Weekly Newsletter 12

                                                         Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

Week of Aug 14 - 20. 2011

This week the pears are really ripening up and they are so tasty when properly handled.  Be sure to treat them really gently, bruising can spoil them.  And eat them up within the next few days – see below for more info on the best way to store and ripen them.  You all should be receiving the first of the cherry tomatoes really soon, if not this week and the heirlooms are on their way!

Because Bartlett Pears ripen from the inside out they are never ripened on the tree, but picked and left to sit at room temperature to mature at a more even rate.  They are ready to eat when they turn almost completely yellow, begin to soften when gently pressed around the stem end, and give off a sweet aroma.  Place them in your fruit bowl if they are still a bit green, and check them often.  Never place in the fridge to ripen.   They are very delicate and do tend to bruise easily when ripe so be sure to treat them very gently! When properly ripened they are so sweet and juicy and very delicious, but due to their fragile nature this finicky fruit is not widely grown commercially.  There may inevitably be a few imperfect ones that get into some of the boxes no matter how well we sort them, so if any of you get a mealy pear please feel free to grab something off the stand in replacement next week. 




Penne Pasta With Tomatoes and Squash
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
about 3 or 4  zucchini and/or summer squash sliced
Sea salt and black pepper
1 small red onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped or a basket of cherry tomatoes
Pinch of red pepper flakes (if desired)
1/2 bunch basil, sliced
shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese                        
Method
Bring a saucepot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and toss with 2 Tablespoons oil.  Set aside.  Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a skillet. Add the zucchini and yellow squash. Season with salt and pepper. Cook very quickly, remove and cool. They will be cooked more later, so they should only be half cooked at this point.  Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions. Cook until slightly caramelized, then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, squash, zucchini and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta, squash, and basil. To serve, place the pasta in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cheese.
To make this recipe completely over the top I cooked ½ lb. bulk mild Italian sausage in a separate skillet, drained it and added it to the pasta - YUMMY!!!!

Vegan Spicy Peanut Green Beans                                                                                                                Thanks to Megan for passing along this recipe, originally from VegNews’ Recipe Club.
What You Need:
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon mirin or water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
What You Do:
1. Steam the green beans just until tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari, sesame oil, mirin (or water), and sugar and set aside.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved beans in batches and stir-fry for 30 seconds, transferring the cooked beans to a platter.
4. When all the beans have been cooked, add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the same pan and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Return the beans to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the reserved peanut butter mixture and stir-fry until the beans are hot and coated with the sauce, about 30 seconds.

APPLE FRITTERS
• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying     • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour      
• 2 tablespoons white sugar  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon    • 2 teaspoons baking powder   
• 1/2 teaspoon salt    •  2/3 cup milk • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 3 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped                        • 1 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, deep-fryer or electric skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, eggs and oil and stir until well blended. Mix in apples until they are evenly distributed.
Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes depending on the size. Fry in smaller batches so they are not crowded. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon sugar while still warm.



Thanks everyone – See you next week!
~Casalegno Family Farm