Farmers' Market Friday ~ Cheesy and Delicious {TGK Mama's Eggplant Parmesan}

Eggplant is in all its glory at the market right now. A member of the genus Solanum, it is related to both the tomato and the potato. A native of the Indian subcontinent, it was there that it was domesticated from wild nightshade which is highly poisonous. This relationship is why it was once believed to be extremely poisonous too. Today, it is known that the the leaves and blossoms can be poisonous due to their solanine content (the same chemical that is responsible for the green tint and sprouting of potatoes, and the reason those green potatoes shouldn't be eaten). However, the amounts present in the blossoms and leaves is so small that one would have to consume enormous quantities of them to feel any ill effects.

Not to worry, no leaves or blossoms are used in the Texas Girl Mama's simple and delicious recipe for Eggplant Parmesan - just the rich, meaty eggplant fruit which is fried in a cornmeal batter (which fooled me when I was a kid into thinking this was some sort of fried fish fillets), layered with fresh Parmesan, tomato sauce and spices and topped with mozzarella and then baked to bubbly perfection. Because this is one of those handed down things which hasn't ever been written down, this recipe is a series of guideposts, a suggestion of the process for making a dish of deliciousness rather than a lockstep, carved in stone, recipe. (Which is pretty much how all cooking goes in my kitchen.)

For this recipe, here's the market shopping list: 

• Eggplant

• Eggs

If making your own sauce, you'll also want: 

• Olive oil

• Tomatoes (if you want to make your own sauce)

• Garlic (coming to the end of its season but still might be able to get some)

TGK Mama's Eggplant Parmesan

• 4 medium eggplants

• 6-8 oz of fresh shaved Parmesan cheese (Currently, I'm liking a product in the HEB product line called Bellafoglia (which means beautiful leaves in Italian) it is thin sheet-like pieces of quite good Parmesan cheese and can be found with the hanging bags of shredded cheeses.)

• 8 oz of grated mozzarella cheese

• 1 to 2 C of tomato sauce (either purchased, canned or make your own sauce - I'll provide a quick recipe below)

• cornmeal

• white flour

• garlic powder

• Italian herbs (either fresh or dried) oregano, basil

• canola oil for frying

1. Prepare eggplant. Cut off stem and blossom ends. Slice eggplant into 1/2 in thick slices (either cross-wise into rounds or length-wise into oblong ovals - your choice). In a shallow dish mix approximately one cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup flour, and 2 tsp garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat 2- 3 eggs until frothy. 
2. In a large skillet, add enough canola oil to reach a depth of 1/2 - 3/4 inches. Heat over medium high heat. While waiting for oil to warm, dip several eggplant slices in the egg wash and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Place eggplant slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes) flip and brown on other side. Remove cooked slices to a pan lined with papertowels. Continue until all eggplant is fried. (If you run out of eggwash or cornmeal dredge, mix up a bit more.)
3. In a 9x13 baking dish, pour a bit of tomato sauce and spread to cover entire bottom of pan. Add one layer of fried eggplant, top with a sprinkle of the Parmesan, a sprinkle of Italian herbs, a sprinkle of mozzarella and more tomato sauce. Continue layering and finally top with a generous layer of the shredded mozzarella.
4. Place baking dish into a 350F oven and bake until cheese is melted and tomato sauce is bubbly and entire dish is heated through (about 30 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to rest 10-15 minutes and then cut into squares for serving. Enjoy!  

Quick & Easy Tomato Sauce

• 2 Cups tomatoes cut into chunks with juices saved

• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 5 Tbsp olive oil

• basil, salt and pepper to taste

1. Put tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a saucepan, turn on heat to medium high. Cook for 20-25 minutes (it is ready when the oil floats free from the tomato). 
2. Off heat, if using, mix in the torn basil leaves and stir well.
3. Sauce may be chunky, if you prefer a smoother sauce, blend with the blending device of your choice (immersion blender is mine.) 

This dish makes for a wonderful freeze now - eat later dish as well.  Just add a fresh Caprese salad of tomatoes and you're all set for a delicious dinner!
Happy Cooking! 
sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Resourceful {Italian Wedding Soup}

For this recipe, there is no real back story, no historical references, no personal significance. I just happened to have a recipe pop up in an email newsletter that I get and the sound of the dish captured my attention. Italian Wedding Soup. To me, it just sounds so alluring: delicious meatballs floating in warm broth with wilted greens, Romano and Parmesan cheeses and I knew I had to make it. And then, I saw that making of meatballs was involved. Now, don't get me wrong, I can make a mean meatball, but I had no strong desire to do so. I wanted results without all the work. That's when it clicked - the bag of frozen meatballs that El Syd and I picked up during a recent foray to the Costco. I know. I know. I KNOW! Store-bought meatballs. I am as shocked as you are. But, let me tell you, (as I'm sure you well know)  you can try things at Costco before you buy them. I love that. I don't want a five pound bag of something that is horrid. So, on that last trip there, we sampled the meatballs (Italian-style meatballs) and they were quite amazing. Beef, Romano and Parmesan cheeses that almost taste as if they've been charbroiled. I highly recommend them for a quick Italian style dinner and, after last night's experiment, they are the perfect way to make Italian Wedding Soup a weeknight possibility.

Italian Wedding Soup (serves 6-8)

• 3/4 - 1 lb pre-made, store-bought meatballs (should be about 25 or so meatballs depending upon size) (or homemade meatballs if you prefer)
• 2 lg eggs
• 1/4 C grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 C chicken stock
• 1 bunch kale, trimmed and cut or torn into bite sized pieces; about 6 lightly packed cups ( I used baby kale that I found near the salad greens in our market - super tender and eliminated the need for cutting)

1. Cook meatballs in oven according to package directions. While they are cooking, in a large 4-6 qt dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over med-high heat and add onion and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent and the garlic is softened (about 5 minutes.)
2. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add the greens (I ended up grabbing 6 handfuls of greens from the container- as stated above about 6 loose cups.) Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer to let the greens wilt & cook into the broth (about 10 minutes). Add meatballs and cook another 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs and add in cheeses. Stir with a fork to blend. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot soup, stirring constantly to created cooked streamers of egg in the soup. Cover and simmer for about 1 minute to ensure eggs set up. 
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add some red pepper flakes to the bowls of your spice lovers and a bit of lemon juice for a perked up bit of brightness.
5. Serve and enjoy!

We really loved this soup. It was warm and satisfying without being overly heavy. We served it with some calzones that I whipped up as well and it was the perfect soup and "sandwich" combo for a chilly, overcast Sunday supper. Considering how easy it is to make with the help of those pre-made meatballs,  this could easily be pulled off in under an hour for a weeknight meal. Leftovers can be kept for about 3 days and reheated gently on low, it would make a great lunch item to take to work during the week.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Basic Pizza Dough

There are as many different "best ways" to make pizza dough as their are pizzerias in the world. I don't proclaim this as the one, true way to make dough, but it is a pretty simple one and ends in a good result. Try your hand at it and then start messing around with the ratios and ingredients to get to a crust you like. Also, remember that you can vary the thickness of the dough to your liking. 

Basic Dough (yield 2 12-14 in. pizza crusts)

• 1 Cup water (lukewarm to help yeast activate)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) dry, active yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
• 2 1/2 to 3 Cups of flour 

Note: bread flour has increased gluten and will yield a crust with a more chewy texture than plain ol' all purpose flour - you can also sub in whole wheat flour; I've found that up to half the flour can be whole wheat with good results. Any more than that and you might find it too dry and cracker-ish.

1. Dissolve the sugar, yeast and salt in lukewarm water (and olive oil, if using)
2. Allow mixture to sit until yeast begins to bloom and mixture gets foamy (about 5-7 minutes)
3. Add flour starting with 2 cups and adding more as needed to make a soft, smooth dough.
4. Knead the dough (either with your hands on a floured surface, or in your mixer or bread machine) until it is smooth and elastic (about 7-10 minutes).
5. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container and cover it so the bread dough doesn't form a skin and begin to dry out. Let it rise for 1-2 hours (until the dough doubles in size)
6. Gently deflate the dough, and divide into 2 pieces. Roll each piece, on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, into approximately a 12 -14 in circle (depending on your preference for crust thickness) If dough seems to want to spring back to a smaller size, let rest for a few minutes so that it will relax. Then, continue with rolling.
7. Place the rounds on pizza pans; or baking sheets; or if you have a pizza stone in your oven, on parchment. (For pizza on the grill see notes below.)
8. Preheat your oven to 450F. While it is heating, top your pizza dough rounds.
9. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove when crust is golden and toppings are to your liking.

To Grill pizza: Rather than cooking pizza indoors, they can be cooked on your grill which provides a smoky flavor to your crust and toppings & in the summer is a great way to keep you from heating up the whole kitchen.

1. Prepare grill to about 450 F.
2. Prepare dough rounds as described above sprinkling one side liberally with corn meal to prevent it from sticking to your pan or pizza peel 
3. Place pizza dough rounds (untopped) on grill and allow to cook partially. Bring rounds into the house and flip so that the ungrilled side is now the bottom. 
4. Brush grilled top with some olive oil and then top with your selected toppings.
5. Return pizzas to grill and remove when done to your liking.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Culinary Cousins {Baked Crespelle with Tomato, Spinach and Cheese}

As I've become more educated about food and cooking, I have been so intrigued to discover the connections and similarities of cultures through the foods that are eaten. The more you search, the more common denominators you find - it seems like there are basic dishes or preparations that each culture puts there own mark on via the core ingredients and spices used.

For instance, take a look at a Chinese dumpling or wonton; dough shell filled with meat and/or vegetable filling and then either steamed, cooked in broth or pan fried. Pierogi? From Central and Eastern Europe; dough shell filled with potato, minced meat, cheese, fruit or sauerkraut. They're usually boiled, then pan-fried in butter with onions. Ravioli? Italian; dough filled shell filled with anything from meat to cheese to vegetables or any combination of those. Samosa? India/Southeast Asia; dough filled with potatoes, onions, peas, lentils and then deep fried.  Are you sensing a pattern here? 

Even foods that you might think of as symbolic of one particular country or culture have cross-cultural cousins - like crêpes which scream "France!" Made by pouring a fairly thin batter onto a buttered hot flat pan, and then swirling the batter in the pan to cover the bottom, a thin pancake is formed. Savory crepes are often served filled with ham and cheese, mushrooms, caramelized onions, artichokes or even ratatouille. Folded in half and then half again, they are served from stands as a snack to be eaten on the go. However, the French aren't the only ones who enjoy a good savory pancake - so do the Italians. Yup, that's right, crespelle (say cres-pell-ay) are very thin pancakes made from a batter of milk, flour and eggs sauteed in butter. Italians treat these as if they were pasta wrappers and stuff them with savory meat, cheese or vegetable fillings.

As I searched the freezer for something to make for dinner, I happened upon a stack of frozen crêpes that I'd made a while back (okay, about 18 mos back for a crepe party we had.) Thinking it was time to clear them out, and thinking that they might not be so great after such a long time in the freezer, I decided that a baked dish that smothers them in sauce and cheese would be a good plan.  Here's what I did:

Layered Crespelle with Tomato, Spinach, and Cheese

8-9 crespelle(thin pancakes) - recipe to follow, or crêpes made in a comparable way 

Sauce:

• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tsp chopped garlic
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 C canned diced tomatoes (Italian plum tomatoes if you can find them)
• salt

Filling:

• 1/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 C mozzarella (fresh, finely diced) (if you can't find fresh, shredded mozzarella will work too)
• 1 bunch spinach, rough chopped and sauteed in olive oil (could also use frozen spinach; defrosted and squeezed of the excess water)
• butter for greasing the pan

1. Make pancakes and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400F
3. Make sauce: In a medium sauce pan, put olive oil and garlic and heat to medium. Cook until garlic becomes pale gold in color (Be sure to stir and not let the garlic turn dark as it will become bitter and ruin your sauce.)
4. Add the parsley and cook for about a minute; stirring  a couple of times. 
5. Add the tomatoes and their juice and a pinch of salt.
6. Stirring occasionally, cook at a steady simmer for about 15 minutes. Tomato liquid should reduce and separate from the oil. Remove from heat.
7. Smear a 9 in round cake pan with butter (just a light coating) Select the largest pancake and place it on the bottom of the pan. Coat it with a thin layer of tomato sauce (Keep in mind that you will be repeating for all of the pancakes- ~8 more times; be conservative with the sauce.)
8. Sprinkle with Parmesan, mozzarella and sauteed spinach. Cover with another pancake and continue this layering procedure until you've used up all fo the pancakes and the fillings. (Leave just enough sauce to smear the top pancake and enough grated Parmesan to sprinkle the top.)
9. Bake in the upper part of the oven for about 15 minutes. Serve from pan or for a nicer presentation, transfer to a serving platter. Allow the pie to sit for a few minutes before slicing into pie wedges and serving (Can also be served at room temp.)

Crespelle

Batter

• 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C milk
• 1/4 C water
• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted (plus some extra for cooking the crepes in the pan)

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. (My preferred method is to place all of the ingredients into a plastic pitcher and use an immersion blender to blend well.)
2. Let batter stand for 30 minutes (or covered, it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days). This rest time will allow the flour to absorb the liquid and for the gluten in the flour to relax.
3. Place a nonstick or seasoned crepe pan over medium heat and coat with a little butter.  stir the batter and pour about a 1/4 C into the pan. Lift pan off heat and rotate and tilt the pan until the batter coats the bottom and forms a very thin layer.
4. Cook until the underside is golden. Turn using a spatula or your fingers (fingers work best) and cook the other side until it is lightly browned.
5. Remove the cooked crêpes to a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper. Continue cooking rest of batter, buttering pan and stirring the batter before each one.a
6. Stack finished crêpes between sheets of the paper. 
7. Use right away or let cool, place in airtight container, and refrigerate for a few days or freeze for one month (although, my 18 mo old crêpes were quite good.)

Next time you're up for something a little different, you might want to give these a whirl. The most labor intensive part is the crêpe making, but if you can make pancakes, you can make these. The lightness is a delicious alternative to a traditional pasta when thinking about Italian dishes. Combined with the tomato sauce, spinach and cheese, this is a knockout combination.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Tiramisu Squares

The PTA at my children's elementary school has a hospitality committee that coordinates luncheons for the teachers and staff about once a month. They are usually thematic: soup and salads, flavors of Mexico, baked potatoes, etc. This month, the theme was Italian. I signed up to bring a couple of savory items and a dessert. Many times at home, when we have an Italian themed party, I like to serve a classic tiramisu. I make individual servings in some of my mother's antique crystal goblets rather than a large trifle to be scooped and served.

However, for a take-it-to-school luncheon, that wasn't really going to work. It needed to be something easily divisible, easily transported, but ultimately delicious. I thought of a number of other choices - brownies? blondies? pecan squares? They are all great, but my mind kept returning to tiramisu.

I mean, why wouldn't it? Tiramisu (literally meaning 'to lift me up' or 'to pick me up' and metaphorically meaning to make me happy) is made of ladyfingers dipped in espresso, layered with a marscapone custard that is flavored with Marsala, and cocoa. It totally fits both meanings - with a heaping scoop of dee-lish on top.

So, yes, this had to be changed up to suit this Italian luncheon. Taking a few liberties with the original recipe for tiramisu by subbing cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk for the marscapone and custard, and replacing marsala with Kahlua,  here's the recipe: 

Tiramisu Squares

Ladyfinger Crust:

• 2 C of crumbs of Biscotti Savoiardi ladyfingers (16 cookies) (I used Alessi brand which can be found in the international foods aisle or specialty Italian section of the grocery store (see note below)) 

• 2 Tbsp of sugar

• 1/2 C butter, melted

Filling Layer: 

• 2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened (reduced fat/neufchatel will work as well)

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder(find near the instant coffee)

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

• 1 C chocolate chips (preferably semi-sweet or dark chocolate)

Topping Layer:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened

• 3/4 C heavy whipping cream

• 1 Tbsp Kahlua liqueur (optional)

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• Ground chocolate or cocoa powder for garnish, optional

• For crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 in cake pan (I used pyrex). In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter until the crumbs have been evenly moistened. Dump this mixture into the pan and then, using slightly dampened hands, press firmly and evenly to create a level crust that fills the bottom of the pan.  Bake for about 10 minutes until crust is set and lightly golden. Remove pan from oven and let crust cool completely before adding the filling.

• For filling: While crust cools, in the bowl of a stand mixer (or medium sized bowl if using a hand mixer)  beat the two packages of cream cheese until smooth. Add in the condensed milk and beat until well-blended. Then, beat in the coffee powder, vanilla, and eggs.

• Stir the chocolate chips into the filling mixture and pour over the baked biscotti crust. Bake at 350F until the edges are set (the center will be mostly set, but not completely) As all ovens cook differently keep an eye on this but it should take about 25-35 minutes. Cool at room temp for 30 minutes and then pop into the fridge for at least another 30 minutes to cool completely.

• Once the baked cheesecake is cooled, prepare the topping. In a small bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment) beat the whipping cream, sugar and Kahlua(if using), until soft peaks form. Then, beat in the 4 oz of cream cheese until the topping is fluffy. 

• Spread the topping over the cooled cheesecake and sift the powdered chocolate or cocoa over the top. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled and then cut into squares. Store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.

Note: Try to find the biscotti ladyfingers (Follow link to see package: this) rather than the soft spongy ladyfingers that can sometimes be found in the refrigerated bakery section of the store. If you can only find the spongy ones, then you will need to toast them in the oven until crisp so that they can be broken into crumbs - then proceed as detailed above.)
These turned out better than I imagined and as I didn't receive my foil pan back with any leftovers, I'm assuming they were well received at the luncheon as well. They are a good mix of not-so-sweet cream cheese and chocolate mixed with the tooth-hurting sweetness of the condensed milk. A sort of sharp-sweet, chocolately-coffee delight that fits the bill when you need a "pick me up."

Happy Cooking!

sld