The Home Creamery (15 page)

8 ounces
HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA (
PAGE 84
)
, cut into small pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons butter

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink on the inside. Remove from the grill and cut into thin strips.

2.
Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta. Return the pasta to pot. Add the chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, and butter. Toss to combine. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a sauce that coats pasta, if necessary. Serve with additional Parmesan.

SERVES 4

EGGPLANT ROLLATINI

In this dish, eggplant slices are grilled and rolled with ricotta filling, then topped with tomato sauce before baking. It’s surprisingly easy to make and is a great meatless entrée that always satisfies nonvegetarians.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch slices Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups (12 ounces)
HOMEMADE RICOTTA (
PAGES 70
AND
72
)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

2 cups homemade or prepared tomato sauce

1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Mix olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl and brush onto both sides of the eggplant slices; season both sides with salt and pepper.

2.
Grill the eggplant slices, turning once, until tender and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the eggplant slices to a rimmed baking sheet.

3.
Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, and half of the basil in a medium bowl until blended; season with salt and pepper. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto each slice of eggplant beginning 1 inch from the bottom edge and leaving a ¼-inch border on each side. Starting with a short end, roll each slice and arrange seam side down on the baking sheet.

4.
Spoon the tomato sauce over rolls and bake until warmed through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and the remaining basil and serve hot.

SERVES 4

SPINACH RICOTTA PIE

This rustic pie combines the flavors of spinach and fresh, sweet ricotta cheese. Serve it with an antipasto or tossed salad and garlic bread for a simple and satisfying meal. The pie can also be made with broccoli or asparagus.

1 (9-inch) piecrust, at room temperature

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups (1 pound)
HOMEMADE RICOTTA (
PAGES 70
AND
72
)

8 ounces
HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA (
PAGE 84
)
, shredded

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Press the dough into a 9-inch square glass or ceramic pie dish. Fold edge under and crimp decoratively.

2.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until all the liquid from the spinach evaporates, about 3 minutes.

3.
Combine ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Blend in the eggs. Add spinach mixture and mix well.

4.
Spoon the cheese mixture into the piecrust. Bake until the filling is set in center and brown on top, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SERVES 6

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

This popular recipe is similar to lasagna but made with cooked eggplant slices instead. Many recipes call for frying the eggplant, but here it’s baked, giving it a crisp texture without the extra fat calories.

2 eggs

2 tablespoons water

¾ cup plain dry breadcrumbs

¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggplants (about 12 ounces each), peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds

6 cups homemade tomato sauce or 2 (26-ounce) jars prepared sauce

12 ounces
HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA (
PAGE 84
)
, thinly sliced

1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil. Whisk together the eggs and water in a shallow bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs, ¾ cup Parmesan, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper on a large sheet of waxed paper.

2.
Dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well. Place the coated eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Remove from oven, and increase the temperature to 400°F.

3.
Spread 2 cups of the tomato sauce in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in the dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then half the cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

4.
Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SERVES 8 TO 10

VARIATION
EGGPLANT PARMESAN HEROES

1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare eggplant as directed. Slice 4 (12-inch) loaves of Italian bread in half horizontally. Arrange bottom halves of loaves on a large baking sheet and tops on another large baking sheet, all with cut sides up. Spread ¼ cup tomato sauce on each top and bottom. Divide eggplant among the bottom halves, overlapping slices slightly. Top each bottom half with a few slices of mozzarella.

2.
Bake open-faced sandwiches in lower third of oven until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. When cheese begins to melt, put tops of loaves in upper third of oven and bake until edges are golden, 3 to 4 minutes (watch tops closely; they burn easily). Put tops on bottoms to make sandwiches; slice into serving pieces.

GRILLED STEAKS WITH FLAVORED BUTTERS

Strip steaks are tender and delicious on their own, but the flavored butter definitely gives them a lift. The butters can also be served with pork chops or chicken or tossed with warm pasta or rice.

Flavored butters (see below)

4 strip steaks, 10 ounces each, ¾-inch thick

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.
Prepare one or more of the flavored butters (see below), and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.
Preheat a grill or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub the steaks with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks for about 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to plates. Serve with flavored butter.

BLUE CHEESE BUTTER:
Mix 3 tablespoons Homemade Butter (
pages 28
and
31
) with 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese until blended. Pack into a small cup, and refrigerate until ready to use.

MUSTARD-HORSERADISH BUTTER:
Mix 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish with 4 tablespoons Homemade Butter (
pages 28
and
31
) until blended. Pack into a small cup, and refrigerate until ready to use.

GARLIC-HERB BUTTER:
Mix 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, or tarragon or a combination of herbs, and ½ teaspoon minced garlic with 4 tablespoons Homemade Butter (
pages 28
and
31
) until blended. Pack into a small cup, and refrigerate until ready to use.

BEEF STROGANOFF

Traditional components of this dish, named after the nineteenth-century Russian diplomat Count Paul Stroganov, include tender strips of beef, sliced mushrooms, and a sauce thickened with sour cream, all of which are included here. Serve it over egg noodles or rice.

3 tablespoons
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
)

2 pounds sirloin steak, cut across the grain into thin slices

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Dash of cayenne pepper

1 cup
HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM (
PAGES 50
AND
52
)

1.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy skillet until melted. Add the steak and cook, turning often, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to bowl.

2.
Heat another tablespoon of the butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes

3.
Remove the mushrooms and onions to the bowl with the steak. To the pan juices add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir in the flour, paprika, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the sour cream. Add the meat mixture and heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through.

SERVES 6

CRAB CAKES WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

The sour cream-horseradish sauce makes these crab cakes worth making. The sauce would also be good with cooked shrimp or as a topping for steak or grilled burgers.

1 cup
HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM (
PAGES 50
AND
52
)

2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shell

1 cup dry breadcrumbs

4 scallions including green tops, finely chopped Pinch of cayenne

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil

1.
Mix together
¾
cup of the sour cream and the horseradish in a small bowl until well blended; set aside.

2.
Combine the crabmeat, the remaining ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs, the scallions, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Shape the crab mixture into 8 patties. Coat the patties with the remaining
¾
cup breadcrumbs.

3.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the cakes until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain the crab cakes on paper towels. Serve right away with the horseradish cream.

SERVES 4

BROCCOLI RABE AND RICOTTA FRITTATA

Although a frittata is often described as an open-faced omelet, it’s thicker and can be eaten at room temperature. This hearty version can be served for lunch or dinner with a tossed green salad.

1 bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems removed

9 eggs

1 cup (8 ounces)
HOMEMADE RICOTTA (
PAGES 70
AND
72
)