ITEMS
Black Kakao Tomatoes
Tropea Onions
Spinach
Rosemary
Spinach Pappardelle / Oat Flour Eng. Muffins
Pancetta Tesa / Root Veggie Medley
PRODUCERS
Gallatin Valley Botanical - Bozeman
Gallatin Valley Botanical - Bozeman
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Dolina Pasta / Furrow & Fly - Bozeman
Grotto Meats / Root Cellar Foods - Bozeman
Ingredient Notes:
Tropea onions are originally from Tropea, Italy, a coastal town more or less on the top of the toe of the boot. They’re prized for their sweetness and mildness, and used raw, cooked, and everything in between.
Pancetta tesa is diced pancetta, which is similar to bacon in that it’s made from pork belly and is cured with salt, but it is not smoked like bacon, and it is thicker and fattier. Pancetta is a fully cured product, though it’s still typically cooked before eating. With the small package size, this pancetta will be best used in a sauce, soup, or stew to help build a rich flavor base. Simply fry it with a bit of olive oil over medium heat, using the rendered fat as you would oil or butter. Keep the meaty pieces, too! You can always add them back in later to keep from burning them.
Spinach Salad w/ Tomatoes & Melon
A bright, savory-sweet salad to enjoy the last of the tomatoes. From Milk Street: Vegetables. Serves 4.
~1 1/2 lb black kakao tomatoes , cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and pepper
1/4 C cider vinegar
1/3 C tropea onion, sliced into thin rings
1 chili pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise - jalapeño works, or shishito
2 Tbs olive oil
2 C melon, cut into 1-inch pieces - I think berries or ripe stone fruits would work as well
5 oz fresh spinach - you could sub baby kale, or mixed baby greens
1/4 C toasted pumpkin seeds
optional topping: crumbled goat cheese or feta
In a colander set over a bowl, toss the tomato pieces with 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside to drain.
In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, chili, and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside for ~10 min.
Stir the oil into the bowl with the vinegar-onion mixture. Add the drained tomatoes and melon; toss. Add the spinach and toss again. Season to taste and serve topped with seeds.
Pappardelle with Spicy Tomato & Pancetta Sauce
Adapted from Courtney Hill, Milk Street. Serves 2-4.
2 C tomatoes, cored and chopped into a large chunks - sub 1 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes
2 Tbs Gochujang OR 1 Tbs Calabrian chili paste - sub a hefty pinch of chili flakes if needed, to taste
Salt and pepper
1/4 C olive oil
1 oz pancetta tesa - recipe originally calls for up to 4 oz, so you could add extra pancetta or bacon
1/4 C onion, minced
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 bay leaves
2 Tbs tomato paste
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 package fresh pappardelle, or up to 1 lb of any other pasta
1/2 C fresh basil leaves, torn
Whole milk ricotta, for serving - or a pile of freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino
In a blender, puree the tomatoes with juices and gochujang until smooth, 30-60 seconds; set aside.
Start heating a pot of water on high to cook the pasta in.
In a large skillet, combine the oil, pancetta, onion, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, rosemary, and 1/2 tsp ground pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the pancetta has rendered some of its fat and the tomato paste darkens and begins to stick to the pan, ~6 min.
Add the pureed tomato mixture and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until sauce is very thick, ~10 min.
Meanwhile, when the water reaches a boil, add 1 Tbs salt followed by the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Remember that the fresh Pappardelle cooks quickly, in just a few minutes. Reserve ~1 C of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. (If the sauce is done ahead of the pasta, remove the skillet from the heat.)
Scrape the sauce into the pot with the pasta and add 1/2 C of the reserved cooking water. Cook over medium heat, stirring and tossing often, until the sauce clings and the pasta is cooked through. Add more reserved pasta water and continue to stir as needed to loosen the sauce if the mixture is very dry and sticky.
Off heat, remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary. Season to taste , then add the basil. Serve dolloped with ricotta, if using, or topped with freshly grated Parm or Pecorino.
Note:
I think you could add either spinach or chard leaves to this recipe, if you wanted. Wash and roughly chop it, then either wilt it in the sauce, or cook and drain it with the pasta.
Additional Recipe Suggestions
Rosemary Simple Syrup for Limeade or Cocktails
Rosemary Oil or Aioli for cooking and dipping
A Sage & Brown Butter Sauce for the Pappardelle that I've used with sautéed greens, like chard or spinach, before. Not sure how well rosemary would sub for the sage but could be worth a try - just don't fry it very long, since the leaves are small.
Pancetta is great for Pasta Carbonara. We don't have as much as recipes typically call for, but you can always add a bit more olive oil to make up for it.
Pasta w/ Swiss Chard, Rosemary, and White Beans - works w/ chard or spinach