Spring Pizza with Peas, Asparagus, Garlic Cream, and Prosciutto

For most of my cooking life I have been of the opinion that you can put pretty much anything on a pizza….  That a pizza should be viewed as a vehicle for your whims and the bounty of the moment.  But I admit that even I was surprised to hear about topping a pizza with peas. (I’m not sure why…maybe I thought they would roll off…). 

I decided I wanted to make a pizza with peas, so I looked into it a little further and found that peas are a fairly common topping for a style of pizza called “Portugeusa” that is served in Brazil.  You will of course find versions of this style of pizza all over the internet/blogosphere, but in general, it seems that that this pizza also typically includes ham, eggs, olives, onions and tomato sauce. 

I may someday try a true Pizza Portuguesa…but when I first heard of peas on pizza, I mostly just wanted to make a pizza with peas—one in keeping with my favored “pizza as vehicle” habits.  Peas are in season at the moment and they frequently appear on my table…in salads, pastas, pilafs, etc. 

As I was poking around to discover more about peas on pizza, I ran across a pizza at The Modern Proper that rang all my bells.  It was topped with white sauce, peas, goat cheese, and prosciutto.  A pizza like this is exactly what I had in mind when I decided to make one with peas.

At The Modern Proper, they use a garlic infused béchamel for the sauce.  This put me in mind of one of my favorite pizza sauces: reduced garlic cream. If you have never made a pizza with this sauce, and you make pizza regularly, you need to put it on your “to try” list.  It makes a great base for all kinds of pizzas.  I have posted one here that also includes mushrooms and asparagus.  And I shared one in my newsletter last summer that includes zucchini, olives and potatoes (another interesting starchy pizza topping).

Because asparagus was also in season when I read about peas on pizza, I decided to add asparagus to the mix.  Peas can be put on the pizza raw (or thawed, if using frozen).  And if the asparagus is cut properly for pizza (thinly, on a long bias), it doesn’t have to be cooked ahead either.  I also decided to add some thin, bias cut scallions (or spring onions—also in season at the moment) to the mix to add a little mild zip. 

The resulting pizza was quick (since nothing needs to be cooked ahead but the garlic cream), loaded with flavor…and totally seasonal.  If you keep seasonal vegetables on hand…cream and goat cheese in your fridge… and prosciutto in your freezer…this pizza constitutes an easy “pantry dinner.” 

I liked this pizza so much that I taught it in a recent re-launch of my online cooking classes.  In April I taught a Zoom cooking class through the Lawrence Public Library.  The structure of the class was different from my previous Zoom classes (which I had modeled after my pre-pandemic, in-person cooking classes).  It was just one simple recipe, taught in a one hour format over the pre-dinner hour so that people could cook along and then afterwards enjoy a delicious meal. 

The class was quite popular…so popular I decided to revisit the idea of Zoom classes.  I realize some of the appeal of this class was the fact that the library offered it for free.  But it occurred to me that the same format could be offered through my own platform for a price that was significantly lower than my previous offerings.  I settled on  $10…$7 for newsletter subscribers. 

As I mentioned…the spring pizza with peas, asparagus, garlic cream and prosciutto was the first outing of the new format (after the library).  It was very well-received…and people sent me some great pictures of the pizzas they made!  I hope to offer more classes like this as my schedule allows.  If you would like to be on the mailing list to receive announcements for upcoming classes, you can sign up here.  And if you are interested in seeing the recording of the pizza class, I will keep the recording available until I teach a new class.  You can purchase the recording here.

Spring Pizza with Garlic Cream, Peas, Asparagus, & Prosciutto

Garlic Cream:
1 T. unsalted butter
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced (or, in early summer use 1 stalk/head of green garlic—white/ivory and pale green parts—finely sliced)
salt & pepper
1 T. white wine (see notes)
1/4 c. heavy cream

1 recipe/10 oz. pizza dough made through the first rise and rested (recipe below)

1 scallion, root and tattered greens trimmed away (use as much of the white, pale green and dark green as you like)
2 oz. (trimmed weight) asparagus, thoroughly rinsed
2 oz. fresh peas (or frozen…thaw before using)
1/3 c. (1 oz.) finely grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 t. olive oil
4 thin slices/sheets (2 oz.) prosciutto
3 oz. goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

An hour before baking the pizza, place a baking stone (if you have one) on the center rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°.

Make the garlic cream.  Place a tablespoon of butter along with a tablespoon of water in a small sauce pan and set over moderately low heat. When the butter has melted, add the garlic along with a good pinch of salt.  Gently stew the garlic until it is softened and the water has evaporated/been absorbed and the garlic has softened (about 5 minutes).  Add the white wine and continue to simmer until the wine is reduced and the garlic is sizzling gently in the butter again.  

Add the cream and simmer until thickened and reduced by one third.  You should have 3 or 4 tablespoons of a thick sauce.  Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.  

While the garlic cream cooks, prepare the toppings:  slice the scallion very thinly on a long bias.  

Place in a small bowl and cover with ice water.  Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  Drain, rinse under running water, and blot well.  Slice the asparagus very thinly (1/8 inch thick) on a long bias.  

Place the crisped scallions, asparagus and peas in a medium-sized bowl.  Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil and season lightly with salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Add the Parmesan and toss again.

On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out into a 12- to 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a rimless baking sheet or peel that has been dusted with semolina, fine cornmeal, or rice flour.

Spread the garlic cream over the crust, leaving a quarter to half inch border around the edges bare. 

Tear two or three of the sheets of prosciutto into rough 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces and arrange/ruffle evenly over the garlic cream.  Scatter the vegetable mixture over the garlic cream, distributing evenly.  Tear and arrange the remaining prosciutto over the vegetables.

Crumble the goat cheese over all.   

If using a pizza pan or baking sheet, place the pizza in its pan on the pizza stone in the pre-heated oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is bubbling, about 8 to 10 minutes. To insure a crisp crust, after the crust has set (5 to 6 minutes), slide the pizza off of the pan to finish cooking directly on the pizza stone.

If you are using a pizza peel, slide the pizza directly onto the hot stone and bake until browned and bubbling (about 7 to 8 minutes).  In my oven, I usually rotate the pizza after about 5 minutes so it will bake evenly.

When the pizza is done, transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into wedges and serve.  (If not serving immediately—if making a second pizza, for example—transfer the uncut pizza to a wire rack so that the crust won't get soggy.)

(Garlic Cream adapted from Food & Wine)

Notes: 

• If you don’t have …or don’t want to use…wine, just continue to cook the garlic with water as needed until it is soft.  Before adding the cream, make sure the garlic is sizzling in the butter (i.e. all the liquid—whether wine or water—has evaporated off).
  

• You may of course use purchased dough instead of making your own. Just make sure you have 10 oz./285 grams.

 

Pizza Dough

1/2 cup (113g) warm water (100º-110º)
1 1/8 t. (1/2 package) active dry yeast
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (145g to 170g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt

Combine the water, yeast, and 3/4 cup (85g) of the flour in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the oil, salt and another half cup (60g) of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough that holds its shape. Sprinkle some of the remaining flour on a smooth surface. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and sprinkle with a bit more flour. Knead the dough, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, until the dough is smooth and springs back when pressed lightly with a finger—about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size—about 1 hour. Punch down the dough. At this point you may use the dough immediately or cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 12 to 24 hours. Pull the dough out of the refrigerator to let it warm up a bit, about an hour before baking the pizza.

When ready to make the pizza, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a ball. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes. The dough is now ready to be shaped, topped and baked.

(Crust adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins)

Food Processor Method:  Place the water and yeast in a small bowl and let sit until the yeast has dissolved.  Place 160 grams (about 1 1/4 cups plus 2 T.) of the flour and salt in the food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse to blend.  Add the oil and yeast/water mixture and pulse until the dough is homogenous.  Begin to run the mixture in long pulses until the dough is smooth and elastic—it shouldn't take more than a minute.  If the dough seems wet and sticky, add some of the remaining 2 T. of flour a bit at a time, pulsing after each addition.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and give it a few kneads by hand.  Let rise as directed above.

Printable Version

A half recipe makes a nice little 8- to 9-inch pizza

An Asparagus Salad with Peas & Mint for Early Summer

I’m almost tired of asparagus for the year…but not quite. I’m still purchasing a bunch occasionally…and will continue to do so as long as it continues to look vibrant and delicious. I’m still making my favorite asparagus pastas. But in June I mostly love to tuck it into salads. Lightly blanched—or even raw (shaved)—it adds interest and herbal notes to the green salads of late spring and early summer. It is great with roasted beets…jammy eggs…potatoes...grains… peas….

I have mentioned before that in the early days of the pandemic I began preparing a monthly “curbside dinner.” It was so successful that I continue to do it as my schedule allows. The meal is made up of three courses…and comes bagged and ready to “finish” (toss the salad…warm things that need warming…etc). I usually try to come up with at theme that knits the courses together (April in Paris…An Irish Feast…). But most of the time the theme is simply a celebration of the foods of the moment. Asparagus usually makes an appearance in the April and May dinners.

This year my schedule didn’t allow for a May dinner. Instead, I offered it on June 1 (to cover May and June—June is generally even busier than May…). I decided I could give asparagus a last gasp appearance since it was still abundant and of good quality. I put it in the first course salad…along with some fresh peas (in season in June…or available in those great little bags at Trader Joes’) and seasonal lettuces (arugula and a mix of butter lettuces, baby romaine and baby spinach). I also added a good pinch of whole mint leaves—which is abundant and tender in the garden now (and will be for another month or so).

If you have never added whole herbs to a salad, you should give it a try. The softer herbs—flat leaf parsley, basil, dill, tarragon, chives, etc.—are wonderful when added in to salads. If they are large, tear them into smaller pieces…but the smaller leaves can be added whole. Use them as you would lettuce…but with a lighter hand.

The dressing for this salad is a bit more complex than those that I typically make for home use, but for the curbside I wanted something that would wake up all of the mild and sweet flavors in this salad. And this one does just that. It is totally worth the small amount of extra time involved.

Other than the vinaigrette, the main thing that will be a game changer for this salad, is being careful to cook the asparagus and peas in well-salted water. If the vegetables aren’t well salted, the salad will be bland.

A couple of days after the dinner, I made the salad for myself with some of the leftover ingredients and served it for my dinner with a little bit of leftover roast chicken. It was fantastic. In general, salads are a great way of serving the last bits of leftover roasts. The meat can be reheated…or simply served cold (or room temperature), if heating will dry it out.

On another evening I made this salad for myself with the addition of a few steamed new potatoes (dressed with vinegar while they were still warm as for this great French potato salad with peas).  This too was delicious.

Asparagus Salad with Peas, Mint, Goat Cheese & Sunflower Seeds

2 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced finely on a long bias (to make about an ounce)
1/2 c. (a scant 3 oz.) shelled fresh peas (see note)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed (to get about 1/2 lb. trimmed weight)
4 small handfuls stemmed arugula (about 1 1/2 oz)
A handful of mint leaves (1/4 oz.), torn if large
2 big handfuls mixed lettuces of your choice (see note)—about 2 oz.
1/4 to 1/3 c. roasted and salted sunflower seeds
3 oz. goat cheese
6 T. Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette

Place the scallions in a bowl of ice water and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well and blot dry with paper towels.

Fill a sauce pan with water, salt well, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for one minute. Lift out using a bowl sieve and spread on towels to cool. Slice the trimmed asparagus in 1/4-inch thick slices on a long bias.

Return the water the peas were cooked in to a boil and add the asparagus. Cook until crisp tender—taste one after 2 minutes. Lift out and spread on towels to cool.

Place the peas, asparagus, scallions, arugula, mint and lettuces in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Drizzle a small amount of the vinaigrette over (1 to 2 T.) and toss until all the ingredients are lightly coated, adding more vinaigrette if necessary. Mound on a platter or four individual plates. Scatter the sunflower seeds over. Then crumble the goat cheese over all. Drizzle the salad(s) with more vinaigrette.

Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette:
3 T. Sherry vinegar
4 t. honey (1 oz.)
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. fresh lemon juice
3/4 t. Kosher salt
1 t. fennel spice, toasted & finely ground (see notes)
2/3 c. olive oil

Place all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and the salt has completely dissolved. In a thin stream, add the oil while whisking constantly to form an emulsion. Taste and correct the seasoning. Makes about 1 cup of vinaigrette. Store in a jar in the fridge (allow to come to room temperature…and shake vigorously to re-emulsify—before using).

Notes:

• You may use frozen peas if fresh are not available. There is no need to cook frozen peas. Just thaw and use.
• I like a young, soft mix of lettuces for this salad—baby lettuces of all kinds…but especially Bibb/Boston.
• To toast fennel spice, place in a dry sauté pan over moderately high heat. Shake the pan occasionally. When the fennel is fragrant…and beginning to take on a pale golden color in spots, transfer to a plate to cool. Grind by bashing in a mortar & pestle…or using a spice grinder.
• To make a more substantial salad…appropriate for an entrée, serve as a side for chicken, fish or lamb. You could also serve it as an entrée without meat…just add a few new potatoes (Steam or boil; halve, quarter or slice while warm and dress with a teaspoon of vinegar for every half pound of potatoes. Season with salt and cool before adding to the salad.)

Printable Version

Spaghetti alla Carbonara Primavera

Many years ago I posted the recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara. At the time, I noted that it’s perfect for evenings when you’re feeling a little bit lazy…and your pantry is a little bit bare. It also fills the bill for those days when you are craving a little comfort food.

Sadly, it has also always felt like a bit of a guilty pleasure to me because it doesn’t have a vegetable anywhere in sight. You can of course make a salad to go with it. But that’s more work…and more dishes to wash. Today’s spring version of the dish takes care of the lack of vegetables…without adding any more work in the form of more dirty dishes. This Primavera incarnation of Pasta alla Carbonara is not only quick and satisfying…it is now a non-guilt inducing dinner (unless bacon makes you feel guilty…).

Even with the addition of vegetables, I still consider this a “bare pantry” kind of dinner. In the spring, if I don’t have asparagus on hand (and peas in the freezer…or one of those great little bag of Trader Joe’s fresh peas in the vegetable crisper), there is probably truly nothing in the house to eat. This time of year I buy asparagus every time I’m at the store or market (and I usually buy too much). I love asparagus.

I should probably point out that the fact that this dish is quick does not mean it is easy. It is in fact—at the end when you are finishing it—a bit tricky. I was reminded of this the other day when I made it for friends for lunch. I was in a hurry and didn’t pay as much attention as I should have at the very end when I was mixing in the eggs.

When you make Spaghetti alla Carbonara, you are essentially using the residual heat of the pot the pasta was cooked in…as well as the heat in the pasta…to “cook” the eggs. Yet, you don’t want visibly scrambled eggs. You want eggs that are cooked to the point of a stirred custard (like crème anglaise and similar), so that what you have is a lightly thickened, fluid sauce coating the noodles (and vegetables). This sauce is made up of egg, butter, bacon fat, Parmesan, and pasta water.

To get a sauce like this, you simply have to be paying attention. When you add the egg, make sure that you are stirring constantly. As you stir…and add each element (butter, cooked vegetables and bacon, Parmesan)…pay attention to the thickness and fluidity of the sauce. If you are having difficulty stirring (because the sauce is too tight), add a splash of pasta water. If the pasta seems like it is swimming in too much liquid (because the egg is not cooked…or you “splashed” in too much pasta water), set it over low heat and stir briskly until it begins to thicken.

The other day when I made it for lunch I didn’t add enough pasta water. The final dish seemed a bit sticky to me (noodles didn’t twirl smoothly, etc). But I share this mostly to let you know it was still delicious and I Hoovered it right up. So…if you don’t get it quite right, don’t worry. Enjoy it anyway. And then, make it again soon. So you can get in some more practice.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara Primavera

1/2 lb. Asparagus, trimmed (about 4 oz. trimmed weight)
2 strips bacon (about 2 oz.), thinly sliced crosswise
3 to 4 t. unsalted butter, divided
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Salt

1/4 c. fresh or frozen peas (thawed, if frozen)--optional
180 g./6 1/2 oz. spaghetti
2 eggs
1/2 c. (1 1/2 oz.) finely grated Parmesan

Slice the tips off of the asparagus at an angle. Split the tips in half lengthwise. Slice the stalks of the asparagus thinly on a long diagonal so that they are the same length as the halved tips. Set aside.

In a medium sauté pan set over medium-low heat, render the bacon. Stir and scrape to make sure it cooks evenly. When the bacon is browned and beginning to crisp and sizzle, add a tablespoon or so of water to cool the pan. Add a couple of teaspoons of the butter and a few grinds of black pepper and the asparagus. Season lightly with salt and toss to coat the asparagus in the butter and bacon fat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple of minutes (until the pan is steamy and the asparagus is at an active, but gentle, sizzle). Uncover the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the asparagus is just tender—about 7 to 8 minutes. If adding peas, add them to the pan a couple of minutes before the asparagus is done.

When you add the asparagus to the pan of bacon, drop the spaghetti into a large pot of rapidly boiling, salted water. Stir to make sure the pasta isn't sticking. Cook until the pasta is al dente—about 7 to 8 minutes. (The pasta and asparagus should finish cooking at the same time—if the asparagus is done before the pasta, simply set it aside off of the heat.)

A couple of minutes before the pasta is ready, scoop out a half cup or so of the pasta water and set to the side. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it well. Return the pasta to the (now empty) hot pot and immediately add the asparagus/bacon mixture (scraping the pan well with a rubber spatula), the egg and any remaining butter. Stir briskly until the egg is thickened. If necessary, place the pot back over low heat as your stir. Stir in half of the Parmesan. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt & pepper. Adjust the consistency with some of the pasta water as needed—the spaghetti should be coated in a thin, fluid sauce of lightly thickened egg...it should not seem sticky or tight. Serve immediately with more Parmesan scattered over. Serves 2.

Note: Recipe is easily halved for one or doubled for four.

Printable Version

Spring Empanadas...Ricotta with Spinach, Peas & Spring Onions

The empanada recipe I’m sharing today is technically season-less.  All of the ingredients are not only available year round…but they can almost always be found of good quality.  Baby spinach (in little 5 oz. “clamshells”) is ubiquitous….as are frozen peas and scallions/green onions.  But nothing is truly season-less.  Everything has a moment during the natural growing seasons when it is at its happiest and most abundant.  For these three ingredients, that moment is mid to late spring.

Spinach is always one of the first greens to show up at the farmers markets. Like most leafy greens, it disappears from the market stalls as the temperatures begin to go up.  But I always look forward to that first local crop and enjoy it in tarts, pastas, pilafs, etc. before it vanishes until autumn.

Spring onions too are one of the first things to appear.  I’ve always called scallions “spring onion wannabes” … because once you’ve tasted them and cooked with them, you know that scallions are nice (and like the clamshells of spinach, I’m grateful to be able to get them year round), but they lack the vibrancy and flavor of the local, in-season specimens. 

And fresh peas….  They are so fleeting…and so special.  Sadly, unless you grow them yourself, the fresh ones can be starchy.  They are worth buying a bunch to freeze yourself if you come across some young and particularly sweet ones.  I may have mentioned before that one of the few things that I like from Trader Joe’s is their fresh peas.  They have them from about March through June.  They are delicious…sweet…and keep for quite a while (I’m mystified as to why).

This spring when I was trying to round out a multi-course menu for a family who wanted to eat mostly vegetarian food, an appetizer course featuring spinach and ricotta empanadillas came to mind.  Peas and spring onions seemed like natural additions.  As it turns out, the peas are what really make these turnovers special—adding texture and giving an overall lighter result.

When I was testing the recipe I made some large (entrée sized) along with the appetizer sized ones.  Both are good, but I loved the larger size.  One made a perfect spring dinner…along with a few crunchy radishes and an asparagus salad.  (I think any crunchy vegetable—as opposed to leafy—salad would be good.  Grated carrot salad comes to mind….)

The smaller ones are good too...but they tend to open up and ooze a bit in the oven.  Not to worry though, it’s pretty easy to use a small spoon to push the filling back inside the turnover through the fissure from which it escaped.  No one to whom they are served will ever know.

The large and small ones both can be served with a sauce—labneh, plain or herbed sour cream, or green goddess dip/sauce are all good options.  I tend to like sauces with savory turnovers, but as I was enjoying these, I discovered they were pretty tasty all on their own…so the sauce is definitely optional.

Spinach, Pea & Ricotta Empanadas

1 recipe Short Crust Pastry, divided into 4 equal
pieces
5 oz. stemmed spinach, washed
1 T. unsalted butter
2/3 c. sliced spring onions or scallions (white portions, plus a few inches of the green)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. picked thyme, minced
1/2 c. (130 g.) whole milk ricotta
1/2 oz. finely grated pecorino
3 oz. coarsely grated whole milk, low-moisture Mozzarella
2/3 c. frozen peas, thawed (or fresh, blanched)
Salt & pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 T. water to make egg wash

Roll each chunk of dough into a thin round and trim to make a 7-inch round.  

Place the finished rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

Cook the spinach in the water clinging to the leaves in a covered pan.  When the leaves are wilted and tender, remove from the heat and cool.  Squeeze out the excess liquid and chop.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized sauté pan with a lid (you may use the same pan in which the spinach was cooked).  Add the spring onions and garlic and a generous pinch of salt.  Stir to coat the spring onions in the butter.  Cover and reduce the heat and cook until the onions are tender—8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the thyme. Let cool.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cooled spring onions, the spinach and the ricotta and mix until smooth.  Work in the pecorino, mozzarella and peas (it’s ok if some of the peas get crushed).  Season the mixture with a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt and several grindings of pepper.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  

Spread the rounds of dough on the work surface.  Place a fourth of the filling (about 100g) on one side of each round of dough in an even thickness, leaving a one inch border.

Brush the edges with egg wash, fold the dough over and seal—you may do this with a fork, or fold the edges over and crimp.  

Spread the empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet.  If time, chill.  When ready to bake, brush them with the egg wash.  With a sharp knife, cut 2 or 3 vents in the top of each empanada.

Transfer to a 400° oven and bake until golden brown and crisp and a few bubbles are visible at the steam vents—about 25 to 30 minutes.  Let cool briefly before serving.  Serve with sour cream, Labneh or Green Goddess dip.

Miniature, hors d'oeuvres-sized empanadas (empanadillas):

Make 1 1/2 times the short crust pastry recipe (225g/8oz flour, 1/2 t. salt, 170g/6oz butter, 85g/5 to 6 T. ice water) and form into one large disc for chilling.  When ready to make the empanadas, roll out 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.  Cut dough into generous 3-inch rounds.  Place a scant tablespoon of filling (12 g.) in the center of each round.  

Paint edges with egg, fold dough over filling and pinch to seal.  

Gather the scraps and combine them with the next piece of fresh dough, rolling out and cutting as before.  

Continue to roll out and cut in this manner, always incorporating some of the scraps into the fresh dough.  When done, spread the empanadas on parchment lined baking sheets and brush with more egg wash.  If time, chill.  Transfer to room temperature, parchment lined sheet pans before baking.  

Bake at 450° until golden brown—about 12 to 15 minutes.  Makes 32. (For a few pointers on rolling out small appetizer-sized empanadas, check out this post.)

Short Crust Pastry:
150 g. (about 1 1/3 c.) all-purpose flour
3/8 t. salt
114 g. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, sliced a scant 1/4-inch thick
3 to 4 T. ice water

Combine the flour and the salt in a medium-sized bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour until the butter is in small pea-sized pieces. Drizzle 3 T.. ice water over the flour/butter mixture.  Using your hands, fluff the mixture until it begins to clump, adding more water if necessary.  Turn the dough out onto a counter and form into a mound.  Using the heel of your hand, gradually push all of the dough away from you in short forward strokes, flattening out the lumps.  Continue until all of the dough is flat.  Using a bench scraper, scrape the dough off the counter, forming it into a single clump as you do.  Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

Printable Version

Early Spring Pasta with Asparagus, Peas & Mushrooms

It isn’t really “early” spring anymore.  We are a full third of the way in.  Usually I would call that mid-spring.  But this year, here in the mid-western United States, it still looks and feels like the very early days of spring—chilly and wet, with new bright green grass….and the very beginnings of green visible in the trees.  In most years we have had a full display of the glories of the spring blooming trees and bulbs by now.  So far this year I’ve only seen daffodils and the cold-hardy hellebores in my garden.

I have been grateful to have had the luxury of leaving the detritus of fall and winter on my flower beds longer than usual.  But as I have begun to work in the garden during the last few days, I am aware that spring is going to pop the minute we get warm.  And when it does, it’s going to happen at hyper-speed.  Other things that need attention will, for a short while, receive quite a bit less.  Which brings me to today’s post.

I don’t know when this quick little pasta appeared in my repertoire, but I can find pictures of it…and variations thereof…dating back several years.  I’m not sure why I never shared it before.  I always begin to make it sometime in March—right about the time the asparagus from California starts showing up in the grocery store…and the little bags of fresh peas start showing up at Trader Joe’s.  During the very early days of spring, when I’m super tired of winter’s vegetables, these two items are great to have on hand…and I use them regularly for our evening meals.  They are wonderful with mushrooms, and the three in combination are perfect in pilafs, salads, frittatas…and quick pastas.

This pasta should be seen as a template for a basic, spring vegetable, pantry pasta.  You can replace the thyme with tarragon…or even rosemary.  The dish is nice with a little parsley thrown in at the end too.  Dill would also be delicious added at the end—it just isn’t something I usually have in my pantry.  I happened to have pancetta when I made it this time, but if you have prosciutto, you can use that.   Just start the scallions/spring onions in a bit more oil or butter and add the julienne (or minced) prosciutto with the asparagus and peas.  If you have fava beans, they would be delicious in place of the peas.  If you need a bit more protein (because you’ve spent the whole day digging, mulching and hauling in the garden….or straining your brain and your patience over your taxes…), this pasta would make a great bed for a nice piece of salmon…or a boneless chicken breast. 

Besides being delicious, versatile and an early harbinger of the delicacies of the spring market to come, this pasta is very quick to make—from raw ingredients to table in about 30 minutes.  I guess you could say it’s an all around perfect dinner for even the busiest of spring days. 

Orecchiette with Mushrooms, Asparagus & Peas

1 T. olive oil, divided

1 oz. minced pancetta

4 oz. mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 T. butter, divided

2 to 3 spring onions or scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/3 to 1/2 c.—use equal quantity of white and green portion)

1/2 T. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 c. peas

2 oz. (trimmed weight) asparagus, cut on a short diagonal 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick (to make 1/2 cup)

1/2 c. chicken stock or water

1/2 lb. orecchiette

1/4 c. (3/4 oz.) finely grated Parmesan

Render the pancetta in 1/2 T. of the olive oil in a wide sauté pan (large enough to hold the vegetables in a snug single layer and also accommodate the cooked pasta) set over medium low heat.  When then pancetta is crisp (after about five minutes) remove to a plate.  Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium high.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned and tender (about five minutes).  Season with salt & pepper and reduce the heat to medium. 

Add a half tablespoon of the butter to the pan.  Add the spring onions, along with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until wilted and tender—about 2 to 3 minutes.  

Add the thyme, peas, asparagus and the cooked pancetta, stirring to coat the vegetables in the onions and fat.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.  Cover the pan, leaving the lid slightly ajar and continue to simmer gently—checking occasionally to make sure the liquid hasn’t evaporated—until the vegetables are just tender…about 6 to 8 minutes.  Set aside until the pastas is ready.

About the time you add the stock to the vegetables, drop the pasta in a large pot of boiling well-salted water.  Cook until the noodles are al dente.  Drain the pasta, saving a half cup or so of the pasta cooking liquid.  Add the pasta to the vegetables and toss to combine.  Cut the remaining butter into 3 or 4 pieces and add.  Toss and stir the pasta until the butter has emulsified into the sauce and the noodles and vegetables are coated in a light, buttery film of sauce.  If the pasta seems dry, add enough pasta water to obtain a fluid sauce.   You may add some of the cheese to the pasta, tossing/stirring to combine—or save it all to pass at the table.

Pasta serves 2 to 3.  Recipe is easily doubled—simply choose a pan wide enough to accommodate the vegetables and pasta as described above. 

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