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< all recipes Oatmeal Raisin Scones My Dad is a scone man. It is his breakfast of choice, paired perfectly with butter, jam, and of course a large cup of hot coffee. For years I have been tirelessly experimenting on him in search of the best scone recipe. I believe I have found it, at least my Dad says it is the best he has ever had…perhaps there is a slight bias there but I am willing to overlook it. I like to use rolled oats because they add nice texture and body. As for the raisins, I have found that golden are best because they do not burn (the dark raisins get a bit of a charred flavor). Above is what the combined dry ingredients look like still dry. Below is the damp sand texture you are looking for when mixing in the butter - with a few chunks of butter left whole. Oatmeal Raisin Scones Serves: 12-16 Scones Ingredients 2 cups flour ½ whole wheat flour 2 cups oats 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbl baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 cup golden raisins 8oz butter, cubed and cold 1 ¼ cup heavy cream, plus ¼ cup to brush tops of the scones ¼ cup sugar in the raw (demerara sugar is the “fancy” name – aka the more expensive name) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine the dry ingredients (everything up to the raisins) in bowl of an electric mixer. Add in cold, cubed butter and mix on low until it looks like damp sand in texture. With mixer on low, pour in the cream and mix just until combined. Fill a small bowl with flour so when your hands get dirty you are not reaching back into your big flour container. This will also be used to flour your cookie cutter as you go (this might seem excessive but trust me the dough is sticky). Generously flour your (clean!) counter, place the dough in the middle of flour and press it into about a ¾ - 1” thick disc – uniform thickness is the key here. Flour the top of the dough and start cutting, reshaping the scraps into a disc. Place scones onto a baking sheet, parchment is optional. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. If you are not sure they are done, check the bottom of one and it should be a dark golden brown. *Note: you can do all of this by hand, working the butter into the flour using your fingertips so as not to warm up the butter. And then using a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to mix in the cream. **Note: if you do not have a cookie cutter, press the dough into a rectangle and cut small squares or triangles with a knife. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Truffle Honey Ricotta I have been making this ricotta recipe for so many years it has become a family staple. It is also my most requested recipe and because it is so easy I usually just tell people the three ingredients and let them figure it out but I thought it was time to put it down in writing and out there for people to enjoy. While Truffle & Honey Ricotta may start out as just a friday night pre-dinner dip, I always make extra and it somehow finds its way onto almost every plate of food the rest of the weekend – a dollop alongside a tomato/avocado salad, subbed in for mayo on a blt, heck just some ricotta toast. The truffle makes any situation a little classier – and I have to insist on truffle salt here, it is pricey but it will last you a lifetime and truffle oil is unreliable because many are chemically flavored. This is my most recent use for the ricotta and it was insanely tasty (and easy!). I tossed the tomatoes in some olive oil, popped them in a 450˚F oven for 20 minutes, lightly oiled some bread before grilling and voilà! a perfect little party app!! Truffle Honey Ricotta Serves: about 1 cup Ingredients 8 oz whole milk ricotta 1 tsp truffle salt (not oil!! trust me) 1-2 tsp honey ½ tsp black pepper Print Preparation Combine all of the ingredients and adjust the amounts of truffle and honey to your liking. For company serve as a dip or dollop on top of grilled bread with roasted tomatoes. For an easy dinner make ricotta toast with some arugula and a poached egg. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Sticky Toffee Date Cake Ok so I already have a Sticky Toffee Date Cake recipe that I have been making for many years and people seemed quite happy with it. And while I don’t usually like to mess with a good thing, that is exactly what I did for Christmas dinner – a risky move given how serious my people are about their desserts. It was such a success I was asked ordered to make it again the next night. My sister even went so far as to say that it was the best thing she had ever eaten – and she is not the easiest lady to please. I still love the other recipe and feel a little bad for one-upping it but I think i’ll get over it eventually. This cake is just better, it has more delicious date flavor and a more delicate fluffy texture to really absorb the toffee sauce – creating a beautiful balance and union between the two elements…getting carried away and I think you get the point. Sticky Toffee Date Cake Serves: 1 9" cake Ingredients 10 oz dates (pitted) 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp ½ cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar, packed 4 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 2½ tsp baking soda for the toffee sauce: 16 oz unsalted butter 2 cups brown sugar, packed 1 cup heavy cream 2 tsp vanilla Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9in cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment. Add dates to a small pot along with 1½ cups water. Bring this to a boil and let simmer 2-3 minutes, until dates look soft(ish) and skins start to come off. Pour the dates and water (carefully!) into a food processor and puree until smooth. Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl once or twice. Mix in the date puree. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl then, with the mixer on low, add this into the rest of the batter, mixing just until combined. Divide the batter between your two prepared cake pans and spread it evenly out the the edges of the pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the center of each cake feels set or a cake tester comes out clean. While cakes are baking, make the toffee sauce: combine ingredients in a pot set over medium heat. Cook until everything is melted and the sugar is dissolved. When cakes are done, carefully flip each out (onto your hand or a large plate) and remove the parchment before putting the cake back into the pan topside down. Use a fork to poke lots of holes in the bottoms of each cake before pouring on some of the toffee sauce. Spread it to the edges so all of the cake gets a good soaking and once what you have poured on has been absorbed, add some more - I like to leave ½ - 1 cup of the sauce to pour over my cake once they are stacked and on my cake platter (for that irresistible drippy effect). Allow cakes to cool and soak in the sauce for at least 30min (or a few hours). When ready to serve, turn one cake out onto your cake plate. For the second cake, I find it useful to use a spatula or something similar to help get it out of the pan and lowered onto the first cake rather than attempting to just flip it out. Pour the rest of the toffee sauce over top spreading it to the edges so it drips down the sides. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Harissa Harissa is a North African chile sauce that can vary from region to region, even family to family. I like the addition of tomato paste to mellow out the chiles and to make it more of a sauce than a paste. It is so versatile - use it to marinate chicken, beef, or shrimp, add it to canned crushed tomatoes to make a delicious pasta sauce, or add some plain greek yogurt to make a creamy dip or sandwich spread. I could continue but I will spare you for now. Harissa Serves: about 1 cup Ingredients 5 dried chiles* 1 tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds ¼ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp allspice 1 tsp kosher salt ¼ - ½ cup lemon juice 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped ½ cup tomato paste ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil *chiles are tricky in that you can never be sure of their heat until you take a bite – that being said, there are general guidelines that can help. For milder heat, use pasilla or ancho chiles. For extra heat, use chiles de arbol or chipotle chiles (chipotles are smoke-dried jalapeños and therefore add great depth of flavor along with a kick in the mouth). Print Preparation Bring a small pot of water to a boil (4-5 cups). Remove stems and seeds from chiles, place in a bowl along with boiled water, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a dry sauté pan until fragrant (1-2 minutes, keep a close eye on the spices as they can burn very easily). Using a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or whatever you have on hand, grind up the coriander and fennel – it does not have to be finely ground, about the consistency of coarse black pepper. Combine everything except olive oil in a food processor (fitted with blade attachment) and blend about 30 seconds, until everything is incorporated, then drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Mexican Corn Salad Corn might be the only food I eat only at the peak of its season – once you’ve had it there really is no going back and if that makes me a corn snob, I can live with it. But that means I have to really pack it in right now. I try to keep things interesting and change up how I shovel it into my mouth so here is my latest version. I love the presentation of this recipe on the cob but as I tend to get the creamy topping all over my face, I usually eat is as a salad. And that way you can mix in some tomatoes, peppers, or whatever else you have lying around. Not that you need more reasons to make this, but it is equally delicious cold or room temp as well as with grilled or raw corn. Happy Corn Season Y’al Mexican Corn Salad Serves: 8-10 servings Ingredients 2-3 tbl mayo 2-3 tbl plain greek yogurt ¾ cup grated parmesan (best if freshly grated by you or by the store) juice of 2 limes ½ tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp cayenne ¼ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper cilantro for garnish 8-10 ears of corn, shucked optional additions: tomatoes peppers (like poblanos or anaheims...aka not too spicy) avocado Print Preparation Combine all of the ingredients, except the corn, in a bowl. Let sit 20-30 minutes at room temp or put in the fridge for up to a day. If making the corn to eat on the cob, grill or boil corn until done and top each with some of the dressing and chopped cilantro. If making a salad, grill corn or leave it raw and cut all of the kernels off the cob. Put in a bowl along with any of the additional ingredients mentioned above and toss with dressing. Serve cold or at room temperature Previous Next hungry for more?

< Back Bread Baking Basics BREAD MAKING EQUIPMENT HOW TO MAKE A CRUSTY LOAF OF BREAD BREAD MAKING – RECIPE FUNDAMENTALS What I make most often is a simple crusty loaf of bread, one that is perfect when toasted with a little butter and jam in the morning, or sandwiched with some meat and cheese for lunch or sliced up and dunked into a big bowl of soup for dinner. But it is not always the exact same loaf. This is where the beauty of bread comes in. I don’t want to get caught in the technical weeds but bread recipes are all about what are called “baker’s percentages”. So in any given recipe the flour amount is always equal to 100% and everything else is proportional to that – the most important being the water or hydration percentage. In my basic recipe I like about 50% hydration so if I use 800grams of flour, I know i need 400grams of water. Where this comes in handy is if i want to make a whole wheat loaf, I can vary how much whole wheat flour vs all purpose flour i want to use – I just need it to add up to the 800g of total flour. From there you can then start to think about flavorings like toasted fennel seeds and/or add ins like cheese or nuts. These things get added in after you have mixed the dough to a shaggy stage and determined that there is enough hydration in the dough – some flours, like whole wheat, will require a little extra water added in as you mix (see below for how to determine this). Basic Bread Dough 400g warm water 1 packet yeast 800g flour 15g kosher salt Semolina Parmesan and Black Pepper 400g water 1 packet yeast 550g all purpose flour 350g semolina flour 15g kosher salt 150g Parmesan, freshly grated 5g black pepper (or a few grindings from your pepper mill) Whole Wheat Walnut Raisin 400g water* 1 packet yeast 400g all purpose flour 400g whole wheat flour 15g kosher salt 250g walnut pieces, toasted (about 2 cups) 300g raisins (also about 2 cups) Shaggy dough stage: This is what a nicely hydrated dough should look like. BREAD MAKING – THE MIXING PROCESS Once you have decided on the kind of bread you will make and have your ingredients ready, you will again follow a basic process that you will learn to adjust as needed (remember that once mixed bread becomes a living thing that reacts to its environment and treatment). Whisk the yeast and warm water together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the remaining ingredients on top (not the add ins like nuts or cheese). Using the dough hook, mix on low speed a few minutes until the dough starts to come together and looks shaggy. Stop the mixer and feel the dough, pinching it in a few different places. If it feels firm and dry or if you see any dry flour at the bottom of the bowl you will need to add water – start with a few tablespoons and mix a minute or two and check again. When it feels soft and moist you are good to go. Add your add ins and flavorings here. Mix on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough smooths out and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl or forms a kind of lump around the dough hook. Cover with plastic or a damp towel and let sit at room temperature for about 3 hours or until doubled in size. If your kitchen is on the chilly side add some time to this and if it is nice and toasty, check on the dough sooner. BREAD MAKING – SHAPING & BAKING Shaping is really recipe dependent – are you making a baguette? A boule? Or perhaps something fancy like a fougasse? The baking will obviously be different as well as some breads like naan are cooked in a pan or on a grill as opposed to in the oven. So, here we will go over my basic shaping and baking process for my large crusty boule (aka big round loaf). Have a wide rimmed bowl ready with a piece of parchment laid over it, dusted with some flour. Scrape dough out onto a generously floured work surface. Fold the edges of the dough into the center, making a kind of package. Flip the dough over so these folded seams are on the bottom and start to roll or push the dough in a circle to further tuck these seams in and tighten the smooth top of the boule. When it feel nice and tight and there are no air bubbles under the surface, place the boule onto the floured parchment, nestling it into the bowl for its last rise before cooking. Cover it again with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place your large cast iron pot or cloche into the oven and heat the oven to 475 F. Give the oven at least 30 minutes to heat as you want it and the pot really nice a hot. Your bread is ready to bake when you give it a gentle poke and the indent slowly comes back out. If it stays indented, it needs more time. Score your bread just before putting it into the oven. Slashing it with a very sharp razor blade or small serrated knife in quick motions – making any pattern you like. I usually do one deep cut down the center and two smaller slits on either side of that. Take the pot out of the oven and lower your bread into it using the parchment so as not to burn yourself. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 25 minutes or until a nice dark golden brown with a few almost burnt edges at the slash marks. Immediately remove from the pot (using the parchment again) and cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing it. HOW TO START (AND MAINTAIN) A SOURDOUGH STARTER Combine 1 cup of warm water with 1 cup of flour (i like to do a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat) in a small jar or container. Mix until thoroughly combined and the mixture is the consistency of thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit at room temperature until mixture begins to bubble and puff, 2 to 3 days. Once the starter begins to show signs of activity, begin regular feedings. Keep the starter at room temperature, and each day discard 80 percent of the starter and feed remaining starter with equal parts warm water and white-wheat flour mix, a half cup of each roughly. When starter begins to rise and fall predictably and takes on a slightly sour/tangy smell, it’s ready; this should take about 1 week. You can continue to keep the starter at room temp if you will be using it somewhat regularly If you will be using it more sparingly put it into the fridge and feed it once a week. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge and feed it a day or two before you need it. The night before you will make your bread, discard all but a few tablespoons of your starter and mix it with a cup of warm water, stirring to disperse it before mixing in a cup of flour. Let sit, covered with a towel at room temp for 12 hours. To test for readiness, drop a tablespoon into a bowl of room-temperature water; if it floats it’s ready to use. If it doesn’t, allow more time to ferment. You wont use all of the prepared starter in your dough so whatever is left over is your starter so continue to feed as above. Previous Next

< all recipes Sauteed Shishito Peppers Not much of a recipe here as these are so easy to make. If you can get your hands on some fresh ones at the farmers market they are a real end of summer treat. Sauteed Shishito Peppers Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 1-2 tbl toasted sesame oil (or a flavorless oil such as grapeseed or safflower) 1/2 lb shishito peppers 1-2 tsp kosher or flakey salt Print Preparation Heat the oil in a large cast iron or heavy saute pan until almost smoking. Put shishitos into the pan in a single layer. If you have something heavyish to place on top of them, like a smaller saute pan or a tea kettle, this will help blister more of the pepper surface. Let cook 2-3 minutes, toss and cook another minute. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Lentil Soup Soup is one of my all-time favorite food groups. Especially on a cold and rainy day like today, there really is nothing better than coming home to a steamy bowl of hearty goodness. For this reason, I make sure to always have a stash of dried goods (black beans, split peas, lentils, etc), but more importantly I like to have soup at the ready in my freezer. The beauty of soup is that you do not have to eat the same darn leftovers for the rest of the week. Instead, freeze the remaining soup in pint and/or quart containers – the pints are a perfect single serving for a night in or to bring to work, the quarts are great for two. Lentil soup is also a great recipe for the beginner cook – it is simple and straightforward but teaches some very useful techniques. It is also a great base from which to add your own flair and flavor: instead of carrots, add a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, or if you don’t have fresh thyme add 1tbl ground cumin in with the onions. Lentil Soup Serves: 6 quarts Ingredients 2 lbs green lentils, dried 2 yellow onions 2 lg carrots 2 cloves garlic 2 tbl fresh thyme ½ cup white wine 8-9 quarts stock/water (I use water to lower the sodium) 2 tbl kosher salt 2 tsp pepper Print Preparation Dice the onion and carrots. Mince the garlic or put through garlic press. Get your largest pot (at least at 10 quart!) and heat up a tablespoon or two of oil. Once hot, toss in the onions and carrots, turn the heat to medium and sprinkle in a tbl of salt. Stirring often, cook until the onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Add in the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir to get any bits stuck on the bottom. Add the lentils and water. Turn heat up until it reaches a boil, then reduce heat and let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes, until lentils are tender. To thicken the soup a bit, remove 2-3 cups of lentils and 1 cup of water – puree in a blender or with emersion blender and pour back into the pot. Taste and season with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Brussels Sprout Stir-Fry This is such a simple and fast recipe that really goes with any protein. I also just love the look of the whole stalk (although it can yield quite a bit more than 2 pints!). I went into this recipe assuming I had the grating/slicing attachment for my food processor but was already fully committed when I realized I would have to do it the old fashion way. It turned out to be pretty painless and was a great way to work on sharpening my knife skills (sorry, pun intended). Brussels Sprout Stir-Fry Serves: 4 side servings Ingredients 2 pints (32oz) Brussels sprouts 3-4 tbl toasted sesame oil 3-4 tbl soy sauce salt & pepper Sriracha (optional) Print Preparation Rinse the Brussels sprouts and remove any excess or brown stem. Slice thinly: using your basic knife, a mandolin, or food processor if you have the proper attachment. Heat the sesame oil in a large sauté pan until almost smoking, then toss in the Brussels sprouts and about a 1 tsp of salt. Allow the sprouts to char a bit but stir often so they don’t burn, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the ponzu, making sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom, and continue to cook until all the liquid is gone, about 3-5 minutes. Serve with Sriracha if you like some kick! Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Slow Cooked Chipotle Pork Tacos This past saturday was the last Duke basketball game of the season against our big rival UNC and so of course my first thought was about what food we should eat during the game. I also wanted something to amuse me since the game didn't start until 9 and I am a grandma. I did not think this through however, since this recipe takes very little time to prep - it just needs to do its thang on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. Now I had to find something to do waiting not only for the game to start but also for this deliciousness to be ready to eat! We ended up watching Big Hero 6 which I would highly recommend if large marshmallowy robots fighting evil and making fart jokes is your idea of a great saturday night...umm i mean sunday night after you know partying all weekend. Makes a pretty tasty open-faced sandy the next day too! Slow Cooked Chipotle Pork Tacos Serves: serves 6-8 Ingredients 2 tbl oil 1 lb lean, boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 4 oz chorizo sausage, raw or cooked 1 yellow onion, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup white wine 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 1-2 chipotle chiles en adobo, finely chopped and/or 1-2 tbl of just the adobo sauce 2 tbl dried oregano salt and pepper corn tortillas queso fresco, cotija, or other fresh farmers cheese (such as feta) avocado Print Preparation Remove chorizo from its casing and slice, if it is already cooked, or break up into pieces, if still raw. Season pork shoulder with salt, heat oil in a large cast iron pot, and add both meats to the pot. Do not stir for a minute or two to allow the meat to brown properly - once it has, stir and let brown again. Stir in onion and garlic, cook for a minute and then add the wine, scraping up all the tasty browned bits off the bottom. If using a slow cooker: transfer everything from the pot to slow cooker and continue with instructions. Add the tomatoes, chipotles (and or adobo sauce - depending on your heat tolerance) and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 2 1/2 - 3 hours in the pot or 5-6 hours in a slow cooker, until pork shreds easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado and crumbled cheese. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fig & Mascarpone Scones I have to admit that I started out the year feeling uninspired to cook and grocery shopping was just not going to happen given the frigid temperatures outside. But after a few days in the Caribbean sun, I felt rejuvenated and ready to get back to work. I don't know what caught my attention with this recipe, I don't usually go out of my way for figs (I have even been known to make fun of those who pick fig newtons as their cookie of choice) but whatever the reason, I sure am glad I tried these. They are incredibly moist and flakey almost like a biscuit but with a little more hefty goodness to them. A perfect scone. If figs aren’t your thing, swap in whatever you like! Apricots? Blueberries? Raisins? Toasted pecans? You get the idea. I doubled this recipe and put half in the freezer just in case I hit another cooking slump. They freeze beautifully and if you are already putting in the work, why not stock up for a rainy day - or the next polar vortex. Fig & Mascarpone Scones Serves: 10-12 scones Ingredients For the Scones: 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tbl baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt ½ cup chopped dried figs ¾ cup half and half (plus more for brushing tops of scones) 2 eggs ¼ cup mascarpone 2 tbl fig preserves or jam sugar in the raw, for dusting (optional) For the glaze: ¼ cup fig preserves or jam 2 to 3 tbl water Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut butter into small cubes and put into fridge while preparing other ingredients. In a large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter into dry ingredients: this can be done using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, a pastry blender, or your fingers. If using your hands, pinch butter cubes between fingers, working flour into the butter until about the size of an almond. Stir in chopped figs. In a different bowl, whisk together cream, mascarpone, eggs and 2 tbl of fig preserves. Add this into the flour mixture, mixing just until combined Scoop dough out onto a floured countertop and form into a disc about 1 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter (I used a 1½ inch cutter), cut out scones and place onto prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with half and half and sprinkle with sugar in the raw if desired.* Bake 15-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. While scones are cooking, make the glaze: in a small sauce pan over low heat, combine preserves and water. Cook, whisking often (to prevent the sugar in the jam from burning) until warmed through and the water has fully mixed into jam. Drizzle glaze over warm scones and serve immediately. *if you want to freeze scones, place on a parchment-lined flat surface (whatever will fit into your freezer) and place in freezer. Once frozen, scones can be put into a Ziploc bag and kept for up to [b]6 months[/b]. [br]There is no need to fully thaw before cooking, simply remove from freezer, place on parchment-lined baking sheet and continue with instructions. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Winter Squash & Kale Ragu This is a no frills no fuss kind of recipe that is delicious. Chris told me that was all I needed to say and not to overthink these things. Having forced him to eat this for a week straight at this point, I think he is allowed an opinion. Except I really need to share my latest discovery and obsession because they were the inspiration for the ragù recipe and will be making regular appearances this winter. Hudson Valley Harvest , founded in 2011, is a company dedicated to helping farmers expand their reach beyond the farmers market to large-scale buyers like restaurants, schools and other institutions. To do this they provide local farmers with the processing and packaging facilities to turn surplus produce into value-added and shelf-stable products which means a little extra (and often much needed) income for farmers and their families. The package labels even tell you exactly where the produce was grown and how many miles it traveled to be packaged (usually under 20). Oh and the BEST part of all this is that you can find these babies at Whole Foods and Fresh Direct! Winter Squash & Kale Ragu Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 tbl oil 8 oz spicy sausage or ground turkey* 1 yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz (about 2 cups) kale, chopped (I like frozen because it is already steamed and chopped) 2-3 tbl fresh sage, minced 1 cup white wine (or ¼ cup vinegar ¾ cup water) 1 cup tomato puree 2 cups butternut squash or pumpkin puree 2-3 cups pasta water, stock or water 1 lb pasta (i like gemelli but use your favorite) salt and pepper Parmesan for serving Print Preparation Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large sauté pan and remove the sausage from its casing, breaking it up into pieces. Add the sausage to the hot pan, breaking up any big clumps and stirring occasionally. Once the meat has some color and it mostly cooked through (5 minutes or so) add the onion and garlic to the pan, seasoning everything with a generous amount of salt. Cook until the onions are translucent (another 5-7 minutes) then add the kale and sage. If you are using frozen kale, cook until totally thawed, if using fresh kale, cover the pan to help create some steam and cook until the kale is tender - both will take about 5 minutes. Season again with salt and some pepper. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping the bottom to get any stubborn bits unstuck. Stir in the tomato and squash purees and turn the heat down while you cook the pasta. Season your pasta water and cook pasta according to package instructions. Ladle some pasta water into your ragù - as much or as little as you like depending on how thick you want the sauce (i like it nice and thick, a hearty stew consistency). Taste the sauce for seasoning, it will likely need salt and probably some pepper too. Drain the pasta and add it to the ragù. Serve hot with some freshly grated Parmesan. Notes *I like using a spicy pork or lamb sausage because they are more flavorful than ground turkey and they stay in bigger chunks which i can fish out later when picking at the leftovers - use less oil in the pan if using sausage as the fat in them renders out nicely coating the pan, ground turkey is usually quite lean so it will require more oil to start with. Also note that the meat is totally optional as this makes a deliciously hearty vegetarian/vegan dish as well. Previous Next hungry for more?