The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (42 page)

3.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add the chard; cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4.
Stir the pasta, Parmesan mixture, chard mixture, prosciutto, and oregano in a large bowl. Spread over the crust. Bake until golden brown and set, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

buttermilk-leek galette

MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART

All-purpose flour, for work surface

1 sheet frozen puff pastry from a standard package (17.3 ounces), thawed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, washed well, and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces

¼ cup nonfat buttermilk

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream or water

1.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set a 9-inch tart ring (about 2 inches deep) on top; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to about
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Using a sharp paring knife, trim the dough to a 13-inch round, and lay it over tart ring. Fit into the ring, and fold in the edges against the inside of the ring, pressing gently to seal. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

2.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks; cook, stirring, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the buttermilk and mustard, and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; set aside.

3.
To assemble the tart, layer the goat cheese and the leek mixture on the chilled pastry, ending with goat cheese. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and cream. Brush the pastry with egg wash, and bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Serve warm.

fresh green tart

MAKES ONE 13½ × 4-INCH TART

You can substitute any variety of ripe tomato for the heirlooms called for here.

Almond Tart Dough (recipe follows)

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 English cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeds removed, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons

2 small green heirloom tomatoes, quartered

2 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut diagonally into
¹
/
₈
-inch pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Almond-Arugula Pesto (recipe follows)

¼ cup fresh chervil, for garnish

Toasted whole almonds, for garnish

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Press the tart dough into a 13½
×
4-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a fork, lightly prick all over the bottom of the dough. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

2.
Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator. Line with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges start to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights; continue baking until the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

3.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Add the bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, and scallions; toss together. Season with salt and black pepper.

4.
Spread the pesto evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the vegetable mixture on top. Garnish with chervil and almonds.

almond tart dough

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 13½ × 4-INCH

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons whole almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons ice water

1.
In a food processor, pulse the flour, almonds, sesame seeds, salt, and spices. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add the egg yolk and ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream. Process until the dough just comes together (do not overprocess).

2.
Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

almond-arugula pesto

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 13½ × 4-INCH TART

¼ cup whole almonds, toasted

¾ cup arugula, rinsed well

¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 tablespoon crème fraîche

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, pulse all the ingredients except salt and pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. The pesto can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

lighter chicken potpie

SERVES 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus ¼ cup melted butter

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1½ cups reserved stock from Poached Chicken (recipe follows)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices

3 medium celery stalks, cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices

Poached Chicken (recipe follows)

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus about ½ cup leaves for crust and sprigs for garnish

½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

½ cup slightly thawed frozen peas

6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock. Whisk remaining ½ cup stock into the flour in a small bowl. Whisk into shallot mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

2.
Add carrots and celery. Bring to a boil. Stir in chicken. Return to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and tarragon. Let cool. Stir in peas. Transfer to a 2-quart (8 ½
×
12-inch) baking dish.

3.
Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Sprinkle with parsley. Repeat with remaining phyllo, parsley, and butter; do not sprinkle parsley on final layer. (Keep unbuttered phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel.) Drape the crust over the cooled filling; tuck in the edges. Cut four 4-inch slits in the crust for vents. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

4.
Bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and recut vents. Serve immediately in shallow bowls.

poached chicken

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 1 POTPIE

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 4-inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 4-inch pieces

1 medium onion, quartered

6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 cans (14 ounces each) low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1.
Place chicken in a large stockpot. Add remaining ingredients and enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and discard. Reduce heat to low; simmer until chicken has just cooked through, about 25 minutes.

2.
Transfer chicken to a plate, and let cool slightly. Pour stock through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Set aside 1 ½ cups stock for potpie; reserve remaining stock for another use. Remove meat from skin and bones, and tear into bite-size pieces. (You should have about 4 cups.) Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use, up to 2 days.

alsatian potato pie

SERVES 6

3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1½ pounds), peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

Coarse salt

1 cup heavy cream

5 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat side of a large knife

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and washed well

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 large egg yolk

1 package (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed

All-purpose flour, for work surface

1½ cups grated Comté or Gruyère cheese

1.
Cover the potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt; cook until just tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain. Let cool.

2.
Bring ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons cream, the garlic, and the nutmeg to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

3.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the parsley; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk the egg yolk and remaining tablespoon cream in a small bowl; set aside. Divide the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into 2 6
×
13-inch rectangles. Set 1 rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add half of the potatoes, leaving a ½-inch border all around and overlapping the potatoes slightly. Top with half of the leek mixture and ¾ cup cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat the layering with the remaining potatoes, leeks, and cheese.

5.
Brush the edges of the dough with egg wash. Cover with the remaining dough rectangle; gently press edges with a fork to seal. Cut 2-inch slits lengthwise in the center of the crust, 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

6.
Bake the pie until golden brown and puffy, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Pour the cream mixture into the pie vents with a funnel. Bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

cherry tomato, bocconcini, and zucchini pie

SERVES 4 TO 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 small zucchini (7½ ounces), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons

1½ pounds cherry tomatoes, plus cherry tomatoes on the vine for garnish

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 ounces bocconcini

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 tablespoon sugar

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Cheese Short Crust, made with Parmesan cheese (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 large egg yolk

1.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until it is light golden and the liquid has been released, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

2.
Halve one-third of the tomatoes. Stir the halved and whole tomatoes, cheeses, basil, lemon zest, flour, and sugar into the shallot-zucchini mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Make 7 3-inch-long cuts around the edge of the dough, evenly spaced. Trim to make 7 rounded flaps. Transfer to a 10-inch pie plate. Drizzle the crust with the remaining tablespoon oil. Spread with the filling. Fold in the flaps of crust, slightly overlapping. Put the tomatoes on the vine in the center. Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes.

4.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the cream and egg yolk in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg wash. Bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes.

cheese short crust

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 10-INCH PIE

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese

Pinch of sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into pieces

1 egg yolk

¼ to ½ cup ice water

Pulse the flour, cheese, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk; pulse to combine. With the processor running, drizzle in ¼ cup water until the dough just comes together. (If the dough is still crumbly, add up to ¼ cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Do not process for more than 20 seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.