Roasted Pumpkin, Spinach and Gorgonzola Quiche

One of the most important trends I've noticed throughout pumpkin fest is that sweet dishes usually involve lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice. Savory dishes however, use sage. This quiche is no exception.

The phyllo dough crust takes a little time but adds a great texture. If you've never worked with it before, you just buy the dough frozen at any grocery store (it's by the Sara Lee frozen pies and Cool Whip).

The quiche turned out a little moist when I served it right out of the oven, but still tasted incredible. However, I might have cooked it a little longer or let it chill to solidify a bit before serving. This was one of those dishes where the leftovers sat on my counter being nibbled at after dinner and was completely gone by the time I went to bed that night. I served it for dinner, but it would also work beautifully for brunch!

Roasted Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Quiche

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, sliced thinly into half-moons
water as needed
2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed as directed on package
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
3 ounces gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon sage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon pepper

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat
• Add the onions and saute until the onions are tender, about 10-15 minutes
• Reduce the heat to just a bit below medium, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the onions turn a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes until they are soft and golden (Add a bit more water if it starts to get to dry)
• Meanwhile, toss the pumpkin with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the pumpkin (see here for more in depth instructions on cooking pumpkin)
• Unroll the phyllo pastry - be very patient when thawing this, if it is still frozen, it will crack and break into small pieces which is wholly unhelpful
• Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with the olive oil and place it in the bottom of spring-form pan with the ends hanging over the side of the pan and repeat with the remaining sheets placing them on top
• Mix the onions, pumpkin, eggs, milk, mushrooms, spinach, gorgonzola and sage and pour it into the crust.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven until golden brown and set in the center, about 35-45 minutes.
• Allow to cool in spring form for 5-10 minutes then remove from springform and serve

Pumpkin Risotto

Though posts have been sparse lately, the exciting new creations in my kitchen have been unceasing. It seems I either have time to make the food or to write about it, rarely both. .  . But I'm going to try to be much better and post lots more of the recipes I have been sharing with my new roommate.

Currently, we are in the middle of what I have deemed Pumpkinfest. It all began when I brought home some pumpkin ale a few weeks ago and my roommate requested that we have pumpkin every day in October. I accepted the challenge and we have been quite diligent. When most people think of eating pumpkin, they think of pies or breads, but I have been exploring the many different dishes that can be enhanced with pumpkin. By keeping it varied with pumpkin themed dinners, breakfasts, desserts, and drinks, we have had an incredible October and embraced all that fall has to offer.

This was my first risotto ever and it was one of the more time consuming pumpkin dishes, but was probably my favorite pumpkin entree for the month. The pumpkin and wine go beautifully together; this is definitely worth the time and effort.

Pumpkin Risotto

3/4 cup risotto rice
1 small glass white wine (I used a white zinfandel)
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/2 C Crimini mushrooms, sliced
4-5 C Vegetable stock
2 C Pumpkin flesh
4tbsp Butter
1 small pumpkin slightly larger than a grapefruit for serving
Pumpkin seeds for garnish
1/4 C Parmesan cheese

Cook the pumpkin:
For pumpkin flesh, I recommend using a real pumpkin and not the canned puree. It is not as daunting as it seems and can be cooked in the microwave easily. You can use more complex methods if you prefer, but I am not that patient.

• Take a small pumpkin and slice it into chunks. Place the chunks into a shallow dish filled with water. 
• Microwave for 6-8 minutes. Using a fork, turn the pieces over so the other side of the pumpkin is submerged in water. Continue this process until the pumpkin is nice and squishy when you press into it with your finger. 
• Cut the peel off the pumpkin and mash the pieces into a puree with a fork or potato masher.

• Season pumpkin seeds with salt and pepper and toast in oven or toaster oven for 25 minutes at 400F 

 



Make the risotto:

• Saute the onion in a large stock pot with 1 tbsp butter, don't let them burn
• Add the risotto rice and mix well so that all the rice is coated in butter
• Pour the wine and stir the rice thoroughly to blend (I used a wooden spoon with a square end which made it easy to reach every edge of the pot)

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• Continue to stir occasionally as the wine evaporates
• Add one cup of stock at a time, allowing rice to become almost dry between additions - be sure to stir constantly so rice does not burn
• After about ten minutes, add the pumpkin puree followed by the mushrooms
• Continue to cook as before with another laddleful of stock, making sure the risotto never sticks
• At this point, begin tasting your risotto every few minutes to see when it has reached the right texture
• When it seems about three minutes from a perfect al dente bite, remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 1 minute covered. If you don't do this the butter will break down due to the high heat
• Cut the remaining 3tbsp butter in small teaspoon-sized chunks 
• Add the butter to the pot and vigorously mix in to incorporate the butter before it all melts
• Grate the Parmesan cheese and blend into the rice
• Place into pumpkin to serve and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and additional Parmesan cheese 

recipe adapted from FX Cuisine 

Serve with the remaining wine and enjoy!

Spinach, Tomato and Fontina Sliders: No Assembly Required.

As you may notice from the one month break in posts, it's been a hectic few weeks. I went to Spain for a week and visited a friend. We had a phenomenal time sightseeing, dancing, and even embarked on a cannoli hunt that lasted several days and concluded with a cannoli of epic proportions, but that is a tale for another time.

After that, my mother and I began a week-long road trip to drive my harp along with all my other stuff up to New York so I could move in. Since arriving, I have been frantically setting up my new apartment. I've taken on all roles - locksmith, plumber, carpenter, etc. So needless to say when it came to cooking, I needed something that was indeed, No Assembly Required. It was also taking longer than expected to get my gas turned on, so I only had a toaster oven to work with when cooking which sparked a lot of toast, warm sandwiches, and when I was feeling a bit more creative, these cute and healthy little snacks.

The recipe is too simple. Slice a tomato, put it on the toaster tray, top with a slice of fontina (or whatever other cheese you prefer). Toast until nice and melty, put on a bed of fresh spinach, and top with herbs. I did go out and buy a sleek little planter and put some fresh herbs in, so I threw on fresh oregano and rosemary (my current spice-infatuation).

These require basically no ingredients, minimal prep, and are quite delectable. So next time you need a break from unpacking, bookcase building, and all the other stresses of starting a new semester, give these a try!