College Vegetarian Cooking_ Feed Yourself and Your Friends - Megan Carle [46]
Peel the onion and cut into ⅛- to ¼-inch pieces. Cut the ends off the mushroom stems, discard, and cut the mushrooms into ¼- to ⅜-inch pieces. Combine the onion, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, Swiss cheese, egg, and nutmeg, and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the squash in a baking dish, spoon half of the cheese mixture into each squash, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
About 1½ hours before mealtime, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the squash for 1 hour, or until a fork slides easily into the squash.
Place each squash in a shallow bowl and serve immediately.
Cooking 101:
You have to do this at least once, so you can nonchalantly say, “I like to make my own ricotta.” Heat ½ gallon of whole milk to 200°F, stirring frequently to keep it from scorching. When it reaches 200°F, stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. It will instantly curdle (if it doesn’t, keep heating). Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Line a colander with a couple layers of cheesecloth and slowly pour in the milk mixture. Allow it to drain until the cheesecloth is cool enough to handle. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and tie into a bag. Suspend the bag over the sink and allow to drain for 1 hour, then use or refrigerate.
Potato Gnocchi with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
Potato Gnocchi with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
The first time I had gnocchi—sort of a cross between pasta and a dumpling—was in Venice, and it was great! So of course I had to try to make my own. Mine weren’t as spectacular, but after a few more tries, I got it. The key is to only add enough flour for the dough not to be sticky anymore; otherwise, they’ll be too heavy. When you boil them, you can tell whether the dough is okay. If the gnocchi start to feather and fall apart when you boil them, you need more flour. If they don’t float after 2 minutes, they have too much flour. This is another dish that works well with a nice green salad. –J
Serves 2
Gnocchi
3 russet potatoes (about 1 pound)
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
¾ cup flour
Sauce
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup water
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
To prepare the gnocchi: Up to 6 hours before mealtime, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Poke several holes in each potato and bake for 45 minutes, or until fairly soft when squeezed. While the potatoes are still hot, cut them in half and squeeze the insides into a bowl, discarding the skins. (You’ll want to use a hot pad to do this.) Mash the potato well with a potato masher or a sturdy fork, add the salt and egg yolk to the bowl, and stir well. Add the flour a little at a time and mix with your hands until the mixture just begins to hold together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently for 1 minute, or until smooth. You may need to add a little bit more flour to keep the dough from sticking.
Break off a handful of the dough and roll it into a ½-inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add one-fourth of the gnocchi. Cook for 2 minutes after they float to the surface, then remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat the process with the remaining gnocchi. Place the gnocchi in a single layer in a baking pan or on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To prepare the sauce: Up to 6 hours before mealtime, roast the red peppers by placing each whole pepper directly on the gas stove burner (if you have an electric stove, do this under the broiler) and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are