Asparagus Lasagna

Last Friday kicked off quite the weekend of cooking- I got to try out some new recipes and spend time with some of my wonderful friends and family! But after cooking three out of the past four days straight, I'm definitely ready for a breather- hence tonight's leftover spaghetti squash and tomato soup dinner. Leftovers, gotta love 'em.

But back to Friday, and the afore-mentioned new recipes. My friends Dana and Dave came over Friday to catch up, eat, and- exciting news- discuss my kitchen renovation plans!! I love my little condo, but the kitchen cabinets and counters are sadly stuck in the 80's. Hopefully with Dave's help, that will soon be an unpleasant memory and I'll have a great new kitchen.

Since I was working until 5:30 on Friday and my friends were arriving around 7:30, I had to plan my attack carefully. Thursday night, I paged through some of my go-to cookbooks and found Giada's recipe for asparagus lasagna, which sounded perfect- a classic with a twist that I could prepare right after work, then relax with my friends. I hate having friends over and then being chained to the kitchen sauteeing or assembling, so recipes which can be made ahead of time and just stuck in the oven are ideal.

(photo courtesy FoodNetwork.com...
but I promise, mine looked almost as pretty!)

This was fairly easy to assemble, and I love the idea of using a sun-dried tomato pesto instead of a typical marinara. Before making the Whole Foods run, I read some of the reader reviews for this recipe on FoodNetwork.com, which indicated that dryness could be an issue with the noodles. I decided to substitute a can of diced tomatoes for one of the two recommended sun-dried tomato jars and was really happy with the result.

The only issue I had with this recipe is that although it calls for pancetta (yay! Italian bacon!), there's no indication what to do with the pancetta once you've sauteed and drained it. Oops! As a result, my lasagna was completely assembled before I realized the omission, so I just sprinkled it on top. It ended up being fine and probably helped get the pancetta pieces a little more crispy, but I may try adding it into the filling next time. I suppose we'll never know what Giada intended!

(Poor homeless pancetta!)

(Dear Giada, where does the
pancetta go?! Love, Dana)

So aside from these small issues, the preparation for this lasagna went smoothly. The ricotta cheese filling is mixed with sauteed chopped onions and asparagus, then layered with the sun-dried tomato pesto (sorry, no pics of that... operating both a food processor and a camera strains my meager technical abilities!), noodles, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.

(asparagus filling prep)

(asparagus and onions sauteeing)

(Ooh... lasagna cross-section)

The final step is to dot the top with butter in preparation for baking, and from there I just wrapped the lasagna and let it hang out until we were ready for dinner. Happily, this was a first-time recipe that worked out beautifully- everyone loved it and impressively, the four of us were able to polish off the entire dish (and a few bottles of wine never hurt!). Maybe I'll make it next to break in my soon-to-be NEW kitchen!

(Pre-baking, assembled lasagna)

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna sheets, fresh or dried
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 2 (8.5 oz.) jars sun-dried tomatoes, drained (*or substitute one 12 oz. can of diced tomatoes, and their liquid)
  
• 1 1/2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus 3/4 cup
• 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (15 oz.) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta or 2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta. Drain pasta.

In a food processor combine the sun-dried tomatoes and basil (and diced tomatoes if using). Pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set aside.

In a large skillet brown the pancetta until crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ricotta, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish sprinkle some of the sun-dried tomato mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place some lasagna sheets, then half asparagus mixture. Next sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and some of the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Continue for 1 more layer. Top with lasagna sheets, some sun-dried tomato mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Add pancetta to top and dot the top with butter. Bake until the ingredients are warm and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash "Cacio e Pepe"

I love all vegetables, but there are some that I REALLY love, and that favored list includes spaghetti squash. So what better to make for a lazy Saturday lunch for myself?


Spaghetti squash was a total mystery to me until this fall, when I read this recipe on the amazing blog "Always Order Dessert" written by Reamonn's friend Alejandra. When I tried it out, I couldn't believe that I'd never made spaghetti squash before- it is so easy and delicious! As I've mentioned, I adore pasta and am constantly looking out for ways to make a heaping bowl of pasta a little healthier. This, similar to the zucchini/squash pasta preparation, is the perfect way to get that "big bowl of pasta" comfort food feeling and feel a little healthier too.

I loved Alejandra's sage and brown butter preparation, but my go-to for spaghetti squash lately has been a sort of "cacio e pepe"- a play on the traditional Roman black pepper and Pecorino Romano pasta. It really couldn't be simpler- after steaming the squash, I toss the strands with olive oil, lemon juice, a little butter, salt, cracked black pepper, and lots of Parmesan cheese. It's very flexible to pantry items; if I have cream in the fridge, I'll toss in a spoon of that as well to coat the strands, and sometimes add in some chopped Italian parsley or arugula (which I had today, yum) for color and a little additional flavor. It's comforting and delicious, the perfect bowl to curl up with on the couch during a lazy hour of tv watching.

Ingredients
*1 spaghetti squash
*Good extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon
*Butter, 1 tablespoon
* Lemon juice, to taste (roughly 1/2 tablespoon)
*Grated Parmesan or Peccorino Romano cheese, 1 tablespoon
*Chopped Italian parsley or baby arugula leaves, 1 tablespoon
* salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use a sharp knife to split the spaghetti squash in half. Place both halves face down in a roasting pan filled with about an inch of water, and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the skin of the squash pierces it easily. Flip the squash and cook, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes.


Let cool. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the seeds from the middle of the squash. Then, use a fork to scrape the flesh of the squash away from the skin- it should pull off in thin strands, like spaghetti.


Toss the spaghetti squash with butter, olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, parsley or arugula, salt, and pepper.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love, La Dolce Bacon

Zucchini and Yogurt Farfalle

Sometimes I head home from class with an ingredient in my mind, waiting for me in the fridge for a quick preparation. Tuesday night, I had butternut squash on my mind- I'd bought a package of pre-cubed squash a few nights prior and was looking forward to my first time cooking with it. Since it had been a long day of work and class, I was picturing an Ina Garten butternut squash risotto recipe; something warm and comforting seemed just the thing for that evening.

Unfortunately, my plans hit a snag in the form of some suspicious mold on the squash. Walking the two blocks to Whole Foods was definitely not in my energy level, so I had to figure out a Plan B involving the next fresh vegetable in my fridge: two zucchini. Thankfully, I remembered a recipe that I got this summer at the U Street farmer's market and it proved to be just what I wanted after a long day.

Pasta is my ultimate comfort food, and adding zucchini to the pasta is something I love to do once I tried this recipe the first time; somehow it feels just a little bit healthier and more virtuous than a straight bowl of pasta, and it looks so pretty. Spring is unfortunately still a few weeks away here in D.C., but when I eat this, it doesn't seem quite so far away.

(leaning tower of Zucchini)

The method here couldn't be simpler- wash and grate zucchini while salted water boils for pasta, add pasta (I like farfalle or ziti with this); cook pasta for roughly 6-8 minutes until it is a little bit more than al dente (about 1-2 minutes from being perfectly cooked) and then add the zucchini to the pot; drain pasta and zucchini together; toss Greek yogurt, butter, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the pot and stir together; add pasta and zucchini; toss; eat.

(that's it!)

Well, almost- I had to add a meat product, so some salami seemed just the thing. But that part is entirely optional, although I definitely think most things are better with pork products (sorry, Mom!).

I also think that this sauce is really versatile, as a nice alternative to a heavy cream or Alfredo-style sauce for pasta, and it even keeps well- just add a splash of water when reheating the pasta and sauce to bring it back to life after the microwave.


Ingredients
-Serves 1-2

* 1/2 lb. farfalle or other small pasta
* 2 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded on a grater
* 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
* 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
* Nutmeg
* Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the farfalle until just before al dente (roughly 6-8 minutes). About 1 minute before the pasta is done, add the shredded zucchini to the pot. Cook for 1 minute more and drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

2. Melt the butter over low heat in the pot, then remove from heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese, then season with the lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.

3. Add the farfalle, zucchini, and reserved pasta water to the pot and cook over low heat, tossing until the sauce coats the pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and cracked pepper.

Blog Redesign

I spotted this a few days ago- and really, what could be more appropriate for this blog? May I present "La Dolce Bacon, with bacon!"

Ribollita "Winter Soup"

It's a cliche for a reason: there's really nothing more comforting and soothing after a long, cold day in early February than a huge pot of soup. About a month ago, I was browsing "Barefoot Contessa at Home" for the seventh or so time, and this recipe just tugged at me- loaded with Italian white beans, sourdough bread, kale, and of course, smoky pancetta, it seemed the perfect thing to warm up my apartment and myself during a D.C. winter. As soon as I polished off my first bowl, I was hooked.

This isn't a soup that you taste in delicate sips- it's meaty and robust, and wonderfully filling without being leaden in your stomach afterward. Plus, it makes a BIG pot, which is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you want a nice project for an hour or so, and enough payoff for a few leftover meals. It's almost ridiculous how many times I've made this in the past month, yet I'm not even slightly sick of it yet.

I hate to mess with genius, but there are a few aspects of Ina's recipe that I had to tweak to make this soup my own. First, the meat. The first time I made this, I faithfully used pancetta but was disappointed- the smoky aroma dissipated in the soup, leaving fairly bland chunks of pancetta and almost no flavor in the broth. So, I made a switch to smoked BACON (of course!) and was amazed at the improvement. The bacon really infuses its flavor into the vegetable aromatics that make up the base of the soup, and makes the whole dish taste much more complex and delicious. And I swear that's not just my bacon prejudice talking!

(Mmmm... aromatics and bacon...)

Since my crazy life schedule doesn't exactly allow for the planning and execution of something like soaking dried beans overnight, I've used canned cannellini (white kidney) beans instead. Just make sure to rinse off the liquid from the cans before adding them to the soup or food processor. In addition, since there is no "bean soaking liquid", I just use a little chicken stock in the puree step. Sorry, Ina... I promise to try it your way sometime, I swear! I've included both preparations for the recipe below, so definitely let me know if I'm missing out by ignoring the dried beans.

I also like to drop in a Parmesan cheese rind once the chicken stock has been added, so that there's enough liquid for the rind to release its flavors into the broth. I read this article last year, which gave me the impetus to grab a container of Parmesan rinds at Whole Foods to keep in the freezer for such occasions as this soup. Adding one or two to a pot gives a savory layer of flavor to the soup and also ties in nicely when you add a sprinkling of cheese on top of the finished dish.

(Cheesy goodness!)

Finally, I prefer to use a heartier wheat bread for the bread cubes than Ina's recommended sourdough, but you should feel free to try both versions. I like that the wheat bread has more of an earthy, nutty taste- it seems to go with this peasant-y soup to me. I also decreased the amount of bread cubes, since this bad boy can get pretty dense (albeit delicious!).

(I heart carbs)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini (or 2 cans beans)
  
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 1/4 pound large diced pancetta (or smoked bacon)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage
  
• 4 cups coarsely chopped kale
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

If using dried beans: In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.

Step 1 if using canned beans; Step 2 if using dried beans: Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta/bacon and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, the kale, and the basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

If using dried beans: Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid.

If using canned beans: Rinse the beans in water.

Next step for both preparations: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid (or chicken stock if using canned beans). Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups (or just add 8 cups stock if using canned beans). Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread cubes to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil. Enjoy!

(Not the prettiest to look at, but trust me,
you won't be able to stop eating it!)

Goodbye Glasses, Hello Cupcake!

To celebrate my first day of post-Lasik vision, I swung by Hello Cupcake on my way home from the eye doctor and picked up the "pastry chef's special": pink lemonade cake with lemon-cream cheese frosting. Definitely a delicious decision!