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.

STINGING NETTLE PISTACHIO PESTO

Besides the fact that “stinging” is in its title, there’s no reason to be afraid of nettles.  Of course anything a little outside the box can be daunting to cook with, but these prickly greens are totally worth it.  Not only are they nutritionally the new kale, but nettles may even help alleviate seasonal allergies.  Most importantly, they make an amazing pesto.  Is there a better way to ring in Spring than with bright green homemade pesto?  

I know people say you need gloves to handle them, but I used tongs the whole way and came out completely unscathed.  No gardening equipment required.  Besides pesto, use your nettles any way you might use spinach or leafy greens: braised, in soups, omelettes, gratins, or risotto. Better yet, try homemade nettle & artichoke dip. You will not be disappointed.

TOASTED PISTACHIO & NETTLE PESTO (Makes approximately 1 cup)

• 2 large "tongfuls" of stinging nettle leaves, de-stemmed* 
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup pistachios, toasted
• 1 lemon, juice & zest
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated & packed
• 1;2 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Olive oil (about 1/3-1/2 cup)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Blanch your nettles: add leaves to a boiling pot of water for 1-2 minutes. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon, and add to an ice bath to cool.  once greens are cool to the touch, strain and squeeze all water from the leaves.

Roughly chop the blanched greens.  Add to a food processor with garlic, pistachios, lemon juice and zest, parmigiano, 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.

*NOTE: To de-stem your nettle leaves, hold onto stem with tongs, and use your other hand to carefully snip the leaves using kitchen scissors.

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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!

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.