Recipes
My Italian upbringing meant “meatballs in the house” — meatballs covered with marinara, fried meatballs, baked meatballs, meatball sandwiches, you name it. These meatballs are easy to prepare, the ingredients are affordable, and it’s the ideal meal for lunch or dinner. Your family will love it so much that you’ll want to make these often.
Thinking about strawberries always makes me think about warm biscuits, the kind that lures my family into the kitchen on Sunday mornings. Even if you’ve never made a homemade biscuit in your life, I urge you to give my recipe a try. I’ve added fresh chopped rosemary and orange zest to these biscuits, but in the past I’ve added anything from chocolate chips and walnuts to crumbly pieces of bacon and cheddar cheese. Be adventurous, and don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite ingredients.
Rosemary Biscuits with Roasted Balsamic Strawberries and Mascarpone
Serves 10 to 12
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 stick (½ cup) plus 4 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter, divided use
2 pounds fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Zest of 1 large orange
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, cut into tiny pieces
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Add Mascarpone, whipping cream, vanilla and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Add 4 tablespoons butter to a glass baking dish. Heat in oven until butter is melted, then remove dish from oven.
Rinse strawberries and remove stems. Cut strawberries in half and place in a large bowl. Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Toss gently. Add strawberries to the baking dish with butter. Gently coat strawberries with the butter mixture. Place dish back into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove strawberries from oven and let cool.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut 1 stick of butter into slices and add to the dry mixture, continuously breaking up the butter with a fork or hard spatula until the flour is crumbly. Slowly add milk while stirring with a fork until the mix forms soft dough. Add orange zest and rosemary, and gently knead into dough with your fingers (don’t over-knead the dough).
Take the ball of dough out of the bowl and, with your hands, flatten into a 1-inch-thick loaf on a cutting board. Slice the loaf into 10 to 12 square biscuits and arrange on a nonstick cooking sheet. Place into a 450-degree oven and bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until the biscuits turn slightly brown on the top. Remove from oven.
Slice biscuits in half and fill with mascarpone cream mixture. Spoon strawberry filling on top of mascarpone mixture. Top with the remaining biscuit halves.
©Recipe by Maria Desiderata Montana
For the pastry:
2-½ cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cold, in chunks
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 large egg
½ cup ice water
For the filling:
8 fresh figs, sliced
3 apples, peeled and sliced
1 (heaping) tablespoon orange marmalade
For the glaze:
1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
To serve (optional)
Handful of fresh mint
Vanilla ice cream
In food processor fitted with pastry blade, pulse flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger until dough is crumbly. Add egg and water, two tablespoons at a time, and pulse until dough forms texture smooth enough to handle. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and work it until well combined, forming a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Add figs and apples to small bowl. With small brush, lightly coat fruit with orange marmalade.
Place pizza stone in conventional oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle counter with flour and gently roll dough out into a 14-inch circle, about 1⁄4-inch thick, turning dough over and sprinkling flour on both sides so it doesn’t stick. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza paddle.
Layer fruit mixture (alternating fruit) onto dough, leaving a two-inch border all around. Make slight fold at edge of crust, pinching dough to seal. Lightly dab egg wash around border with your fingers. With a fork, make indentations around border. Remove pizza stone from oven. Slide crostata off pizza paddle and onto pizza stone. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Slide pizza paddle under tart to remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and fresh mint.
©Recipe by Maria Desiderata Montana
I’ve always loved salad paired with any kind of cheese and fresh strawberries. I’ve taken my favorite cheese and my favorite fruit and paired them with spinach leaves for a fresh and inviting taste of spring and summer in a bowl. Pair this salad with a chilled Rosé at your next outdoor picnic.
