• 1 cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups hazelnuts, toasted
• 2 egg yolks, or 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• zest of 1 orange, finely grated
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Chef’s Note: You can substitute hazelnut flour or meal for the whole hazelnuts. Made of very finely ground hazelnuts, the flour or meal can be found in specialty stores and online retailers.

For the Fig Jam filling

• 2 pints ripe fresh black mission figs, rinsed, stems removed and halved
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Juice of 1 orange
• ¼ cup ruby port or brandy (optional)

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Mixer

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or non stick baking mats.

Place the hazelnuts and ¼ cup brown sugar in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

Beat the butter, the remaining sugars and the hazelnuts in a large bowl with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the yolks, then the vanilla and fully incorporate. Add the sifted flour mixture, and on low speed, mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a ball, cut in half, flatten into a disk and wrap each half in plastic. Chill the dough until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Roll out one half of the dough into a 1/8 inch thick rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as possible from the dough. With a spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and place about 1 inch apart. Using a smaller cutter of the same shape, cut out the centers from half the cookies (this will form the top of the sandwich); reserve the scraps and re-roll with the other chilled half of dough. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough, and chill all the cookies for 30 minutes.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef’s Note: It may be easier to remove the cut out cookies if the dough has been chilled again once cut, before it is moved to the baking sheet.

Prepare the fig jam

Finely chop the figs. Place the sugar in a non-reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat to a medium caramel color (it should be golden amber in color). Add the butter, the chopped figs and the orange juice and stir to incorporate all. Don’t worry if any of the sugar starts to lump, it will melt as soon as everything is combined. Simmer rapidly over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the figs are very soft, most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 25 minutes. Once reduced the mixture will also have an amazing ruby red color. To test if the jam is ready, carefully spoon a small amount of the jam onto a plate and let it sit in the refrigerator for a minute. Run you finger down the middle of the jam, and if the line remains in two distinct halves, it is at the proper consistency. Cook longer if the two halves meld back together.

Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the port. Stir to thoroughly combine; return the pan to the heat and contine to cook, allowing the alcohol to absorb into the jam and the mixture to thicken once again, for about another five minutes.

Chef’s Note: For an easier method, the jam can also be made without first making a caramel: Just combine the figs, sugar, butter and orange juice in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and continue to boil until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the port and cook for another 5 minutes until all of the alcohol is absorbed into the jam. However, taking the time to make the caramel first imparts a depth of flavor and additional color to the finished jam.

Service

Spread a small amount of the fig jam on the cookie bottoms. Sandwich with the cookies with the middles cut out. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy!

Variations

Feel free to substitute a variety of nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, macadamia nuts) for the hazelnuts. Other jams are lovely, too, but we just adore the combination of ripe figs and toasty hazelnuts.

Bon appétit

Brice

(Recipe and photo by Monica Glass)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (28- to 32-oz) cans Italian tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For Crêpes

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For Filling

• 2 lb fresh ricotta (3 cups)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella

Special equipment:
2 glass or ceramic baking dishes, one 13 by 9 inches and one 8 inches square.

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, water, sugar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from heat.

Make Crêpes

Break up eggs with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl and stir in water until combined (don’t beat). Sift in flour and salt, then stir batter until just combined. Force through a medium-mesh sieve into another bowl.

Lightly brush an 8-inch nonstick skillet with melted butter and heat over moderate heat until hot. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom, then pour excess batter back into bowl. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crêpe.) Cook until underside is just set and lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then invert crêpe onto a clean kitchen towel to cool completely. Make at least 11 more crêpes in same manner, brushing skillet with butter as needed and stacking crêpes in 3 piles.

Make Filling and Assemble Panicotti

Stir together ricotta, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut mozzarella lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks.

Spread 2 cups sauce in larger baking dish and 1 cup in smaller one. Arrange 1 crêpe, browned side up, on a work surface, then spread about 1/4 cup filling in a line across center and top with a mozzarella strip. Fold in sides to enclose filling, leaving ends open, and transfer, seam side down, to either baking dish. Fill 11 more crêpes in same manner, arranging snugly in 1 layer in both dishes (8 in larger dish and 4 in smaller). Spread 1 cup sauce over manicotti in larger dish and 1/2 cup in smaller dish. Tightly cover dishes with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling and filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Cooks’ note: Manicotti can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered with foil. Chill remaining sauce, covered, separately. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before baking, covered with foil. Reheat sauce, thinning slightly with water.

Bon appétit

Brice

(recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez - photo by: Romulo Yanes)