Perfectly Spooky Recipes to Share on Halloween

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Draw a tree template on paper and cut it out to use as a stencil on the pizza crusts; do the same for tombstones or use Halloween cookie cutters. Carefully cut out the shapes—an X-Acto knife works well, but children should have adult supervision. Lightly brush the cutouts with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until just lightly browned. Let cool completely, then use an edible-ink pen to write "R.I.P." on each tombstone. Warm the refried beans over medium-low heat until heated through, then set aside. For the guacamole, scoop the flesh from 2 avocados into a bowl, add 2 minced garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lime, and sea salt to taste. Mash until smooth. Layer small cups with the black beans, guacamole, and top with chopped black olives and sliced chives.
2. Carve a large mouth opening in a pumpkin so guacamole can flow out. Dice the large ripe tomato, reserving all juices, and add to a bowl. Halve and pit 3 avocados, scoop the flesh into the bowl with the tomato. Add the juice of 1 lime, chopped coriander (leaves and stalks), finely chopped red onion, and 1 deseeded and finely chopped chili. Season with salt and pepper. Using two knives or a potato masher, mash everything together until well combined. Spoon the guacamole into the pumpkin's mouth so it looks like the pumpkin is throwing up.
3. Take a wooden skewer or toothpick and poke 4 holes on opposite sides of one olive. Insert a rosemary leaf into each hole. Use an additional rosemary leaf to secure a caper at one end of the olive, creating a spider shape.
4. Cook the bacon in a frying pan until browned and crisp, then transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool enough, crumble it. Cut each hardboiled egg in half lengthwise and gently remove the yolks to a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, then stir in 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, and the crumbled bacon until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon of the yolk mixture into each egg white half. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Cut pitted black olives in half lengthwise. Place one half on top of each deviled egg. Slice the remaining olive halves into thin strips, placing 4 on each side of every egg half.
5. In a food processor, pulse 2 cups packed fresh basil, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup walnut oil, and 2 minced garlic cloves until combined. Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then pulse again. Cut the pumpernickel loaf into 1/2-inch slices, then cut each slice into a coffin shape. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on each slice, followed by a layer of the pesto, a sprinkling of toasted almond slivers, microgreens, apple slices, and shaved aged Cheddar. Top with another coffin-shaped bread slice and repeat the layers. Finish with a final coffin slice on top.
6. Wash and soak the chickpeas and split yellow peas for 2 hours or overnight (overnight is best). They should feel soft when pressed. If still hard, blanch in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. Drain the soaked legumes and add them to a food processor along with 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup packed cilantro, 1/4 cup packed parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or powder), 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste; you can also add half a Serrano chili), and 2 teaspoons oil (optional). Pulse until a coarse mixture forms. Transfer to a bowl; if too mushy to hold together, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons chickpea flour. Shape the mixture into patties or long fingers. To make witch fingers, stick almond halves onto one end using a paste of chickpea flour and water (mix a few drops of water with 1 teaspoon chickpea flour). For raw almonds, soak for 1 hour, peel, and halve. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, turning the tray halfway through, until golden brown. Serve hot, with tahini sauce, hummus, lettuce, pickles, onions, and tomatoes, either on their own or in a pita.
7. For the curry paste, toast 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, then grind them with 1 teaspoon coarse salt using a mortar and pestle or heavy skillet. Add 3 sliced Serrano chiles, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped lemongrass, 1/4 cup minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons chopped ginger, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 teaspoons lime zest. Grind to a paste. (This paste can be refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for 3 months.) For the stew: In a blender, puree 5 tablespoons of the curry paste, 1 cup packed spinach, and 1 cup regular coconut milk until smooth. Reserve remaining paste for another use. In a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot, bring the remaining regular coconut milk and the light coconut milk to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in the curry-spinach puree, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini (quartered lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick), and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly tender. Add the chicken pieces (both breast and thigh meat), season with salt and pepper, and cook until the zucchini is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup fresh basil. Garnish with thinly sliced Serrano chiles and serve with rice and lime wedges.
8. Wrap the ricotta cheese tightly in cheesecloth and place in a colander over a large bowl. Put a heavy object (like a bowl or canned goods) on top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight to drain. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with olive oil cooking spray. In a food processor, combine the drained ricotta, 1 bunch fresh spinach (stems removed and well dried), 1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides. Add 2 large whole eggs and 1 egg white, then process for 5 seconds. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until set and just brown around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight. To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge before releasing the springform side. Cut into quarters. Using a wide spatula, transfer one quarter to a cutting board sprayed with cooking spray. Use a skull-shaped cookie cutter (also sprayed) to cut out shapes. If the cutter lacks eye and nose openings, use small aspic cutters to create those features. Gently press the skull shapes out of the cutter directly onto crackers, using a cotton swab if needed to release them.