Like Pizza but MORE AWESOME. Also healthier, and super easy to make.
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked spaghetti, tossed with a bit of butter or olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic paste, or powdered or minced garlic to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2/3 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella or pizza blend
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Turn oven to 400. Butter a pie plate and place in the oven while it preheats.
Combine spaghetti, eggs, parmesan, garlic, salt, and herbs in a large mixing bowl.
When the oven is heated, take the plate out and pour the spaghetti mixture in. Spread out so that the edges are a little higher than the middle, forming a bit of a crust.
Spread the tomato sauce in the middle, leaving a 1/2 inch crust. Top with cheese, then tomatoes.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Slice and serve! It's good with salad :)
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Monday, February 10, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Grain Hipster Pizza Dough
I've arrived at an AWESOME PIZZA CRUST. It is flavorful, soft and tender, but with a nice texture. Start making it an hour before you want to eat it.
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 1/2 tsp yeast (1 packet yeast)
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup oat flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vital wheat gluten
Bread flour
Stir the sugar and yeast into the water and set aside for 5 minutes while it foams.
Combine the oat flour, wheat germ, salt, gluten, and 1 cup bread flour in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir in the water mixture.
Beat with a spoon for 2 minutes, vigorously. You can use a machine for this if you have one.
Turn out onto an amply floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Add plenty of bread flour as needed to keep it from sticking. You'll end up adding maybe another cup of flour. The final dough will be soft and stretchy.
Roll the dough out and stretch with your hands until it's the right size.
Sprinkle cornmeal on a cookie sheet that is heat-safe to 450 degrees - odds are, this is NOT a non-stick sheet! Non-stick sheets aren't safe at high heat. Use a double thickness of tinfoil if you don't have a non-non-stick cookie sheet.
Place the rolled-out dough onto the cookie sheet and let sit in a nice warm place for half an hour, or until it is fluffy enough.
Preheat the oven to 450. Move the oven shelf to the lowest level, if you have an adjustable oven shelf. Bake the dough naked for 3 minutes, THEN add the toppings and bake for another 6 minutes, or until done.
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 1/2 tsp yeast (1 packet yeast)
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup oat flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vital wheat gluten
Bread flour
Stir the sugar and yeast into the water and set aside for 5 minutes while it foams.
Combine the oat flour, wheat germ, salt, gluten, and 1 cup bread flour in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir in the water mixture.
Beat with a spoon for 2 minutes, vigorously. You can use a machine for this if you have one.
Turn out onto an amply floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Add plenty of bread flour as needed to keep it from sticking. You'll end up adding maybe another cup of flour. The final dough will be soft and stretchy.
Roll the dough out and stretch with your hands until it's the right size.
Sprinkle cornmeal on a cookie sheet that is heat-safe to 450 degrees - odds are, this is NOT a non-stick sheet! Non-stick sheets aren't safe at high heat. Use a double thickness of tinfoil if you don't have a non-non-stick cookie sheet.
Place the rolled-out dough onto the cookie sheet and let sit in a nice warm place for half an hour, or until it is fluffy enough.
Preheat the oven to 450. Move the oven shelf to the lowest level, if you have an adjustable oven shelf. Bake the dough naked for 3 minutes, THEN add the toppings and bake for another 6 minutes, or until done.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
THE ULTIMATE CHEESEBURGER PIZZA
Requires capslock.
A note on ingredients: When trying to make take-out or fast food at home, don't spend too much on fancy ingredients. Use cheap mustard and store brand cheese, that sort of thing. If you use anything fancy and expensive, it just won't taste right. It might still be good, but it won't be right. For example, when making chicken pot pie, you must use frozen vegetables, and when making regular pizza, you must use canned store brand pizza sauce and store brand mozzarella. In this case, you will need to use cheap yellow mustard like you would find at a hot dog stand.
Ingredients for the crust:
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
About 1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 envelope (2 1/2 tsp) regular bread yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup warm water, about 115°
Toppings:
3 strips bacon
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 plum tomatoes
Shredded cheese (I like Colby or other mild cheddar, most people will prefer American; the volume is up to you, start with 2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely shredded lettuce
3 dill pickles spears
Ketchup and mustard
To make the crust, combine the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt, and garlic in a bowl along with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, combine the water and the yeast.
Add the water and the melted margarine to the flour mixture and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Gradually stir in more whole wheat flour until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour to keep it from sticking, for 4 minutes. Be gentle (but firm) since the dough has very little gluten, due to the corn, and will tear easily.
Roll the dough out to an oblong about 18 inches across. Rolling it bigger makes a thinner crust, smaller makes a thicker crust. Transfer to a well-greased baking sheet that is heat-safe to 500 degrees. This means NOT a non-stick sheet. No non-stick sheet is safe at this temperature! Use a double layer of tinfoil instead if you don't have any heat-safe baking sheets. Then use your fingers to "squish" in the edges of the crust, mounding them up to be thicker. Let rest while you prepare everything else.
Begin pre-heating the oven to 500 or as high as your oven goes. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, and pour out the drippings. Crumble the beef into the same pan and cook until done, stirring. Keep warm.
To prepare the tomatoes, cut off their tops, then cut in half width-wise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out and discard them. Then chop the tomatoes into diced bits about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. To prepare the pickles, cut out the seeds from the center of the pickle spears and discard. Then mince the rest of the pickle.
If the oven is hot, and the pizza crust has risen somewhat, you can begin to cook it. Spread the tomato bits over the crust and bake it for 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a little golden.
Remove the crust from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Return it to the oven and bake again, for 5 minutes this time. Check the pizza. If the cheese is beginning to brown, it's done. If not, bake another minute.
When it's done baking, apply the remaining toppings in this order: meat first, then onions, pickles, and lettuce. You can drizzle the ketchup and mustard over the whole thing yourself or, like I did, just put the ketchup and mustard squeeze-bottles on the table for people to serve themselves since some people like more mustard than others.
A note on ingredients: When trying to make take-out or fast food at home, don't spend too much on fancy ingredients. Use cheap mustard and store brand cheese, that sort of thing. If you use anything fancy and expensive, it just won't taste right. It might still be good, but it won't be right. For example, when making chicken pot pie, you must use frozen vegetables, and when making regular pizza, you must use canned store brand pizza sauce and store brand mozzarella. In this case, you will need to use cheap yellow mustard like you would find at a hot dog stand.
Ingredients for the crust:
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
About 1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 envelope (2 1/2 tsp) regular bread yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup warm water, about 115°
Toppings:
3 strips bacon
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 plum tomatoes
Shredded cheese (I like Colby or other mild cheddar, most people will prefer American; the volume is up to you, start with 2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely shredded lettuce
3 dill pickles spears
Ketchup and mustard
To make the crust, combine the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt, and garlic in a bowl along with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, combine the water and the yeast.
Add the water and the melted margarine to the flour mixture and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Gradually stir in more whole wheat flour until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour to keep it from sticking, for 4 minutes. Be gentle (but firm) since the dough has very little gluten, due to the corn, and will tear easily.
Roll the dough out to an oblong about 18 inches across. Rolling it bigger makes a thinner crust, smaller makes a thicker crust. Transfer to a well-greased baking sheet that is heat-safe to 500 degrees. This means NOT a non-stick sheet. No non-stick sheet is safe at this temperature! Use a double layer of tinfoil instead if you don't have any heat-safe baking sheets. Then use your fingers to "squish" in the edges of the crust, mounding them up to be thicker. Let rest while you prepare everything else.
Begin pre-heating the oven to 500 or as high as your oven goes. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, and pour out the drippings. Crumble the beef into the same pan and cook until done, stirring. Keep warm.
To prepare the tomatoes, cut off their tops, then cut in half width-wise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out and discard them. Then chop the tomatoes into diced bits about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. To prepare the pickles, cut out the seeds from the center of the pickle spears and discard. Then mince the rest of the pickle.
If the oven is hot, and the pizza crust has risen somewhat, you can begin to cook it. Spread the tomato bits over the crust and bake it for 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a little golden.
Remove the crust from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Return it to the oven and bake again, for 5 minutes this time. Check the pizza. If the cheese is beginning to brown, it's done. If not, bake another minute.
When it's done baking, apply the remaining toppings in this order: meat first, then onions, pickles, and lettuce. You can drizzle the ketchup and mustard over the whole thing yourself or, like I did, just put the ketchup and mustard squeeze-bottles on the table for people to serve themselves since some people like more mustard than others.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Mushroom Pastitsio
I have no idea what a pastitsio actually is, beyond delicious, but lately Cooking Light has had a couple of recipes for it that have been amazing. Here is my take on it... It's a cheesy wonderful casserole, with excellent leftovers.
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked rotini, whole wheat works well
16 ounces baby bellas, cremini mushrooms, or regular mushrooms, or a mix
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic or equivalent garlic powder
1 tsp Penzey's Bavarian Blend or 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/3 tsp kosher salt
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
1 brick lowfat or fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated mozzarella (reduced fat is okay but not fat free)
Mince the onion and chop the mushrooms finely. Saute together in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms give up their liquid and it mostly evaporates. Add the garlic, salt, and herbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the tomato sauce.
Add the milk into the skillet and whisk the flour in while it's still cool (you can't whisk flour into a hot liquid). Cook and stir until bubbly and thick. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cream cheese and parmesan, stirring until they melt and become smooth. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into a medium sized casserole dish. Spread the mushroom mixture on top, then add the rest of the pasta mixture on top of that. Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the whole thing.
Bake at 400 until the cheese melts, then serve.
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked rotini, whole wheat works well
16 ounces baby bellas, cremini mushrooms, or regular mushrooms, or a mix
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic or equivalent garlic powder
1 tsp Penzey's Bavarian Blend or 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/3 tsp kosher salt
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
1 brick lowfat or fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated mozzarella (reduced fat is okay but not fat free)
Mince the onion and chop the mushrooms finely. Saute together in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms give up their liquid and it mostly evaporates. Add the garlic, salt, and herbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the tomato sauce.
Add the milk into the skillet and whisk the flour in while it's still cool (you can't whisk flour into a hot liquid). Cook and stir until bubbly and thick. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cream cheese and parmesan, stirring until they melt and become smooth. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into a medium sized casserole dish. Spread the mushroom mixture on top, then add the rest of the pasta mixture on top of that. Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the whole thing.
Bake at 400 until the cheese melts, then serve.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Rumbledethumps (Potato Pie)
Every nation in Europe, in fact every tiny geographical region, has its own "leftovers" dish, usually involving potatoes to glue the leftovers together. This one is particularly hearty and makes both a satisfying dinner and a fantastic leftover lunch. You can hold the slices in your hand to eat them, and they don't go bad for quite a while at room temperature, so they are good for bringing places. This is a variant of a Scottish peasant recipe called Rumbledethumps (wikipedia link). What differentiates it from, for example, colcannon or bubble-and-squeak is the addition of a cheese topping followed by baking in a plate.
Ingredients:
4 Yukon gold potatoes, with skins
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 big box or bag of baby arugula, or baby spinach if you prefer
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp smart balance or butter
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded gouda (or additional 1/2 cup cheddar)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
3 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste (I use none, but the traditional recipe calls for lots, so it's up to you)
Chop and steam the potatoes, or bake them in tinfoil, until soft. Mash.
Saute the scallions and garlic in the butter until they begin to soften, then add the arugula and saute until wilted. Transer to a cutting board and chop (it's easier to chop them after cooking than before).
Heat oven to 350.
Sprinkle half the cheddar into the bottom of a well-greased pie plate. Combine remaining cheddar and all other ingredients (except parmesan) in a bowl and mix. Pour into pie plate and top with parmesan.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until set but not puffy.
You can eat this fresh but honestly I like the leftovers better!
NOTE: You can replace the cheese with fake cheese quite easily for the lactose-intolerant.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Authentic-tasting and delicious. I don't know why I keep making enchiladas, they're about the most annoying food in the world to make. It must have something to do with how good they are. Budget at least 90 minutes to make these. They aren't challenging, just time-consuming.
Sauce:
6 anaheim chile peppers
6 tomatillos
2 yellow onions, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 cup chicken broth
Filling:
Breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, or 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free is fine)
4 scallions, white and firm green parts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (low fat cheese works well)
Also:
About a dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
Corn oil
More cheese
Cut the anaheim chiles in half, lengthwise - WEAR GLOVES while handling the chiles! Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place the chiles, skin-side-up, on a broiler-safe baking sheet or a sheet of tinfoil, then place under the broiler. Broil for 6 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered. DO NOT leave the broiler unattended. When chiles are done, remove to a heat-safe bowl and cover tightly.
While the chiles cool, prepare the tomatillos. Peel off the husks and rinse most of the stickiness off the skin underneath, then chop the fruit. Tomatillos taste like a cross between a cucumber and a pineapple... people say green tomatoes are a good substitute but I think it would be better to leave them out entirely if you can't find them.
Now prep the filling. Chop the chicken breast and combine it with the other filling ingredients in a bowl.
By now the chiles should be cool enough to handle. Put your gloves back on, if you had taken them off. Peel the skins from the chiles, saving the flesh and discarding the skins. They should come away easily; if they don't, then the chiles weren't cooked long enough. Don't worry about little bits that stick. You're going to be pureeing the sauce anyway.
Once peeled, chop the chiles and put them into a small pot with the onion and garlic and a teaspoon of corn oil. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is translucent or the onions are tender, whichever happens first. Then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until the ingredients are all tender, remove from heat, and puree until smooth. A regular blender, food processor, or stick blender will all work just fine.
Turn the oven to 350. Heat a small amount of corn oil in a small frying pan, such as a crepe pan or omelet pan, over medium heat. Lay a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated and steaming, but not until it dries and curls - depending on your tortilla, they may need more or less cooking time.
Lift up the tortilla and place another tortilla underneath it, adding more oil if necessary. Keep adding more tortillas to the bottom until you have 8 or 9 tortillas on the stack. Then remove from the heat.
Pour about 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, about 8x12 inches in size. Spread about 1/3 cup filling down the middle of each tortilla, roll the tortilla up and lay seam-side-down in the baking pan.
When all the tortillas are in, pour the remaining sauce over them, and top with more shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until heated and the cheeses are all melted. Serve!
Sauce:
6 anaheim chile peppers
6 tomatillos
2 yellow onions, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 cup chicken broth
Filling:
Breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, or 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free is fine)
4 scallions, white and firm green parts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (low fat cheese works well)
Also:
About a dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
Corn oil
More cheese
Cut the anaheim chiles in half, lengthwise - WEAR GLOVES while handling the chiles! Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place the chiles, skin-side-up, on a broiler-safe baking sheet or a sheet of tinfoil, then place under the broiler. Broil for 6 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered. DO NOT leave the broiler unattended. When chiles are done, remove to a heat-safe bowl and cover tightly.
While the chiles cool, prepare the tomatillos. Peel off the husks and rinse most of the stickiness off the skin underneath, then chop the fruit. Tomatillos taste like a cross between a cucumber and a pineapple... people say green tomatoes are a good substitute but I think it would be better to leave them out entirely if you can't find them.
Now prep the filling. Chop the chicken breast and combine it with the other filling ingredients in a bowl.
By now the chiles should be cool enough to handle. Put your gloves back on, if you had taken them off. Peel the skins from the chiles, saving the flesh and discarding the skins. They should come away easily; if they don't, then the chiles weren't cooked long enough. Don't worry about little bits that stick. You're going to be pureeing the sauce anyway.
Once peeled, chop the chiles and put them into a small pot with the onion and garlic and a teaspoon of corn oil. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is translucent or the onions are tender, whichever happens first. Then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until the ingredients are all tender, remove from heat, and puree until smooth. A regular blender, food processor, or stick blender will all work just fine.
Turn the oven to 350. Heat a small amount of corn oil in a small frying pan, such as a crepe pan or omelet pan, over medium heat. Lay a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated and steaming, but not until it dries and curls - depending on your tortilla, they may need more or less cooking time.
Lift up the tortilla and place another tortilla underneath it, adding more oil if necessary. Keep adding more tortillas to the bottom until you have 8 or 9 tortillas on the stack. Then remove from the heat.
Pour about 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, about 8x12 inches in size. Spread about 1/3 cup filling down the middle of each tortilla, roll the tortilla up and lay seam-side-down in the baking pan.
When all the tortillas are in, pour the remaining sauce over them, and top with more shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until heated and the cheeses are all melted. Serve!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Secret Chili (Meatless!)
I love a good chili. This one was the product of a particularly creative cooking session. There are many secret ingredients but the secret-est of them all is the Dr Pepper! You could also use any kind of cola; lime soda might be cool, too. Basically I used soda instead of the usual sugar. The flavor is undetectable as anything but a subtle enhancements, same as the chocolate and the cinnamon.
If you use diet soda, you must stir it in at the very end, after you've removed the pot from the heat, lest the aspartame be destroyed by the heat.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
2 poblano chiles, which are like large, dark, slightly wrinkled jalapeños - 1 green bell pepper plus 1 jalapeño is an acceptable substitute, diced
2 jalapenos, minced
1/2 can of crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic, or 5 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or you don't have this, use 1 tsp regular paprika)
1 tsp beef or vegetable bouillon (broth is NOT a substitute, must use bouillon)
1/2 ounces baking chocolate or 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 cans of beans, I like to use two different colors for a pretty effect
1/3 cup dr pepper
Saute the onion and peppers over medium heat in a tablespoon or corn oil until tender. Add the tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through chocolate). Stir well, and simmer 10 minutes. Add the beans and stir until heated. Remove from heat and add the soda.
If you want to make the chili hotter for some and milder for others, reserve half the jalapenos and serve as a garnish for the heat-lovers. This chili is best served with cheese on top (because, frankly, EVERYTHING is best served with cheese on top). I like pre-shredded Mexican blend but cheddar is fine. Sour cream and green onions would also be good toppers.
If you use diet soda, you must stir it in at the very end, after you've removed the pot from the heat, lest the aspartame be destroyed by the heat.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
2 poblano chiles, which are like large, dark, slightly wrinkled jalapeños - 1 green bell pepper plus 1 jalapeño is an acceptable substitute, diced
2 jalapenos, minced
1/2 can of crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic, or 5 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or you don't have this, use 1 tsp regular paprika)
1 tsp beef or vegetable bouillon (broth is NOT a substitute, must use bouillon)
1/2 ounces baking chocolate or 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 cans of beans, I like to use two different colors for a pretty effect
1/3 cup dr pepper
Saute the onion and peppers over medium heat in a tablespoon or corn oil until tender. Add the tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through chocolate). Stir well, and simmer 10 minutes. Add the beans and stir until heated. Remove from heat and add the soda.
If you want to make the chili hotter for some and milder for others, reserve half the jalapenos and serve as a garnish for the heat-lovers. This chili is best served with cheese on top (because, frankly, EVERYTHING is best served with cheese on top). I like pre-shredded Mexican blend but cheddar is fine. Sour cream and green onions would also be good toppers.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Ricotta Cheese
I'm only one-quarter Italian, but it's a very loud, assertive 25% (it also gesticulates wildly when it talks, wears leather pants, grows a tomato plant on its tiny balcony, and stares openly at beautiful women). This vociferous genetic heritage bangs its spoon on the table and demands lasagna.
Fortunately, the rest of me agrees that lasagna is pretty darn tasty. I have a bunch of recipes (or suggestions ;) ) for lasagna, which I will eventually share, but they all have one important thing in common: RICOTTA.
Educational Aside: Ricotta means "re-cooked" in Italian. It is made by taking the whey that is a byproduct of making other cheese such as mozzarella, and then adding a little more acid and re-heating the whey. This causes a second batch of curds to form, much smaller than the first batch, which are strained out, salted, and enjoyed. It's in the category of cream cheese and cottage cheese, being uncultured and fresh (like some people I know). It contains lots of lactose, unlike cultured cheeses who might have less if the culture has broken the lactose down.
Not all ricottas are the same. There's the fat content:
Then there's the brands (in reverse order of deliciousness):
If you've sprung for a good ricotta, here's your ultimate low-carb, high-calcium, high-protein dessert:
Per serving:
1/2 cup ricotta
2 packets or 1 1/2 tbsp sweetener or equivalent
1/2 tsp vanilla, OR 1/4 tsp almond extract
Mix that sucker up in a bowl and eat it. BAM - instant deliciousness. Even my husband can make this. It's a good breakfast food, too. If you want to make it fancy, you can drizzle on a little chocolate or caramel sundae syrup.
Fortunately, the rest of me agrees that lasagna is pretty darn tasty. I have a bunch of recipes (or suggestions ;) ) for lasagna, which I will eventually share, but they all have one important thing in common: RICOTTA.
Educational Aside: Ricotta means "re-cooked" in Italian. It is made by taking the whey that is a byproduct of making other cheese such as mozzarella, and then adding a little more acid and re-heating the whey. This causes a second batch of curds to form, much smaller than the first batch, which are strained out, salted, and enjoyed. It's in the category of cream cheese and cottage cheese, being uncultured and fresh (like some people I know). It contains lots of lactose, unlike cultured cheeses who might have less if the culture has broken the lactose down.
Not all ricottas are the same. There's the fat content:
- Whole Milk: The richest, creamiest, most authentic cheese, but also a bit of an indulgence, as with all full-fat cheeses. I use this on special occasions.
- Part-Skim: Slightly higher water content, slightly grainier texture, slighter healthier nutritional profile. I consider it a good compromise.
- Fat-Free: Has an oddly gelatinous texture, usually because there are various gums added to keep it a cheese - there would otherwise not be enough to it to be anything but liquid whey. I will sometimes mix this into regular ricotta when I am making a recipe that I feel has too much fat already, but I never use it by itself. If, however, you are being really careful about your caloric intake, you can use this anywhere you'd use regular ricotta. Putting it through the food processor, or just stirring it really well, helps with the texture.
Then there's the brands (in reverse order of deliciousness):
- Store brand: Good enough if you're mixing it with something, like if you're using a recipe that calls for part ricotta and part cottage cheese. Has the grainiest texture, and is the most inclined to separate.
- Sorrento, Sargento, and Dragone: These are, to my tastes, roughly equivalent. I like Dragone part-skim slightly better, and Sorrento whole milk slightly better, but honestly, if it's in a recipe I can't tell the difference.
- Biazza: THIS IS THE SHIZNIT. Seriously. I am not even joking. THE SHIZNIT. Go buy it and eat it, straight out of the carton with a spoon, it's that good. It's incredibly creamy, the curds are so tiny that you can't even detect them so there's no graininess, it doesn't separate, and it's totally natural with no gums or lactic acids. It's a bit regional, made in New Jersey, so might not be available everywhere. If that's so, then I feel your pain.
If you've sprung for a good ricotta, here's your ultimate low-carb, high-calcium, high-protein dessert:
Per serving:
1/2 cup ricotta
2 packets or 1 1/2 tbsp sweetener or equivalent
1/2 tsp vanilla, OR 1/4 tsp almond extract
Mix that sucker up in a bowl and eat it. BAM - instant deliciousness. Even my husband can make this. It's a good breakfast food, too. If you want to make it fancy, you can drizzle on a little chocolate or caramel sundae syrup.
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