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Baked Ziti

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Baked Ziti

This was one of the Friday night pasta dishes we had in Miltimber. I made it in the large cast iron pot which went into the oven, making it an easy one pot meal (except for the pasta pot of course). Normally I made a vegetarian version with zucchini or other vegetables instead of the sausage. Always used frozen spinach as fresh was rarely available. 

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ziti
  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage casing removed; or equivalent amount of frozen or fresh vegatables
  • 1 tablespoon medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red chili
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 28-ounce can
  • 6 ounces pesto
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 9-ounce package washed spinach use frozen
  • Butter for baking dish
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella plus more for topping
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan plus more for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add ziti and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander.

  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute turkey sausage. Add onion and garlic and saute until the sausage is cooked through. Use your spoon to break up the sausage while it cooks. Add the can of diced tomatoes, crushed red chili's and pesto and let simmer for 10 minutes. If using frozen spinach add it at this point.

  4. Add the ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan and mozzarella to a large bowl, and stir to combine.

  5. Butter/oil a 4-quart/liter baking dish, add the cooked pasta, then sausage mixture and cheese mixture. Top with a sprinkling of mozzarella and Parmesan.

  6. Bake until completely heated through and golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Inspired by the Neely's Baked Ziti recipe on the Foodnetwork site.

Pot Pie

 

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Pot Pie

For best results you should have both the crust and the chicken mixture at a cold temperature to achieve a more unified dish. I generally cook the sauce in a cast iron skillet and add the vegetables to the sauce and let it cook for a few minutes before adding the chicken and topping it off with the pie crust. 

For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with frozen or fresh vegetables. 

Use Italian seasoning or any other combination of herbs that works for you. Add crushed chili's along with the Tabasco to give it more flavor.

Ingredients

Pot Pie Filling

  • 1 chicken 3 to 4 pounds
  • 2 small onions cut into small pieces
  • 2 carrots cut in thin slices
  • 3 clove garlic crushed
  • 1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

Pie Crust

  • Standard Pie Crust
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon cream

Instructions

  1. Poach the chicken and allow to cool. Reserve the broth.
  2. Cook the vegetables until just tender in some of the chicken broth, seasoned with garlic and parsley.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan or skillet, blend with the flour, and cook several minutes.
  4. Gradually stir in 1 cup of the broth and continue stirring till the mixture thickens.
  5. Cool slightly, stir in the cream, and season with salt, pepper, and Tobasco.
  6. Cut the meat from the breast, legs, and thighs into substantial pieces. Add smaller bits of chicken to the sauce. Place the large pieces in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Arrange the onions and carrots over the chicken and pour the sauce over all. Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly.
  7. Prepare the pastry and roll out to fit the baking dish with about 1 1/2 inches overlap. Roll up the edges and crimp with the tines of a fork to make it adhere to the top of the baking dish. Make a vent in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape.
  8. Brush the pastry well with the cream and egg yolk mixture.
  9. Bake 15 minutes in a 450-degree oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until the crust is nicely browned and cooked through, about 35 minutes.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe in James Beard's American Cookery (Little, Brown; 1980)

Bean Salad

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Bean Salad

I think it works best if you can make the sauce a couple of hours ahead and then combine it with the salad just before serving. This allows the flavors to develop. As to the bean salad mix and match as you want.
Course Salad

Ingredients

Bean Salad

  • 2 cans kidney beans rinsed
  • 1 can sweet corn rinsed
  • 1 can chick peas rinsed
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • red onion diced, to taste

Dressing

  • 3/4 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons celery seed
  • Salt as needed
  • Pepper as needed

Instructions

Dressing

  1. Mix all ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as needed. If possible, set aside for several hours to allow the flavors to combine.

Salad

  1. Drain and rinse the liquid from the kidney beans, corn and chick peas. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Just before serving pour the dressing over the salad mix and combine well.

Chili with Kidney Beans

 

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Chili with Kidney Beans

Serve with tortilla chips, pasta, scallions, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, sour cream, shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese. The flavor of the chili improves with age; if possible, make it a day or up to five days in advance and reheat before serving.

Course Main Course
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
  • 2 medium onions chopped fine, about 2-3 cups
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 1 cup
  • 6 cloves garlic minced or pressed through garlic press, or about 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds ground pork
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes with juice, 14 ounces - 28 ounces in total
  • 2 cans tomato puree can use pasata or crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces - 28 ounces in total
  • 2 cans dark red kidney beans 16 ounces each, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn 14 ounces, drained and rinsed
  • table salt

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about10 minutes. 

    Increase heat to medium-high and add half the pork; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining pork and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

  2. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. 

    Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until pork is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. 

    Add beans and corn. continue to simmer for 30 more minutes. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with condiments if desired.

Kyllinggryte (Chicken Pot)

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Bestemor's Kyllinggryte (Chicken Pot)

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 Chicken Baked
  • 2 tsp Butter
  • 4 Tomatoes Chopped
  • 2 Red Bell Peppers
  • 8 Mushrooms, Large
  • 1 tsp Paprika Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Pepper To taste
  • 1 dl chicken broth
  • 2 1/2 dl sour cream
  • Parsley Chopped

Instructions

  1. Saute Mushrooms in a large pot until the water comes out. 

    Add all other ingredients except chicken, sour cream and parsly

    Simmer covered until it comes together

    Add sourcream and chicken, continue cooking until warmed through

    Top with chopped Parsley

Recipe Notes

Serve in bowls over rice.