With 16 restaurants, a television show and a popular line of cooking products, Todd English is a busy guy. OurHouse checks in to see if this father of three plans to slow down for the holidays. Check out his Tortelli of Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage recipe.
OH: So you just got back from Italy—business or pleasure?
Todd English: It's always fun and pleasure, as well as work, for me. This time I was mostly in Tuscany, taping my show, Food Trip (which airs on American Public Television).
OH: What are some of your favorite culinary destinations in the world?
Todd: Italy is first on my list; it's a great place. I was just in Korea, and that's quickly becoming one of my favorites. I love Asia, especially Thailand and Southeast Asia.
OH: You were named one of People magazine's "Most Beautiful." How did you feel about that?
Todd: Very flattered. Obviously it had nothing to do with my cooking, but it was a fun party to go to. Any chance you get to hang out with Heidi Klum is not a bad thing!
OH: By our count, you own six locations of Olives, plus three Figs, and seven additional restaurants, including two on Cunard cruise ships. Do you have a favorite?
Todd: I'm still a big fan of my original restaurant, Olives in Boston.
OH: What are your latest projects?
Todd: I always have lots of new stuff going on. I just opened a new restaurant, Libertine, in New York City's Wall Street area. It's an English tavern, like a chophouse.
OH: With so much going on how do you stay balanced and focused?
Todd: Sometimes it's a little out of control. I try to delegate and have the right people involved. My kids (ages 12, 15 and 18) are very important to me, so I try to spend a lot of time with them.
OH: Let's talk holidays, since they're coming up. Any wonderful family traditions that you have?
Todd: Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, because it's all about food. That's always a two- to three-day venture for me. We always hang out with family and friends, enjoying each other's company. And of course, there's always the traditional football game in the backyard.
OH: Are there any special dishes you typically prepare at Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Todd: I do the traditional things, but I also mix it up all the time. For instance, I've done turkey three different ways: deep fried, rolled and tied. I usually balance traditional dishes and new dishes from year to year.
OH: Do you have some advice for entertaining and cooking-baking during the holidays? Todd: Drink lots of wine! My best suggestion is, try to buy fresh ingredients and as much local food as you can. After all Thanksgiving is really about simple food. And allow yourself plenty of time to prepare the big holiday dinners.
OH: What's one of the most memorable meals you've ever prepared—for work, family or otherwise?
Todd: There have been a lot of memorable meals. But the most memorable are probably cooking for my kids. I'll cook for them on their birthdays. They get to pick what I make, but I also always surprise them, too.
Tortelli of Butternut Squash with brown butter and sage
serves 8
butternut squash filling.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups diced and peeled butternut squash (about 1 large or 2 small)
½ cup ground amaretti cookies
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dough
2 to 21/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
semolina for sprinkling
Brown butter
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
grated parmesan for serving to make the filling
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the butternut squash. Cook until the squash is just starting to caramelize and becomes golden brown – about 10 minutes. Add water to cover and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
Transfer squash to a food processor with a fitted blade. Add the amaretti, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
To make the dough
Flour a large cutting board. Place 2 cups of the flour and the salt on the board and make a wide well in it. Place the eggs and egg yolks in the well. With a fork, follow the perimeter of the well, bringing in small amounts of flour and continuing all the way around, until gradually most of the flour is absorbed. If necessary, add up to ½ cup of the remaining flour.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Put the dough through a pasta machine, folding into halves each time and then reinserting 15 to 20 times, to knead it. Continue until the pasta is paper-thin. Lay out the sheets of dough and cut them into 4-inch squares; you should have about 40–42 squares.
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling on one corner of each square. Fold over the filled portion, press down around the filling and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and sprinkled with semolina flour.
To make brown butter
Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to foam and brown, about 4 minutes. Add the sage, salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of water (salted if desired) to a boil over high heat. Add the tortelli and cook until they are tender, about 3 minutes. Toss with the brown butter an and parmesan and serve immediately.
© Todd English, 1997, all rights reserved
