Chalibu

Fava Bean and Radish Bruschetta

Original recipe from the Kitchn

Fava beans are TOTALLY worth the trouble. These are amazing.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh fava beans, shelled
• 3 medium radishes, julienned (about ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
• Maldon or other sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 16 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese (my favorite is Belfiore)

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook fava beans for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water. Let cool and then drain. Slip the outer skin off each bean and discard the skin. Place the beans in a large bowl and coarsely mash with a fork leaving some beans whole or in chunks.

Stir in the radishes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mint leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Brush olive oil over both sides of the baguette slices and bake until lightly toasted. Rub toasts with garlic. Spread a layer of fresh ricotta cheese on each toast and then spoon the fava bean mixture on top. Sprinkle a little extra salt on top and serve.

Servings: 8

♫ Music Pairing: Felt – Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow

One of my fave Felt tracks, from 1984.

Kartupeli ar Dillem (Boiled Potatoes with Dill)

Original recipe from Saveur

Saveur is by far my favorite non-vegetarian food magazine. The writing and photos are beautiful and fascinating, even when the food isn’t something I’m interested in cooking or eating. It’s constantly turning me on to a world of cuisine that I would never learn about or think to research. I came across this Latvian recipe for potatoes in an article last May. They are simply delicious and decadent. I frequently find myself with large quantities of leftover dill (especially after making Matzo Ball Soup), and this is the perfect dish to use it all up. Serve these with breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds small Yukon Gold or new potatoes, unpeeled
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot with sour cream, dill, butter, salt, and pepper. Cover pan with lid and shake until potatoes are well coated.

Servings: 6

♫ Music Pairing: The Jealous Sound – Promise of the West

Nine years after their debut record the Jealous Sound are finally back with a quality album full of great songs.

Pre-order the colored vinyl here

Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentils

Original recipe from Vegetarian Times

Making the foil packets is super easy. They don’t have to look pretty or anything. There are great flavors going on here! The raisins are key, so don’t skip them. As suggested, I serve this over quinoa.

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely diced sweet potato
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup fresh green beans, sliced into small pieces
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 ½ cups cooked lentils or 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular “bowl” with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.

2. Combine sweet potato, bell pepper, green beans, and raisins in medium bowl. Add oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Whisk together broth, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in small bowl.

4. Divide sweet potato mixture among packets; top with 1/3 cup lentils. Pour 1/4 cup broth mixture over lentils, and season with salt and pepper. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and crimp edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer packets to baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: LaVern Baker – Soul on Fire

Simply one of the best songs EVER, plus she wrote it herself (rare for a female vocalist in 1957).

Mashed Potato Soup

Original recipe from Gourmet

I made this dish for our supper club’s decades theme. It is a surprisingly flavorful soup and is very quick and easy. What a great way to use up leftover potatoes! Use whatever mashed potato recipe you like.

Ingredients

• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 small rib of celery including the leaves, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
• 2 cups no-chicken broth (such as Imagine)
• ¼ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
• 2 ½ cups mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon white  vinegar
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a large saucepan cook the onion, celery, and carrot in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the broth and the rosemary, and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the potatoes, a little at a time, bring the soup to a boil, whisking, and stir in the vinegar, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: Bjork – Crystalline (Omar Souleyman Version)

Omar Souleyman is the ultimate music to cook by.

Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas

Original recipe from Donna Klein’s The Tropical Vegan Kitchen

I love looking through food blogs and websites and I am constantly bookmarking new recipes to make. I even came up with a somewhat silly, but useful Excel spreadsheet that I can sort by type of dish, season, etc. But as much as I love checking out recipes online, as well as in books and magazines, I always find that the best recipes are the ones recommended to me by my friends. My #1 advisor is my friend Sarah. She is always sending me suggestions and I know that a Sarah-approved recipe is going to be good. She created our Ladies Supper Club, plus she and I have a lot of similar taste and dietary preferences. Sarah sent me a link to this recipe back in April and I made it four days later. It is crazy delicious, as are most soups involving both coconut milk and curry. Sarah added chard and zucchini in her version and upped the spices. As she noted, this is a great customizable recipe that you can easily change up to fit your needs.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups vegetable broth (I used no-chicken bouillon cubes + water)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• ¾ cup cooked brown rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Servings: 4

Similar soups previously featured on Chalibu:

• Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew
• Harira
• Summer Vegetable Soup with Pasta and Beans

♫ Music Pairing: Gang Gang Dance – Glass Jar

I love all eleven plus minutes. EPIC.

Roasted Carrots and Cheesy Polenta in Brown Butter Sauce

Original Polenta recipe from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Original Brown Butter recipe from Smitten Kitchen

This meal came together by accident. My Sunday afternoon plans fell through at the last minute and I found myself with a long relaxing day at home. We had already had a small breakfast, but it was approaching lunch-time (or at least brunch-time) and I wanted something comforting. I’m still at the stage with my cooking where I use and stick to recipes most of the time, but I’ve been trying to be better about using up what I have on hand and the skills I’ve begun to acquire. I used Mark Bittman’s polenta recipe as a starting point, and I’ve made brown butter the Smitten Kitchen way many times. I had a big bag of carrots taking up room in the fridge and we almost always keep some coarse cornmeal in the cabinet. I added the parsley for its green color; cilantro or basil would be even better in my opinion. Note: I was feeling ultra-decadent when I put this together, and the results were rich, or as my friends Jody & Alice would say, slutty. Feel free to lighten it up for everyday use.

Ingredients

• 8 large carrots, sliced in half and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup cream (milk is fine/better)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup coarse cornmeal
• 1/3 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• a couple handfuls chopped parsley, cilantro, or basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Arrange carrots in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Pour olive oil over the carrots and add a teaspoon of salt and a ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir to combine. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until fork-tender and browned in places.

3. Combine the cream and water with a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and immediately add the cornmeal in a slow stream while whisking the mixture. Turn the heat to low and simmer, whisking frequently to prevent lumps, for 10 – 15 minutes. The polenta should be about the thickness of sour cream. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese, some pepper, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add more salt if needed.

4. In a medium pot, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons (half a stick) butter over medium-low heat. Stir frequently. Wait for it to start to turn brown and smell nutty. Turn off heat.

5. For each plate: place a large scoop of polenta in the center and arrange half the carrots on top. Pour half the brown butter over everything, and top with half the parsley.

Servings: 2

♫ Music Pairing: Nasrat Parsa – Aroosi

My boyfriend and I had the honor of DJing our good friends’ wedding on Saturday. Included in their song mix was a bunch of Afghan and Bollywood music. This Nasrat Parsa song was one of my favorites.

Vegetarian Chili

Original recipe from CHOW

I know chili isn’t always associated with summer, but here in Northern California it rarely gets hot enough for a steaming bowl to ever sound like a bad idea. Plus chili might just be the easiest and tastiest way to eat your beans and veggies. This recipe is super simple and it makes enough for multiple leftovers.   

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, medium dice
• 1 carrot, medium dice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
• 1 zucchini, medium dice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Quartered lime pieces, for garnish
• Crumbled cotija cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the bell pepper and zucchini to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Add the cumin and chili powder and stir to incorporate. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are knife tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the beans, water, and can of tomatoes (with their juices) and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the vegetables are soft and the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve and garnish as desired.

Servings: 6 - 8

♫ Music Pairing: Lil Wayne – Gucci Gucci

Other than Tha Carter III, I think I like Weezy’s mixtapes even more than his albums. Sorry 4 the Wait is full of super jams. Here he puts his stamp of approval all over Oakland-native, Kreayshawn.

Kreayshawn “Gucci Gucci” video

Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions

Original recipe from CHOW

This soup is surprisingly hearty and flavorful.    

Ingredients

• ¾ cup quinoa
• 8 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• ½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and small dice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 3 cups thinly sliced spinach leaves
• 4 ounces feta cheese, small dice (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and the 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the white outer casings on the quinoa have popped, revealing translucent little beads, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Strain the quinoa through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large heatproof bowl. Measure the quinoa liquid and add water as needed to make 6 cups; set the quinoa and cooking liquid aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to soften, adjusting the heat as necessary so that the garlic doesn’t brown, about 3 minutes.

 4. Add the reserved cooking liquid and half of the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.

5. Add the cooked quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions and simmer until the spinach just begins to wilt, about 3 minutes more. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: Ford & Lopatin – Joey Rogers

Undeniably the #1 uber-jam off the new album, Channel Pressure, from the group formerly known as Games.

Broccoli-Edamame Soup with Jumbo Goat Cheese Croutons

Original recipe from Vegetarian Times

This is a great soup to make any day of the year. I used Redwood Hill Farm’s Bucheret that I bought at Sacred Wheel Cheese and Specialty Market for the croutons, but you can also omit the cheese entirely and have tasty garlic croutons instead.    

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 1 pound broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices from baguette
• Olive oil to brush the baguette slices
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 ounces aged goat cheese, thinly sliced (8 slices), optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté 10 minutes. Stir in ½ cup broth, scraping bottom of pot to lift off any brown bits. Add remaining 5 ½ cups broth, edamame, broccoli, and minced garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake 6 minutes, or until crunchy on both sides. Remove from oven, and rub the baguette slices with the garlic clove. Arrange cheese (if using) over toasts. Return to oven, and bake 6 minutes more, or until cheese has softened.

3. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until creamy. Serve each bowl of soup with l – 2 croutons in the center

Servings: 4 - 6

♫ Music Pairing: Mogwai – Letters to the Metro

It’s been a while since a Mogwai song really struck me like this one.

Baked Kale Chips

Original recipe from smitten kitchen

By now everyone knows about kale chips, right? They’re delicious, insanely easy to make, and they’re good for you. Go buy some kale!        

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the stems and tough center ribs from the kale. Tear into large pieces. Place leaves on the baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp.

♫ Music Pairing: Sinéad O’Connor – Troy

A case where a song from my angst-filled teen years holds up and then some.

Video

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Original recipe from smitten kitchen

I’ve never been a fan of this style of sandwich. I think it has to do with the amount of mayonnaise involved in most “salad” sandwiches and the way that tuna reminds me, in both looks and smell, of cat food. This recipe is different. It has two big things going for it: 1) it is a very tasty combination of ingredients, and 2) those ingredients are readily available. Specifically, I think of this as something that should be featured in that Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s book. Maybe it already is? I’ve never actually looked at it. Trader Joe’s is not my favorite store, especially for produce, but it’s the closest large store to our home, and sometimes after work the ease factor and price are just right. If you go that route, buy one of their tiny cans of pre-sliced olives, a jar of roasted red peppers, and their yummy tahini sauce (near the hummus in the refrigerated section). This recipe will make 4 large sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 tablespoons sliced black olives
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon
• Large pinch of salt
• A few grinds of black pepper
• 4 – 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 jar roasted red bell peppers
• 8 slices whole-grain bread
• Tahini sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Mix everything but the olive oil in a medium bowl. Mash the chickpea mixture with the back of a fork or a potato masher. You should end up with some parts being very mashed and holding together some bigger pieces. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. You could eat it straight-up at this point or over some mixed greens, but it is really perfect on a sandwich.

2. Toast two slices of bread. Slather one side of each slice with tahini sauce (I prefer Trader Joe’s brand, but you can also easily make your own), if using. Put ¼ of the chickpea salad on one slice of bread, top it with half a roasted pepper and the other slice of bread. Cut in half and serve. Repeat with other 3 sandwiches or refrigerate the leftovers for future use.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: Junior Boys – Playtime

This new Junior Boys track is simply gorgeous.  

Old Bay-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Original recipe from Martha Stewart

The first time I tried to buy Old Bay seasoning was at the Safeway on College Ave. in Oakland. Even though I had never used it or consciously seen it in someone’s home, I was pretty sure it was a very standard item, just the kind of thing that Safeway would carry. I think I spent almost 30 minutes on the phone with my best friend and food guru, Heather, while I searched every shelf. I ended up having to substitute a mix of spices. Typical Safeway being typically crappy.

When I came across this sweet potato recipe, I decided to give it another go. Finding it at Berkeley Bowl was a breeze. This recipe is ridiculously easy and sweet potatoes are soooo good for you!      

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes, olive oil, and Old Bay seasoning. Bake until potatoes are deep golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: Waka Flocka Flame – Grove St. Party feat. Kebo Gotti

This has been my favorite song for months now. It’s a party!

Music Video (LOVE!)

Waka loves animals!

Pasta Alla Norma

Original recipe from Saveur

I’m back! Finally! I finished my last final this morning and I plan on catching up on the recipe back-log over the summer. For real this time!

I adore eggplant in pretty much any form. Combine it with spicy pasta and I will eat the entire bowl. This dish is just marvelous; I get why it was featured in the Saveur 100: Chef’s Edition. I couldn’t resist making it during the winter when almost all of the ingredients were out of season, but I can only imagine how amazing it will be this summer. I’ll also completely understand if you need to make it tonight instead.    

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, cut into 3/4″ cubes
• 7 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28-ounce can chopped San Marzano tomatoes, undrained
• 16 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 4 ounces ricotta salata, grated (omit or replace to make it vegan)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 500º. Put eggplant into a bowl and drizzle with 4 tbsp. oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Transfer eggplant to 2 baking sheets and bake, turning occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat remaining oil in a 5-quart. pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add chile flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and half the basil, season with salt, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to tomato sauce. Stir in reserved eggplant and toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil and season with salt. Garnish with ricotta salata.

Servings: 4

♫ Music Pairing: Wild Beasts – Bed of Nails

It took me a little while to get used to the singing style, but now I’m obsessed with their new album, Smother.

Live version on Later with Jools Holland

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

Original recipe by Lidia Bastianich

I made this dish in January for our annual Ladies Supper Club Secret Santa dinner. My friend is a big fan of both acorn squash and goat cheese, so I figured this would be right up her alley. The butternut squash pasties and salted caramel sauce recipes I previously posted were also from this dinner.    

Ingredients

• 3 pounds acorn squash (1 large or 2 small ones)
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons or more crumbled goat cheese
• 1 pint balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, shaking them up once or twice, until lightly colored and fragrant. Set aside and leave oven on.

2. With a sharp vegetable peeler, strip off the peel from the protruding ridges of the squash. You don’t need to peel more than this: leaving the rest of the peel will help the squash to retain its shape and looks nice too. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out all the seeds and fibers. Place each half cut side down; cut semicircular slices of squash, all about 1 inch thick.

3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Spread the acorn slices in a single layer and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat.

 4. Bake about 20 minutes then flip the pieces over. Bake another 15 minutes or so, until the squash is just tender all the way through (poke with a fork to check) and nicely caramelized on the edges.

5. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place over moderate heat. Stir in the honey, drop in the bay leaf and bring to a low boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and allow the vinegar to reduce slowly. After 30 minutes or so, the vinegar will start to appear syrupy. Reduce the vinegar even more, until it approaches a quarter of its original volume. Slow bubbles will rise from the syrup, and it will take on the consistency of honey, leaving a thick coating on a spoon. Pour it through a small strainer into a heat-proof bowl.

6. Refresh the squash pieces with drizzles of olive oil, sprinkles of salt. Scatter the almond slivers over, and then streaks or swirls of warm balsamic reduction. Finally, crumble bits of cheese all over.

7. Extra balsamic reduction can be stored in the refrigerator.

♫ Music Pairing: Lil B – I’m Heem

I can’t believe I finally get to see the Based God perform tonight!!! Super rare posi times are coming my way.

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties

Original recipe by the kitchn

I’ve never liked onions. It has to do with texture way more than flavor. For most of my life I’ve done my best to avoid them, using “hold the onions” as my motto. But then I started cooking. It’s not that I suddenly like onions now, but I certainly have a lot of respect for them. They’re called for in the majority of savory recipes I use, and I dutifully chop them up. I know how essential they are to so many of the soups and sauces, Indian and Italian meals, and stewed bean dishes that I love. I still won’t go near a fried onion ring or a big hunk of raw onion, but I’ve gotten way better about my onion hatred. I’ve also learned about the different colors and varieties of onions. Red onions are the easiest for me to get behind with their sweet and mild flavor. I probably would have avoided these pasties a few years ago, but now I know they are absolutely delicious!   

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• Salt
• 2/3 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 6-8 tablespoons ice water
• 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Put flour and a pinch of salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time, pulsing between additions, until the dough just holds together. Shape dough into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

2. Before rolling out the dough, let it soften for a couple minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out two to four circles using a plate or bowl as a guide.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F.

4. In a large bowl, combine butternut squash, onion, garlic, sage, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.

5. Spoon mixture over half of each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper.

6. Moisten the edges of the dough with beaten egg. With cool hands, fold the pastry over and crimp the edges. Cut a small slit in the top of each pasty. Brush all over with beaten egg.

7. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

♫ Music Pairing: Pebbles – Mercedes Boy

I usually just associate this song with License to Drive, but recently it’s been my uber-jam.

Video