Pizza Rustica

Last year my sister and I reminisced about our childhood Easter holiday when we spent the days prior to Easter Sunday with our cousins and having fun while our moms' made Pizza Rustica which is the Easter meat pie.

We were never in the kitchen during those earlier years, but our memories of that time stayed with us.

Now that we're just a tad bit older we make Pizza Rustica only occasionally -- trying to keep us all in-line eating more healthy and cut back on the salt, fats, and cheeses.

It's hard to resist Pizza Rustica so we splurge when we know we have been towing the line during the weeks prior to Easter.

Instead of making a deep dish pie the way our mom did, I now use a pie plate. In my mind I think this is better for portion control.

My mother used to buy the dried salami, sopressata, pepperoni among other delicious specialties at the salumeria. These were staples and always on our table with or without the antipast.

For the pies my mom would cut up all these meats, provolone and mozzarella. This was time consuming. In today's world time is of the essence. To cut out some of this cutting and chopping, the Italian deli or any large market deli department will cut a thick slice of any meat and cheese you like.

All you need to do is cut each chunk into approx. 1/2 inch cubes which will take all of 5 minutes. Set these aside and you are ready to mix the ricotta, egg, and cheeses, then stir in the meats and bake. The total prep time to make this pie is less than 15 minutes -- unless you are making your own pie dough.

This is another recipe that is very flexible. You can use the meats you prefer. The pie will turn out the same but the taste will be exactly as you desire by using the ingredients you like.

Pizza Rustica
makes 1 pie

Ingredients:
your favorite pie dough recipe
or use pre-packaged refrigerated dough

8 oz. ricotta
1 egg
1-2 TBLS. grated pecorino romano cheese
1 hard boiled egg
1 cup of cubed mozzarella
fresh ground pepper to taste

from the deli:
1/2" thick slice of Genoa salami
1/2" thick slice of ham
1/2" thick slice of pepperoni
1/2" thick slice provolone
3-4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma }the next 2 items can be found in the
3-4 thin slices sopressata }supermarket's specialty section individually packaged.

Directions

1. Cut the deli meats and cheese slices into cubes and set aside in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl mix the ricotta, egg, grated cheese and pepper just until the egg is well blended.
3. Chop the hard boiled egg and add it to the mixture with the remainder of the ingredients to the ricotta mixture. Stir gently just to combine the ingredients.
4. Line a pie plate with the dough and fill with the mixture. Cover the mixture with the second pie dough and crimp sides.
5. Brush top of pie crust with egg wash or milk and bake in 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.

Let cool for several hours before serving. Can be served at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator.

Buona Pasqua!

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks


I've shared this recipe with:

Full Plate Thursday





Martha's Seaside Simplicity Easter Party

Wine Snob Salesman

We are fortunate to have several wine shops in our area that often host free wine tastings. The spring season sparks some interest in tasting new wines.

Whenever we have a free weekend and our wine rack needs a bottle or two we take a field trip. This weekend we had a chance to stop by for one of the tastings. It was a spring fling and there was a lot of activity.

There were way too many wines to taste and with the big crowd it was a little difficult to navigate. It was an experience and a lot of fun until I came across the Big Kahuna Wine Snob Salesman.

It was quite crowded in the store and as I was waiting in line I was chatting with the others and listening to the questions being asked. There's always a lot to learn from Q&A.

I noticed one salesman in particular did not seem very interested in any of the questions he was asked. His responses were snide remarks and some were borderline rude. He didn't answer any of the questions specifically. If he were on a witness stand the judge would give him a warning to answer the question or be held in contempt of court.

When my turn finally came and the salesman began pouring I simply asked him what I would be tasting. I thought it was a fair question since all his bottles were wrapped in towels and it was not obvious as to what wine he was pouring.

As were his other responses, he gave me a short and curt 'Spain's answer to Champagne'. I looked at him puzzled hoping he would offer more information, but he just stood and stared blankly not making eye contact.

I didn't know how to respond so I just took the glass and walked away. One sale less for this guy. I would not call him a salesman. I don't think he could have been anything else except a big "wine snob" -- salesman was not even on the list.

Most of the other salesmen were offering their wine's tasting notes and giving tips on how to serve the wine and what foods would be the best pairings. This is usually the norm with in-store wine tastings. After all, these guys want to sell their wines, not make enemies.

Mr. Big Kahuna Wine Snob salesman was very different from all the others. He was not out to share his knowledge with the masses. Having his bottles covered made it clear since it was obvious this wasn't a blind tasting event.

The Big Kahuna Wine Snob salesman should assume each taster has a need to know what he/she is tasting and not assume everyone knows "all" there is to know about his wines or any wine for that matter. He should be giving as much information to each taster which is one of the reasons to attend tastings.

I would be remiss if I ended this post without saying that Spain's answer to Champagne is a Spanish Cava which is a very popular sparkling wine. There are many bubbly, sparkling wines made around the world however they cannot be labeled as Champagne. French "Champagne" is made in the one and only region in France called Champagne.

Some of the sparkling wines made in various regions around the globe have their own distinctive name: Crémant is from France, Sekt is from Germany, Spumante is from Italy and as previously mentioned Cava is from Spain.

Mr. Big Kahuna Wine Snob is actually the first snob I've experienced in a retail environment. He was not being wine-tasting friendly to tasters and shoppers who deserved common courtesy.

It's not fun to come across a snob in any environment, but they are out there. Don't be intimidated by them. As snobs they have a need to feel superior. The best revenge is to ignore them and not feed their ego.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

Expecting spring flowers? 

This team has been eating them in my sister's back yard this week.

Bacon and Burgers

To start off the grilling season I'm getting out the bacon.

While the temperatures are still on the cooler end of the thermometer it's a good time to go with the big bold foods.  I've decided to start with bacon wrapped appetizers and bacon cheeseburgers.

Bacon is salty and loaded with fat. A combination that is not always a good pairing with wine.

Pairing Tip: Salt, fat, sweet, sour, etc. flavors in foods will affect how a wine will taste on our palate. Foods that are salty and fatty need a wine with strong acidity, should be low in tannins, have a fuller body, and maybe have a hint of sweetness. 

The acidity cuts through the fat, and the full body allows your palate to stay awake so to speak. A wine with a hint of sweetness can be a bit refreshing.

First I'd like to share a very simple appetizer that can be your 'go to' dish for almost every special occasion during the year.  Dates and bacon, sweet and salty, are a delightful combination.

Easy Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese
(serves 12)
Ingredients

• 12 Medjool dates pitted
• 4-6 TBLS. goat cheese
• 6 slices of bacon cut in half
• 12 Small wooden skewers soaked in water - or metal skewers.

Directions:

1. Make a slit in the center of the date, but do not cut them in half (try to keep the date in one piece). Take about 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese and place it into the date where you made the cut. Wrap a slice of bacon around the date and use a skewer to hold in place.
2. Grill the them for about 10 minutes turning them when each side is crisp. Or you can saute them in a non-stick skillet seam side down, turning them until bacon is browned. Drain and serve hot.

To accompany the bacon wrapped dates I'm going with a bacon cheeseburger. A large cold beer might be your drink of choice, but for those who enjoy wine here are some tips that can help you choose a wine everyone will enjoy.

Wine Pairing:  When we think of grilling and barbecue we think of big red wines.  However the salty bacon can be too much for a big bold red wine.

An off dry Riesling or a Gewurztraminer can be a good pairing for the bacon wrapped dates.  They have the acidity to cut through the fat.

When you are not sure whether to choose a white or red wine, choose a rose wine. Rose wines are food friendly.  They have the acidity necessary to pair with many foods, and range from medium to full body. They have lots of fruit flavors as well.

You can find Merlot rose, Montepulciano rose, Shiraz rose just to name a few.  They have lower tannins than the red varieties yet they still have the fruitiness that we like and enough body to hold up to the burger.

There are sparkling rose wines also which are good to pair with salty and fatty foods.  The bubbles act as a palate cleanser making everything taste better. 

Happy Spring Grilling!


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Blog Award, Share the Love and Pay It Forward

A fellow blogger and a new FoodBuzz friend Katie from Cook In A Bar nominated my blog for the One Lovely Blog Award.

I was never nominated for anything in my entire life. Well, if you count being "best" grammy, but no one else knows that except the 3 little tykes who made the proclamation.

I'm flattered and honored that Katie added me to her list of  nominations and I feel it is imperative that I pass this on.

Blogging is a way to share, learn and meet new people who may or may not have the same philosophy, yet we can still share, learn and enjoy making new friends.

Since this award is new to me I wasn't sure what being nominated actually meant. Should I just say 'thank you' and move on, or do I add my list of 15 bloggers.   I did some research and I didn't come across any of the bloggers giving this award and adding a "nominated" bloggers list.

I found several postings giving the award and adding a list of 15 blogs who were asked to share the love. It was quite a surprise to find that very few bloggers in the list of 15 actually acknowledged the award and added their personal list of 15.

Blogging is a passion which takes a big chunk of our time. It's nice to 'pay it forward'. Why shouldn't everyone have a piece of the social networking pie?

As suggested by Katie, the list of rules are as follows:

Part of the fun of the award is sharing it with other bloggers. There are a few instructions that come with accepting this One Lovely Blog Award:

1. Post the award on your blog with the name of the person who bestowed it and include their blog link.
2. Share the love. [Nominate] List 15 other bloggers, whose blogs [who]you admire to receive this award.
3. Contact the blog owners and let them know they've been chosen.

I will use this nomination as a forum to Pay it Forward. Every week I come across many blogs that are interesting and entertaining. In no particular order here are some of the blogs I follow. A few have already received a 'blog award' but it's always rewarding to know our time and the thoughts we share are read and enjoyed.

A Little Sumpin' Sumpin'
The Joy of Caking
Inspired2Cook
Coffee Muffins
Ekat's Kitchen
Indulge Bakery
Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Indulgence
Journey of an Italian Cook
Sprinkles of Parsley
Apples and Twinkies
Baking Serendipity
Susi's Kochen Und Backen
Drick's Rambling Cafe
Tomatoes on the Vine

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Coconut Brunch Cake Anytime

I'm all for easy recipes. It doesn't matter whether I'm busy (which is almost always :)) or have all the time in the world to spend the day in the kitchen.

Easy is the way I like it, especially when it comes to desserts and snacks.

Think about it for a minute -- you are looking for a snack and there is nothing in the cabinet, or you are having unexpected guests and it's too late to get in the car for a supermarket run. That's when you are glad you have a stock pile of easy recipes.

I came across a cake recipe a few weeks ago that looked so simple I was a little skeptical. Well, today was the day I was looking for a snack and there was nothing in the cabinet. I definitely was not getting in the car again so I decided to try this cake recipe.

The cake recipe was named after a friend of the person writing the article and was described as a simple breakfast cake. Simple it was, and definitely easy and I was pleasantly surprised how tender the cake turned out.

My recipe is called Coconut Brunch Cake since I added the coconut and this would make a great brunch cake. If you don't like coconut you can eliminate it and leave it plain.

Coconut Brunch Cake

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk (or use whole milk)
• 1 1/2 cups Unbleached Flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1-2 cups shredded coconut

Directions

Use either a large loaf pan 10 x 6 x 2, or an 8 x 8 glass baking dish, which is what I used. Butter the pan generously, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven at 300 degrees.

1. In a large mixing bowl use a wire whisk to beat the eggs with the lemon zest for about 30 seconds or until the eggs are a little foamy. Add the sugar, 1 cup of flour, baking powder and milk and mix well with the whisk just until blended. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and mix just until well combined.
2. Pour the batter into the pan scraping the sides of the bowl to get all the batter in the pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cake springs back and the sides of the cake pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from pan and cool the cake on a rack for about 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Make a glaze to pour over the top of the cake and add the shredded coconut tapping into glaze and then sprinkle a little lemon zest over the coconut if desired.
For the glaze:  1 cup of confectioners sugar and add a tablespoon of milk and stir.  Use a little more milk if necessary.  The glaze should be thick and not run over the side of the cake so that it will hold the coconut in place.

Try this cake even if you are not a white cake enthusiast -- me, I'm a chocoholic, and I think this cake is a winner.

This is more of a dense cake rather than a typical layer cake. Have this cake ready for when you want a hot cup of tea or coffee. Add a scoop of ice cream or fresh fruit compote.

You can make this cake without the coconut and use your own favorite cake topping.


I've shared this recipe with:
Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday
Ekat's Kitchen Friday Potluck
Feed Me Tweet Me Follow Me Home Friday



Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Hops and Chops

Local breweries are popping up in almost every city these days. This is a perfect time to look for hand-crafted beers and give them a try.

They are delicious, refreshing, great with food, party drinks, creatively made, have unusual names and designed for today's discriminating tastes.

Pardon my overly-descriptive sentence. I was inspired by an article I just read listing all the local breweries in my city. I had no idea there were so many.

Specialty or hand-crafted beers are made with a purpose and contain the best quality ingredients. Each brew-master has a method to his/her madness. The preparation and use of unusual ingredients make the most unique flavored beers.

One brewery makes a potato stout beer which is brewed using only local organically grown potatoes that are boiled, mashed and then added to the malt, wheat and hops, and is lovingly named Potato Stout -- perfect with steak and potatoes.

Celtic Ale is brewed the same way it was hundreds of years ago. This brew is said to have sweet yet smooth flavor that everyone is enjoying.

There is a stout brewed with the unusual brewing ingredients of cinnamon, roasted chocolate malt, flaked oats, licorice root and locally-grown apples. Unusual flavors are the hallmark of this brewery for four generations.

This is just a tidbit of information on some of the hand-crafted brews being served in my area. Check your local listings for breweries and venture out to try them. Many have tasting rooms and/or offer their hand-crafted beer at local pubs or restaurants.

It's all about the taste - and yes, goes well with food.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks