PISTACHIO PESTO & GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA

Brunch is my favorite meal for entertaining, and not just because  I just love breakfast food. It’s a chance to have a slow-paced, leisurely start to the day with the ones you love. It also doesn’t hurt to have bottomless coffee and perhaps a glass of prosecco, too.

My go-to is usually something baked in the oven, like a frittata, which allows me to hang out with my guests instead of being chained to the stove. This one, with pesto, goat cheese and arugula, feels like we’re finally entering Spring. It’s certainly a one-pan brunch that you and your guests will love.

PESTO & GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA (GLUTEN-FREE) Serves 4 - 6

  • 9 eggs
  • 1/3 cup almond or hemp milk, unsweetened
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1/2 medium red onion, small dice
  • 3-4 oz. goat cheese, broken into chunks
  • 1/4 cup pesto (store-bought or use recipe below)
  • Handful of baby arugula
  • A few basil leaves, torn
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, lemon zest and garlic. Fold in red onion, goat cheese, basil and pesto. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Using a 10-12 inch pyrex baking dish or 10 inch cast iron skillet, grease the pan with olive oil to coat. Carefully pour in frittata to pan. Top with dollops of goat cheese, flaky sea salt and arugula. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffy and cooked all the way through. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

TOASTED PISTACHIO BASIL PESTO (MAKES APPROXIMATELY 1 CUP)

  • 2 large handfuls basil leaves, de-stemmed
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup pistachios, toasted
  • 1 lemon, juice & zest
  • 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated & packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil (about 1/3-1/2 cup)

In a food processor, add basil, garlic, pistachios, lemon juice and zest, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse into a coarse paste. Then stream olive oil to desired consistency or about 1/3-1/2 cup. Serve immediately or store in mason jar for up to 5 days.

GREEN CAULIFLOWER PIZZA WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, PROSCIUTTO & PESTO

New work for EIDE's Cerebral Issue ( out now!) and a recipe for decadent green cauliflower pizza!

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GREEN CAULIFLOWER PIZZA WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, PROSCIUTTO & PESTO (Gluten-free) SERVES 4-6

CAULIFLOWER "CRUST"

  • 2lbs. cauliflower or about 3 cups roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper

PESTO:

  • 3/4 cup pistachios
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 cups basil
  • 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
  • 1 lemon juice + zest
  • Olive Oil until desired texture

TOPPINGS:

  • 12 oz. heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 large ball mozzarella (about 12oz), sliced
  • 3 oz. prosciutto
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • Shaved parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse cauliflower until pureed the size of rice.  Add to a large mixing bowl.  Use a paper towel to press cauliflower well and remove any moisture.  Then, add almond flour, thyme, sea salt and freshly ground pepper; mix.  Fold in beaten eggs until mixture is well combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes

While crust is chilling, use the same (cleaned) food processor to make the pesto.  First add pistachios and garlic until fine. Pulse together basil, parmesan, lemon juice and zest until gritty.  Stream in olive oil while blending until pesto reaches desired consistency.  About 1/3-1/2 cup.

Once crust has chilled, add to a parchment-lined (and greased!) baking sheet using your hands to shape. Make sure to form a crust!

Parbake your crust for 25 minutes. Then, remove from oven and begin adding toppings.  First layer sliced garlic along the bottom of the crust.  Then, cover with sliced mozzarella slabs and a thick layer of pistachio pesto.  Top with cherry tomatoes. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cheese has melted completely.  Then, add oven to broil and return pizza to oven for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Remove from heat and allow pizza to cool.  Then, top with prosciutto, baby arugula and shaved parmesan.  

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ON THE MENU: Pistachio Pesto Pasta + Leek & Fava Bean Socca

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PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA WITH SWEET PEAS (Gluten-free) Serves 4

  • 1 cup pistachios, shelled
  • 1 garlic cloves, shelled and smashed
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
  • 1 (heaping) cup basil, washed and packed
  • 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
  • 12 oz. pasta, spaghetti or linguini
  • 1 cup sweet peas, defrosted

In a food processor, add 1 cup of pistachios and grind into a "flour" or as textured as you'd like the pesto to be.  Slowly add olive oil and pulse until well combined.  Then add garlic cloves, salt, lemon juice, zest and basil and parmigiano reggiano.  Pulse until a well paste and bright green.  Set aside.

Add frozen sweet peas to a colander.  Rinse with luke warm water for 5 minutes or until thawed and defrosted.

In a large saucepan, add 3 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt.  Bring to a boil before adding in 12 oz. of spaghetti.  Stir often and cook uncovered at a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Drain pasta, but reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water.

In a large serving bowl, combine drained pasta, pasta water and a drizzle of olive oil.  Stir in pesto until pasta is evenly coated.  Fold in sweet peas.  Garnish with lemon zest , fresh pepper and more parmigiano reggiano.

 
 

Chickpea and Fava Bean Socca with Leek, Marjoram and Thyme (Gluten-free, Vegan) Serves 2-4

  • 1 cup chickpea & fava bean flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5-6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • Freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Sift chickpea flour into a bowl with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in lukewarm water, making sure to eliminate all lumps.  Stir in 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Let this mixture stand in warm spot covered (can be for as long as 12 hours!)  Note  Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream.

 Preheat skillet or cast iron in your hot oven with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  In the meantime, stir in leek and herbs to socca mixture.  Carefully remove hot pan and pour in batter evenly.  Top with sea salt, fresh pepper and more herbs.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are browned and firm.  

Let cool for 15-20 minutes before eating.  Serve and top with side salad for extra boost!