Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen was founded in 2013 by Alyssa and Andrew Wilen with the goal of providing a comfortable, social environment where guests can learn to cook and eat well. Located in Lower South End, their state-of-the-art kitchen hosts private events and cooking classes for adults, kids and teens, as well as camps. Chef Alyssa’s now offers lunchtime catering and pick-up or at-home delivery meals for busy families. If you’re looking for something special to prepare this spring, check out these recipes provided by Chef Alyssa.
Ricotta Tortelloni
Serves about 4
ingredients
- Homemade or store-bought ricotta cheese
- Parmesan Reggiano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Homemade or store-bought fresh pasta sheets
- Semolina flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- White pepper to taste
- Micro greens for garnish
directions
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Season ricotta cheese with finely-grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Place mix in a piping bag.
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Lay out pasta sheets. Cut the sheets into 4” squares. Pipe about 1 to 1½ Tablespoons of filling into the center. Dampen 2 sides of the square and fold and press to make a triangle; press firmly to thin out the doubled sides. Bring the ends of the triangle together while creasing the dough around the filling and pressing the ends firmly together. Repeat with remaining dough and filling and then set aside on a tray sprinkled with semolina flour.
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Fill 1 large pot with water and salt and bring to a boil. In a sauté pan, simmer the white wine. Once reduced by half, add the chicken stock and reduce by half as well. Then add the cream and season with salt and white pepper; reduce heat to low.
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Cook the tortelloni until they float to the top of water, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the sauté pan with sauce. Cook a few more minutes in the sauce and when tender, plate topped with microgreens.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Serves 4
ingredients
- 2 lbs root vegetables such as carrots, rutabaga, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi and parsnips
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp minced herbs such as parsley, thyme and chives
directions
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Set oven to 400°F convection.
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Peel and cut the vegetables into cubed, wedged or oblique cuts depending on sizing. They should be similar in size.
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Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast on the oven’s center rack until tender and caramelized on the edges. Remove when ready and transfer to a large bowl and toss in the herbs.
Honey-Ginger Glaze and Goat Cream Cheese Frosting for Cake
Glaze
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ½ cup honey
- 2 Tbsp thinly sliced ginger root
- Peel of 1 orange + 2 Tbsp. orange juice
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Place all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 10 minutes. After ingredients thicken, turn it off to cool. Strain and keep at room temperature.
Frosting
- 5 oz fresh, mild chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
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Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
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Place in a piping bag and top cake.
Carrot Upside-Down Cake with Honey-Ginger Glaze and Goat Cream Cheese Frosting
ingredients
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extra
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ pound roasted whole baby carrots
directions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a loaf pan butter. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of sugar into the bottom of the pan.
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Slice the carrots in half and position on top of the sugar in the bottom of the pan. Alternate colors and directions to make a decorative pattern.
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In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks, ¼ cup of the sugar, and the vanilla until smooth.
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Using a stand mixer, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they become foamy, then slowly beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Set aside.
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Whisk together the dry ingredients (almond flour, baking powder salt and cinnamon) and add to the egg yolks. Stir together to form a thick dough.
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Fold in the egg whites, ½ cup at a time, incorporating them fully between each addition. The final addition should result in a smooth, fluffy batter.
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Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides, then turn the cake out onto a serving plate, carrots facing up.
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Drizzle the glaze over the cake and top with piped frosting.