Cozy Weeknight Dinners

Warm Chocolate & Tahini Skillet Blondie

Ingredients For Blondie

• ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp baking powder

Ingredients For Swirls

• 60 g dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 3 tbsp tahini

To Finish

• Flaky salt
• Vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden and smells nutty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Pour the browned butter into a large bowl, leaving just a thin slick in the skillet to grease it.
3. Whisk the brown sugar into the browned butter until smooth and glossy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and espresso powder and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture is thick and ribbony. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and fold with a spatula until just combined, but do not overmix.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared skillet and smooth it into one even layer. Drop spoonfulls of the melted chocolate and tahini across the surface, alternating between the two. Using a skewer or the tip of a bread knife, swirl them together in loose, sweeping motions, pulling through the batter just enough to marble without fully combining them.
5. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the edges are set and pulling away from the sides of the pan and the centre still has a slight wobble, don’t worry, it will continue to firm as it rests. Do not overbake; the fudgy centre is everything here. Let rest for 5 minutes.
6. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and bring the skillet straight to the table. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream.

Garlic Bread Focaccia

Ingredients For Dough

• 5½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tbsp kosher salt
• 2¼ tsp (8 g) active dry yeast
• 2¾ cups warm water (105°F)
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients For Roasted Garlic Butter

• 2 heads garlic
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• Pinch of kosher salt

To Finish

• Flaky sea salt
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. This is my preferred way to make focaccia, but it does take a bit of planning as you’ll start the dough the night before you plan on serving it.
2. The night before, make the dough. Whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a very sticky, rough dough comes together. Lightly oil your hands and knead the dough in the bowl for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into a large clean bowl, coating the inside with your hands. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then stretch and fold the dough: take hold of one side, stretch it out, and fold it over to meet the other side. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat three more times. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat this stretch-and-fold process three more times, every 15 minutes, for a total of four folds over the course of an hour. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
4. While the dough chills overnight, make the roasted garlic butter. Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off the garlic heads to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap tightly in foil. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until deeply golden and completely tender. Let cool, then squeeze the cloves into a bowl and mash until smooth. Beat in the softened butter and a pinch of salt until well combined. Store covered in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before using.
5. The next day, pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan and brush it over the bottom and sides. Transfer the dough to the pan, cover loosely, and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1½ hours, until the dough has puffed considerably and nearly filled the pan. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this may take a little longer, be patient!
6. Heat the oven to 450°F. The second rise should have done most of the work filling the pan. Use well-oiled fingers to dimple the dough all over (the fun part!), pressing firmly down to the bottom. Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over the surface, letting it settle into the dimples. Dollop the roasted garlic butter across the top and spread it gently with your fingers. Scatter the Parmesan evenly over everything and finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden on top and the edges are crisp and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Scatter the parsley and chives over the top, slice, serve warm, and enjoy!

Braised Tomato, Chickpea & Sausage Pasta Bake

Ingredients For Pasta Bake

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 454 g Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, fronds reserved, bulb thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp chili flakes, plus more to taste
• 1 can (796 ml) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• 400 g orecchiette
• 1½ cups grated Gruyère

Ingredients For Panko Crust

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of kosher salt

To Finish

• Reserved fennel fronds

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide braiser over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into rough pieces, until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the sausage to the pan along with the chickpeas. Season generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to bring everything together, then stir in the cream and simmer for 2 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette for 2 minutes less than the package directions — it will finish in the oven. Drain and add directly to the braiser, tossing well to coat the pasta in the sauce and spreading everything into an even layer. Scatter the Gruyère evenly over the top.
5. In a small bowl, toss the panko with extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the cheese in an even layer.
6. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the edges are bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes.
7. Scatter the reserved fennel fronds over the top and serve straight from the braiser.

Note: No braiser? A large Dutch oven works well here too. If you don’t have either, build the sauce and pasta in your largest deep pot or skillet, transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, and bake as directed.