Kitchen Wench

I don’t really know what a flake is, but I do know that it’s delicious. From what I can tell, it involves a pie-crust like pastry with some sort of filling. This tasted sort of like a pie in bar form, but less messy and more nutty. In any case, I promise it won’t disappoint. For my version, I used almonds, apples, and some leftover strawberry rhubarb compote, but you could use any combination of fresh fruit/jam/nuts for endless possibilities. I am currently on a rhubarb kick, and this is a great way to take advantage of it.

Rhubarb Apple Almond Flake
(Adapted from Lori Bohn’s original recipe for Rhubarb Almond Flake from Simply in Season)

• 4 smallish tart baking apples (I used Pink Ladys), thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups strawberry rhubarb compote* or other fruit puree or jam
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• scant 1 cup milk + 1/4 cup (I substituted Silk soy milk)
• 1 1/2 cups crushed or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsps almond extract

1. Take 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter and cut into small pieces. Pulse butter, flour, baking powder, and salt in food processor using on and off turns until a coarse meal forms. Alternatively, cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fork.

2. Crack eggs into a measuring cup and beat until yolks and whites are combined. Pour in enough milk to create 1 cup of liquid. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk and eggs with flour and butter mixture until a ball of dough forms. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

3. While the dough chills, make the glaze. Combine nuts, remaining 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup milk, sugar, and extracts in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.

4. Grease a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Roll 1 disk of dough to 1/2″-1/4″ thickness. Lay in pan. Spread layer of compote onto the dough, then a layer of apples. Alternate layers until all the fruit and compote have been used.

5. Roll out 2nd disk of dough, making sure it is roughly the same size as the bottom layer. Place the 2nd sheet of dough over the fruit and fold over the edges to seal. Try to create a bit of a lip along the edge, otherwise the glaze will run off the pastry. With a fork or knife, poke a few holes in the dough to allow steam to vent.

6. Spread nut glaze over the top. Bake in a 400 F degree oven for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 F and continue baking another 35-40 minutes or until golden.

* Strawberry rhubarb compote can be easily made by cooking chopped fruit with sugar and a little water over medium heat. The fruit will break down after 15-20 minutes, at which point you can mash it up. I like to make mine with half a vanilla bean thrown in for flavor. It’s is awesome on plain yogurt or bread.

I think Pasta Mia pasta is like crack.

Seriously.

I ate at the tiny Adams Morgan institution for the first time this weekend. The place has maybe 15 tables, does not take reservations, does not take credit cards, and yet there is always a line out the door. Under normal circumstances, this would indicate that there must be something to the hype, but you never know in DC. Some things are just inexplicably overrated in this town (Lauriol Plaza, anyone?).

I waited almost 2 hours (30 mintutes in line, an hour at the table) before a bite of pasta hit my lips. The wait was worth it. That is how good my pasta was. And this is coming from someone who becomes incredibly belligerent when denied food. Also, the carafe of fruity house wine probably didn’t hurt either.

I ordered the penne carbonara, which arrived all eggy and buttery, dotted with flecks of crispy pancetta and topped with a huge mound of Parmesan. There is something so decadent about a silky egg sauce and melting cheese. Also, I was surprised at how overjoyed I was to be eating perfect al dente pasta in a restaurant. My favorite thing about pasta is the chewy texture of a perfectly cooked noodle. Prior to Pasta Mia, I hadn’t found good Italian food in DC. I tried Tosca and was disappointed, especially for the price tag. (Everything at Pasta Mia is under $20.)

So, I had a great meal. So great that it just won’t seem to go away. I actually can’t stop thinking about it. It’s like the first time I had Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby (another crack-like food). I couldn’t stop craving it. The same appears to be true of Pasta Mia. I keep seeing that steaming plate of penne and tasting the tangy cheese in my mind. I think I just might go back on Wednesday.

Belgian food is starting to quickly become an overdone fad in DC. However, having spent most of my life in the Midwest, deprived of moules and frites, I just can’t seem to get enough of them. Plus, trying new restaurants gives me an excuse to eat french fries, even though I know they’re bad for me.

Two weekends ago, Lee and I made reservations for any early dinner at Brassiere Beck. BB opened about a year ago amid serious hype. Reviews seem to be mixed, but BB also keeps popping up in various best new restaurant lists. While that’s enough to make one a little hesitant, Brasserie Beck definitely exceeded my expectations on several counts.

Lee and I each ordered a salad ($13) to start - bibb lettuce with roasted beets and frisee with lardons and poached egg. I’m sorry there are no salad shots — I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture. The beet salad arrived with thin slices of beet arranged in a circle and a little pile of lettuce leaves and minced red onion in the center. As an avid beet fan, I have eaten many a beet salad. This rendition was perfectly acceptable but not very memorable. The mustard dressing was very mild, and I thought the raw onion overwhelmed their delicate flavor. I think a gentle dressing works will with tender bibb lettuce, but a little more acid would have brought out the sweetness in the beets.

The frisee salad, on the other hand, was divine. Like, eyes rolling back in my head, weak knees, drooling a little divine. The presentation was also delightful - the mound of frissee was topped with a parmesan toast crisp and a perfectly poached egg. I love this flavor combination, but in the past I have noticed that this salad can become overpowered by the sherry vinegarette and becomes soupy once the egg yolk is mixed into the greens. What is notable about Brasserie Beck’s salad is that the salad is dressed just lightly enough to impart a vinegary pucker that is smoothed out by the richness of the yolk. But the best part is the addition of little deep fried shallots, which opens the salad up to an entirely new level of flavor suggestion and gives it greater textural interest. I would go back for this salad alone. Read the rest of this entry �