Whiskey-Glazed Carrots, Dates & Thyme
Heirloom carrots sauteed in whiskey brown sugar glaze, spicy toasted chickpeas (with cumin, cayenne, sea salt & chili powder), Medjool dates, shaved Pecorino Romano, fresh thyme
Recipe
Ingredients: 1 ball of dough flour for dusting
semolina flour for pizza stone olive oil salt & pepper ½ cup Medjool dates, quartered ½ cup Pecorino Romano, coarsely grated a few sprigs of thyme
For the chickpeas: 1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the whiskey carrots: 1 large bunch of heirloom carrots (you can use regular carrots too, the heirloom ones are just much prettier if you can find them), peeled & sliced evenly ½ stick butter ¼ cup whiskey ½ cup brown sugar salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Preheat your oven to 400° F. Toss the chickpeas in a bowl with the olive oil and spices until they’re evenly coated. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven until they’re nice and crispy, about 30-40 minutes.
When they’re done, take them out and increase your oven temperature to 550° F. While it’s heating, you can make the whiskey carrots. Start by melting a tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over high heat. Add the carrots and cook them for about 60-90 seconds, then remove them from the skillet.
Pour the whiskey into the skillet and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the rest of the butter, and let it melt before adding the brown sugar. Stir it all together, then add the carrots back in.
Cover your skillet and let the mixture cook for another five minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the salt & pepper. Continue cooking until the carrots are tender and the glaze is nice and thick, about five more minutes.
Next, you can start preparing your dough using the instructions on the right. Once you’ve baked it for a minute, take it out and brush it lightly with olive oil. Spoon out some of the glaze in an even layer over the dough, then add about two thirds of the cheese, followed by the dates, carrots and chickpeas.
Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top, and add the thyme sprigs. Pop it in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is a nice golden brown. Then take it out and enjoy!