Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook Read online

  4. If you have refrigerated the dish, allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

  Makes 8 servings

  Julian’s Cheese Manicotti

  —THE CEREAL MURDERS—

  This was another recipe that I thought would be super for my vegetarian agent. I threw myself into making manicotti—every night. After five nights of this, the family rebelled. “No more manicotti,” they cried. So I started bringing it to nighttime church meetings, where everyone always seemed to arrive both irritated and hungry. Julian’s Cheese Manicotti, in its final form, soothed tempers and got meetings finished.

  Sauce:

  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  1 large onion, chopped

  4 garlic cloves, crushed through a press (preferable) or minced

  Contents of two 6-ounce cans tomato paste

  2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

  1 small bay leaf

  1 teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  Pasta:

  1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

  14 manicotti noodles

  Filling:

  1½ cups ricotta cheese

  6 large eggs

  ¾ pound fontina cheese, grated

  ¼ pound mozzarella cheese, grated

  ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

  6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

  1 teaspoon salt

  ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

  For the sauce:

  In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and gently sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic. Cook slowly until the garlic is also translucent. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined. Fill each of the tomato paste cans 2 times with spring water and add to the pan. Add the oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the manicotti and filling.

  For the pasta:

  Bring a large pot of spring water to a boil. Add the olive oil and drop in the manicotti. Cook just until al dente, according to package directions. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the manicotti just for a moment, to cool it.

  For the filling:

  1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the ricotta with the eggs until combined. Add the fontina and mozzarella, ⅓ cup of the Parmesan, and the butter, and beat until combined. Add the salt, pepper, and basil and beat on low speed just until everything is combined.

  2. Butter two 9 x 13-inch glass baking dishes. Gently fill the cooked manicotti with the cheese mixture and arrange in the dishes. Cover the pasta in each dish with the sauce. Sprinkle half of the remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan on top of the sauce in each dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is throughtly melted and the sauce is bubbling.

  Makes 7 servings

  Mexican Pizzas

  —THE LAST SUPPERS—

  This was one of those recipes I came up with when I wanted to give a Tex-Mex twist to Pizza Margherita, which is the tomato sauce with mozzarella pizza we primarily know in America. Baking these pizzas in springform pans was a no-brainer, and made them look pretty, too. With Schulz’s Guacamole Salad (here), they make a complete Tex-Mex meal. Our family of five polished off four of these in one sitting.

  Two ¼-ounce envelopes active dry yeast (4½ teaspoons)

  2 cups warm spring water

  1 teaspoon sugar

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

  5 to 6 cups all-purpose or bread flour

  Extra-virgin olive oil and cornmeal, for the pans

  1⅓ cups picante sauce

  6 cups grated Cheddar cheese

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Add the sugar, stir, and set aside until the mixture is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and olive oil. Beat in 5 cups of the flour, then add as much extra flour as needed to make a dough that is not too sticky to knead. Knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and satiny, 5 to 10 minutes. (Or place the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to oil the top, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

  2. Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

  3. Brush a little olive oil over the bottom and sides of four 9- or 10-inch springform pans. Sprinkle cornmeal over the oiled bottoms and sides. Punch the dough down and divide it into quarters. Press each piece of dough out to fit the bottom of a pan, making a small raised rim around the edges. Spread ⅓ cup picante sauce on top of the dough rounds and top each pizza with 1½ cups Cheddar. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is completely melted. Remove the sides of the pans, and cut each pizza into wedges.

  Makes four 9- or 10-inch pizzas

  Quiche Me Quick

  —CHOPPING SPREE—

  This is my go-to quiche. The trick to avoiding soggy crusts for any pie with a baked filling is to bake the crust in advance. Buy a roll of parchment paper at your grocery store. Cut out a piece somewhat larger than your unbaked crust, then carefully place the parchment on top of the pie shell, fill it with uncooked beans or uncooked rice, then bake the crust for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Remove the parchment and the beans or rice before proceeding with the recipe. This is the recipe that is most like that original Quiche Lorraine I tasted all those years ago. If you want the dish to be vegetarian, omit the bacon.

  7 slices thick-sliced bacon

  4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

  One 8-inch pie shell, baked (a baked 9-inch frozen pie crust is fine)

  3 large eggs

  1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

  ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  1. In a skillet, if you are using the bacon, cook it until crisp. Drain thoroughly and pat with paper towels. Cut each slice of bacon into 4 equal pieces.

  2. Evenly distribute first the bacon, then the Gruyère, over the pie crust. Set aside.

  3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they are thoroughly combined. Beat in the cream, then sprinkle on the nutmeg and stir until combined. Pour this mixture over the bacon and cheese, and set carefully in the oven.

  4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the quiche has puffed and browned slightly and is set in the middle. (Check with a spoon to make sure there is no uncooked liquid in the center of the quiche.) Serve immediately.

  Makes 6 servings

  Tomato-Brie Pie

  —THE MAIN CORPSE—

  Baking Brie or Camembert with fresh tomatoes and basil is one of my favorite things to do in summer. This recipe is also rich with eggs and cheese. A flight attendant once confessed to me that when she was on a particularly bumpy flight, she sat with a hysterical passenger and read her this recipe, which calmed both of them. Such is the power of comfort food.

  Crust:

  1¾ cups all-purpose flour

  ¾ teaspoon sugar

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ¼ cup lard, cut into pieces and chilled

  6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  1 to 3 tablespoons iced spring water

  Filling:

  1½ pounds (5 medium) ripe tomatoes, trimmed but not peeled, cut into eight equal wedges, seed pockets removed

  5 ounces Brie cheese, rind scraped off, cut into small cubes

  2 ounces best-quality fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

  1 ounce Fontinella cheese, cut into small cubes

  ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

  3 large eggs

  ⅓
cup heavy (whipping) cream

  ⅓ cup milk, preferably whole

  Butter a 9-inch pie plate.

  For the crust:

  1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and process 5 seconds. Add the lard and process until the mixture is like cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles large crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing quickly, adding just enough so the mixture holds together. Roll the dough out between sheets of wax paper to fit into the pie plate. Prick the dough and flute the edges.

  2. Chill the plate for at least 1 hour, but for no longer than 4 hours.

  3. When you are ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Remove from the refrigerator and place a large piece of parchment over the dough. Weigh down the parchment with uncooked rice, dried beans, or ceramic pie weights.

  4. Bake the crust for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is an even, pale gold. Remove the parchment and the rice, beans, or weights. Set aside on a rack to cool slightly. (Leave the oven on.)

  For the filling:

  1. Drain the tomatoes thoroughly on paper towels. Place the cheese cubes evenly around the pie crust. Place the tomatoes on top of the cheese and top with the basil.

  2. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, and milk. Pour this mixture over the tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Bake for 35 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

  Makes 6 servings

  Provençal Pizza

  —THE MAIN CORPSE—

  One ¼-ounce envelope active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)

  1 cup warm spring water

  ½ teaspoon sugar

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

  2½ to 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour

  ½ cup prepared pesto

  ¾ pound ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced and seed pockets removed

  3½ ounces chèvre (French goat cheese)

  4 ounces best-quality fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Add the sugar, stir, and set aside until the mixture is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and olive oil. Beat in 2½ cups of the flour, then add as much extra flour as needed to make a dough that is not too sticky to knead. Knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and satiny. (Or place the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to oil the top, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

  2. Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

  3. Brush a little olive oil over the bottom and sides of a 10 x 15-inch baking pan or rimmed baking sheet. Punch the dough down and press it into the bottom of the pan. Spread the pesto over the dough. Lay the tomato slices in even rows over the pesto. Dot the surface evenly with pieces of chèvre, and sprinkle the mozzarella over the entire surface. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the mozzarella is bubbling and the dough has cooked through. Cut into 12 squares. Serve immediately.

  Makes 6 servings

  Doll Show Shrimp and Eggs

  —THE GRILLING SEASON—

  Okay, this has shrimp in it. Many vegetarians I know eat seafood. Julian eats seafood. But you can leave it out if you want. This is a hearty dish for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.

  1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

  8 frozen large easy-peel shrimp

  3 tablespoons butter

  ¼ cup chopped leek, white part only

  ⅓ cup chopped fresh tomato (seeded)

  6 large eggs, lightly beaten

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  3 ounces cream cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes

  1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

  2. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the Old Bay and the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until just pink, usually less than 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and peel the shrimp, then cut each one in half.

  3. In an ovenproof skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the leek and tomato and sauté gently until the leek is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour the eggs into the leek-tomato mixture, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, until the eggs have almost set but still have some liquid left. Stir in the shrimp and cream cheese.

  4. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cream cheese is melted and the eggs are completely set.

  Makes 2 or 3 servings

  Collector’s Camembert Pie

  —THE GRILLING SEASON—

  This dish also has shrimp in it, which you can leave out and still have a hearty vegetarian entrée. Yes, the brioche topping makes it time-consuming. But it is a lovely, intensely flavorful dish that is a real hit at holiday potlucks. Your pals will thank you.

  Crust:

  ⅓ cup milk, preferably whole

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 teaspoons sugar

  One ¼-ounce envelope active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)

  ¾ teaspoon salt

  1 large egg, lightly beaten

  1½ teaspoons vegetable oil

  1¼ cups all-purpose or bread flour, or more as needed

  Filling:

  1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

  36 large easy-peel shrimp (1½ pounds)

  ½ pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed

  1 pound canned artichoke bottoms or an equivalent amount of artichoke hearts

  1 pound fresh tomatoes

  Two 12-ounce wheels Camembert cheese

  1 cup mayonnaise

  ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  2 teaspoons pressed garlic (4 to 6 cloves crushed through a press)

  ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

  ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

  ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

  For the crust:

  1. In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, and sugar until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to 105˚ to 115˚F (use a digital thermometer to check the temperature). Transfer the warm milk mixture to a large bowl, stir in the yeast, and let it stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt, egg, and oil. Add the flour ¼ cup at a time, stirring well, until each addition is thoroughly incorporated and the dough holds together.

  2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and satiny. (Or use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead for the same amount of time.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it once to oil the top. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise at room temperature until tripled in bulk, about 2 hours.

  3. Punch the dough down, roll it into a rectangle about 9 by 13 inches, and place it in a jumbo-size (2-gallon) zippered plastic bag. Keep the dough in a rectangular shape. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

  4. When you begin to prepare the pie, remove the bag from the refrigerator to allow the dough to come to room temperature.

  For the filling:

  1. In a large skillet, bring 1 quart of spring water to a boil and add the Old Bay. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, usually no more than 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain the shrimp and discard the cooking water. Peel the shrimp and set aside.

  2. Cut the asparagus spears crosswise into thirds. Drain the artichoke bottoms, trim them of any rough edges, and cut each artichoke bottom into sixths (or do the same with artichoke hearts). Core the tomatoes, cut each into 8 wedges, and remove the seed pockets. Scrape most of the rind off the Camembert and slice each wheel into 16 wedges. (You will have 32 small wedges of cheese.) In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the mayonnaise, Parmesan, garlic, and dried herbs.

  3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.

&n
bsp; Assemble the pie:

  1. Place half of the shrimp in the bottom of the baking dish (3 rows of 6 shrimp each), then evenly layer half the asparagus, half the tomatoes, half the artichoke bottoms, and half the Camembert over the shrimp. Using a small spoon, dab half of the mayonnaise mixture over the Camembert layer. Repeat the layers in this order: asparagus, tomatoes, artichokes, Camembert, and shrimp.

  2. Carefully place the brioche dough over the top and cut several vents to allow steam to escape.

  3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is very hot and bubbling. Allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

  Makes 6 to 8 servings

  Savory Florentine Cheesecake

  —PRIME CUT—

  This is an elegant take on spinach quiche. If you desire a bit more spice, try adding more Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper than the recipe calls for. This is what I did for another of those church potlucks, where I always find an eager bunch of hungry tasters.

  Serve with sliced fresh fruit, a green salad with vinaigrette dressing, and hot rolls.

  2 cups bread crumbs that have been dried in the oven, preferably made from brioche bread

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

  One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach

  24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream

  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste

  ½ teaspoon salt

  4 large eggs

  1¼ cups grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)