This recipe originally appeared in Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen blog.

AMP Version

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, cut into big chunks
• 1 medium carrot, in big chunks
• 1 celery stalk, in big chunks
• 6 garlic cloves, 4 left whole, 2 finely chopped
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• Coarse or kosh salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 15-ounce cans small white beans (such as Great Northern or Cannelini), rinsed
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Pulse onion, carrot, celery, whole garlic cloves, parsley, and red pepper flakes (to taste) in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat and add vegetable mixture to pot. Season generously with salt. Cook, stirring from time to time, until vegetables take on a bit of color, about 10 minutes.
3. Quickly rinse, but no need to fully wash, food processor as you’ll use it again shortly.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook it into the vegetables for another minute. Add 1 cup water or bean cooking liquid and use it to scrape up any bits stuck to the pot. Let simmer until liquid has almost disappeared, about 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Add beans and 2 more cups of water (or bean cooking liquid) to the pot and simmer until the flavors meld, about another 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta until just al dente, or still a little firm inside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water from your drained pasta.
7. Transfer one cup of the bean mixture to your rinsed food processor and purée it until smooth, then stir it back into the sauce to thicken it.
8. Add drained pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to bean sauce and cook the mixture together, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until the sauce coats the pasta, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
9. Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a tiny saucepan over medium-low heat with garlic and rosemary, until sizzling stops.
10. Divide pasta between serving bowls and drizzle garlic-rosemary oil over each.
11. Enjoy.

This recipe originally appeared in Tess Arias’ Handle the Heat.

AMP Version

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (187 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (127 grams) bread flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups (200 grams) chocolate covered butterscotch caramels (see post above)
• 1 cup (170 grams) semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Swirling the pan occasionally, continue to cook the butter.
2. It should become foamy with audible cracking and popping noises. Once the crackling stops, continue to swirl the pan until the butter develops a nutty aroma and brown bits start to form at the bottom.
3. Once the bits are amber in color, about 2 to 3 minutes after the popping stops, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl.
4. Stir in the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes to room temperature.
5. In a medium bowl combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
6. With an electric mixer, beat the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla, beating until combined.
8. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and butterscotch caramels.
9. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 72 hours.
10. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.
11. Let dough sit at room temperature just until it is soft enough to scoop.
12. Divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls and drop onto prepared baking sheets.
13. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
14. Enjoy.

This recipe originally appeared in Jennifer Brule’s Learn to Cook 25 Southern Classics 3 Ways: Traditional, Contemporary, International.

AMP Version

Ingredients

• 12 plain graham cracker sheets, crushed (about 2 cups crumbs)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted (this is for the crust; note that you’ll need more butter for the filling!)
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup pecan halves
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• ¾ cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 2 teaspoons bourbon
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated (about 1 cup)

Directions

• The Crust:
  1. Start with the crust, generously spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, and butter until they are evenly combined and press them into the pie plate, first with your hands and then using the bottom of a juice glass, making sure that the thickness is even on the bottom and sides of the pan.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
• The Toasting of the Pecans:
  1. Get ready to roast the pecans by heating the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Arrange the pecans on a jelly-roll pan, keeping the pieces and halves separate from each other. Bake 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. You will be able to smell them when they are toasted. Remove them from the oven and immediately transfer them to a plate. Because of their dense oil content, nuts can go from nicely toasted to burnt very quickly and will continue to cook even after they are out of the oven.
• The Filling:
  1. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, butter, eggs, bourbon and chocolate until smooth.
  2. Add just the pecan pieces and stir well to combine.
  3. Pour the filling into the pie shell and arrange the pecan halves on top in a pretty design. Some will sink, but that’s OK.
• The Baking (and the cooling):
  1. Carefully place the pie in the oven and first bake for 30 minutes.
  2. Cover the pie loosely with a sheet of foil so the crust doesn’t burn and continue to bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until the center is just set.
  3. Allow to cool at room temperature for at least two hours before serving.
  4. Enjoy.

Korean Bulgogi Bolognese

This recipe from Kay Chun originally appeared on the New York Times Cooking blog, https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019504-korean-bulgogi-bolognese.

AMP Version

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons peeled, minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• ¾ cup finely chopped scallions
• ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup turbinado sugar
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 12 ounces dried egg pasta (tagilatelle or pappardelle)
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes.
2. Add carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, ginger and tomato paste and cook until caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary to avoid burning. Return heat to medium.
4. Add beef, mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the scallions and cook, stirring to break up the beef, until beef is browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add soy sauce, sugar and 1/4 cup of water and bring to a simmer.
6. Cover and simmer gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 30 minutes. As sauce cooks, make the pasta.
7. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
8. When sauce has finished thickening, stir in remaining 1/4 cup scallions and season with pepper.
9. Divide pasta in bowls and top with Bolognese. Serve with Parmesan.