Pizza and Pasta Recipes

FETTUCINE ALFREDO WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE
Serves 2

The history of fettuccine Alfredo is charming. It was created at Alfredo's restaurant in Rome and won for him a golden knife and fork from Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Alfredo gave each fettuccine a final golden toss before it was served.

8 oz fettuccine noodles
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup crème fraîche
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg

1. Have butter and crème fraîche at room temperature.
2. Cook noodles al dente.
3. While pasta is cooking, using a wide, shallow pasta serving dish, distribute butter, in walnut-sized pieces, around surface of serving dish. Distribute crème fraîche, by tablespoons, around surface of serving dish.
4. Grate Parmesan cheese.
5. When noodles are cooked and drained, empty them over the butter and crème fraîche. Mix well by lifting and mixing with two forks.
6. Add half the Parmesan and mix in by lifting and mixing with two forks. Pass the remaining Parmesan to top the pasta.
7. Pass fresh nutmeg to grate on top of pasta.

LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

4 lbs little neck or Manila Clams
1/2 cup water
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
8oz dried linguine
1/4 cup crème fraîche

The clams

1. Steam clams in water until they open, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove clams from pot and set aside.
3. Strain the clam broth to remove any sand.

While the clams are cooking

4. Lightly cook the garlic in olive oil, about 3 minutes.
5. Pour in the strained cooking broth. Return the clams to the garlic broth.
6. Place crème fraîche in a small stainless steel bowl and ladle about one ounce of hot broth into it. Whisk to thin the crème fraîche. Repeat. Pour the thinned crème fraîche into the pan with the clams. Mix lightly. Keep warm.
7. Cook pasta.
8. Put cooked pasta into two bowls. Ladle clams with their sauce onto the pasta. Top with parsley. Serve.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Classic Mornay Sauce (Larousse, p. 856)

1. Boil down by 1/3 one cup Bechamel sauce mixed with 1/2 cup of fresh cream.
2. Add 1/2 cup grated cheese.
3. Incorporate 3 tbs butter and strain.

1 cups crème fraîche 1 cup shredded New England Cheddar cheese 1/2 lb macaroni cooked

1. Heat the crème fraîche just warm enough to melt the cheese.
2. Stir in the cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.
3. Mix well.
4. Pour over the macaroni. Mix well.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND ENGLISH PEAS
Serves 2

8 oz dried orechiette
1 lb shelled English peas
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
2 slices bacon
fresh mint leaves, torn
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup crème fraîche
Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Cut bacon into one inch pieces and render its fat.
2. Add olive oil.
3. Add onions and cook until their edges are slightly brown.
4. Add peas and chicken stock. Turn down heat and cook slowly. Do not overcook.
5. Cook pasta and drain.
6. When the peas are done, add crème fraîche to the pan. Stir gently to incorporate.
7. Add cooked pasta to the pan. Toss.
8. Top with Parmesan.
9. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Orecchiette and fresh peas are a perfect pairing. The peas nest perfectly in the orecchiette.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND PROSCIUTTO
Serves 2

I love this dish because it can be made from the pantry. The only fresh item is the crème fraîche. I make an abundance of sauce because the orechiette is the perfect carrier.

1/2 lb dried orechiette
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tbs olive oil
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tbs dried dill
3 slices prosciutto, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup crème fraîche

1. Put the dill into the chicken stock.
2. Saute the minced garlic in the olive oil.
3. Add chicken stock to the pan with the cooked garlic. Turn up heat and reduce the stock by half.
4. Taste the reduction. If its flavor pleases you, turn off heat. If not, reduce more.
   
5. Place crème fraîche in a small bowl. Add two tablespoons of hot stock to the crème fraîche. Stir well. Pour the thinned, warm crème fraîche into stock in pan. Mix well.
6. Cook orecchiette.
7. Add cooked, drained orecchiette to the sauce.
8. Garnish with prosciutto and serve.

SPAGHETTINI WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE WHISKEY SAUCE
Serves 4

1 lb spaghettini
3/4 cup crème fraîche
3/4 cup Scotch (or rye) whiskey
3 oz dried mushrooms
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup snipped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Soak the mushrooms in the whiskey for at least four hours. Overnight is ideal.
2. Remove the mushrooms. Strain the whiskey through a tightly woven cotton cloth. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. When bubbling add the garlic and the parsley. Cook for a minute or two. Do not brown.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook this mixture for two minutes. Add the strained whiskey. Turn down the heat. Simmer uncovered until most of the whiskey has evaporated. The mushrooms should be soft. If they are not, add a small amount of water and cook until they are soft.
6. Add the crème fraîche to the pan. Mix well.
7. Cook the spaghettini.
8. Pour the sauce over the cooked spaghettini. Toss.
9. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the dish and serve.

TAGLIATELLE WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND ARUGULA
Serves 2

5 oz coarsely chopped, small arugula (about 10 cups loosely packed)
6 oz fresh tagliatelle
1 cup crème fraîche
2 tbs freshly grated lemon zest (preferably Meyer lemon)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (preferably Meyer lemon)
salt and freshly ground pepper
5 oz finely grated Parmesan (about 2 cups)

1. Prepare arugula. Remove large stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, stir together the crème fraîche, zest and lemon juice until just combined.
3. Cook pasta.
4. Put arugula and crème fraîche-lemon mixture into a large non-reactive skillet. Heat gently to warm; mix and wilt the arugula slightly.
5. Add cooked, drained pasta to the arugula. Add half the cheese. Toss to combine.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve. Pass remaining cheese at table.

TAGLIATELLE CARBONARA
Serves 4

1 lb fresh tagliatelle
4 oz pancetta, julienned
3 egg yolks
2 tbs crème fraîche
2 tbs freshly grated lemon zest (preferably Meyer lemon)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 oz Parmesan, grated in small shreds

1. Grate the cheese. Select a grater that gives small shavings.
2. Glaze the pancetta in a non-stick fry pan for two minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
3. Beat the egg yolks. Add crème fraîche to the yolks; beat. Add freshly ground pepper.
4. Cook pasta.
5. Add the crème fraîche-egg yolk mixture to the hot pasta. The pasta must be hot to cook the yolks. Toss and mix delicately. Add small shreds of Parmesan. Top with pancetta.

TAGLIATELLE, FAVA BEANS, AND CRÈME FRAÎCHE
Serves 4

1 lb fresh tagliatelle
5 leeks, white only
3 lbs fava beans, shelled and skinned (if not fresh)
3 tbs unsalted butter
3 tbs olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 lbs prosciutto, in narrow strips
1/2 cup crème fraîche
nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste
grated zest of one Meyer lemon
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

1. Clean and thinly slice leeks
2. Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add leeks and saute until soft.
4. Add shelled fava beans, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Saute for a minute.
5. Add chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes or until favas are tender.
6. Cook pasta.
7. Stir crème fraîche and lemon zest into fava beans.
8. Put cooked, drained pasta into a serving bowl and top with the fava bean mixture. Toss to coat pasta with sauce.
9. Add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Toss. Top with prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper. Pass remaining cheese at table.

ALSATIAN TARTE FLAMBÉE
For a 14" tarte

About the Ingredients

   Tarte Flambée is very simple. It has only four ingredients. It is essential that these ingredients have the correct quality and character. The ingredients must be cooked separately so that you can taste the parts that make up the tarte.

1. Bacon: Select an American-style bacon. The bacon should be lightly smoked and lightly salted. There should be more lean meat than fat (about 2/3 meat to 1/3 fat). If necessary, trim excess fat.
2. Onion: Use a white or yellow onion. The yellow is slightly sweeter. Red onion is not appropriate.
3. Crème fraîche: The crème fraîche should have a light, pleasing flavor. If the crème fraîche is strong tasting (acid, diacetyl), it unbalances the flavors of the tarte. A well-made tarte flambée is sweet and aromatic. The flavors should be in balance; none should dominate. You should taste the parts.
4. *Tarte flambée crust: Traditional tarte flambée, unlike pizza crust, is made without yeast. It contains flour, water, salt and oil. No yeast. The crust must be rolled thin. Do not do "the pizza toss."
5. Herbs and spices: Black pepper, a few grinds over the tarte before cooking. Nutmeg is essential. It must be fresh-grated. Distribute liberally over the tarte before cooking. Chives are optional. Fresh-chopped (snipped) chives add to the appearance of the tarte. Distribute over the tarte just before serving.

*Source for traditional tarte flambée dough: White Toque (www.whitetoque.com)

Preheat oven and stone for 1 hour at 475 to 500 degrees F.

1 lb American-style bacon 1 medium onion, white or yellow, coarsely chopped 1 cup crème fraîche 1 14" tarte flambée crust* black pepper, a few grinds nutmeg, freshly grated 2 tbs fresh chives, minced (optional)

1. Remove excess fat from bacon. Chop bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Fry the bacon to render the fat. Fry until it is just starting to color. Do not brown. Leave the fat in the pan. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels. Set aside.
2. Add the coarsely chopped onion to the rendered bacon fat. Cook until caramelized. Do not overcook. The onion will cook more on the tarte.
3. Using a rubber spatula, spread the crème fraîche on the tarte crust. The crème fraîche should be about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick.
4. Distribute the cooked onions evenly on the crème fraîche and, then, distribute the bacon evenly over them.
5. Add a few grinds of black pepper. Generously grate fresh nutmeg over the tarte. Be generous.
6. Deliver the tarte to the stone on a crisping pan (or, cookie sheet). At 10 minutes, remove the tarte from the crisping pan and place it directly onto the stone so that it can finish crisping properly.
7. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more. Total cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes. Check to be sure the tarte is cooking evenly. If it is sticking, carefully lift it free with a metal spatula (pizza paddle).
8. When it is done, the crust should be browned around the edges. (Optional: distribute freshly-chopped chives over the tarte just before serving.)

ALSATIAN TARTE FLAMBÉE, #2
For a 11" tarte

Thank you to Alexandra, White Toque, for this recipe.

1/4 lb bacon or pancetta
1/4 lb gruyere or comté cheese
1 medium onion, white or yellow, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche
1 11" White Toque Tarte flambée shell*
Pinch of salt and pepper

*Source for traditional tarte flambée dough: White Toque (www.whitetoque.com)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

PREPARATION

1. Saute bacon/pancetta until crisp. Drain fat and reserve.
2. Caramelize onions until golden brown in bacon fat.

ASSEMBLY

3. Spread Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche in a thin layer over dough.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle onions and bacon over the crème fraîche.
6. Grate cheese over top until the toppings are just covered.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
8. Cut and serve.

BROAD NOODLES WITH GREMOLATA
Serves 2

8 oz broad noodles
1/2 cup crème fraîche

The Gremolata

1 lemon, preferably Meyer
1 orange
1/2 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
2 tbs grated Parmesan

1. Remove zest from half the lemon and half the orange. You should have equal amounts. Adjust quantities if necessary. Finely snip (with scissors) the parsley leaves. Mix with the citrus zest. Squeeze the zest with your fingers so that the zest infuses the parsley. Stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

The noodles

1. Cook the noodles. When they are done, drain and dress with the crème fraîche.
2. Top with the gremolata and serve.

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