Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Growing up, this recipe was like a unicorn.  It only came out a few times a year and required the use of a cast iron pan we NEVER saw until it was manicotti time.  Let me repeat that for you...this recipe requires it own pan!  How cool is that, it's a recipe that requires its own special equipment. Hmm, I'm not sensing the level of awe, wonder, and reverence that one should have when faced with a manicotti recipe of this caliber.  But that's okay, my enthusiasm is enough for all of us.

I can still remember sitting in the kitchen, watching my mother make the crepes.  Not in a creepy way, in an awe filled way.  Crepes have always seemed like they have this really intense creation process.  And it does.  It requires both precision and swiftness.  I'm still working on my technique.  Thankfully manicotti also involves sauce, so all of the not quite great looking crepes are hidden.

When I finally received the coveted family recipe (and MY very own special crepe pan), I was surprised to find out that crepes do not require a lot in the way of ingredients or batter-making effort.  Eggs, water, flour, salt and mix - that is it.  Very anti-climactic.  The creation process, however, is stressful.  You need a spoon that is just the right size to pour just the right amount of batter in the pan.  You need to swoop the pan at just the right time in just the right angle to get all of the batter all over the pan.  You need to leave the crepe for just the right amount of time before flipping. Oh my word, just thinking about it raises my blood pressure.

Or, I really could be exaggerating.  I am exaggerating.  But, you really do need to be quick.  More so because the crepes are meant to be this, which means they set after only a couple of seconds.  You are not trying to brown the crepes, they are not tortillas.  You want something that is firm but soft and pliable.  Does that sound weird when describing a food substance?  Whatever, it's accurate.  And tasty. Don't forget tasty.

The nice things is, once you master the technique and are comfortable making the crepes, you can use that recipe in so many other ways.  Oh how the jars of Nutella and bananas and strawberries dance in my head.  For now, though, it's time to make the manicotti.

Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

Crepes:

6 eggs - beaten
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Sauce:

1 onion - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage - casings removed
28 oz. crushed tomatoes in puree
6 oz. tomato paste
2 Tbsp parsley - chopped
1/2 c. basil leaves - chopped

Cheese filling:

2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. mozzarella - shredded
4 oz creamy goat cheese
2 eggs
1 Tbsp parsley - chopped
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

I recommend making everything in the same order as I listed the ingredients, i.e., make the crepes, then make the sauce, then make the filling.  You want the crepes to cool down before the assembly begins.

Begin with the crepes and in a large bowl combine the flour and salt.  In another bowl, beat the eggs with the water then add to the dry ingredients.  Beat together then let stand for 5 minutes.

While the mixture stands, preheat your 6 1/2 inch cast iron skillet greased with olive oil.  When ready, pour a scant amount of the crepe mixture into the pan and allow it to cover the entire surface.  Once the mixture is set, flip.

Cook for a few more seconds then move to a plate to cool.  Repeat.  This mixture should make approximately 40 crepes.

While the crepes are cooling, move on to the sauce.  Also, at this point, turn on the oven and set to 350F.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until tender, approximately 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and give a couple of stirs.  Add the sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking up the links as they cook.

Once the sausage is no longer pink add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, and basil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 20 minutes.

Isn't great how everything looks so unappetizing while you are making it?

While the sauce simmer, move on to the filling.  Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, goat cheese, eggs, parsley, Parmesan, and salt.  I realize making the filling was extra difficult but have no fear, we're almost done.

Making the manicotti

Line up all of your main necessities - 9x13 casserole dish, sauce, cheese, crepes.  Coat the bottom of the casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce.  Take one crepe,

slap a spoonful of cheese filling into the center,

I realize I'm not winning any awards for this photo, but it gets the point across.

flop one side over,

and then the other.

And we have achieved crepehood!

Now you will need to repeat this about 15 more times, placing each one into the casserole dish.

Create alternating layers of sauce and crepes until you are out of crepes.  Be sure to reserve enough sauce to end with a sauce layer.

Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes or so.  It is ready when the sauce is bubbling.

I love this recipe.  It is one of my all time favorite family meals and making the crepes instead of using store bought shells add a nice personal touch to the meal. Pair it with a side salad and you are good to go. 

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed artichokes have been on my mind for awhile.  They are a fun meal that require any annoying amount of prep works, which is why it took so long to muster up the nerve to actually put a recipe together.  Obviously I put a little twist into the typical artichoke stuffing and this twist was crab meat.

I'm not really sure why I decided on crab meat, but it was one of those random ideas and it got stuck in my head.  So I rolled with it.  FYI...crab meat is not cheap, so feel free to not to use it.  I, however, really enjoyed the addition.  It provided just a light, added flavor.

Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

4 artichokes

2 c. Seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 c. crab meat - finely shredded

1/4 c. blanched slivered almonds - toasted

3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp Parsley - chopped

1/4 c. olive oil + 2 Tbsp

Directions:

First, prep your artichoke for stuffing.  Cut the stem and snip off the pointed tips of the leaves.  Rap the artichoke on the counter a couple of times to help separate the leaves to allow for easier stuffing. I also suggest snipping as many points off the leaves at the center of the artichokes.

Preheat a small skillet on the stove and lightly toast the almonds.  It should only take about three minutes.

Mix the breadcrumbs, crab meat, almonds, cheese, and parsley.  Slowly add the 1/4 cup of olive oil, mixing the filling just until it moistens and is "pack-able."

Stuff each artichoke, pressing the stuffing down to make sure each one is completely stuffed and you get a bit of stuffing each time you remove a leaf.

Place the artichokes into a dutch oven and add about 1 1/2 inches of water.  Add the rest of the olive oil to the water.

Place the dutch oven on the stove and bring the water to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 80 minutes or until the leaves become soft enough to pull out easily.

Because these were steamed, they will not have a browned, crunchy top.  They are however, just as good, and on a hot day it's nice to not have the oven going for over an hour.

These made a great light lunch and the almonds provided a nice contrast in the stuffing's texture.

Chicken Pot Pie

I love roasting a chicken because of all the things you get to do with it afterwards... stock, soup, pot pie, sandwiches, etc.  Today, let's talk pot pie.

Crust:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks cold butter
~ 1/2 c. ice water

Filling:

1 white potato - peeled and diced
3 cipolline onions - chopped
1 c. mixed vegetables
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
2 c. chicken - cooked and shredded
2 c. stock
Salt and pepper to taste

You can begin this a couple days in advance since you can leave the pastry dough in the refrigerator for up to two days.  But you need to at least give yourself an hour for the dough to rest in the refrigerator.

Combine flour and salt, then add butter cut into chunks.  Using a pastry cutter, but the butter into the dry ingredients.

Once the butter is about the size of large peas, begin to add the ice water.  Only do a tablespoon or two at a time.  Continue cutting the ingredients together and adding the water until, once you press it between your fingers, it stays together.

Dump the dough onto a clean surface.  Divide into two equal portions.

 

 

Knead dough just enough to create a firm disc, then wrap in cling wrap and place in fridge for at least 1 hour, up to two days.

 

 

When you are ready to create the crusts, take one disc at a time out of the fridge and roll out to a 10 inch round.  Place the first round into a greased and floured 9 inch pie dish.

 

Now, on to the filling!

 

Boil diced potato until you can pierce them with a fork.  Melt butter in a sauté pan and then add chopped onions.  I use cipolline onions because of their smell after they have been cooked in butter.  It increases the anticipation of the finished product.

 

Cook onion until tender then add flour.  Mix thoroughly then add stock and milk.  Simmer until thickened.  Thickening took me about 7 minutes.  Add vegetables, potatoes, and chicken.  Taste test then add salt and pepper until satisfied.

 

 

Add the filling to the pie dish.  I promise, it will all fit!

 

 

Place the top crust over the filling and crimp edges.  Make four slits to allow steam to vent during cooking.

 

Place pie in oven, preheated to 425F.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Remove when crust is golden brown.  Let cool for about 10 minutes then enjoy!





The Great Greek Chicken Escapade

Oddly enough, while I was in high school, I excelled at English and found myself in the AP English class my senior year.  At one point we were doing a Greek mythology section and to cap it we were all assigned a food dish and Greek god/goddess.  We were to make our dishes, dress up, and attend an end-of-section feast at our teacher's house.  My dish was Greek Turkey.  I followed the original recipe to the letter but have since adjusted it to my own taste.  Don't ask for the original recipe because this was *cough* 17 *cough* years ago in the dark ages of AOL and Prodigy dial-up connections.  My teacher just handed me a sheet of paper with the recipe on it.  What became of it is anyone's guess.  What I can tell you is that whether you use my recipe or go to Google or Pintrest for other versions, it will make your entire house smell like food nirvana.

For today's kitchen adventure however, we start with a substitution.  We are doing Greek Chicken.  I am a single lady and as much as I enjoy cooking for an army, the average turkey is a bit much, so a smaller chicken it is.

Greek Turkey Chicken

 

Ingredients:

 

1 oven - set to 350F

1 roasting pan

1 whole chicken - 8 - 10 labs
3 lemons (plus 1 optional squirt of lemon juice concentrate)

6 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp oregano

1 stick butter

 

Preheat oven to 350F.

 

Wash bird inside and out, then place in roasting pan.

 

Put 1 Tbsp of oregano and 4 whole garlic cloves inside the bird.

Cut lemons in half.  Now, here you have a choice - be neat and juice them into a bowl or do what I do.  Squeeze out juice from lemons onto bird and dump 1 Tbsp of oregano onto it as well.  Rub down the bird.  Take 2 of the used halves and place inside the bird.

Take the other 4 halves and place 1 into each corner of the roasting pan.

Place the bird in the oven.

On stove top melt butter, add 2 cloves of garlic - crushed, and the optional lemon squirt.  This is used for basting.

My preferred basting schedule is as follows:

• After first 30 minutes - baste with butter mixture
• Then, baste every 15 minutes for a total of 1 hour - baste with butter mixture
• Then, baste every 30 minutes until bird is done - baste with own juices.

If you are heavy handed with the basting brush and run out of butter before my suggested end time, don't worry about it.  By the time you run out, there should be plenty of buttery lemony goodness in the roasting pan to use.

I absolutely adore this recipe.  For me, it is simple and easy as long as you have several hours set aside for cooking.  It smells amazing and because the primary flavorings are lemon and oregano, the turkey chicken has a light fresh taste.

If you are wondering about sides, I am a huge fan of the sweet potato.  I would also suggest roasted fingerling potatoes.  Fingerlings roast up pretty quick and can therefore be done while the bird rests.  For greens, whatever is in season is always the most flavorful, but otherwise some salted green beans can add some nice crunch to the meal.  I went with salad on this particular occasion.