Daring Baker: Lasagne with homemade spinach pasta

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

This was something that I feel I am an expert at-- homemade pasta! Thanks to Jon and Ali, I've had a hand pasta maker for a couple of years now and I LOVE homemade pasta. But I've never experimented with flavored pasta, so this was a great challenge!

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.

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

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)

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 tasteFreshly 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.

#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)
Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours
Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
• 2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
• 1 small carrot, minced
• 4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
• 4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
• 8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
• 1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
• 2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
• 1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
• 2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
• 3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  

Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering:
Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Homemade chicken sausages

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I'm still experimenting, but I don't think I can go wrong with these homemade sausages! They are amazing! Here are some ideas and photos from my first three attempts.

Our favorite so far:

• 5 bonesless thighs
• 3 handfuls spinach
• 2 garlic cloves
• parsley
• tyhme

Next best:

• 5 boneless thighs
• lemon rind from 1 lemon
• bunch of thyme
• 1 leek chopped
• handful of spinach
• 2 garlic cloves

Okay but too many mushrooms in the batch I made:

• 5 boneless chicken thighs chopped
• 2 bunches cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 small portabellow mushrooms

how to
For all of them, I used pork intestine casings (living in the UK it's easier for me to buy pork intestine casings than a can of coke... butchers are everywhere and my closest is a three minute walk from my house... can of coke is about 3.5 minute walk!). I cut everything up first and mix it together in a bowl in the fridge. Then run it through the hand mixer to grind it. Then place the casing on and pump it all into there to make the sausages. So far I've only tried grilling them, but should be fine boiled or baked. YUM!!!!

Daring Bakers January- Tuiles

Monday, February 02, 2009

I had a lot of fun this month with the challenge. And I was extremely happy to have learned over the recipe... it started off badly and by the end I had perfected it. Plus I had a great time making a dessert to showcase the challenge-- the best cake I've ever made!
I've listed all recipes here.

I decided to celebrate a work milestone with this dessert... we are (probably) going to be working on redeveloping the website for Kew Gardens which will be an incredible project to be involved with! So the dessert is a chocolate soil cake, with green cocoanut grass, tule trees and mint leaves!

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.





Tuiles

• 65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
• 60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)
• 2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
• 65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
• 1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
• Butter/spray to grease baking sheet
  

Oven: 180C / 350F
Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored.
Bake in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from bakingsheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time.

Notes:
Parchment paper did not (!!) work for me. The first three sheets were ruined because of it, but I quickly learned and started using butter instead directly on the baking sheets. The next challenge was to shape them (I was only doing three shapes per baking sheet, but even that was too many to shape before they hardened!). By the end I was making them like an expert... rushing them out of the oven, using a spatula to take one off (very easily removed once sheet was buttered), chuck the sheet with the remaining two back into the oven, quickly shape around a chopstick... and repeat. Exhausted... but I am so pleased this was successful! And the taste is fantastic-- the thinner the better.

Cake filling/frosting:

• 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2.5 Tb sugar
• 1.5 T cocoa
  add all together and chill in fridge w/ beaters for 1 hour. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

Chocolate Blackout Cake: (from http://dozenflours.com/)

• 1 1/2 cups (6.4 oz/181 g) all-purpose flour such as Droste
• 1 cup (2.9 oz/85 g) non-alkalized cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (14 oz/400 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick/4 oz/113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the granulated sugar and, using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until blended.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. While mixing the dry ingredients at low speed, add the egg mixture in a steady steam.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute, until well blended. Add the hot coffee at low speed, mixing just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir the batter from the bottom of the bowl a few times to thoroughly blend the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly. Smooth the batter in each pan and bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Invert the cakes onto the rack and cool completely.


Marshmallow Frosing: used to cover cake (from http://dozenflours.com/)

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 large marshmallows or 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup whole milk or whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together into a large mixing bowl.
Set aside. Place the marshmallows, butter, and milk/cream in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until the marshmallows are melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mixture over the marshmallow mixture. Add the vanilla and stir until the frosting is smooth and satiny.

Daring Baker Challenge: French Yule Log

Thursday, January 01, 2009

(click on photos to see them enlarged)

I am so excited! I've never made a more beautiful dessert!

This was an incredible challenge and one that requires a full weekend. It is delicious. It really is. I'm exhausted and I'm in love with this challenge!!

This Yule Log requires 6 recipes... most of which could be a dessert on their own. They are layers assembled in a bread loaf tin which you'll understand when you see the photos below. From bottom up, the order is:

• almond cake (dacquoise)
• layer of ganache
• mouse
• layer of prailine crisp (feuillete)
• mouse
• layer of creme brulee
• mouse
• icing

(This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand)

what happened:

almond cake

First I made the almond cake. It was simple and quick to do and I started off with gaining a bit of confidence. (tasty too!) I used ground almond which I think must be close to almond meal but I didn't have a chance of finding almond meal locally.

prailine feuillete

Then I cooked the prailine. I, again, had no chance of finding prailine in the way

the French would use it (different to Americans) so I ended up just chopping up some hazelnuts. I would next time do macadamia nuts since I'm not a fan of hazelnuts. I opted for the short cut in the recipe (considering I had about 14 more hours of this dessert-making) and used rice krispies instead of making lace crepes (gavottes). Thankfully the recipe offered the cereal

alternative. This recipe was very fast and simple again... more confidence...

mouse

I then made the mouse which Simon gave two thumbs up to, which is important! I would next time make more mouse since I ran out in the assembly of the cake.

creme brulee

This didn't go so well. Not sure what happened but it didn't want to harden. I think part of the problem was that it cooks with parchment paper in the oven, but as it cooks the paper bends down and rest a bit on the edges of the creme brulee... and it remains soft there. Anyway, after freezing it for a few hours it was stiff enough to add to the mouse.

ganache insert

This was when I started to get nervous. I'd never made ganache and after my last month's disasters melting sugar, I wasn't looking forward to this. It ended up going well but during the assembly in the pan it dripped fully to the sides and there was no mouse around its edges. Not a big problem...

assembly & freeze

First I lined the bread tin with cling film (saran wrap) and I started with piping the mouse in (not ideal method... but rubber scraper didn't work since it kept sticking to it) and then used parchment paper over my hands to press it down to try to make a solid layer. Then in went the creme brulee, more mouse, prailine, more mouse, ganache, then almond cake. I figured once it was all covered with icing it wouldn't matter so much what it looked like, but the layers were definitely not evenly distributed. No biggie. Into the freezer overnight.

icing

The only mistake was my first icing attempt. There was so little cream anad so much sugar and cocoa that it burned easily when boiling. I redid it with melting the cream first (heavy cream in the UK is super thick) and then added the other ingredients. It turned out perfect and beautiful. Best tasting icing!

final assembly

I could cry with happiness at this stage. Iremoved it from the freezer and tipped it onto the wire rack. I could then see how I had done the previous day with the layers... again, not even but it shouldn't matter.

One thing I've learned recently from baking and seeing other Daring Bakers' blogs is that it's all about the presentation! I was inspired by one member and ended up copying her idea of the sliced up chocolate bar on top. All dark chocolate was fantastic Green & Black's (Simon bought it!) and that makes it so yummy.

The icing poured on perfectly and I then chopped up some chocolate to add to the top. I can't explain how happy I was at this stage. After so many hours of working on it... it actually came out beautifully!