Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil (al Limone)

Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil (al Limone)
Source: Cook Like A Champion, Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January/February 2011, as seen on Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:Kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
3 tbsp. finely minced onion
1/4 cup fat free half & half (or heavy cream)
2 teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 lemons
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add 1 tbsp. salt to the water and then add in your pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Now using your empty pot, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Once hot, add onion & 1/2 tsp. salt, cooking until onions have softened. Add in 1 1/2 cups of pasta water & the half & half, whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the pasta back into the pot and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Stir in the remaining 3 tbsp. of olive oil, lemon zest & juice, parmesan cheese & pepper.

Cover and allow pasta to stand for two minutes so the sauce can thicken, tossing half way through. Add remaining pasta water and stir in the parsley. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil & parmesan cheese.

Mixed Berry Mini Galettes

Mixed Berry Mini Galettes  - from twopeasandtheirpod.com
 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup coarse cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups mixed berries ( I used fresh blueberries, blackberries, and strawberry slices)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

1. To make the dough, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, and salt in a processor; pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse 4-5 times, or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the processor running, slowing pour the buttermilk through the chute, processing until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough ball and pat it into a firm ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before rolling out.
2. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Cut the dough into four equal parts. Starting at the center of the dough, roll out each piece of dough into a circle, about 6 inches.  Place the dough with parchment paper on a baking sheet. Arrange mixed berries in the center of each galette, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the border over the berries, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.
4.  Lightly brush the edge of the dough with the egg and sprinkle crust and berries with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake the galettes for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note-you can make the galette dough in advance. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if you wish.

Makes 4 mini galettes

English Royalty Chocolate Chip Scones

English Royalty Chocolate Chip Scones - from allrecipes.com user marbalet

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (I ended up using closer to 6-8 tablespoons - oops!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender or a large fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Mix in the orange juice to form a dough.
3. Turn out the dough on a floured surface. Pat or roll into a 9 inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. With a 2 1/2 inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out 12 scones, pushing the dough scraps together for the last few, if necessary. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool.

Classic White Layer Cake

Classic White Layer Cake (from Cooks Illustrated) - as seen on The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Serves 12

CI note: If you have forgotten to bring the milk and egg white mixture to room temperature, set the bottom of the glass measure containing it in a sink of hot water and stir until the mixture feels cool rather than cold, around 65 degrees. Cake layers can be wrapped and stored for one day.

Nonstick cooking spray
2¼ cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites (¾ cup), at room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups granulated sugar (12¼ ounces)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), softened but still cool

1. For the Cake: Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
4. Add all but ½ cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
5. Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
6. Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1½ hours.