Fried Ricotta Gnocchi

This recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean is inspired by my travels in Italy. It makes for a great comfort food meal this time of year when the nights are still a little bit chilly before Spring kicks in.

FRIED RICOTTA GNOCCHI

from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

2 c (490 g) whole milk ricotta

2 eggs

1 c (100 g) grated parmesan

1 c (125 g) flour

1 tsp chopped chives

pinch of salt

Mix ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. If it feels too sticky to roll into a log, add a bit more flour.

Roll the dough into a log & slice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil & cook the gnocchi in batches until they float (about 3 min). Meanwhile, melt 2 T butter in a pan. Drain the gnocchi, pat them dry, & transfer to the hot pan — making sure to cook until browned on both sides.

Enjoy immediately! You can top with more olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and any herbs you like. I used chives here but you could easily use chopped Italian parsley as well.

xx

Erin

Comfort Food Roundup

A scene from our Grilled Cheese party

With everyone still sheltering in place during this global pandemic, I thought it would be a good time for a COMFORT FOOD ROUNDUP! These are some of my favorite comfort food dishes that bring a little joy to the day in the form of warm + delicious bites:

Grilled Cheese

Squash Lasagna

Caper Crostini

Ginger Cookies

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Squash Lasagna from The Forest Feast Gatherings

Caper crostini from The Forest Feast

Spiced ginger cookies

Happy comfort cooking!

xx

Erin

Rainbow Tahini Bowl

Sometimes the best creations come out of what I happen to have on hand. That was the case last week when I made this bowl for lunch. Crunchy grated carrots with the protein of the cheese and garbanzos made for a filling meal I could revisit for lunch or dinner. Plus I love keeping cooked beets on hand (I buy them cooked at Trader Joe’s). I could put cilantro on everything, but you can easily sub in basil or arugula if you’re not a lover of it.

To make this vegan, just leave out the cheese. To make it gluten free, omit the couscous and just use rice. You can really use any dressing, but I used a creamy tahini one I bought at the store.

RAINBOW TAHINI BOWLS

(serves 1)

1 c cooked grains (I used a mix of quinoa & brown rice)

3 T grated carrot

1 small cooked beet, sliced (I bought the precooked ones at Trader Joes)

3 T garbanzo beans (canned, drained)

3 mini mozzarella balls 

2 T babaganoush

fresh cilantro

tahini salad dressing

Put 1 c cooked grains in a bowl. Top with 3 T grated carrot, 1 small sliced cooked beet, 1/4 c canned garbanzo beans, 3 mini mozzarella balls, a 2 T scoop of babaganoush (or hummus) and a big pinch of fresh cilantro (or any herb you prefer). Top with your favorite salad dressing. I used a store-bought tahini dressing, but you could also try a sesame dressing or basic vinaigrette.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if cooking for more than one. Easy desk lunch or light weeknight dinner!

xx

Erin

No-Cook Mediterranean Tostadas

This tostada is great for those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking but still want something balanced and fresh. This is not a traditional preparation of the tostada (which is often seen in Mexican cuisine), but an adaptation using more Mediterranean-style ingredients which makes for an easy weeknight meal.

Find this recipe, with a few other variations in my cookbook The Forest Feast Road Trip.

No-cook mediterranean tostadas

makes 4 tostadas (*divide the ingredients below among the 4 pita breads)

4 pita breads (whole wheat or regular, left whole)

1 c hummus

1/2 c babaganoush

1 tomato, diced

1 small cucumber, diced (peel on)

2 green onions (chopped)

1/4 c crumbled Feta cheese

1/4 c garbanzo beans (from a can)

lemon wedges (for serving)

Using the hummus as the base, layer all other ingredients in the order above onto the pitas. Slice in half, if you wish, or enjoy the whole thing hand-held.

*I prefer my pita soft, but if you'd like to stick with the typical tostada crunchiness, bake your pitas at 375F for 10 minutes before adding the toppings.

Enjoy!

* * *

xx

Erin

A Kid-Friendly Valentine's Day Menu

I always like to do something fun and festive for my boys when Valentine’s Day arrives. Last year we made Heart-Shaped Pizza using pre-baked dough so to mix things up a bit this year we are making Heart-Shaped garlic bread instead! To go along with the theme, I made pretty pink Beet Pasta (recipe below) and a side of sautéd broccoli rabe– 2 variations on vegetables my kids will actually eat.

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

6-8 slices of sourdough bread

3 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 T grated parmesan cheese

1/4 t garlic powder

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter or scissors to cut hearts out of sliced sourdough bread. Butter each piece and lay them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the whole sheet with olive oil and then sprinkle with the grated parmesan and garlic powder. Broil until golden (about 2-3 minutes).

Use any leftover bread to make homemade croutons like these from the Kitchn.

Enjoy!

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

BEET PASTA

recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

8 oz. (225 g) pasta (I used rigatoni here, but any type works)

1 small beet

2 oz. (55 grams) goat cheese

1/2 lemon

2 T olive oil

Fresh parsley (or other fresh herb you like)

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. As pasta cooks, grate the beet using a fine grater or zester (no need to peel). Drain the pasta and then put it back into the hot cooking pot. Add the grated beet, juice from 1/2 lemon, the goat cheese, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* For an even more kid-friendly version of this recipe, just use half of a small beet and leave out the lemon and goat cheese. Instead add 1 T butter to make it a little creamier, and a bit more mild. My kids will protest if I put parsley on top, so I leave it on the side, mostly for the grown-ups to sprinkle.

Enjoy!

Max enjoying Beet Pasta

Broccoli Rabe sautéd with butter & garlic. Sauté on medium high heat until bright green.