Layered Vanilla Panna Cotta and Florentine Cookies!

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

Unfortunately my computer broke recently (initially thought to be a virus but now it looks like a problem with the hard disk) and I dont have a quick access to any of my pictures! I am just heartbroken because I had put in a lot of effort into these layered pannacotta!! I am trying really hard to recover atleast some of my pictures! Lesson learned for not backing up stuff! Stay tuned and I will post them asap, if I am able to recover them!

UPDATE: I was able to get the pictures that I had posted on Daring Baker's forum. There were a lot of other pictures on my computer. I will try to recover them as soon as I get a chance.

VERDICT: This recipe for pannacotta is simply awesome!! I was not too excited when I first knew of the challenge, but this challenge resulted in such an awesome creamy smooth dessert, I fell in love with pannacotta all over again! The gelee that I made was using Pom Pomegranate-Blueberry juice and the tart gelee worked magic with the smooth creamy and dreamy pannacotta. You can work wonders with the presentation and will leave you satisfied with the results!

The florentine cookies were also amazing! Again, I was not too thrilled about oat cookies, but these were really delicious crisp cookies! The ease of prep work is also something to be mentioned! I will definitely make them again!

Giada's Vanilla Panna Cotta


Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (one packet) (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups (720 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is
cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let
stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
2. Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot,
but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage).
3. Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and
stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.
5. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve.


Chocolate Panna Cotta:

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

1 tablespoon (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 cups (480 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)

½ cup (115 gm) (4 oz) sugar

¾ cup (145 gm)(5 oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the top, set aside for 2-5 minutes.

2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir in cream, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a low boil.

3. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk the milk/gelatin mixture into chocolate cream mixture. Whisk until gelatin has dissolved.

4. Transfer to ramekins, or nice glasses for serving.

5. Cover and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Nestle Florentine Cookies:

Recipe from the cookbook “Nestle Classic Recipes”, and their website.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm) (5.3 oz) unsalted butter

2 cups (480 ml) (160 gm) (5 2/3 oz) quick oats

1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (160 ml) (95 gm) (3⅓ oz) plain (all purpose) flour

1/3 cup (60 ml) dark corn syrup

1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1½ cups (360 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) dark or milk chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.

2. To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.

Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.

4. While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).

5. Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).

6. Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.

This recipe will make about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen sandwiched Florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).

Coffee Gelée:

Adapted from this recipe in Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:

2 cups (480 ml) good quality brewed coffee

1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water + 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water

1/2 cup (120 ml) (115 gm) (4 oz) granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) (3½ gm) (1/8 oz) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place granulated sugar and 1/4 c. hot water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tablespoons cold water and let it soften 2 minutes or so.

3. Stir the coffee, sugar, hot water, and vanilla into a small metal bowl, add gelatin mixture and stir well until gelatin has dissolved. If pouring over Panna Cotta, be sure that this mixture is no longer hot, it will melt Panna Cotta if it is, let it come to room temperature.

Fruit Gelée:

Recipe by Mallory

Ingredients:

1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) fruit (strawberries, raspberries, mango, blackberry, etc.)

*Note: Certain fruits interact with gelatin and stop it gelling like pineapple and kiwi etc.

3 tablespoons (45 ml) water

1/4 cup (60 ml) (60 gm) (2 oz) granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) (3½ gm) (1/8 oz) unflavored powdered gelatin

Directions:

1. Sprinkle gelatin over water.

2. Place fruit and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Now mix the gelatin into the strawberry mixture and stir until gelatin has dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool (close to room temp, again, if you're planning on layering on pouring on top of your Panna Cotta, a hot mixture will also heat up your chilled Panna Cotta).

Cannolipoleons with Honey-Mascarpone Filling for DB challenge!

Welcome to the revealing of the Daring Bakers challenge for the month of November!

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

I was really excited about this challenge because I've heard about cannolis in the comedy sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, showcasing an Italian family and the relationship between its members!! I knew it had to be something amazing from Raymond's extreme excitement over the cannolis made by his mom!!! I managed to attempt this challenge earlier on than usual since I was alone here in the US since my family is still on a trip to India.

The dough was a breeze to prepare and it came together very well for me with the given recipe. I used Marsala cooking wine to make the dough. I made the dough with the food processor and then proceeded to knead it for a couple of minutes. I was thinking of leaving the dough overnight in the fridge but my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to fry a couple of pieces of rolled dough just to see how it will turn out (after chilling the dough for an hour in the fridge).


My first trial was an utter failure, well maybe not that big of a failure (it was not that bad, and it was just a bit of trial dough!).... The dough puffed up completely even after docking. The fried pieces kind of felt oily to me. So I knew from the forum discussions that it could be because the oil temperature was not up to the required level.

So the next day I rolled the dough quite thin (I mean very very thin- this is key!!!!) and cut out rectangles and then rolled them even thinner, until it was almost transparent ( thanks to whoever mentioned the strudel thinness in the forum)!! The oil was also heated to a higher temperature. As soon as I dropped the pieces in, I could see them starting to show great texture on the surface with lots of bubbling. The dough pieces didnt have to be in the oil for too long, I guess they had to be flipped over and taken out of the oil in around a minute or so. This, on cooling yielded light-golden colored, beautiful looking cannolipoleons. From my experience, the temperature and the thickness of the pieces are the things to pay attention to.

I decided to do a filling of mascarpone cheese as I had some which I hadnt used for some time. I just whipped the mascarpone cheese with honey and sugar and a bit of milk until soft enough to be piped. The filling was piped only on the edges with a plain round tip so as to give a beautiful stacked finish. The top most piece was decorated with melted chocolate and chopped pistachios and allowed to set. The presentation was finished off with a few raspberries.

VERDICT:

I loved the fried dough pieces on their own when they were fried at the proper temperature. The Marsala wine gives the dough an unexplainable taste which is amazing!! I should say that the taste for mascarpone cheese is an acquired one and I realised once again that I am not a big fan of mascarpone. But the cannolipoleons were amazing and I can see why people rave about them. I am sure with a filling of cream cheese or butter cream or even whipped cream I would go crazy about these.. But to tell you the truth, I polished off the pictured cannolipoleons in one go!!! Since my family was away, I took the pictures with my cell phone, so the pictures might not be of great quality.... Next time I would like to try the cannolis with the cannoli-forms to experience it fully!!!

I sure had fun with this challenge and am satisfied with my attempt. Thank you so much Lisa, for this wonderful challenge...

CANNOLI SHELLS

2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar

Note - If you want a chocolate cannoli dough, substitute a few tablespoons of the flour (about 25%) with a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process) and a little more wine until you have a workable dough (Thanks to Audax).

CANNOLI FILLING
2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract or the beans from one vanilla bean
3 tablespoons (approx. 28 grams/approx. 1 ounce) finely chopped good quality chocolate of your choice
2 tablespoons (12 grams/0.42 ounces) of finely chopped, candied orange peel, or the grated zest of one small to medium orange
3 tablespoons (23 grams/0.81 ounce) toasted, finely chopped pistachios

Note - If you want chocolate ricotta filling, add a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to the above recipe, and thin it out with a few drops of warm water if too thick to pipe.

DIRECTIONS FOR SHELLS:
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.

2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.

3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.

4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.

5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.

8. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.

9. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.

Pasta Machine method:

1. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through

2. Continue rolling out the remaining dough. If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.

3, Roll, cut out and fry the cannoli shells as according to the directions above.

For stacked cannoli:

1. Heat 2-inches of oil in a saucepan or deep sauté pan, to 350-375°F (176 - 190 °C).

2. Cut out desired shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Deep fry until golden brown and blistered on each side, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from oil with wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, then place on paper towels or bags until dry and grease free. If they balloon up in the hot oil, dock them lightly prior to frying. Place on cooling rack until ready to stack with filling.

DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:

1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

2. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl and stir in chocolate, zest and nuts. Chill until firm.(The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

ASSEMBLE THE CANNOLI:
1. When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.

2. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.

PUMPKIN FILLING
1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin, drained like ricotta
3/4 cup (75 grams/2.65 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells

1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

2. Fill the shells as directed above. I dipped the ends of the shells in caramelized sugar and rolled them in toasted, chopped pecans.

TIPS AND NOTES:

- Dough must be stiff and well kneaded

- Rolling the dough to paper thinness, using either a rolling pin or pasta machine, is very important. If the dough is not rolled thin enough, it will not blister, and good cannoli should have a blistered surface.

- Initially, this dough is VERY stubborn, but keep rolling, it eventually gives in. Before cutting the shapes, let the dough rest a bit, covered, as it tends to spring back into a smaller shapes once cut. Then again, you can also roll circles larger after they’re cut, and/or into ovals, which gives you more space for filling.

- Your basic set of round cutters usually doesn’t contain a 5-inch cutter. Try a plastic container top, bowl etc, or just roll each circle to 5 inches. There will always be something in your kitchen that’s round and 5-inches if you want large cannoli.

- Oil should be at least 3 inches deep and hot – 360°F-375°F, or you’ll end up with greasy shells. I prefer 350°F - 360°F because I felt the shells darkened too quickly at 375°F.

- If using the cannoli forms, when you drop the dough on the form into the oil, they tend to sink to the bottom, resulting in one side darkening more. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to gently lift and roll them while frying.

- DO NOT crowd the pan. Cannoli should be fried 2-4 at a time, depending on the width of your saucepan or deep fryer. Turn them once, and lift them out gently with a slotted spoon/wire skimmer and tongs. Just use a wire strainer or slotted spoon for flat cannoli shapes.

- When the cannoli turns light brown - uniform in color, watch it closely or remove it. If it’s already a deep brown when you remove it, you might end up with a really dark or slightly burnt shell.

- Depending on how much scrap you have left after cutting out all of your cannoli shapes, you can either fry them up and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar for a crispy treat, or let the scraps rest under plastic wrap and a towel, then re-roll and cut more cannoli shapes.

- Push forms out of cannoli very gently, being careful not to break the shells as they are very delicate. DO NOT let the cannoli cool on the form, or you may never get it off without it breaking. Try to take it off while still hot. Hold it with a cloth in the center, and push the form out with a butter knife or the back of a spoon.

- When adding the confectioner’s sugar to the filling..TASTE. You may like it sweeter than what the recipe calls for, or less sweet, so add in increments.

- Fill cannoli right before serving! If you fill them an hour or so prior, you’ll end up with soggy cannoli shells.

- If you want to prepare the shells ahead of time, store them in an airtight container, then re-crisp in a 350°F (176 °C) oven for a few minutes, before filling.

- Practice makes perfect. My first batch of shells came out less than spectacular, and that’s an understatement. As you go along, you’ll see what will make them more aesthetically pleasing, and adjust accordingly when rolling. My next several batches turned out great. Don’t give up!!

Hope you had fun going through my post of making the cannolipoleons! Check out all my previous Daring bakers challenges here. Do visit me again for more interesting culinary attempts..

Hope that you all had a great thanksgiving!! Enjoy your weekend....

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto - A first on Tasty treats!!

Today I have a new recipe for you - a Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto which is a first on Tasty treats. Read through the post to know about my interest in risotto.

After watching Hell's Kitchen for a couple of seasons, I was fixated by Gordon Ramsey's obsession with risotto and its preparation!! Having never tasted a risotto before, I was wondering why he is so particular on its texture and outcome. Anyways, it is not such a presentable dish at all, even if a five star chef prepares it, so what could be so hard in preparing the seemingly mushy rice dish!? But I just couldn't be far from wrong! I learned it the hard way, I prepared my own risotto at home, without a tried or tested recipe. The result was so good, sooooo good!! I have a new-found respect for risotto, its texture and the flavor combination that goes into it. So trust me, don't judge a book by its cover and don't judge a risotto by its looks!! I accomplished a couple of firsts - my first risotto and my first asparagus dish at home.

I found a recipe on Martha Stewart website and decided to adapt it to what I had at home. Sure, I tweaked the recipe to include some Italian seasoning, played with the proportion of ingredients a bit. The veggies I used were white button mushrooms and about 1/2 a bunch of asparagus (I guess my bunch was relatively huge). I also added a unique ingredient - a pinch of saffron- to the risotto. We are absolutely clueless about wines, so JM just grabbed a bottle of Pinot Grigio from the wine shop. I enjoyed the flavor of this particular wine, a lot. I also followed another advice on the internet - I used fresh Parmesan cheese grated just before use from a wedge of Culinary Circle Parmesan Cheese. The risotto turned so creamy and delicious as the cheese melted into the rice.

Recipe (Serves 3-4):

Arborio rice - 2 cups
White button mushrooms - 8oz, chopped into chunks
Asparagus - 3/4 bundle
Onion - 1 large, chopped
Garlic clove - 1 large, chopped

Italian seasoning - 1/2 tsp

Dry white wine - 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup
Vegetable broth - 1 can

Water - 3 cans (or as needed)

Extra virgin olive oil -4 tbsp, divided
Pepper - to season
Salt - to season
Parmesan cheese (culinary circle) - 3/4 cup
Butter - 3 tbsp

Saffron - a big pinch

Method:

Wash the asparagus stems and cut the tips off from about 2" from the top. Cut the rest of the stems cross-wise into small pieces.

Boil water and salt in a saucepan and cook the asparagus stems for about 2 minutes until they are tender crisp. Drain and keep aside.

Repeat with the asparagus tips and keep aside.

In a large skillet/pan, heat about 2 tbsp olive oil.

Saute the chopped garlic and onions until translucent and soft.

Toss in the rice and saute for a minute.

Add 1/2 cup white wine and reduce until the wine has almost evaporated.

Pour vegetable broth and wait until the broth is completely absorbed.

Repeat twice more.

Add a pinch of saffron and mix well.

In another skillet, heat olive oil and add the chopped mushrooms.

Season slightly with Italian seasoning.

Make the asparagus tips crisper in the skillet and keep aside for topping the risotto.

Crisp the asparagus stems slightly in the skillet and keep aside.

Toss in 2/3 of the sauteed mushrooms into the rice.

Add more vegetable broth or water as needed.

When the rice is 3/4 cooked, add about 1/4 cup of wine and allow to be absorbed by the rice.

Once the rice is al dente (or cooked to your liking), add the cooked asparagus stems.

Season with pepper and salt as needed.

Stir in the butter and cheese and mix well until melted.

Serve the risotto hot with the reserved mushrooms and asparagus tips on top.

Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Inspired from: Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto on Martha Stewart website.

Hope you all enjoyed this delicious post. See you soon with another tasty treat!! Take a moment to check out the latest floral pictures from MN on "Through the looking glass".

Have a great day!!

Spinach Cheese Swirls

Things are definitely getting more hectic around here... I am going to start volunteering at the U for a couple of months. So each day is packed with actvities like preparing for the work, finding a pre-school for lil LM and finishing up the house-hold stuff before things get real crazy around here!! I am trying to enjoy the last few days of freedom and savoring the time alone with my lil girl. Even before starting work, all those days whining about sitting at home have started to seem like a bad idea ;-). Eventhough I know that if we were in India, LM would've started Kindergarten, it feels hard to let go!! SIGH!! JM is wondering why I am sad about sending her to pre-school for the whole week. Well, it might be because I am used to being with her 24/7!! I am so sorry, am I bringing you all down? I just had to let it out somewhere..... Anyways, lets get into our recipe for today!

I got this recipe from a small recipe booklet of Pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets. This is a very simple and straight-forward recipe made easy with the ready made pastry sheets (Check out the home-made flavored pastry sheets for Daring Bakers challenge here). I substituted a few of the ingredients with my own. Check out the original recipe here. These cute lil cheese swirls were simply irresistible. "No one can eat just one" if I could quote the Lays potato chips ad! This is one delicious hors d'oeuvre or appetizer that you can serve your guests which is guaranteed to be an instant hit! Sorry for the not so great pictures, we just didnt have the patience to wait around for re-taking the pictures!!

We all are not-so-great spinach lovers and these made me doubt if I am missing out on something! The spinach goes well with the cheese and other ingredients in these savory cuties and the flavor and texture of spinach is well pronounced, but wonderful! Try these out and you will be definitely making more of these - thanks to the puff pastry sheets!! :-)

PS: A special thanks to everybody who dropped me a word appreciating my song in the previous post.

Recipe:

Puff pastry sheet - 1/2 of a package (1 sheet)
Egg - 1
Water - 1 tbsp
Colby & Muenster Cheese - 3/4 cup
Parmasen - a dash
Green onion - 1, chopped
Italian seasoning - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Frozen Spinach - 10 oz, thawed and drained well

Method:

Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or according to package instructions.

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.

Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Beat the egg and water in a small bowl.

Stir the cheeses, green onion and seasoning in a medium bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.

Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture.

Top with the cheese mixture and spinach.

Starting at the short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll.

Cut into 20 (1/2-inch) slices.

Place the slices cut-side down on the baking sheets.

Brush with the egg mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the swirls are golden.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

1. The actual recipe use Parmesan and Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese.
2. I have omitted the garlic powder in the actual recipe and added some Italian seasoning.

Enjoy the recipe! Have a great day!!

UPDATE:

I would like to send a few of my archived recipes to Sudeshna's First Blog Birthday event : Event for eggs.

Egg Biriyani
Egg Curry with Coconut Milk
Pineapple Fried Rice
Onion-omelette-sandwich with mushrooms

Happy 1st Birthday to your blog, Sudeshna!!

Homemade Lasagna with Spinach-Egg Pasta, Bechamel Sauce and Italian Sausage Ragu

Guess what!? Its time to reveal the Daring Baker challenge for the month of March. 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 (published by William Morrow and Company Inc., 1992) as the challenge. Our instructions included making homemade spinach-egg pasta, the challenge being rolling out the pasta by hand, preparing bechamel and if interested, making homemade Meat/Veg Ragu sauce.

I chose to do the Spinach-egg pasta, the bechamel and a Ragu sauce with fresh hot Italian Sausage. I wasnt very excited about doing this challenge, I almost didnt do it. The prospect of hand-rolling the pasta and lack of my previous experience in preparing any kind of lasagna played in my mind and I decided that most probably I wouldnt do it. But then my fellow Daring Bakers posted their succesful challenges in our forum and seeing their beautiful lasagnas encouraged me to do it. Still I wasnt too eager to try it out ......

My experience:

I decided to bake individual portions of lasagna so that I wouldnt have to take any chance that the lasagna would slip and get sloppy while cutting and serving.

I halved the recipe for the pasta, but still had to add 3 large eggs to make the dough. The initial dough was lumpy which turned smooth after a few minutes of kneading. The dough was left to rest for about 1 1/2 hours. The rolling-out part was a little tough, I finished mine by dividing the dough into quarters and rolling them out real thin on the counter. (Check out the picture).

Instead of cutting the pasta into long sheets, I cut them into 4" by 4" squares because of my idea to do individual portions. The pasta squares were dried at room temperature and kept in an air-tight container.

I prepared the bechamel sauce as per the instructions, but again halved the recipe. It was a very simple and quick recipe. I looooved the sauce, the taste and the color was perfect!! The addition of nutmeg really made a big difference in the taste of the sauce, it was amazing!!! I would love to try it out as a sauce for other dishes as well.

The meat ragu recipe given was a bit complicated with a lot of ingredients, I decided to go simple using just Fresh hot Italian Sausage (ground) for my meat ragu. Again, I halved the recipe and used about 9 1/2 oz. of ground sausage substituting it for all the other meats. Using minced onions, celery and carrots, I followed the recipe, using red cooking wine for deglazing. Actually when I browned the meat, no glaze was formed! ;-). I used one 14.5 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes and one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for the ragu. In the end I felt that I could probably reduce the amount of tomatoes by a little amount. The ragu was also deeelicous!! I was sampling it by spoonfuls in between the cooking.

Last night, I cooked the pasta in salted boiling water and as per my decision to bake the lasagna in individual portions, I made three double lined foil boxes, based on the size of the 4" pasta squares. The lasagna was layered with two sheets of pasta interlaced with the sauces and grated Parmesan cheese. The layers were finished off with a final layer of bechamel sauce and a generous dusting of grated Parmesan cheese. I got two lasagnas with 4 layers each and one with three layers. ( I lost a few sheets to extreme boiling in the water ;-)). I also came up a little short of bechamel for the last portion of the lasagna.

The foil boxes were covered with foil and the lasagnas were baked at 350F for about 30 minutes. The foil cover was taken off and baked for about 5 minutes. The lasagna was allowed to rest for 10 minutes in the oven with the door slightly ajar.

Results of the Taste test :

I must say that we liked the lasagna. JM said that the lasagna was delicious and he was happy with his share. Although I liked the lasagna, I am not too crazy about it. For me, the taste didnt justify the amount of work that went into it. It sure was a very time-consuming challenge. Eventhough the individual components of the lasagna were outstanding, they didnt come together to the degree I expected. I expected an explosion of outstanding flavors, but I didnt get it. (Maybe it was my seasoning!). Anyway, I accomplished atleast part of what I set out to do - a few firsts in my culinary journey - my first ever lasagna, first homemade pasta, my first bechamel. I also gave JM a lovely homemade meal and proudly completed the requirements of the Daring Bakers challenge. Eventhough I doubt I will make this again, I am happy that I tried this out. It sure was a delicious and satisfying meal.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)

(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows) #1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows) #2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows) #3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

Working Ahead:

The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:

Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:

Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:

Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:

Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.


#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)
Preparation: 45 minutes
Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)

10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:

Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:

With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:

If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.


#2 Bechamel
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.


#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)
Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes & Cooking time 2 hours
Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Working Ahead:

The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering:

Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Do check out the awesome "baked-masterpieces" of my fellow Daring Bakers. Check out my previous Daring Bakers Challenges here.

Entry to CLICK : March 2009


This picture of the lasagna is my entry to Click event of Jugalbandi for the theme Wood.

Cold Pasta Primavera

From the moment I tasted a Cold Pasta Primavera salad in a restaurant, I have been hooked!! The one that I had from the restaurant had sliced pepperoni, pickled jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, olives, mushrooms and a dressing that I couldnt really place (probably Italian dressing) and it tasted awesome!! I searched on the internet for a recipe that I could make at home and came across this particular recipe. It had been bookmarked for quite sometime when I finally decided that it was time for the recipe to come out of its anonimity!!

This recipe was definitely different than the one which I fell in love with. But it was delicious nonetheless. Neither JM nor I are excited about salads but both of us enjoyed this pasta. Even lil LM did her part by oggling over the colorful salad and finished off her share with some sphagetti sauce. I halved the amount of the dressing ingredients which still was a bit strong than I wanted. Check out the actual recipe here. The recipe given below is how I made the pictured salad. I didnt have a few ingredients specified in the recipe, so the one given below will be the actual recipe minus those ingredients.

Recipe:

Rotini twists (cooked) - 3 cups
Fresh petite sized mushrooms - sliced, 1/2 cup
Grape tomatoes - 1/4 cup
Green pepper - 1/2, thinly sliced
Pitted black olives - 1/2 cup, sliced

Dressing:

Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup*
Salad vinegar - 1/6 cup**
Chopped fresh parsley - 1/8 cup
Garlic, minced - 1 small clove
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Freshly ground pepper

Method:

Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine the pasta, olives, mushrooms, green pepper and tomatoes.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the veggies.

Combine well and refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.

Source: From the website Cooks.com

Tips:

1. I have omitted asparagus, red and yellow peppers, broccoli and fresh basil (looks like a lot! ;-)).
2. *1/3 cup vegetable oil was a bit too much for 3 cups of cooked pasta - definitely reduce it to 1/6 cup.
3. **1/6 cup of salad vinegar was a bit too tangy - reduce to 2 tbsp.
4. Refrigerate for atleast an hour because it will allow the pasta to absorb the flavors and will balance the tanginess of the salad vinegar. Since our pasta was tangy, we smothered it with sphagetti sauce and finished it off!

Hope you enjoy this recipe and have a great day!!

Cranberry - Pistachio Biscotti

I guess these days everybody is busy getting their Christmas trees and gifts, planning for a great Holiday celebration! We are excited too, but this is also the time that we miss our families the most! How I wish I could celebrate Christmas and the New Year with my family! But I guess this time around, its just me and my lil family here.

Oh boy, it sure feels like winter here in Minnesota!! With sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow-falls, you dont feel like doing much!! But then who can resist fresh home-baked goods on a cold wintry day!? And since they have a good storage life, they can be made in advance and makes for a great make-ahead homemade Christmas gift for your loved ones! I baked these Cranberry-Pistachio Biscottis a week before. The smell of these crisp Italian treat filling the house is a treat by itself! I had tried Hazelnut biscottis before, but this is my first experience with cranberries!! And I should say I like those lil cuties. For these, however, I used dried cranberries. I followed the recipe on www.joyofbaking.com. The whole batch disappeared in just two days! Snuggle up on a couch with a cup of hot cocoa and a few of these biscottis and trust me, you will be in heaven!

Recipe (Makes 16-20):

Granulated white sugar - 2/3 cup
Eggs - 2, large
Pure vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp
All-purpose flour - 1 3/4 cups
Shelled unsalted pistachios - 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped
Dried cranberries or cherries - 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped


Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep aside.

Beat the sugar and eggs on high speed using an electric mixer, until thick, pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

When the egg mixture falls back in ribbons when the beaters are raised, add in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together.

Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined.

Fold in the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into a log, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. (You might have to wet your hands with cold water to shape the dough into a log because the dough is really sticky).

Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Transfer the log to a cutting board and cut at an angle (diagonal) into 3/4 inch slices.

Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes, turn the slices over, and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Source: JoyofBaking.com

Tips:

Based on the past performances of my oven, I made a few changes to the recipe.

1. Instead of 350F, I preheated and baked at 325F.
2. The biscotti log was initially baked for 25 minutes.
3. After slicing the biscotti log, the individual biscottis were initially baked for 8 minutes, turned over and baked for another 7-8 minutes.
4. I used about 1/4 cup pistachios and 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries.

I am sending these to my own event "Santa's Holiday Challenge". Dont forget that its going to be a giveaway contest with first and second prizes. You can send as many entries as you would like.

I am also sending this to the "Homemade Christmas Gifts" @ My Kitchen Treasures, "Christmas feast event" at Purva's Daawat and "Eating with the seasons" at Maninas: Food Matters.

I am also sending these to Christmas Cookies event at Susan's food Blogga and Cookie Baking event at Sharmi's Neivedyam.

Wishing you all the best this season!!