Tuscan Rosemary and Pine Nut Bars

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This week, I have a very interesting recipe for a kind of shortbread with an Italian twist and it goes like this:

Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 cup all purpose flour

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Spread the pine nuts on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until they get light brown. Careful — they love to burn! Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar, rosemary and pine nuts. Then stir in the flour to make a rather stiff dough. Spread and pat the dough into an ungreased, square, 8-inch pan and bake till golden and firm around the edges — about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 2 minutes then, using a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. Let the bars cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes and then remove them with a small spatula. Lovely with sliced pear.

Eggplant Piñon Fritters

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Finally, I have a chance to update the site with this great little treat. Who would guess eggplant could taste so yummy?

Ingredients
4 medium eggplants peeled, cubed and diced
1 cup water
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 onions shredded in food processor or on a hand grater, drain out liquid
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups toasted pine nuts

Procedure
Toast pine nuts on sheet pan in 350 degree oven till lightly browned and let cool till needed. Put peeled and diced eggplant cubes in a sauce pan with the water and cover. Cook over medium heat till eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain out excess water and mash eggplant with a potato masher. In a medium bowl, combine egg, onion, salt, and pepper. Combine with eggplant mixture. Add pine nuts to mixture. Stir in flour and baking powder. Put up a pot of oil and let it get to 350 degrees. Drop eggplant batter into oil carefully, and let cook till they float to the top and are brown. Serve right away with a dipping sauce of your choice. I like a mix of mayonnaise, lime zest and lime juice and some toasted cumin. Oh La La!