pasta was cooked in.

To assemble:

1. Cook two pounds of assorted seafood and set aside. 
2. Cook the pasta and drain the water, reserving about one cup to thin out the sauce.
3. Pour the sauce into the empty pot from the pasta and add the seafood. Mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Return the pasta to the pot and mix until evenly coated with sauce.

Holiday Treats

For the past few years I have made a habit out of putting together little boxes filled with holiday treats for my family. At first I started off small...a box filled with chocolate truffles. Then the following year I added to it with some chocolate crinkle cookies and berry crumb bars. This year I decided to swap out the truffles and add cranberry bliss bars and almond biscotti.

It was definitely a big undertaking to bake so much in a relatively short time period but I broke it up over two days and it all worked out. I will admit that at one point the kitchen looked quite disastrous with many different mixing bowls, ingredients, measuring cups, and baking trays spread out everywhere. Luckily my mom helped me with the packaging and she also tied up the boxes very nicely for me.

Everyone in my family was quite appreciative of the treats and I received many thanks and compliments. I can honestly say that I love the holiday season and the general joyfulness that can be felt everywhere. Therefore I love to do my part to spread the holiday cheer and brighten everyone's holidays just a touch more. Happy Holidays :)

Almond Biscotti

The idea of making biscotti has truthfully never been quite appealing to me because it seemed like a time consuming process. This, coupled with the fact that most members of my family aren't huge biscotti fans anyway, led me to ignore most biscotti recipes I have seen in the past.

Last summer, however, one of the things I learned to make during my trip to Italy was this biscotti. The recipe was very easy and actually not as time consuming as I thought; although the biscotti had to bake twice each time was only fifteen to twenty minutes. Also because the loaves were sliced while still hot from the first baking they were actually very easy to cut into pieces, unlike my delicious but difficult to slice fruit and nut crisps.

During my trip to Italy I not only picked up some new recipes but I also brought back some ingredients, one of which was Italian baking soda. When I first showed this to my mom she scoffed and questioned my need to buy specific baking soda from Italy. "Isn't ours good enough?" she asked me. Although there is nothing wrong with our baking soda I was fascinated by the fact that the one we used in Italy already had vanilla mixed into it, therefore no additional vanilla extract had to be added to the biscotti.

Up until last week my Italian baking soda had been sitting, unopened, in the kitchen cupboard. Finally I put it to use when I baked these biscotti. I think the person most surprised by the biscotti was my mom; she did not expect the biscotti to still be soft and chewy rather than hard like a rock as is typical of biscotti sold in stores here. Also she enjoyed the fact that each bite held a new "surprise" as she called it with the chunks of chocolate, almonds, hint of cinnamon, orange, and lemon. I was glad she enjoyed it so much, in addition to the rest of the family, and I think I will be baking it again soon for my holiday treat boxes.

Almond Biscotti
Note: Although I used my special Italian baking soda I was provided with a recipe that uses regular baking soda and vanilla, which is reflected below.

• 1 cup whole almonds, lightly toasted
• 4 oz (112 g) chocolate, roughly cut into chunks
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp almond extract (can be substituted with almond liquor)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 2¾ cups flour
• 1 egg white

1. In a large bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, orange and lemon zests. Add the vanilla and almond extract (or liquor).
2. Mix in the beaten eggs and almonds.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour with the cinnamon, salt. If working with liquor add the baking soda last to the dough, right before the chocolate, otherwise sift with the other dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until a dough forms. Using your hands, work in the chunks of chocolate into the dough.
5. Split the dough in half and form into two long logs about 3" wide. Lay the logs onto a large baking sheet covered in parchment or wax paper. Make sure to leave space between the logs as they will widen as they bake.
6. Pat down the logs so they have a flat surface and use a pastry brush to spread the egg white over top. Generously sprinkle sugar over the surface.
7. Bake the biscotti for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until the tops of the logs start to crack and become a light golden color. 
8. Remove from the oven and cut diagonally into long pieces while still warm. The best way to do this is to cut straight down rather than use a sawing motion. 
9. Lay the cut pieces, cut side facing up, back on the tray and return to the turned off but still warm oven for 15-20 minutes. If you like the biscotti softer take them out sooner, if you like them crunchier leave them in for longer.