Dayrecipe Food Community

Similar to pumpkin pie, but not quite as sweet. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• crust
• 1 1/3cups all purpose flour
• 1tablespoon sugar
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 6tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
• 3tablespoons (or more) ice waterfilling
• 2large red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; 13/4 pounds) 1cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1cup whipping cream
• 3large eggs
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4teaspoon ground mace
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1large egg white, beaten to blend

DIRECTIONS For crust:
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Process until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold overhang under. Crimp edges decoratively. (Crust can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)

For filling:
Pierce potatoes with fork. Cook in microwave on high until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Cut open; cool completely. Scrape potato flesh into bowl; mash until smooth. Measure enough potato puree to equal 1 1/2 cups.

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Place puree in large bowl. Whisk in brown sugar and next 6 ingredients. Brush crust with beaten egg white. Transfer filling to crust.

Bake pie until filling is puffed around edges and set in center, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)

Nudies? In Florentine dialect they’re called gnudi, nudies, poking fun at a dish from the Casentino, a neighboring area that makes their greens and ricotta gnocchi with the same filling Florentines use for ravioli. Nudies because they’re not wearing pasta. Pronounced YNOO-dees. Spinach is used in Florence but wild greens are common in the mountainous Casentino. And ravioli are stuffed with wild greens in many regional recipes. Use wild greens if you can get them, otherwise use chard or spinach, whichever is fresh and tender. Traditionalists may want to search for sheep’s milk ricotta, which yields richer results, but everyone else can get by with whole cow’s milk ricotta. Drain watery ricotta in a metal sieve for 30 minutes if necessary. Cooks in search of a labor-intensive experience can form nudies by hand, one at a time, or use the 2-spoon French quenelle method. I prefer to pipe the mixture from a plastic bag onto a floured countertop, sprinkle the blobs with flour, and lightly roll to form walnut-sized, roughly shaped balls. Serve the nudies with melted butter or tomato or meat sauce, sprinkled with Parmigiano, and baked in the oven to melt the cheese.

Makes 4-6 first course servings.

INGREDIENTS

So good — and no cooking required. Prepare the relish at least a day ahead, and add more cardamom before serving if you’d like a stronger flavor.

Makes 2 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 112-ounce package fresh cranberries
• 1cup dried tart cherries (about 5 ounces)
• 1cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2teaspoon ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Place half of mixture in processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Chill at least 1 day and up to 2 days, stirring occasionally.

(Gâteau de Semoule d’Isabelle)

A favorite on the Dugord farm in Normandy, this cake (which is really more of a pudding) wins with everyone. According to Isabelle Dugord, who convinced her grandmother to share the recipe, her family ate this all the time when she was growing up, and it’s still her preferred sweet. Isabelle works part-time at a day-care center and always has the children make this at least once while they’re with her. “It’s easy to make, healthy, and they all, down to the last child, just love it,” she said.

It can be served hot, lukewarm, or chilled, and is best the day it is made.

Raisins are traditional, though dates or figs are luscious, too.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

Market Tip: Pick well-trimmed ribs with a thick solid portion of meat on the bone.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1teaspoon salt
• 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
• 83-inch-long meaty beef short ribs2tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2cups chopped onion
• 6large garlic cloves, minced
• 114-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
• 1cup drained canned diced tomatoes
• 1/4cup fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies*3large fresh anaheim (california) chilies, stemmed, seeded, cut into1/4-inch-thick rings
• chopped fresh cilantro
• lime wedges

DIRECTIONS Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl; sprinkle all over short ribs. Place ribs on plate; cover and chill 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add half of ribs and brown on all sides, about 9 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining ribs. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic to same pot; cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes, lime juice, and chipotle chilies. Return ribs to pot, meaty side down, in single layer. Bring to boil; cover and cook in oven until ribs are just tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove pot from oven. Tilt pot; spoon off fat. Place pot over medium heat and simmer uncovered until saucecoats spoon and ribs are very tender, about 25 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 30 minutes, refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

Bring ribs to simmer over medium heat; add chili rings. Simmer until chilies soften, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs and sauce to large bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro; garnish with lime wedges.

*Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.