January, 2010

  1. Layered Pasta Ricotta Pie

    January 26, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    This recipe is a pain. I will confess to this right up front. It makes for a lot of dirty dishes. It seems fussy. It matters not…it is one of my favorites.

    You see…this is a completely wonderful dish to serve to company or to take to a friend with a new baby. Put it in a heart-shaped springform pan-you have a Valentine’s Day to remember.

    It comes from a grocery store checkout cookbooklet I bought in the early 90s that is all pies. The cover is missing. No decent information on the publisher at all. I could make guesses based on the products pimped in it…but it is irrelevant really. It isn’t  retro but this recipe makes people swoon.

    Please REALLY read all the directions first and as you go along. Otherwise you will end up with some missing egg whites or cheese or generally going “huh?”
    Pasta Ricotta Pie Recipe

    Layered Pasta Ricotta Pie

    Makes 6 to 8 servings ( I feel like it makes a bit more than that-but I tend to serve with sides)

    1/4 (1lb package) Creamette Vermicelli (I tend to use about 1/2 of the package and you can use whatever brand you like)
    1/3 cup finely chopped onion
    4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
    1 cup grated fresh Romano cheese (Yes, I tend to use Parmesan)
    3 eggs
    1 15 or 16 oz container ricotta cheese
    1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained. (I mean it, WELL DRAINED. Press it once it is thawed.)
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 26 oz jar Classico Di Sicilia Ripe Olives and Mushrooms Pasta Sauce (or any chunky pasta sauce with olive and mushrooms)

    Preheat oven to 350. Break vermicelli into thirds; cook according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender; remove from heat. Add cooked vermicelli, 1/2 cup Romano cheese and 1 egg; mix well. Press into well-greased 9-inch springform pan. Combine 2 egg yolks, ricotta, spinach, salt and remaining 1/2 cup Romano cheese. Spread over pasta layer. In small mixer bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Pour over spinach mixture. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until set; let stand 10 minutes. Heat remaining pasta sauce. Serve with pie. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers. This reheats well.

    Category Cheese, Eggs, Recipes, retro food, Vegetables | Tags: , | 3 Comments

  2. Divinity Dreams

    January 24, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    Because I have a small southern bias….

    8 cups sugar, granulated
    2 cups light corn syrup
    2 cups hot water
    1 teaspoon salt
    8 egg whites, stiffly beaten
    4 teaspoons vanilla extract (yes really)

    In a large saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Cook to hard ball stage without stirring. Pour hot syrup very slowly over stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed with electric mixer for 5 min or so. Add vanilla and continue beating until mixture forms soft peaks and loses gloss. Drop by teaspoons on waxed paper. Swirl each candy to a peak.

    Category retro food | Tags: | 1 Comment

  3. Salted Peanut Crisps

    January 18, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    These are a cookie-but in a salty satisfying peanut way. That makes them more for grown ups than for kids in my mind. I am in a peanut mood though, so that could be why. Also, youngest shouldn’t eat peanuts with her braces-though she ignores that in some cases-I think this is one. These are super quick and not too horribly time consuming for non bar cookies. It might go over well if you are looking for a Super Bowl Dessert Type snack…easy to eat…peanuts and beer…go for it!

    Heat oven to 375°

    Cream together:
    1/2 cup Crisco
    1/2 cup butter (softened)
    1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (packed in cup)

    Stir in:
    2 eggs
    1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

    Sift together:
    3 cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
    1/2 tsp. soda
    1 tsp. salt

    Mix together then add:

    2 cups salted peanuts

    Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

    Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

    From Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Boys and Girls, 1957

    Category Cookies | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Life Gets That Way

    January 12, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    I know, I said more posts in the new year. I am working on that really. Like yesterday, I got my very own computer to type them on. And we got a printer with a SCANNER on Saturday. So, more pictures for you photo obsessed folk.

    But yesterday, I burned a quiche because our oven will broil but not light. The night before I was super sick and Denise picked up dinner at the Dominicks. The day before, that was kid day, commissary day and sub night. The day before Pizza night. The day before um I don’t remember OHHHHHHHH Pasta bar night. I wrote about that over on the Blogher Loving Food and Sharing Recipes Group.

    Other craziness going on but that is the sum of it.

    Tonight, update on the cholesterol effort: I made steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a mix of brown rice and white rice in the rice steamer I got for Christmas. I grilled tofu (for the first time!) on the indoor grill. It was pretty tasty (especially with that Fiesta Lime Mrs Dash I got at the commissary-who knew there was such yumminess in the no salt section?).

    Yes, I have eaten a hamburger happy meal twice in the past four days. (Woo hoo Eleanor the Chippette and “It’s so beautiful” adds a new level to my ability to annoy my family.) But I have also eaten some pretty healthy foods.

    Category retro food | Tags: | 1 Comment

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