Witchy Kitchen

Category: appetizers and snacks

  • Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    This month’s Food ‘n Flix movie, hosted by Katharina at Pretty Cake Machine, is both one of my favorite films of all time as well as somewhat eerily timed. Pan’s Labyrinth is a dark, dreamy fairytale layered over a bleak period of fascism. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful, an invitation to retreat into fantasy when the world becomes too cruel, but also a reminder to return to reality and fight for those weaker than us, no matter the cost.

    My dish is a version of the Spanish classic Patatas Bravas, inspired by the potatoes we see the servant Mercedes slicing multiple times in the movie (and the subsequent cleaning of Chekhov’s knife on her skirt). Instead of the traditional tomato sauce, I made a spicy red pepper sauce, as we see red peppers at one point during the film. A small shadow of the fantasy world makes it’s way into the dish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses from the iconic Pale Man’s feast.

    Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    For the potatoes

    • 1.5 pounds potatoes (I used red), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • olive oil and sea salt for roasting

    Heat oven to 400° and place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and sea salt and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning every 10, until potatoes are golden and easily pierced with a fork. You can turn off the oven and leave them inside to warm while you finish the sauce. When ready, move to a dish.

    For the spicy red pepper sauce

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
    • 1/4 cup white wine
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 2 red peppers, roasted (broil, turning, until blackened, cover in a bowl to steam, then peel and deseed)

    Meanwhile, heat olive oil on medium high and saute onion until translucent. Add chopped garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add salt, paprika, ground coriander, cayenne, and almonds, and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant and almonds are slightly toasted. Add white wine and cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and puree with the water and the red peppers. Return to heat and gently heat through.

    Pour over warm potatoes.

    For the garnish

    • pomegranate molasses (storebought, or made by reducing pomegranate juice to about 1/3 of the beginning volume)
    • mayonnaise
    • chopped parsley

    Drizzle pomegranate molasses and mayonnaise over potatoes, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot.

    Previous Pan’s Labyrinth-inspired dish: Sugared Grapes

    Also, you can hear me and my cohost Diana discuss Pan’s Labyrinth at length on our podcast, Fiction Kitchen.

  • Mushroom Potato Scotch Eggs | David the Gnome

    Mushroom Potato Scotch Eggs | David the Gnome

    I loved David the Gnome when I was a kid; fantastic creatures in general interested me, but gnomes in particular seemed so sweet and cozy. Affectionate, nice to animals, and with the cutest little houses; I was obsessed with their pretty Nordic carvings and their little beds built straight into the wall.

    mushroom-potato-scotch-eggs-david-the-gnome

    I had all but forgotten the show (based on a book I am now interested to read) until Diana from Fiction-Food Café and Catherine from The Gluttonous Geek started talking about it on Twitter, inspiring a watch-and-cook from all of us!

    Rewatching the show was like snuggling up in a warm blanket of nostalgia. It is exposition heavy in the most charming way: each episode starts with a snippet about the lives of gnomes – the clothes they wear, their houses, and of course the food they eat. Gnomes are very kind, and very environmentally conscious, so all their food is plant-based or else gifted by their animal friends.

    I think we all chose to use mushrooms, which seemed natural as they are forageable in the forest and form magical fairy rings. Mine I used to make scotch eggs – vegetarian of course! In the very first episode the gnomes eat skylark eggs (having no skylark eggs available I used completely mundane chicken eggs) and David, a doctor, helps an ailing goat, so I thought it might be reasonable he was repaid in goat cheese. I also have it on good authority that gnomes are partial to root vegetables, so potato seemed like a good ingredient to tie it all together.

    Mushroom Potato Scotch Eggs

    • 8 hardboiled eggs, peeled
    • 1 large russet potato, peeled and medium diced
    • 6 ounces goat cheese
    • olive oil & butter
    • 1 medium shallot, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, grated
    • 11-12 ounces mushrooms (I used 8 ounces cremini and 3.2 ounces fresh shitake), finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (or a mix of herbs such as thyme, basil, or parsley)
    • salt & pepper
    • 1/2 cup flour
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • breadcrumbs (optional, I did some with, some without. I seasoned the breadcrumbs with a little salt and fresh thyme)
    • oil to fry

    Put potato in a small saucepan, just cover with water and a good pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until the potato is very soft, then drain and mix with goat cheese and a tablespoon of butter.

    On medium-high heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon (or two) butter. Cook shallot and garlic until shallot just starts to turn golden, then add the mushrooms and herbs. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms have released their water and the mixture is mostly dry. Stir into the potato mixture, season to taste, and allow to cool to room temperature.

    On medium to medium high, heat 3/4 inch of oil in a frying pan. Take a palm-sized portions of the potato mixture and form it around each of the eggs (it should be malleable and spread easily). In batches of two, roll each egg in the flour, dusting off any excess, then dip in the egg and coat with breadcrumbs if using. Fry, rolling gently, until they are golden all over, and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. (Any leftover potato mixture you can just form into little disks and fry on each side until golden).

    Serve on a bed of greens or asparagus.

    For more David the Gnome recipes, visit:

    And if you’re inspired to revisit your childhood, the entire series is on YouTube.

  • Three Cheese Pastizzi

    Three Cheese Pastizzi

    This month’s MENA Cooking Club country is Malta, hosted by Yasmeen of the lovely blog Wandering Spice.

    Malta is a sun-drenched archipelago in the Mediterranean. It’s gorgeous, and seems almost otherwordly; it’s thought to be the home of the lost city of Atlantis, as well as Calypso’s cave from the odyssey.

    These pastizzi are a common street food – puff pastry with fillings such as ricotta, curried split peas, or ground meat. I had just made a lasagna to take to my friend who just had a baby, so it seemed perfect to use the leftover ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan to make these little bites. I used store bought puff pastry as I’ve not yet been brave enough to attempt my own, but that made these extremely quick to whip up, which makes them the perfect low-maintenance tea snack or appetizer.

    I’d definitely make these again, and I’d love to try some of the other fillings, or add some herbs to this one. Next time I’ll pinch them shut a little tighter so the filling doesn’t escape, and probably do an egg wash too for a nice golden color.

    Three Cheese Pastizzi

    • 1/2 cup ricotta
      1/4 cup grated mozzarella
      1/4 cup grated parmesan
      salt & pepper
      2 sheets puff pastry, partially thawed

    Heat oven to 400°. Mix together cheeses and season with salt and pepper to taste. With a ring cutter, cut each sheet of puff pastry into 9 rings. Fill each ring with a heaping teaspoon of the cheese mixture, then pinch the edges together and twist the ends to make little oblong pouch shapes.

    Place evenly on a prepared baking sheet and cook 17-19 minutes (start checking around 15 to make sure they aren’t getting too brown. Mine took 18) until golden brown. Cool slightly and serve warm.

    If you want to become a pastizzi master and make your own puff pastry, here’s a great little video for inspiration, complete with song about pastizzi!

    Photograph of the azure window Stuart Brampton Photography


  • Acorn Squash and Burrata Toasts

    Acorn Squash and Burrata Toasts

    When looking for Halloween appetizers that were not revolting, I came across these Italian recipes (although I was not prepared for the zombie I scrolled down to, that was a little revolting – made me jump!).

    I made my version of the pumpkin and mozzarella bruschetta using burrata instead (which I guess is a little trendy right now but I just tried it and turns out it’s awesome, I also used it for my Vampire Slayer Pizza) and adding a dollop of harissa which adds a pretty pop of color as well as a little spice! They are simple and elegant and so easy to make that I’ll probably make it again when we have people over on Halloween.

    Acorn Squash and Burrata Toasts

    • One acorn squash, halved and seeded
    • Olive oil
    • Sea salt & pepper
    • One whole wheat half baguette
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 4-6 oz burrata, sliced
    • few tablespoons harissa
    • Sliced green onions for garnish

    Heat oven to 400°. Coat squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until very fork tender but not falling apart (20-30 minutes or so? I timed about as well as I measured). Cool squash enough to handle, then slice and scoop out (they will be mushy slices but still keep a little shape).

    Heat broiler. Slice baguette and place on a baking sheet. Rub with garlic and brush with olive oil. Broil until toasty. Put a slice of burrata and a slice of squash on top of each one, then return under broiler for just a minute or two until the cheese just starts to melt.

    Remove, put a dollop of harissa on each one, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and green onions. Serve warmish but would be find room temp.

  • Devils on Horseback

    Devils on Horseback

    These are the perfect appetizer for your Halloween party – sweet and salty and devilish! And completely too easy to pop one after another as if possessed.

    Devils on Horseback are normally a bacon-wrapped prune or date, but for those who don’t eat pork I had originally set out to make a vegetarian version. But then, as I was procuring dates from the halal market, I also happened upon “Applewood Smoked Breakfast Beef” which greatly amused me.

    I also happened upon fig goat cheese, which sounded delightful. So this is my halal version of the devilish treat – two out of three ingredients were pure chance, almost as if they were set in my way by some angel or demon…

    Devils on Horseback

    • 24 dates
    • 4 oz fig goat cheese (you can use goat cheese with a spoonful of fig preserves mixed in, or just plain as I had originally intended)
    • 12 strips Applewood Smoked Breakfast Beef, thawed (or bacon if you must)

    Heat oven to 500°

    Pit the dates and replace each with a spoonful of the goat cheese. Slice the “bacon” strips in half, width-wise, and wrap half a slice around each of the dates, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

    Roast for 15 minutes or so, flipping once with tongs, until crispy. Remove to a paper-towel for a few minutes (these are admittedly pretty greasy, but then what did you expect? Devils!), then serve warm.

    For a creepy, devilish tale to listen to as you are cooking (or munching), check out the latest podcast episode New World Witchery Special Episode – The Last Dance.

  • Cajun Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

    Cajun Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

    So with all the pumpkining there is clearly an excess of pumpkin seeds that need attention. These are fragrant, warming, and just a little spicy (but not so much that my kids aren’t devouring them).

    Unlike my sister, who lived in Baton Rouge for several years and is never without Tony’s in her cabinet, I usually just throw together a few of the spices typically found in cajun spice mixes. And to be honest, although I do like Tony’s, most mixes are so salty it’s hard to get the spice you want without salting the whole thing to hell. The next time I make gumbo maybe I’ll make a homemade Cajun Masala – but for now a little paprika, cumin, coriander and of course cayenne with do!

    Cajun Spice Pumpkin Seeds

    Slightly adapted from About.com

    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • 1/4 tsp each cumin, coriander powder and cayenne
    • few turns cracked black pepper
    • sprinkle cinnamon
    • 1 tbsp butter, melted
    • 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried

    Heat oven to 300°.

    In a medium bowl, mix salt, paprika, cumin, coriander powder, cayenne, black pepper, cinnamon, butter and Worcestershire sauce.

    Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes (mine only took 45) until nicely brown and crunchy.

  • Devilish Eggs

    Devilish Eggs

    I’m still a Southern girl…of course I have a deviled egg plate.

    For deviled eggs, most use a sprinkle of paprika or aleppo pepper as a garnish, but the hedonistic and excessive use it by the spoonful. Since the flavors are otherwise subtle, the aleppo pepper shines – or smolders.

    A couple gathered tips: Virginia Willis’s deviled eggs in Bon Appetit, Y’all contain her French secret ingredient: butter. I never miss an opportunity to hide butter in things, and it really does take these to the next level (of hell! muhahaha). Also, for easy-to-peel eggs, use eggs that have been in the fridge a week or so. Much recommended – mine were super fresh since we go through eggs like chickens were going extinct, so they were annoying hard to peel.

    Edit: I have a new hard boiled egg technique, which I saw on The Kitchn (replacing my previous method of just boiling them to hell). It works perfectly (as I instagrammed in my excitement).

    Devilish Eggs

    (recipe can be doubled)

    • 6 eggs
    • 1 scant tablespoon aleppo pepper (or an equal amount using 3 parts paprika to 1 part cayenne)
    • generous pinch or two cayenne
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tbsp butter, softened
    • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • coasre salt and fresh cracked pepper
    • green onions, chives, or other herbs for garnish

    Hard boil eggs. Technique of perfection: put in a pot and cover with an inch of cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and cover with cold water for a couple of minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel.

    Slice in half and remove yolks to a medium bowl. Smash yolks as smooth as you can get them. (Alternately you can use a food processor and mix with the other ingredients).

    In a dry pan, lightly toast spices to wake them up a bit. Add to yolks, plus mayonnaise, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Combine thoroughly.

    Spoon mixture back into eggs (piping is lame), garnish with greenery.