Hey Friends,

I've been at a loss for words, and almost have felt frozen when it comes to posting in this space as it doesn't feel right. Since the recent tragedies in our Country, first the Buffalo, NY shooting, followed by The Uvalde,Texas elementary school shooting. Which brought us into a more recent uprising in shootings around the US. It makes you take a real pause about the life in front of you. What I do know is that so much change needs to happen. I recently got an email from a friend Aran Goyoaga who felt similar and posted these words from Sam Sifton's NYtimes column. I feel it's a better segue than I can lead into a fruit crisp recipe…

“Food plays a central role in our reaction to tragedy, to death and grieving. It’s why casseroles appear on the doorsteps and countertops of those experiencing it, why we feel the urge to roast chickens or assemble lasagnas when the news is grim. Food is comfort of a sort, and fuel as well, for anger and sorrow alike. We cook to provide for those we love and for ourselves. In the activity itself we strive to find relief, strength, resolve.” - Sam Sifton, New York Times

xox Nicole

Apricot + Raspberry Fruit Crisp Recipe

Makes 1 9inch round crisp

STEP 1:

filling:

2 1/2 lbs a mix of washed apricots (quarted + halved) and raspberries
1 ish tablespoon of sugar ( to taste)
1 ½ tablespoon of GF ( or regular flour)
1 teaspoon herbs of provence ( you can find in spice section of grocery store)
2 tablespoons dry white wine, plus 2 splashes of cointreau for good measure
8 or 9inch baking dish

In a bowl toss all of the above ingredients, then transfer to a prepared ceramic deep baking. set aside, preheat the oven to 375F and make your crisp topping.

STEP 2:

Crisp topping:
12 tablespoons cold salted butter ( the good stuff) cut into small pieces
( if the butter gets warm pop into the freezer)
1 ¼ cups GF Flour
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon ( if desired)
⅔ cups rolled oats
( optional add nuts such as chopped almonds or walnuts)

In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and gently whisk. With your fingers work in the butter, gently pinching, until it just comes together, but not too sandy or fine. Be sure to not overwork. Should make about 3 cups, add the topping over your fruit and bake in the oven for about 40-55 min until the top of the crisp is golden and bubbling. Serve warm with cold cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. xo

recipe origianllay adapted from the Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

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Pasta, Mi Amore.

The bite of pasta melts in my mouth, I pause and instantly I am transported to my youth. Have you ever eaten a bite of a dish and it transported you back to a certain place and time? Growing up, we had pasta several times a week. It was a working man’s dish that stretched amongst the four of us, my Sister, Father, Mother and I, respectively.

Remember the film "Ratatouille" when the food critic EGO takes his first bite, Boom, he is now at is mothers country kitchen table. That's Pasta in my book. A love affair really. Transported by every bite. These days when I'm homesick for my grandmother, or my father I whip up a batch of fresh pasta, mainly with whatever ingredients I have at the moment. Because I myself want to feel those same feelings Ego felt.

On the days the pockets were bare, we usually ate Rotini with broccoli, pecorino, olive oil and a pat of butter tossed in. We'd known Daddy had a "good week" of working general contracting when there was a big pot of sauce on the stove, bubbling with all sorts of meats, waiting to be devoured on top of Spaghetti by us girls. Then there was a period where we'd make fresh Tagliatelle on Sundays alongside my Grandmother, accompanied with fresh tomatoes and basil from our garden. Then finishing off the Sunday afternoon of pasta making to dancing in the kitchen to her beloved “Frank Sinatra” tunes, those were the days she’d say. Or as I would say now, Pasta MI Amore. Pasta I love you, you are more than just a dish.

Pasta, Mi Amore.

Recipe below, xo

Nicole

Ravioli filled with goat cheese + kale, pine nuts and garlic sauce

NOTE RECIPE Has 3 PARTS)

HELPFUL TOOLS:

Rolling Pin
Unscented Garbage bags
Parchment Paper
Wood Cutting Board
Large Sheet Pan
Pasta Maker ( on 6, 7 or 8 depending on your machine)
Sticky Notes. ( for measuring your pasta dough)

For the Pasta:

3 ⅓ cups pasta flour or GF mix flour such as King Arthur blue bag
4 eggs ( room temp)
2 egg yolks ( room temp)
2-4 Tbsp filtered water divided
1 Tbsp EVOO
Pinch of fine Kosher sea salt

For the Filling:

½ cup dino kale, stems removed, blanched, cooled and drained
2 cups ricotta, drained
½ cup fresh goat cheese
½ cup mix Pecorino + Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated
1 fresh squeeze lemon
Fresh Nutmeg to taste
Salt + pepper to taste

For Serving:

½ cup toasted pine nuts
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp dry white wine
2-4 Pats of butter
1 bunch basil, cut Chiffonade style
lots of parmigiano reggiano + pecorino romano cheese
salt + pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS :

1.Make your pasta first, as it will need an hour minimum to rest.

Put your flour in a heap on your clean work surface. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add eggs, evoo, and two Tbsp of water. With a fork gently whisk egg mixture, and start incorporating your flour until it becomes shaggy. With your hands, finish the mixing until it becomes a dough. If it feels dry add more water as needed. Kneed for 10 min until the dough springs back with your fingers. Place in a large bowl tightly sealed with plastic wrap, let rest on the countertop out of sunlight for 1 - 2 hours.

2.While the pasta is resting, make the filling. Finely chop your cooked kale. In a bowl, combine all the filling ingredients, and mix with a fork until combined. Season. Seal with plastic wrap, and set aside.
Rolling out the dough:

3.Dust a clean work surface with pasta flour, cut your dough into 4 cubes. Place them in the bowl with a tea towel over it so the dough stays moist. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper dusted with pasta flour, placed in an unscented garbage bag. Set a side. Roll one of the dough balls into a long strip. The width should be measured to 4 sticky notes thick. The width should be measured to 4 sticky notes thick. Or you should be able to "see through" the pasta.

4.On one side of the dough, dolip a large tsp of filling, leaving ½ in the edge of dough around the filling. Repeat this step until there is no more room on your dough. Then gently fold ( like a book) the remaining dough over your filling. Gently press with your hands to seal the sides. With a sharp knife or pasta cutter, trip the edges, leaving a border in between to make your ravioli shape. (You could also use a ravioli shaped pasta cutter to do this too). Place your ravioli in the prepped sheet pan, and close the garbage bag in between. This keeps the ravioli moist. Repeat this step until your dough and filling run out.

5.Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large non-stick heavy bottom skillet, toast your pine nuts. Set them aside. In the same skillet, bring to medium heat, add a decent amount of evoo + 1 pat of butter to the pan, saute your garlic. When the garlic is fragrant it's done. Add the wine. Lower the heat. When your water is at a soft boil, cook the ravioli for about 2-4 min until they float to top.

As ravioli finishes, with a slotted spoon put them in your skillet, add one spoonful of pasta water, pine nuts, basil and lots of grated cheese. ( ½ cup or to your liking). Mix together with a wooden spoon, add more evoo + pat of butter. Eat right away. enjoy.