Easter Brunch
Styled by Grace of Carpe Diem Collective and GH Kim Photography
Easter is such a special holiday to celebrate in our family. It signifies new life and brings us so much joy in celebration. It is a holiday that is refreshing and light… so, I wanted to emulate the menu as such.
Brunch, in my opinion should include something sweet, something with eggs and something with a vegetable and/or fruit. The something sweet I chose are Hot Cross Buns. These warm, golden treats are traditionally eaten at Easter (initially Good Friday) as the cross made with icing symbolizes the cross of Jesus Christ. The egg dish is my family's favorite frittata - Linguine and Prosciutto Frittatas. Because they are individual and can keep at room temperature, they are not only delicious but are also easy for entertaining (Easter Egg Hunt :). Lastly, I chose an Asparagus and Asiago Tart. Asparagus reminds me of Spring. Pairing that with a salty cheese on a puff pastry sounded like the perfect combination. A bonus - the tart can also keep at room temperature.
Whenever I am planning a holiday menu, I try and make sure that 1. the food is delicious, 2. there is some correlation to the spirit of the holiday, and 3. it is relatively easy for entertaining. It is important to be able to enjoy the meaning of the day with friends and family instead of just slaving away in the kitchen.
Enjoy!
Hot Cross Buns
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:
Buns
2 cups Whole Milk
½ cup Vegetable Oil
½ cup Sugar
1 package Active Dry Yeast
4 cups All-Purpose Flour
½ cup (additional) All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
½ teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Salt
¼ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Dash of Cardamom and Nutmeg (optional)
½ cup Raisins (optional)
Glaze
1 whole Egg White
Splash of Milk
Icing
1 whole Egg White
Powdered Sugar
Splash of Milk
Directions:
For the buns: Combine the milk, vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until the mixture is still warm but not hot, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Add 4 cups of the flour and stir to combine; the mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1/2 cup flour to the dough. Stir until combined. (Can refrigerate overnight at this point.)
Combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl with the cinnamon and other spices.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough onto it. Press to slightly flatten the dough. Sprinkle a third of the sugar/cinnamon mixture over it. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is "plain" again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pinch off golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll them into balls, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the glaze: Mix the egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto the balls of dough.
Bake until the tops of the buns have turned nice and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.
For the icing: Mix the egg white with enough powdered sugar for the icing to be very thick. Splash in the milk as needed for consistency.
When the buns are completely cool, add the icing to a small ziptop bag and cut the corner. Make icing crosses on each bun.
[Note: I made the dough a day ahead and kept it wrapped in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I let it sit at room temperature (still covered) for about 30 minutes. From here, go ahead and start from the rolling out step.]
Linguine and Proscuitto Frittatas
Adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
Makes 12 (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/3 pound linguine pasta
7 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
4 ounces diced prosciutto
5 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, diced (1 cup diced)
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Special equipment: 1 regular-sized muffin tin for 12 muffins
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander. While the pasta is still in the colander, use kitchen scissors to cut the linguine into smaller pieces.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin.
In a blender combine the eggs, milk, cream, and mascarpone cheese. Blend until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the cut pasta, prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, Asiago cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until the ingredients are combined.
Using a 1/3 cup measure, fill each of the muffin tins until both the pasta and liquid are at the top. Bake until firm and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes before removing from the tin.
Asparagus and Cheese Tart
Adapted from Martha Stewart
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
Flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
4 ounces (1-1 ½ cups) Asiago cheese, shredded (Gruyere works well also)
1 ½ pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degress. On a floured surface, roll the thawed puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2 –inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.
Remove pastry shell from oven and sprinkle with Asiago. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Asiago, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 15-25 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus).
Here we got to have an early Easter Brunch with our dearest friends. Grace, who has been like my big sister and friend for 25+ years, was asked by glassybaby to style and shoot an Easter brunch using their beautiful, handmade tea light candle votives. Lucky for me, she graciously asked me to come on board to contribute the food.
For dreamy styling ideas, check out the post by the ever-so-talented, Grace :: A Pure and Simple Easter Celebration
Happy, happy Easter to you and your loved ones.
Photography by GH Kim Photography
