Alex Saggiomo Archives | Saveur

Seasonal Squash Tart

Alex Saggiomo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:32 +0000

Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart. Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

By using seasonal squash, this light and tasty dish—developed by Denver, Colorado-based chef Alex Saggiomo—can be made year-round. Try it with zucchini and yellow squash in the summer, then use all butternut in the fall. Feel free to get creative with the topping for this tart, which will help stretch leftover squash and other vegetables—whichever adventure you choose, it will pair beautifully with the buttery pastry and tangy goat cheese topping.

Yield: 2–4

Time: 2 hours

One 10- by 15-in. sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled out slightly to soften
½ medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large cubes
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp. fresh goat cheese, divided
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced into ¼-in. rounds
1 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-in. rounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment, then place the puff pastry on it. Using a fork, create a border around the edges, poking holes throughout the dough of the sheet to prevent it from rising. Place another sheet of parchment over the top and place dried beans or pie weights over the surface. Bake until the edges rise slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Turn the oven up to 400°F.
Line a second large baking sheet with foil, then arrange the butternut squash and garlic atop it in a single layer. Toss with oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Turn the oven down to 375°F.
When the butternut squash has cooled, transfer to a food processor along with the cream, lemon zest, and half of the goat cheese, then process until smooth.
On the reserved pastry sheet, spread the butternut squash purée in an even layer, leaving a thin border along all four edges. Arrange the yellow squash and zucchini slices over the top, allowing each one to slightly overlap. Drizzle a little oil over the top, then dot with the remaining goat cheese. Bake until the squash is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Dark Chocolate Pecans

Alex Saggiomo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:26 +0000

As is the case in most years, the holidays are rapidly approaching and I have no time to go shopping for all of my collected foodies, family, and friends. Luckily, all three categories can be taken care of at once with one order from Schermer Pecans, one of my go-tos for gift giving. Ranging from sweet to savory, Schermer’s dozens of takes on pecans will satisfy any palate, but my personal favorite are the Dark Chocolate Pecans, a delicious mix of crunchy, salty nuts with a deep, rich chocolate coating that leaves me unable to stop eating until the whole bag is gone. The best part? They can be overnighted as a last minute stocking stuffer, and for the gift-wrap uninclined, their nifty muslin bag is pretty enough not to even need so much as a bow.

Schermer Dark Chocolate Pecans, 2 bags for $33.00 at schermerpecans.com

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Friday Cocktails: The Napa Sour

Alex Saggiomo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:22:31 +0000

Made with bold, American Cabernet in lieu of the traditional South American brandy, this complex and tantalizing cocktail is Napa Valley's take on the Pisco Sour. Anna Stockwell

Without a doubt, one of the best parts about living in the Napa Valley was the unlimited access to the country’s best wine. But it wasn’t until a recent summer trip with my family to Italy that I truly developed a taste and appreciation for the vast flavor and interesting depth that a good wine can provide, and that passion has followed me ever since. Working now in the food industry, I’m constantly looking for a cocktail that not only tastes delicious on it’s own, but can be a natural compliment to whatever meal I’m serving; and I think this one fits that bill just right.

Napa Cabernet is famous for its big, accentuated flavor, and in crafting this cocktail, I wanted to play to those strengths. This particular drink, inspired by San Francisco cocktail aficionado Marco Dionysos, is a tantalizing and delicious take on the traditional Pisco Sour. While seemingly airy at first, musky whisky and frothy egg whites soon creep up on your palate to provide the drink with the punch and depth it needs to make its mark. Add to this mix a tarragon-infused simple syrup, and its subtle and sweet licorice taste takes the flavor to a whole new level. Top it with a cherry, and sip it anytime! I find myself making this drink most often for brunch, since it is refreshing and relaxing without too much bite. I hope The Napa Sour will soon become a standard in your repertoire too, and you’ll find yourself craving the dynamic blend of tastes just as much as I do!

See the recipe for The Napa Sour »

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