Copper Penny Warmth Layers (Print Version)

A layered autumn dish featuring roasted vegetables, dried apricots, aged cheddar, and toasted pecans in copper ramekins.

# What You'll 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)

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss thinly sliced sweet potatoes and carrots with olive oil, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange sweet potato and carrot slices in overlapping layers inside four copper ramekins or small baking dishes, alternating with dried apricot slices and toasted pecans.
04 - Cover each ramekin loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove foil, top each ramekin with grated aged cheddar, and return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts and turns golden.
06 - Remove from oven, let cool slightly, garnish with chopped chives if desired, and serve warm directly in ramekins.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks absolutely showstopping when you serve it right in the ramekin—your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen, but really you've mastered something beautifully simple
  • The sweetness of roasted carrots and apricots plays against aged cheddar in a way that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what they're tasting
  • You can prepare everything ahead, then just layer and bake when company arrives—the real magic happens in the oven, not in your stress level
02 -
  • Don't slice your vegetables too thick or they won't soften in time. Too thin and they become fragile—aim for consistent 1/8 inch thickness throughout. A mandoline makes this effortless if you have one.
  • The foil during the first 20 minutes is crucial. It steams the vegetables into tenderness before the cheese arrives. Without it, you'll have vegetables that are golden but still hard in the center.
03 -
  • Slice everything the night before and store in separate containers. Prep work done is half the battle on the day you're cooking and entertaining.
  • If your aged cheddar is very hard and difficult to grate, freeze it for 15 minutes first—it grates more smoothly and the gratings stay separated rather than clumping together.
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