Cheesy Garlic Bread

April 17, 2013 By 1 Comment

You know the best part about going to low-end chain steakhouses?

No, it isn’t the well endowed waitresses.

It’s the awesome cheesy garlic bread. These places all have cheesy garlic bread – ooey and gooey topping with a potent garlicky taste covering warm, doughy bread. It’s at least as good as an authentic Parisian baguette with hand churned butter.

Sometimes, it’s actually a whole lot better.

Cheesy Garlic Bread (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

4 slices bread (preferably sourdough)

1 clove garlic, minced or pasted

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

3 scallions, white and green parts, minced

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1. Combine all ingredients except bread in a bowl. Quite frankly, I could eat it just like this.

2. Spread mixture evenly on all slices of bread

3. Put in toaster oven or regular oven at 350F for 8 minutes, or until mixture is totally melted and bubbly.

4. Serve

Yeah, um this is pretty awesome. If you don’t like blue cheese, you can just use cheddar, but really…you want the blue stuff here. That sharp, pungent twang on the soft bread. The salty cheddar and the bright scallions with that signature garlicky taste. The mayonnaise isn’t even noticeable here - it just creates the base for a smooth, creamy, sauce-like texture that makes sure that each bite is infused with flavor. It also moistens the bread, replicating that perfectly squishy texture found in restaurant loaves.

This recipe, of course, only makes enough bread for one person.

And because you aren’t out to dinner in public, you can lick the plate clean. 

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Greek Beef, Vegetable, and Couscous Skillet

April 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

When it gets warmer outside, I crave Greek food, all day every day.

I love the bright, fragrant flavors. I love how many vegetables it uses.

And I love any chance to eat my favorite medi-mexi dip, which is totally tasty with Greek food.

This dish a lot easier than moussaka with a lot of the same flavors. Just be sure that whatever meat you use is as lean as possible – you don’t to have to drain a whole bunch of grease. You will also note that I don’t use dill in this recipe – that’s because I serve it alongside a dip that is made with fresh dill, and I’m not a fan of dill overload.

I am, however, a fan of Greek overload.

Greek Beef, Vegetable, and Couscous Skillet

Ingredients:

3/4 pound lean ground meat (chicken, lean beef or pork, buffalo, etc.)

1 cup Israeli couscous, cooked

2 large or 4 small zucchini, diced

3 scallions, diced all the way up to the green part

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. dried mint

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 small can crushed tomatoes, drained)

1/4 cup roasted bell peppers, chopped

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp. olive oil

juice of half a large lemon

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet until it is shimmering, then add the zucchini to the pot. It will sizzle quite a bit -that’s what you want. Leave the zucchini undisturbed in a single layer until the bottoms are browned (about 4 minutes) , then start moving the zucchini around to let all sides brown. Add the scallions.  2. Add the meat, the other spices, and the bell peppers. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, and then drain fat if necessary.

3. Towards the end of the process, add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and bell peppers. Cover the pan with a lid to let the tomatoes break down.

4. In about 5 minutes, the tomatoes should be soft and juicy. When they are, taste for seasoning.

5. Add the couscous…

and top with feta. Cover the pan with a lid and in a few minutes, the feta will have melted.

6. Serve with Medi-Mexi  dip and tomato cucumber salad.

This dish is just delicious. Yes, it falls apart when you serve it, but it looks great while whole in the pan! The taste is very fresh and bright from the lemon juice, savory form the meat, and faintly sweet from the cinnamon. The vegetables are  crunchy in some parts, soft in others, and the scallions provide a gentle onion-like flavor without overpowering the other ingredients. This is very satisfying, without being heavy, and when it is served with fresh salad and yogurt sauce, it really constitutes an entire meal.

Get ready, blog. This blog is gonna get real Greek this summer.

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Maple Egg Grilled Cheese

April 12, 2013 By 3 Comments

It’s months like these that make me proud to be an American.

That’s because April is Grilled Cheese Month! Give me grilled cheese or give me death—that’s how the saying goes, right?

Well, Land O’Lakes has teamed up with Kitchen PLAY to celebrate grilled cheese.

Also, through the end of April, Land O’Lakes will donate $1 to Feeding America every time someone pins or repins a Land O’Lakes recipe on Pinterest. Just head to www.landolakes.com to find your favorite recipes, pin them, and start giving back.

And, with recipes like the one below, you are going to be pinning like crazy.

Grilled cheese is one of my favorite foods because there are so many ways to dress it up. It can be elegant or trashy and it is always just what I feel like. Even for breakfast.

You know, that time when grilled cheese isn’t usually served.

Keyword: usually.

The important things here are very thinly sliced cheese, so it melts evenly, and getting the fried egg right. Nothing is more disappointing than an overdone egg, and nothing is more delightful than a gooey egg yolk.

 

Except, perhaps, a gooey egg yolk atop a perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

Maple and Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

3 oz. Land O Lakes® Deli American Cheese

2 slices bacon, diced

2 slices sandwich bread

1 egg

1 tbsp. butter

1 dash chili seasoning (cayenne, pepper, salt, and garlic powder)

1 tsp. maple syrup

 

 1. Put the bacon in a dry, hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes, or until the bacon is very crispy. Take out of the pan and drain on a paper towel but keep the bacon grease in the pan and the pan hot.

2. Put both bread slices in the hot pan. After 1 minute, or when they are toasted, take one out of the skillet. Turn the other one and add the cheese.

 3. Top with the bacon.

4. Cover the whole thing with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 minutes, or until it the cheese is melted. When it is totally gooey, remove the cheesy bread and set it aside. Do NOT top with the other slice of bread.

5. Melt the butter in another skillet over medium heat…

6. And fry your egg. You want the whites JUST set and the yolk still runny.

 7. Put the egg onto the sandwich

8. Drizzle on the maple syrup and add the chili seasoning.

9. Now top with the other piece of bread, push down to puncture the yolk, and…

10. Serve.

This is everything breakfast should be— hearty, filled with healthy fats and protein, and just a little bit indulgent. Unlike traditional grilled cheese, which must be flipped, this can be made by somewhat clumsier chefs (my middle name isn’t exactly Grace). The egg, along with the cheese, acts as an adherent for both pieces of bread. The bacon is evenly distributed and the maple syrup adds a wonderful sweet taste to an otherwise savory meal. The crowning touch is, of course, the cheese. Tangy, soft, perfectly melted. It’s everything an ideal grilled cheese sandwich is.

So go pin this on Pinterest. And while you are at it, check out some of the other fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches participating in this program by clicking on the graphic below! Not only are you helping a good cause…you are gonna have a great breakfast tomorrow, too.

 *Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen Sidecar series. All opinions given are my own.

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Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

April 11, 2013 By 6 Comments

There are some recipes that are really so simple that they don’t require printing on a blog.

Or…do they?

After all, I grew up in the kitchen. My mom was always in the kitchen, teaching me how to separate eggs (with my hands), how to tell when a chicken is roasted (when the drumstick wiggles away), and how to combine flavors (dill and lemon – good. Dill and vanilla extract – bad.).

But a lot of people didn’t grow up cooking with their parents or grandparents. They didn’t go to culinary school and went straight from eating in the dorms to eating out. Now they might want to cook.

So this recipe is for them. It might seem simple to you – it does to me. But at a recent dinner where I served it, a friend was so delighted that it occurred to me that some people might not know to make this simple, satisfying recipe. So, here goes.

Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, diced very finely

1/4 red or sweet onoin, diced very finely

1/2 large cucmber or 1 small cucumber, diced v ery finely

juice of 1/2 lemon

tsp. of salt

2 tsp. olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients. Then, let marinate for 30 minutes, taste for seasonings, and serve.

That’s it. This is best in the summer, when the tomatoes are juicy and the onions are sweet. However, it’s even good in the early spring, like now. Just make sure that the dice on all the veggies is very fine – that really makes this salad refreshing and easy to eat. This is just the jumping off point – add some dill and oregano to make it Mediterranean. Add za’atar to give it a middle eastern feel. Cilantro and half a clove of smashed garlic for a Mexican feel and some herbs de Provence give it a decidedly French flavor. Go with your instincts and with flavors and herbs that you like. The point is that this is a chameleon salad. It is fabulous as a relish for burgers or as a side to  a heavy meal. It is simple, but it totally makes a meal come together.

And if you are someone who is a beginner in the kitchen, maybe this is just the recipe you needed to show you that cooking can be simple, intuitive, and most of all, enjoyable.

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Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches

April 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It feels like Spring here on the East Coast – finally!

It’s time for vegetables to step into the sandwich limelight.

.Sure, veggies are often seen as supporting players in a sandwich’s cast, but they can be so much more. Here, a portobello mushroom takes center stage and the turkey is in the chorus.

It’s okay, turkey…a strong ensemble is necessary to help the star shine.

Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 slices peasant bread

1 large portabello mushroom, cleaned and de-stemmed

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Sandwich ingredients of your choosing, included but not limited to:

1 slice turkey

2 tsp. horseradish mustard

1 plum tomato, sliced

2 oz. fontina cheese

1 handful washed arugula

1/4 avocado, sliced

1. Heat oil in a pan over high heat until it shimmers. Then, put the mushroom in.

2. Cover the mushroom with a plate and top with a large can to weigh it down. This is an all important step, as it flattens the mushroom and makes it crispy on all outer surfaces.

3. After about 4 minutes, flip the mushroom and repeat the process.

4. After it cooks for 2 minutes on the other side, or the mushroom is tender when a knife is stuck into its center, add the balsamic vinegar. Turn the mushroom to coat it in the vinegar and oil mixture. Then, remove the mushroom to a plate and salt and pepper it generously.

5. Build your sandwich, putting the mushroom smack in the middle of the whole deal.

6. Enjoy.

Don’t you wish you made mushrooms the star more often? This portobello is smooth and juicy, with a meaty, umami flavor that is only bolstered by its sticky balsamic glaze. The turkey makes the mushroom seem even earthier and more substantial than it already is. The cheese gently softens under the warmth of the mushroom, and the horseradish brings that nasal-clearing heat. A few greens, a fresh tomato…what more could you want in a sandwich?

Bravo, humble vegetable. You went in there a kid, but you came back a star.

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Root Vegetable Gratin – Go Away, Spring!

April 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I think I overrated spring.

There are lots of tourists. Bugs the size of my head. And I have to want raw vegetables all the time. Or at least pretend that I want them. People look down their noses at me when I want clam chowder in a bread bowl in 80 degree weather.

I mean…what’s the next time that I will be able to eat something like this? Hearty, cheesy, and so comforting that you might want to call it Nana.

Root Vegetable Gratin

Ingredients:

2 heads cauliflower, cut into steaks

1 large rutabega, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick

2 celery roots, cleaned and sliced about 1/4 inch thick

1 quart heavy cream

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 lb. Gruyère cheese, grated

1 bunch scallions or leeks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1. Lay the cauliflower in a large baking dish and preheat the oven to 350F. The cauliflower should be a single layer, so you won’t use all of it up – that’s the point. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper – the cauliflower really soaks it up.

2. Add a layer of rutabega and season.

3. And add the celery root. Repeat until the pan is full or all of the veggies have been used up, lasagna style. Don’t forget to season each layer as you go. Now set the pan aside.

4. Over a medium high flame, combine the garlic, scallions, and cream. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. When the flavor of the cream is infused with the alliums, remove the garlic but not the onions. Toss the garlic.

6. In a sautee pan, add the butter and flour to it over high heat, then whisk until it forms a thick, golden-ish paste.

7. Add a ladle-ful of the seasoned cream and whisk away until it is not lumpy and the cream is incorporated.

You now have a slurry with which to turn the cream into bechamel. Just like in mac and cheese, it ensures that the cheese does not seize up and become grainy.

8. Now add the slurry to the cream, stir to combine, and…

incorporate the cheese, stirring constantly until it all melts.

9. Pour the bechamel over the root veggies.

10. Cover with foil and roast for 1.5 hours, or until all of the vegetables are very soft when poked with a fork.

11. You may have excess water/butterfat when the stuff is done roasting. If so, drain it. You might not get all of it out, but try to get most of it out so the dish isn’t soggy.

12. Serve.

Yeah, this is pretty damn good. It’s sweet, nutty, and infused with a gentle garlicky flavor. The root vegetables each bring different flavors to the table – the celery root is grassy and clean, the rutabaga is starchy and sweet, and the cauliflower (not actually a root veggie) turns wonderfully creamy, almost like mashed potatoes. The Gruyère sauce adds a rich umami flavor that would be otherwise missing – don’t skip the roux. It is the secret to making sure this turns out crunchy and golden on top and creamy underneath.

I don’t care if it is spring. I’m gonna go outside and eat this in a bikini*, if I have to.

*muumuu

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Lox, Eggs, and Onion Matzo Brei Bake

April 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Passover has ended! Did you enjoy last night’s bread-stravaganza? I know I did!

However, I may have been a little harsh in one of the week’s earlier posts. I don’t always hate matzah. I enjoy it covered in chocolate. I like it in meatloaf. And I actually crave it, year round, in matzo brei.

This dish, made of soaked and rung-out matzah, is a perennial favorite. It combines eggs, matzo, and any number of add-ins. Some like it served sweet with jam. I prefer it on the savory side with sour cream.

And I especially love it in this easy to make, old school deli style version:

Lox, Eggs, and Onions Matzo Brei Bake

Ingredients:

8 eggs

1 brick cream cheese

8 oz. smoked salmon or lox

2 tbsp. butter

1 onion, diced

1/4 – 1/3 cup fresh dill, cleaned and chopped

1 box matzoh (or a little less is okay, too)

pepper

 sour cream (to serve alongside)

1. Put the butter in a pan over medium heat and melt it. Add the onions and sautee for 20 minutes, or until they are golden and caramelized. In the meanwhile…

2. Break up the matzah into large pieces (like 3 pieces per cracker), and put them in a colander. Run cold water over the colander until the matzah is quite mushy.

3. After the matzah is all wet, turn off the water and wring out the matzah until it is quite dry. You will really break the matzoh up at this point, and though it will be soggy it should not be sopping wet.

4. Combine it with the eggs, lox, and onions. Whisk it and add pepper, if you like.

5. Add the cream cheese and dill, whisk again, and throw in a 325F oven for 30 minutes, or until the eggs are puffed around the edges and just set in the middle.

6. Top with scallions, and sour cream, and eat immediately or at room temperature.

This is the BEST brunch dish. It can be made a couple of hours ahead of time and it feds a whole mess of people. It is sophisticated tasting but – as you see – incredibly simple to make. The salmon firms up and is rich and pleasantly salty. The cream cheese is rich and the onions are sweet and savory. The matzo becomes crisp in some parts, soft in others. It is purely textural, and lets the classic flaors of the lox, eggs, and onions shine. Pairing this with some smooth sour cream is the ultimate way to cap off a truly delicious brunch.

Look at me…I jsut called matzah delicious.

 

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Classic Chicken Stock

April 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Recipes don’t just come out of nowhere. They have backbones. Building blocks that make them what they are.

The perfect Eggs Benedict has hollandaise.

The best spaghetti sauce is topped with a chiffonade of basil.

And almost every recipe, from soups and stews to sauces and curries, benefits from homemade chicken stock.

The bad news – it takes a million years to make.

The good news – it is incredibly easy and brings every dish in which you use it to the next level. There is no comparison between store-bought stock and the homemade stuff. The vegetables can all be roughly sliced but should be well peeled, if the recipe calls for it. The secrets are lots of vegetables, enough salt content, and lots of time.

Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

3 boxes (32 oz. each) low salt chicken stock/broth

1.5 lbs. chicken wings and/or backs, with bone in

1 large turnip, skinned and sliced

2 large parsnips, skinned and sliced

1 package carrots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 large celery root, skinned and sliced

1/2 large rutabega, skinned and sliced

2 onions, quartered

1 container demi glace

1 bunch each thyme, dill, and oregano

1. Put all the ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to medium high. Cook for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 6 hours. After 3 hours, taste it, and if it needs more seasoning, add salt or pepper. As the soup cooks, it will just get richer and more full bodied, so don’t add too many seasonings too early.

2. When the soup is done, take out all of the ingredients- the chickens, the veggies, the herb stems – everything. Put it through a strainer if there are too many items floating around in there. That is why some of the veggies, like the carrots and onions, are not peeled – they vegetables themselves are not eaten. The chicken and veggies turn to mush after the lengthy cooking, so just throw away all that you have strained.  3. Serve.

Now the possibilities are endless. Throw some noodles in there. Or some matzah balls, or meat filled dumplings. Or, take it to the next level by making some extra rich chicken and dumplings or a deeply flavored Swedish meatball gravy. Whatever you do will be layered  with flavor and taste more precisely the way that you want it to taste.

Because now you have the proper foundation.

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Five Fantastic Ways to Break Passover

April 1, 2013 By 1 Comment

Passover is almost over for those of us celebrating. That means the end of a week of seeing family, the end of another year celebrating our culture and religion, and…

THE END OF MATZAH!

Pardon my outburst, I’m just not the biggest matzah fan. Every now and then I can handle it, but after a week of matzah pizza, matzah brei, and matzah blts (yeah, I’m that kind of Jew), I want CHAMETZ!!

Tangy sourdough bread.

Al dente pasta.

Risotto covered with cupcake crumbles…too far?

Here, in no specific order, are five fantastic ways break Passover tomorrow night:

 Potato, fontina, and caramelized onion pizza

I always eat tons of potatoes on Passover, but this is  one food of which I never tire. Baked, boiled, fried, steamed, sauteed, or mashed, I just love potatoes. They are especially indulgent in this carb-on-carb recipe where potatoes, sweet caramelized onions, and nutty fontina cheese top a crispy pizza crust. The beauty in this recipe lies in letting these ingredients shine, so resist the urge to add bacon.

Can’t believe I just said that, and meant it. I’m going soft. 

The world’s easiest pasta sauce

After a week visiting Great Uncle Marvin’s house or spending the weekend Easter egg hunting with a million 4 year olds, you not be in the mood to whip up a gourmet meal. In that case, allow me to re-introduce you to my little fried, the world’s easiest pasta sauce. A little cream, a little canned soup, and a whole lot of al dente rigatoni makes one of the best,  most satisfying dishes you can imagine. It isn’t layered or complex, but it is totally delicious comfort food. What should you serve with it, you ask?

Sweet onion and garlic bread

This stuff. Sweet, savory, sticky, and crunchy  Reminiscent of sweet roasted garlic and caramelized onions, with just the slight bite of traditional garlic bread. Best of all, it is wonderfully buttery. The butter sinks into the soft bread, saturating it with richness and mellow garlic flavor. Be warned; this is so tasty that it  may make you weep.

Monte Cristo casserole

Oh breakfast, welcome back! Moist muffins with crunchy sugared tops, Belgian waffles soaked in syrup, and fluffy biscuits with a pat of butter melting into its yeasty layers…come to mama. Monte Cristo casserole is an  ideal brunch food, but is substantial enough for dinner, which makes it a fun dish with which to break the Passover chametz fast. Eggy french toast is layered with tangy Swiss cheese and salty ham (or with roasted chicken or turkey if you are kosher), then is baked and served with sweet raspberry jam. This combination of sweet and salty is irresistible and may have you going back for sixths. 

Faux Saigon Subs

Oh sandwiches, I have missed you more than any other food. What good is melted cheese without a fluffy layer of grilled bread beneath it? What is the point of a juicy burger without a fluffy bun to sop up meaty juices?  These Saigon subs deserve more attention than I gave them when I first posted them. They are a little time consuming to make, but the outcome makes the time worth it. The patties are juicy and fragrant with fresh herbs and pungent fish sauce, and soft with breadcrumbs. The slaw is very tangy and bright, and the mayo is spicy and creamy. Best of all is the bread. The crunchy, holey, sour, glorious bread. It acts a s a sponge for all of the sandwich’s flavors and reminds me why bread is such a vital part of  my every day diet.

51 weeks of enjoying chametz commences tonight.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. 

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Gonna-Make-You-Sweat-and-Cry Samosas

March 29, 2013 By 2 Comments

Bringing another recipe out of the “Forever lost in Blogger to WordPress Transfer” files.

This one is another recipe that I took straight from someone else – no inventions, no new techniques, no unique spin on things. This is just the story of a lazy Jewish girl who loves samosas.

And decided to make them one day.

Spoiler alert – these are as good as any samosas I have had in any restaurant, and the cilantro chutney is even better.

Second spoiler alert – they took many hours, lots of sweat, and a few tears out of me.

Was it worth it? Wait and see…

Samosas with Tamarind Water and Cilantro Chutney (from Tropical Asian Cooking )

Tamarind Water and Mint Chutney Ingredients:

2 tbsp tamarind pulp

1/2 cup warm water

3.5 tbsp chopped mint leaves

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 birds eye chilis, chopped

1 medium red or green chili, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 sliced scallion

Samosas Ingredients:

2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp brown mustard seeds

1 jalapeno, chopped

11 curry leaves chopped

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp each minced garlic and ginger

1 tsp chat masala

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves 

2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading

2 tbsp veggie oil

1/2 cup water

Extra oil in which to fry

1. Combine the tamarind pulp with the warm water.

2. After a few minutes of letting it steep, pour the mixture through a colander…

taking care to mash the pulp through the colander. Then set the results aside, tossing the fibrous pulp. 

 3. Throw the rest of the ingredients in the “chutney and water” section int o a food processor, and pulse to mince and combine.

Take out the mixture and set it aside. Now it’s time to get down to business…

4. Drop the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until they are fork tender. At the last minute or so, drop in the carrot so it gets tender too. Then remove the veggies and drain.

5. Mash up the potatoes and the carrots in a large bowl. It’s okay if   still some bite to the carrots. Also, add the peas.

In case you aren’t exhausted from all the peeling, dicing, pureeing, and the like, don’t worry…there is still time for you to drop dead of exhaustion.

6. Now put the oil and your mustard seeds into a skillet over medium high heat and start to fry them until they get really fragrant. When they start to audibly pop…

7.  Throw in the onions, chiles, and curry leaves.  By now your kitchen should be smelling vaguely nutty and incredibly fragrant.

8. After the onions start to caramelize and turn golden, add the ginger, garlic, and turmeric.

9. And after 30 secs of mixing those into the mixture, add the potatoes and carrots to the pan.

10. Now take the mixture off the heat and add the cilantro, the masala, and the salt.

Try not to eat this straight out of the bowl. Even though it would be delicious with some creamy Greek yogurt and that bright, spicy cilantro chutney…NO.. must keep making samosas. In the recipe that never ends…

Now onto the dough:

  11. Set the flour in a bowl and made a well in the center of it…

and pour  in the oil and water.

12. Now mix the whole thing  until it comes together and forms a ball.

13.   Turn it onto a well floured cutting board and…

knead.

And press.

And push that sucker into oblivion. Well, just for about 5 minutes, until the dough is no longer sticky and has a bouncy quality.

14. Separate the dough into 8 little balls.

15. Then pound each ball flat with your hand,

and roll them out to about 5.5 inches in diameter. Don’t be afraid of applying some force to really form those flat little circles. They will be quite thin.

16. Cut each disc in half, and…

put a heaping 1/2 tsp of your potato filling into one of your dough half moons.

 

17. Dip your finger in some water, then run your finger across the edge of half of the dough.  Then just fold the dough over, and crimp it.  The dough will hold together in a little parcel…

like this. (There will be lots of filling left over that is just perfect as a side for some nice flank steak.)

18. Now, pour enough oil to cover a few samosas into a big pot or dutch oven, then put the pot on high heat.  When the oil shines and starts to have tiny bubbles, throw a piece of bread in.  If it fries, the oil is ready!

19.  GENTLY lower your first samosa into the oil…don’t throw that thing in unless you are craving some serious oil burns.  Put about 4 samosas in at a time-you don’t want to overcrowd the pot and lower the oil temperature.  Remember, the higher the temperature, the less greasy the samosa.

 After about 1 minute or so, when the pastry puffs up and is lightly golden on one side, turn it.  After the other side turns golden-about 1 minute more-take those kids out, drain them on a paper towel, and throw the next batch in the pot. Repeat until the samosas are all fried.

 

20. Serve

This is just a phenomenal recipe. The pastry is light and crackly with eggshell thin air pockets.  The  creamy potatoes, sweet carrots, and juicy peas are complimented by spicy peppers and fragrant masala.   The sauces are tangy, salty, garlicky, and vaguely sweet .  This doesn’t taste Indian.  This IS Indian.

It will take you forever. It will give you burns and it will make your kitchen smell like a restaurant on East 6th Street. But they payoff is extraordinary.

I may have cried and I definitely sweated (swat?).

But it was, indeed, worth it.

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