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Japan Today
31-05-2025
- General
- Japan Today
Tangy cherry preserves bring balance to this ancient ricotta tart
By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL At Armando al Pantheon, a trattoria in Rome, meals often are punctuated with a slice of torta antica roma— a rustic tart inspired by the traditional Roman combination of ricotta and cherries. It's exceptionally light, with milky-sweet ricotta balanced by tangy, brightly hued fruit preserves. The base is a tender, buttery, almost cake-like crust, and the topping is a crumby mixture of the same composition. Sandwiched between is a layer of jam on a bed of ricotta dotted with poppy and sesame seeds. In this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street Backroads Italy,' we devised a dough that gets flavor and texture from almonds that are ground in the food processor, plus a small measure of semolina (or cornmeal). Lemon zest brings brightness, and baking powder adds a little lift and lightness. Sour cherry jam, with its balance of sweet and sour, is best in this tart; some brands might specify Morello cherries on the label. If sour cherry jam is not available, good-quality strawberry jam is a better option than sweet cherry jam. Don't use part-skim ricotta, as it lacks richness and has a grainy texture. Also, after making the crust mixture and transferring half to the pan, be sure to refrigerate the remainder, which will become the crumb it's kept at room temperature, it won't hold its shape during baking and will melt into the filling. Lastly, don't spread the ricotta and jam layers all the way to the edges or the filling will caramelize against and stick to the pan, making it tricky to remove the tart for serving. Covered tightly, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving. Start to finish: 2 hours (50 minutes active), plus cooling Servings: Makes one 9-inch tart Ingredients For the crust and topping: 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 65 grams (½ cup) slivered almonds 71 grams (⅓ cup) white sugar 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 163 grams (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour 57 grams (⅓ cup) semolina flour or 48 grams (⅓ cup) fine yellow cornmeal ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon table salt 85 grams (6 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, room temperature For the filling and finishing: 15- or 16-ounce container whole-milk ricotta 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional) 320 grams (1 cup) sour cherry jam (see headnote) 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest Powdered sugar, to serve Directions Heat the oven to 175°C with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. To make the crust and topping, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla. In a food processor, combine the almonds, white sugar and lemon zest. Process until the nuts are roughly chopped, about 15 seconds. Add both flours, the baking powder and salt; pulse to combine, about 5 pulses. Scatter the butter over the top, then pulse until the butter has been reduced to pea-sized bits, about 10 pulses. Drizzle the egg mixture over the top, then pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and resembles damp sand; it will not form a cohesive dough. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared springform pan, then distribute in an even layer and lightly press it; do not firmly compact the mixture. Transfer the remainder to a medium bowl and refrigerate uncovered until needed. Bake the crust until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolk, poppy seeds, vanilla and almond extracts (if using); fold with a silicone spatula until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. In a small bowl, stir together the jam and lemon zest; set aside. When the crust is done, transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes; leave the oven on. Scrape the ricotta mixture onto the still-warm crust and spread in an even layer, leaving a ¼-inch border at the edge. Dollop the jam onto the ricotta and gently spread in an even layer to cover the ricotta layer; try not to mix the jam into the cheese. Remove the topping mixture from the refrigerator. Scoop up a handful, firmly squeeze it until it forms a cohesive clump, then crumble and break the clump into bits, scattering them over the tart; aim for a mixture of fine crumbles and pebbly, pistachio-sized pieces. Continue adding the remaining topping in the same way, distributing it in an even layer; it will not fully cover the tart. Bake until the jam is bubbling at the edges and the crumb topping is light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes. Remove the pan sides and cool completely. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
16-05-2025
- General
- Japan Today
Give salt-and-pepper pork chops a crunchy coating without the deep frying
By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL The salt-and-pepper treatment is a Cantonese technique that can be applied to give almost any meat, seafood or tofu a crunchy exterior and tongue-tingling flavor. The protein typically is deep-fried, but in this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,' we opt to pan-fry pork that we first dust in cornstarch seasoned generously with Sichuan pepper, black pepper and cayenne. The starch granules swell when they come in contact with moisture released by the pork as it cooks; as the water evaporates, the starch settles into a rigid, locked network, creating a crunchy coating. In a classic salt-and-pepper dish, chilies and garlic are quickly fried and tossed with the cooked protein for big, bold, in-your-face flavors. We, however, finish the pork with a fresh, punchy, uncooked mix of sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, minced chilies, rice vinegar and grated ginger. The easiest way to grind the tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorns for this recipe is in an electric spice grinder. Don't use thick-cut or bone-in pork chops for this recipe. Look for boneless pork loin chops that are ¼ to ½ inch thick. They sometimes are called pork cutlets. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops with Spicy Scallions Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 1 jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger Salt and ground black pepper 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 8 boneless thin-cut pork loin chops/cutlets (¼ to ½ inch thick), patted dry ⅓ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil Directions In a medium bowl, toss together the scallions, cilantro, chili, vinegar, ginger and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside. In a wide, shallow dish, mix together the cornstarch, Sichuan pepper, cayenne pepper, five-spice, 2 teaspoons black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Dredge the cutlets in the cornstarch mixture, turning to coat both sides and pressing so the mixture adheres, then transfer to a large plate, stacking or shingling as needed. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add half of the cutlets and cook until browned on the bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the cutlets and cook until golden brown on the second sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil. Cook the remaining cutlets in the same way, using the oil remaining in the skillet. Spoon the scallion-cilantro mixture onto the chops and serve. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
22-04-2025
- General
- Japan Today
This rustic dish of baked beans and smoked sausages is packed with deep, aromatic flavors
By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL Tavče gravče, which translates as 'beans in a pan,' is a Macedonian classic. Traditionally, large dried white beans called tetovac, named for a city in northwestern Macedonia, are the star of the rustic dish, while onions, garlic, peppers and paprika provide deep, rich flavor and color. In this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,' we opted for the convenience of canned butter beans, which are plump, creamy and the best widely available alternative to tetovac beans. If butter beans are difficult to find, cannellini beans work, too. Combined with sautéed aromatics and baked for an hour with smoked sausages, the beans turn silky-soft and deeply flavorful. Both kielbasa and bratwurst work well. Optional dried mint adds sweet, woody notes that balance the richer flavors. Don't forget to reserve 1½ cups of the bean liquid before draining the cans. The liquid is added to the pot and keeps the beans plump and moist during baking. If the amount of liquid from the cans comes up short, make up the difference with water. To ensure enough liquid evaporates during cooking, use an oven with a wide diameter, ideally between 11 and 12 inches. Finish with chopped flat leaf parsley and serve with crusty bread on the side. Baked White Beans and Sausages with Paprika, Onions and Sweet Peppers Start to finish: 1 hour 50 minutes (20 minutes active) Servings: 6 4 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided 2 medium yellow onions, chopped 2 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped Salt and ground black pepper 6 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced 4 teaspoons sweet paprika 1½ teaspoons dried mint (optional) Three 425-gram cans butter beans (1½ cups liquid reserved), rinsed and drained 2 dried chilies OR ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 50 grams smoked sausage or bratwurst ¼ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped Heat the oven to 200°C with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large oven over medium-high, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the onions, bell peppers and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, mint (if using) and ½ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the beans and reserved liquid, chilies and 1½ cups water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then nestle the sausages into the pot and drizzle the surface with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to the oven and bake, without stirring, until the sausages are browned and the beans on the surface are slightly crisped, 1 to 1¼ hours. Remove the pot from the oven and let stand, uncovered, for about 15 minutes; the bean mixture will thicken as it cools. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board. Cut them into pieces, return them to the pot and stir into the beans. Remove and discard the chilies (if used). Taste and season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the parsley. Serve from the pot. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
