Baked Rigatoni alla Norma (with Roasted Red Peppers…)

We had an early hard freeze this year.  In most years I can count on being able to get tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, zucchini and other late season vegetables until the end of October…and sometimes even into the first few days of November.  But this year, a freeze early in the month put an end to the growing season for these crops.  So a couple of weeks ago when growers brought the last of these favorites into the market, I bought all that I thought I could reasonably use up in the foreseeable future. 

Saturday I decided that their moment was truly over.  I had one large eggplant, a couple of poblanos and two large red bell peppers left.  I roasted all the peppers.  I packaged the poblanos and stuck them in the freezer.  The roasted bells that remained and the eggplant seemed like they had great potential for saucing some pasta for dinner that night.    

I have been thinking about Pasta alla Norma for a while now.   For those unfamiliar with this classic Sicilian pasta—it is a simple, but intensely flavored, pasta sauce of fried eggplant in tomato sauce.  It is typically seasoned with basil and finished with ricotta salata. I have been thinking about it because it seems like recipes for it have been crossing my path with some regularity in recent weeks.  Joshua McFadden has a sausage enhanced variation in his Six Seasons (which is a recent addition to my cookbook library.)   There have been others, but the one in the October issue of Bon Appétit—a baked riff on alla Norma, served burnished and bubbling in a cast iron skillet—looked particularly beguiling.

So, I decided to take advantage of the contents of my pantry and make my own variation.  I followed Bon Appétit’s lead and baked the sauced pasta in the same cast iron I used to fry the eggplant.  Since I seem to recall seeing several recipes that included capers, I decided to add some of those.  And if Joshua McFadden can add sausage to the classic, then I can certainly add some roasted red peppers.  My fresh basil succumbed to a fungus a while back (and would have died during our recent hard freeze, in any case), so I added a shower of dried oregano.  And since I love baked pastas filled with pockets of fresh ricotta, I substituted fresh ricotta for the salted and drained version.

In ordinary years I would have made my tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes from the market, but I used up the last ones in a sauce of some kind over a week ago (and didn’t get around to freezing any this year…).  Fortunately, I had just this week stocked my pantry with canned San Marzano style tomatoes.  So I used a can of those to make a basic sauce.  If you have a favorite sauce you like to make, you should feel free to use it—you will need 2 cups. 

Before I finish, I want to comment about my method for the eggplant.  In general I am not a fan of pre-salting eggplant.  Pre-salting is used as a way to draw out the juices from the eggplant that tend to become bitter as the eggplant sits in storage.  Since I mostly use fresh, peak season eggplant, I usually don’t find it necessary to salt it ahead.  But for the eggplant I wanted to use in my pasta—that had been hanging out in my produce bin for at least two weeks—I decided salting ahead would be a good idea.  Since pre-salting has the additional benefit of making the eggplant flesh less prone to absorbing oil, I was able to use a bit less oil for the frying.  If you use recently harvested eggplant that doesn’t need pre-salting, you might need to add a touch more oil during the frying process. 

I honestly had no intention of posting this recipe…I really just wanted to be a good steward of the produce so carefully grown by our local growers.  But it turned out to be fantastic—one of those baked pastas that you have to force yourself to remove from the table so you won’t continue to nibble away at it until you’ve eaten way more than your fill.  I just had to share it.  Not only was it delicious right out of the oven, it reheated beautifully to make a very satisfying lunch the next day (with a fresh drizzle of oil…and a sprinkling of more pecorino or parmesan).  Sadly—since I’m all out of peppers and eggplant—I won’t be able to make it again this year.  But perhaps you still have some peppers and eggplant in your pantry…in which case, you really should make this.  As for me, when the season for eggplant and peppers arrives again…this pasta bake will be at the top of my list.    

Baked Rigatoni alla Norma

1 large globe eggplant (about 500 to 550 g.)

Kosher salt

2 large red bell peppers (about 400 to 450 g.)

6 T. olive oil, divided

4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes (more or less, to taste)

2 t. dried oregano

2 T. capers, drained and rinsed

3/4 lb. rigatoni (or other short sturdy pasta)

200 g. whole milk ricotta

2 oz. (2/3 c.) finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino…or a mix of the two

Preheat the broiler to high.

Top and tail the eggplant.  Slice the eggplant cross-wise into 1/2-inch thick rounds.  Cut the rounds in half.  Cut the halves into 1/2-inch wide sticks.  In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with a slightly mounded teaspoon of kosher salt.  Transfer the eggplant to a colander and let drain for a half hour. 

While the eggplant drains, roast the peppers.  Rub the peppers with a thin film of oil and place on a small baking sheet.  Run the peppers under the broiler, turning them as they char until they are charred and blistered all over.  Remove from under the broiler and set aside to cool.  Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°. 

When cool enough to handle, peel and seed the peppers (working over a sieve set over a bowl so that you can capture any juices released by the peppers).  Discard the skin and seeds and cut the flesh of the peppers into 1/2-inch wide strips.  Cut the strips in half so that the pepper strips will be similar in length to the eggplant pieces.  Add the pepper strips to any pepper juicers and set aside

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce.  Place a medium sauté over moderate heat.  Add a quarter cup of olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and pepper flakes.  Cook until the garlic is sizzling and just beginning to acquire a faint golden tinge.  Add the tomatoes (that have been pulsed in the food processor or run through a food mill fitted with the largest disc).  Bring to a simmer.  Add the oregano.  Simmer until the sauce is thickened and reduced to 2 cups.  This will take about 20 minutes.  Taste and correct the seasoning.

When the eggplant has been sitting for half an hour, quickly rinse under a spray of running water.  Shake the colander to get rid of the excess water and transfer the eggplant to a double thickness of kitchen towels.  Place another double thickness of kitchen towels over the eggplant and press and scrunch to absorb the water and dry off the eggplant.

Place a large cast iron skillet over medium high to high heat.  Add 2 T. of olive oil.  When the olive oil is shimmering, add the eggplant, spreading it out into a snug single layer.  Cook, turning the eggplant pieces occasionally and regulating the heat to prevent scorching (while maintaining an active sizzle) until the eggplant is golden and tender to the tip of a knife.  This will take about 20 to 30 minutes (you will probably need to reduce the heat to medium after about 10 minutes of cooking).  When the eggplant is tender, add the tomato sauce, capers, and the peppers along with their liquid to the pan.  Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to the lowest setting to keep the sauce warm and allow the flavors to blend while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Add the rigatoni and cook for five minutes. It will still be quite al dente.  Drain, reserving a small amount of the pasta water.  Transfer the pasta to a large bowl—or return it to the pot.  Add the sauce to the bowl/pot (scraping the skillet well with a heatproof rubber spatula) and fold the sauce and pasta together.  If the pasta seems dry, add a splash of pasta water.  (I didn’t find this necessary, but it is conceivable that you might if your tomato sauce is very thick.)  Transfer half of the pasta and sauce back to the cast iron skillet and dollop evenly with half of the ricotta.  

Scatter half of the Parmesan/Pecorino over all.  

Repeat this layering with the remaining pasta and sauce, ricotta and Parmesan/Pecorino. 

Place the skillet in a preheated 375° oven and bake until the ricotta is tinged with golden brown—about 25 to 30 minutes.  Serves 4 to 6.

Notes:

• My large cast iron skillet measures 11 1/4-inches across the top (it is slightly flared, so it would have a slightly smaller diameter at the bottom).  It holds 3 quarts.  If you don’t have a cast iron skillet that is about this size, you can of course use any heavy oven proof skillet that has the same capacity.  You can also mix up the pasta and sauce and then layer it into an oiled 3-quart casserole (13- by 9-inch or equivalent).  Bake as directed in the recipe.
• You can make the roasted red peppers and tomato sauce ahead.  In a pinch you could use a good quality prepared tomato sauce.  You can also use your favorite homemade sauce.  You will need 2 cups.  I have never found a processed/jarred roasted pepper that I thought was worth eating.

Printable Version

Honey & Walnut Cake (with a Shiny Chocolate Glaze)

I have had my eye on the Honey Walnut Cake in Maria Helm Sinskey’s The Vineyard Kitchen ever since I added her book to my cookbook library…which is to say, for a long time.  Last week I finally got around to making it.  I wanted to include it in the next installment of a series of classes I have been teaching with recipes (and variations of recipes) from cookbooks that are organized around the seasons. 

I admit that I was disappointed in the result.  In fairness, I think that my reaction had more to do with the cake I had been imagining all of this time rather than any flaw in the recipe.  The cake I produced from her recipe was firm and fine grained (rather pound cake-like, in fact) and lightly sweet.  I think I expected something softer (honey cakes tend to be soft)…and sweeter.   So rather than adjust my expectations, I decided to try and come up with the cake I wanted….one that kept Sinskey’s delicious flavors (honey and toasted walnut…with just a touch of orange), but had the texture and sweetness that I had imagined.

As I began to look around, I was surprised to discover that there weren’t a lot of honey cakes made with nut flour with which to compare her recipe.  I finally ran across a plain honey cake at King Arthur.  As I compared the recipes it seemed to me that if I substituted walnut flour for the whole wheat flour in the King Arthur recipe that I might have a cake that, with the addition of a little vanilla and orange zest, would actually be the cake I wanted—loftier from the addition of an egg…and softer and sweeter because it was sweetened with all honey (and quite a bit more of it at that).  I’m happy to report it worked beautifully. 

Neither cake in its original form is frosted.  The King Arthur cake includes a scattering of almonds…and Sinskey decorates her cake with a few honey glazed walnuts.   There is of course nothing wrong with this.  I think that if you make this cake and serve it plainly—with maybe a light sifting of powdered sugar—that you will have a delicious little snack cake.  But from the beginning, I have thought that this cake was crying out for some chocolate.

 Not only does the chocolate taste delicious with the honey and walnut flavors of the cake, but the shiny chocolate and honey glaze I made looks fantastic as a background for Sinskey’s honey glazed walnuts.  The cake still makes a fine afternoon snack…with a cup of tea…   But with the chocolate glaze it becomes elegant enough for a dinner party or other special autumn occasion.  And since honey cakes have excellent keeping qualities (staying moist and delicious for several days), you can make this cake at least a day ahead…leaving you free to work on other things the day of your party.  Basically it’s a perfect autumn and holiday dessert….which is sort of what I had in mind all along…. 
    

  

Honey & Walnut Cake

142g (1 1/2 c.) walnuts

112g (1 c.) all purpose flour 

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

170g (12 T.) unsalted butter, at room temperature (very soft)

Zest of 1 orange

340g (1 c.) honey

4 large eggs (at room temperature)—beaten until smooth

60g (1/4 c.) yogurt

1 t. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant—about 8 minutes.  Remove the nuts from the oven and let cool.  Using a rotary nut grinder, grind the walnuts to a flour.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.  Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Line the pan with a round of parchment.  Butter the parchment.  Flour the pan, tapping out the excess. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the walnut and all purpose flours, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Place the butter and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer.  With the machine running, add the honey.  When the honey is mostly incorporated, add the eggs in the same manner. Scrape down the sides and mix briefly until the mixture is mostly smooth (there may still be flecks of butter visible…this is OK.)  

Fold in the reserved flour mixture.  Stir in the yogurt and vanilla.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure everything is evenly moistened.  After scraping, mix again just until you have a smooth, medium-thick batter.  Over mixing will result in a dense, slightly greasy, cake. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the edge of the cake pulls back from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  The cake will also be springy to the touch.  Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pan.  Cool the cake right side up on a wire rack.  The cake may be served plainly (with a dusting of powdered sugar), or with a chocolate glaze. 

Serves 12. 

(Recipe adapted from King Arthur and The Vineyard Kitchen by Maria Helm Sinskey)

Chocolate Honey Glaze (from Cocolat): Place 3 oz. of chopped bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl along with 2 oz. of unsalted butter (cut into pieces) and 1 1/2 T. (32g) of honey. Microwave on medium (50% power) until almost melted. Stir gently until completely smooth. Cool until the glaze mounds briefly before disappearing when dropped from a spoon. Place the cake on a wire rack set over a parchment lined sheet pan.  Pour the glaze directly over the center of the cake and using an offset spatula, spread the glaze out to the edges allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.  When the glaze is mostly set, garnish with honey glazed walnuts, if desired.

Honey-Glazed Walnuts:  Choose 12 attractive, walnut halves.  Toast in a 350° oven until golden and fragrant (5 to 8 minutes).  Remove from the oven and while still warm, place in a bowl and drizzle with 1/2 to 1 T. of honey.  Stir until well coated.  Transfer to a rack.  Garnish the edge of the cake with the glazed walnut halves.

Printable Version

Early Autumn Medley of Roasted Eggplant & Peppers with Chickpeas and Freekeh

Although eggplant and bell peppers are technically summer vegetables, they continue to appear on my table all through the early weeks of fall.  I may even like them better in the fall.  During the late summer I am so busy consuming my fill of corn and tomatoes and summer squash that these rich jewels of late summer are sometimes pushed to the side.  But when the weather begins to turn cool…and the light begins to fade before we sit down to eat…I am really in the mood for the savory and substantial gratins, tarts, pastas, ragouts and stews in which these two really shine.

 

The recipe I’m sharing today is a perfect example of this.  It has more substance than the things I am likely to prepare on a warm summer day—but it is perfect for a cool evening.  Furthermore, as a person who is very attached to the light, it is cheering to be able to serve these vibrant fruits of summer during the rapidly fading light of an early fall evening.    

There are really two recipes embedded in this one recipe.  One is for a medley of chickpeas and roasted eggplant and peppers—all dressed in a lemony vinaigrette.  On a hot summer day, it would make a fantastic side for grilled lamb or steak.  Just add herbs (parsley, basil, mint or marjoram)…and maybe a few olives....

The other recipe is for a spiced freekeh pilaf.  I have posted several freekeh pilafs in the past and this is only slightly altered from those.  The first time I made this dish I spiced my pilaf with cinnamon and cumin.  The second time, I was measuring out the cinnamon when all of a sudden it occurred to me that fennel seed would be delicious instead of cinnamon.  I preferred the fennel…but you should use whichever you like best.  If you don’t have any freekeh…or don’t like it…simply substitute medium bulgur.  Bulgur only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook (rather than 20 to 25), so adjust the recipe accordingly.  You could also simply serve the medley of vegetables on a mound of plain couscous.

This moment when the time is right for hearty eggplant and pepper preparations is short.  In a couple of weeks I know I will be totally ready for winter squash…and root vegetables…and rich, meat stews and braises.  But for now, dishes like this one are the perfect way for me to ease into the new season without quite letting go of the one that came before.

Early Autumn Medley of Roasted Eggplant & Peppers

with Chickpeas and Freekeh

This recipe might seem a bit complicated and lengthy, but it isn’t really.  It is difficult to express in the instructions, but many or the steps can be accomplished simultaneously.  I have kept the instructions for the “topping” of roasted vegetables and chickpeas together and separate from the preparation of the freekeh pilaf for clarity, but when you make it, it will be most efficient to sort of do everything at once.  Start with the bell peppers.  While they are roasting, start the onions for the pilaf.  Then, make the lemon-garlic vinaigrette and add the chickpeas.  When the peppers are done, put the eggplant in the oven.  At that point the onions will be done and you can add the freekeh and spices.  The eggplant will roast while the freekeh cooks.  You will be free during this time to peel and seed the peppers and mince the herbs.  The nuts can be toasted after the eggplant comes out of the oven.  (Or, if you prefer to do some of the work ahead, the bell pepper can be roasted, peeled and seeded ahead…and the nuts can be toasted, chopped and seasoned ahead.)

1 to 1 1/4 lb. red bell peppers (2 large or 3 medium)

Olive oil

2 T. lemon juice

1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, smashed to a purée with a pinch of salt

1/4 t. cayenne

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 lb. eggplant, topped & tailed and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes

1/4 to 1/3 c. pistachios

1 medium red onion (about 8 oz), finely diced

1 1/3 c. freekeh, rinsed

1 t. fennel seed, crushed in a mortar & pestle

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c. golden raisins

1 to 2 T. minced parsley

1 to 2 T. minced mint

Strained yogurt, Greek yogurt, or Labneh for serving

Roast the bell peppers:  Preheat the broiler to high.  Rub the peppers with a thin film of olive oil and place on a baking sheet.  Slide the peppers under the broiler, allowing them to char before rotating to expose all sides to the heat of the broiler.  When the skin is blackened and blistered all over, remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.  Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and set the oven to 450°.

While the peppers roast, place the lemon juice, garlic and cayenne in a large bowl.  Whisk to break up the garlic.  Whisk 2 T. olive oil into the lemon mixture.  Add the chickpeas and toss to coat.  Peel and seed the peppers and cut into a rough 1-inch dice.  Add the peppers to the chickpeas, folding to distribute.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt.

Meanwhile, toss the eggplant in a generous amount of olive oil (about 3 T.) and season with salt & pepper.   Transfer the eggplant to a rimmed baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with pan spray.  Roast in the preheated oven, rotating the pan from front to back  half way through the cooking time.  If you like, "stir" the eggplant once as it cooks by turning it over with a pancake turner.  The eggplant is done when it is golden and tender—about 25 minutes. 

When the eggplant is done cooking, remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°.  Let the eggplant cool on the sheet for few minutes.  While it is still hot, add it to the bowl with the chickpeas and peppers and fold in.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice.  

While the peppers and eggplant roast, cook the freekeh.  Warm 3 T. or so of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat in the fat. Sweat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and just beginning to take on a bit of color at the edges—about 10 to 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained freekeh along with the spices and a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for a minute  or so until the grains are coated in the oil and sizzling in the hot oil. Add the water and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook, covered until the freekeh is tender—20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter the golden raisins over the surface of the freekeh. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.  Add the herbs and fluff with a fork.  Taste and correct the seasoning. 

While the freekeh cooks, spread pistachios on a baking sheet and lightly toast in a 350­° oven until fragrant and tinged with a bit of color.  Don’t overdo it—you want the nuts to remain bright green.  Cool, chop coarsely and drizzle with a small amount of oil.  Season with salt.

To serve, mound the freekeh on individual plates or on a large platter.  Spoon the roasted vegetables over the freekeh and scatter the toasted pistachios over all.  Pass strained yogurt or labneh separately.  Serves 4 to 5.

Variations: 

• Substitute ground cinnamon for the fennel seed in the pilaf.
• Scatter crumbled Feta over the finished dish instead of passing labneh on the side.
• Substitute Bulgur for Freekeh.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Use 1 2/3 c. water.

Printable Version

Farro with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Mint & Walnuts

The official start of autumn is this coming week.  But other than the changing of the light, there has been little indication from the elements that we are approaching fall.  September has, for the most part, been unusually warm.  Even during the week of rain we had earlier this month, it was a warm rain…it didn’t have the chilly feel that a spate of September rain usually brings.  And although I love fall, I’m not complaining.  I love summer too.  

I mostly point all this out to say that the foods of fall have snuck up on me. The market is beginning to fill with pumpkins, hard winter squash, apples, pears and cool season root vegetables (ready for harvest because of the waning of the light I would imagine…).  But I am still hungry for the foods of late summer:  fresh tomatoes, corn, summer squash, green beans, etc.  And thanks to the warm weather they are still in good supply.  So in the spirit of this moment, today I am offering a cool, late summer farro salad…filled with corn and tomatoes.  The calendar may soon say “fall,” but I anticipate being hungry for this salad for as long as the corn and tomatoes keep coming into the market (easily for another couple of weeks…).

The dish is a loose adaptation of a recipe in a recent addition to my cookbook library: the insightfully named Six Seasons (by Joshua McFadden).  The premise of the book is that summer—at least as far as food is concerned—is really three seasons.  Early summer includes tender young root vegetables and the tail end of the spring crops.  Midsummer is the season of melons, cucumbers, summer squash, several brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc), and green beans.  Late summer brings the full flush of tomatoes, peppers of all kinds, eggplant, sweet corn and shell beans.   Depending on where you live, his breakdown of the harvest will be slightly different from yours (in the Midwest, for example, I can get delicious local sweet corn all summer long), but in general, I love the idea behind his book.  I have always felt like “summer” was too vague a definition of the harvest.  Almost since I began teaching, my summer roster has included farmers’ market classes designated “Early,” “High,” and “Late” Summer.  Not only are the crops different, but each mini-season has a particular feel to it.  He captures and explains all of this very well.  Needless to say, I’m really enjoying this book.

I altered his farro and corn salad to suit my pantry.  He includes scallions, which I don’t tend to keep on hand.  But I always have red onion in my pantry…and I love it thinly shaved in salads.  The recipe calls for handfuls of basil and mint.  Unfortunately my basil had succumbed to a fungus the week before I ran across this recipe.  But I happened to have some lovely arugula—which is my usual stand in for basil during the spring and early summer months.  I thought it worked very well in this salad.  Finally, McFadden adds torn croutons (similar to those that I prepared for my BLAT salad a few posts back) to give some texture.  I didn’t have any of the right kind of bread thawed (and I was rushing to get dinner on the table), so I achieved a bit of crunch with a few lightly toasted and crumbled walnuts. They were just the thing.  And finally, I gilded the salad with a shower of crumbled Feta—whose salty, tangy presence makes one of the best summer salad garnishes imaginable.  I’m sure the original salad was good…but I loved my version.

This salad was not just delicious...  Like all good food, it was right for the moment.  It was filled with the vegetable fruits of the current season:  the last of the sweet corn, the final abundant flush of cherry tomatoes, and fresh mint from my garden (newly invigorated from a recent week of rain).  And it came together quickly on a day when I was short on time and much more in the mood to be out of doors enjoying the tail end of the warm summer weather than in a hot kitchen cooking.  I guess I'd have to say it was just about perfect food for the tail end of summer.  If you have the ingredients on hand...and you are still experiencing a spell of warm summer weather...you should definitely give it a try.    

 

Late Summer Farro Salad with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Mint & Walnuts

I have given measured amounts of all of the components of this salad because I know a lot of people like exact amounts, but this is definitely a “to taste” kind of salad.  Please view the measurements as guidelines and adjust to suit your taste…  More or less onion…  More or less mint…  Etc….

3 T. olive oil

2 cloves peeled garlic, lightly crushed

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes

1 c. pearled or semi-pearled farro, rinsed

4 c. water

1 t. kosher salt

3 or 4 ears of sweet corn, roasted in the husk or raw, as you prefer

1/2 of a small red onion (about 2 oz.)

1 pint (10 to 12 oz) cherry tomatoes (mixed colors, if available), halved

1/2 c. (2 oz.) walnuts, toasted and coarsely crumbled

a large handful of arugula (1 oz.)

a handful of mint leaves (10 to 12 grams…or about 2/3 cup)…to taste…

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes

1/2 t. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. (or so) olive oil

2 to 3 oz. coarsely crumbled Feta

In a wide saucepan with a tight fitting lid, warm the olive oil over moderate heat.  Add the garlic cloves and pepper flakes and gently cook for a few moments until the garlic starts to acquire a light golden color.  

Add the farro and stir to coat in the oil.  Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring pretty much constantly.  The farro will begin to darken and give off a toast-y aroma. 

Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce the heat to low.  Cook until the farro is tender, but still has texture—anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the type of farro you are using.  Let the farro sit off the heat for 5 minutes.  Drain well and spread on a sheet pan to cool.  If you’re in a hurry, place the sheet pan in the fridge.

If you are roasting the corn, you may do so while the farro cooks.  Place the corn in the husk directly on the rack of a 375° oven.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Remove the corn from the oven and using towels to grab the corn, peel the husks back and allow the corn to cool on a rack.  When cool enough to handle, remove the silks.  If using raw corn, simply remove the husks and silks.  Cut the kernels away from the cobs and use the back of your knife to scrape the cobs clean of the milky pulp still embedded in the cob.  You should have about 3 cups of kernels.

While the farro cooks and the corn roasts, cut the core out of the onion and slice very thinly lengthwise (preferably with a mandolin slicer).  You should have 1/3 to 1/2 cup loosely packed sliced red onion.  Place the onion in a bowl and cover with ice water.  Let sit for about 15 minutes.  Drain well and blot dry with paper towels.

When all the components are ready, place all of the ingredients except the olive oil and Feta in a large bowl.  Toss to combine.   Taste and adjust the seasonings so that the salad is vibrant.  Drizzle in the olive oil and toss.  Taste and adjust again.  Serve chilled or at a cool room temperature.  When ready to serve, mound on individual plates or a serving platter and scatter the Feta over all.   Serves 4 to 5.

Printable Version

Swiss Chard & Sweet Corn “Spanakopita”

A frequent topic of conversation at my friend Nancy’s bake shop (where I work on call) is what to make for dinner.  We both love to cook and eat…and we each have our different food and cooking ruts that we fall into—having each other to bounce ideas off of can, and often does, lead to delicious meals that we just wouldn’t have thought of without the other’s input. 

A little over a week ago during this conversation I was listing some things in my pantry that I really needed to use.  A big bunch of Swiss Chard and a portion of a box of phyllo (left from a class…phyllo is something I don’t ordinarily have on hand) were among the things I had to work with.  Nancy suggested I make some kind of Spanakopita.  I have of course made Spanakopita in professional settings (those little spinach, onion and feta filled triangles are a staple of catering operations everywhere…) but for some reason had never made it at home.  What a good idea.

When I finally got around to making my Spanakopita, I discovered I really didn’t have enough chard.  The quantity of greens used to make a typical sized (13x9 dish) Spanakopita is two pounds.  I had a very large bunch of chard, but the trimmed greens still only weighed about a half pound.  I could have simply made some small triangles (like the aforementioned catering fare) but didn’t really want to do something so fiddly for dinner. 

Since my Spanakopita wasn’t going to be classic anyway (I was, after all, using chard instead of spinach), I started to consider the things I had on hand that would be good with the chard and would bulk up my filling.  Almost immediately I settled on corn.  I am almost never without corn in the summer.  I really think it is one of my favorite summer foods.  And it is delicious when combined with slightly bitter greens (kale, chard and spinach).   I already knew it would be good in phyllo since my leftover phyllo was in fact the remains from a corn and mushroom filled strudel.

While looking for alternate fillings for my spanakopita I had done a little poking around on line and had found an interesting looking “spinach phyllo pie” on Martha Stewart’s site.  If I hadn’t thought of using corn, I would probably have made this recipe.  I loved the idea of adding golden raisins to the filling.  But what I really took away from her recipe was the shape.  It was basically a free-form roll.…perfect for whatever volume of filling one might happen to have.

I loved the way my “Spanakopita” turned out.  It sliced beautifully and tasted delicious.  With a simple salad of mixed summer tomatoes on the side, it made a satisfying late summer dinner.  But since summer—and the season of fresh corn and vine-ripened tomatoes—is just about over, I should mention that I’m sure you could make it in the fall or winter.  Just use frozen corn (there is still time to purchase fresh and freeze your own!)….and choose a more season-appropriate side:  Perhaps a Mediterranean chickpea or white bean salad…or maybe a pile of cumin and honey roasted carrots….or possibly a nice rice pilaf, with a little tzatziki….  No matter what you choose, I think you'll be glad I had this particular combination of ingredients on hand when Nancy and I started talking about dinner.  I know I was.

Swiss Chard & Sweet Corn “Spanakopita”

When I made this, I only made one roll/pie (which is why all the pictures are of just one)…but it really makes more sense to make two.  As I mentioned in the text, my bunch of chard was very large—really half again as large as a typical bunch.  If you purchase 3 bunches of chard, you will mostly likely have the 1 lb. of cleaned greens needed to make two pies/rolls. (For one roll, you would need 1 1/2 bunches…)   The other reason that I wanted to post the recipe for two rolls instead of one, is that two rolls will use exactly a half box of phyllo—and most boxes of phyllo contain two inner packages that can be thawed and used separately.  If I had only posted the recipe as I made it (for one roll) a quarter pound of thawed phyllo would have been left over… causing a similar issue to the one that made me go looking for a recipe in the first place….  You can of course cut the recipe in half and just make one roll (as I did).

2 T. olive oil

1 large or 2 medium onions (about 10 oz. total), diced

Salt & pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. minced fresh oregano

1 T. butter

2 c. fresh corn (cut from 2 large ears)

1 lb. stemmed and cleaned chard (from 3 bunches), leaves cut into rough 1-inch wide strips

2 eggs, beaten

4 oz. Feta, crumbled

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

1/2 lb. thawed phyllo (18 9 x 14 sheets)

8 T. butter, melted

Warm the olive oil in a wide sauté pan—preferably one with deeper sides and a tight fitting lid.  Add the onions and a good pinch of salt a cook over moderate heat until the onions are soft and just beginning to caramelize (about 15 minutes).

Add the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant.  Add the butter and when it has melted, add the corn and cook until the corn is hot and sizzling.  Begin to add the chard a handful at a time, turning with tongs to coat in the fat and vegetables and adding successive handfuls as the chard collapses.  (If the chard is dry, add a splash of water to the pan—otherwise, the water clinging to the leaves from washing will be sufficient to facilitate the cooking process.) When all the chard has been added, season lightly with salt, cover the pan and cook over low heat until the chard has completely collapsed and is tender.  Uncover the chard, taste and correct the seasoning.  Continue to cook until any excess moisture has evaporated.  Set the chard and corn mixture aside and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled chard, the eggs, Feta and Parmesan.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.  You are now ready to build the rolls.

To form the rolls, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter.  Lay the stack of phyllo on top of the plastic and cover with another sheet of plastic, lightly pressing the edges to seal.  It is important as you work with the phyllo that you keep it covered at all times.  It dries out very quickly and is impossible to work with once it dries out.  Some people cover the phyllo with a damp towel instead of plastic wrap, but I think this makes the phyllo soggy.

Lay one sheet of phyllo on your work surface with the long side parallel to the edge of the counter.  Brush the sheet lightly with butter (don't overdo it or the finished pie will be greasy instead of crisp and light).  Place another sheet of phyllo on top of the first.  Brush lightly with more butter.  Repeat with seven more sheets of phyllo for a total of nine layers.

Arrange half the chard filling down the center third of the buttered phyllo, leaving an inch of so free of filling at both ends.  Fold one of the long edges up and over and then fold the other up and over—overlapping the other edge by about an inch.  Pinch the ends…or fold and tuck under slightly.  It isn’t necessary that this be beautiful—you just want to discourage the filling from oozing out the ends while the rolls cook.  Brush the surface with butter

and roll the log over so the seam is down.  Transfer to one side of a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping the seam side down and brushing the top and sides with more butter.  

Repeat this process with the remaining filling and another nine sheets of phyllo, placing the second roll on the same baking sheet as the first.  Make sure there are several inches between the two rolls so that they will be able to brown on all sides as they cook.  Using a sharp knife, make 7 or 8 diagonal cuts on the top of each roll (cutting just deeply enough to go through all 9 layers of phyllo and expose the filling).      

Transfer the phyllo rolls to a 375° oven and bake until they are golden brown all over and the filling is bubbling through the slashes….about 40 to 45 minutes. 

Cool slightly before serving. Using a serrated knife, trim away the ends.  Then, cut the rolls on the diagonal to portion.  Each roll will serve 3 as an entrée and 6 to 8 as an appetizer. 

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