Greek Spinach and Feta Pie

 

                    A deliciously light, crunchy, layered phyllo pastry bake, with a filling of spinach, feta cheese, tomatoes and pine nuts, a classic Greek combination.

Serves 6

• 30 ml olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 200 gr rozen spinach, thawed
• 3 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped and drained
• 125 ml ricotta cheese
• 100 gr feta cheese, drained
• 60 ml pine nuts, toasted
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 6 sheets phyllo pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
2. Heat 15 ml o the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and garlic ; cook gently on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the spinach and tomatoes and continue cooking for about 6 minutes ; tip into a large bowl and allowto cool slightly.
4. Stir the ricotta and feta cheeses into the spinach mixture together with the pine nuts and season to taste with a little salt and pepper and the nutmeg.
5. Lightly oil a shallow baking dish measuring about 28 x 20 cm.
6. Use two of the phyllo sheets to line the base and sides of the dish, overlapping if necessary ; leave the excess pastry to hang over the edges of the dish.
7. Cover with half of the spinach mixture, spreading it out to the edges in an even layer ; cover with two more sheets of phyllo, then another layer of spinach.
8. Fold the excess phyllo in over the top, then place the remaining two phyllo sheets on top, olding the edges under neatly.
9. Brush the top lightly with the remaining oil and bake for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden.

BON APPÉTIT

Chocolate Dream Tart

 

Makes 12 to 16 servings

• One-third cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensd milk
• 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolat chips (2 cups)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Unsweetened whipped cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 400F (200C).
2. In medium bowl, cut one-third cup butter into flour, using pastry blender until mixture is crumbly ; stir in egg until dough forms.
3. Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of ungreased 9-inch tart pan removable bottom ; bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, cool on wire rack.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350F (180C).
5. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat ; stir in milk and chocolate chips and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted.
6. Stir in walnuts and vanilla ; spread in baked crust.
7. Baed about 25 minutes or until edge is set but chocolate appears moist in center ; cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
8. To serve, top each slice with whipped cream.

BON APPÉTIT

White Chocolate-Almond Torte

 

Makes 12 servings

Torte

• 1 cup slivered almonds (6 oz/180 gr)
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon almond-flavored liqueur or ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 oz white chocolate baking bars, chopped

White Chocolate Frosting

• 4 oz white chocolate baking bars, chopped
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2½ cups powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 325F (160C) ; Grease bottom and side of 9- or 10-inch springform pan with shortening, lightly flour.
2. Place almonds on ungreased cookie sheet, bake 4 to  minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned ; reserve 2 tablespoons almonds for garnish.
3. Place remaining almonds in food processor or blender ; cover and process until almonds are ground, set aside.
4. In small bowl, mix flour, baing powder and salt ; set aside.
5. In large bowl, beat ½ cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl, occasionally, until fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating on high speed after each addition until smooth and blended ; add milk, liqueur, 1 teaspoon vanilla, th flour mixture and ground almonds, beat on medium speed until smooth.
7. Stir in 6 oz white chocolate and spread batter in pan.
8. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center spring back when lightly touch and top is evenly browned ; cool 15 minutes, remove side of pan.
9. Cool completely, about 1½ hours.
10. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat 4 ounces white chocolate and boiling water over low heat, stirring occasionally, ust until chocolate is melted.
11. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, cool to room temperature ; in large bowl, beat ¾ cup butter on medium speed until fluffy.
12. Gradually beat in cooled white chocolate mixture and powdered sugar until smooth.
13. Run long knife under cake to loosen from pan bottom ; transfer to serving plate.
14. Spread frosting over side and top of torte ; garnish with rserved toasted alomnds.

BON APPÉTIT

Fluffy Peppermint Pie

 

                Add a final flourish to each serving of pie b sprinkling with additional crushed peppermint candies and adding one whole peppermint candy.

Makes 8 servings

• 1½ cups tin chocolate wafer crumbs (about 24 cookies)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
• 30 large marshmallows
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
• 3 drops red food color
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• ¼ cup crushed hard peppermint candies

1. Spray pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs, sugar and butter ; press evenly in bottom and up side of 9-inch glass pie plate.
3. In large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows and milk ; microwave uncovered on High about 3 minutes, stirring once, until marshmallows are melted.
4. Refrigerate about 25 minutes or until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.
5. In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, food color and peppermint extract with electric mixer on high speed until stiff.
6. Stir marshmallow mixture until blended ; fold into whipped cream.
7. Fold in crushed candies ; mound mixture into crust.
8. Cover ; freeze about 5 hours or until frozen.
9. Let stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before cutting ; cover and freeze an remaining pie.

BON APPÉTIT 

Caramel-Pecan Brownie Dessert

 

Makes 12 servings

• 1 package (1 lb 3.8 oz) fudge brownie mix
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup whipping (heavy) cream
• 24 caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup broken pecans
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Cocoa, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350F (180C) ; grease bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with shortening.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs until well blended ; stir in chocolate chips and spread in pan.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed in center and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean ; cool completely, about an hour.
4. Meanwhile, in 1-quart sauce pan, heat ½ cup whipping cream and the caramels over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted.
5. Stir small amount of the hot mixture into beaten egg, then stir egg back into mixture in saucepan ; cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
6. Stir in pecans and spread over brownie ; refrigerate uncovered at least 3 hours until chilled.
7. Run metal spatula around side of pan to loosen dessert ; remove side of pan.
8. Transfer base to serving plate ; in chilled small bowl, beat ¾ cup whipping cream and the powdered sugar with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
9. Spoon whipped cream in 12 dollops around edge of dessert ; sprinkle lightl with cocoa.
10. Cut into wedges to serve ; store covered in refrigerator.

BON APPÉTIT

Ordinary choux pastry (The Escoffier culinary guide)

 

Proportions:

• 1 liter of water
• 375 grams of butter
• 15 grams of salt
• 25 grams of sugar
• 500 grams of sifted flour
• 16 medium eggs
• A spoonful of orange blossom water

Process :

1. Put water, salt, sugar and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Remove from fire ; add the flour; mix this and dry over high heat until the dough no longer sticks to the spoon and oozes slightly.
3. Then add, and completely off the heat, the eggs two by two, taking care to incorporate them well into the dough before adding more.
4. When all the eggs have been absorbed by the dough, top it off with the flavoring.

The cooking :

1. Place the choux buns on the lightly buttered baking sheet, using a spoon or a piping bag; take care to space them out sufficiently, as they double in volume when cooked.
2. Bake in a hot 400F (200C) oven for about 20 minutes.
3. The choux should be puffy, golden, crunchy and light.
4. Let cool on rack.

In homage to Auguste Escoffier

Christmas steamed pudding (Holidays menus for the family)

 

8 servings

• 1 cup boiling water 
• 1 cup chopped cranberries or chopped raisins
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 egg
• Creamy sauce (below) or Rum hard sauce (below)

1. Generously grease 6-cup mold.
2. Pour boiling water on cranberries ; stir in shortening.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl ; stir in cranberry mixture, molasses and egg.
4. Pour into mold ; cover tightly with aluminium foil.
5. Place mold on rack in Dutch oven or steamer ; pour boiling water into Dutch oven halfway up mold and cover Dutch oven.
6. Keep water boiling over lower heat about 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of pudding comes out clean ; remove mold from Dutch oven.
7. Let stand 5 minutes ; unmold.
8. Serve warm or cool with Creamy sauce or Rum hard sauce.

Creamy sauce

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup margarine or butter, softened
• ½ cup whipping cream

1. Mix powdered sugar and margarine in 1-quart saucepan until smooth and creamy ; stir in whipping cream.
2. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally ; serve warm.

Rum hard sauce

• ½ cup margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum

1. Beat margarine in small bowl on high speed about 5 minutes until smooth ; gradually beat in powdered sugar and rum.
2. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

BON APPÉTIT