Busy? I bet you appreciate one-dish dinners, concoctions that are created on a single rimmed baking sheet.
Roasting, broiling or baking on a rimmed baking sheet produces irresistible textures that work hand in hand with adding more flavor. Meats are juicy and tender; vegetables are caramelized and subtly sweetened. Even macaroni and cheese can benefit from a one-pan method.
It’s an easy, hands-off technique. A new book from the chefs and authors at America’s Test Kitchen “The Sheet Pan; 150 + Easy, Creative Meals from Your Most Versatile Pan,” sheds light on some helpful tips to attain delectable results. First, they suggest sheet-pan cooking often requires a very hot oven, between 450 and 500 degrees. They assert that the high temps create better browning but clarify that often the temperature is reduced along the way to accommodate ingredients that are added later in the cooking process.
In many recipes the authors suggest that the sheet pan is heated before use, reaching the correct temperature in the oven as it preheats to 450 or 500 degrees. This is especially helpful when roasting root vegetables.
Of course, the pan is important. Often known as “half sheets” or “rimmed baking sheets,” sheet pans are sturdy rectangular pans with a 1-inch lip on the four sides. Those shallow sides let hot air from the oven circulate and crisp the ingredients’ exteriors. Although restaurant-sized they can be ginormous, home-use size is usually 13-by-18-inches.
I’ve chosen to include three recipes from the book, one-dish sheet-pan dinners with pizzaz. Enjoy.
Roasted Pork Chops and Vegetables with Parsley Vinaigrette
America’s Test Kitchen’s introduction to this recipe tickled me. “If you want to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine after a hard day rather than race around your kitchen getting dinner underway, this recipe is the lazy person’s route to a hearty pork chop dinner,” they wrote. I like the fact that they included fresh fennel among the roasted potatoes and carrots. And they added a delicious finale with a tasty vinaigrette that is drizzled over the nicely browned chops as well as the veg.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths, thick ends quartered lengthwise
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
2 teaspoons salt, divided use
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper, divided use
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 (12-ounce) bone-in pork rib or center-cut chops, 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick, see cook’s notes
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 small shallot, minced
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
Cook’s notes: If present, trim away excess fat on side of the pork chops, leaving about 1/4- to 3/8-inch of fat in place.
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potatoes, carrots, fennel, garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl, and then spread in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until beginning to soften, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, paprika, and coriander in bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut 2 slits, about 2 inches apart, through fat on edge of each pork chop. Pat chops dry with paper towels, rub with 1 teaspoon oil, and then sprinkle with spice mixture.
3. Arrange pork chops on top of vegetables and continue to roast until pork registers 145 degrees and vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through roasting.
4. Remove sheet from oven and let pork chops rest for 5 minutes. Whisk vinegar, parsley, shallot, sugar, remaining oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over pork and vegetables. Serve.
Source: “The Sheet Pan” by America’s Test Kitchen
Roasted Gnocchi with Blistered Cherry Tomato Sauce
Rather than boiling store-bought, shelf-stable gnocchi, roast them along with a generous amount of cherry tomatoes. It makes the gnocchi crispy and golden on the outside, and creamy on the inside. Be sure to use shelf-stable gnocchi not refrigerated or frozen gnocchi in this recipe.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
24 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 pound shelf-stable potato gnocchi
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, tomato paste, salt, sugar, pepper and pepper flakes together in a large bowl. Add tomatoes and toss until well coated.
2. Transfer tomato mixture to rimmed baking sheet, pushing tomatoes toward center of sheet. Scrape any remaining garlic mixture from bowl onto center of tomatoes on the sheet. Toss gnocchi with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now empty bowl to coat, making sure to separate any gnocchi that are stuck together. Transfer gnocchi to edges of sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between tomatoes and gnocchi.
3. Roast until gnocchi are golden brown and tomatoes are blistered and browned, for about 20 minutes. Remove sheet pan from oven, add Parmesan and basil to the sheet pan and stir gently to combine gnocchi and sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve
Source: “The Sheet Pan” by America’s Test Kitchen
Crispy-Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
For the most part, I avoid using American cheese. Initially I was surprised to see America’s Test Kitchen using it. But in this recipe, deli American cheese works beautifully and makes it possible to save prep time because it contains a lot of emulsifiers and makes a bechamel sauce unnecessary. That makes fewer pots to wash. And don’t worry, sharp cheddar cheese comes to the party, too, adding its welcome tangy nuttiness. After the mac and cheese bakes for 15 minutes, a crisp and tasty topping is sprinkled on top, adding a welcome texture contrast.
If the idea of adding vegetables to the dish appeals to you, add 1 cup of frozen peas and 8 ounces of trimmed fresh asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces) to the pasta mixture along with the evaporated milk in step 3. Also add 1/4 teaspoon minced lemon zest to the panko after microwaving it in step 5.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided use
8 ounces American cheese (2 cups); see cook’s notes
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided use
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Cook’s notes: Buy an 8-ounce block of American cheese from the deli rather than pre-sliced cheese.
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine macaroni with 4 cups boiling water in large bowl. Cover and let sit for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar in center of sheet, spreading into rough 10 by 8-inch rectangle. Bake on upper rack until cheese is browned and lacy, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cool slightly, then use spatula to slide crispy cheddar onto double layer of paper towels. Discard parchment paper, reserving sheet. Once cool enough to handle, break crispy cheddar into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces and set aside.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup soaking water, then drain pasta and return to bowl. Add American cheese, remaining 1 cup cheddar, and reserved soaking water; stir vigorously until most of the cheese is melted (some small lumps of cheese will remain and that is OK) and water is absorbed. Stir in evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and mustard until well combined.
4. Brush bottom and sides of now-empty sheet pan with 3 tablespoons melted butter. Transfer pasta mixture to sheet, being sure to scrap out any remaining cheese mixture in bowl, spreading into an even layer if needed. Bake on lower rack until sauce is bubbling, 13 to 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, toss panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
6. Remove sheet from oven and sprinkle crispy cheddar pieces and toasted panko evenly over top. Serve immediately.
Source: “The Sheet Pan” by America’s Test Kitchen