Cinnamon and Apple Crumble

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to be one of the ten thousand volunteers at the Chicago Marathon. A few months back several of  us decided to volunteer at one of the water stations to support the larger running community and, more importantly, to cheer on the runners from our half-marathon and marathon training group. Maybe it was having run two marathons in my first running life that made the day emotionally exhausting for me. For reasons a little hard to explain, tears welled up in my eyes several times as I watched the runners run by our water station. But I'll try. Until you actually run a marathon, it's hard to fully understand the emotional and physical toll the training as well as the marathon itself takes on your spirit and body. It should almost be considered a kind of extreme sport as your psyche runs the gamut from being exhilarated to being enervated. All sometimes within a five minute period of time. Watching from the ten and a half mile mark (they had 15.7 miles more to go), the determination on the faces of those who were running strong as well as those already starting to struggle (trust me, I know what struggle looks like) was clearly evident. Standing on the sidelines holding out cups of water, I could almost feel the collective joy, pain, and angst of every one of the first time and seasoned marathoners as they passed by. It was almost too much to take in. My weepiness reflected how simultaneously inspiring and depleting it felt being just there. By the time I eventually got back home, my body felt as if it had vicariously run that marathon with them.

Had this Cinnamon and Apple Crumble been in the house waiting for me when I got home, I may have allowed myself to eat more than a single piece. One with a generous side of cinnamon whipped cream of course. But I didn't discover the recipe for this crumble until I was scrolling through some of the recipes posted by a recently discovered fellow blogger, Meike Peters in the middle of the night (exhaustion sometimes leads to sleeplessness). As is often the case with recipes shared by food bloggers living in other countries (Meike currently lives in Berlin), the ingredient amounts are in metric form (not a problem when using a scale) and some ingredients (e.g., Boscoop apples) are indigenous to different parts of the world  and not yet available in the states. Minor obstacles, especially when one is motivated to make a recipe.

The Cinnamon and Apple Crumble is part cake, part crumble, and pure deliciousness. It is the best of both worlds combined into a single dessert. Once you too feel compelled to make this cake, the only decision left will be whether to serve it as a dessert, for breakfast, as a reward, or for some or all of the aforementioned reasons.

Years ago I bought an OXO food scale. Not only has it enabled me to measure ingredients in either ounces or grams, it has been invaluable in ensuring accuracy and consistency. With more and more cookbooks listing recipes in metric form and more recipes emanating from all over the world (where grams are the standard unit of measure), the scale has become an invaluable kitchen tool. If you have not yet invested in one of these scales, I have provided conversions for you in the recipe listed below. Meike's recipe called for the use of Boscoop apples which, I have to admit, were a variety of apple I had never heard of before. Quite possibly because these medium-sized, yellow with a red blush skinned, tart apples are primarily available in the Netherlands and France (two places I have not yet traveled to). The closest 'American' version of this apple would be a Granny Smith. 

Depending on the size of the Granny Smith apples picked at the apple orchard or bought from the market, you will need 4 to 5 of them. The apples are peeled, cored, halved, and cut into quarter inch slices.

There are essentially three layers to this Cinnamon and Apple Crumble: The base cake layer, the apple layer, and the crumble layer. It comes together easiest if you begin by first making the base cake layer. The cake batter can be made in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer). Once all of the ingredients are blended, it has a beautiful consistency and spreads easily in a prepared 10 inch springform pan. 

To add a bit more cinnamon flavor to the crumble, I sprinkled the sliced apples with a cinnamon-sugar mixture (see recipe below). Note: Lightly press the sliced apples into the cake layer before sprinkling with the cinnamon sugar and/or topping with the crumble mixture.

The consistency of the crumble mixture was perfect. However, if for some reason yours turns out a bit dry, add a little more melted butter.  And if too wet, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time. It should be wet and crumbly, not sticky or dry.

The Cinnamon and Apple Crumble is baked in a preheated 355 degree (F) oven for 50-55 minutes. The crumble is done when the top is beautifully browned and a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest in the pan 15-20 minutes before running a knife along the edge of the cake and transferring cake to a cake stand or platter. Note: Do not remove the cake from the springform bottom while hot and/or warm. I served my crumble with the bottom still under it.

Freshly whipped Cinnamon Whip Cream or vanilla ice cream are the proverbial icing on the cake, or in this case crumble, accompaniments. 

Made in a 10 inch springform pan, this cake generously serves 10-12 people. 

There is a lot going on in this crumble. From the tender, sweet cake bottom, to the tart, baked apples, to the cinnamon crunchy crumble top, it is a sweet tooth satisfying trifecta.

No matter how many apple recipes you have in your repertoire, you need to make room for one more. This one. With apple season in full swing here in the states, this Cinnamon and Apple Crumble is yet another reason to make a trip to an apple orchard (or the market) sooner rather than later. 

Recipe
Cinnamon and Apple Crumble (slight adaptation to Meike Peter's Apple and Cinnamon Crumble recipe)
Serves 10-12

Ingredients
Cake
125 grams of unsalted butter, room temperature (or 9 1/2 Tablespoons)
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon of commercially made vanilla sugar)
Pinch of kosher salt
125 grams of granulated sugar (or slightly less than 2/3 cup)
250 grams of all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cups plus 1 generous Tablespoon)
4-5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, halved, and cut into 1/4 inch slices

Crumble
125 grams of unsalted butter (or 9 1/2 Tablespoons), melted
125 grams of granulated sugar (or slightly less than 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon of commercial vanilla sugar)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
200 grams all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tablespoon)

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
2 Tablespoon confectionary sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla)

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 355 degrees (F). Butter and/or spray a 10 inch springform pan and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes).
4. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Note: Scrape sides of bowl between egg addition.
5. Blend in flour mixture, beating on low until well blended.
6. Spread cake batter in prepared plan. 
7. Arrange the apples on top of the batter, pressing lightly into the batter. Note: I sprinkled the top of the apples with a cinnamon sugar mixture before topping with the crumble. To make the cinnamon-sugar mixture, blend together 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon of caster or granulated sugar.

Crumble
1. In a medium sized bowl, blend the flour, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter until crumbles form. Note: If the mixture is too dry, add some additional butter. If too wet, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at at time. 
2. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over top of the apples.
3. Place baking pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until top is golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Allow cake to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the cake and remove springform pan ring. Transfer cake to a plate or platter.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip cream at high speed until soft peaks form.
2. Add confectionary sugar, vanilla paste and cinnamon. Continue beating until firm peaks form.
3. Serve crumble with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and/or vanilla ice cream. 

Grazing horses in northern Illinois.

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Autumn is cool, crisp air; the smell of and warmth from a wood burning fire; vibrant red, orange and yellow landscapes; caramel apples; golden cornfields set against a blue sky; Indian corn, gourds, and pumpkins; apple picking season; and, of course, apple cider doughnuts. On a beautiful fall day, a friend and I drove up to an apple orchard in northern Illinois on a near perfect day. With the air filled with the intoxicating aroma of apple cider doughnuts and trees dripping in apples, we were beyond giddy with excitement. Needless to say we left with more than some freshly picked apples. Although buying only a single cinnamon sugared apple cider doughnut to savor on the ride home may have been the most questionable decision of the day.

With the taste of that cinnamon sugared apple cider doughnut still lingering on my palate, the decision to make some here at home wasn't at all that surprising. Instead of making a ninety minute doughnut run drive, all I needed to do was walk into the kitchen. In less than an hour, I had a platter of eighteen of the most beautiful, delicious, mouthwatering, cakey mini baked apple cider doughnuts. 

If you haven't yet been swayed to buy a doughnut pan, these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts should be what finally motivates you to get one, or two, of them.

These Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts have an incredible cake-like texture and spiciness to them. Due in large part to the thick batter, the use of two (versus one) teaspoons of baking powder and the use of multiple spices. In fact this batter was so thick I would loosen it up with a slight increase in the amount of buttermilk. Instead of using only a half-cup of buttermilk, I recommend using a half-cup plus no more than an additional two tablespoons. While the batter will still be on the thick side, it should be easier to pipe into a prepared doughnut pan.

The apple flavor in these doughnuts comes from an apple cider reduction. One cup of fresh apple cider is reduced to a quarter cup over medium-low heat. In approximately 15-20 minutes the cider will reduce and have a thin syrupy consistency. When buying apple cider, make certain your don't buy an apple cider blend (meaning it has been somewhat diluted) as it will not have the same depth of flavor as a 'real' apple cider.

Instead of using only cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter, I used a homemade apple spice blend. The combination of the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and hint of cardamom adds a flavor dimension not found in the use of cinnamon/nutmeg only.

Both granulated and brown sugar are ingredients in the doughnut batter. For the brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or a combination of the two. I used a combination of the two.

Using a mini-doughnut pan, these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts bake in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 10-12 minutes (or until they are lightly browned and are springy to the touch). Once baked, the doughnuts should be flipped onto a cooling rack.

Instead of giving these doughnuts only the more traditional cinnamon-sugar finish, I decided some of them should have a cinnamon sugar glaze. The glaze is made with sifted confectionary sugar, brown sugar, a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of kosher salt and some whole milk. And honestly, I can't decide which of these finishing touches I prefer. Both are seriously luscious.

Once the glaze has set, the doughnuts can be stacked on a platter and served. If not serving immediately, store in a tightly covered container or cover tightly with a strong plastic wrap. They will retain their freshness for up to 2 days if properly stored although they are not likely to last that long.

At least one more trip to an apple orchard is planned in the weeks ahead, however, the number of batches of these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts to made has yet to be decided. More than one, but less than a hundred. And after you make your first batch of them, you too are more than likely to make them again. If not for their aroma while baking in the oven or for their ridiculous cuteness, but for their insane scrumptiousness! Let me know if you can walk after eating just one of them!

Recipe
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts (inspired from multiple sources)
Makes 18 mini-doughnuts

Ingredients
Doughnuts
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons apple pie spice* (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar (or a combination of both)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup apple cider (reduced to 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk

Cinnamon-Sugar 
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of kosher salt

Cinnamon-Sugar Glaze
1 cup confectionary sugar, sifted
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
2-3 Tablespoons whole milk
Sprinkles optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Lightly spray a doughnut pan with vegetable spray and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, reduce the one cup of cider to 1/4 cup over medium-low heat (approximately 15-20 minutes). Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and apple pie spice. Set aside.
4. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
6. Reduce speed to low and blend in reduced apple cider and buttermilk.
7. Add in flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not over beat or mixture will be sticky.
8. Transfer batter to a pastry bag (or a ziplock bag with corner cut), and pipe into prepared doughnut pan.
9. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned and/or doughnuts spring back when pressed lightly. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
10. To make Cinnamon Sugar: Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt. To make Cinnamon-Sugar Glaze: Combine confectionary sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add milk one tablespoon at a time. Stir until smooth. 
11. For a Cinnamon-sugar finish to the doughnuts, brush or dip doughnuts into melted butter. Then toss in cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.
12. For a Cinnamon-sugar glaze finish, dip top of doughnuts into glaze. Allow to set on a wire rack.
13. Serve immediately. Or store in a tightly sealed container. Doughnuts are best eaten with 48 hours (if they last that long).

*Apple Spice Mix: Combine 1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and pinch of cardamom. Store any unused spice mixture in a tightly sealed jar or plastic bag.

Notes: (1) If finishing the Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts in the Cinnamon-Sugar Glaze, double the recipe. (2) The Apple Spice mix gives the finished doughnuts a deeper, more complex flavor. (3) If dipping the doughnuts with the cinnamon-sugar glaze, can make them more festive by finishing them with sprinkles. (4) When buying apple cider, buy fresh and, if possible, organic. These ciders are usually found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. (5) I used a combination of light and dark brown sugars when making these doughnuts.

Day at the apple orchard.

Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata

After spending six days in as close to perfect Colorado weather as possible, it's back to the reality of living in the midwestern flatlands. Had anyone other than my traveling partner been listening to my constant ramblings about the sheer beauty of the mountains, they may have wondered if I had spent my entire life in an underground cave, lived a very sheltered life, or if there was actually a six year old living in an adult body. For whatever reason or reasons, I continue to be enthralled with and awestruck by the majesty of mountains. All mountains, even the same mountains seen again and again. And despite my familiarity with Rocky Mountain National Park, it feels as if I am taking in the breathtaking mountain landscape for the first time on each return trip. Although the visual tears have now been replaced by a current of raging emotions running through body. Having loved living near the ocean for several years, the pull of the mountains on my soul seems stronger. If I had to choose between living near one or the other, I would, not surprisingly, want both. Well, maybe not both the ocean and mountains. Just the mountains and any body of water. Lakes, streams, ponds, or rivers with mountains in the backdrop would be my version of nirvana. So why don't I move? Good question. Will let you know when I have a good answer. 

Just as I shall never tire of the mountains, I shall never tire of a great red sauce and pasta. And unlike where I live, there are no obstacles preventing me from enjoying Italian food. Everyday if I wanted. Although maybe I would need to have a lobster roll every now and then. There are at least a half dozen different red sauces posted to this blog, but up until now there hasn't been a pork ragu. When I came across the recipe for Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata, there was only one decision to be made. Well, maybe two. How long after I found the recipe would it take me to make it? The answer: 24 hours.

Having cleaned out the refrigerator before leaving for the trip out west, I didn't really need a reason to go to the grocery store. Living on peanut butter, oatmeal, eggs, or popcorn was an option, but not one I was excited about. Seeing a photo of the Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata was almost (but not quite) as exciting as seeing the mountains. I hadn't even finished unpacking before heading out to get the ingredients. It seemed silly to let a little unpacking and laundry get in the way of making this pork ragu. 

I almost decided to make some homemade pasta to go with the pork ragu and burrata, but picked up a package of imported pappardelle instead. Maybe next time when I am not in such a hurry I will make some fresh pappardelle. Had the grocery store had fresh (refrigerated) pappardelle, I would have bought it (but they didn't). Whether you make your own, buy fresh, or buy dried packaged pappardelle, just use pappardelle pasta the first time you make this pork ragu. I would venture to guess you won't pair this ragu with any other pasta.

Fresh herbs, red wine, chicken stock, a carrot, an onion, garlic, salt/pepper, balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and boneless pork shoulder are the only ingredients you need for this incredibly delicious, soul satisfying pork ragu. Now having made it, next time I would double the ingredients and either have a larger dinner party or freeze half of it. Not just because the ragu itself is insanely delicious, it's difficult to find a good piece of pork shoulder weighing only 1 1/4 pounds.

Instead of using dried rosemary to season the pork, I used freshly chopped rosemary. Because dried herbs are generally stronger than fresh herbs, you typically use three times as much fresh as dried. In this case, 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary has a fresh equivalent of 1 Tablespoon. To further deepen the flavor of the salt, pepper and rosemary with the pork, I recommend preparing the pork before dicing and/or mincing the vegetables. 

If you have a Dutch oven, use it for making the pork ragu. If you don't, use a heavy bottomed frying pan. After searing/browning the pork in the extra-virgin olive oil (done in two batches), remove and set aside on a plate. Immediately add the diced/minced carrot, onion and garlic, sautéing until they have softened (approximately three minutes). Be sure to scrape up the brown bits of meat when sautéing the vegetables as this is where some of the deep flavor of the ragu comes from. Once the vegetables have softened, the meat along with the chicken stock, wine, and crushed tomatoes are added to the pot and cooked, uncovered on medium heat for 25-30 minutes (longer is better). Note: The pieces of pork must be fully immersed in the sauce. If not, add enough chicken stock to cover.

After the 25-30 minutes, add the sprigs of fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue cooking for an additional 35 minutes (or until the pork is fork tender). Tear the pork into bite sized pieces, remove the sprigs of herbs, stir in one Tablespoon unsalted butter, and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Note: You can make the ragu a day ahead. Reheat when ready to toss in the cooked pasta. 

Along with the al dente cooked pappardelle and fresh basil for garnish, the finished dish is topped with burrata cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

The drained pappardelle is mixed in with the ragu before, not after it is transferred to a platter. According to Serious Eats, pasta heated in a pan with sauce/ragu has a significantly different along with a far superior flavor and texture as compared to a pasta sauced when plated. And who knows better than Serious Eats? No one. Seriously, adding the cooked (al dente) pasta to the heated sauce can take a pasta dish from ordinary to extraordinary.

Forget the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at least with this dish. Top it with the burrata cheese. A few years ago, it was challenging to find it in the grocery stores. Nowadays, burrata cheese can be found in some local grocery stores, Whole Foods and even Trader Joe's. If, for whatever reason, you haven't ever tasted it before, this Pappardelle with Pork Ragu is the reason why you should. Because this Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata is akin to simultaneously experiencing both a mountain and water view. Let me know if you cry the first time you taste this dish. P.S. October happens to be National Italian Heritage Month. Just thought you should know.

Recipe
Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata (slight adaptation to Williams-Sonoma's Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Burrata recipe)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 1/4 pound (625 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the dish
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup red wine (recommend a Zinfandel)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
12 ounces (375 g) pappardelle
1 ball (10 ounces) burrata cheese (Recommend BelGioioso Burrata)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions
1. In a large bowl, toss the pork with rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pieces of pork in batches (at least 2 batches are necessary), searing pork until browned on all sides (approximately 8 minutes). Transfer cooked pork to a plate.
3. Add onion, carrot and garlic to pan and sauté until softened (approximately 3 minutes). Scrape up all browned bits of meat when sautéing the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Return cooked pork to pan along with wine, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Note: Pork should be fully emerged in sauce. If not, add a little more chicken broth.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the liquid has slightly reduced and the pork is starting to turn tender (approximately 25-30 minutes).
6. Stir in balsamic vinegar and rosemary/thyme sprigs.
7. Lower heat to medium-low and cover Dutch oven. Cook covered for 35 additional minutes (or until the pork has become very tender).
8. Remove the lid, and shred the pork into bite sized pieces using two forks. Discard rosemary/thyme sprigs. Stir in one Tablespoon unsalted butter. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Cook pappardelle according to al dente instructions. Drain pasta and add to the ragu. Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce.
10. Transfer pasta and ragu to a large platter. Tear the burrata into pieces and arrange over pasta. Lightly drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes: (1) Make the ragu the night before and refrigerate to allow the flavors to further develop as well make serving it to family and friends easier. Reheat the sauce, cook the pasta, make a salad, cut the bread, open the wine and you will have the perfect meal. (2) Consider doubling the recipe and freeze half of the ragu if only serving 4-6 people). (3) Use fresh or homemade pappardelle if it is available. (4) If ragu has thickened in the refrigerator, add a small amount of wine or chicken broth. (5) Use only 12 ounces of pappardelle. The ratio of pasta to ragu is as close to perfect as possible.

Views of Nymph Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (September 2016)

A Nice "Vegetarian" Lasagna

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends said 'wouldn't it be fun to make homemade pasta together?'. I think I may have responded with a non-committal 'sure'. It had been so long since I had made homemade pasta, I vaguely remembered where I last saw my Atlas pasta maker. As it turned out it was gathering dust sitting on a shelf in the garage (I know, why would anyone store a pasta maker in the garage?). And then last week I read about a new cookbook, "Small Victories: Recipes, Advice & Hundreds of Ideas for Home-Cooking Triumphs", written by Julia Turshen. Intrigued by the comments made by some of her peers, I drove over to Barnes and Noble to check it out. After spending more than a half hour going through the book, I needed to buy it. Not only because it was one of the most inspiring cookbooks to come out since Tasting Rome and Florentine, but it was covered in my fingerprints and some of my drool (proverbially speaking of course). So many of her recipes leaped from the pages screaming 'make me first'. With the idea of making homemade pasta still resonating somewhere in my subconscious along with needing to find a great vegetarian 'pasta' recipe to make for an upcoming dinner party, her recipe for 'A Nice Lasagna' won out. And quite the winner it turned out to be. 

Any trepidation I had about trying my hand (again) at making homemade pasta dissipated as I read through the recipe. For some unexplainable reason it seemed much simpler than I had remembered. And as it turned out, it was. Okay, before you decide not to make this recipe (and God forbid stop reading this post) because (1) you don't have a pasta maker, (2) you have a pasta maker and have no idea where it is, (3) you tried making pasta before and well it wasn't worth all the effort, or (4) you have no interest in making homemade pasta, let me just say a couple of things about this recipe.

First, while the homemade pasta makes this dish feel as if it came out of a five star Italian restaurant, you can still make it using store bought fresh pasta (obstacle one removed). Second, the tomato sauce is unlike anything you have ever tasted. And lastly, it can be made early in the day or a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Which means all you need to do is open the wine, make a salad, cut some bread, and put it in the oven to bake. After tasting this lasagna, it is quite possible you will never order lasagna in a restaurant again, either here in the states or in Italy. Yes, I am being completely serious.

So let's first talk about the tomato sauce. A sauce with only five ingredients: whole plum canned tomatoes, sliced garlic cloves, kosher salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and creme fraiche. Yes, creme fraiche. It adds a creaminess and richness to the sauce unlike any other 'tomato sauce' ingredient. And I would venture to bet you will never make a lasagna with ricotta cheese again. 

The original recipe called for four cloves of garlic. I used five because I love the flavor garlic imparts to a sauce. Five cloves was not at all overpowering. A great quality extra-virgin olive oil imparts incredible flavor to a tomato sauce. A bottle of the good stuff is well worth the money. 

In a large, heavy saucepan the garlic is first sautéed in the extra-virgin oil (this takes about a minute as long as you get your oil hot before adding the garlic). The whole canned plum tomatoes (that you first break up with your hands) and a teaspoon of salt go in next. After bringing the sauce to a boil, it needs to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. In the spirit of 'more than be better', I simmered my sauce for 45 minutes before removing from heat and whisking in the creme fraiche. While the sauce cools to room temperature, you can begin making the homemade pasta.

The pasta is made with only three ingredients: all-purpose flour, three large (room temperature) eggs, and a teaspoon of kosher salt. 

A food processor does all of the work. This is a no-knead pasta dough! After the dough comes together, it is wrapped in cellophane and allowed to sit at room temperature for an hour before being put through the pasta maker. If you have never made homemade pasta before, consider giving it a try. 

There are only two cheeses in this lasagna: Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh, whole milk mozzarella (versus the slightly rubbery mozzarella, sometimes called low-moisture mozzarella). Although grating fresh, whole-milk mozzarella is a little messier, it's softer, buttery texture gives a more delicate flavor to the finished dish. Like a high quality extra-virgin olive oil, great ingredients make great dishes. So splurge on and grate your own Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh, whole milk mozzarella.

There is no need to cook the sheets of homemade pasta as the sauce does all of the work. Beginning with a layer of sauce on the bottom of 9"x12" pan comes a layer of pasta, a thin layer of sauce, a sprinkling of the grated cheeses, basil leaves (torn into pieces if large), and another thin layer of sauce. This assembly is repeated until all of the pasta is used. The final, top layers are sauce and the grated cheeses.

In a 400 degree preheated oven, the lasagna bakes for 35-40 minutes (my baking time was 40 minutes). Allowing the lasagna to rest for 15-30 minutes before cutting is critical and will ensure the cut squares of lasagna remain intact when plated. Note: I waited 30 minutes. To keep warm, you can tent a piece of aluminum foil over the resting lasagna before cutting, however, it retained its' heat without it. 

I had considered adding layers of roasted vegetables to the lasagna, but honestly it was as close to lasagna perfection without them. Before you decide whether to add them or not, first make this lasagna without them. The beauty of this deceptively light lasagna is in its' simplicity.

If anyone ever asked me to participate in a lasagna throw down, I would win it with this lasagna!  Of course, it would be a shared win with the majority of the credit going to Julia Turshen. Her recipe is not just a small victory, it is pure genius. Yes, it is really that good. This is the kind of 'forget your table manners and lick the plate clean' dish you will want to guiltlessly gorge yourself on.

Recipe
A Nice "Vegetarian" Lasagna (slight adaptations to Julia Turshen's A Nice Lasagna recipe shared in her recently published cookbook "Small Victories: Recipes, Advice & Hundreds of Ideas for Home-Cooking Triumphs")

Ingredients
Sauce
Two 28 ounce (794 g) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes (I used Delallo Organic Italian Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes in heavy juice, but any good whole peeled Italian tomatoes should work.)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for taste, if needed
8 ounces creme fraiche (recommend Vermont Creamery's Creme Fraiche)

Pasta
2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Assembly
1 generous cup (120-140 g) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
12 ounces coarsely grated fresh, whole-milk mozzarella cheese
1 to 2 large handful fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces if large (Note: Original recipe called for 2 large handfuls)

Directions
Sauce
1. In a medium to large sized bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands until they are in bite sized pieces.
2. In a heavy bottomed, large saucepan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until it begins to sizzle (approximately 1 minutes). Add the hand crushed tomatoes and one teaspoon of kosher salt. 
3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring every so often. Note: The sauce should be slightly reduced. 
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the creme fraiche. Season with additional salt, if needed. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature.

Pasta
1. Combine the flour, eggs and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Run the machine until the dough forms around the blade and cleans the side of the bowl. Notes: The dough should not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If the dough is too dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too sticky, add a little flour 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together. The size of your eggs (even large eggs have some variability) and the humidity in the air may affect your dough.
2. Remove dough from the food processor, form into a flat disk, lightly flour, and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for an hour.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and have additional sheets of parchment paper cut.
4. Cut the rested dough into 6 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping other pieces covered in plastic wrap.
5. Run the dough through the pasta machine beginning with the widest setting (this was a 1 on my Atlas) rolling it twice on this setting. Continue working the dough through the narrower settings until the pasta reaches a thickness of an envelope. It should be thin, but not transparent. Note: I ended on setting 5.
6. Lay the pasta sheets on the parchment paper lined baking pan. Cover with a piece of parchment paper. Note: I cut each sheet into three pieces before covering with the parchment paper. 
7. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). 
2. Ladle a thin layer of the pasta sauce on the bottom of the pan. Spread to cover the surface of the baking dish.
3. Add a layer of pasta (first brushing off any excess flour) to form a single layer. Spoon sauce over the pasta, just enough to cover. Sprinkle grated cheeses and basil. 
4. Repeat process beginning with a thin layer of sauce until you have used up all of the pasta. Note: I ended up with six layers of pasta.
5. The final, top layer should be sauce and the cheeses.
6. Bake uncovered until it has browned beautifully and the edges are bubbling. Approximately 35-40 minutes.
7. Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving. The rest time allows the pasta to fully absorb the hot, bubbling sauce. Note: A wait time of 30 minutes resulted in perfectly cut slices.

Notes: (1) Make the sauce first as it needs to cool before assembling the lasagna. (2) If you don't make the homemade pasta, use fresh sheets of store-bought pasta. (3) I was conservative with the amount of fresh basil. Next time I would increase how much I used. The original recipe called for 2 handfuls, I probably used 1 handful. (4) Use the best ingredients available. (5) I increased the amount of cheeses slightly. Original recipe called for 1 cup (100 g) of grated parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. (6) Make this lasagna sooner rather than later.

Weekend Farmer's Market finds.