Sweet Summer

I'm not much of a sweet person. On any given day, I'd rather dig my fork into a big bowl of noodles than eat a slice of cake.

I like to think that brunch defines whether a person is inclined towards sweet or savory foods. We all know people who order french toast and pancakes lathered in syrup on Saturday mornings; that would never be me. I love eggs Benedict (bring on the smoked salmon), quiches, and plain old bacon and eggs (fried, of course). Did I ever mention how much I love eggs?

Every once in awhile, though, I crave something sugar-laden—and it's usually after dinner. This summer, the fruit was so amazing at the farmer's markets, it inspired me to make dessert.

So here I was, baking sour cherry and almond bread,

a blueberry-lavender crumble,

a peach and blackberry cobbler with almond crust,

and two fig and franginpane tarts.

I'm sad summer has slipped away—not just because warm weather already seems like a distant memory, but also because I won't see the jewel-toned fruits at the market.

Until next year.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

One of my greatest culinary joys is taking a big bite of fresh, perfectly seasoned pasta. That being said, it should be of utmost importance that I learn how to create that experience in my own kitchen.

Yesterday, I spent the entire day making pasta with my good friend from culinary school, Amanda. We experimented with different ratios (semolina + AP flour, semolina + water, egg + AP, etc.), making a total of six doughs.

We discovered some keepers as well as some we won't be making again. Below was our favorite.

Nine Yolk Dough

1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) AP flour

9 egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon milk

Couple pinches of kosher salt

1. Place the flour on a work surface and make a large well in the center. Add the yolks, oil, milk and salt. Using your finger, slowly incorporate the liquid ingredients. When partially incorporated (not too runny), use a dough cutter to fully blend the ingredients.

2. Bring the dough together with your hands (it will look flaky). Knead it with the heels of your hands. Reform into a ball and repeat several times. If too dry, add a bit of oil or milk; if too wet, add a bit of flour. Continue kneading until the dough becomes soft and silky. Be patient—this can take 10 to 15 minutes. Don't worry about over-kneading the dough.

3. Double-wrap the dough in plastic so it doesn't dry out. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling it through a pasta machine. It can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but make sure it comes to room temperature before using.

We used the dough for two types of ravioli (arugula-Pecorino as well as fresh corn-smoked mozzarella). Both were amazing.

Originally, we were following a recipe from The French Laundry Cookbook, but Amanda and I changed it so much we think of it as our own.

Barilla, you've got nothin' on us.