Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [22]
Cover and cook on low for about 2 hours, or until all the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot all the way through.
Allow to set for about 15 minutes after turning off the slow cooker. The portions may not come out set as perfectly as they would from a regular lasagna pan, but the contents will be colorful and delicious. This is another one of those dishes that is just as good the day after!
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Anything, just as long as it is red and dry. I can think of all sorts of wines I would enjoy with this dish: California Zin, Barbera, Chianti Classico, or super Tuscan (when I can get it).
BARLEY, MUSHROOM, AND ONION SOUP
Serves 4
It’s delicious. It’s typical of the kind of peasant soup you might find in a mountainous region where barley grows plentifully, and mushrooms are to be had in season. And best of all, it’s a put-the-stuff-in-the-pot-and-walk-away-from-it no-brainer.
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed thoroughly
8 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
½ cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Place the barley and water in the slow cooker insert.
In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Rinse the dried mushrooms and then soak them in a small bowl in about a cup of water for 30 minutes. Lift out the softened mushrooms, leaving any grit behind, and squeeze the excess liquid out of them. Pour the soaking water through a strainer lined with a damp paper towel or a coffee filter. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Add the mushrooms and the strained soaking water, the sautéed onion, the tomato sauce, carrot, and celery to the barley. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the barley is completely tender. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve sprinkled with a tablespoon or two of freshly grated Parmesan.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Personally, I’d prefer a beer with this hearty, simple peasant soup.
POLENTA GNOCCHI IN TOMATO SAUCE
Serves 4 to 6
You can serve polenta in its most traditional form, but you can also use it to create an easy variation on gnocchi. I first learned this technique from my friend, Milan-born and-raised cooking teacher Nadia Frigieri. Making both the polenta and the sauce in a slow cooker means there’s little hands-on effort required to make this stunning dish. Adding a green salad makes this a meal.
¼ cup olive oil
1 recipe Basic Polenta
1 recipe Tomato-Mushroom Sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Image goes before previous recipe
Prepare a baking sheet by placing a layer of aluminum foil over the surface, then grease with half of the olive oil.
Spread the just-cooked polenta in a smooth layer on the baking sheet and refrigerate the polenta until cool and firm, 2 to 4 hours. Use a biscuit or ravioli cutter to stamp out rounds of polenta.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking dish by coating it with the remaining olive oil. Arrange the polenta gnocchi so the pieces are slightly overlapping one another in the bottom of the baking dish. Generously spoon the sauce over the polenta gnocchi and bake until hot, about 30 minutes.
Remove the gnocchi from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, then grind some fresh pepper over the top. Serve immediately.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: A medium-to full-bodied red wine, such as a Sangiovese, super Tuscan, or a Zinfandel, would be a good choice.
TUSCAN WHITE BEANS WITH SAGE AND GARLIC
Serves 4
Beans are as much a staple in Tuscany as they are in rural regions anyplace else in the world. Traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot called a fagioliera, this simple bean dish works beautifully in a slow cooker insert. Embellish it with