The DIY Pantry (35 page)

1. Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor until they start to look like peanut butter, about 2–4 minutes.
   
2. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, hazelnut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue to process, adding more hazelnut oil a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture becomes very smooth.
   
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks at room temperature.
   

If you need to be grain-free, feel free to skip the breading altogether, as these will still crisp up quite nicely. Be sure to rinse and drain the onion strands thoroughly after soaking them in the milk if you skip the dredging.

1. Peel the onion; then slice it paper-thin. Separate all the onion strands and layer them in a wide bowl or shallow baking dish. Pour the milk over and let them sit for 20–30 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, sift the spices into the flour in a large bowl and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it’s hot. (If you slip one onion strand in, it should bubble vigorously without splattering. On a thermometer it’s about 375°F.)
   
3. Working in small batches, grab a handful of onion strands from the bowl, shake off the excess milk, dredge them in the flour, shake off the excess flour, and then drop them into the hot oil. Stir lightly to keep them from sticking. Remove when they’re golden brown, 2–3 minutes.
   
4. Drain on paper towels and use immediately. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
   

You can’t go wrong with this traditional pasta sauce, and it’s highly customizable to fit your needs. Even better, it takes only a few minutes to get everything in the pot, and then as it simmers for a number of hours, your house will smell fantastic! Also, feel free to add lots of finely shredded vegetables in with the tomatoes if you like to have a more “garden-style” pasta sauce—carrots, zucchini, and fennel are common favorites. If you’re looking to replicate the flavor of some of the big-name brands of pasta sauce, you’ll want to triple the amount of sugar called for here and add
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon of citric acid.

1. Brown the meat over medium heat until no longer pink. Do not drain fat unless the meat begins to stew rather than sear due to the volume of fat.
   
2. Toss in the onion, celery, peppers, garlic, and salt, along with any other vegetables you choose to use. Sauté until the onions and celery are soft and translucent but not brown, 7–8 minutes.
   
3. Toss in the starch and stir to combine. Add the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and sugar. Bring to a steady simmer; then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 2–6 hours, stirring occasionally.
   
4. For a very smooth sauce, purée with a stick blender.
   
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.