Apprehensive about starting something I couldn’t finish, I’ve been sticking to the top deck – frying, stewing, and sautéeing. This week I decided to risk it and try something I’d been putting off for when Mrs. Tappan TGF320 was in a good mood. I first came across socca (also known as farinata) in an old Mark Bittman piece that resurfaced a few week ago. A kind of crêpe or flatbread, it’s made with simple batter using garbanzo flour, water and olive oil. Fresh herbs, parmesean, and sliced onions can also be tossed in. In Uruguay, where there was a large Genovese immigration, its known as fainá. Served on top of pizza, it becomes fainá a caballo or fainá on horseback.

Because the cast-iron skillet (for the fainá) and pizza stone are both preheated inside the oven, I’d know soon enough if it was going to cooperate before I’d committed the batter. In case it was a fail, I bought the pizza dough pre-made and figured the tomato sauce could be frozen. The batter could rest for anywhere from 2-12 hours so I could always try again later. In the end, none of that mattered because after a about 15 minutes my oven was steadily working its way up to blazing hot. Moving fast, I rolled out the pizza while the batter rested and messily added the toppings. Because it needs a few extra minutes, the batter went in first followed by the pizza. Done at about the same time, I added a drizzle of olive oil to the fainá and dropped the skillet down to the broiler to brown the top. The broiler made a half-hearted attempt at crisping but it didn’t matter too much. It had put in a good day’s work and needed a rest.

Fainá a Caballo/Chickpea Crêpe atop Pizza
In minimalist fashion, Bittman makes a resting period for the batter optional but the batch I left out at room temperature for a couple of hours came out the best. Still, he does figure out how to do it without a wood burning oven and cooper pan so keeping it simple has its merits.

Known as socca in Nice, cecina in Tuscany, farinata in most of Italy, and fainá in Genoa, Uruguay, and Argentina, it can be served atop pizza or as an appetizer. I did read that canola or sunflower oil is often used in Uruguay where olive oil can be expensive but haven’t tried. I included the recipe for the pizza I made  as well but any variation would work, though a sauce heavy slice balances out the crispness of the flatbread well.

For the fainá (barely adapted from this article by Mark Bittman):
1 cup chickpea flour (also sold as garbanzo flour)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup lukewarm water
4-5 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Sift together the chickpea flour, salt and ground pepper. Slowly, stir in the lukewarm water, whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover, and let sit for two hours at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet inside.

Stir the rosemary into the batter. Carefully remove skillet from oven and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the heated pan, swirling to cover the pan. Pour in the batter and place in oven.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s firm and the edges are set. If it looks dry, brush lightly with olive oil and place under the broiler to lightly brown the top. Watch carefully.

Sprinkle with salt or pepper. Cut and serve on its own or toss it on some pizza.

For the pizza:
1/2 pound thawed, frozen pizza dough, divided and formed into a ball
3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
¼ cup parmesan or manchego cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Shape the dough into a ball and allow to sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes or up to an hour before shaping.

While the dough rests, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onions and cook until golden, about 15 minutes.  Using the side of a large knife or mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a paste and combine well with salt and pepper.  Add to the skillet and sauté and additional 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pass the cut tomatoes through a box grater, reserving pulp and juice and discarding the skin. Stir in the tomato pulp.

Bring to a simmer then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or puree until smooth. Makes about 1 ½-2 cups.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10-12-inch circle.  To stretch the dough, hold the dough between the palm and fingers and gently press the edges while you pull it counter-clockwise, to form an oval.  Place the dough on the peel and cover with 5 or 6 slices of mozzarella. Spoon the tomato sauce on top, leaving a border, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Position the peel at the far edge of the baking stone and, in one smooth motion, slide it toward you, leaving the pizza on the stone.  Bake until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack, sprinkle with oregano, and wait several minutes before slicing.

I considered using a store-bought puff pastry.  The never-ending heat wave makes baking a challenge and keeping the pastry firm enough to work with impossible, good reasons I ignored to make it from scratch.  I also picked up the last of the quinces from Union Market that I’d been eying them for weeks, deciding it was now or never to try Thomas Keller’s recipe for dulce de membrillo.

Despite the heat that had me rotating pans in and out of the refrigerator, the dough turned out well, flaky and not overly sweet or greasy, so I decided to go ahead and make the vanilla syrup called for in the original recipe.  The quince paste, infused with allspice, star anise, cinnamon and cloves, also worked.  I’d just miscalculated how long it would take and ended up using what was left of the Mitica membrillo as filling instead.

I didn’t realize until I was comparing recipes online that these were as popular in Argentina and Uruguay as our pastelitos de guayaba.  I found several references to the pastries made for el 25 de Mayo, the starting point of Argentina’s independence movement, observed every year and currently celebrating it’s bicentennial.  I’m a few months late in making these pastries, but I have all year to perfect them (and a couple of pounds of already-made ad hoc at home membrillo to fill them with), though a little envious of the prettiness that nature accomplishes with so little effort.

Pastelitos de Dulce de Membrillo
Adapted from Time-Life Foods of the World: Latin American Cooking written by Jonathan Norton Leonard.  The original recipe referred to them as Pastelitos de Mil Hojas or  Thousand-Leaf Pastries though I found more mentions of them as pastelitos de dulce de membrillo (the former name referring to more traditional mille-feuille cakes or traditional tart made with alfajores).  Unlike other pastry recipes, this one directed you to mix, roll and cut straight through.  My kitchen is a too warm for this right now so I let the dough chill after the initial kneading and in between the rolling and shaping to make it easier to work with.

Traditionally, the pastries are added to oil or melted lard that is only lukewarm (about 175º) for a few minutes then added to hot oil (375º) for an extra couple of minutes until golden brown.  I think this allows the pastry to open up but I couldn’t bear to see them in the warm oil soaking up grease and decided to add them directly to the hot oil.  Next time around, I’ll try the double-frying method to compare the results.

Though they’re typically glazed with warm syrup, I sprinkled a few with powdered sugar and cinnamon.  I’d made extra to give away and didn’t want them weighted down with syrup if they weren’t eaten right away.

For the pastry:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

4-5 ounces of membrillo/quince paste, homemade or store bought

For the syrup (optional):
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional garnish: powdered or granulated sugar and cinnamon

Sift together all dry ingredients and pulse in the food processor, 1-2 pulses to distribute evenly.  Add butter and pulse together until butter flakes into pea-size pieces.  Add egg yolk and lemon juice and pulse to blend.  Add ice water gradually until just combined.

Turn out dough and knead a few times to form a smooth mass, 3-4 minutes.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.  Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a square about 16 x 16 inches.  Brush it evenly with melted butter and sprinkly with light dusting of flour.  Smooth the flour over the surface of the dough until the flour absorbs the butter.  Fold the dough in half to form a rectangle (8 x 16).  Butter and flour the dough again and bring the short ends of the dough together to create a square (8 x 8).  Repeat two more times to form a final square 4 x 4 inches.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes until ready to use.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to a 15-inch square, using a small knife or pastry wheel to trim.  Measure and cut into 36 squares.  Place about 1 teaspoon of membrillo in the center of each of 18 squares.  Lightly moisten the dough around the filling with cold water.  Pair the filled squares with the remaining squares to form individual 8-point stars, pressing the dough around the filling to secure it.  Pinch the stars into the flowerlike shapes.

To make the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat.  Continue to boil without stirring until the syrup reaches a temperature of 230° on candy thermometer or until a bit dropped into ice water immediately forms a thread.  Remove from pan and stir in vanilla.  Cover and keep warm until ready to use.

In a deep fryer or heavy pot (3 1/2-4 quarts wide), heat oil to 375 degrees.  Carefully add the pastelitos to the oil, 2-3 at a time and fry until golden  about 2-3 minutes, turning once.

Remove from oil and drain directly on cooling rack or on paper towels.  Dip them in the warm syrup or sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Makes 18 pastelitos.

It’s hard not to be drawn to a recipe by a beautiful photograph.  Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent, and Francis Mallman’s Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way have all escaped from my kitchen shelves to my coffee table (where both the books and I feel they belong).  Not surprisingly, Santiago Soto Monllor won this year’s James Beard award for Best Photography for Seven Fires.

Still, despite the incredible food images in print and on line, it was the Chilean name, panqueques celestinos for crêpes filled with dulce de leche that caught my eye.  Pale blue heaven wrapped in a crêpe? It had to be dulce de leche.

Popular in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, I always order them at Che Tito’s, the Argentinian restaurant I visit whenever I’m home.  A non-descript spot wedged between a pet store and a frame shop, it’s a pizza place that grills an incredible churrasco de entraña, there’s usually a soccer game playing on the big screen tv, and it’s always full but you never have to wait for a table, the restaurant just magically expands.

With the grilling season in full swing, I thought it would be a good time learn how to make them myself.  Though there are several versions, including a great one in Seven Fires I referred to often (that can be made at home or over a wood fire of course), I consulted the always calm and cool Julia Child, the politely short-tempered Madame E. Saint-Ange of La Bonne Cuisine, and the cheerful Maria Baez Kijac for the crêpes.  A seemingly simple task that’s tripped me up before, Julia explained the importance of letting the batter rest, allowing the flour particles to expand insuring a tender and light result, Madame Saint-Ange emphasized using just the necessary amount or clarified butter or purified fat so that your crepes don’t have that “sweaty, unpleasant look” (author’s emphasis), and Baez Kijac’s advised how to work ahead to keep the summertime living easy.  More text than illustration, I love these books too for what they don’t have.  With a few helpful details that describe the why as well as the how, they helped me find my own way to an image that started with a couple of words.

Panqueques Celestinos/Panqueques de Dulce de Leche
For the crêpes, I followed Julia Child’s recipe for Pâte à Crêpes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Quickly blended then allowed to rest, I used half the batter for dessert and used the remaining crêpes for leftovers.

1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons clarified butter or canola oil or more as needed
1 cup dulce de leche

Put the liquids, eggs, salt, flour and melted butter in a blender jar.  Cover and blend at highest speed for 1 minute.  Scape down the sides with a rubber scraper as needed and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or crêpe pan over moderately high heat.  Brush with about tablespoon of clarified butter or oil.  Take pan off heat and, holding the handle of the pan, pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the middle of the pan.  Tilt the pan in all directions to so that batter evenly  coats the bottom of the pan.  Return to heat and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until lightly browned.  Turn and cook on the other side an additional 30 seconds.  Cool on a rack before stacking on a plate.  Add more butter or oil as needed and repeat with remaining batter.*

Spread crêpes with heaping tablespoon of dulce de leche.  Roll jelly-roll style or fold in half.  You can also add toasted walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut or chocolate sauce.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or whipped cream and serve.

*Crêpes can be kept in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.  They can also be made in advance and reheated before using or frozen.  If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in a 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

Makes 12-16 crêpes.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Pea Puree and Jamón Serrano
Adapted from Michelle Bernstein’s Cuisine à Latina.

2 cups fresh peas (about 2 pounds peas in the pod) or frozen peas, defrosted
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup fresh dill leaves
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sugar (if using frozen peas)

4-6 whole slices of Serrano ham or prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Ricotta Gnocchi (recipe below)

Combine the stock, cream, and cayenne in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.  Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water.  Add the peas to the boiling water and cook just until tender, about 2 minutes if fresh, 30 seconds if frozen.  Use a slotted spoon or strainer to transfer the peas to the ice water to stop the cooking and set the color, then drain and set aside (see note).

Refill the bowl.  Add the mint, parsley, tarragon and dill to the boiling water and blanch for 10 to 15 seconds.  Drain and transfer the herbs to the ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain the herbs, gather them in to a tight ball, wrap in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze to remove as much water as possible.  Unwrap the herbs and set aside in a bowl (see note).

Put the cream mixture, peas and herbs into a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth.  Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar (if using frozen peas) and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the strips of ham and cook until just crisp, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the gnocchi and toss until just heated through.  Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Divide the pea puree among the plates and spoon the hot gnocchi over the puree.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Notes:  I lowered the peas and herbs in the boiling water using a fine mesh strainer so it could be pulled and plunged in the ice bath quickly.

Ricotta Gnocchi
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2-2 cup of all-purpose, unbleached flour

Put the ricotta in the center of a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and wrap the cheese well.  Working over a bowl or sink, turn the ends of the cloth as though wringing a towel to extract as much liquid as possible.

In a large clean bowl, mix the drained ricotta, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and pepper with a wooden spoon.  Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring gently, until a firm but soft dough forms (a small piece should hold its shape).

Dust top lightly with some flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least one hour.  (The dough can be made up to 2 hours ahead.)

Divide dough into 6-8 portions.  Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the gnocchi and boil until they rise to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl.

I decided to skip last month’s ñoquis del 29 post on a leap year technicality.  Picking up in March, I decided to make cornmeal ñoquis baked in béchamel.  I had never associated ñoquis with Cuban cuisine but, after finding several references in a few older Cuban cookbooks, I wanted to try it.  The cooked cornmeal is shaped into small discs then baked with white sauce or cheese and put under a broiler.  Though not like any ñoquis I’d had before, I thought their similarity to gold coins fitted with the Argentinian tradition of putting a coin or peso under your plate while you ate them to attract greater prosperity.  I was a little up in the air about doing another one and questioned whether I really wanted to make ñoquis again so soon. As with most resolutions, the first time is all zeal, the second time may be a fluke, and the third time is when you decide whether or not to stick to it.  After some starts and stops, I realized that I looked forward to answering the same question in a different way every month.  Hopefully, with some consistency, I can be consistently lucky.

Ñoquis con Béchamel/Corn Gnocchi with Béchamel
Adapted from Cuban Cookery by Blanche Z. De Baralt published in 1931.  While I loved the basic recipe, there are a lot variations I would like to try with it – using water instead of milk or a coarser cornmeal, adding ham, arugula or spinach.  I also came across a reference in an Italian cookbook where the gnocchis are stacked like a pyramid then covered with cheese then broiled.  It’s great play food.

4 cups whole milk
1 cup fine cornmeal
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Gruyere (or Parmesan)
Additional grated cheese and butter to sprinkle over top
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Béchamel sauce adapted from Simone and Inés Ortega’s 1080 Recipes.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup white wine
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt

Line a half sheet pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap and set aside.

Bring milk to a boil in a large heavy pot.  Add cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.  Immediately lower heat and stir constantly until tender, about 15-20 minutes.  Off heat, add butter and cheese.  Allow to cool slightly then add yolks, one at a time.  Pour into prepared pan and spread out to form a smooth layer.  Refrigerate until set.

To make the sauce, melt butter and oil together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Off heat, whisk in the flour and blend well to smooth out lumps.  Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until foam subsides, about two minutes.  In the meantime, bring milk to a boil in a separate saucepan.  Whisk in the hot milk.  Add wine, salt to taste and nutmeg.  Continue to  cook over medium heat till slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Using a round cookie cutter or the opening of a small glass or bottle, cut corneal into 1-2″ discs.  Layer discs in an oven-safe dish.  Pour bechamel sauce over gnocchi and gently shake the dish a few times to evenly distribute the sauce.  Sprinkle with additional cheese and dot with butter.  Place under broiler until bubbling and lightly browned.

Serves 4 t0 6.

It had been a awhile since I’d posted a recipe for ñoquis del 29. A monthly tradition that promises prosperity in Argentina and Uruguay, I wanted to start the year off right.  Looking for a new recipe, I remembered my first attempt at Meyer lemon gnocchis a couple of years ago.  I wasn’t sure how to go about it then so I thought it would be a good time to make a fresh batch.

Meyer Lemon Gnocchi
Adapted from Food & Wine, March 2008. I love Meyer lemons, but they’re something so improbably sunny about them that I always forget that they’re in season through the winter.  I thought they’d be a great choice for January.

1 lb russet (baking potatoes)
3 large egg yolks
Finely gratet zest of 2 lemon (preferably Meyer lemons)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 stick (1/2 cup) + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
Chopped chives to garnish
Salt to taste

Place whole potatoes in a heavy pot with water to cover and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a low boil and cook until just tender, about 45 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel and force through ricer or food mill onto a sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely.

Beat together egg yolks, lemon zest, 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl.  On a lightly floured board, gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.  Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and gently mix in until a dough just forms.  Dust top lightly with some flour.

Cut dough into 6 pieces.  Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.  Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.  Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces.

Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

In a small sauce pan, bring broth to a simmer.  Off heat, whisk in 1/2 cup of butter by adding the pieces a little at a time until the sauce is creamy.  Warm sauce on low heat if necessary.  Add lemon juice.  Add salt to taste and set aside.

Cook gnocchi:
Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as cooked.  Toss with 2 tablespoon of olive oil.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add gnocchi in a single layer and cook over high heat until they the bottoms brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer cooked gnocchis to a large mixing bowl and repeat with remaining gnocchis, adding more butter as needed.

Warm butter sauce over low heat.  Pour over gnocchis and gently mix until evenly coated.  Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped chives to taste.

Additional notes:
Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen (first in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag) up to 1 month. Do not thaw before cooking.  Sauce and topping can be halved; make full recipe of gnocchi and freeze half of it.
Serves 6.

Click here for more ñoquis del 29.

I took advantage of a rainy Sunday to catch up on some reading though, instead of newspaper stacks, I had  bookmarked pages and Google alerts filling up my inbox.  For the New York Times, Jonathan Miles visited Roneria Caracas, a new Brooklyn bar specializing in rum drinks, in The Choices? Rum or Rum and doesn’t miss the whisky while Paola Singer went to western Spain to sample the Dom Pérignon of Iberian ham for In Spain, A Delicacy Rooted in Earth and Tradition. Meanwhile, Patricia Jinich compares Argentine, Colombian, Honduran and Salvadorean chorizo to the Mexican varieties she grew up with in More Chorizo to Love for the Washington Post and there’s a new store and cafe specializing in gourmet Argentinian and Chilean products, Kouzine Delicacies and Wines, open in Miami that I can’t wait to visit.  I love rain delays.

Though I’d love to have homemade rolls every day, I stay away from bread recipes for first thing.  They never seem to rise and bulk up in the time promised.  I wake up early and spend the morning nervously peeking at the dough I lovingly covered in its blanky and placed in a draft free place to no avail.  One hour becomes two and there’s no breakfast in sight.  By the time it’s done, I’m too cranky to really enjoy it.  I didn’t get to sleep in yet the dough enjoyed a leisurely rise.  When I came across pan de yuca or yuca bread in a Miami, I was curious.  A combination of yuca flour (also known as tapioca starch) and cheese, it can be mixed and rolled as quickly as arepas then baked off.  

Searching for online recipes, I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of them before.  Popular at snack stands throughout Latin America, they’re known as pan de queso in Colombia, pão de queijo in Brazil, and chipas in Argentina while a popular food chain sells them with yogurt throughout Ecuador.  Though the dough can be made ahead of time, I started them this morning to see if they were as straightforward as they seemed.  I combined the dry ingredients and added grated mozzarella and two yolks.  Expecting something to go wrong, the mass of crumbly powdered cheese didn’t look like it could ever become a smooth mass.  I considered transferring it to a food processor or starting over, but after adding a little cream and kneading it a few minutes, it quickly took form.  In about twenty minutes, I had warm rolls, crumbly like bread but creamy like cheese.  Mostly, I loved that I could decide to make them in the haze of the early morning then have them right away, no rest required.

Pan de Yuca
Recipe from Ingrid Hoffman for her show Simply Delicioso.

Though I used mozzarella this time, similar recipes also suggest Oaxaca, queso blanco, Parmesan, or Cotija.  While they’re great for breakfast, they’re a perfect any time snack to have with coffee, tea, hot chooclate or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.

1 cup yuca harina*
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups fresh white cheese (Oaxaca, Mozzarella or Queso Blanco), finely grated
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yuca harina and baking powder.  Stir in the grated cheese and eggs.  Mix well until a ball forms.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead with your hands until smooth.  If the dough still appears too dry, add cream one tablespoon at a time as needed.

Divide into 10 even pieces and roll into balls.  Place at least 1″ apart on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 15-20 minutes until golden.**  Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm.

*Also known as tapioca starch/almidon de yuca/manioc starch, it’s widely available online or in Latin American markets.  It should not be confused with manioc flour used for farofa which is darker and has a grainier texture.

**I placed them under the broiler for an additional minute to brown evenly.  They will darken quickly under the broiler and should be checked frequently.

I’d always thought they were simply Cuban and decided to try making them after writing about Argentina’s Ñoquis de 29 tradition.  Similar to ñoquis, we add flour to boiled yuca and malanga to form a light dough that’s shaped into figure eights and covered in syrup.  When I went in search of ingredients, the Mexican grocer wrongly told me the piles of yautia weren’t the same as malanga.  The Puerto Rican bodega next door was able to clear up the confusion.  What Cubans call malanga is yautia in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.  Puerto Ricans also have malanga but they’re referring to a different root vegetable (please don’t ask me what because I haven’t gotten that far).  While these buñuelos aren’t the only version, they are classically Cuban and simultaneously from everywhere else.

Buñuelos de Yuca y Malanga
Adapted from Nitza Villapol’s Cocina al Minuto.

For buñuelos:
1 lb yuca
1 lb malanga
1 egg
1 teaspoon, ground anise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup, unbleached all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 cups if using heavy pot or minimum amount required to fill deep fryer per manufacturer’s instructions

For syrup:
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of lime juice
Zest of one lime
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
1 teaspoon vanilla

Peal and chop yuca and malanga into chunks.   Cover with water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer covered an additional 20 minutes till tender.  Force through ricer or food mill into sheet pan while still warm, spreading in an even layer. Cool completely.

Beat together egg, anise, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.  On a lightly floured board, gather pureed vegetables into a mound on sheet pan and form a well in the center.  Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into vegetables. Knead in flour until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

Cut dough into pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface and shape into a figure 8.

In a deep fryer or heavy pot (3 1/2-4 quarts wide), heat oil to 375 degrees.

Carefully add buñuelos to oil 3-4 pieces at a time and fry till golden, turning occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.

Drain directly on cooling rack placed over lined baking sheet or on paper towels.

To make the syrup, combine all ingredients except for vanilla in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook until it reaches the thread stage (230° F).  Remove from heat and add vanilla while still warm.  Serve with fried buñuelos.

Makes 12-14.

A few weeks ago, I read about Argentina’s ñoquis del 29, the day of the month to prepare and eat gnocchi and wanted to try it.  Unfortunately, I would invariably remember this on the 30th of each month.  I was determined not to forget this time and with all the fall vegetables weighing down the markets, I was looking for something in a pumpkin-squash-sweet potato to start a new monthly tradition.  I found a recipe for sweet potato gnocchi in October’s Gourmet (still can’t believe it’s gone) issue that was exactly what I wanted.  I’d only made gnocchi once before and while they were okay, I had that nagging feeling when you first try a recipe that you just didn’t do it right.  To avoid this, I read the recipe a few times, cross referenced similar ones for tips and techniques, gathered up the few necessary ingredients and got ready to make a mess.

Like most Latin American customs, I came across competing reasons for the practice and a few proverbs.  Rather than list them all, I’ve decided to spread them out of the months of gnocchi making to come.  One of my favorite versions is that the tradition of eating gnocchis on the 29th started because it comes just before pay day each month.  Poorer families that had been stretching their resources till their next pay check could always afford the few ingredients that go into gnocchi.  The tradition of putting a peso or coin under the plate was meant to attract greater prosperity in the coming month which seems especially appropriate these days.

The first good sign was that the gnocchi were simpler than I thought.  I don’t know if it was a better recipe, finally breaking in my little wooden gnocchi rollers, the dollar bill under my plate or expecting the worst, but it was as easy as it was supposed to be.  A reminder to do the work, plan ahead, and hope it gets easier.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage
Adapted with few changes from Gourmet, October 2009.  I replaced the shaved chestnuts called for in the original recipe with toasted and chopped hazelnuts.  I was careful not to overcook the potatoes and used a food mill instead of a masher.  Click here for the original recipe.
1 1/4 lb russet (baking potatoes)
1 (3/4-lb) sweet potato
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.  Pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool potatoes slightly, then peel and force through ricer or food mill into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely.

Beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl.  On a lightly floured board, gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.  Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. Knead in cheese and 1 1/2 cups of flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

Cut dough into 6 pieces.  Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.  Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.  Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces.

Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

Fry sage leaves:
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt.  Add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 tsp salt and cook until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Cook gnocchi:
Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with butter sauce. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked.  Heat gnocchi in skillet over medium heat, stirring to coat.  Serve sprinkled with fried sage and grated cheese.

Additional notes:
Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen (first in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag) up to 1 month. Do not thaw before cooking.  Sauce and topping can be halved; make full recipe of gnocchi and freeze half of it.
Serves 6.