Cheese and Shrimp Pasta Bake

Makes 8 servings     INGREDIENTS

• 3 fresh Anaheim chiles
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 pounds ripe on the vine tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste, divided, plus more to season shrimp
• 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried chiltepín chiles, chile de árbol, or red pepper flakes
• 1 pound short and small pasta, such as rigatoni or shells
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups Mexican crema
• 1 cup grated asadero or quesadilla cheese, can also substitute with Monterey Jack or Muenster
• 1 1/2 cup grated Oaxaca cheese
• 1/2 cup grated añejo cheese or parmesan
• 3 to 4 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, for garnish

TO PREPARE

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

• Place the Anaheim chiles on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Put under the broiler for about 10 minutes, flipping a couple times in between, until charred on all sides. Immediately transfer the charred chiles to a plastic bag and seal tightly to sweat them for at least 5 minutes. Take the chiles out of the bag, let cool slightly, then peel off the skin and remove the stems and seeds. Coarsely chop the chiles and set aside.

• Heat an oven-proof heavy bottomed skillet or casserole over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until the oil is rippling. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it is translucent and starts to brown at the edges.

• While the onion is cooking, add the tomatoes to a blender. Pulse in the blender until the tomatoes are crushed but are still a little chunky. Set aside until ready to use.

• Add the garlic and chopped Anaheim chiles to the pan with the onion, stir, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for another couple minutes until the garlic starts to brown. Add the tomato paste, stir it into the vegetables, and let it cook and season for another minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes from the blender and stir making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to scrape up any browned bits. Season with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the crushed dried chiles. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened and is flavorful. Turn off the heat when ready.

• Set a rack on the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.

• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Melt the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When melted, sizzling, and hot, add the shrimp in a couple batches and season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute a couple minutes until the shrimp are just cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl or plate and repeat with the remaining shrimp. Chop half of the shrimp, leaving half whole to top the pasta.

• Add the pasta to the sauce along with the chopped shrimp and the crema and toss to coat. Top with the remaining whole shrimp and cover with the grated asadero, Oaxaca, and añejo cheeses. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden brown. Sprinkle the top with scallions.

Chickpea Poundcake

Makes 10 - 12 servings

    INGREDIENTS For the poundcake:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground canela or true cinnamon
• 6 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
• 1 pound or 1 cup of cooked chickpeas, rinsed and pureed*
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more to flour cake pan
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch kosher or sea salt

For the banana and whipped cream topping:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground canela or true cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced into thick rounds

TO PREPARE

To make the poundcake:

• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, then grease the bottom and sides with butter and sprinkle with flour, shaking off any excess flour.

• In the bowl of a mixer set with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, a couple minutes. Incorporate the sugar and cinnamon and continue beating until well mixed and fluffy, a few minutes more. Add the egg yolks and pureed chickpeas and continue beating.

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add into the mixer and continue beating until well incorporated and you have a homogenous batter.

• In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, or do it in the mixer in a clean bowl using the whisk attachment. Fold the egg whites into the chickpea batter gently, until completely incorporated.

• Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out moist but not wet. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Invert from the cake pan onto a plate, then invert from the plate onto a platter so the cake is right side up.

To make the banana and whipped cream topping:

• Whip the heavy whipping cream along with the 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar until it holds stiff peaks.

• In a small bowl, combine the 2 remaining tablespoons confectioners’ sugar with the cinnamon.

• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the banana slices and cook on one side until caramelized and brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side. Keep warm until ready to serve.

• Serve a slice of cake with the browned bananas and a dollop of the whipped cream. Shake the cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar mixture on top using a small sieve or fine-mesh strainer to sprinkle evenly.

• *Note: When rinsing the chickpeas, remove as much of the outer skin as possible, as this creates a smoother puree.