Moosewood Mondays : Moroccan Stew

I was craving this dish since a few days, and my neighbours were all making it so I finally got out of the fridge what I had and started cooking.

You will see I made a few substitutions, in fact I used zucchini as a pose to green beans and artichokes and forgot the black olives. I made a little cous cous (too little !) to go with it and finally had my wished-for dinner !

Please visit Natashya to check what she prepared for us (Magari !) magari it's a typical italian word that means : 'I wish it was so'.

Happy Birthday Dorie : Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DORIE !!!

On the occasion of our favourite cookbook author Holly of PheMOMenon had the great idea of inviting Dorie to a birthday dinner (unfortunately only virtual) cooked following some of the recipes from 'Around My French Table'.

I joined Tuesdays with Dorie, the group genially created by Laurie of slush, more than two years ago and it has been such a wonderful sequence of wonderful recipes I simply had to join French Fridays with Dorie too and it is a very promising experience having read the wonderful book we will be cooking from.

We were free to choose and this pumpkin which looks like a surprise present.

I got a Pumpkin called Mantovana (from Mantua where they make wonderful ravioli with it) and following Dorie's recipe I cut a lid, took the seeds out and filled the pumpkin with cheese, bread, thyme, bacon, and cream.

After the pumpkin has cooked in the oven VOILA' a wonderful dinner treat !

This little bobbin lace is a Binche Lace one of my favourite bobbin ones. I worked on it yesterday and wish to add it to my surprise present for Dorie.

AUGURI DI BUON COMPLEANNO !!!

Please visit the roundup on Holly's blog !

French Fridays with Dorie : Hacis Parmentier

I'm so happy about our new cooking group and my happiness increases every week after every new recipe from Around the French Table by Dorie Greenspan.We have to thank Antoin Augustin Parmentier who, between the many things he made, created this and many other dishes to convince Europeans to eat potatoes.

This dish was fantastic and I made the fast version using ground meat and sausages but even so it was to dye for, my husband told me to hide it or :'I'm going to hurt myself with it !' that is a typical roman phrase. Anita loved it all and Carlo the top... thanks to Dorie we were all happy that evening !If you wish to join us visit the site.

Daring Cook's Challenge : Pierogi

The August 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by LizG of Bits n’ Bites and Anula of Anula’s Kitchen. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make pierogi from scratch and an optional challenge to provide one filling that best represents their locale.

I know you couldn't even say I'm late, but these Pierogi were a fantastic dish, so I have to post about them even if they are known in the US, they are not known at all in Italy and in the last 20 years lots of Polish immigrants came mostly to Rome but I do not know why the didn't open a Pierogi's restaurant they were a huge success at our house with many different guests and now Carlo asks me often to make them !!

I made the dough according to the Russian style recipe.
I filled the sweet ones with peaches, amaretto cookies, ricotta, cinnamon and sugar.

And the savory ones with cottage cheese, ground meat, mushrooms, potatoes and herbs the first time

And with cottage cheese, potatoes, sausage and sauteed onions.

I formed them by hand. And fried after boiling ... They are wonderful !!!

RECIPE

Cottage Cheese Wareneki (pierogi)

Dough:
½ cup (125 ml) milk (can be whole milk, 2% or skim milk)
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
3 large egg whites
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
3 cups (450 gm) all-purpose flour

1. Mix flour and salt, add other ingredients, and knead dough until you have a smooth dough. (I kneaded this dough quite a bit, and it yielded a nice, pliable dough).
2. On a floured surface roll out fairly thin (1/8” or about 3 millimeters), cut into 2” (5 cm) squares, and fill with 1 tsp (5ml) cottage cheese filling (see below).

Filling:
Traditional
1 lb (455 g) dry cottage cheese (this is usually found beside the “wet” cottage cheese in the supermarket’s dairy aisle. If you can’t find it, please see below for how to proceed with the “wet” cottage cheese.)
3 large egg yolks
Salt to taste

1. Mix well all the ingredients for the filling.
2. Put 1 rounded teaspoon (5 ml) of the filling in each square, fold corners to form a triangle, seal edges well using your fingers or a fork
3. Cook in salted, boiling water for 5 minutes.

Boiled pierogi can also be fried after boiling for a nice crunchy dumpling.

If you can’t find dry cottage cheese, simply drain normal cottage cheese by nesting the cottage in a few layers of cheese cloth or a fine sieve over a bowl.

Adapted from The Mennonite Cookbook

Sweet version of Warenki – cottage cheese and strawberries served with Greek yogurt

* You can very easy make a sweet version of Warenki - just add some fruits and sugar to the cheese filling and mix well together (strawberries or blueberries are great idea!).

Russian style pierogi (makes 4 generous servings, around 30 dumplings)
(Traditional Polish recipe, although each family will have their own version, this is Anula's family recipe)

Dough:
2 to 2 1/2 cups (300 to 375 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 large egg
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
About 1 cup (250 ml) lukewarm water

Filling:
3 big potatoes, cooked & mashed (1 1/2 cup instant or leftover mashed potatoes is fine too)
1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese, drained
1 onion, diced & sauteed in butter until clear
3 slices of streaky bacon, diced and fried till crispy (you can add more bacon if you like or omit that part completely if you’re vegetarian)
1 egg yolk (from medium egg)
1 tablespoon (15 g) butter, melted
1/4 (1.25 ml) teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients for the filling (it’s best to use one’s hands to do that) put into the bowl, cover and set aside in the fridge until you have to use it.

2. Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl or on a work surface and make a well in the center. Break the egg into it, add the salt and a little lukewarm at a time (in my situation 1/2 cup was enough). Bring the dough together, kneading well and adding more flour or water as necessary. Cover the dough with a bowl or towel. You’re aiming for soft dough. Let it rest 20 minutes.

3. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out thinly (1/8” or about 3 millimeters) cut with a 2-inch (5 cm) round or glass (personally I used 4-inch/10 cm cutter as it makes nice size pierogi - this way I got around 30 of them and 1 full, heaped teaspoon of filling is perfect for that size). Spoon a portion (teaspoon will be the best) of the filling into the middle of each circle. Fold dough in half and pinch edges together. Gather scraps, re-roll and fill. Repeat with remaining dough.

Pierogi made using the form


Pierogi made by hand

4. Bring a large, low saucepan of salted water to boil. Drop in the pierogi, not too many, only single layer in the pan! Return to the boil and reduce heat. When the pierogi rise to the surface, continue to simmer a few minutes more ( usually about 5 minutes). Remove one dumpling with a slotted spoon and taste if ready. When satisfied, remove remaining pierogi from the water.

5. Serve immediately preferably with creme fraiche or fry. Cold pierogi can be fried. Boiled Russian pierogi can be easily frozen and boiled taken out straight from the freezer.

Other types of fillings:

Potato and cheese
4 – 5 boiled potatoes
4 table spoons butter (60 g) or olive oil (60 ml)
50 ml (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) milk
1 egg white (from medium egg)
about 120 ml (½ cup) farmers’ cheese (any unripened cheese like Indian Paneer)
salt and pepper

Meat and cabbage
200 g (7 oz) cooked meat (minced or cut very finely)
500 g white cabbage (chopped and simmered in a little bit of water, until soft)
1 onion (diced and fried)
1 whole medium egg
1 tablespoon (15g) butter
dry breadcrumbs (add as much to hold the filling together, about 2 tablespoons)
salt and pepper

Soy bean filling
350 g soy beans (canned, drained and minced)
2 medium eggs
1 onion (diced and fired)
100 g (2/3 cup) dry breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

Sauerkraut filling
2 cups (500 g) sauerkraut
1 big carrot, grated
1 shallot, chopped and fried with a tablespoon of butter
few (about 3) wild mushrooms (I used dry ones, you can use fresh but chop them and fry on some butter before adding to the sauerkraut cabbage)
salt, pepper and cumin
- Saute all the ingredients together until soft, cool before filling pierogi.

I Heart Cooking Clubs : Mughlai Chicken

This week's theme was 'One Pot Wonders' and here is mine : Mughlai Chicken obviously by Nigella ! This chicken is very nice and special even if it doesn't take a tremendous amount of time: I started it very late and made it in time for dinner. I'll definitely keep the recipe on hand !!

Please visit I heart cooking clubs for more wonders !

Recipes to Rival: Beef Bourguignonne

I'm running to Greccio at the Franciscan Convent to give a (short) lecture on textile conservation and showing a Franciscan habit dating from the 1300, Cristina and I restaured in the summer, but I wanted to share these pictures in time ! I'll add more tomorrow !!

I used these cipolline for the recipe, sometimes you can find peeled ones ( but not the frozen ones), luckily I remembered to boil them a couple of minutes before peeling !

Boeuf Bourguignon

Yield: For 6 people

Ingredients
A 6-ounce chunk of bacon
1 Tb olive oil or cooking oil
3 lbs. lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes (see Notes)
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 Tb flour
3 cups of a full-bodied, young red wine such as one of those suggested for serving, or a Chianti
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 Tb tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
½ tsp thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
The blanched bacon rind
18 to 24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock
1 lb. quartered fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter
Parsley sprigs

Directions
Remove bacon rind and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, ¼ inch thick and 1½ inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1½ quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.

Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2½ to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

FOR IMMEDIATE SERVING: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

FOR LATER SERVING: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About I5 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Daring Cooks' Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi

This is the first Daring Cooks Challenge and the recipe was chosen by our founders Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice and was taken from the cookbook by Judy Rodgers, named after her restaurant, The Zuni Café Cookbook.
I've never heard of the restaurant before and was curious to try a new recipe of the ricotta gnocchi after the one I made for the R2R challenge some time ago.
This time I bought the ricotta and I must say that spring is the time for the best sheep's ricotta but it's very moist (and delicious) . The problem is that I forgot to strain it the evening before so I tried to put it in a colander for a few hours but it wasn't enough so... I had to add some flour to the recipe !
The sauce was a very simple one with tomato, garlic and basil.

Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi

Source: From The Zuni Café Cookbook
Yield: Makes 40 to 48 gnocchi (serves 4 to 6)
Prep time: Step 1 will take 24 hours. Steps 2 through 4 will take approximately 1
hour.
Note: For our members who have special dietary requirements or who have to
alter the recipe for health reasons, our alternative Daring Cooks, led by Shelly
of Musings From The Fishbowl, have developed an alternative version of the
recipe. Please check the Alternative Daring Cooks' forums for more information.
Tips:
1. If you can find it, use fresh ricotta. As Judy Rodgers advises in her recipe,
there is no substitute for fresh ricotta. It may be a bit more expensive, but
it's worth it.
2. Do not skip the draining step. Even if the fresh ricotta doesn't look very wet,
it is. Draining the ricotta will help your gnocchi tremendously.
3. When shaping your gnocchi, resist the urge to over handle them. It's okay if
they look a bit wrinkled or if they're not perfectly smooth.
4. If you're not freezing the gnocchi for later, cook them as soon as you can. If
you let them sit around too long they may become a bit sticky.
5. For the variations to the challenge recipe, please see the end of the recipe.
Equipment required:
• Sieve
• Cheesecloth or paper towels
• Large mixing bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Tablespoon
• Baking dish or baking sheet
• Wax or parchment paper
• Small pot
• Large skillet
• Large pan or pot (very wide in diameter and at least 2 inches deep)
For the gnocchi:
1 pound (454 grams/16 ounces) fresh ricotta (2 cups)
2 large cold eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon (½ ounce) unsalted butter
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves, or a few pinches of freshly grated nutmeg, or a few
pinches of chopped lemon zest (all optional)
½ ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about ¼ cup very lightly packed)
about ¼ teaspoon salt (a little more if using kosher salt)
all-purpose flour for forming the gnocchi
For the gnocchi sauce:
8 tablespoons (227 grams/1/4 pound/4 ounces) butter, sliced
2 teaspoons water
Step 1 (the day before you make the gnocchi): Preparing the ricotta.
If the ricotta is too wet, your gnocchi will not form properly. In her cookbook,
Judy Rodgers recommends checking the ricotta’s wetness. To test the ricotta, take
a teaspoon or so and place it on a paper towel. If you notice a very large ring of
dampness forming around the ricotta after a minute or so, then the ricotta is too
wet. To remove some of the moisture, line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels
and place the ricotta in the sieve. Cover it and let it drain for at least 8 hours and up
to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can wrap the ricotta carefully in
cheesecloth (2 layers) and suspend it in your refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours with a
bowl underneath to catch the water that’s released. Either way, it’s recommended
that you do this step the day before you plan on making the gnocchi.
Step 2 (the day you plan on eating the gnocchi): Making the gnocchi dough.
To make great gnocchi, the ricotta has to be fairly smooth. Place the drained ricotta
in a large bowl and mash it as best as you can with a rubber spatula or a large
spoon (it’s best to use a utensil with some flexibility here). As you mash the
ricotta, if you noticed that you can still see curds, then press the ricotta through a
strainer to smooth it out as much as possible.
Add the lightly beaten eggs to the mashed ricotta.
Melt the tablespoon of butter. As it melts, add in the sage if you’re using it. If not,
just melt the butter and add it to the ricotta mixture.
Add in any flavouring that you’re using (i.e., nutmeg, lemon zest, etc.). If you’re
not using any particular flavouring, that’s fine.
Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the salt.
Beat all the ingredients together very well. You should end up with a soft and
fluffy batter with no streaks (everything should be mixed in very well).
Step 3: Forming the gnocchi.
Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. When it boils, salt the water
generously and keep it at a simmer. You will use this water to test the first gnocchi
that you make to ensure that it holds together and that your gnocchi batter isn’t too
damp.
In a large, shallow baking dish or on a sheet pan, make a bed of all-purpose flour
that’s ½ an inch deep.
With a spatula, scrape the ricotta mixture away from the sides of the bowl and
form a large mass in the centre of your bowl.
Using a tablespoon, scoop up about 2 to 3 teaspoons of batter and then holding the
spoon at an angle, use your finger tip to gently push the ball of dough from the
spoon into the bed of flour.
At this point you can either shake the dish or pan gently to ensure that the flour
covers the gnocchi or use your fingers to very gently dust the gnocchi with flour.
Gently pick up the gnocchi and cradle it in your hand rolling it to form it in an oval
as best as you can, at no point should you squeeze it. What you’re looking for is an
oval lump of sorts that’s dusted in flour and plump.
Gently place your gnocchi in the simmering water. It will sink and then bob to the
top. From the time that it bobs to the surface, you want to cook the gnocchi until
it’s just firm. This could take 3 to 5 minutes.
If your gnocchi begins to fall apart, this means that the ricotta cheese was probably
still too wet. You can remedy this by beating a teaspoon of egg white into your
gnocchi batter. If your gnocchi batter was fluffy but the sample comes out heavy,
add a teaspoon of beaten egg to the batter and beat that in. Test a second gnocchi to
ensure success.
Form the rest of your gnocchi. You can put 4 to 6 gnocchi in the bed of flour at a
time. But don’t overcrowd your bed of flour or you may damage your gnocchi as
you coat them.
Have a sheet pan ready to rest the formed gnocchi on. Line the sheet pan with wax
or parchment paper and dust it with flour.
You can cook the gnocchi right away, however, Judy Rodgers recommends storing
them in the refrigerator for an hour prior to cooking to allow them to firm up.
Step 4: Cooking the gnocchi.
Have a large skillet ready to go. Place the butter and water for the sauce in the
skillet and set aside.
In the largest pan or pot that you have (make sure it’s wide), bring at least 2 quarts
of water to a boil (you can use as much as 3 quarts of water if your pot permits).
You need a wide pot or pan so that your gnocchi won’t bump into each other and
damage each other.
Once the water is boiling, salt it generously.
Drop the gnocchi into the water one by one. Once they float to the top, cook them
for 3 to 5 minutes (as in the case with the test gnocchi).
When the gnocchi float to the top, you can start your sauce while you wait for them
to finish cooking.
Place the skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Swirl it gently a few times
as it melts. As soon as it melts and is incorporated with the water, turn off the heat.
Your gnocchi should be cooked by now.
With a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the boiling water and gently drop
into the butter sauce. Carefully roll in the sauce until coated. Serve immediately.
Variations: For the gnocchi, you can flavour them however you wish. If you want
to experiment by adding something to your gnocchi (i.e., caramelized onion,
sundried tomato), feel free to do so. However, be forewarned, ricotta gnocchi are
delicate and may not take well to elaborate additions. For the sauce, this is your
chance to go nuts. Enjoy yourselves. Surprise us!!!
Freezing the gnocchi: If you don’t want to cook your gnocchi right away or if you
don’t want to cook all of them, you can make them and freeze them. Once they are
formed and resting on the flour-dusted, lined tray, place them uncovered in the
freezer. Leave them for several hours to freeze. Once frozen, place them in a
plastic bag. Remove the air and seal the bag. Return to the freezer. To cook frozen
gnocchi, remove them from the bag and place individually on a plate or on a tray.
Place in the refrigerator to thaw completely. Cook as directed for fresh gnocchi.

Recipes to Rival Coq au Vin

We went French and delicious this time with Recipes to Rival and it was a very pleasant first time for me ! I made this succulent dish for Easter and everybody loved it but I must say that the next day (we call it Pasquetta ''small Easter') It was even better ! I used a skinless and boneless chicken so we could it it safely as cutting it in small pieces left very small and nasty bones around but for the rest I followed the recipe closely.
Thanks Temperance for the great choice !!

TFF Braised Chicken with Peanuts and Raisins

And here we go with another yummy recipe by our hero !
I followed the hint our dear host Natashya gave us in the last round up and made the recipe in the video she posted.
I didn't have cashews so I used peanuts, watercress is almost impossible to find here so I just sprinkled some basil just to have some green around and I used skinless chicken to reduce the fat a little! But even so the flavours of this chicken are wonderful !
Please visit the blog tomorrow for the new round-up !

Daring Bakers Challenge Lasagne of Emilia Romagna

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

I finally made it I !! In the last days I've been so busy that I hadn't realized the posting date had changed !!
I make lasagne a lot but, usually I use vegetables and what I have handy at the moment so This was a change for me.
But I had an angel beside me : Cinzia !
As I mentioned I got the conservation job on the beautifully embroidered liturgical vestment but



I must finish it by the 30th of April so I'm working very long hours and when Cinzia found out I was so late for the lasagne she made a wonderful vegetarian ragù for me !!!

Here is her recipe :

1 onion minced
2 small carrots minced
2 celery stalks minced
500 gr tofu minced
1,5 liters tomato puree
extra virgin olive oil

Sautee the vegetables in the oil, add the tofu and salt, pepper, nutmeg and a clove after 10 minutes add the tomato and cook for 20 minutes.

What can I say... GRAZIE !!!!

TFF Pan-Roasted Salmon With Roasted Root Vegetables and Lentil Stew

I'm happy to say that Dear Tyler did it again !!! I wanted to make something Indian for this great idea but my mother in law came with some fresh salmon (in Rome it's almost impossible to have a different cut for it : fish mongers are lazy !) so I decided for this rich dish !
I really loved it , the lentils (I used the tiny ones from island of Pantelleria near Sicily) were so rich in flavour and the roasted root vegetables were nicely caramelized and with a hint of the apple vinegar. Actually both could stand even without the salmon that was the simplest one to make. I warmly suggest that you try this recipe or any third of it !!
Please visit the TFF blogroll to get many more ideas !!

TFF Mac and Cheese with Peas and Bacon

I know it's not new for you but this week I tried the mac and cheese signed by 'our' Tyler.
The recipes comes together in minutes and is very tasty too !
My variations have been : using olive oil instead of butter in making the bechamel sauce to keep our animal fats a bit lower, using pancetta and changing the cheeses because I don't have a clue of wher I could find cheddar cheese in Italy !
As you can see I didn't put the nice peas and pancetta all over because Carlo still doesn't want 'pieces' around but the reviews were great (even Carlo's), Anita said it was 'buonissimissimissimo !'. So, as always with Tyler, a fantastic dinner !!

Recipes to Rival Let's make Cheese !

As I thought I wasn't partecipating in enough groups I joined a wonderful group born from a few Daring Bakers wanting some savoury challenges in their lifes.
This month Lauren chose ricotta making and each one could choose a savoury dish to make with it .
I chose Gnudi that means naked (nudi) in Tuscan dialect. They are like ravioli without the pasta clothing. The only problem I have now is how to tell you that we were so anxious to eat them that I didn't take a photo !! So you'll have to trust my words for it : they were great !!

The recipe:

500 gr ricotta
500 gr cooked spinach or squash (water squeezed out) (traditionally they are made with nettles)
100 gr grated Parmigiano
1 egg (I used all whites leftovers)
1 Tblsp breadcrumbs
nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste



First thing cook your selected vegetable : quickly stir fry the spinach with a little salt and garlic, squeeze out the water and chop finely. If you are using squash cook it in the oven and squeeze the water out and chop finely.
Combine with the other ingredients and let it rest it in the fridge for about an hour.
Make some small balls without adding extra flour and cook in boiling water (like gnocchi) until they appear on top.
In a small saucepan melt butter and some sage and pour it on the gnudi along with some Parmigiano.