Roundup: Mid Century Munchies - Mad Men Season 7!!!

Dust off your martini glasses and get out your finest mod attire because...
IT'S HERE!!

Image Courtesy of AMCTV.com

The long awaited premier of Mad Men Season 7. 

It's hurts me to even utter these words but as you probably know, this is going to be Mad Men's final season. Over the past few years I've celebrated these momentous premier nights by cooking up some easy yet elegant Sixties-inspired dishes and hors d'oeuvres. Whether you're hosting a premier party or just want to amp up your own viewing pleasure with some tasty morsels, we've got two totally doable multi-course menus (plus drinks!) to choose from:

Mad Men Menu 1 - Retro Food Redux
Mad Men Menu 2 - Sixties-Inspired Party Bites

At the very least, please mix yourself a nice stiff drink while you watch the drama unfold. This season is sure to surprise, and it's only right that we send off our favorite angsty ad execs with a toast! Enjoy and thanks for the memories, Don. 

Dinner in 20 - Fusilli with Classic Pesto (& Pomegranate!)

Around here, weeknight dinners are rarely more than a thirty minute affair, but when I'm looking for something even faster (case of the Mondays, anyone?) a simple pasta meal is always my go-to. Seeing as it's Meatless Monday, I'm sharing our latest recipe for traditional pesto (check out two more unique versions here and here) perfectly sized for a quick and hearty meal for two. If you're open to a tasty and unexpected twist, follow our lead and sprinkle tart, crunchy pomegranate arils for an extra antioxidant punch. Enjoy! 

Fusilli with Classic Pesto (+ Pomegranate!) Photo: NK 

Classic Pesto for Two + Pomegranate
Serves 2 as a hearty main course

Ingredients: 
1/2 Pound Pasta of your choice - (we love Fusilli - the shape really lends itself to pesto!)
1 1/2 Cups whole Basil Leaves, lightly packed
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (substitute finely chopped walnuts or almonds)
3 large Garlic Cloves
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 Cup grated Parmigiana Cheese + more for serving
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Several pinches Black Pepper
A squeeze of Lemon Juice, optional
Crushed Red Pepper, optional
3 Tablespoons Pomegranate Arils, optional


Method:

1. Set a pot of salted pasta water on the stove to boil. Once boiling, prepare pasta according to package instructions.

2. While water is heating, prepare the pesto. Place Basil, Pine Nuts, Garlic and Oil in a food processor. Process until fully combined and finely chopped, about 30 seconds or more. Add the Parmigiana Cheese and Process again along with an 1/8 teaspoon (a few pinches) of Salt. Add several pinches of Black Pepper and remove pesto to a small bowl. Add a squeeze of Lemon Juice and taste the Pesto for seasoning. Adjust if necessary. 

3. When pasta is finished, drain it and return it to the pot. Add at least three heaping tablespoons of Pesto to the pasta (more if you like) and stir to combine. Add an optional pinch of Crushed Red Pepper and add the optional Pomegranate Arils. Serve with extra grated cheese. Enjoy! 

Cooking With a Pizza Stone - Pizza Piccante

One of the great things about being known food and cooking enthusiast is that people never need wonder what to get you for a gift. This year, my mom got us an amazing Pizza Stone which utterly delighted me and especially my pizza-loving husband. 

Pizza Piccante - Hot Soppressata, Sweet/Hot Peppers, Fresh Oregano and Mozzarella, Photo: NK 

We've already used our pizza stone three times in two weeks. The first attempt, (not pictured) was a classic Margherita with Basil, Tomato Sauce, and fresh Mozzarella. The results were delicious, but the cooking was not without challenges. The dough was impossible to shape, so in the end our Pizza tasted waaaay better than it looked. In fact, our romantic tandem cooking intentions were nearly derailed completely once I began muttering angrily about the disobedient dough, followed by my husband declaring "you're ruining pizza night!" and stomping out of the kitchen. After I coaxed him back with a hug and, when that didn't work, promises of mozzarella, we thankfully recommitted ourselves to the business at hand. In our house, when dinner's at stake, failure is not an option.

Round two, which is pictured above, proved to be a fabulous creation that came out quite good - a recipe I like to call Pizza Piccante. I encourage you to try it!  Piccante, in Italian, roughly means spicy, hot or piquant. Our Pizza Piccante was spicy, sweet, and vinegary - alive with the flavors of Hot Soppressata, Spicy Vinegar Peppers, Fresh Oregano, and gooey Fresh Mozzarella - all my favorite tastes in one place. Before you start cooking, feel free to first scroll all the way down for my general dough-handling pointers as well as a handy you tube video (not starring me!) on how to roll dough like a pro. 

Pizza Piccante - Mozzarella, Spicy Red Peppers, Hot Soppressata and Fresh Oregano
Serves 2-3 

Ingredients:
1/8 Lb Hot Soppressata chopped into bite sized pieces

7 or 8 small North African Sweet/Hot Peppers cut in half, or 3-4 Hot Cherry Peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped 

Ingredients, Photo: NK 

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, finely chopped

1/2 LB Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 small can plain Tomato Sauce (we used Del Monte brand) or Homemade 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

2 or 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Crushed Red (or to taste)

1 standard size round of Pizza Dough 

*Cornmeal for dusting (only if you are using a pizza peel to place pizza on the stone)

*Parchment Paper (only if you are using a pizza stone but have no pizza peel)

Method: 
Place pizza stone in the oven. If not using a stone, prepare pizza as normal in a pizza pan. 

Turn oven on to 525 with the rack placed in the middle. Preheat the stone for 30 minutes. 

Flour a clean counter top and your hands. Place extra flour nearby.
Form Pizza Dough into a ball. Press it down onto the counter and continue pressing until you have a flat round. 

Form dough into your desired pizza shape, making it as thin as possible - ideally an eighth of an inch thick. Pinch the edges of the dough all the way around to form a crust. 
Check out this great video I found on the web for dough-handling pointers HERE.

Once Pizza Crust is formed, carefully transfer it onto a cornmeal dusted peel or parchment paper that is cut to a size just slightly bigger than the dough shape (enough to grab it on each side). If you are using a pan and no pizza stone, you needn't do either of the preceding steps. 

Now you are ready for toppings:
Drizzle a Tablespoon or two of Oil onto the dough. 
Using a paper towel, spread the Oil around the entire surface of the dough.
Using a Tablespoon, slowly spoon on Tomato Sauce and spread it around. The dough need not be totally covered (your pizza will be too saucy) and should appear similar to the first photo below).

Next, add the Fresh Oregano, Hot Peppers, Soppressata, and Crushed Red Pepper. 
Nestle slices of Mozzarella all over the Pizza, leaving some space in between them. You want some sauce and toppings to show through!

Sprinkle the entire pizza with Salt and Pepper to taste. If using a peel, slide Pizza onto the Pizza Stone. If using parchment, lift the Pizza and the Parchment onto the pizza stone. You may leave the parchment in the oven while cooking.

Cook for 10 minutes or until crust is crispy, puffed, and golden. 

Enjoy! 

Saucing the Pie, Photo: NK

Toppings, Photo: NK

Ready to Cook, Photo: NK 

Buon Appetito, Photo: NK 

Pizza Pointers
Given how much I cook, I haven't made too many pizzas in my life. Anything with dough or flour generally scares me. I've just never had the touch. I don't pretend to have a foolproof method for perfecting Pizza, but below are some general dough-handling pointers that worked for me. These can help you whether you have prepared your dough from scratch or purchased it ready-made. I would never dream of making my own dough. What can I say? I personally like the convenience of buying it, but if you are a dough maker, you have my utmost respect.

Pizza Stones are a great investment and can make a big difference in the quality of your pizza result. By providing a screaming-hot surface on which to cook your pizza, stones allow you to get an evenly cooked and crispy crust each and every time. Our pizza stone is from Emile Henry. We just love it so far. 

Preheat the Stone - Always. Give it a good thirty minutes in the oven before placing your topped pizza on it. To preheat, you'll want to use the hottest oven temperature available to you on your oven. For us, that was 525.

It's a nice bonus to have a pizza peel. I had to learn this the hard way. A peel is the wooden implement with a handle that you see used at pizza places to get the pies in and out of the oven. If you have one, good for you. Your life will be a lot easier. For the peel owners, you'll roll out your pizza dough on the counter, transfer it to a peel dusted with cornmeal, and then top the pizza right on the peel before transferring onto the pizza stone on it. 

If you are like us and you don't have a peel, here's how to handle your dough successfully: We prepared our pizza dough by rolling it out directly on our counter. Always flour your rolling surface and sprinkle both your hands and the dough round lightly as well. Once the dough is rolled out into your desired shape, transfer it onto a sheet of parchment before topping the pizza. This way, you can simply lift the parchment onto the pizza stone when ready to cook. Note that you may need an extra pair of hands to hold the parchment level as you place it on the stone so that none of the toppings slip off -  or, as an other option, you can certainly slide the parchment onto a stiff, portable surface (cutting board, perhaps) and carefully use that to shimmy it onto the pizza stone that is waiting in the oven. 

Be one with the dough. Call me crazy, but handling pizza dough feels to me like a highly psychological endeavor. Stay calm and make no sudden moves. Move slowly yet deliberately. As with any dough or kneading, be sure not to overwork. Smoosh and squeeze too hard and you can end up with a hard as a rock crust. A light touch is your best bet.

Who cares if your pizza isn't round? I sure don't. Here at NK, we have yet to achieve a truly round crust. Somehow our pizza dough seems easier to prepare in a rectangular(ish) shape. This is fine! It all tastes the same on the way down :)
Have fun with it!
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Back To My Roots - Pasta con Cavolfiore

Conchiglie con Cavolfiore, Simple, Fast and Satisfying, Photo: NK

I grew up as an only child.  While I'm very lucky to have an amazing half brother and half sister, I never lived with them, and I am the sole child of my mom and dad. My mom's an only child herself, and my dad had just one sibling. What am I getting at? I grew up feeling like my family was small. 

But that's really not the truth, as I was reminded the other day at my cousin's lovely wedding on Long Island. My immediate family may be pretty compact, but I think I never really realized how large my extended family is until they were all in one big room together. Our numbers are thanks in part to my maternal grandfather's prolific siblings and all their children and grandchildren - one of whom is my cousin Laura, the beautiful bride we had gathered to celebrate that day. 

My Pop Pop was one of 6 children born to Sicilian Immigrants who originally settled in the Lower East Side of Manhattan before hopping the East River to Brooklyn and Queens. This recent wedding, filled with people that I don't see nearly enough of, definitely brought back warm memories of my departed grandpa, and I left what was a fantastic evening feeling really invigorated. I had people! Lots of them. And we all had such fun together.

The next day, on a bit of a family-togetherness high, I was struck by the overwhelming urge to cook something to celebrate my Italian heritage. Ok, this happens a lot - but I wanted it to be something to honor my grandpa, my spicy Sicilian bloodline, and our family's proud peasant beginnings three generations removed. Ours is in no way a unique American story, but something to be celebrated nonetheless.  

Photo: NK 

I decided on one of the many simple dishes that can be found in Italy - Pasta con Cavolfiore, aka: Pasta with Cauliflower. I know, I know - it doesn't sound terribly exciting, but you'll be surprised at how its classic, clean flavor, beautifully understated, is actually quite satisfying. This dish also takes me back to growing up and to my mom's cooking. She is superb in the kitchen, but as a kid, with the exception of meatballs once in a while, dinner was nearly always Pasta with a Vegetable. Pasta with Broccoli, Pasta with Cauliflower, and on, and on. This type of largely vegetarian low-cost eating was probably a function of our less than ideal financial circumstances back then, but I didn't know the difference. I didn't feel like I was missing anything  - because I wasn't. This is the type of food that The Greatest Generation was reared on - simple, healthy, and cheap. 

My great Aunt Mae makes a to-die-for version of Pasta with Cauliflower. She serves hers with toasted breadcrumbs on top after painstakingly trimming the Cauliflower florets into perfectly uniform bits. Pasta con Cavolfiore actually originated on the Southern Italian mainland, but it is very popular in Sicily. Here, we'll be using Conchiglie, or Shell Shaped Pasta. Please don't be scared off by the Anchovies in this recipe. They totally melt and disappear into the oil providing a non-fishy, subtle flavor that works so well in this and many dishes. Husband (the Anchovy-hater) had no idea. Buon Appetito!

NK's Conchiglie con Cavolfiore 

Serves 2-3

Cooks Note: Be sure to chop & prepare all ingredients before you start to cook

Ingredients:
1 large Head of Cauliflower

1/2 Lb of Shell Shaped Pasta, size is your choice

Salt 

Pepper 

1/4 Cup finely chopped Italian Parsley (or optionally, toasted fresh grated Breadcrumb)

3 small Garlic Cloves, very thinly sliced

5 Anchovy Fillets packed in Oil 

Fine Quality Olive Oil (about 2 Tablespoons plus more for drizzling)

1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (or 1 teaspoon dried Red Chile chopped into small bits)

Method:

Remove the Cauliflower base and allow the Cauliflower head to separate into bite-sized Florets. Pick apart Cauliflower with your hands to help it along, and finally, give it a quick rough chop to achieve a uniform size so the Cauliflower cooks evenly.

Boil water in a medium sauce pan with a good amount of Salt. Add Cauliflower Florets and cook them several minutes until they are tender but not mushy. About 4 minutes should do it. The final texture is really up to you. I generally enjoy my veggies more al dente than the next guy. Once finished, drain the Cauliflower through a colander set atop or inside a large heatproof bowl. You'll want to reserve all of your boiling liquid. Set Cauliflower Florets aside and return liquid to the sauce pan or larger pan to boil your Pasta. Add extra water if needed. Return Liquid to a boil and cook your Pasta Shells as directed on the box until Pasta is done. Remember, al dente is always best!

While Pasta is cooking, set a large skillet over a a medium-low flame. Pour in about 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, the Garlic, and the Crushed Red Pepper. Take care not to burn the Crushed Red Pepper or Garlic, and stir everything occasionally until the Garlic becomes slightly golden. Next, add the Anchovies. Allow them to melt into the oil. This should take 3 or 4 minutes. Feel free to stir a bit to help them along. Once Anchovies have dissolved, add the drained Cauliflower Florets into the skillet. Toss everything to combine. Lower the flame to the lowest possible setting while your pasta finishes cooking. 

Once Pasta is ready, drain it in a colander reserving about a 1/2 cup of Pasta Water. Pour drained Pasta into the Cauliflower skillet and toss. Add a couple of Tablespoons of Pasta Water and turn the flame back up to medium. Cook a bit longer until the liquid boils away and thickens. Stir in Parsley and toss. Turn off the flame. Season carefully with Salt (remember that Anchovies can be salty already) and liberally with Black Pepper. Drizzle with good quality Olive Oil. Lastly, feel free to add additional Crushed Red Pepper if you like. Serve and enjoy!  

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