RECIPE: REC: Whole Pumpkin Custards with Maple Syrup T&T

RECIPE:
Sutzukakia

Sutzukakia

Ingredients
700 gr ground beef
2 eggs
2 slices of bread
1 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped
6 cloves garlic finely chopped
cumin
1 finely chopped onion
1 tbsp vinegar
1 kg unpeeled ripe tomatoes
150 gr olive oil
1 wine-glass red wine
1/2 tsp sugar
200 gr all purpose flour
oil for frying
salt-pepper

Preparation
Soak the slices of bread in a bowl full of
water. Take out of the bowl and squeeze. In a
large bowl mix the bread, the ground beef,
the eggs, the garlic, the onion, the parsley,
the vinegar, salt and pepper. Form the
mixture into small cylinders and let in the
fridge for an hour. Flour them and lightly
fry in a skillet till golden. Drain in a
paper towel. Prepare the sauce by mixing in a
dutch oven half of the olive oil, 2 tbsp
flour, the wine, the tomatoes diced, the
cumin and the sugar. Stir thoroughly till
sauce is thickened. add the fried meat balls
and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot with
pilaf rice.

 
REC: Manicotti. This is a specialty of mine. My family often has it for Christmas, and so

my sister, SIL and I get together in fall and make tons of it because it freezes so well. I use crepes, but I have also used squares of fresh pasta or pre-made manicotti tubes, both boiled briefly. I've never made a small amount, but you could cut the recipe in half.

This started as my great-aunt's recipe, but the filling is out of The Joy of Cooking.

MANICOTTI

Makes 40 manicotti; serves 20

CREPE BATTER:

Mix in a blender, in 2 or 3 batches:

18 eggs
3 cups milk
Big pinch of salt
1-2/3 cups flour

Pour into a bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator to rest for a couple of hours, so the flour will absorb the liquid.

TOMATO SAUCE:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbs. butter, in pieces
3 cups finely chopped onion
8 large cloves garlic, minced
4 28-oz. cans plum tomatoes, pureed in a blender
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
About 1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried, crumbled)
3 Tbs. (or more) minced fresh basil, (or 1 Tbs. dried, crumbled.) Mince just before adding so it won't darken
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until surface is rippled. Add butter and swirl until melted. Add onion and saute until soft but not brown, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, and seasonings. Rinse out the cans with a little water and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool.

CHEESE FILLING

2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup milk
Salt, pepper and nutmeg

7 cups (4 lb.) whole milk ricotta cheese
4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
2 cups coarsely grated whole milk mozzarella
4 beaten eggs

Make a white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time. Bring to a boil, stirring. Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes. Season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and let cool.

Mash the ricotta into the white sauce. Add the other cheeses. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the eggs.

ASSEMBLY:

Melt a few Tbs. butter. Grate a little more mozzarella and/or Paresan for topping. Spread a thin layer of sauce in each of four 9" x 13" baking dishes.

Brush an 9-inch crepe pan, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet with butter. Heat over medium heat. Stir up the crepe batter (the flour settles to the bottom) and add a scant 1/4 cup to the hot pan, tilting the pan as you do so to cover the bottom evenly. Place over heat and cook until batter is set and edges are beginning to brown. Don't flip. Loosen edges with a spatula and slide out, soft side up, onto your work surface. (The first crepe is usually a dud. Try again.)

Brush the pan with more butter and make the next crepe. While it cooks spread about 1/4 cup filling in a sausage shape across the bottom of the first crepe and roll it up like an enchilada. Place seam side down in the pan. Continue making and filling crepes, stirring up the batter often and brushing the pan with butter as necessary, until the filling is used up. You should fill all four pans. (This goes very fast with one person making crepes in two pans and two others filling and rolling) Top each manicotti with a thin layer of sauce and a spinkling of cheese.

You can wrap and freeze the manicotti at this point, and freeze the remaining sauce separately. Thaw completely before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Bake manicotti until puffed and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Let sit a few minutes. Reheat sauce. Serve with sauce and grated Parmesan.

All you need for a satisfying meal is a green salad and good bread. Grilled or sauteed Italian sausages are good with it too.

 
Marsha: crust questions...Do you use unsalted butter? Your directions said "form

into pie pan", so this is a press-in crust not a rolled crust?

 
Have tried it? Would be good to get away from trans fats when baking, and

at this time palm oil, although high in saturated fats seem to be one answer. Thanks

 
Luisa..the original recipe says to press into the pan. We've just recently finished our remodeling;

that's the last pie I made before I didn't even have a kitchen to boil pasta in. So bear with me while I try to remember what happened with the crust.

I did use unsalted butter and I probably used Gold Medal flour; since then i'm starting to use King Arthur's flour for things. I hadn't used it then.

I always roll out my dough. I've learned to let my dough rest first in the refrig, I didn't back then, so maybe that's why I had a little bit of a problem.

But that's what is so wonderful about that pastry. I remember vaguley having it either fall apart as I was trying to put in the dish, I can't remember really rolling it out, I probably did and it probably tore apart. Anyway I remember being a little upset about it and literally just pressing it into my dish and where there were breaks or holes I'd press more pastry into it.

When we cut the pie and then ate it we all just couldn't believe how light and flaky and tasty the crust was. I was so encouraged because I'd made such an unordinary amount of a mess with it.

After the taste test I decided that's the crust recipe for me. I'm guessing next time I make it (in a few short weeks) now that I will definitely let it rest in the refrig for a while, I bet it won't fall apart so much with me.

Previous to this I'd used the pastry with the vinegar in that Womans Day (?) touted a few years ago; then I used Martha's pate brisee. I've never had a problem with rolling them out or placing them into the dish, but the difference is the delicateness of this other pastry, the fact that you really don't have to handle it very much, just put it in the dish and press it into place probably is what this Chef intended.

I hope you enjoy it!

 
My pleasure. I can't take credit for the crepe idea; lot of Italians use them,

though I think they call them "crespelli."

Do use whole milk cheeses if you try it. It makes all the difference in the world.

 
REC: Poulet Moutard ...Is this the recipe, Randi? It does have vinegar in it.

REC: Poulet Moutard - mustard chicken
this was taught to me by a friend who lived in Paris for many years.
it's so easy and I've always gotten raves for it.

Poulet Moutard (mustard chicken)

chicken breasts - as many as you need for your dinner. if you are
using boneless and skinless just make sure you coat them well.
in a shallow roasting pan, large enough to hold the breasts without
crowding too much, place the chicken breasts. if using whole breasts,
place them skin side down. using Dijon mustard, coat each breast
with a thick layer of mustard, approx. 1 1/2 tbs. per breast. coarsely grind
black pepper over the coated chicken and be very generous with the
pepper. turn chicken over and repeat with the mustard and pepper.
sprinkle the chicken with white wine vinegar being generous but
not really soaking them. place in a 375o oven and bake for 30 - 45 min.
or until the juices run clear. serve with oven roasted veggies or
whatever you have in the frig. if you are feeling daring you can mix
the mustard with some heavy cream before coating the chicken.

enjoy!

 
REC: Chicken in vinegar sauce...Aha! I love a challenge

REC: Chicken in vinegar sauce - T&T plus a saute question
having Peggy & Linda cook for me is inspiring
and that's an understatement! their meals
are awesome. I've decided to go back to some
favorites I haven't made in ages while I get
my kitchen "grove" back. this is a long time
fav. I can't find the gourmet recipe for it
that I used for years but this one is every
bit as good and I've been using it. enjoy.

Volaille Fermiere au Vinaigre
(Farmhouse Chicken in Vinegar Sauce)

1 3 1/2 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbs. olive oil
6 tbs. butter
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 shallots, peeled and minced
1 cup cider vinegar mixed with a drop of
honey
1 cup Riesling or other dry but fruity white
wine
1 tbs. tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley

1. rinse chicken, pat dry and season with
salt & pepper. heat oil and 2 tbs. butter in
a large skillet over medium high heat. add
half the chicken, skin side down and brown,
turning once, about 10 minutes per side.
remove and set aside. repeat process with
remaining chicken. remove from pan and pour
off most of the fat, leaving just enough to
thinly coat the skillet.

2. reduce heat to medium, add garlic and
shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until
soft, about 5 minutes. deglaze skillet with
vinegar and wine, scraping brown bits off
bottom with a wooden spoon. reduce vinegar
mixture by about one third, 3 - 5 minutes,
then stir in tomato paste. return chicken to
skillet, pour in stock and simmer for 10 - 15
minutes. turn chicken and continue cooking
until juices from chicken run clear, about 15
minutes. (if sauce becomes too thick, thin
with a small amount of chicken stock or
water.)

3. remove chicken from skillet with a fork
and set aside. increase heat to medium-high,
skim foam from sauce and continue cooking
until sauce is thick and glossy, about 5
minutes. cut remaining butter into sauce.
adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
(sauce should be smooth but tart; add
additional vinegar if desired.) return
chicken to skillet, turning to coat evenly
with sauce. to serve, transfer chicken and
sauce to a serving platter and garnish with
parsley.

Chef Philippe Gaertner
Saveur 1/97

although this recipe is Alsatian it goes very
well with a simple polenta or risotto.

now for the question. other than using a
non-stick skillet how do you keep the chicken
skin from sticking to the pan while sautéing?
I know there must be a way to it but mine
always sticks and pulls the skin off.

 
yes i have tried it and dont notice any difference, although i have not for pie crust

Cooks illustrated also tried it and gave it good marks. And yes it is high in saturated fat but i think that that is a given with "solid" fats

daryl

 
oh, the poulet moutard is a recipe I posted way back, simple and good. the one I'm looking

for is different. thanks f smileys/smile.gif

 
that's it!!!! thank you!!! it's a really good recipe. I couldn't pull it up in a search on

the swamp and finally went to using my name to get my recipes. which is a really good decision as there are so many I had forgotten about.

I know I still have the Saveur magazine with it in it but couldn't remember it was Saveur. I've been craving this for months!

you're a doll!

 
I can't wait to try this. I've never seen a manicotti recipe that incorporates

the balsamela into the cheese filling. it sounds heavenly.

do you prefer the crepes over the pasta tubes? I have other recipes that use the crepes like this but haven't tried them.

thanks for posting smileys/smile.gif

 
impressive "snarfle-ing" '-)) wish you had started a "greek" thread and we could have

gotten some of Evelyn's gems in there too.

whatever happened to those two?

 
I think that little bit of white sauce keeps the cheese from separating. Like I said,

the filling is from The Joy of Cooking verbatim and I never dared leave out the bechamel.

And now I know how to say it in Italian!

I think the crepes are a nice change from pasta. These crepes are very soft and eggy--they really melt in your mouth.

 
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