There are many people to like on Instagram, but one man is definitely in control these days…
That man is Julius Roberts, a former London-based chef. He has escaped the restaurant rat race and is now raising pigs, chickens, goats and sheep on an incredibly picturesque farm in the English countryside near the Dorset coast. Of course I envy his life, but what attracted me first was his cooking style and recipes. He always pulls out a rustic-looking, vegetable-focused product from a rusty old oven in an outdoor shed. I’m 99% sure that I forward these posts to my husband with a message that says, “I’m making this.” Haven’t done the same to me yet.
For example, this spring Mr. Roberts demonstrated a beautiful asparagus tart with ricotta and spring herbs (also featured in his excellent book, The Farm Table). And in the summer, I made basically the same thing, but added zucchini and basil. So last week I came up with what I know will be a Julius Roberts-approved fall arrangement: Honey Nut Squash with Herby Ricotta. And I was reminded that the best cookbook authors don’t just teach specific recipes, they teach technique and confidence.
Here’s the recipe, but as Roberts says, “Frankly, you can make it with your eyes closed.”
Squash tart with herby ricotta cheese
I served it with fried noodles, scallions, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (instead of parm, which felt like too much cheese in the tart), and a basic vinaigrette, but my go-to green salad is just that. is. That’s fine too.
harvey ricotta
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (add more for garnish)
1/3 cup dill (add more for garnish)
1/3 cup chives or parsley (more for garnish)
1/2 lemon peel
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For tarts
1 fully thawed puff pastry (such as Dufour brand)
Harvey Ricotta (top)
Thinly slice 12-14 ounces butternut or honeynut squash on a mandoline.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red chili flakes
1 egg (whisk)
Preheat oven to 425°F. Make the herbed ricotta: Add the ricotta, feta, herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a food processor and process until creamy. (If you don’t want to use a large machine, just chop the herbs finely and mix everything vigorously in a mixing bowl.)
Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a knife to draw a rectangle in the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch perimeter around it. (This will help the edges of the pastry puff up attractively.) Use a rubber spatula to spread the ricotta cream evenly inside the rectangle, then top with the pumpkin slices. There is no problem as long as they overlap slightly.
Brush around the dough with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dough is puffed and golden brown and the pumpkin is cooked through. Sprinkle with some more crumbled feta, red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh herbs, but I forgot to show them in the photo.
PS 8 things to do with 20 minute coconut chicken soup and spoiled produce.
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