Your Best Dirt Cheap Dinner
Forget your dorm room austerity measures. We're not talking multi-pak ramen here: food52 is teaming up with Phoebe & Cara of Big Girls Small Kitchen to find out how you eat well at dinnertime for dirt cheap. Bonus: The winner will get a copy of BGSK's new cookbook In the Small Kitchen!
More about our contests»
We have a winner!
Contest Slideshow
photo 1 of 23
You just need a few simple ingredients: kale, sausage, butter, flour, egg, white wine, basil, onion, ricotta and garlic.
photo 2 of 23
We thought the texture of this kale (we used lacinato) was so beautiful.
photo 3 of 23
Starting with a smile!
photo 4 of 23
The crust is a straightforward butter, flour, salt and water affair -- whizzed up quickly in the food processor.
photo 5 of 23
Amanda makes sure she adds JUST the right amount of water.
photo 6 of 23
Perfect!
photo 7 of 23
We patted the dough into a disc, wrapped it and chilled it for about 30 minutes.
photo 8 of 23
See the droplets of water collecting in the folds of the kale? They look like jewels.
photo 9 of 23
Amanda cuts out the spines of the kale leaves, which are tough.
photo 10 of 23
We sliced the kale into thin strips.
photo 11 of 23
Sauteing some onion and garlic to start the filling.
photo 12 of 23
Next, browning the sausage. (Check out Amanda's fridge disappearing act!)
photo 13 of 23
After removing the sausage from the pan, it's time to wilt the kale in all those yummy juices.
photo 14 of 23
A little wine never hurts. This recipe only calls for 1/4 cup -- perfect for using up that open bottle in the fridge.
photo 15 of 23
photo 16 of 23
Amanda used her trustworthy plastic wrap technique to roll out the dough, which is very easy to work with.
photo 17 of 23
Docking the crust.
photo 18 of 23
We've got some pretty new baking beans after all of those bulk bin photo sessions!
photo 19 of 23
Perfectly blind-baked.
photo 20 of 23
To finish up the filling, you add an egg and some ricotta to the kale, sausage and onion.
photo 21 of 23
We found it best to use our fingers to distribute the filling evenly in the tart shell.
photo 22 of 23
Just 15 short minutes in the oven, and dinner is served!
photo 23 of 23
178,377 views
Contest Slideshow
photo 1 of 19
The ingredients: bread, cucumber, lemon, egg, garlic, yogurt, onion, cilantro, mint, pitas, cumin and chickpeas.
photo 2 of 19
After soaking the chickpeas overnight, we dried them on paper towels for a few hours.
photo 3 of 19
photo 4 of 19
Amanda cheerfully throws ingredients into the food processor -- we love that you just toss everything in together!
photo 5 of 19
Could we possibly fit anything else in here?
photo 6 of 19
Yes, we can!
photo 7 of 19
photo 8 of 19
It's alive!
photo 9 of 19
We decided to finish the job in batches.
photo 10 of 19
Forming the falafel patties. It's kind of like going back to kindergarten.
photo 11 of 19
Aren't they cute? And such a pretty green!
photo 12 of 19
photo 13 of 19
Amanda fries up the first batch of falafel.
photo 14 of 19
Neither of us had ever actually made falafel before -- so much fun!
photo 15 of 19
Meanwhile, the tsatziki is a similar dump and whirr operation.
photo 16 of 19
Lots of mint, and lots of cucumber, makes this version really fresh.
photo 17 of 19
photo 18 of 19
Now, that's some beautiful falafel.
photo 19 of 19
