Harry’s off from school today (Election Day, really?!?!) so I’ll keep this brief.
You know how some days, you have no idea what to make for dinner? So you check the fridge a dozen times, hoping something new might magically appear? Well, last night it actually worked—only instead of finding magic in the fridge, I found it online in the form of Cooking with My Kid’s Rustic Broccoli & Spinach Pie. Rebecca even mentions how many times she opened her own refrigerator! Kismet.
I didn’t follow Rebecca’s recipe exactly; instead I used it for inspiration. Lucky me, I had a couple cups of leftover roasted root vegs, so they became the star of the show. Some crisp, crumbled bacon added smoky heft. And about 40 minutes after I first read Rebecca’s post, I pulled dinner from the oven.
Stephen got stuck at work so I fed Harry separately—I’d cooked up a couple extra slices of bacon, which he ate on a challah roll with a side of apples. And when Stephen finally arrived home, we didn’t even bother to sit down. We demolished most of the crostata, just the two of us, standing over the cutting board. I pulled out forks, but after the first bite or two we tossed them aside and ate with our hands. Not my prettiest moment, but oddly satisfying nonetheless.
(If you don’t have leftover roasted vegetables but you do have a baby who naps, make this a Nap-Friendly Recipe by roasting whatever you’ve got while baby sleeps, then assembling and baking later.)
Roasted Root Vegetable Crostata
Serves 3-4
2 slices bacon (I use turkey)
1 teaspoon olive oil, optional
1 shallot, chopped
2 cups roasted root vegetables (ie carrot, parsnip, turnip, sweet potato, potato), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheese (I use Gruyere)
1 egg, beaten, divided
flour, for rolling
1 prepared piecrust (I use Pillsbury)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease or line a baking sheet.
- In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, until it’s crisp. Remove to drain on paper towels and, when cool enough to handle, crumble.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. If there’s not enough fat left in the skillet (with turkey bacon there may not be), add the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the shallots to a mixing bowl and add the vegetables, optional thyme, cheese, and most of the egg—reserve about a teaspoon to use for an egg wash later. Stir to combine.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface, then roll out the piecrust. Don’t go nuts—you just want to expand it a little bit. Transfer the crust to the baking sheet.
- Spoon the vegetable mixture into the center, and spread it until it’s about 2 inches from the edge all around. Scatter the crumbled bacon over the top. Fold the border of dough inwards, pleating slightly as you go. Neatness does NOT count here, so it can be as rustic-looking as necessary.
- Combine the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water, and brush over the exposed crust. Bake the crostata for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown all over.
MAKE BABY FOOD: The roasted root vegetables are perfect for early eaters—reserve some and puree with broth or milk. For finger foods, just chop the crostata into small pieces.