What says summer more than an icebox pie? With those long, warm days now a memory, I'm recalling just such a dessert I made a few weeks ago. Adapted from the November 2008 issue of Food & Wine, I opted to add a bit more gelatin for texture and make the jam component with half of the sugar, since one cup seemed too much for even my sweet tooth.
Lime-Blackberry Icebox Pie
2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons lime zest
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 9-inch graham cracker crust
In a saucepan, simmer the blackberries for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Stir in the sugar and cook until the mixture is thick and jammy, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
In a heatproof bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water; let stand until softened and cooled. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the condensed milk, cream, lime zest, lime juice and gelatin until soft peaks form. Spread the cooled blackberry jam over the crust; top with the lime cream and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm. Serve.
Traditional Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Mix ingredients until combined. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides a 9-inch pie pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Ricotta
Sure, those tomatoes at the store look lovely, but most have no flavor. So, wait until you've got a couple of handfuls of red, orange and yellow gems before making this recipe, adapted from On Top of Spaghetti. I used a few tablespoons of sweet onion instead of shallot and a little less olive oil, as well as omitted the sherry vinegar, and the results were spectacular.
Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Ricotta
1 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot or sweet onion
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup mixed herbs, chopped (basil, thyme, chives, fresh oregano)
1 pound pasta
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Grana Padano (optional)
Mix the ricotta and parsley, along with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
In another small bowl, mix the shallot or onion with vinegar; allow to soften and get a little more mild while the pasta cooks. Core and dice the tomatoes. Just before the pasta is done, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, onion and vinegar. Check for seasoning.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Put a large spoonful or two of ricotta on each serving of pasta. Garnish with Grana Padano, if desired.
Fresh Ricotta
While you can easily get a quality whole milk ricotta cheese at your local market, there's something to be said for making it at home. This ricotta tastes so good, you'll be tempted to eat it right out of the cheesecloth, with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Some recipes call for lemon juice and heavy cream, but you'll have a time trying to get ultra-pasteurized heavy cream to curdle, no matter how much acid you use... and that's often all that's available at some grocers. Keep in mind that with this recipe, adapted from Michael Chiarello, you'll only get about 1 1/2 to 2 cups ricotta total, so consider making a double batch.
1/2 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
Pour the milk and buttermilk into a large nonreactive saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring the mixture frequently to prevent scorching. Once the mixture is warm, stop stirring. As the milk heats, curds will begin to rise and clump on the surface. As the curds begin to form, gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to release any stuck curds.
When the mixture reaches 175 to 180 degrees on a candy thermometer, the curds and whey will separate. Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly ladle the curds into a sieve lined with cheesecloth placed over a large bowl. Lift the sides of the cloth to help the liquid drain and try to avoid pressing on the curds. Allow the ricotta to drain until the dripping stops, approximately 15 minutes.
Place ricotta in an airtight container. Refrigerate and use within 1 week.
Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Ricotta
1 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot or sweet onion
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup mixed herbs, chopped (basil, thyme, chives, fresh oregano)
1 pound pasta
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Grana Padano (optional)
Mix the ricotta and parsley, along with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
In another small bowl, mix the shallot or onion with vinegar; allow to soften and get a little more mild while the pasta cooks. Core and dice the tomatoes. Just before the pasta is done, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, onion and vinegar. Check for seasoning.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Put a large spoonful or two of ricotta on each serving of pasta. Garnish with Grana Padano, if desired.
Fresh Ricotta
While you can easily get a quality whole milk ricotta cheese at your local market, there's something to be said for making it at home. This ricotta tastes so good, you'll be tempted to eat it right out of the cheesecloth, with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Some recipes call for lemon juice and heavy cream, but you'll have a time trying to get ultra-pasteurized heavy cream to curdle, no matter how much acid you use... and that's often all that's available at some grocers. Keep in mind that with this recipe, adapted from Michael Chiarello, you'll only get about 1 1/2 to 2 cups ricotta total, so consider making a double batch.
1/2 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
Pour the milk and buttermilk into a large nonreactive saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring the mixture frequently to prevent scorching. Once the mixture is warm, stop stirring. As the milk heats, curds will begin to rise and clump on the surface. As the curds begin to form, gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to release any stuck curds.
When the mixture reaches 175 to 180 degrees on a candy thermometer, the curds and whey will separate. Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly ladle the curds into a sieve lined with cheesecloth placed over a large bowl. Lift the sides of the cloth to help the liquid drain and try to avoid pressing on the curds. Allow the ricotta to drain until the dripping stops, approximately 15 minutes.
Place ricotta in an airtight container. Refrigerate and use within 1 week.
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