Stuffed Pancakes (Crepes) I've never found in a restaurant

Stuffed Pancakes (Italian recipe).

1 c. flour sifted 1/2 t salt
1 egg 2 T veg. oil
1/2 c. milk 2 T butter
1/2 c. milk 1/2 c. water

Filling:
1/4 c. grated Swiss cheese 1 c. grated Parmesan
1 egg 1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. white pepper 3 T butter
1/2 c. light cream 1/4 t nutmeg

Melt butter in 7 in. skillet, pour just enough batter to coat the bottom of pan. Cook pancakes until lightly browned.
Mis Swiss and parmesan, egg, milk, pepper and nutmeg. Place a heaping tablespoon on each pancake and roll up. Arrange in a single layer in shallow baking dish. Dot with the butter, sprinkle with remaining cheese and add the cream.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven - 15 minutes. Makes 12.

Homemade Snacks

This unemployment thing is getting boring.

The highlight of my day today was making somewhat healthy snacks - after all, dark chocolate is loaded with anti-oxidants!

Trail mix -

Get some good quality dark chocolate chips (I get all the items at Trader Joe's - break apart the chocolate).

Add dried cranberries. Pecans, almonds or walnuts.

You can also add coconut flakes or use raisins other fruits instead of cranberries but I like it with the pecans, choco and cranberries.

Cranberry Bark - I saw this in the store for $12 a bar so decided to make my own.

Melt milk or dark chocolate. I made it with white chocolate. (you can also combine white/dark). Spread cranberries on baking sheet and pour chocolate over. Put in the fridge for 4-6 hours and you have perfect chocolate fruit clusters. Or use nuts instead.

Choco-peanut butter Pretzels

Cover pretzel rod with peanut butter. (Peanut Butter & Co. brand tastes best and you can use less chocolate if you use their choco flavored pb).

Melt chocolate and dip rods into chocolate. Roll in crushed peanuts and refridgerate a couple hours.

Merry Christmas! These are some of my most favorite things....

Want an easy, delicious dessert to make for a holiday party?

Peppermint Ice Cream Pie
1 gallon of peppermint ice cream. (Edy's/Dreyer's or Friendly's)

1 Oreo cookie Pie Crust

One jar of very good Hot Fudge Sauce (like Sander's - can buy on Amazon or instore- Ghiardelli or Silver Palette).

Spread layer of hot fudge sauce on bottom of crust. Fill crust shell with ice cream. Top with hot fudge sauce. Cover with Reddi Whip topping and crushed candy canes.

Voila at half the cost of buying an ice cream cake!

Apple Crisp a La Mode

Topping:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup panko

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Filling: 3-4 lbs apples, ( a mix of granny smith, johnathons, or pipins), peeled and cut into 1/3″ slices (keep apples in a bowl covered with water and the juice of 1 lemon until needed for the recipe, otherwise the apples will oxidize and start turning brown.)

1/2 cup brown sugarjuice from 1/2 of a lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9″ glass or ceramic pie dish.
To a mixing bowl, add the first 7 ingredients for the topping. Stir thoroughly. Add the small pieces of chilled butter to the seasoned oat and flour mixture. Using your fingers, or a mixer/processor work the butter into the oat mixture until the larges crumbs are about the size of a pea. Once the butter has been incorporated, place the topping back in the fridge to chill until ready to use. This step can be prepared several hours in advance.
Drain the apples from the lemon water. Added the drained apples and all of the other ingredients for the filling into a large bowl. Toss to evenly combine all ingredients.
Pour the filling into butter pie dish. Evenly distribute the chilled topping over the filling.

Place the crisp into the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven with a sheet pan underneath to catch any juices that may dribble out.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife or fork. Remove the crisp from the oven and place on a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Peppermint Bark - they sell a good one at William Sonoma but you can easily make it at home for 1/4 of the price:

12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
5 regular sized candy canes, crushed up
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract

1 Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint extract and stir.
2 Pour the melted chocolate out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands.
3 Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 yolk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

1 tbsp. bourbon

5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread

3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle.

Whisk together pumpkin, cream, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, spices and bourbon, if using, in a bowl.

Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with vanilla, butter pecan or pumpkin ice cream.

Strufoli Recipe (honey clusters)

I saw a tray of Stufoli in a bakery for $75! Can make it at home for a few dollars and it's great to use this dessert of tiny balls- deep-fried and honey coated- as a ceterpiece on Christmas Day.

Heat vegetable oil in deep saucepan to 365 degrees.

Place into a large bowl: 2 C. sifted flour and 1/4 salt.
Make a well in center of flour. Add, one at a time, mixing slightly after each addition, 3 eggs.
Add 1/2 t vanilla extract.
Mix well to make a soft dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead (page 6). Divide dough into halves. Lightly roll each half 1/4 in. thick to form a rectangle. Cut dough with pastry cutter into strips 1/4 in. wide. Use palm of hand to roll strips to pencil thickness. Cut into pieces 1/4 - 1/4 in. long.

Fry pieces of dough uncrowded, one layer in the oil. Fry 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Drain over fat before removing to absorbent paper towel.

Cook in skillet over low heat about 5 minutes: 1 C honey and 1 T sugar

Removed from heat and add deep-fried pieces. Stir constantly until all pieces are coated with honey-sugar mixture. Removed Strufoli with a slotted spoon and sest in refrigerator to chill slightly. Remove to a large serving plannter and arrange in a cone-shaped mound. Sprinkle with
1 T tiny multicolored candies.
Chill in fridge. 8 - 10 servings.

Homemade Christmas Gift

You know I really must be bored with this unemployed life when I start making crafts I saw on the Today Show. Well today I did and with this economy maybe it can give someone else an idea of a gift to make for somebody.

Seriously these things are 10 bucks in a store so why not make it at home for a dollar. I'm no Martha Stewart but it was fun and they came out looking pretty good (but tasting better)

Ingredients:

12 ounce package of chocolate chips. You may use semi-sweet, white chocolate, milk choco or dark. Get a super good quality such as Ghiradelli.

20 heavy plastic clear spoons
Shortening
Measuring cup
Colored cellophane or Saran Wrap
Waxed paper
Thin Ribbon

Instructions

Pour the chips into a heatproof container, such as a measuring cup. A deep cup is the best for this project.
Microwave the cup of chips at half power for one minute. Stir. Repeat in 30 second bursts until chocolate is smooth and fully melted, but do NOT over cook.

Add to the melted chocolate one teaspoon of shortening for each cup of chips. Stir lightly until just blended.
Dip plastic spoons into the chocolate to coat the bowl and about one inch of the handle. If the chocolate starts to harden, microwave 30 seconds at half power.
Lay spoons on wax paper to set. When chocolate spoons have set, put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. This makes them easier to handle when you start to wrap them.Take squares of colored cellophane and wrap the coated spoons. Tie with a pretty ribbon.

Now you can experiment- Try drizzling streaks of white chocolate over dipped spoons to create a design. Sprinkle colored sugar on chocolate before it sets for a holiday look.
A bundle of chocolate spoons set in a coffee mug makes a nice gift.
Tie a few spoons to a bag of gourmet coffee beans or hot cocoa.

Maple Squash Puree - Delicious!

Maple Nut Squash Puree

6 C. Butternut squash meat

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. heavy cream (could probably subsitute milk here for lower fat version)

5 T. whole milk

2/3 c. maple syrup (could reduce for less sugar content)

1/4 t. cinammon

1/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg

1 t. salt and pepper

3/4 C. chopped pecans or walnuts.

Cut the peeled and seeded squash into small peices and boil for 20 minutes. Drain.

Puree squash in blender or mash by hand - 2 cups at a time.

Return to sacuepan and stir in remaining ingredients. Mix some chopped parsley in. Blend well.

Whole Cranberry Sauce

Much better than canned.

In medium saucepan combine 1 (12 oz) bag cranberries, 3/4 C sugar, 1 t grated lemon zest and 1 C water.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer; cook until cranberries are soft, 10 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Add walnuts if you like.

Can refrigerate in air-tight container up to 1 week. Makes 3 cups.

Baked Brie Recipe

This sells for a lot in the stores and you can make it just as good at home for less.

Ingredients:
1 large sheet of puff pastry dough or 1 tube of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 round or wedge of Brie cheese (do not remove rind)
Cranberry Jam, or other sweet jam (may use 1/2 C dried cranberries instead)
Brown sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
On a stick-free cookie sheet, lay out the puff pastry or the crescent rolls flat; put brie round or wedge on top.
Spread jam on brie, fold dough over top, cutting off excess dough. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top.
Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes, pastry should be golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with water crackers and apple slices.

Chicken Rolls stuffed with Spinach - My favorite

This is my favorite chicken my mom makes.
Six Servings. (Freeze for later). Approx. cost $3.00 per serving.

1 lb fresh spinach
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
8 very thick slices Prosciutto or boiled Ham
3 T butter
1 C. finely chopped onion
2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
1 C cold cooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste
3 whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1.5 lbs
Flour for dredging
1/3 C. finely diced carrot
1/4 C. finely diced celery
1/4 C. dry white wine
1/2 C chicken broth
Sprig of fresh thyme, or 1/2 t dried thyme
1 Bay leaf

Preheat oven to 375 degees.
Wash spinach and boil for 1 minute. Drain immediately.
When spinach is cooled, extract excess liquid. Chop spinach finely with a knife and set aside.
Chope mushrooms. Set aside. Should be 1 3/4 cups.

Cut 2 of the prosciutto slices into thin strips. Chop finely. Set aside.

Heat 1 T of butter in skillet and add half the onion, 1 clove o garlic and 1/2 C. of diced mushrooms.
Cook 3 minutes and dd chopped prosciutto. Stir in the spinach and rice. Sprinkle salt & pepper. Stir and then set aside.

Split each chiken breast in half. Trim away and discard the carilege and nerve tissues. Place the chicken breast halves skinned side down on a flat surface and pound lightly with the bottom of a clean skillet. Spoon equal amounts of filling down the center of each chicken breast half. Roll the end of the chicken over to enclose the filling and tuck in the bottom and top. Tie each bundle in two places with string.

Dredge each bundle in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 2 T. of butter in large skillet and brown the chicken for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces and add the remaining onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
Cook briefly and add the carrots and celery.
Sprinkle with 2 T. flour and add the wine, stirring with a wire whisk.
Cook 5 minutes and add the broth. Stir and add the thyme and bay leaf.
Return the chicken rolls to the skillet. Cover with a round of wax paper and place in the oven.
Bake 30-40 minutes until tender.

Remove the chicken rolls and discard the strings. Serve hot with sauce spooned over.

Jamaican Calypso Chicken

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes. Makes 4 servings at approx. $2.75 per serving (if you buy the chicken on sale!)

1 can pineapple chunks
1/4 c. rum
3 T lime juice
2 T soy sauce
1 T dark brown sugar
2 t curry powder (can reduce amount)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
4 chicken breast halves on bone
1 (10 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Drain juice from pineapple chunks into shallow nonmetal dish large enough to hold chicken. Cover and refrigerate fruit for later use. To pineapple juice, add rum, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, curry powder, garlic, ginger, cloves and red pepper. Stir to blend.

2. Add chicken to marinade, turning to coat well. Leave chicken skin-side down. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 4-6 hours (or overnight).

3. Drain marinade from chicken; reserve. Place chicken, skin-side up, in shallow roasting pan.

4. Bake, uncovered in preheated oven, basting often with pan juices and leftover marinade, 35 minutes.
Add reserved pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges to pan. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink near bone.

5. To serve, arrange chicken with pineapple and mandarain oranges on platter. Skim fat from pan juices and pour juices over chicken.
Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with rice. (the sauce is great over white rice!) Or serve with sweet potatoes.

Pita Toasts with White Bean Puree and Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

It's freezing today so I'm making roasted red pepper soup and having it with pita and white bean dip (recipes below):

White Bean Puree (Dip)

Makes 3 cups:

1 c. finely chopped onion

1 T minced garlic

2 t finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 15 oz. can cannellinio beans, drained

1/2 t salt 1/s t freshly ground pepper

1 T white-wine vinegar

1 T plus 1 t extra-virgin olive oil

1 T bread crumbs

1 T gradted Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add chopped onion and garlic, and saute for a few minutes in olive-oil sprayed saucepan.

Add 1 teaspoon rosemary, cannellini beans, and salt and pepper, and saute until very hot.
Transfer bean mixture to the bowl of a food processor; add white-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 3 tablespoons reserved bean liquid, and then puree until smooth.
Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, remaining teaspoon rosemary, and remaining teaspoon olive oil in a small bowl, and stir until well combined.

Place bean puree in an ovenproof bowl; top with the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to oven; bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with some toasted pita slices.recipe courtesy Martha Stewart magazine). I also add a can of artichoke hearts to make this dip even tastier.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - I saw this on Rachel Ray's TV show but this is not her recipe - I altered it and it came out very good.
4 red peppers
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T tomato paste 1 small dash of chili pepper1 garlic clove
3 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 T red wine vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
Broil the red peppers, turning them so they blacken on all sides. Once done, set aside in a bowl for 30 minutes. Peel, seed, and roughly chop them.

Add the peppers, paste and some salt to an olive oil coated pot and cook for 5 minutes over medium flame.

Finely chop the garlic, add to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain the tomatoes, and add to the pot with the red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken stock. Let simmer covered 30 minutes.

Puree with a stick blender until smooth, and simmer for 25 more minutes.

Top with big croutons and parsley sprigs.

Mango Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts - whole or option to slice

1 Mango

1/2 C apricot preserves

1 C Pineapple juice

1/2 C White Wine

1 1/2 T Stoneground mustard

1 T Water

1 T Cornstarch

Cut Mango into small pieces. Mash with the apricot preserves, pineapple juice, white wine and mustard.

Add the water and cornstarch.

Add chicken breasts to bowl and cover each piece well.

Put chicken into shallow baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce and Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice.

Twice Baked Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins.
To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Bake for another 15 minutes.

Comfort food Dessert Recipe: Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

I still haven't seen these in any bakery.

My mom used to make these when I was little and I haven't had one in 20 years so I broke out the recipe to make them again and still as good...

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy- cheaper than my favorite Peanut Butter & Co. brand)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups grape or raspberry (seedless) jam (or strawberry)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula.

Spread the jam evenly over the dough.

Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Optional: Top with crushed peanuts. Put this on top of bars the last 10 minutes of baking.

Italian Recipe: Zeppole (otherwise known as fried dough)

Don't have to wait until the San Generro festival to have good zeppolies. They are easy to make:

** For The Dough **
2 cups and 1 tablespoon flour, sifted
An equal volume of water
A pinch of salt
A pot of olive oil for frying (you can use other oils)
1/2 cup white wine

Drench them in:
3 teaspoons powdered cinnamon mixed with
1 cup Confectioner's sugar
** Or Honey, if you don't want to use the sugar.
(3/4 cup honey)
2/3 cup (125 g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water
Preparation: Set the water and wine to heat, and when bubbles form on the bottom of the pot (it shouldn't come to a full boil) add the flour in one fell swoop and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. When the dough comes out of the pot in a single piece remove it from the fire to a lightly oiled marble work surface and work it, pounding it with a rolling pin, for about 10 minutes so as to make it smooth.

Roll the dough into snakes about as thick as your little finger, cut them into 8-inch lengths, and pinch the ends together to make rings.

Heat the oil and fry the zeppole a few at a time, pricking them with a skewer as they fry, so the dough will bubble out and they'll become crunchier and more golden.

Drain them on an absorbent paper and dredge them in the cinnamon-and-sugar mixture. They're good hot or cold. If you choose to dip them in a honey mixture, forgo the sugar and cinnamon mentioned above.

Award Winning Mac n Cheese

This is a Grand Prize winning recipe by someone named Elizabeth Guise.
I made it and left out the cream cheese as I felt it had enough cheese already and it was SO good. One time, I also used chicken instead and elbow pasta and it came out just as good.

Crab & Macaroni Bake
Serves 8.

Ingredients

10 ounces rotini pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground
pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
3/4 teaspoon garlic and herb Old Bay seasoning
4 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces Medium Cheddar cheese, grated
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (Trader Joe's has a great brand)
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
8 ounces fresh crabmeat
3 slices white bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic and herb Old
Bay seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Boil pasta in salted water until tender, drain and set aside.
Place slices of bread on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and let cool.
Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring butter and flour mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it has a slightly nutty aroma. Pour in milk while whisking and whisk until smooth. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. Add salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and Old Bay seasoning. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add the grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in peppers, onions, shallots, and cilantro. Stir in pasta and gently fold in crab meat. Spray a large shallow (12" x 1 1/2”) ceramic casserole dish with pan spray. Pour in filling and spread out evenly. Grate toasted bread slices and sprinkle over filling.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edge. Serves 8 as an entree with a side salad.

Ginger Cookies

No store bought cookie beats homemade.

Ginger Cookies

1/2 lb. butter
1 C brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 C flour
1 t. baking powder
1 T fresh ginger root, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Sift the flour and baking powder and stir into the wet ingredients. Stir in the grated ginger.

Drop small balls of dough, the size of a grape, from a teaspoon onto a buttered cookie sheet. Sprinkle a very small amount of granulated sugar on top. (optional)
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges brown. Watch carefully.

Fig Tart with Pistachio Crust

When figs are in season, this is a different and delious dessert my mom makes. The tart is most delicious one day after it's baked.

Filling: 1 lb. dried Black Mission figs, stemmed
1 1/2 C water
3/4 C sugar
1 T cinnamon
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt

Crust

2 C unsalted roasted pistachios
2 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 C plus 2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t finely grated lemon zest
2 sticks plus 2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 t pure vanilla extract

Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the figs with the water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, lemon juice and zest with pince of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer the figs over moderately low heat until tender and the liquid is thick and syrupy, about 40 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree. Let cool.

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest. Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until combined; it may be necessary to knead the dough with your hands. Add the whole egg, egg yolks and vannilla and stir or knead until evenly combined.
Break off 1/3 of the dough and flatter it into a disk. Pat the remaining dough into another disk. Wrap both pieces in plastic and refrigerate until chilled - 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Use a tart pan with a removable bottom.
Line bottom of tart pan with veg. oil cooking spray. Press the larger disk of dough into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan to form an even 1/4 - 1/3-inch thick crust. Trim off any excess. Spread the fig gilling over the crust. Roll out the smaller disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to a 12-in. round about 1/4 in. thick. Removed 1 sheet of the wax paper and invert the top crust over the fillin. Press the edges together to seal and trim off any excess. Chill the tart for 15 minutes.

Bake the tart in the center of oven for 50 minutess, or until golden, covering the top with foil if the edge becomes too brown. Let the tart cool for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the fluted ring. Let the tart cool completely before serving.