Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

February 19, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Birthday Parties”

The Set-up: To celebrate Jeffrey’s birthday Ina is cooking him a dinner of Jewish comfort food straight from his grandmother’s playbook.

The Menu: Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls, Stuffed Cabbage

0:43 – Is it weird that Jeffrey and I like to celebrate our birthdays the same way? A stroll through a charming town followed by dinner at home – just add chocolate cake and we’re golden.

1:32 – Ina drops Jeffrey off at Book Hampton to browse while she heads home to finish their dinner. Is that a copy of “Back to Basics” I spy?

2:16 – First up, Stuffed Cabbage. Hmmm.

3:25 – So, there are raisins and brown sugar in the tomato sauce? Not winning any points…

4:41 – This is a complex recipe, not only does it involve a meatloaf-esque filling, but there are also cabbage leaves to blanch. This is love exemplified.

5:07 – On a positive note, I can definitely appreciate Ina’s cabbage rolling technique. They’re like little green burritos!

6:19 – Ina says that the flavors are “sweet and sour” and again, I’ve never really been on board with that combination when it’s a savory dish. Oh dear, this is one of the few Barefoot Contessa recipes that I will never make. (Sorry, Ina, you’re still perfect in my book!)

9:35 – We visit with Jeffrey for a moment as he relives past birthday surprises that Ina has organized. He married well, Ina would be the perfect surprise organizer.

10:23 – Back with Ina to make Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls and she’s in competition with Jeffrey’s grandmother for Grand Champion of Chicken Soup.

11:16 – We get a quick over view of Ina’s process for Homemade Chicken Stock, which involved three whole chickens. She is not messing around with this soup.

12:20 – Matzo ball time and I am watching this carefully for tips… Pro Tip#1: beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the mixture; Pro Tip #2: use just 1 cup of Matzo meal.

13:35 – I’m curious about the in-between steps of forming the matzo balls and actually cooking them – it seemed like Ina chilled them again…?

14:28 – The matzo balls look gorgeous, golden, and fluffy with a little bit of a rustic appearance. Yum!

17:45 – Now to finish the soup with the traditional carrots, celery, and shredded chicken.

18:02 – Ina is still challenging Jeffrey’s grandmother – is there a beef that never got squashed? Why the competition? It’s quite a mystery…

19:14 – Now for the fresh herbs – dill and parsley – they seem to be resisting a little. Darn those unruly, tangled herbs!

20:43 – Ina recommends saving the stems of herbs to use when making stock. I love it when she gets all Home Ec.

21:37 – Dinner time! Ina is ladling up bowls of the Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls and Jeffrey appears on cue.

22:11 – Ina appears to have won the Battle of the (Matzo) Balls, now let’s see how the Stuffed Cabbages go over…

22:19 – Ina is watching Jeffrey like a hawk as he takes the first bite. The consummate diplomat, he manages to compliment his lovely wife and honor his grandmother. Well played, sir.

25:50 – Ask Ina time. Question #1: Amy from Wisconsin wants a cutout sugar cookie recipe. Ina suggests this one: Classic Cookie Glaze.

26:16 – Question #2: Steve from Illinois needs advice on baking cakes ahead of time. Ina says – bake them, cool them completely on a rack, wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Frost them the day of the party.

27:45 – Question #3: Kim from North Carolina wants a recipe that her husband and young son can make for her. Ina says that Filet of Beef with Gorgonzola Sauce is a winner.

28:14 – Question #4: Chris from New York needs ideas for an easy, elegant birthday celebration for his partner. Ina’s recommendation: a picnic in Central Park catered from a specialty food store.

29:30 – And now Ina is off to entertain her birthday boy…

Final Thoughts:
really want to make Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls, but there is no way I’m boiling three chickens. There must be an easier way!

Note to self: start a stock bag in the freezer.

Cooking someone's favorite food for their birthday - such a sweet way to show them they're loved!

Lessons Learned:
Ina's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls is a classic Jewish dish and I've eaten several versions both in restaurants and in private homes, but never attempted to make it myself. I should offer the disclaimer that with zero Jewish heritage to my name it’s nearly guaranteed that my adaptation (noted below) isn’t authentic or Kosher. You’ve been warned!

Matzo Ball Mixing: All the recipes I consulted emphasized maintaining a light, fluffy texture to the matzo mixture and ultimately to the cooked matzo ball, which is essentially a dumpling. The process of mixing reminded me a lot of making meatballs, crab cakes, etc. with one exception: instead of flavoring and binding crab meat the matzo meal is the main event. Definitely whip the egg whites thoroughly until they’re firm and then fold them gently into the matzo meal.

Matzo Ball Prep: The finished matzo mixture is really sticky, even after chilling in the refrigerator, so an ice cream scoop will be really helpful in forming the matzo balls. I’d also recommend chilling the formed balls on a baking sheet overnight to allow time for the mixture to absorb more of the liquid and become firmer.

Matzo Ball Cooking: Wet hands will keep the chilled matzo balls from sticking as you remove them from the baking sheet and place them in the hot stock to cook. Resist the urge to over crowd the pot – cook in batches if you need to – and since they’re relatively delicate when uncooked wait until they’ve been in the stock a few minutes before gently stirring. The matzo balls will float easily when they’re done, but check one by cutting it in half. If the interior still resembles dense, damp dough, the matzo balls need more cooking time.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Not the original recipe, but my alternate version (below) is a bit more manageable. I used a large stock pot, two medium mixing bowls, a baking sheet, a medium cutting board, a chef’s knife, and an electric hand-mixer. I also used a wooden spatula, rubber spatula, small ice cream scoop, measuring cups and spoons. Parchment paper and plastic wrap will also be helpful.

The Verdict:
The soup is so flavorful with beautifully clear broth and tender shreds of chicken. To me matzo meal tastes a lot like crushed up saltine or oyster crackers, so the finished dumplings are perfect compliment to the soup. This recipe definitely takes some work and a fair amount of time, but the results are worth it!

Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls (yield: 10 servings)

Chicken Soup Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for chicken
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
1/2 cup yellow onions, diced
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for chicken
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
3 cups carrots, peeled and large diced
2 cups celery, large diced
12 cups chicken stock
3 chicken breasts, skin on bone-in
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Chicken Soup Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place the chicken breasts skin side up on the sheet. Coat the skin with olive oil (1/2 teaspoon each) and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

Roast at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle. Reserve some of the chicken drippings for the matzo balls.

Meanwhile, in a large pot sauté the leeks, yellow onions, and shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme.

Add the large diced carrots and onions to the pot and sauté 4-5 minutes more. Add the chicken stock to the vegetables and stir to combine.

Remove the skin from the cooled, but still warm chicken breasts and pull the meat into bite-sized shreds. Stir the chicken into the soup and simmer over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with the simmered matzo balls.

Matzo Ball Ingredients:
4 extra-large eggs, separated
6 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1/4 cup rendered chicken fat or butter, melted
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for egg whites
1 cup Streit’s matzo meal

Matzo Ball Instructions:
Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one medium mixing bowl and the whites in another. Whisk together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup chicken stock, chicken fat, parsley, and salt. Stir in the matzo meal.

Next, use an electric mixer on high speed to whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the matzo mixture until just combined. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.

Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the matzo into 18-20 balls the size of ping-pong balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Wet hands will help to handle the sticky mixture. Chill covered, preferably overnight. Drop them into 6 cups simmering chicken stock and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until fully cooked and puffed, turning once. Remove and serve hot - 2 per person - with a ladleful of the chicken soup and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Adapted and rewritten from Ina Garten's Chicken Soup, with additional reference to recipes by Chicago Tribune, and Smitten Kitchen.

Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls 3 smaller.jpg

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

February 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Boss for Dinner”

The Set-up: The “top brass” from House Beautiful magazine are coming to Ina’s for dinner, including her “dear friend” and editor in chief, Stephen Drucker.

The Menu: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Ice Cream Sodas

0:38 – Ina says she want’s to “dazzle” her guests, but most of all she wants them to go home saying, “wasn’t that fun?” These are good goals.

1:29 – Contrary to expectations of a fancy dessert, Ina is serving Ice Cream Sodas with chocolate and raspberry sauces.

2:15 – There really is something about childhood desserts – don’t get me wrong I love elegant recipes like crème brulee, but sometimes a brownie sundae just hits the spot.

3:22 – Of course Ina is making her own sauces, no Hershey’s Syrup here!

4:10 – I’m a little surprised that the chocolate sauce uses cocoa powder and not melted bar chocolate. Maybe it would harden?

5:23 – Interesting. I thought the raspberry sauce would include the whole fruit, but instead Ina has pressed the sauce through a sieve to just get the juice.

6:35 – Quick field trip to Villa Italian Specialties in East Hampton to pick up some antipasti for a platter and adhere to Ina’s Rules for Easy Entertaining: never make more than two things. Works for me!

10:47 - The unofficial theme of “Surprise! This Fancy Dinner Isn’t Fancy” continues with the main course - Real Meatballs and Spaghetti.

11:13 – Pro Tip #1: A combination of fresh breadcrumbs and dry breadcrumbs will keep the meatballs tender while also helping them to bind together.

12:06 – Ina has an interesting way of thinking about meatballs – the ingredients fall into two camps: flavoring and binding.

12:52 – Remember when I said I wanted to make Rao’s meatballs? Well, one of Ina’s tricks is from their playbook: warm water!

13:45 – Meatball sautéing montage. What a delicious turn of events…

14:27 – Now onto the tomato sauce montage, which appropriately includes a lot of onion and garlic chopping.

15:33 – Ina’s recipe also calls for red wine, which I’ve seen in things like boeuf bourgignon but not in a pasta sauce.

19:10 – Onward to the Garlic Bread made with fresh oregano and ciabatta!

20:25 – The garlic bread involves an olive oil and herb sauce that almost seems like a really loose pesto, without the parmesan and pine nuts.

21:51 – Ina says that once the bread goes in the oven that the whole house will smell like garlic. Sounds like heaven. Sigh.

22:48 – Out into the garden where Ina is setting the dinner table with a green striped cloth, beautiful bunches of fresh herbs, and white tulips. Again, heaven.

23:20 – Ina leaves the guests speculating on what dinner will be. Their hints are "Italian" and "oregano."

24:49 – Final assembly montage as Ina cooks the pasta, slices the garlic bread, and lifts the lid on a bubbling pan of meatballs and sauce. I am officially hungry.

27:27 – Ina arrives in the backyard with the most enormous footed serving bowl I’ve ever seen full of Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. If these people aren’t excited they must be dead inside.

28:36 – Back inside to set a tray with the ice cream soda makings. Note to self: anything looks elegant in silver bowls and parfait glasses.

29:14 – Guest Barbara goes first and chooses a chocolate soda with espresso ice cream. Well done Barbara, a woman after my own heart!

Final Thoughts:
My fate is sealed. It’s time to make meatballs!

I am absolutely on board with doing simple “home cooking” for important guests – it’s so much more relaxed that way.

At the close of the episode Ina asks for a raise and Stephen tells her she can have a meatball. Which actually sounds like a pretty good deal to me…

Lessons Learned:
It seems like meatballs are every where all of a sudden, so it was time to tackle them for myself. Here's what I learned from Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. Meatball Assembly – I’m a little meh about veal, so I used equal parts ground pork and lean ground beef (90/10). I also didn’t have seasoned dry bread crumbs, so I added 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder to compensate. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly, including the nutmeg. It’s tough to roll them all exactly the same size, but it’s worth it to try. I’d also recommend the “PlayDoh” technique – slightly rounded palms, gentle pressure when forming them.

Meatball Cooking – This is another time to practice your oil heating. Remember that shimmer from the Chicken Piccata recipe? Same deal here – you want the oil good and hot before adding the first batch of meatballs. Resist the urge to crowd the pan – too many meatballs and the oil temperature will drop making them greasy. A baking sheet alternately lined with aluminum foil and paper towels was super helpful during the rolling and sautéing processes.

Sauce Cooking – They say necessity is the mother of invention; well, the timeframe for the final 30 minute cook of the meatballs and sauce coincided with Maddie’s late-afternoon walk. Luckily, or was it by design?, I was using my enameled cast iron French oven. Covered and put in a 350 degree oven it took about 35-40 minutes for the meatballs to braise and cook through – thank you meat thermometer – plenty of time for a spin around the block with the dog. Honestly, with no bubbling, spattering pan on the stove top to worry about I’d do it that way again in a heartbeat.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Fairly, more so than I’d expected. I don’t have a sauté pan large enough for 16 meatballs AND sauce, so I used my trusty 5.5 qt French oven for the meatball sautéing, sauce preparation, and final cook. I also needed a second large pot for the pasta, a colander, medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet (useful during the meatball rolling & sautéing process) and medium cutting board. For utensils, a dinner fork, wooden spatula, two rubber spatulas (gentler than tongs) a liquid measuring cup & measuring spoons, a microplane grater, and an instant read meat thermometer.

The Verdict:
OMG. Real Meatballs and Spaghetti are so, so good. The meatballs are tender and the accompanying sauce has incredible depth thanks to the Chianti. Mike rarely is interested in having the same meal multiple days in a row – but in this case he was more than willing to revisit this dinner. I think it’s because they seem to grow in power – Day 2 and Day 3 might even be better than Day 1. Please set aside a lazy weekend afternoon to make this recipe – you will not be sorry and whoever you choose to share with will be eternally grateful. Trust.

Grilled Tuna Rolls

February 04, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Barefoot to Go”

The Set-up: Ina is bringing a day’s worth of meals to her friends Rob Marshall and John DeLuca who are holed up in the Hamptons editing their movie, Nine. Alas DD-L does not make an appearance.

The Menu: Grilled Tuna Rolls, Lentil Vegetable Soup, Homemade Granola Bars

0:55 – Ina says she offered to bring Rob and John “take-out” but she suspects they won’t call, so she’s surprising them with breakfast and lunch.

1:06 – First up: Homemade Granola Bars and Ina is toasting the oatmeal, shredded coconut and slivered almonds. I bet the kitchen smells fantastic…

2:19 – Granola is such a tricky thing – it seems like it should be so healthy and yet these bars have honey, butter, AND brown sugar. Not that I’m complaining exactly.

3:41 – Ina always uses the most enormous glass mixing bowls and I’m jealous that she must never worry about whether there’s enough mixing space.

4:22 – I am 100% on board with the dried apricots and cranberries in this mix, but dates – not so much.

5:03 – These granola bars look crazy sticky and delicious. May need to make a batch.

5:50 – We flash over to an adorable cedar shake cottage that we will from now on call The Editing Bunker and Rob seems to be playing “Bad Cop” insisting that they power through without breakfast. Mean!

6:34 – Back to Ina as she cuts the granola bars and individually wraps them. Because she’s perfect.

9:25 – Ina has arrived with her breakfast basket to surprise Rob “Bad Cop” Marshall and John “Good Cop” DeLuca, who actually let their crew stop for a moment to eat.

11:37 – Back to the barn to make the Lentil Vegetable Soup for lunch in their “Day of Barefoot.”

12:02 – What is it about anything that starts with a base of sautéed onions, garlic, and leeks? Sign me up!

13:28 – If I’m not mistaken this is the same base as the recipe for French Lentils with just a lot more chicken stock to turn it into soup. Very tricky, Ina.

14:33 - Ina is using her favorite French green lentils (aka lentils de Puy) and I 100% agree with her on their texture being better – maybe because they’re smaller they seem less mushy?

19:44 – Onward to the Grilled Tuna Rolls which actually aren’t grilled, but cooked in a really hot sauté pan.

20:13 – Pro Tip #1: Use a dry sauté pan, any oil put in the pan will burn before it’s hot enough to sear the tuna.

21:47 – Now for the dressing, which is soy, sesame, and lime based. I love limes, but juicing them is the worst.

22:50 – Ina is so right about avocados I always have to buy them a little under-ripe a few days in advance and they are prone to “schmut[zing], a technical term.”

23:32 – Salad assembly time and this looks so, so delicious.

27:10 – Can I tell you a secret? When she first started making this I was expecting sushi, but it’s definitely a variation on the classic lobster roll. Should I be embarrassed?

28:09 – The soup is done and Ina has arrived at The Editing Bunker, which curiously involves some sort of soothing infinity pool in the backyard, for an al fresco lunch.

29:28 – Rob “Bad Cop” Marshall has switched hats to “Good Cop” and tells Ina that he is surprising her with a sneak peek of the movie trailer. She is adorably excited to have such a treat further endearing her to me forever. Love!

Final Thoughts:

Having a seriously hard time deciding which of these recipes to try – so many good ones!

Granola Bars seem so simple to make; I think I’m going to challenge myself to develop my own recipe.

I know I’ve said this before, but Ina has the coolest friends.

Lessons Learned:
I had never cooked a tuna steak before, so I was a little nervous, but all the more reason to make Grilled Tuna Rolls. As it turns out it’s actually pretty simple and the rest of the recipe is just prepping a few vegetables and mixing the dressing. That said, I have a confession to make: I completely forgot to put in the sesame seeds. So lesson learned, review the ingredient list carefully so you don’t leave something out! Thankfully the sesame seeds aren’t totally essential. Can we chalk it up to brain freeze? Whoops!

Tuna – As it turns out the skills needed to cook a filet mignon are the same for a tuna steak. Really hot sauté pan - I let it heat over a high flame for 4-5 minutes – a seasoned piece of fish and just a little patience. The major difference is the length of time per side: you will literally need 1 minute on each to have a perfectly seared tuna steak. Crunchy and golden on the outside and beautifully crimson on the inside. If you watch carefully while it’s searing you can actually see the cooked part creep toward the inside, so no excuses for over cooking!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, definitely. I used a medium (8”) stainless steel sauté pan, a large cutting board, chef’s knife, medium mixing bowl, microplane grater, mixing spoon, pastry brush and measuring spoons. That’s it!

The Verdict:
The Grilled Tuna Rolls (technically seared, but who’s counting?) sounded so good that I skipped the hotdog buns and just went with it as a plated salad. The flavors straddle a really cool crossroad between a sushi roll (tuna, avocado, wasabi) and guacamole (lime, red onion, avocado again) and successfully balance richness, spice, and acid. Normally I’m suspicious of so-called “entrée salads” but this one really is a meal. I can’t wait to make this again soon!

Pear Cranberry Crostata

January 28, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Training Day Dinner”

The Set-up: Ina and Chef Joe Realmuto have offered to help make dinner for the East Hampton volunteer firefighters.

The Menu: Grilled Bread with Prosciutto, TownLine BBQ Pork Ribs, Sandy’s Potato Salad, Pear and Cranberry Crostata

0:42 – Ina is starting us off with Pear and Cranberry Crostata which she chose because it’s served room temperature, can be easily transported and is “absolutely delicious.” Good call on all three.

1:36 – I kind of assumed that crostata was basically a flatter version of a pie, but I notice that Ina isn’t putting any spices in with the diced pears, just a little orange zest.

2:05 – Pastry time, this recipe is a little different than the one she recommended for pie – it’s butter only, no vegetable shortening – and seems a bit softer.

3:28 – A quick intro to the East Hampton Volunteer Fire Department (est. 1975), so we know why this dinner is so important.

4:41 – Back with Ina to make the topping for the crostata – cinnamon, butter, allspice, sugar – and I ask myself, “How bad could that be?”

5:52 – These look seriously delicious and I can tell already that this is the recipe I want to make.

6:39 – I’m watching Ina intently as she finishes the final assembly – especially the crust folding technique – I think this maybe where the magic happens.

7:57 – Of course she makes it look so simple, but there must be a trick, right? I’m noticing no egg wash either which seems standard for getting golden brown pastry…

10:14 – Ina has rolled up to the EHVFD in an emergency vehicle of her own – emergency dessert.

11:23 – We get a little overview of the preparations underway, buffet tables, grill assembly, and Ina’s partner in crime: Chef Joe Realmuto.

12:45 – Ina heads upstairs to cook with Sandy, mastermind of Sandy’s Potato Salad, and Ina is put to work chopping hard boiled eggs.

13:16 – Sandy tells Ina that this is an old fashioned Southern recipe from her family tradition and I believe it – any mayonnaise based salad that also calls for pickle relish has got to be straight off the picnic table.

14:35 – Ina and Sandy have a heart to heart about how cooking is only kind of a science, since even the same ingredients vary in flavor. True story, sometimes you do everything the same and it just turns out differently!

15:28 – Taste test time and Ina approves of this “really old fashioned potato salad.”

20:34 – We’re outside at the giant grills set up for Chef Realmuto’s ribs which start with a dry rub of paprika, salt, sugar, ground mustard, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. Mike is a huge barbecue aficionado I wonder if he would approve of this recipe?

21:53 – Step Two of the process involves a “Texas mop”, a term I’ve never heard before, and it looks like a miniature version of a rope mop used for floors, except this one is used to baste the ribs every half hour.

22:15 – A little research tells me that “Texas mop” could also be referring to the basting sauce itself.

23:47 – Joe apparently made these ribs in a smoker at his restaurant and is just using the grill to re-heat. I’m relieved to hear that my fellow Yankees haven’t confused “grilling” with “barbecue.”

26:36 – Over to Ina who is making Grilled Bread with Prosciutto as an appetizer while Joe sets up giant platters of ribs.

27:50 – Yum. Ina is used smoked mozzarella on top of the prosciutto – I love smoked cheeses. My stomach is growling.

28:21 – Training is over and the buffet table is laden with all sorts of salads including Sandy’s Potato Salad, of course.

29:32 – The crostata is served and the cooking team celebrates with a round of high-fives!

Final Thoughts:
I Googled “crostata” and “galette” - turns out they’re the same thing in different languages (Italian and French.) Cue the “The More You Know” star…

I feel like crostatas might really be my jam. #sorrynotsorry in advance for the influx of crostata recipes I’ll be posting.

I love how involved Ina is with her local community – I swear she’s always volunteering or donating her time.

Lessons Learned:
Dough – I’m trying to reach some level of comfort with pie crust and after my last attempt with Deep Dish Apple Pie where the dough was too dry I was hyperaware of adding enough water. I think I actually overdid it since the result was pretty sticky, but it seemed a little more forgiving once a fair amount of additional flour was incorporated during the rolling out process. I noticed that because the dough was a little soft that my crostata edges were prone to falling down, but I have confidence that one of these days I’ll get it right!

Fruit – The original recipe called for “big chunks” of pear, but the ones I was had were a little under-ripe and since I was making mini versions I cut them a little smaller. This ended up being just perfect – the fruit was definitely cooked, but still firm pieces. I’d love to try this recipe again with fresh cranberries since the dried ones ended up a little dark and I don’t know how much of the flavor came through. I also forgot the orange zest, but it didn’t seem to matter much.

Assembly – I cut this recipe in half and then made three mini crostatas instead of one medium sized one. All the proportions still worked perfectly and as I was finishing the assembly process I decided to brush them with egg wash and sprinkle a little turbinado sugar – all good choices that I’d recommend!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, assuming you have a medium sized food processor. I also used a large cutting board, chef’s knife, vegetable (in this case fruit) peeler, rolling pin, dry & liquid measuring cups, measuring spoons, a baking sheet, and a medium bowl. I needed a small bowl and a pastry brush for the egg wash; plastic wrap and parchment paper rounded out the “kit.”

The Verdict:
I put these mini Pear and Cranberry Crostatas out as a mid-afternoon snack for some friends and when it was time to go there was just one lonely quarter leftover. Shockingly, it took zero convincing to get someone to help out with that last piece. I personally love the sweetness of the pears with the tart cranberries and how the crust gets beautifully crisp; which means these can be eaten “politely” with a fork or just picked right up like a slice of pizza. I also have full leave from Mike to make these anytime. Color me a crostata convert.