Key amounts

• 1 jar (12 oz / 340 g) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 2 cups (300 g) mixed green and black olives
• 1 jar (12 oz / 340 g) roasted red peppers, sliced, tossed with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 grated garlic clove and parsley
• 12 oz (340 g) aged provolone and parmesan, in chunks and slices
• 8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella pearls
• 24 breadsticks (grissini)
• 6 oz (170 g) halal beef bresaola, thinly sliced, or no meat at all
• 1 cup grapes or dried figs and a few rosemary sprigs

Method

1. Place the cheeses first, spaced across a large board, each with its own knife.
2. Spoon the olives, artichokes and dressed peppers into small bowls so their oil stays put, and set them between the cheeses.
3. Fold the bresaola, if using, into loose ribbons beside the provolone.
4. Stand the breadsticks in a glass and fill the gaps with grapes, figs and rosemary.

Key amounts

• 6 large globe artichokes and 1 lemon, halved
• 2 cups (220 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1 cup (90 g) grated pecorino or parmesan
• 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ cup chopped parsley; zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil, plus more to drizzle
• 1½ cups (360 ml) water or halal chicken broth, for the pot

Method

1. Cut 1 inch off each top, snip the thorny tips and trim the stems so they stand. Rub every cut with lemon and spread the leaves open.
2. Mix the crumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, zest, salt, pepper and oil until it feels like damp sand, then push it between the leaves.
3. Stand them in a pot with the water or broth, drizzle with oil, cover and simmer 45 to 60 minutes, until an inner leaf pulls out easily.

Key amounts

• 1½ lb (680 g) dried pappardelle or wide egg noodles
• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• 24 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup (90 g) grated parmesan, plus more to serve
• 1½ cups (360 ml) pasta water, saved before draining
• zest of 1 lemon, black pepper and ½ cup (60 g) toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Boil the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente; save the water.
2. Meanwhile melt the butter in the widest pan over medium heat, add the sage and swirl 4 to 5 minutes, until the butter smells nutty and turns hazelnut brown and the leaves crisp.
3. Toss in the pasta with 1 cup of the water and the parmesan until glossy, loosening with more water. Finish with zest, pepper and walnuts.

Key amounts

• 1 boneless, skin-on halal turkey breast, about 3 lb (1.4 kg), tied
• 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tbsp each chopped rosemary and sage
• 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter
• Soffritto: 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups (480 ml) halal chicken broth, juice of ½ lemon and 2 bay leaves

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the breast and brown it skin side down in the oil and butter in a Dutch oven, 6 to 8 minutes; turn, brown 3 minutes and lift out.
2. Cook the soffritto 8 to 10 minutes, add the garlic and paste for 1 minute, then the broth, lemon and bay.
3. Return the breast skin up, cover and braise 1¼ to 1½ hours, to 165°F. Rest 15 minutes, slice and spoon the vegetables over.

Key amounts

• 2 lb (900 g) carrots and 1½ lb (680 g) parsnips, peeled
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lb / 900 g), peeled and seeded
• 2 red onions, cut in wedges
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed, and 2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 1½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tbsp honey (optional) and the zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and cut everything into 1½-inch chunks.
2. Toss with the oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and spread on two sheet pans in one layer.
3. Roast 40 to 45 minutes, stirring once and swapping the pans halfway, until browned at the edges. Drizzle with honey for the last 5 minutes and finish with lemon zest.

Key amounts

• 2 cups (320 g) medium or coarse polenta (cornmeal)
• 8 cups (1.9 L) water, or half water and half halal chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp (55 g) butter and 1 cup (90 g) grated parmesan
• hot broth or water, to loosen

Method

1. Bring the water, milk and salt to a simmer in a large heavy pot and whisk in the polenta in a slow stream.
2. Whisk until it thickens, then cook on the lowest heat 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until creamy and tender. Instant polenta takes 5.
3. Stir in the butter and parmesan. To hold, cover over the lowest heat and loosen with hot broth before serving.

Key amounts

• 3 medium fennel bulbs, shaved paper-thin, fronds saved
• 5 navel oranges
• ½ small red onion, shaved
• ½ cup (75 g) pitted green olives, halved
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds and black pepper

Method

1. Drop the shaved fennel into ice water for 10 minutes to crisp, then drain and dry well.
2. Cut the peel and pith from the oranges and slice them into wheels.
3. Whisk the dressing. Toss the fennel, onion and olives with half of it, lay the oranges over, spoon on the rest and scatter fronds, pomegranate seeds and pepper.

Key amounts

• 5 cups (650 g) bread flour
• 2¼ cups (530 ml) lukewarm water
• 2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast
• 1 tbsp fine salt
• ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves and flaky salt

Method

1. The night before, stir the flour, water, yeast and salt into a shaggy dough, coat with 2 tbsp oil, cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
2. Oil a 13×18-inch sheet pan with ¼ cup oil, stretch the dough in and let it rise 1½ to 2 hours, until puffy.
3. Dimple with oiled fingers, drizzle the last oil, scatter rosemary and flaky salt and bake at 450°F for 22 to 25 minutes.

Key amounts

• Crust: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (140 g) cold butter, cubed; 1 egg and 1 yolk
• Filling: 1 cup (250 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained, and 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar and 2 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, a pinch of salt, zest of 1 orange and 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla

Method

1. Pulse the dry crust ingredients with the zest and butter to crumbs, add the egg and yolk and press into a disc; chill 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Roll out two-thirds to line a 10-inch tart pan. Beat the filling smooth and pour it in.
3. Lay strips of the rest on top as a lattice. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until set with a slight wobble; cool, then chill.

Key amounts

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup (140 g) whole skin-on almonds, toasted
• 2 eggs, 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla and ½ tsp alcohol-free almond extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp milk, to brush

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Mix the dry ingredients and almonds, then the eggs, vanilla, extract and zest, into a stiff, sticky dough.
2. Shape two 12-inch logs on a lined sheet, brush with the yolk and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Cool 10 minutes, slice ½ inch thick on the diagonal and bake at 325°F, 10 minutes a side, until dry.

Key amounts

• 3 quarts (2.8 L) unsweetened apple juice
• 1 orange, sliced into wheels
• 4 cinnamon sticks, 8 whole cloves and 3 star anise
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 to 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar, to taste

Method

1. Combine everything except the honey in a large pot or slow cooker.
2. Bring just to a simmer, then keep it barely steaming over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes; never let it boil hard.
3. Taste, sweeten if needed and ladle into mugs around the spices. A slow cooker on LOW, then WARM, holds it for 3 hours.