Pumpkin Tiramisu

I love pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but when I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Tiramisu in Food & Wine, I knew the pie might have to sit it out this year. I love anything involving lots and lots of lovely cream and the make ahead option for this was a double bonus. Another good sign? Everyone asked me for the recipe. 

One tip: I misread the recipe and made a happy mistake. Instead of reserving some of the cream to whip separately later, I whipped everything all of it in with the pumpkin. The result was perfectly delicious - and the pumpkin flavor was very mild. Also - this makes a big batch! I could also see cutting the recipe in half to make a smaller batch throughout the year.

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Serves 12

Time: 45 minutes PLUS overnight chilling

One 15-oz can of pumpkin puree

1/2 cup light brown sugar (NOT packed)

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups brewed coffee, cooled

Two 7oz packages dry ladyfingers

Chocolate shavings and candied ginger for garnish

In the bowl of a mixer, gently whisk together the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the mascarpone and 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream (NOTE: this is where I messed up and added all the cream by accident. You'll be fine either way). Beat the pumpkin mixture at medium speed until soft peaks form; do not over beat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the brewed coffee with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar until it's dissolved. Dip both sides of each ladyfinger in the coffee and arrange them in a single layer in a 4-quart trifle dish. Spread 1 cup of the pumpkin mousse on top. Repeat the layering 5 more times, or until your dish is nicely full, ending with a layer of the pumpkin mousse. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight. (Tip: Don't over dip the ladyfingers. They will soak the coffee up quickly and give to much liquid to the finished dessert if you dunk them. A nice dip on each side is all you need.)

I skipped this next part because I had already used all my cream...but I did add the chocolate shavings on top.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream over the tiramisu, garnish with shaved chocolate (and candied ginger if you like) and serve. 

Make ahead: The tiramisu can be refrigerated for 2 days.

Persimmon and Arugula Salad

Persimmons are one of my favorite fruits, partly because they always remind me of Thanksgiving. Since their season is so short, I always make a point of making this salad as much as possible while they last. The inspiration for this came from one of my favorite restaurants, Kokkari. I'm not sure I captured their original, but the key to the salad is the cheese. Manouri is a milder, sweeter cousin to feta and worth seeking out. If you can't find it, feta will do, but it's not quite the same. A mild farmer's cheese could also work.

Persimmon and Arugula Salad

Several handfuls of arugula (usually 1 per person)

1-3 Fuyu persimmons (they are the flat kind, not pointy)

Handful of roasted walnuts

Wedge of Manouri cheese

Juice and zest of 1 meyer lemon

1 teaspoon honey

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Peel and slice the persimmons and put them in a salad bowl along with the arugula. Crumble in walnuts as desired.

Zest the lemon. In a smaller bowl, place the lemon zest and juice from 1/2 of the lemon and whisk in 1 teaspoon of honey. Drizzle in olive oil to make the dressing - tasting and adjusting the acid, honey and salt/pepper to your satisfaction. I like the dressing to be just a little on the sweet side, but still a bit zingy.

Dress and toss the salad. Crumble Manouri on top as desired and serve immediately.

Forward Motion

The other day, I came home to find the former owners of our house, Gillian and Rita, parked outside, patiently waiting to see if someone might come home. When they introduced themselves I eagerly invited them in to have a look around. I had met them only once, when we closed on the house, and none of us could believe 10 years had passed! 

Before: decades and many layers of old paints and drips

It's funny how a visit like that can unstick you. Gillian and Rita were very complimentary as they walked from room to room, noticing color choices, how we had laid our our furniture, spaces we had opened up. They were so sweet! But there was something else. Suddenly, I realized - they were pleased because in ten years (10!) some things hadn't changed at all. 

The bookshelves Gillian had built downstairs (which we've been meaning to remove) were still in place. The bathroom's vintage tile (long overdue for a makeover) was still there. And the original kitchen cabinets from 1939, with all their many layers of paint and drips - yup - those were still there too. 

After: It's a whole new day! Clean and crisp. Just how we like it.

Of course, we love things vintage and we have many reasons for keeping some things they way we have. But, we've also been in the process of re-painting our kitchen for months now and haven't been able to finish it. It's like we've been stuck in a foggy maze of complacency.  

Within an hour of their departure though, I had the sander and paint out and was going at it. It felt great! Sometimes the universe gives you a kick in the pants just when you need it most. So here's to you Gillian and Rita. Thanks for that!

Ricotta Ravioli with Tomato Confit

Flat Stanley was in town last week so we were inspired to do something special to celebrate. Naturally this led to food… and pasta. (Duh).

Uncle B had been hankering to make this ravioli recipe for a while and at first I wasn't so into it because it seemed like a lot of work, which is really saying something for those of you who know me.

Let me tell you right now, this is the only ravioli recipe I plan to make for the rest of my life. Worth peeling those tomatoes for!!!

Ricotta Ravioli with Tomato Confit
(Ravioli di ricotta con conserva di pomodoro estivo)
Serves 4-6

1 batch Wet Egg Pasta (below)
6 Italian basil sprigs
6 summer savory of thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
10-15 Early Girl tomatoes or 40 cherry tomatoes, concassé (peeled) but kept whole
4 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds fresh sheep's milk ricotta
1 1/2 oz Grana Padano, grated (about 2/3 cup)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

Make the pasta dough.

Preheat the over to 250º.

Prepare the tomato concassé:

Put the herbs in a small high sided baking dish and place the tomatoes on top of the bed of herbs. The tomatoes should be tightly packed. Season them with salt and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the salt to be absorbed.

After 20 munites cover the tomatoes with the olive oil and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the tomatoes are very soft and tender. Make sure the tomatoes are fully submerged in oil at all times or they can bey out or burn. Add more oil if necessary.

When the pasta dough has rested, prepare the ravioli:

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and Grana. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Dot a sheet of pasta with 1 tablespoon-sized portions of the filling, spread evenly every 1/2 inch. Brush the sheets in between the filling with water. Top with another sheet of pasta to cover the filling. Starting at the bottom edge, use your thumb and forefinger to gently pinch out the air moving systematically from left to right working in rows.

Using a fluted edged cutter, cut the ravioli into squares.

Place ravioli on a floured, rimmed baking sheet. Place a clean dish towel on top of the pasta to prevent it from drying.

When the tomatoes are meltingly tender, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil.

Drop the ravioli into boiling salted water and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente. Drain the ravioli and transfer them to a bowl. Toss them with 1/4 cups of the tomato conserve oil. Spoon the tomatoes over the ravioli, pressing down on the tomatoes slightly until they release their juices, and drizzle with a little more conserve oil if you like. Serve immediately.

Note: Use the leftover oil (you'll have lots) for a new batch of tomatoes or in everyday cooking to make any soffritto. The tomato oil adds a delicious subtle herb and tomato background in any dish.

Tip on peeling tomatoes:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score the bottoms of the tomatoes with an x and core them. Lower a few tomatoes at a time into boiling water. Let the tomatoes cook just long enough for the skins to loosen or blister (about 15-20 seconds or less). Remove them and transfer to an ice-water bath. The skins will now peel off easily with your fingers or a pairing knife.

Wet Egg Pasta:
1 lb. all purpose flour (00)
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Weigh the ingredients and sift the flour.

Make a well in the flour. Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the salt and then add the eggs to the well. Gradually incorporate the flour into the liquid by pulling the flour from the sides of the well with a fork and mixing it into the liquid using a circular motion. When the liquid is fully incorporated, keep mixing until the dough forms into a shaggy mass and starts to come together. Form the dough into a ball and knead for about 8 to 10 minutes until is has a uniform color and springs back to the touch. Divide the ball into two equal pieces, roll into balls and wrap them in plastic. Let the pasta dough rest for at least 1 hour to hydrate the dough.