Homemade Sicilian Manicotti

These are delicious and easy to prepare; nowhere near the work involved with rolling pasta dough. And, for my taste, they create a superior dish that is authentic. There are a few things necessary for success. The batter must be the right consistency, although a little thicker will not kill the finished product, but make them thinner and they won't set right. The pan must be hot and brushed with olive oil for each crepe. You must prepare a platter for cooling and wax paper squares to place in between each crepe. After the first one or two, it becomes really easy. Once the batter is all cooked, refrigerate or use immediately. They can also be frozen once cooled. You can use any tomato sauce you like, but I have included a Sicilian styled sauce we frequently use ` with these.

For the crepes

4 eggs

1 cup flour

salt ( I use about 1/4 tsp  as  the finished dish contains salt)
olive oil

Blend egg and water in a processor or by hand. Add flour and salt .
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Batter should be thickened and of pouring consistency.
Bring the batter  to room temperature. You will need a shallow skillet. Many use crepe pan, but it's not necessary at all. When these recipes were originally created , no one in knew what a crepe pan was ! Plus, I personally like to do things in the tried, true, and authentic way. Begin by brushing the pan with olive oil. Heat the pan very well and drop a teaspoon of batter to see if it's ready. Here's how to test :  The batter must be thin enough to spread  evenly and quickly before it cooks. Use a scant 1/4 cup per crepe. Once you get the wrist movement to quickly tilt the pan and let the batter cover the surface, they practically make themselves. They take less than a minute to cook. You will see the edges dry and starting to color. Do not brown. When cooked on one side, grab an edge, I use fingers, but it's not for the faint of heart, and turn it over for about 30 seconds. Remove the crepe to the prepared dish. You don't want this side to cook too much as it will bake in the oven once stuffed. Once you have completed cooling the crepes , either refrigerate or freeze for later use.

For the filling

2 pounds of ricotta cheese, any kind works 

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or 3/4 cup Parmiggiano

1 bunch of parsley leaves, chopped fine

1 tsp of black pepper, we like coarse

1 egg

1 cups mozzarella, shredded

A couple of dashes of nutmeg 

Mix all ingredients very well and keep chilled until ready to fill crepes.

Sicilian Sauce

1 large can of Italian style tomatoes ; we prefer diced packed in puree if possible

1 medium onion , chopped  fine

6 cloves of garlic , minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup of chopped Italian or Greek olives, pitted. We use Kalamata.

1/4  chopped  basil

Heat oil and add onion, stirring until golden in color. Add garlic and continue stirring until golden. Do not allow to burn. Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Cook for 30-35 minutes on low heat, covered. Add basil and olives . Cook 5 minutes more. 

 

Assembly

Place one crepe on a board or plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of filling across , about 2 inches from the edge nearest you. Fold crepe to cover filling . Continue folding and place seam side down . Manicotti should be about 2 inches in width, though you can make them larger or smaller. Place 1 1/2 cups of sauce in a baking dish, covering the bottom of the pan completely . Place the manicotti in the pan and cover with sauce. Sprinkle additional grated cheese on top and bakes in a slow oven for about 20  minutes covered. Add shredded mozzarella and bake 20 minutes more uncovered.

Italian Wedding Veggie Soup

This soup is a hearty and filling dinner. It is delicious as well as nutritious. Kids like it too. They get so excited over the mini-meatballs they hardly notice all the vegetables. It is a combination of classic Italian Wedding soup and minestrone, the best of both worlds. It adapts well to variations as long as a few rules are kept. You must have very good stock, extra lean beef, fresh veggies and a few fresh herbs. The last rule is patience which is relatively easy because you get to breathe in the tantalizing aromas through each stage of the preparation. It is a large recipe that can be easily doubled for even more leftovers for the freezer that come in handy for a quick dinner. Or, freeze in portions for a healthy take-along lunch. All that is needed here is some thick slices of good  Italian bread, toasted if you like.

Stock

2 quarts of bones. For this recipe you can use a mixture of chicken and beef.  Never discard leftover bones . They are indispensable for good stock.

8-10 chicken necks, wings and feet or a combo

1 onion sliced

Leftover veggie scraps

Dash or 2 of browning sauce
4 bay leaves

Salt

Lightly oil a roasting pan or large cookie sheet . Toss the ingredients to mix and slow roast until they turn a rich dark brown. Do not scorch. When done, place in a stock pot with 3-4 bay leaves and a couple of sprigs of parsley. Add a tablespoon , or less if need be , of whole black peppercorns, if desired. Add water to reach 3 inches above the ingredients and add hot water if needed to maintain that level throughout the simmering. 

HINT : We l use a 6 quart Crock pot . We set it on low and let it cook all night. By morning, it's ready to go. Minimum cooking time on the stove is 4 hours , but longer cooking will yield tastier results.

Soup Base
3 quarts of strained stock, you can add commercial stock if needed
3 stalks of celery, sliced
3 stalks of carrots, lightly scraped or scrubbed and sliced
1 medium white or yellow turnip, peeled
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
2-3 plum tomatoes ,  chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of greens such as spinach, radish greens, Swiss chard, kale, dandelion, or a mixture of whatever you have. We have tried all and they all work well. We like to use up all our small amount of greens for this soup.
4 cloves of pressed garlic
1/4 cup each of fresh parsley and basil leaves processed with 1/4 cup of olive oil into a pesto

Place all the ingredients except greens, garlic  and pesto into a large pot. Add the stock making sure the veggies are covered completely. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Add the greens and garlic, cook 10 minutes more. While that's cooking, prepare the beef.

Meatballs

1 1/2 cups of very lean ground beef

1 medium egg

6 tablespoons of plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons of minced onion

1 tablespoon of pressed garlic

1/2 cup of Parmesan or 1/4 cup Romano

1/2 teaspoon of oregano , or more if you like
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
Dash  of nutmeg and a couple of drops of Worcestershire for the cooking broth

Mix thoroughly. Using wet hands, shape into bite sized balls and drop into 4 cups of simmering water to which the Worcestershire and nutmeg has been added. Poach gently for 15 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and add to the soup. Add 1/2 cup very small soup pasta such as acini di pepe to the meatball broth.
Alternatively you may add cracked barley, whole wheat or other grain of your choice, but  these must be soaked in advance to avoid soaking up all the soup. Broth level should be kept at 4 cups.

Final Assembly

Add the meatball broth and pasta to the soup along with the peas. Cook for about 10 minutes or until serving temperature. Add 1 tablespoon of pesto and stir. Serve with  grated cheese and pesto at the table along with the bread.

WHOLE GRAIN POTATO PIZZA

This is  really delicious and healthier than the regular version. There are many variations you can try with different flours and seeds. I will share some that we have tried in another post. It is moist and doughy with a heavier  texture. It is not a light and airy crust but rather substantial in nature.

The Dough
1 cup of homemade mashed potatoes, cooled seasoned with salt taste
31/2 cups of whole wheat flour, may need more depending on absorption rate of potatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil, more for the pan
Coarse black pepper, optional but good
2 tablespoons finely snipped parsley, optional but good
1 1/2 packets of yeast, preferably  for whole grains
Warm Water as needed
1 teaspoon of salt



Stole a bite !

Place 3 cups of flour in a bowl or on a board or counter. Add the yeast that has been dissolved in about 1/4 cup warm water. Stir until well blended. Add olive oil , salt,  and optional ingredients. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the rest of the flour and knead until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of additional  flour as needed.The dough tends to be sticky because of the potato. Oil a a large bowl and place dough, turning it once to oil the top. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise, covering with a towel if necessary. Let rise about 11/2 hours or until doubled. Punch down and place on floured board. Knead briefly checking to make sure dough is nice and dry. If not you may add a little more flour at this point. Oil a large rectangular pan and sprinkle with coarse corn meal. Roll, press. and stretch the dough to fit your pan evenly Cover and let rest . Meanwhile heat the oven to at least 450, or higher if you can. Check the dough by pressing the edge . It is ready to bake when your finger leaves a dent, a slight; a slight additional rise is what we're looking for here. Add your toppings gently so as not to disturb the dough. Bake in the center until the bottom is browned to your liking and the top is melted and golden brown. If the bottom should  get browned and the top needs more time, just move the pie to the top rack.

Topping
This is one of our favorites, but use whatever  you like best.

Sausage, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms and Tomato Topping

4 sausage links, pork or chicken, spicy or hot, removed from casing
1 1/2 cups of thick tomatoes. We use diced diced drained or crushed, Italian
2 garlic cloves , pressed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup peppers, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
Brown sausage while crumbling in a frying pan. When brown , remove with slotted spoon , discarding most of the fat. Add sliced mixed color (or green only if you like) peppers and thinly sliced onion. Stirring and cooking until softened. Add garlic,  mushrooms and tomatoes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
When cool , spoon topping evenly over the crust. Add cheese topping, your choice. Mozzarella is traditional, but you can try some others or combos as we do. Fontina, Provolone, Asiago are all good and can be combined as a half and half\ mix with the Mozzarella.

The Ultimate Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Club Sandwich

There are several choices to consider customizing  this very satisfying  sandwich. Make sure to
slice everything ultra thin, except the bread.

Bread

I like to use whole grain, but any  larger sliced substantial thick cut bread will do it. You will need 3 slices per sandwich, toasted.

Bacon

I use reduced sodium bacon. Use nice meaty looking slices with less fatty striping. My Mom used to use Irish bacon and when I can find it , I do too. But usually, I just make it with a good brand of bacon. You will need 4- 6 slices of drained  bacon cooked c

Tomatoes

Tomatoes should be ripe, but very firm. Do not refrigerate them as they will lose flavor. You will need about 6-8  thin slices per sandwich.

Mayo
Homemade , if possible or a good brand name . I use Hellman's or Kraft Black Pepper Mayo.
1-3 tablespoons per sandwich


Veggie Mix
Per sandwich : 1 stalk of celery, very thinly sliced
                         2-3 radishes, shredded and drained
                         1/2 carrot, shredded and drained
                         1 tablespoon of horseradish .If you don't like
horseradish, you may sub jalapeno or honey mustard.
                          A few dashes of celery seeds
                          4-6 pitted black olives, sliced thinly
                         
Lettuce

You may choose whatever you like. Many prefer iceberg for this sandwich.
There are much better choices that are nutritionally superior. We like Arugula
or Spinach , or a combo of these 2 choices.

Red Onion and Bell Pepper
A few very thin  slices per layer separated into rings.

Assembly

First prepare the veggies so they have time to drain. Wash and dry your greens unless you purchase  ready to eat. Slice the tomatoes and onion. Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel.
Mix the shredded radish, celery, carrot, and black olives into the horseradish or mustard. Add celery seed and mayo . Blend well. Toast 3 slices of bread per sandwich. Place 1 slice of toast on a plate or
cutting board. Spread the bread with 1/2 the veggie mayo mix. Add the lettuce, followed by 1/2 the bacon and then 1/2 the tomato and  green pepper slices. Add a grind of black pepper. Top with another slice of toast. Spread with remaining veggie mayo mix. Add lettuce and bacon., finish with onion slices and tomato.  Add a coarse grind of black pepper . Finish with the bread. Slice the sandwich into 4 wedges and secure with an extra tall toothpick or short skewer to secure the filling.
We serve this with a sliced orange and strawberry salad,  no dressing needed. If this is served for dinner, we usually start with a bowl of lighter soup. If you require additional protein , just top your fruit with some lowfat yogurt.

White bean and Kale Soup

This is a really good soup that practically cooks itself once the initial prepping is done. It's simple, earthy, and delicious ; one of our favorites .

4 quarts of good  homemade chicken stock
1 small onion, minced
2 carrots , scraped and diced
2 stalks of celery, cut lengthwise and sliced thin
1 large bunch of fresh kale
1 1/2 cups of soaked white beans; navy beans can be cooked right in the soup w/o soaking
1 6-8 oz..   boneless, skinless chicken breast ; cut in cubes or preferred small bites
2 ounces of smoked ham, minced
1 medium white turnip, peeled and diced
4 cloves of garlic pressed into 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Put the teaspoon of oil in a large  Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the diced ham and onions , stirring over low heat until softened. Add carrots and celery and continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes. Then add the turnip. When everything is golden  tinged, remove from the pot. Add the chicken to the pot and cook  a few minutes ; avoid browning. Add 2 quarts of stock and keep heat low. Add the other vegetables back to the soup. While soup is cooking, place beans in a smaller pot with 2 cups of water. Cover and bring quickly to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer about 10 minutes, keep beans covered with water. While beans and soup simmers, wash kale and separate stems from leaves. Snip bite sized  stems right into the soup. Add the beans and any of their remaining liquid. Continue cooking until beans are soft. When beans are done, add 1 cup of cooked small pasta with enough of the pasta water to cover the pasta. Add very finely snipped  kale leaves and cook 3 minutes more. Stir pressed garlic in oil into the soup, stir and cover . Turn heat off and serve . Or cool, and heat to serve. This is dinner with some nice rustic styled bread or whole wheat rusks.

TRIPLE CORN CORNCAKES

Okay, so I  made the Chili yesterday. The weather seemed to be perfect for it. I took my own advice and made the corn cakes instead of the rice. This is not my recipe. It belongs to my late Mother in Law Helen who knew her way around the kitchen. It is used for sopping up gravy at supper time. It's also at home during breakfast on a chilly morning served along side some ham steak or sausage and smothered in sweet butter and maple syrup, honey, or agave.It can also be used as an appetizer, see the options at the end. The batter can be made in advance and refrigerated. Just make sure it's art room temperature before it hits the grill.

1/2 cup cornflour (can sub very fine grind cornmeal)
1/4 cup potato or regular flour

1 can creamed corn

1/2 cup yogurt

2 large eggs

Milk as needed

1/2 teaspoon baking Powder

Black Pepper and salt  to your taste ,coarsely ground . We do not use salt.

Measure the cornmeal into a large bowl.  Add the yogurt and stir well making sure all the meal is covered well. Let it stand covered for 10-15 minutes .Add the flour and baking powder. Begin heating a greased griddle . It's ready when a drop of water evaporates instantly. Add eggs and creamed corn. Then add milk, if necessary to correct batter consistency to a  free pouring (but not watery) batter. Add pepper . Do not over mix batter.

Test you griddle. Make corncakes  turning only once. If you plan to serve them immediately, you can keep them warm in an oven, covered with foil. You can also cool them and then reheat on a grill. The grid marks make them taste even better because of the sugar content of the corn.

     Options

1. Add minced ham, green bell pepper, green onions, snipped sun dried tomato, shredded cheese as side dish or light lunch with a salad or soup
2. As a really nice appetizer. Grill the cooked corncakes and serve with salsa and sour cream. Or , for a healthier version serve with fresh chopped tomato with pressed garlic and salt and fat free yogurt mixed with mashed avocado.

 .

CHASE THE CHILL WITH THIS CHILI

There's Chili and then there's chili. Much of the experience depends on how the meat is cut. People tend to think chili is made with ground beef . Authentic chili depending on the region is made with minced meat or for convenience as well as texture , a sausage grind. You might ask why we are talking about Mexican food over on Arthur Avenue. We have a large  demographic of Mexicans and  Mexican Restaurants in the area who contribute admirably to the food fest which is the heart and soul of the  'hood. Back to the Chili. You can ask your Butcher to mince your beef, but he probably won't. It is tedious work to be sure.I don't do it or ask anyone else to perform that task. Instead  I hop over to Modern Market and purchase "chili grind" beef. It was a very fresh coarse grind  with a nice red color indicating its lean character. Modern Market is best known for their meat and produce, and the chili beef was no exception. The quality and price were beyond compare. Not only was there no fat to drain off, but I actually had to add some olive oil to brown it; a bargain at $4.49. I usually start the beef on a very low flame until it renders enough fat to raise the flame and start the browning process.  The meat browned beautifully and retained  the chunky texture even with the long slow cooking. I am a firm believer in Crock Pot cookery. I don't use it for everything, but there are many recipes that I wouldn't dream of taking stove top. Chili is one of those recipes. Things that require long, slow cooking such as soups or stews are the likely candidates. This recipe is a little different because it is made with an assortment of legumes . It is economical and  makes a big batch of a much healthier alternative to traditional chili. We always serve this with brown rice . Make sure you plan enough for leftovers. It makes  a great Taco or Burrito filling and spectacular Nacho plate.

THE MEAT
2 pounds of lean beef minced or coarse grind

THE HEAT;  a matter of personal taste
1 Jalapeno seeded and minced
1 Tablespoon of chili powder
1 Tablespoon of Cumin
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire
1 tablespoon of oregano

THE VEGGIES
1 extra large onion chopped ; we like this in small pieces.
2 finely minced celery stalks with leaves
2 carrots coarsely shredded
1 cup of diced bell pepper, your choice of color or mixed
1 large can of diced tomato in juice or puree; you can substitute any style. We use Italian  and prefer the chunks.
10-12 cloves of garlic minced but reserve 4 for pressing
A couple of sprigs of cilantro

THE BEANS

We like to use dried beans cooked in advance
You can use canned beans but be aware of the salt content, and you should probably drain and rinse canned beans. We only add salt if necessary , and always at the table individually.You can use any combo  of beans that you like , Sometimes we add black, navy or white, but always add the lentils as they add even more meat texture.
s1 cup of Dark Red  or Pink beans
1 cup of Roman beans
1 cup of Italian lentils or split Indian style legumes such as red, black  or green Dal

Olive Oil

Heat the oil and brown the meat well on high, keep stirring so that the liquid evaporates quickly.
When browned to your liking , remove with a slotted spoon. To the same pan , leaving the fat there, add the onion, celery, 8 cloves of garlic,  and bell pepper. Cook , stirring until wilted. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the meat. Drain the tomatoes , reserving juices. Add the chunky tomato to the pan and cook about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water , or light beef broth. Turn off the gas and add the lentils and vinegar. Cover and let sit about 15 minutes. Meanwhile , add the cumin, chili powder, and Worcestershire to the meat mixture. Gently add the beans. Check the lentil/tomato mix . If it is dry, add a little more water . Place all the ingredients in a large Crock Pot . Add the cilantro and shredded carrots. Add the reserved tomato juices and  jalapeno.Turn the pot on high for an hour. Then turn it down to low and cook 6-8 hours. When using a Crock Pot, you may end up with more liquid than you put in, which in this case is great. If you find that during cooking you need more liquid , just add some more broth, tomato juice, or even water. You may need to adjust seasoning at the end as long cooking can reduce the intensity.We usually add more cumin at the end. When the time is up, add 2 cloves of pressed garlic and the oregano. Add a  spoon or 2 of minced cilantro leaves. Serve with rice . Cool your leftovers and freeze.

Options :
Want more veggies ? We tried  adding corn and yams ; it was really good.
We have also prepared this w/o the rice , serving it with grilled corn tacos using a cast iron griddle .
The ultimate rib sticker in cold weather is serving this with coarse grain corn pancakes !


Accompaniments :
We like it topped with a dollop of yogurt mixes with chopped scallions.
Green salad with red onion and orange wedges dresses with olive oil and OJ.
Avocado and tomato salad dressed with olive oil, salt, coarse black pepper.