Broccoli Rabe Ravioli

Over Thanksgiving I talked my mom into letting us bring home the hand-crank pasta machine that belonged to my grandfather.  I remember making fresh pasta with him as a child, my favorite type being ravioli.  My grandfather had a ravioli press, but unfortunately it was not in my mother’s possession.  As a first dish, I made these ravioli.  Beware – this is a time-consuming recipe, but the results are fantastic.  It is best done with friends and loved ones on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Some wine or cocktails don’t hurt either!

Broccoli Rabe, also known as rapini, is a slightly bitter, slightly spicy green from the mustard family.  It is quite popular in southern Italy as well as in China.  Its somewhat strong flavor pairs well with the sweetness of ricotta to make these yummy ravioli.

Ingredients

Preparation

Filling

1. First, place the ricotta into a cheesecloth-lined colander and let drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for several hours before you start preparing the rest of this recipe.  This will get the ricotta to a thicker consistency.
2. Steam the broccoli rabe until tender, then squeeze lightly to remove excess water.  Let dry on a clean towel while waiting to use.
3. Over medium heat, saute the rehydrated mushrooms in the olive oil.  Once they are fragrant and slightly fried (about 3 minutes), reduce heat to low and add the minced garlic.  Continue to saute until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 more minutes.
4. Remove the mushrooms and garlic from the pain, avoiding as much liquid or oil as possible.
5. Finely chop the steamed, dry broccoli rabe.
6. Combine the chopped broccoli rabe, drained ricotta cheese, fried garlic and mushrooms, and lemon zest in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ravioli

1. Divide the prepared dough into quarters.
2. Run each of the dough portions through the pasta machine at the widest setting 2 or 3 times, then through each setting until the finest or second-finest setting.  Lay the sheets of dough on a lightly floured surface.
3. Scoop out about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling onto 1 sheet of dough at regularly-spaced intervals.  Lay a second sheet of dough on top of the first, and lightly press down around the scoops of filling to seal the dough.  Use a knife or scissors to cut ravioli from the dough. Place the ravioli on a lightly floured plate or other flat surface, but do not stack them on top of each other (they’ll stick!).
4. Continue step 3 until you are out of filling. You can recombine the excess pieces of dough and make new sheets if you have excess filling.
5. Cook the ravioli 3 or 4 at a time in a large pot of salted, boiling water.  They are done when they float, about 60 to 90 seconds.
6. Serve with a sauce of your choice, such as our Garden Marinara, or just drizzled with a nice olive oil and some salt.

Makes 20-24 ravioli.

Elliott, James, and Clayton Making Ravioli

Today, along with our great teammates Jodi of TastyTouring and Will of NoSatiation, we won the Austin Food Blogger Alliance trivia event hosted at Gourmand’s.  Prize bags included goodies from Blackbird Bakery, Greenling, Serve Gourmet, and Savory Spice Shop. Many thanks to our team, AFBA, and the businesses that donated prizes!

The Prizes!

Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into three inch long fries
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine garlic and rice flour in a large freezer bag and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine sweet potatoes and almond milk. With clean hands, gently combine until all of the sweet potato fries are evenly coated.
3. Transfer the fries to the freezer bag. Seal the bag and shake vigorously until the fries are evenly coated.
4. Transfer the fries to a non-stick baking dish and spray thoroughly with the non-stick cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper then bake at 350 degrees until tender and golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
5. Serve with your favorite condiment or Aji.

Cauliflower Roast

These roasted cauliflower wedges go great with Mushroom Gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, quartered into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Arrange the cauliflower wedges on a baking sheet, then drizzle generously with olive oil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Rub this spice mixture on the cauliflower wedges.
3. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the cauliflower is nicely browned and soft, about 35 minutes.

Feel free to play around with the spice mixture in this recipe!

This year, Coseppi Kitchen answered the call to duty when the Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) asked for volunteers to represent the organization at the 24th Annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off. With the help of some AFBA volunteers including Jessica of Bake Me Away (see her write-up here), we made five gallons of Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili and served hundreds of Cook-Off attendees! After braving the wind, some knife nicks, and a few steam burns, we went on to win the “All Veg” Category and the greatest honor of all, People’s Choice!

Thanks goes out to everyone who helped including Jessica, Gabe Hasser, Taylor’s parents Mike and Shelly who came down from Fort Worth to help, and the folks who lent us the equipment – Stephen Palmer, Clayton Ernst, and Molly Frisinger.  We also need to thank Johnson’s Backyard Garden for the delicious eggplant and cilantro that carried us through to victory!

Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off
First Place All Veg and People’s Choice

Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili

Ingredients

• ½ pound black beans, pre-soaked overnight
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers, stemmed
• 4 large cloves garlic, diced and divided
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers
• 3 dried chili cascabel peppers
• 2 dried chipotle peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• ½ 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ½ 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable Better-than-Bouillon
• ½ cup dry green lentils
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the black beans with 2 stemmed chili pasilla peppers, 3 bay leaves, and half of the diced garlic until soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. While the beans are cooking, finely dice (or use a food processor) the remaining chiles pasillas, chiles cascabeles, and chipotle peppers.
3. When black beans are tender, remove from heat.
4. Saute the onion, diced dried chilies, and ground cumin in olive oil over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and the cumin is fragrant, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining diced garlic and the diced poblano pepper, and saute for 5 minutes more.
6. Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt, then continue to saute until it is tender, about 8 minutes.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water, Better-than-Bouillon, and lentils.  Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost cooked, about 30 minutes.
8. Add the cooked black beans and let the chili simmer until the lentils are soft and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes more. The longer you let the chili simmer, the thicker it will become, so you can adjust based on your preferences.
9. Season with salt to taste and add the key lime juice.
10. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro, diced jalapenos (for extra heat), or your preferred chili topping.

Causa is a wonderful Peruvian dish that basically amounts to a fish, seafood, or vegetable salad sandwiched between two layers of mashed potatoes seasoned with Peruvian aji chilies.  Causa has become a symbol of the creativity inherent in modern Peruvian cuisine, with chefs and home cooks alike making their own unique versions that follow the basic format.

Typically, Peruvian yellow and white potatoes are used in a causa, but to celebrate the fall and practice some creativity of our own, we used delicious sweet potatoes from Johnson’s Backyard Garden (along with several of their other seasonal veggie offerings) to make this version.

Sweet Potato Causa

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 sweet carmen peppers (or one large red bell pepper), roasted, peeled, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 4 key limes, juiced
• 1 25-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 medium purple onion, juilienned
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnais
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the potatoes with the skin on until very soft, about 30 minutes. When cool to the touch, peel with your fingers then mash in a large bowl. Add aji amarillo and the juice of two key limes to the mashed potatoes and season with salt to taste. Set the potato mixture aside.
2. In another bowl, mash the chickpeas. Add onions, parsley, roasted peppers, vegan mayonnaise, and the juice of the other two key limes. Season with salt to taste.
3. Assemble the causa in a large casserole dish. Make an even layer of the potato mixture on the bottom of the dish then make a layer using all of the chickpea salad. Finish with a top layer of the potato mixture. Decorate as desired.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Pasties are basically the British version of empanadas or calzones, and are quite popular in the Midwest of the United States.  Pasties originally gained popularity with workers in colder climes, whose wives would pack freshly-baked pasties that would hold some of their warmth throughout the day.  Nowadays, with the advent of microwaves and toaster ovens, you can enjoy these whenever you’d like!

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties

Ingredients

Dough

• 1-3/4 cups flour (or gluten-free substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup non-margarine butter substitute
• 6 to 10 tablespoons water

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. To prepare the dough, sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. With fork or pastry cutter, add the non-margarine butter substitute. Stir in ice water gradually just until the mixture holds together – don’t overwork the dough, you want the end result to be flaky. Cover and chill for an hour.
2. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the saute and cook until the mushrooms express their liquid.
3. Add sweet potato and combine until the potatoes are thoroughly coated, then add the broth and reduce heat to low and cover while the potatoes cook. They should be tender in about 15 minutes.
4. Add broccoli to the potatoes and cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. To prepare the pasties, divide the dough in half, and roll 1 half out on a floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch round crusts then roll and repeat until the dough is exhausted.  Roll each dough into an oval and fill each pastry with about 1/2 a cup of dough then press down the edged with a fork. Transfer each pastry to a baking sheet.
6. When the baking sheet is full, bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 18- 25 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties

This attractive soup is a great way to get some more super nutritious kale into your diet.  The addition of a small amount of sugar helps tone down kale’s natural bitterness.

Pureed Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bunches kale, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup cream (optional for vegan preparation)
• Ground nutmeg
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot until the onion just begins to brown.
2. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add the kale and sugar, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the soup to a large blender, add cream, and process until smooth.
5. Return soup to pot, heat until thoroughly warmed, add a pinch or two of ground nutmeg, season to taste, and serve.

Winter Squash Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
• 1 cup masa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 1 large egg (or egg substitute)
• 1/2 cup milk or unsweetened milk substitute
• 1 cup cooked mashed squash
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 chipotle pepper, diced (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine cornmeal, masa, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cumin in a large mixing bowl.
2. In medium bowl, thoroughly combine egg, milk substitute, squash, and vegetable oil.
3. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. The batter should be thick but move easily.
4.  Liberally coat a cast iron skillet with cooking spray or butter and pour the batter in to the skillet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown it can pass the toothpick test, about 20-30 minutes.

Chana Masala

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped and divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 hot chilies (or more to your preference), chopped
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender, process 3 of the tomatoes, onion, chilies, ginger, and garlic until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat, then add the cumin, coriander, and fenugreek.  Let the spices toast and flower, stirring constantly in the oil, for about 1 minute.
3. Add the processed ingredients, increase heat to high, and fry until the “fresh” onion smell subsides, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas, remaining tomato, turmeric, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Add the garam masala, lime juice, and season with salt to taste.
6. Serve topped with fresh chopped cilantro.