Copper Penny Warmth Dish (Printer-Friendly)

A cozy vegetarian creation with roasted vegetables, dried apricots, aged cheddar, and crunchy pecans.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Fruits & Nuts

07 - ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
08 - ½ cup pecan halves, lightly toasted

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup aged cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potato and carrot slices with olive oil, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange sweet potato and carrot slices in overlapping layers inside four copper ramekins. Alternate with sliced dried apricots and a sprinkle of toasted pecans.
04 - Cover each ramekin loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove foil, top each ramekin with grated aged cheddar, and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden.
06 - Allow to cool slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh chives if desired, and serve warm directly from the ramekins.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks absolutely stunning when it emerges from the oven, making you feel like a chef even if you're cooking for the first time
  • The sweetness from apricots and roasted vegetables meets the savory richness of aged cheddar in a way that feels unexpectedly elegant
  • Everything cooks in one vessel, served straight to the table, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the moment
02 -
  • Slice your vegetables thin—I mean really thin. A mandoline is your friend here, though a sharp knife works if you're careful. Thin slices cook evenly and layer like a dream; thick ones stay hard in the middle no matter how long you bake.
  • Don't skip toasting the pecans yourself. Two minutes in a dry pan transforms them from forgettable to something that tastes like it knows why it's there. Your guests will taste the difference, even if they can't name it.
  • Aged cheddar is non-negotiable. It melts smoothly and doesn't become stringy or separate. Sharp, crystalline, with actual flavor—that's what belongs in those ramekins.
03 -
  • Prepare your vegetables while the oven preheats, then you can layer and bake immediately—the whole process moves quickly and the anticipation stays high
  • If you're feeding a crowd, this recipe scales beautifully. Double or triple everything, use more ramekins, and add just five extra minutes to the second baking phase for each additional two ramekins
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