Swiss Chard Ricotta Gnudi With Fall Mushrooms Recipes

SWISS CHARD RICOTTA GNUDI WITH FALL MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For gnudi:
• Cut chard leaves from each side of center stem. Cut stems into matchsticksize strips. Cover and refrigerate stems; reserve for sauce.
• Cook chard leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; cool. Squeeze chard leaves until very dry; place in processor. Using on/off turns, finely chop chard. Add ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, shallot, egg, coarse salt, pepper, and nutmeg; process to blend. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate dough overnight.
• For broth:
• Bring chicken broth, sliced shallots, and mushroom stems to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to 3 cups, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain. Return broth to saucepan; discard solids in strainer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat; add sliced mushroom caps. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until mushrooms are tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add reserved thinly sliced chard stems and sauté until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. do ahead Mushrooms and chard stems can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon some flour onto large plate. Working in batches, drop heaping teaspoonfuls gnudi dough (size of small walnuts) onto plate with flour to form about 36 gnudi. Using floured hands, gently shape each into 1 1/2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick oval. Tap off excess flour; transfer gnudi to prepared baking sheet. do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Bring large wide pot of salted water to boil. Slide gnudi into pot; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot broth. Season broth to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
• Divide mushrooms and chard stems among 6 bowls. Add broth, dividing equally (about 1/2 cup each). Using slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
• What to drink:
• Fruity and earthy Michele Chiarlo 2006 "Le Orme" Barbera d'Asti Superiore, Italy ($11).

SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA CROSTATA

Steps:

• Combine the flour, Parmesan, mascarpone, salt, cayenne and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse, pulse, pulse, until it looks very dry and crumbly--what I like to call the Parmesan stage. Add the eggs and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and is very aromatic remove it and discard, it has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the Swiss chard stems, leeks and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and season with salt. When the water has evaporated and the stems and leeks are soft, add the leaves. Season the leaves with salt and saute until they are very soft and wilted. Remove from the heat and allow the Swiss chard to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, cayenne and the Swiss chard mixture. Mix to thoroughly combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed (it will). Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let warm up for about 10 to 15 minutes, this will make it really much easier to roll out.
• Dust a large clean work surface with flour and roll the dough into a large circle about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a large sheet try lined with parchment paper. Lay the dough out flat, don't worry about the overhang on the sides. Put the filling in a large circle in the center of the rolled out dough leaving a 3 to 4-inch border of dough along the outside edge. Fold the dough up around the filling to make a "free-form pie". Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the crust is firm, golden brown and shiny, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, this will allow it to up for easier slicing.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.
• What a delightful lunch!!!

SWISS CHARD LASAGNA WITH RICOTTA AND MUSHROOM

Steps:

• For béchamel sauce:
• Bring milk and bay leaf to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to blend. Cook 2 minutes, whisking almost constantly (do not let roux brown). Gradually whisk milk with bay leaf into roux. Add 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, nutmeg, and cloves and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. DO AHEAD: Béchamel sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill. Remove plastic and rewarm sauce before using, whisking to smooth.
• For swiss chard and mushroom layers:
• Blanch chard in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain, pressing out all water, then chop coarsely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, half of garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in chard and season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Sauté until mushrooms are brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in nutmeg and season with coarse salt and pepper.
• For lasagna:
• Cook noodles in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; arrange noodles in single layer on sheet of plastic wrap.
• Brush 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish with oil to coat. Spread 3 tablespoons béchamel sauce thinly over bottom of dish. Arrange 3 noodles in dish to cover bottom (2 side by side lengthwise, then 1 crosswise). Spread half of chard mixture over pasta, then half of mushrooms. Drop half of ricotta over in dollops and spread in even layer. Sprinkle with half of Fontina, then 4 tablespoons Parmesan; spread 3/4 cup béchamel over. Repeat layering with 3 noodles, remaining chard, mushrooms, ricotta, Fontina, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup béchamel. Cover with 3 noodles and remaining béchamel. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with foil. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake lasagna covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through and top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

SWISS CHARD GNUDI WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Dust a rimmed baking sheet with flour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chard with tongs and transfer it to a kitchen towel. (Reserve the pot of water.) Squeeze the chard dry in the towel, then transfer it to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
• Combine the chard, ricotta, Parmesan, whole egg and egg yolks, grated lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Mix in the flour until just combined. Scoop tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, then gently shake the pan to coat the gnudi in flour. Freeze at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve. Increase the heat to high; add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they begin to pop. Reduce the heat to medium; stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the lemon zest strips and reserved garlic. Cook, crushing the tomatoes, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes; stir in the lemon juice. Remove the strips of lemon zest. Divide the sauce among bowls.
• Return the pot of water to a low boil. Working in two batches, gently add the gnudi and cook until they float, then cook 1 minute longer for a total of about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and top with Parmesan.

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD WITH MUSHROOMS AND ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cook and stir until onion is translucent and mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard, red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Cook until Swiss chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in white wine; cook until Swiss chard is tender, 3 to 4 minutes more.