roasted chicken with sage and shaved burgundy truffles

have truffles? will travel. have sage? i travel with that, too. these truffles started their journey in piedmont and then arrived in hoboken. next, they came with me into nyc and then out to summit. as for the sage? that started out in nj. then, it came into the city and again back out to summit. anyway, i liked the idea of combing the two and making my own truffle butter. with real truffles. ’tis the season for fresh truffles, and lucky for my diners, i work at an italian truffle company. that being said, there are so many people with so much less right now, and despite some time without electricity, heat, and hot water, i am truly one of the lucky ones. sandy has caused such devastation and heartbreak, and sharing meals with loved ones has become that much more meaningful over the past couple of weeks. with all that everyone had going on, meals together – every single night last week – were a welcome reprieve. some nights i cooked. some nights we went out. but we were all together, and having people there that matter is what it’s really all about.

yields: 6 servings

the ingredients:

1 oz. fresh burgundy truffle (available from paq new york)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/8 tsp. kosher salt (plus more for seasoning)

2 scant tbsp. fresh sage (chopped; plus leaves for garnish)

5 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (preferably drumsticks and legs)

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup organic white truffle oil (available from paq new york)

the method:

preheat the oven to 400.

with a sharp knife or mandoline, shave enough truffle to chop and fill a tablespoon. then, in a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, sage, and truffle.

rest each piece of chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan, skin-side up. tuck a little bit of butter under each piece’s skin – there’s enough for each, so try to distribute the butter as proportionately as possible. next, generously season all of the pieces with salt and pepper (chicken doesn’t have much flavor naturally, so don’t be stingy here). drizzle the olive oil evenly over the chicken, and stick the roasting pan in the oven.

roast for 40-45 minutes, checking to make sure it’s cooked properly (the usda minimum cooking temperature for chicken is 165, so you can test it with a meat thermometer, or cut off a tiny piece with a knife, which i usually do). switch the oven to broil, and broil the chicken for just a couple of minutes to make the skin nice and crispy.

remove the chicken from the oven, and transfer it to a serving platter. garnish with a few sage leaves. then, pour any remaining juices over the top of the chicken. using a mandoline, shave the remainder of the truffle over the chicken. serve, and enjoy.

tagliatelle aglio e olio

the ingredients:

kosher salt

1 lb. dried tagliatelle (i prefer severino.)

1/3 cup good olive oil

8 large garlic cloves (thinly slivered)

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)

1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (plus extra for serving)

the method:

bring a large pot of water to a boil. add two tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to package instructions. set aside one and a half cups of the pasta water before draining the pasta.

meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch saute pan or a large, shallow pot. add the garlic, and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges – make sure it doesn’t burn! add the red pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds more. carefully add the reserved pasta water to the garlic and oil, and bring to a boil. lower the heat, add one teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about five minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce, and toss. off the heat, add the parsley,basil, and pecorino, and toss well. allow the pasta to rest off the heat for five minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. taste for seasoning, and serve warm with extra cheese on the side.

adapted from a barefoot contessa recipe.

sweet and spicy sausage lasagna

yields: 12 servings

the ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

3/4 lbs. sweet italian turkey or pork sausage (casings removed)

3/4 lbs. hot italian turkey or pork sausage (casings removed)

1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes (preferably san marzano)

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (divided)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. no-boil lasagna noodles

1 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese (at room temperature)

4 oz. creamy goat cheese (at room temperature)

1 cup grated parmigiano regianno (plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling)

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1 lb. fresh mozzarella (thinly sliced)

the method:

preheat the oven to 400.

heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. add the onion, and cook for five minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. add the sausage, and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. add the tomatoes, tomato paste, two tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, one and a quarter teaspoons of the salt, and a half teaspoon pepper. simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, a cup of the parmigiano, the egg, the remaining two tablespoons of parsley, remaining half teaspoon salt, and a quarter teaspoon pepper. set aside.

ladle a third of the sauce into a 13 x 9 baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. then, add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. sprinkle with the remaining cheese. bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

bake for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

slightly adapted from a barefoot contessa recipe.