Tarting It Up

As I've mentioned before, pastry is not my forte. I generally avoid baking, anything involving the words dough or batter, and I can, on very rare occasions, be seen getting enthusiastic about sweets--usually donuts and the occasional pie. So it may seem odd that I was so strongly drawn to a recipe that involved a pie crust and baking. And while I won't say it wasn't without it's petty annoyances (did I mention I don't even own a rolling pin?), the true minimal effort of this recipe was well worth it for the results. After all, who doesn't want to walk through the door after a long day to the smell of a tart in the oven? I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed flipping channels and scanning a few magazines while the smell of a lightly browning pie crust and slowly melting cheese wafted through the air. It was such a pleasant and unfamiliar smell in my home--which is generally peppered with the aromas of paprika, bacon and garlic--that I almost forgot they were my doing.

While basking in the scents of traditional home cookery was great, there was a supermarket shortcut involved that explains the recipe's appeal. It made use of frozen pie crust, which much like frozen puff pastry, can be an excellent shortcut for an impressive meal. While homemade pie crust isn't nearly as difficult or as involved as making puff pastry from scratch, I do think it's worth using as a time saver for both quick dinners and entertaining. There's nothing worse than entertaining and spending all your time in the kitchen. By making a tart with store bought pie crust you're saving wildly on time so you'll be composed and sweat-free by the time your guests arrive to a calm house filled to the brim with the scent of baking. Some people think of it as cheating, and that's fine, because it's what you put into the tart that counts, and I think seasonal veggies and delicious cheeses more than make up for one supermarket purchase. After all, as much as I preach about organic vegetables and using great ingredients, I do believe the secret to pretty much everything is moderation. Despite what we know about how bad canned foods can be for you, I also think if you're using one or two cans of rinsed beans every few weeks you're probably okay--however, if you're popping open a Chef Boyardee or Hormel chili every night, you might want to check out this article and rethink it.

But on to the good stuff. Other than some issues with rolling out the dough (what with using a wine bottle and all), the prep was a breeze. The zucchini chops up quickly, and the potatoes slice pretty fast as well (if you're not so good with a knife you can use a mandolin or the slicing attachment on your food processor). After quickly sauteing everything in a large pan you just toss in the cheese and herbs and fill the crust with the mixture. I added in a few dollops of ricotta (not in the original recipe) for color and flavor, since I'm a sucker for any kind of white pizza or gooey tart. All that was left was to bake, which took about and hour. Other than periodically checking in to make sure the crust wasn't burning, I pretty much sat back and relaxed. It even made my day when a friend stopped by and commented on how great dinner smelled. So if you want a quick meal that will impress anyone, give this one a go. It makes use of smart shortcuts and fresh ingredients for a dish that I can say with certainty won't disappoint. And you could easily make multiples (I made 2) if you happen to be entertaining.

Potato, Leak and Feta Tart
adapted from Real Simple

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons
2 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 Red Bliss potatoes (8 ounces), thinly sliced
1 store-bought 9-inch pie crust
4-5 tablespoons ricotta

1. Heat oven to 375º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, zucchini,1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the feta and dill. Add the potatoes and toss to combine.

2. On a piece of parchment paper, roll the pie crust to a 12-inch diameter. Slide the paper onto a baking sheet. Spoon the potato mixture onto the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edge of the pie crust over the edge of the potato mixture. Dollop the top with a few tablespoons of ricotta cheese. Bake (covering with foil if the crust gets too dark) until the pie crust is golden brown and the potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes.

-Laura

Spice and Easy

I get asked a lot of food questions as a food blogger. Some are to be expected, like where I shop for specialty ingredients, what my go-to dishes are, and who my favorite chef is. But most surprising of all are all of the questions I get about potatoes. From making the perfect french fries, to creamy mashed potatoes and the just-like-my-mom's home fries and hash browns of their youth, people are looking for some serious answers about potato cookery. Potatoes are a big part of the Spanish diet and every woman in my family can make at least 5 awesome potato dishes off the cuff, from croquetas, to tortilla and french fries. I paid close attention when my grandmother fried potatoes on high heat in light olive oil, or when my mother added two egg yolks to her mashed potatoes. After years of watching patiently from the sidelines, I finally learned to make potatoes just like the other women in my family (even they're only half as good as theirs, they'll still be delicious).

Among the many tuber-related questions that make their way to me is a curious one: how does one make simple whole or halved potatoes? A few people tell me that they always encounter the outside being far too dark while the inside is raw, or that to get the inside cooked they end up with overcooked, mushy outsides. I must admit that I initially struggled with this type of dish as well. Why was it that every caterer, cruise ship and steakhouse in town could do it and I couldn't? I tried simply roasting on different oven temperatures, changing the temperature midway through, par boiling then roasting, simply boiling, pan roasting, and any combination in between. Nothing seemed to work, and then I encountered a new method for making mashed potatoes that involved steaming them instead of boiling. They cooked faster, more evenly, and softened without waterlogging. I figured if I applied this method to my potato dish, then quickly pan roasted them with whatever flavorings I wanted, I might stand a chance.

It worked perfectly, and shortly thereafter I learned that the steaming method is taught in culinary school, which explains why all of the professionals knew about it and I didn't. In fact, the potato recipe I made this week comes from the Culinary School of America and uses a number of my favorite herbs and spices, with an additional few that I thought would play nice. The first step was steaming the potatoes, which I do using your everyday cheapie metal vegetable steamer in a large pan with a lid. It took about 15-18 minutes for mine to cook through, but it's really the size of your spuds that determines the cooking time. After their steam bath I tossed them directly into a large non-stick skillet (very important with potatoes) with some melted butter and saffron. I added parsley, salt and pepper per the recipe, plus some fresh thyme, one of my favorite herbs to use with potatoes. I was far more generous with the salt and pepper than the recipe was, because the potatoes didn't have any of the salinity that they'd normally get from being boiled in salted water, so they were tasting a bit bland. The dish was quite tasty, and would make an excellent side for a grilled steak, a roast chicken (that's my choice for a main dish pairing) or even a nice piece of fish. At least give the method a try, and you'll never have burned or half done potatoes again!

Herbed Potatoes with Saffron
adapted from the Culinary School of America

1 1/2 lbs red new potatoes, scrubbed, halved, and peeled if you'd like
2 Tbsp butter
pinch saffron strands
2 Tbsp finely sliced parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
generous pinch of salt
generous grind of white pepper

1. Steam potatoes using a vegetable or bamboo steamer over a pan of boiling water, about 15-18 minutes (I like them to be just shy of cooked through so I can cook everything a little longer in the pan without overcooking).

2. Meanwhile, melt butter and saffron in a large non-stick skillet. Add cooked potatoes, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat well and cook a few minutes until potatoes are hot and everything has cooked together, about 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!

-Laura

The Fair Trade

When I was a little girl, I was all about fairness. I had two stuffed animals that, like most little girls, I wrapped my skinny arms around every night when I went to bed. I loved them both equally and in order to show them that there were no favorites among them, I always made sure to alternate who got to cuddle for the night. But one evening, despite my best efforts, I accidentally fell asleep holding Teddy, the same stuffed animal as the night before. I felt terribly guilty, and what had seemed like a happy, sewn on smile the day before, now looked like a stringy grimace of death across my stuffed bunny's mouth. Bunny's plastic eyes, once shiny and bright, now seemed to brim with jealous tears. The solution was clear: I'd have to cuddle with both every night, without exception. And so, for years after that day, I slept positioned as if posing for a group picture, with one arm wrapped around Teddy, and one around Bunny.

And as an adult I tend to act in similar manners. I alternate which side of the sofa I sit on every night, give each magazine I read equal time, and even alternate between pens at work. The astrology buffs in my life call me a true Libra, always weighing each side of every problem and wanting to give everything it's due share. So naturally I felt bad the other day when I planned to make a potato and kale dish and wound up making crispy kale instead. The potatoes had been in my fridge for so long, aching to be used and slowly withering away, only to be cast aside for some new vegetable. While I'm old enough to know that the potatoes have no feelings, it didn't stop me from feeling the same guilt I did towards my stuffed animals all those years ago. And so I decided I'd have to make something equally delicious, or at the very least give them their own dish, like I had the kale. 

It wouldn't be too difficult, since I happened to have these beautiful rainbow potatoes made up of Purple Peruvians, Pink Firs and Yukon Golds. They each have such distinct flavors and vibrant colors that a complicated preparation wouldn't be necessary. I decided to make juicy, slightly crispy potatoes in the oven, so the only fat involved would be good extra virgin olive oil. I wanted to make the kind of potatoes you always get at a restaurant, but can never quite master at home. So I cut them into eighths, tossed them with a little olive oil and then sprinkled on the salt and some thyme. I spread them out onto an aluminum foil lined tray and popped them into a 400 degree oven. I gave them a quick toss every 10 minutes (so they'd cook and crust evenly) until they were cooked, which ultimately took about 35 minutes. I like to keep oven roasted potatoes moist by giving them one refreshing glug of olive oil halfway through cooking, and seasoning them with pepper and a pinch of sea salt when they're done. It's a great dish to make as a side for a big meal because it doesn't take up room on the stove top, and even if you only remember to toss them once, they still come out great (and have great potential for even lower-maintenance cooking). In the end, I was very happy that they got their moment to shine, and I know that if they did have feelings, they'd be ecstatic to know that I happily ate the entire tray for dinner.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

3 cups chopped potatoes, scrubbed, skin on

1/2 tsp ground dried thyme, or 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp coarse salt (any will do, but coarse sea salt really adds a nice flavor)

freshly ground pepper, to taste

extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Toss potatoes, thyme, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) together in a large bowl until well coated. 

2. Spread the potatoes out on an aluminum foil covered sheet tray and place in the oven. Cook until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, tossing every 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil halfway through cooking to keep potatoes moist.

3. Remove potatoes from oven and toss with pepper and remaining salt before serving. Enjoy!

-Laura