All Posts By: NANCY DeLUCIA REAL

Before moving to LA I thought I was coming to the tropics. I arrived in the month of May and asked, “Where is all the sunshine?” Somebody answered, “Here in LA, this is sort of our winter.”

These days, while waiting for the May and June fog to burn off in the City of the Angels, I’m soooo cold and need some soup to warm up. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for hours either. I just want to eat my hot delicious soup now – it’s easy, quick and vegan, too!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 celery stalk, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled
1/2 brown or white onion
4 tablespoons extra virgin or vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable broth combined with 4 cups cold water
1 zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 to 3 yellow sunburst squash, julienned
1 potato, peeled and julienned
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Salt, to taste

1. In a food processor, grind together the celery stalk, small carrot and onion; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a 5 or 6-quart saucepot, heat the oil. Saute the ground vegetables in the oil until onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the broth-water mixture and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Bring to a boil and stir in the vegetable bouillon cube.

4. Let bouillon cube dissolve and taste the soup. If needed, add a little salt.

5. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crunchy-tender.

Serve immediately with any type of warm bread: Italian or French; flour or corn tortilla; lavash, naan or pita.

Variation: Add other favorite vegetables such as a thinly sliced leek (white parts only), 2 cups shredded cabbage and/or 1 cup cooked beans (kidney, white or garbanzos). You may also add 1 cup frozen corn, peas, fava beans or edamame.

Additionally, you may add cooked pasta (small variety) or cooked rice (brown, white or wild).

Note: To julienne veggies, see the Tips and Tricks page.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy Real

If you don’t have a microwave to soften the butter, just cut it into 1/2-inch thick squares and, using a fork, cream the butter with the sugar.

The friction of breaking up the butter with the fork will warm it up and soften it in no time.

Text ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real

This is a basic Pate Brisee recipe that I created for savory pies, tarts and quiches. It will make top and bottom pastries for a double-crusted pie. Alternatively, you can make a half recipe for a single-crusted quiche or tart. I especially use Pate Brisee for my favorite savory pie, the Emilian Spinach Pie (Erbazzone), posted on this blog on May 12, 2010. Whenever I serve my guests one of these tarts they always compliment the delicate and tasty crust surrounding the filling.

Active prep time: 40 minutes
Inactive prep time: 10 minutes (for chilling)
Makes: Pastry for One 2-crusted Savory Pie or Tart

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
Dash ground black pepper
7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
6 to 8 tablespoons cold water
One 9-inch pie plate

1. Combine dry ingredients in a 12-cup mixing bowl.

2. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, blend in the butter until mixture is uniform and resembles small peas.

3. Mix in the eggs. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition. As soon as mixture amalgamates and dough is formed, divide it in half, shaping each piece into a ball.

4. Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap and freeze 10 minutes. Transfer one dough ball to refrigerator and roll out the other.

To roll out pastry dough:

1. With lightly floured hands, flatten dough to a 6-inch circle.

2. Place dough between two floured 16-inch long waxed paper sheets.

3. Gently roll out dough to a 14 or 15-inch circle. To prevent sticking, peel off the waxed paper sheets and dust each side of the pastry sheet with flour two or three times while working.

4. Peel off the top waxed paper sheet. With one hand underneath bottom sheet and the other on top of exposed pastry, quickly flip pastry over and into a 9-inch buttered pie plate.

5. Peel off the second sheet. Gently fit the pastry into pan sides and, using a fork, randomly make holes in the pastry. Trim edges to a one-inch overhang and set aside.

6. Repeat rolling instructions with other dough ball; set aside. For filling, follow instructions of pie, tart or quiche that you are making.

7. Peel off the top waxed paper sheet from rolled out pastry.

8. Quickly flip pastry over filling and peel off second waxed paper sheet.

9. Trim pastry edges to a one-inch overhang; pinch and seal edges.

10. Make random holes over top of sealed pie.

11. At this point, follow remaining baking instructions for pie, tart or quiche that you are making.

Text ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real

Popularized in the Middle Ages, the culinary tradition of making savory pies continued throughout the Renaissance (1400’s to 1500’s). Nobility would be served pies filled with meats, poultry and fish at dinner and at banquets. Other varieties were made with spinach or chard. In the northern region of Emilia Romagna in Italy, cooks would go out to the “orto” or garden and pick these leafy plants.  The leaves were combined with cheese, eggs and herbs and cooked in pastry shells.

This Renaissance pie or “erbazzone”, derives its name from “erba” (Italian for “grasses” and “plants with stalks”). In this day and age, my yummy Emilian Spinach Pie can be served at lunch with a green salad or as an appetizer at dinner time.

Prep time: 20 minutes (with ready-made pie pastry); 45 minutes (with Pate Brisee)
Bake time: 30 minutes
Makes: One 9-inch pie

PREPARE THE PASTRY:
Two readymade pastries for one 9-inch pie
-OR-
One recipe for Pate Brisee, found in this website’s Recipe Category “Pastry for Sweet & Savory Pies”

1. Roll out 2 readymade pie pastries for a 9-inch pie (according to package directions). Alternatively, use one  Pate Brisee recipe (found in our Recipes under Pastry for Sweet & Savory Pies.

2. Set the rolled-out pastries aside.

3. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside. Gently fit one pastry sheet into the plate and trim edges to a one-inch overhang. With a fork, make random holes in pastry and set it aside.

PREPARE THE SPINACH-LEEK FILLING:
2 pounds fresh spinach, boiled (drained and cooled) and finely chopped
-or-
2 pounds frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 small white or brown onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, white parts only, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 3 to 4 ounces)
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 to 1-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Dash each ground pepper and nutmeg
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water (for egg wash)
One 9-inch pie plate

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a 14-inch skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and leek; stir fry until onion is clear.

3. Combine the onion mixture and the spinach in a large porcelain, glass or stainless steel bowl.

4. Stir in the cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg until mixture is uniform; transfer the spinach filling to pastry-lined pie plate.

5. Top the filling with second pastry sheet, trimming it to a one-inch overhang. Pinch and seal the edges.

6. With a fork, make random holes over top of sealed pie and brush with egg wash. Cover and seal pie edges with one-inch aluminum foil strips.

7. Transfer pie to a rack placed in center of preheated oven.

8. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil during last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real

Catherine de’ Medici, an Italian noblewoman, introduced pastry cream or “crema pasticciera” to the French court in the sixteenth century. In turn, the French called it “creme patissiere”. While traditional pastry cream is made with eggs, sugar, flour and milk, contemporary versions of this recipe have added flavorings.

As a chocoholic, I created this pastry cream to satisfy my palate. I use this rich chocolate cream as a filling for cakes or simply served with berries. Rest assured that this is a definite crowd pleaser.

Active prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Inactive prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk (2% is best – not too heavy and not too light)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut into fourths lengthwise
1 cup fresh blueberries
Powdered sugar and cocoa, for dusting
1. In a 3-quart sauce pot, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until well-blended.

2. Gradually and vigorously whisk in the flour, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, making sure that each addition is completely absorbed.

3. In a slow and steady stream, pour in the milk while whisking continuously until all the milk is absorbed.

4. Transfer the sauce pot containing the milk mixture to a stove burner set on medium-low heat.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.

6. Cook and stir the cream for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has thickened.

7. Remove the saucepot from heat and stir the melted chocolate chips and the vanilla into the cream. Mix until the mixture is uniform.

8.Divide the chocolate pastry cream evenly among four 4-ounce ramekins. Immediately cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

9. At serving time, top the chocolate pastry cream with berries and powdered sugar.

10. Set each ramekin on a flat dessert plate. Dust each plate with powdered cocoa and garnish with a strawberry and some blueberries.

Note: For more servings, just double or triple the recipe. Pour the cooked pastry cream into a porcelain or glass serving bowl, cool and refrigerate. At serving time, spoon the cream into individual bowls; dust with powdered sugar and cocoa. Garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.

Variation: The milk can be substituted with soy milk, but the flavor will be different.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real