A little over a year ago, my neighbor introduced me to The New Basics Puttanesca , a sauce made entirely from pantry ingredients: a can of plum tomatoes, a (whole!) tin of anchovies, a (whole!) jar of capers. After everything—there’s garlic, olive oil, and olives in there, too—simmers together for about an hour, you toss it with hot pasta, and call dinner done.
It’s one of those miracle dishes that materializes seemingly from nothing, a particularly good one to know this time of year, when fresh inspiration can be lacking.
Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
A few weeks ago, when I opened Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta , I felt like I had opened a book filled with the progeny of The New Basics puttanesca, a cadre of pantry-inspired recipes, but each with a fresh spin: some incorporate seasonal ingredients (brown buttered squash bake with sage, crème fraîche and Fontina), others call for fresh seafood (grilled squid with chilies and mint), many are simple and practical (one pot with spinach and goat cheese), some are jazzed up with crispy capers and bread crumbs. I want to make everything.
So far I’ve made two. I wrote about the alla vodka recipe a few weeks ago, but this baked ziti was the first dish I made—five minutes after the book arrived at my door, I scoured my pantry and fridge, the image of a spoon pulling melty mozzarella from a brimming casserole inspiring the mad search.
Without everything on hand, I, in Back Pocket fashion, improvised: some kale and chard replaced the spinach, heavy cream filled in for much of the crème fraîche, and vegan chorizo stepped in for the sausage. Even with many substitutions, the baked ziti was utterly delicious.
The following evening, I made the baked ziti again, this time more to the letter, for a small gathering of friends (6 adults and 8 children). I’m stating the obvious here, but baked ziti, this one in particular, is so great for feeding a crowd. We gobbled it up with BPP’s croutonless Caesar salad, a perfect side for this hearty dish.
Description
From Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
As noted in the post, the first time I made this, I made many substitutions: I only had a little bit of crème fraîche, so I made up the difference with heavy cream. I had a mix of Swiss chard and kale on hand, so I used those in place of the baby spinach. I even used vegan chorizo in place of hot Italian sausage. This is definitely a recipe that lends itself to improvising. I think you could definitely leave out the sausage if you wanted to make it vegetarian.
Regarding tomatoes: I used one 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, which I snipped with scissors right in the pan, and 14-oz Pomi crushed tomatoes—I love the Pomi brand—which I measured out using a liquid measure. It’s about 1 3/4 cups. This is just what I had on hand. When I make it again, I’ll use all crushed tomatoes for ease.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or less if sensitive to heat) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- one 28 -oz can plus one 14-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes, see notes
- 1 pound ziti
- 5 oz . Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced, or baby spinach
- 3/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, if using, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes short of al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Add the greens to the sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir half of the sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add the pasta and toss together to coat. Pour the pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella (I poke some of these cubes below the surface a little bit) and remaining Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and bake until the cheese starts bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and broil until the cheese and pasta are browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. (Note: keep a close watch the entire time—a minute or two might be all it needs.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
A little over a year ago, my neighbor introduced me to The New Basics Puttanesca , a sauce made entirely from pantry ingredients: a can of plum tomatoes, a (whole!) tin of anchovies, a (whole!) jar of capers. After everything—there’s garlic, olive oil, and olives in there, too—simmers together for about an hour, you toss it with hot pasta, and call dinner done.
It’s one of those miracle dishes that materializes seemingly from nothing, a particularly good one to know this time of year, when fresh inspiration can be lacking.
Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
A few weeks ago, when I opened Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta , I felt like I had opened a book filled with the progeny of The New Basics puttanesca, a cadre of pantry-inspired recipes, but each with a fresh spin: some incorporate seasonal ingredients (brown buttered squash bake with sage, crème fraîche and Fontina), others call for fresh seafood (grilled squid with chilies and mint), many are simple and practical (one pot with spinach and goat cheese), some are jazzed up with crispy capers and bread crumbs. I want to make everything.
So far I’ve made two. I wrote about the alla vodka recipe a few weeks ago, but this baked ziti was the first dish I made—five minutes after the book arrived at my door, I scoured my pantry and fridge, the image of a spoon pulling melty mozzarella from a brimming casserole inspiring the mad search.
Without everything on hand, I, in Back Pocket fashion, improvised: some kale and chard replaced the spinach, heavy cream filled in for much of the crème fraîche, and vegan chorizo stepped in for the sausage. Even with many substitutions, the baked ziti was utterly delicious.
The following evening, I made the baked ziti again, this time more to the letter, for a small gathering of friends (6 adults and 8 children). I’m stating the obvious here, but baked ziti, this one in particular, is so great for feeding a crowd. We gobbled it up with BPP’s croutonless Caesar salad, a perfect side for this hearty dish.
Description
From Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
As noted in the post, the first time I made this, I made many substitutions: I only had a little bit of crème fraîche, so I made up the difference with heavy cream. I had a mix of Swiss chard and kale on hand, so I used those in place of the baby spinach. I even used vegan chorizo in place of hot Italian sausage. This is definitely a recipe that lends itself to improvising. I think you could definitely leave out the sausage if you wanted to make it vegetarian.
Regarding tomatoes: I used one 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, which I snipped with scissors right in the pan, and 14-oz Pomi crushed tomatoes—I love the Pomi brand—which I measured out using a liquid measure. It’s about 1 3/4 cups. This is just what I had on hand. When I make it again, I’ll use all crushed tomatoes for ease.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or less if sensitive to heat) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- one 28 -oz can plus one 14-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes, see notes
- 1 pound ziti
- 5 oz . Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced, or baby spinach
- 3/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, if using, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes short of al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Add the greens to the sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir half of the sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add the pasta and toss together to coat. Pour the pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella (I poke some of these cubes below the surface a little bit) and remaining Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and bake until the cheese starts bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and broil until the cheese and pasta are browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. (Note: keep a close watch the entire time—a minute or two might be all it needs.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
A little over a year ago, my neighbor introduced me to The New Basics Puttanesca , a sauce made entirely from pantry ingredients: a can of plum tomatoes, a (whole!) tin of anchovies, a (whole!) jar of capers. After everything—there’s garlic, olive oil, and olives in there, too—simmers together for about an hour, you toss it with hot pasta, and call dinner done.
It’s one of those miracle dishes that materializes seemingly from nothing, a particularly good one to know this time of year, when fresh inspiration can be lacking.
Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
A few weeks ago, when I opened Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta , I felt like I had opened a book filled with the progeny of The New Basics puttanesca, a cadre of pantry-inspired recipes, but each with a fresh spin: some incorporate seasonal ingredients (brown buttered squash bake with sage, crème fraîche and Fontina), others call for fresh seafood (grilled squid with chilies and mint), many are simple and practical (one pot with spinach and goat cheese), some are jazzed up with crispy capers and bread crumbs. I want to make everything.
So far I’ve made two. I wrote about the alla vodka recipe a few weeks ago, but this baked ziti was the first dish I made—five minutes after the book arrived at my door, I scoured my pantry and fridge, the image of a spoon pulling melty mozzarella from a brimming casserole inspiring the mad search.
Without everything on hand, I, in Back Pocket fashion, improvised: some kale and chard replaced the spinach, heavy cream filled in for much of the crème fraîche, and vegan chorizo stepped in for the sausage. Even with many substitutions, the baked ziti was utterly delicious.
The following evening, I made the baked ziti again, this time more to the letter, for a small gathering of friends (6 adults and 8 children). I’m stating the obvious here, but baked ziti, this one in particular, is so great for feeding a crowd. We gobbled it up with BPP’s croutonless Caesar salad, a perfect side for this hearty dish.
Description
From Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
As noted in the post, the first time I made this, I made many substitutions: I only had a little bit of crème fraîche, so I made up the difference with heavy cream. I had a mix of Swiss chard and kale on hand, so I used those in place of the baby spinach. I even used vegan chorizo in place of hot Italian sausage. This is definitely a recipe that lends itself to improvising. I think you could definitely leave out the sausage if you wanted to make it vegetarian.
Regarding tomatoes: I used one 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, which I snipped with scissors right in the pan, and 14-oz Pomi crushed tomatoes—I love the Pomi brand—which I measured out using a liquid measure. It’s about 1 3/4 cups. This is just what I had on hand. When I make it again, I’ll use all crushed tomatoes for ease.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or less if sensitive to heat) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- one 28 -oz can plus one 14-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes, see notes
- 1 pound ziti
- 5 oz . Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced, or baby spinach
- 3/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, if using, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes short of al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Add the greens to the sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir half of the sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add the pasta and toss together to coat. Pour the pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella (I poke some of these cubes below the surface a little bit) and remaining Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and bake until the cheese starts bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and broil until the cheese and pasta are browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. (Note: keep a close watch the entire time—a minute or two might be all it needs.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
A little over a year ago, my neighbor introduced me to The New Basics Puttanesca , a sauce made entirely from pantry ingredients: a can of plum tomatoes, a (whole!) tin of anchovies, a (whole!) jar of capers. After everything—there’s garlic, olive oil, and olives in there, too—simmers together for about an hour, you toss it with hot pasta, and call dinner done.
It’s one of those miracle dishes that materializes seemingly from nothing, a particularly good one to know this time of year, when fresh inspiration can be lacking.
Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
A few weeks ago, when I opened Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta , I felt like I had opened a book filled with the progeny of The New Basics puttanesca, a cadre of pantry-inspired recipes, but each with a fresh spin: some incorporate seasonal ingredients (brown buttered squash bake with sage, crème fraîche and Fontina), others call for fresh seafood (grilled squid with chilies and mint), many are simple and practical (one pot with spinach and goat cheese), some are jazzed up with crispy capers and bread crumbs. I want to make everything.
So far I’ve made two. I wrote about the alla vodka recipe a few weeks ago, but this baked ziti was the first dish I made—five minutes after the book arrived at my door, I scoured my pantry and fridge, the image of a spoon pulling melty mozzarella from a brimming casserole inspiring the mad search.
Without everything on hand, I, in Back Pocket fashion, improvised: some kale and chard replaced the spinach, heavy cream filled in for much of the crème fraîche, and vegan chorizo stepped in for the sausage. Even with many substitutions, the baked ziti was utterly delicious.
The following evening, I made the baked ziti again, this time more to the letter, for a small gathering of friends (6 adults and 8 children). I’m stating the obvious here, but baked ziti, this one in particular, is so great for feeding a crowd. We gobbled it up with BPP’s croutonless Caesar salad, a perfect side for this hearty dish.
Description
From Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
As noted in the post, the first time I made this, I made many substitutions: I only had a little bit of crème fraîche, so I made up the difference with heavy cream. I had a mix of Swiss chard and kale on hand, so I used those in place of the baby spinach. I even used vegan chorizo in place of hot Italian sausage. This is definitely a recipe that lends itself to improvising. I think you could definitely leave out the sausage if you wanted to make it vegetarian.
Regarding tomatoes: I used one 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, which I snipped with scissors right in the pan, and 14-oz Pomi crushed tomatoes—I love the Pomi brand—which I measured out using a liquid measure. It’s about 1 3/4 cups. This is just what I had on hand. When I make it again, I’ll use all crushed tomatoes for ease.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or less if sensitive to heat) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- one 28 -oz can plus one 14-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes, see notes
- 1 pound ziti
- 5 oz . Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced, or baby spinach
- 3/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, if using, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes short of al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Add the greens to the sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir half of the sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add the pasta and toss together to coat. Pour the pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella (I poke some of these cubes below the surface a little bit) and remaining Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and bake until the cheese starts bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and broil until the cheese and pasta are browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. (Note: keep a close watch the entire time—a minute or two might be all it needs.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Description
From Colu Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta
As noted in the post, the first time I made this, I made many substitutions: I only had a little bit of crème fraîche, so I made up the difference with heavy cream. I had a mix of Swiss chard and kale on hand, so I used those in place of the baby spinach. I even used vegan chorizo in place of hot Italian sausage. This is definitely a recipe that lends itself to improvising. I think you could definitely leave out the sausage if you wanted to make it vegetarian.
Regarding tomatoes: I used one 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, which I snipped with scissors right in the pan, and 14-oz Pomi crushed tomatoes—I love the Pomi brand—which I measured out using a liquid measure. It’s about 1 3/4 cups. This is just what I had on hand. When I make it again, I’ll use all crushed tomatoes for ease.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or less if sensitive to heat) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- one 28 -oz can plus one 14-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes, see notes
- 1 pound ziti
- 5 oz . Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced, or baby spinach
- 3/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, if using, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes short of al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Add the greens to the sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir half of the sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add the pasta and toss together to coat. Pour the pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella (I poke some of these cubes below the surface a little bit) and remaining Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and bake until the cheese starts bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and broil until the cheese and pasta are browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. (Note: keep a close watch the entire time—a minute or two might be all it needs.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2017/03/08/baked-ziti-hot-italian-sausage-swiss-chard-creme-fraiche/
This one-pot chicken and rice with dates, harissa, and pistachios is a showstopper — it’s a mix of sweet and spicy, smoky and crunchy, and best of all it couldn’t be simpler to prepare. There’s no need to brown the chicken. In just about 45 minutes, it will be done! The subtle freshness or orange zest permeates the rice and the chopped dates add a nice sweetness. This is a great one for entertaining, but its minimal demands make it great for any night of the week.
A little over three years ago, I took a class at a local restaurant, Tara Kitchen , which sent me on a Moroccan-cooking bender: I stocked my pantry with ras-el-hanout and harissa, made a batch (two actually) of preserved lemons , then used them to make a tagine with chicken, green olives, and raisins .
I had known little about Moroccan cooking before taking the class, and I still know little, but everything I seem to make with Moroccan seasonings, I tend to love: see Leblebi (North African Chickpea Stew) and now this one-pot chicken and rice with dates, harissa, and pistachios.
It’s a mix of sweet and spicy, smoky and crunchy, and best of all it couldn’t be simpler to prepare. It comes from Diana Henry’s Simple.
Note: You’ll need harissa, a spicy prepared paste/sauce, which is not hard to find these days. If you’re up for making it from scratch, this is a great recipe: Homemade Harissa . Or you can use jarred. I like Tara Kitchen’s brand, which is now available at Whole Foods Market (not everywhere, see locations here ).
5 Favorite No-Browning Chicken Recipes
- One-Pan Chicken and Shallots
- One-Pan Chicken with Sherry Vinegar Sauce
- Chicken legs with white wine, parmigiano, and olive oil
- One-Pot Thai Chicken Curry with Spinach
- Spatchcocked Chicken with Za’atar and Lemon
Description
Adapted From Diana Henry’s Simple .
I have made the recipe somewhat more fussy: the original recipe truly calls for throwing everything in the pot, sticking it in the oven, and baking it. I didn’t love the taste of the raw onion, so I added one more step, which is to sauté the onions for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients one after the other.
I prefer toasting whole cumin seeds then grinding them in my mortar and pestle. Do this if you prefer as well. I also don’t love ground ginger, so I used a teaspoon of coriander seeds (not similar, but works here), which I also toasted and ground.
Harissa is spicy prepared Moroccan sauce/paste. It varies in heat level, so you may have to adjust to taste. I found the 1.5 tablespoons called for in the original recipe not spicy enough for me; 4 tablespoons is quite spicy, however.
Original recipe calls for 12 dates. I prefer fewer, but use as many as you wish.
Brown rice: several commenters tried unsuccessfully to use brown rice. It’s possible that a larger amount of water could help the brown rice cook properly, but I’ve never tried, so I can’t say for sure. I would look to the package instructions for guidance re water and time.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on thighs and/or drumsticks
- 2 to 4 tablespoons harissa
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin or whole cumin seeds (see notes above)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander (see notes above)
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear, do not use brown rice, see notes above
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 medjool dates, diced (see notes above)
- 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons (or more) chopped pistachios (I use roasted unsalted)
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken in a large bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper. Pour in the remaining tablespoon of oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons of harissa, depending on your heat tolerance. Toss to coat.
- Add the garlic to the onions, and cook for another minute more. Add the spices and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the harissa (depending again on your heat tolerance). Stir to coat the onions in the seasonings. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and zest the orange right into the pan. Halve the orange and squeeze the juice right into the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken over the top of the rice. Pour 1 and 1/3 cups water (see notes above re water) all around. Nestle in the bay leaf.
- Transfer pan to the oven (uncovered) and cook for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Scatter pistachios over top. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Moroccan
