Tuscan Sweet Spinach Pie

My DH heard about this pie on NPR and suggested I try it. It is an Easter treat at some Italian tables. I found the recipe at All Things Considered's Found Recipe series. “During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Italians didn't divide courses the way we do now. It wasn't unusual to have something sweet at the beginning of the meal. They thought balance with every course [would] keep the appetite interested throughout the feast." This was very tasty. The dough was rich and tender, almost like shortbread or sugar cookie. The spinach was a little sweet and savory.

Serves 10 to 12

For the crust:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large egg yolks

Zest of 1 lemon OR ½ tsp lemon extract

1-2 Tbsp ice cold water

For the filling:

12 ounces frozen chopped spinach or 1 pound fresh baby spinach

1 cup almonds, finely ground

4 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup Triple Sec or other aromatic liqueur

2 tablespoons pine nuts

In a large bowl, lightly mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse sand. With a fork, stir in egg yolks, lemon and just enough water to form dough. Pat the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook the spinach in a few ounces of salted water until tender. Allow to cool. Squeeze out all the cooking liquids and chop. OR Thaw frozen spinach and squeeze out most of the liquid.

In a medium bowl, beat the yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar until creamy and light yellow. Add the almonds and beat until well combined. Fold in the spinach, lemon and liqueur until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the whites until soft peaks form, then add in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until it forms a glossy meringue. Slowly fold the meringue into the yolk mixture.

Lightly coat a 10 to 11 inch deep dish pie plate with canola oil spray.

Take dough out of refrigerator and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Roll out 2/3 of the dough, making it large enough to hang well over the sides. Trim overhang to about an inch. Roll up overhang and pinch to make rim. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into 1 inch wide strips for lattices over the top of the filling.

Pour prepared filling into the pie crust. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and top with the remaining dough in a lattice pattern.

Bake for about 1 hour, until golden.

Cool to room temperature before serving. (It was good while still warm.)

Adapted from: http://www.npr.org/2013/03/28/175478107/tuscan-pie-a-sweet-springtime-take-on-spinach

Chicken & Broccoli with Linguine

Here’s another Italian style chicken and broccoli dish. This one is from …..Cyndi! I have converted it to ingredients on hand and my cooking methods. This has an unusual and delicious tomato sauce - creamy and spicy. Adding dairy to a wine and tomato sauce is tricky. It tends to curdle. My trick is to add cornstarch to the milk, add the milk at the very end of cooking and do not let the sauce boil.

12 oz. linguine
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 to 1-1/4 lb. (2 -3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 cups (2 to 3 small) zucchini, sliced
1 1/2 cups (1 head) broccoli, chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon base
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper sauce
1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook linguine as package directs. Drain. Return linguine to pan and toss with olive oil. Cover and keep warm.

While pasta cooks, heat iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing chicken and chopping vegetables.

To prepare broccoli: Wash it and cut off the stalk where it branches. Trim the head into spears, cutting off leaves if you prefer. Now, dice the stems crosswise in ½” pieces until you reach the flowers. Set the flowers stem down and cut into 2 to 4 sections depending on size.

Hold the stalk upright and use your trimming knife to slice thinly down the side of the stalk, just cutting off the peel. Turn it one quarter and slice again. Keep turning and slicing until peeled. Trim the corners of any remaining peel as needed. Trim the harvested end and slice the stalk lengthwise in similar size to the spears. Then slice the stalk crosswise.

To prepare zucchini: Wash zucchini and trim the ends. Cut crosswise into 1/4” slices.

Sauté chicken over medium heat with black pepper, onion, garlic and oregano; just until no longer pink - about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, water, chicken base, white wine and hot sauce. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Put cornstarch in a cup and stir in the milk. Stir into the skillet until slightly thickened and bubbly.

Serve immediately over linguine, garnish with grated parmesan and accompany with garlic toast and white wine.

Serves 4 to 6.

From: merrillandcyndibowan@xxxxxxxxxx
To: FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com
Date: 4/24/2006 9:52 PM

Chicken & Broccoli with Linguine

1 1/2 tb Olive oil, divided use
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
10 Sun-dried tomatoes, soaked -10 minutes in hot water(opt)
1/4 c Chopped onion
1 ts Minced garlic
1 1/2 c Sliced zucchini
1 1/2 c Broccoli florets
1 1/2 c Chicken broth, divided use
1/4 c Dry vermouth or white wine
1 ts Oregano
1 1/2 ts Cornstarch
1/4 ts Hot red pepper flakes
1/4 c Heavy cream
10 oz Linguine, cooked according to package direction
Parmesan cheese

Cut chicken into cubes and sprinkle with pepper. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in hot water 10 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in large, heavy, non-stick skillet; sauté chicken just until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to skillet; stir in onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Stir in garlic, zucchini and broccoli. Add 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, cover and simmer 3-5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.
Combine oregano and cornstarch with remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth and add to vegetables. Return chicken to pan, add hot red pepper flakes and cook over brisk heat until slightly thickened and bubbly.
Heat cream in microwave 30 seconds and stir into pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately over linguine or other pasta.

Lemon Chicken Broccoli and Bowties

Here is a chicken and broccoli dish Italian style. This is very pretty arranged and served in a large flat pasta bowl. Serve with garlic toast and white wine and you have a complete meal.

8 oz. bowtie pasta (Farfalle)
1 medium bunch (2 to 3 heads) broccoli
1 lb. (2 to 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
6 Tbsp lemon juice, split
1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp. lemon extract, split

Boil and drain bowties. Return to pan. Cover and keep warm.

Wash and trim broccoli into spears and steam. (See previous recipe for Steamed Broccoli.) Remove the steamer basket and pour off the water. Put the broccoli into the now empty saucepan and toss with butter and 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Cover and keep warm.

Heat iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing chicken.

Sauté chicken, onion, garlic and mushrooms over medium high heat until lightly browned.

Stir in Italian dressing, ½ tsp. lemon extract and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Whisk together cream of chicken soup and milk in a small 6 cup microwaveable bowl.
Heat on high for two minutes. Stir. When the mixture is thoroughly heated, stir in 4
tablespoons (1/4 cup) of lemon juice and ½ tsp. lemon extract. Be careful with the lemon juice - if you add it too soon the milk will curdle. It should be a shiny smooth sauce. Pour over the bowties and lightly toss.

Place the bowties in a large pasta bowl. Top with chicken in the center, and arrange broccoli around the outside edge.

Serves: 6 to 8

Adapted from:
Subject: Attitude Chicken
From: Sharon saltywood8@xxxxxxx
Sender: dailyrecipes@yahoogroups.com
Date: 7/9/2006 10:12 PM

Italian Sausage and Peppers

Last week on my shopping trip to town, I stopped at The Produce House in Clarksburg to see what they had. On their back wall, they have half peck baskets of discounted produce for $1.50 each. If you shop carefully, this can be a real deal.

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up several baskets of green peppers. Peppers are really easy to put up - just wash, cut, bag and into the freezer they go. But they also had some real nice poblano peppers. I bought one basket to try. They were so good, I decided to stop back and see if I could get more. They only had two baskets of the poblanos, but this week they had some large Italian frying peppers. Peppers didn’t do well in our garden this year, so I was happy to pick some up cheap to eat fresh and put by.

I wait until onions are on sale for 3lbs./$1, then buy several bags. This is after I have used up the ones from the garden. We never seem to be able to grow enough onions. I use an onion a day. I have to laugh when writing up my recipes - almost every dinner recipe starts with chopping an onion. I can’t eat them raw at all, so my recipes always use cooked, blanched, dried or frozen onions. BTW, the secret to chopping an onion without crying – keep the onion vapors away from your eyes. Don’t stand over the onions when chopping. Don’t touch your eyes. Stay downwind.

When I run out of fresh cloves of garlic, I use chopped garlic. I just bought a 2lb. jar on clearance at Wal-Mart for about $2.50. It won’t last that long. I use garlic in just about everything also. The old proverb about “eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away” goes just as good or even better for onions and garlic. They have so many health benefits.

You can buy Sweet Italian Sausage at the store. But I like my meat with less fat. I usually buy whole boneless pork loins when they go on sale for under $2.00 per lb. and have the store grind it. But right now, I have a freezer full of FFA pork, thanks to my daughter. The kids did a pretty good job of trimming the meat and their ground pork is surprisingly lean. Thanks kids!

The Sweet Italian Sausage Seasoning is my own recipe from my former herb business. I made it several pounds at a time. I have tried to approximate the quantities for a small amount.

For the pasta, canned tomatoes and olive oil, I shop at a discount store called, Country Roads. Locally it’s often called “The Dented Can Store”. I hate paying more than 50¢/lb. for pasta, but that is becoming impossible to do anymore. If you make this in the summer, you can use a couple of chopped fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones.

I picked up several bags of shredded mozzarella at the IGA a few weeks ago on a BOGO sale. The price came to $3.00/lb. I use Parmesan and Romano interchangeably. It just depends on what I have. I usually buy a large ziplock bag of grated Pecorino Romano at Sam’s Club. They don’t carry the same items at all the stores. I think Clarksburg has it, but Parkersburg does not. Anyway, I’m all out. I am using a nice wedge of Pecorino that my husband brought me for a treat. He likes to stop in at Marino Brothers in Clarksburg for lunch once in a while. They sell a nice line of Italian meats and cheeses.

Italian green beans are so good. They can grow as bush or pole beans. They can get really big and still cook up tender. They don’t get fibrous like regular green beans. I have always grown bush Romanos, but last year my neighbor grew green and yellow pole Romano beans. I think they are heritage beans that she got from my former sister-in-law. I hope to get some seed for this year. Anyway, the beans I served last night came from Kroger. I had bought quite a few bags of Kroger brand frozen vegetables on sale. This is about the last of them. I think there is one bag of snap peas left. I found that the frozen Romanos don’t cook well in the microwave. They need a good long cook on the stovetop, just like frozen limas. But they were so tender and delicious. I have found large cans of Italian green beans at discount stores like BigLots and Deals before. The canned ones cook up quick in the microwave.

I cooked this for dinner last night. I have made it many times for my family, but have never written it down before. Now my daughter will know how to make it.

12 oz. spaghetti or egg noodles

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 medium Onion, ½” dice

2 large Italian peppers, 1” dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. lean ground pork

1 Tbsp. Sweet Italian Sausage Seasoning (Recipe follows)

1 (15 oz. can) diced tomatoes

1 cup (4 oz.) Shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated Parmesan for garnish

Put large pot of water on to boil for your pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain and toss with olive oil to keep from sticking. Time your pasta to be done about the same time as your sausage and peppers.

Heat a large skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat lightly with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat, while chopping the vegetables.

Cut ends off onion and peel. Cut in half from top to bottom. Lay onion halves flat and slice crosswise, then lengthwise to dice. Place in skillet.

Trim tops off peppers; discard veins and seeds. Cut in half from top to bottom. Lay pepper halves flat and slice lengthwise, then crosswise to dice. Place in skillet.

Squeeze, twist and rub garlic cloves to loosen skin. Remove skin. Mince in a garlic press or mash with side of large knife on cutting board and then dice finely. Place in skillet.

Turn heat to medium and start sautéing vegetables, stirring frequently. When vegetables are hot, add pork. Sprinkle sausage seasoning over pork. Break up pork and stir constantly until no longer pink.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. When hot and bubbly, sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Serve when mozzarella starts to melt. Grate or sprinkle parmesan over plates.

This is very good served with Italian green beans or tossed salad and garlic toast.

Serves 5-6

Sweet Italian Sausage Seasoning

By Hilltop Herbs

Yield: 2 ½ Tbsp.

1 tsp. ground sage leaf

1 tsp. ground marjoram

½ tsp. ground fennel seed

½ tsp. whole fennel seed

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground paprika

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. ground bay leaf

2 tsp. sea salt

Mix all ingredients together.

Use 1 Tablespoon to one pound lean ground pork.

Store in tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dark, dry place.