Proud Italian Cook

Individual " Lighter" Chicken Pot Pies

January 27, 2010 by Marie 38 Comments

Winter just wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t make at least one pot pie, lately I tend to shy away from them because normally they’re not the most healthy thing to eat, but this version is not only portion controlled but the sauce is made from a rue whisked with chicken broth infused with garlic and fresh thyme, and yes, there’s a piece of puff pastry on top but it was cut out with a small cookie cutter, so how bad can that be?

I can’t stress enough how absolutely delicious this combination of roasted chicken, roasted butternut squash and fresh chopped spinach is. Spinach and butternut squash is a match made in heaven, I’ve been making so many meals lately from those two ingredients, in fact my next post will be a lovely risotto minus the chicken, replaced with hearty crimini mushrooms. So good!

This recipe filled three 5″ ramekins, and I only used one large chicken breast for all three. I served my pot pies along side a salad of mixed baby greens, it all went perfect together.

Wouldn’t this be cute for a cozy little Valentine dinner, besides, you’d have plenty of room left for a decadent dessert!

Here’s the ingredients:

1. A previously roasted chicken breast, I seasoned mine with a drizzle of olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.

2. A previously cut up and roasted butternut squash that was drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. You’ll have leftovers, but that’s a good thing, that’s what I made my risotto with!

3. A huge handful of fresh spinach, coarsely chopped.

4. Onion, garlic, fresh thyme.

5. Grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Puff pastry sheet defrosted, and shapes cut out with a cookie cutter.

Here’s what you do:

In a saucepan melt 1 tablespoon of butter and saute 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 of a small red onion.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, season with salt and pepper and then whisk in a good 2 cups of chicken broth, maybe a teenie more, also add some fresh thyme, and a generous handful of grated cheese.

Note* If you want the sauce to look creamier stir in a tablespoon of milk or half and half, but you really don’t need it!

When the sauce thickens, turn off the stove and throw in your chicken, squash and chopped spinach. Scoop ladles full into your buttered ramekins and place your puff pastry cut out on top of filling, ( brush a little milk or cream on top to help get it golden brown).

Bake in a 400F. oven untill brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

Buon Appetito!

38 Comments Filed Under: Poultry, Seasonal Tagged: butternut squash and spinach, healthy chicken pot pie, Valentines day

Ricotta Dumplings in Broth

January 25, 2010 by Marie 34 Comments

It’s still winter out there, in fact as I write this I’m looking at snowflakes falling. To me, there’s nothing like a bowl of hot steamy soup to warm me up, and this one fits the bill. Not only is it quick to make, providing you have all the ingredients, but it’s also very healthy and light, there’s not one bit of flour in these dumplings!

Cheesy ricotta dumplings flavored with fresh parsley, parmesan cheese and a hint of garlic bathing in a bowl of broth, doesn’t that sound good? You can even use a veggie broth if you like, and maybe even add a few fresh spinach leaves right into your bowl for extra color and flavor.

Heres the recipe:

Adapted from a 1998 La Cucina Italiana magazine

1 pound ricotta

3 cloves of minced garlic

Italian parsley minced

1 cup bread crumbs

7 ounces of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

2 eggs

12 cups of good chicken broth, homemade or store bought, plus extra for cooking dumplings in.

Combine the first 6 ingredients into a bowl, make sure everything is incorporated. Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into cherry tomato sized balls, set aside. This recipe gives you at least 24 to 30 ricotta balls.

These little dumplings tend to puff up so try not to overcrowd them like I did in the photo above, otherwise they might hit each other and break up a bit. Simmer slowly in some of the extra hot broth until they’re cooked through. They rise to the top and double in size when they’re done.

The reason I like to cook my dumplings first separately in some of the extra broth, is because in case a dumpling breaks, or tiny pieces of dumpling break off it won’t cloud up all your broth, I think it just looks visually better that way.

Then carefully take them out with a slotted spoon, place as many cooked dumplings you want in their individual bowls and ladle some of the existing 12 cups of broth you have preserved, so the 12 cups should be enough to cover the 24-30 dumplings you will make, and you’ll need at least an extra 4 cups to pre-cook your dumplings in.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

34 Comments Filed Under: Soups and Stews Tagged: ricotta dumplings, soup

Neck Bones and Gravy

January 17, 2010 by Marie 50 Comments

A big pot of neck bones simmering on the stove is comfort food for my husband. I usually make this for him about once a year, sometimes with pasta, or sometimes just with string beans.

Neck bones to us is like Italian soul food, not fancy by any means, but gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling every time you eat them as you recall memories and smells of your childhood.

This is truely recession food, cheap eats that cost only a few bucks and feeds many.

Having run 6 miles that morning my husband justified the meal that was to come. He quickly called his brother and invited him over for dinner who became giddy with excitement. I cooked up some bucatini, made a salad, and warmed up some nice crusty bread.

No fancy china here, just two brothers sharing a meal together recalling memories of their mom.

The table wouldn’t be complete without a bowl for the picked over bones. You can get my family recipe here, but warning, you might need to wear a bib!

Of course there’s always room for dessert, and if you haven’t tried