I was telling my husband last night, that I was behind in my blogging. I had to ask him about recent meals and what we thought about them. Luckily, there weren’t any duds where we say “Let’s not make that one again.” Overall, the recipes I’m going to review below, we enjoyed. His only suggestion on two of the dishes were that they needed more sauce. My husband is a sauce guy, much like my late father. They like their pasta dressed with a few spoonsful of extra tomato sauce.

First up is Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken by Yasmin Fahr on the NYT Cooking website. This 40-minute recipe made for juicy chicken albeit not enough sauce for my husband. For her recipe you’ll need full-fat yogurt, tomato paste, soy sauce, dried oregano, boneless and skinless chicken thighs (you can use chicken cutlets), salt, cherry or grape tomatoes, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs. You can also add some red pepper flakes, which is what I did. The chicken, which is cut into 2-inch pieces, is coated with a marinade of yogurt, tomato paste, soy sauce and oregano. The tomatoes are cut in half and placed in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish then dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread to an even layer. Atop the tomatoes are the chicken pieces. The dish is sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, additional oregano and a layer of panko. It’s baked in a hot 425° oven for 20-25 minutes for the cutlets or 22 to 25 for thighs. 

To serve, you can place atop rice or a slice of bread. I served mine over white rice. What a scrumptious meal! The combination of flavors were divine. Just enough oregano for earthiness and robust flavor. I used grape tomatoes, which provided some sauce for the dish, but as I said, my husband would have liked more. The Parmesan cheese provide complexity to the dish with its nutty and savory flavor. The panko added texture. A flavorful meal with minimal prep with lots of flavor.

When I purchased prosciutto for my pizzagain, I had some leftover. While I could add it to salads or eggs, I found a recipe by Ali Slagle, also on the NYT Cooking website for One-Pot Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas. This is a wonderful one pot meal that comes together in 25 minutes. Great for families with softball, T-Ball or baseball games this spring. For the prosciutto, you can purchase a package of pre-diced meat in your deli department. You’ll also need, unsalted butter, a shallot, 16-20 ounces of refrigerated cheese tortellini, frozen peas, chicken broth, heavy cream, ground nutmeg (optional) and both lemon juice and zest.

Although I tried to purchase refrigerated tortellini at my local food store, they sold it as a double package and I wanted just enough for my husband and I. Instead, I purchased frozen gnocchi at Pastosa Ravioli. In hindsight, I should have done one of two things, check their refrigerated case for fresh or parboil the frozen tortellini.

Using a non-stick skillet, the butter is melted over medium heat and the prosciutto is cooked until golden and crisp. The prosciutto is removed and the shallot is cooked until softened. The tortellini, peas, chicken broth, cream and nutmeg are added then seasoned with salt and pepper. The dish simmers over medium-high heat until the pasta and peas are tender. Off heat the lemon juice and zest are added and garnished with the crispy prosciutto.

What a rich and creamy dish. Some of the tortellini could have been cooked longer, but I believe this was due to using frozen. The peas provide color and the prosciutto a savory note. Adding the lemon components added a brightness to the dish; overall, fabulous.

Well, besides the extra prosciutto, I had a bit of basket cheese left. I decided that for our meatless Friday night meal, I’d adapt a recipe from Williams-Sonoma for Cherry Tomato Frittata with Corn, Basil and Goat Cheese. As you surmised, I swapped the basket cheese for the goat cheese. The basket cheese didn’t have the slight tang a mild goat cheese would have. Since it’s not corn season, not even Florida corn was in my local supermarket, I used frozen. Despite these adjustments, the frittata was quite good. I think if using frozen corn, it should be cooked and then added to the frittata.

When you read the recipe, you note that it calls for flipping the frittata over. I would cover the frittata with a lid until the eggs are just about set. I would then place the pan under the broiler to finish cooking. If you use enough oil or butter in the pan, after loosening the sides, the frittata should be able to invert easily onto a platter or wooden cutting board.

If you ever baked a fresh pumpkin, you know it’s like the gift that keeps giving. I still had a container of frozen pumpkin in my freezer that I would like to use up before the new harvest season begins. My sister-in-law gave me a cooked book called “Scotto Sunday Suppers and Other Fabulous Feasts,” by the Stargem Restaurant, or better known as the Scotto family of the restaurant Fresco by Scotto in New York City.

In this cookbook I found a recipe for Pumpkin Gnocchi with Grated Amaretti Cookies. I had just recently seen a YouTube video of Chef Will Murray of Fallow Restaurant in London where he prepared potato gnocchi inspired by his visit to Per Se Restaurant in New York City. Using “Scotto Sunday Suppers” recipe, I followed the technique by Chef Murray used in preparing his gnocchi. In the video you’ll see that he baked the potatoes. Once the potatoes were done, they are pushed through a ricer so as not to produce too much starch in the dough. He also used 00 flour for a finer, silkier texture. He started with 120 grams of flour (for 2.2 pounds of potatoes), but held back a bit as you want to taste the potato and less flour produces lighter gnocchi.

For the Scotto recipe you’ll need 8 ounces of cooked pumpkin or butternut squash that’s been puréed. Salt, freshly ground black pepper, sugar, russet potatoes, all-purpose flour, an extra-large egg, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, amaretti cookies and grated Parmesan Reggiano.

Once my potatoes were cooked and riced, I followed Chef Murray’s technique for mixing the dough, using a bench scraper to incorporate the ingredients. Also, I started with a 1/4 cup of flour and added just enough flour to create a homogenous ball of dough. I also allowed the dough to rest for approximately 15 minutes in a bowl covered with plastic. After resting, I divided the dough into two and formed 3/4-inch diameter ropes then cut into 3/4-inch pieces. As I made the gnocchi earlier in the afternoon, I placed them on a rimmed sheet pan with a sprinkling of semolina and covered until it was time to cook. The gnocchi went into a pot of boiling water and were removed as they floated to the top. While the gnocchi cooked, I melted butter in a non-stick skillet with fresh sage leaves. When the gnocchi rose to the top of the stock pot, I used my mesh skimmer and placed them in the melted butter. After browning for several minutes, I placed two-heaping spoonsful into pasta bowls and garnished with grated Parmesan and crushed amaretti cookies.

Oh my gosh, these gnocchi turned out absolutely terrific! They were billowy, light and fluffy. The sage gave the gnocchi an earthiness with subtle peppery notes. The amaretti, a light touch of sweetness, texture and crunch. The Parmesan added nutty notes and slight saltiness. There was complexity to the dish from the ingredients that flavored the gnocchi. Overall, I was quite pleased with my accomplishment of producing delicate gnocchi using fresh russet potatoes. I also have on this blog a recipe for instant mashed potato gnocchi. 

Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken

By Yasmin Fahr

October 8, 2025

The New York Times/NYT Cooking

Total Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces, or breasts cut horizontally to form cutlets

Salt

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved*

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup grated Parmesan

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Preparation

1.   Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, tomato paste, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon oregano. Add the chicken; season lightly with salt and toss to coat.

2.   Add the halved tomatoes to a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, season with salt and the olive oil, and spread out into an even layer. Nestle the chicken on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Parmesan and remaining 1 teaspoon oregano over everything. Cover with a layer of panko.

3.   Bake in the oven until the top crisps and the tomatoes collapse and get saucy, 20 to 25 minutes for breasts and 22 to 25 for thighs, depending on the thickness.

*Donna’s Notes

As stated in my blog post, my husband thought the dish could use more “sauce.” I reached out to Ms. Fahr and asked if she thought more tomatoes or a splash of wine would be good. She suggested using cherry tomatoes as they are juicier than grape and a splash of wine would help, plus add a bit mo

One-Pot Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas

By Ali Slagle

Updated April 16, 2025

The New York Times/NYT Cooking

Total Time - 25 minutes

Prep Time - 5 minutes

Cook Time - 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more if needed

4 slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)

1 shallot, finely chopped

16 to 20ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 cups (10 ounces) frozen peas (no need to thaw)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Salt and black pepper

Zest and juice of ½ lemon (about 1½ teaspoons zest plus 1½ tablespoons juice)

Preparation

1. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium. Add the prosciutto in a single layer and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Press occasionally with a spatula to ensure even crisping and reducing the heat as necessary if the fat begins to smoke. Transfer the prosciutto to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
2. To the skillet, add the shallot and cook over medium until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding about ½ tablespoon butter if the pan is dry. Add the tortellini, peas, chicken broth, heavy cream and nutmeg (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and peas are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.) Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble the prosciutto on top.

Cherry Tomato Frittata with Corn, Basil and Goat Cheese

From the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

10 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Kernels cut from 1 ear of corn (about 1 cup)

1/2-pint small cherry tomatoes

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, 4 oz. of the goat cheese, 2 Tbs. of the basil, the lemon zest, the 1 1/4 tsp. salt, the red pepper flakes and black pepper. Set aside.

In the deep half of a frittata pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the egg mixture and cook, gently scraping the sides and bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and cook until the frittata is partially set, about 5 minutes. Remove the shallow pan and arrange the cherry tomatoes and the remaining 2 oz. goat cheese on top of the frittata. Cover with the shallow pan and cook until the eggs are almost completely set, 7 to 9 minutes more.

Remove the shallow pan, set it over medium heat and melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Cook, covered, until the eggs are completely set, about 3 minutes. Flip the frittata back into the deep pan, remove the shallow pan and gently shake the deep pan to loosen the frittata.   

Slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Top with the remaining 1 Tbs. basil and a sprinkle of salt. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Grated Amaretti Cookies

Scotto Sundy Suppers and Other Fabulous Feasts

©2005by Starjem Retaurant

Servings: 6

Ingredients

8-ounce cheese pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sugar

3-pound russet potatoes

2 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 extra-large egg

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoon butter

3 small amaretti cookies

½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation

1.   Preheat the oven to 300°F. Season the pumpkin with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste and wrap well in aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour. Unwrap and transfer the cooked pumpkin flesh, less any excess juice, to a food processor and puree until smooth. Let cool.

2.   Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover. Cook at a low boil until soft, about 45 minutes. While the potatoes are still warm, peel them and pass them through a food mill or ricer. Do not mash.

3.   Place the potatoes on a clean work surface. Make a well in the center of the potatoes and fold in the pumpkin puree until it is evenly incorporated. Create another well and sprinkle the flour all over the pumpkin and potatoes. Break the egg in the center, add the salt, and mix together with a fork, as you would for pasta dough. When the egg is mixed in, bring the dough together and knead into a ball form. Continue to knead for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the ball is dry to the touch.

4.   Bring 7 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.

5.   Divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll one ball at a time into a 3/4-inch rope and cut it into 3/4-inch pieces. Drop the dough pieces into the boiling water and cook until the pieces float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi and transfer them into an ice water bath. Continue making and cooking the gnocchi until the dough is gone. Remove the gnocchi from the ice bath, drain, and add to a mixing bowl. Toss with a little olive oil and set aside until ready to cook.

6.   Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the gnocchi until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the gnocchi with salt and pepper to taste. Place the gnocchi in a bowl or on a plate. Using a hand grater, grate the amaretti cookies over the gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano.

Donna’s Note: Make sure that you use a potato ricer for the fluffiest of potato. I scrubbed and pricked my russet potatoes all around and baked in a 350° oven until tender. For the best way to make gnocchi dough, follow Chef Will Murray’s YouTube Video.