SoupSpoon

Daring Baker #11

Last night at supper Stephen said, "When I was a kid I never understood Garfield's obsession with lasagna, but now I completely get it."

This month's daring baker challenge took a momentary detour from sweet, and landed us in the territory of hand-rolled pasta. The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

This green lasagna, lasagna verdi, incorporates chopped spinach into the hand-rolled noodles. The gorgeous flecks of green made the noodles so pretty, like something found in the ocean. Don't you kind of think of mermaids when you see them? Maybe?

Well, anyways, at the very least they are delicious. I had such a fun afternoon tending to the dough. The noodles are not hard to make per sé they just require a bit of babysitting. There is the mixing, kneading, waiting, stretching, rolling, slicing, hanging, boiling, and layering that kept me coming back to check on them. None of which I minded; the results are worth every step.

Concerning the pasta making part, I must tell you my trick for making less of mess. The directions tell you to clear a counter surface, make a mound of dough with a well in the center, and mix from there. Now, I know that that is proper, but I used a wide mixing bowl instead of going straight to the counter. I made a mound of flour, with a well and all, right there in the bowl. As I mixed, I had no volcano mishaps or messes onto the floor; it was tightly contained. Perhaps I deserve a slap on the wrist, or maybe a gold star depending on who is judging, but none the less the pasta making process was endlessly more enjoyable this way. Especially now that I know I can make delicious pasta without a pasta maker, and with less of a mess, I think this challenge has opened whole new horizons.

I made the meat ragu in the morning, and while the dough rested in the afternoon, I made the bechamel sauce. The spinach noodle recipe is lovely, but I did find my dough to be a bit dry. I had to add water to get the dough to come together. I followed the bechamel recipe exactly, but made my own meat ragu recipe. Copied below is my recipe.

If only you were here I would share a slice.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)
(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

Meat Ragu

1 pound ground beef, browned in skillet
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine such as pinot or cab sav
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 pint container sliced baby bella mushrooms, washed
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon anise seed
1/2 or 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. In large pot over medium heat, saute mushrooms and onions until the mushrooms release their moisture. Saute a minute more until the liquid starts to evaporate. Add wine. Stir well
2. Add dried herbs and spices, tomatoes, and browned beef. (If your beef is fatty strain off the fat first)
3. Mix well, turn to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently. (The ragu should be thick)

black bean salad with cilantro, sweet potato, and lime

I feel the fullness of spring about to burst inside my chest. Today is the vernal equinox. Last year on the equinox I told you the story of how Stephen and I met. The vernal equinox, unlike any other day of the year, makes me hopeful.  Hopeful that beginnings sometimes come when we had not even noticed we were standing at an ending.

Earlier this week, in the midst of slushy spring rain, I made potato soup and shared a jar with my dear friend, Emily. Yesterday morning she filled the jar with these flowers, and secretly left it on our porch. As I stood on my porch holding that sweet little jar I became even more sure that spring is springing, and I am practically jumping too.

Every time the seasons change I am consistently gushy with praise. I beg for fall, relish winter, become giddy in the spring, and practically wait all year for summer. There is something lovely about loving something that I have no say in how it happens. The only thing I do have a say in is how to spend those days that burst with spring weather. When the sun gets warm, and the flowers begin to bloom, right on their heals is a picnic.

This salad is perfect picnic food because it keeps well, is simple to make, and is easily eaten cold. Alongside grilled shrimp, bar-b-que chicken or even just packed as a lunch in itself, this is a smart salad to have on hand.

I often make this and add thinly sliced red onions that add a lovely crisp crunch and slight heat. Feel free to play around and see which way you prefer.

Stephen and I are spending the weekend with his Grandmom, and I am toting this salad along as well as the season's first Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
Now it really feels like spring.

Black Bean Salad with Cilantro, Sweet Potato, and Lime serves 8 as a side

4 sweet potatoes peeled, and cut into small chunks
1 26 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 lime, zest and juice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
thinly sliced red onion (optional)

1. Roast sweet potatoes according to these directions
2. Gently toss beans with cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and paprika. Add onions is using
3. Fold in roasted cooled sweet potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste
4. plan a picnic, now go have fun

romaine radish and roasted potato salad

Like I said the last time, I am not a lover of green salads. The reasons for that are simply because I have seen too many wilted sad lettuce leaves folded beneath dry shriveled sliced carrots topped with a pink tomato. Those are the salads that made me not a fan. These sorts of salads renew my affection.

Because spring flowers are blooming, and the days are warming up, the thought of eating crisp fresh vegetables is becoming more and more appealing. We shared a few salads lately that are lovely and simple, and open to your creative input. I am sharing these to hopefully inspire you to eat fresh, and to make vegetables in a way that is enjoyable not obligatory to eat. (Let me know if it works)

Much like the tips I shared for the spinach salad, thinking about a variety of texture in  a salad helps it to be satisfying in a whole new way. Cooled, roasted, potato wedges add a hearty creamy bite to the romaine salad that balances the heat of the radishes and the acid from the apple cider vinegar. Plus, let's be honest, roasted potato wedges are deliciously un-salad, and so that just helps with the physche side of eating salad. I think it is high time we get past the whole 'salad is for diets' mentality, and make salads that are deliciously healthy. How does that sound?

Happy spring eating.

Radish, Romaine, and Roasted Potato Salad serves 2

This sort of salad is lovely with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt, but this time I used apple cider vinegar. Feel free to experiment with both.

1 small head of romaine lettuce, rinsed and torn into bite size pieces
3 radishes, rinsed and sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1/4 cup minced cilantro
3 green onions, rinsed and thinly sliced
roasted cooled red potato wedges, about 8 wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Toss the lettuce with the radishes, cabbage, cilantro, and green onions
2. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Toss in potatoes gently. Salt and pepper to taste

avocado spinach salad

I would not consider myself a lover of green salads, but this is a type of salad I unabashedly love.  Instead of a salad being an obligatory part of the meal, salads like this one become the star of the meal. In some cases, it has been known to become the meal in itself.

This recipe is meant to serve as a guideline. Feel free, encouraged, and capable to add a bit more of something or use slightly different ingredients. Something to keep in mind when making a great spinach salad is to have something crunchy or crisp like cabbage, nuts, or fresh croutons that help to contrast the softness of the spinach. Also, something creamy like an avocado or feta cheese is perfect for making the salad more satisfying. A bean is also a good addition if the salad is going to be a major player in your dinner. Dress it all with a zing of lemon or lime, splash of olive oil, and a hearty crack of pepper followed by a sprinkling of salt.

Try to imagine additions to the salad that go together in different ethnic cuisines. For example, in this salad I used lime, black beans, and avocados. Another lovely and common spinach salad around this house is garbanzo beans, feta, cubed roasted sweet potatoes, and lemon with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Maybe I will tell you about that one sometime.

Feel free to explore different  flavors. Make sure to salt the salad, and always give a nice drizzle of olive oil to carry the flavors.

If you want even more ideas for delicious vegetables, click on the recipe page link up to the left, in the sidebar, to find a whole list of recipes, vegetables and otherwise.

Avocado Spinach Salad serves 2
Feel free to not follow the quantities exactly. This is meant to be a loose guide.

3 loosely packed cups of baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 avocado, diced (feeling generous? use the whole avocado)
1 skinny little green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 of a lime
drizzle of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
a few cracks of black pepper

1. Rinse spinach and toss in a medium size bowl
2. Rinse cabbage and toss with spinach, add rinsed sliced green onions
3. If using canned beans, drain and rinse. Add beans to salad
4. Salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Gently fold in the avocado pieces, and squeeze half of lime over the whole salad. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary

slow as molasses

This is my spring break from classes, and in a moment of wicked irony, our weather shifted from mid 60's to snow. Inches of snow to be exact, and it happened literally overnight.

Not that I entirely mind the snow; I like it actually, just not very much on spring break. Something in me feels like I should be posting about some exotic drink that I was just served under a cabana, but actually I am not on any vacation and in snow. Thus instead I am posting about chewy, tempting, spiced molasses cookies.

You might be thinking, "Wait, I have seen molasses cookies on this blog before", and you would be correct. I posted a crackle top molasses cookie a few months back, and these are not trying to steal any of their thunder.

Actually the search for this cookie started when my mom asked for a softer version of the crackle top molasses cookie, and so because I try to be a good daughter, I searched around for a good looking recipe, and found this one on Dog Hill Kitchen blog. The recipe is from Mount Washington Tavern, and I am so glad she passed it on. Dark, moist, and seriously spiced bite size cookies with the sweet crackle of raw sugar that sings on your tongue; these are dangerously perfect.

I have figured out that holding a book with one hand while the other reaches for another cookie is a great way to spend a spring snow day.

Chewy Molasses Cookies
I found this recipe on this blog, and she found it in Mount Washington Tavern.
makes 4 dozen 2 inch cookies

2 cups flour (I followed Dog Hill's lead and used 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used 2 teaspoons ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup (white) sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
about 1/4 cup raw sugar for dipping

1. Sift together the flour(s), baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light in color
3. Add the egg and molasses and beat until incorporated, scraping the bowl 1-2 times. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined
4. Shape the dough into a 1 inch thick rectangle or square, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 4 hours
5. After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 375 degrees
6. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or a silpat, and fill a bowl with the raw sugar
7. Remove half of the block of dough from the refrigerator and cut into 24 equal sized cubes (~1-inch square).
8. Roll each cube into a ball and coat with the raw sugar. Place on the cookie sheets with plenty of space between each cookie. Give them more than an inch and a half between each ball, these spread a good deal
9. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Cookies will still be very soft and puffy with a lightly browned bottom.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.
11. Store in a tightly closed cookie tin to keep them chewy

enjoy!