Zucchini Hand Pies

All-purpose flour, for surface

Frozen pie crust
2 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into thin rounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano leaves, plus small sprigs for serving (optional)
1/3 cup chopped pitted oil-cured black olives
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust to 1/8 inch thick. Using a paring knife, cut out twelve 4 1/2-inch
squares, and fit into cups of a standard muffin tin, leaving an overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the zucchini slices between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil,
season with salt and pepper, and roast, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until the zucchini is
browned and mostly cooked. Let cool.
3. Divide half the chopped oregano, olives, and feta among the dough-lined tins. Top with the zucchini slices
mixture. Sprinkle remaining oregano, olives, and feta on top. Fold corners of dough toward centers. Brush with
egg wash.
4. Reduce heat to 375. Bake pies until top crusts are golden brown and middles are bubbling, approximately 30
minutes.
5. Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack. Tuck oregano sprigs into hand pies if desired.

Italian Stallion Pressed Sandwiches

1 zucchini – thinly sliced lengthwise, leaving the seedy middle
1 red bell pepper
1 loaf crusty Italian bread
1 large handful of fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmesan
½ lb. prosciutto or mortadella
¼ lb. soppressata
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
½ cup shaved parmesan
½ cup pepperoncini, drained and sliced

1. Thinly slice the zucchini – use a mandoline if you have one- when you hit the seedy middle stop and turn the
zucchini to start slicing on the next side.
2. On a medium high gas flame, or under a broiler, roast the red pepper until the skin is charred, about 10-15
minutes. When finished, put in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap to cool down, about 15 minutes. Rub the
pepper to peel off the charred outer layer of skin.
3. Put the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and ½ cup of parmesan cheese into a food processor. Wiz up and add olive
oil until it comes together nicely and is bright green and loose enough to spread on your bread. Season as need with
salt and pepper.
4. Slice your loaf of bread lengthwise and spread the basil pesto on either side. Be generous! Layer slices of
zucchini on the bottom, then slices of your meat followed by some slices of roasted red pepper and artichoke.
Sprinkle a little shaved parmesan and sliced pepperoncini on top.
5. Lay the top of the bread on, place the sandwich in the fridge and place a baking sheet on top. You may need to
lay a few cans on top of the baking sheet to make it all lay down flat. Leave in the fridge for about 3-4 hours so the
flavors can meld.
6. To serve, cut the loaf into portions with a serrated knife.
Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
4 handfuls of tomatoes of any variety and any mix of shape and size
Red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp freshly grated horseradish
Olive oil
½ garlic clove, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of chopped parsley
Celery stalks
Celery seeds
1. Slice your tomatoes – cherry tomatoes in half, bigger tomatoes slice about ½ an inch thick. Sprinkle them with a
little sea salt and put in a colander and leave for about 30 minutes. This will draw out the excess water from your
tomatoes so it can drain away and intensify your tomatoes flavor.
2. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and add some olive oil (maybe about 5-6 Tbsp) and some red wine vinegar (1-2
Tbsp). Grate the garlic in the bowl with a microplane. Add some salt and pepper, and your horseradish and toss
around in the bowl.
3. Sprinkle with a bit of celery seeds. Lay out on a platter and garnish with a few stalks of celery and a sprinkle of
your chopped parsley.

Fruit skewers with bashed up mint sugar

1 ripe pineapple
2 pints strawberries
1 Cantaloupe
1 pint blueberries
4 heaping Tbsp cater sugar
1 handful of fresh mint
Wooden kabob skewers

1. Cut both ends off the pineapple and cut away the outer skin until all you see is yellow deliciousness.
2. Cut the pineapple into quarters, then cut the center core off each of those quarters.
3. Hull the strawberries and keep them whole.
4. Cut open your cantaloupe, scope the seeds out and cut away the skin.
5. Skewer one piece of cantaloupe, pineapple and strawberry on each skewer. Put the blueberry on the end.
6. Put the sugar and mint leaves into a mortar and pestle and have at it! Bash the mint up in the mortar and pestle
until the color of the sugar changes and you can smell the mint being released into it.
7. Sprinkle the mint sugar on top of the skewers and serve.

Picnic Menu

Zucchini Hand Pies

Italian Stallion Pressed Sandwiches

Bloody Mary Tomato Salad

Fruit Skewers with Bashed Mint Sugar