Tuscan Pizzetta

Recently, we enjoyed a fabulous meal courtesy of our friends Dutch and Becky. It was one of those beautiful nights you wish you could capture in a bottle and release in, say February. We ate under the stars, drank good red wine and reveled in the pleasures of summer.

And then there's the food. Dutch is an excellent, creative cook, and his meals are always something to behold. His menu: cherry tomato poppers; Tuscan rosemary pizzetta; sweet summer corn and black bean salsa with a lime-mirin sauce; "cheater" ceviche and grilled salmon with dill butter. Amazing.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I'm still dreaming about that meal, but especially the Tuscan rosemary pizzetta, topped with carmelized onions, kalamata olives, feta and anchovies. So, I set out to recreate it in my own kitchen.

Dutch used the wonderful handmade pizza dough from Fresh Farms Market, so I followed suit. You can make your own, or, in many cases, buy fresh dough from your favorite pizzeria.

He grilled his pizzetta, but for various reasons (ok, I don't own a grill right now, don't ask) I baked mine at 475 degrees. First, I rolled and shaped the crust - you'll want a thin crust - then brushed it with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and blind-baked it for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.

I let the crust cool for a few minutes, then topped with some well-caramelized onions (one large onion, thinly sliced and sauteed in olive oil, salt and pepper for a good long time, until well browned). Dutch, in a brilliant move, drizzles a bit of honey into the onions at the end, adding extra depth of flavor and sweetness.

Then, scatter some sliced, pitted kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese on top of the onions and pop it back into the oven or grill top. Mine took about 8-9 minutes. I added a few anchovies when it came out of the oven, but these are optional if you are an anchovy-hater. No worries. As a final touch, drizzle a bit more olive oil on the hot pie as you let it cool for a minute or two. Then, sprinkle with some minced fresh rosemary, serve and enjoy.

Honestly, it was delicious. Savory, salty, crispy, with a hint of sweetness. Not quite as good as the original, but pretty darn close.

Tuscan pizzetta makes a great appetizer, but it also stands alone as a meal, paired with a fresh green salad. If you give it a try, let me know if you become a fan, too.

Tim's Garden

I've had a backyard vegetable garden for a number of years. Nothing too elaborate -- a few tomato plants, some herbs, salad greens, and whatever looks delicious or intriguing.

Every year, I get great satisfaction from the process of planting the seeds or seedlings, caring for them, and eventually harvesting, cooking and eating the final results. Circle of life and all that.

This year, my son Tim, 12, was by my side when we planted the garden. I love his curiosity and enthusiasm, and his willingness to throw himself wholeheartedly into anything he enjoys. 

Tim jumped out of bed at 7 a.m. on a Saturday to shop for plants at Eastern Market. He toured the stalls with us, inspecting the vegetables and helping us choose the best ones. He lugged the plants around the market, loaded up the car and helped unload when we got home.

And together, we planted heirloom tomatoes, romaine, mixed greens, spinach, swiss chard, green beans, broccoli, lemon thyme, rosemary, basil and a few giant sunflowers (which were immediately destroyed by a critter). He dug, he got his hands dirty, he asked a million questions. Good, thoughtful questions. Then he hand-watered the beds with a watering can, twice.

As we moved through the day, side-by-side, it occurred to me that I've never had more fun in the garden, and I felt honored and privileged to connect with him in such a meaningful way.

Because, yes, planting a garden puts food on the table, but really, it's about feeding the soul. 

Barding Pork

I've never had the best luck cooking pork. I've tried roasts, chops, tenderloins, the works. The results are usually a bit dry, a bit bland, and not really what I want for dinner.

That's why a technique like barding can be so useful in the kitchen. Essentially, you wrap a piece of lean meat with a piece of fattier meat before cooking to add flavor and moisture. Meats like bacon and pancetta work really well and can enliven any lean cut.

I tried this with a pork loin, inspired by a Martha recipe from her latest cookbook, "Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook" as inspiration.

First, allow a two-pound boneless pork loin to come to room temperature for about an hour. Pat dry with paper towels, season lightly with kosher salt and more liberally with freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium high and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Sear the roast on all sides, turning with tongs, about 6-8 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Take six pieces of butcher's twine, laying three or four pieces vertically and two horizontally on a large, clean cutting board, Take 12 ounces of thinly sliced pancetta and place about half of them on the twine in a rectangle shape, overlapping a bit, so the end result is about an inch larger than the roast on all sides. Then, rub the pork loin all over with minced fresh rosemary, place it on top of the pancetta and use the remaining slices to cover the top of the roast completely, overlapping again. Next, place a whole sprig of rosemary on top of the roast, tuck edges together and tie the twine around the whole package, first from end to end and then around.

Put the roast back into the skillet and place in 450 degree preheated oven. Roast for 40-50 minutes, or until the thickest part registers 138 degrees with an instant thermometer. Remove from oven, let the meat rest for about 10 minutes and cut into thickish slices to serve.

I subbed prosciutto in this recipe (my pancetta was frozen solid) and drizzled some extra virgin olive oil on top of the pork loin before and after wrapping to add some moisture. I served it with roasted parsnips and cipollini onions and a crisp green salad. This makes a great weekend meal for a family or small dinner party. Give it a try.