Anna Sultana’s Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake, French Toast Casserole, Crescent Cheese Danishes, Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes and Puff Pastry Palmiers / A Big Kid’s Christmas by Margaret Ullrich

Wishing you all the blessings of the season

and a New Year filled with all the best!

A huge thank you for visiting, 

I hope to see you again in the new year!

~ Margaret

Puff Pastry Palmiers

 
We’re done with 2023!!!

That alone gives us a reason to celebrate.
Before we get too excited, let’s realize that 2024 might have a few surprises.
We’re not totally done with Covid-19, so please stay safe and take precautions.
Maybe a bit of menu planning will give us some more luck as we enter 2024.


To give good luck a bit of a push in the New Year, Southerners say Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.


A list of other foods (along with recipes) that are supposed to bring you good luck, wealth and health are in this post
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2022/12/happy-new-year-anna-sultanas-cotechino.html


These are the foods you should avoid on New Year’s Day:

Hollow bread - the air bubbles symbolize coffins and may mean 2024 will be cut short.
                      Avoid an unsliced loaf of bread… you just never know.

Tofu, rice, eggs, any white food - in China the colour white is connected to death.
              An egg salad on white could double your risk of this being your last New Year.

Catfish - as a bottom dweller it may condemn you to a year of living on scraps.

Lobster and Crab - unlucky for both New Year’s Eve and Day.
                 They move backwards or sideways, and may prevent you from moving forward.

Chicken - they scratch backwards and could jinx your progress, just like lobsters and crabs.
              Any poultry’s flying ability means they can fly away with your potential good luck.

Beef - cows stand still when they eat and eating beef may prevent you from progressing.

Broken noodles - in China long noodles represent good health and longevity.
                        Short noodles are their version of hollow bread.
                       But in Japan broken soba noodles symbolize a new beginning.
                       To be safe, reach for the brown rice.

Leave a bit of food on your plate so you’ll be more successful in the new year.



Hints:


About the Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake…

It can be made 4 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.



About the French Toast Casserole…
It can be served topped with maple syrup and whipped cream or with confectioners’ sugar.
It is also good served with fresh fruit, such as strawberries.

It is great reheated if you have any left over.   

About the Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes…
You can use either soft or regular cream cheese and any fruit pie filling.

About the Puff Pastry Palmiers…
If the filled roll falls apart use your fingers to reshape them or squish while you are slicing them.
Stored in a sealed container, they last for a few days, but they will lose some of their crunch.

                        Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake

Place rack in middle of oven.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch or 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides.

Place in a medium pot
1 1/2 Cups apple cider
Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until cider is reduced to 3/4 cup.
Pour 1/4 cup reduced cider into a small bowl and set aside.
Transfer remaining reduced cider to a small bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
Stir in
1/2 Cup sour cream or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Set aside.

Place in the same medium pot
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (or 6 Tablespoons oil)
Melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Don’t wash the pot. You'll be using it again.

Place in a medium bowl
1 1/4 Cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch or flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 325° F  

Place in a large mixer bowl
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 Cup sugar
Beat at medium speed until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add melted butter (or oil). Continue to beat until fully combined.
Making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions add
the flour mixture and the apple cider / sour cream mixture
Beat just until no lumps remain. Batter will be thin.
Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Rotating halfway through, bake cake 60 to 80 minutes until deep golden brown and a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Place pan on a wire rack and poke top of cake all over with a toothpick.
Spoon 3 Tablespoons of reserved reduced cider over cake. Let cool 10 minutes.

Place in a small bowl
1/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Place in the same medium pot you used before
1 Tablespoon butter (or 3/4 Tablespoon) oil
Melt butter and mix into remaining tablespoon of reduced cider.

Using parchment paper, remove the cake from the pan and place on rack.
Set rack on rimmed baking sheet and peel away the parchment paper from the sides.
Brush the warm butter mixture over the top and sides of cake.
Sprinkle the sugar mixture to coat every surface.
Remove parchment and let cool completely before slicing.


                        French Toast Casserole

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan

Slice
day old loaf of French bread
You want 12 slices about an inch to an inch and a half thick.

Place in a large bowl
4 large eggs
1/2 Cup evaporated milk (or regular milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Whisk together.
Dip each bread slice in the mixture and place in 2 overlapping rows in prepared pan.

Topping
Place in a medium pot
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter
1/3 Cup evaporated milk (or regular milk)
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
Stirring regularly, cook over low heat until hot but not boiling.

Pour topping mixture over the bread in the casserole dish.
Cover casserole dish and refrigerate overnight.
Before baking remove the covering and sprinkle over the top
1 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 400º F

Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.


                        Crescent Cheese Danishes

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Filling
Place in a medium mixer bowl
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon lemon juice
Whip until light and fluffy. Set aside.

Icing (optional)
Place in a small bowl
1 Cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk or water
Mix well.

Place in a small bowl
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Mix well.

Open the container but do not unroll the rolls in
1 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls XL Grands
Using a sharp, serrated knife cut the roll to make 8 slices.
Place each slice on prepared baking sheet.
Slightly stretch out each slice and make a depression in the centre for the filling.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Brush each dough circle with the melted butter/sugar mixture.
Place a scoop of the filling in each of the 8 rounds.
Bake for 15 minutes. Crescents will be golden brown, and feel slightly firm to the touch.
Cool for 10 minutes before drizzling icing onto each Danish (optional).


                        Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Filling
Place in a medium mixer bowl

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/3 Cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Blend until smooth.

Open the container but do not unroll the rolls in
1  Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Using a sharp, serrated knife cut the roll to make 10 slices.
Place the 10 slices on the prepared cookie sheet.
Use a glass to flatten each roll with a small wall edge around it.
Flour your hands and press each round to make it a bit larger.

Place a scoop of the filling in each of the 10 rounds.

Preheat oven to 350º F

Top the centre of the filling with a teaspoonful of
cherry pie filling

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

While danishes are baking make the icing.
Place in a medium bowl

1/3 Cup confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Mix well.


Allow to the danishes to cool, then add a drizzle of icing.


                        Puff Pastry Palmiers

Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place in a small bowl
8 ounces brick cream cheese, softened
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Mix until well blended.

Lightly toast then finely chop enough to make
2/3 Cup finely chopped pecans

Place on lightly floured surface
2 pre-rolled puff pastry sheets, thawed
Unroll 1 pastry sheet
Spread half the cream cheese mixture, then sprinkle half the nuts.
Even the ends of roll.
Roll both short sides of dough to centre; wrap with plastic wrap.
Repeat with second pastry sheet.
Put the wrapped pastry rolls in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425º F

Place in small bowl and beat
1 large egg

Remove rolls from freezer and slice each into 20 1/2 inch thick pieces.
Place pieces, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheets.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on baking sheets.
Remove to wire racks; cool completely.


                                                            ~~~
In 2004 I wrote a story about when I was 5-years-old and worried if Santa Claus would find me after we moved. I read it on our CKUW radio show '2000 & Counting - Older & Wiser'. For a few years it was an annual tradition for ‘2000 & Counting’ and for ‘Better Than Chocolate’.

After I had first read the story we chatted about when we were children and had realized that our parents were Santa’s main helpers. Here is what I remember of that discussion. Merry Christmas!

So, Santa did find me and my nine-month-old sister.

My fifth Christmas was a time of change for our family. I was becoming American. Thank you, Nonni.

Christmases marked the milestones in my family’s changes. The next Christmas, in addition to a sister, I had a 15-day-old brother. Well, it was the 1950s.

That was a huge Christmas for our family. Santa was in a very generous mood that year. Pop was in his glory. He finally had a son, an heir. Pop's dynasty could begin. He was one up on England’s Prince Philip. We had his family's name. Visions of grandsons were dancing in Pop's head. And there'd be hundreds of descendants to come. He'd be another Abraham. In the 1950s all things were possible.

Another thing that was possible was my learning how to read and write. The next year I was able to write my own letter to Santa. I wanted a bicycle. I asked my parents if they thought Santa would give me a bike. Pop said that I'd been a good girl, helping Ma with the two babies. Ma agreed, saying that I was becoming really good at changing diapers and giving bottles. Yes, they thought Santa would grant me my wish.
 
My siblings were also growing and going after what they wanted. While George had barely been aware of his first Christmas, that year he was a toddler and was fascinated by the Christmas tree. He kept trying to grab the ornaments. Every chance he got, he'd climb onto the sofa and reach out to the branches.

We weren't worried. He just sat on the couch and reached.  

Then George figured out that he'd get closer to the tree if he got on the armrest and then reached for a shiny ball or two. I think he'd have done it, if he hadn't lost his balance and landed on the three kings' camel. That camel wasn't exactly built to carry a toddler. No problem. There were more camels in the 5 & 10.


The big day came.  
I got my bike.
It was blue.
I called it Blue Bird.

I was so glad that I had learned how to write and read. I read anything and everything I could, including the labels on Blue Bird. The seat had been made in one country. The tires in another. The frame in yet a third.  

Suddenly, I had an awful thought.  
The parts of my Blue Bird had been made in different countries.  
Not one label said made in the North Pole.
Nothing had been made in the North Pole.
Nothing had been made by Santa's elves.   

My parents looked at each other, shrugged, and finally admitted that, yes, my bike hadn't been made by Santa's elves. They had bought it. Didn't I like it? Was blue still my favourite colour?
I admitted it was perfect. But what about Santa? Didn’t he like me any more?

They smiled, hugged me and said I was a big girl. I was too big to still believe in Santa. But, since I was a big girl, it was now my job to help the babies believe in Santa for as long as possible.

I was seven… the oldest… not a baby anymore.

In a way I was proud when they called me a big girl.
But I was also scared.
I wasn’t ready to be a big girl.
I felt like I was George reaching for the shiny balls.
I was afraid I would lose my balance and fall on the camel.

Anna Sultana’s Corned Beef Pie, Maltese Style

The recipe for Tourtiere Pie reminded me of another of Ma’s meat pie recipes.

Ma served Corned Beef Pie a few times year, usually at the end of the month.

Ma said it was created when fresh food was hard to get during WW II.

That’s why the recipe uses canned corned beef.

When Ma made it we knew it was time to get a History lesson along with dinner.

If you’re thinking of using fresh corned beef… don’t.

At least not if you’re about to serve it to someone Maltese whose Ma made it.

For someone who grew up with the original recipe, using fresh corned beef instead of canned makes a really huge difference.

Don’t believe substituting fresh ingredients can make that big a difference?

Let me give you an example.

Are you familiar with the old TV program The King of Queens?

On one episode Doug’s Mom, who had retired and moved out of Queens, brought her homemade lemon bars when she visited Doug and Carrie.
At first Doug was really happy to have an old favourite dessert.

But Mrs. Heffernan used lemon juice from her own lemons instead of the bottled stuff Doug had had all his life.

Mrs. H thought Doug would be thrilled at having the fresh juice.

He wasn’t.

Learn from that.

This pie is great hot.

But you can also chill it and pack it for a picnic.

Ma did that, too, so I know it’s okay.

She also chilled and packed timpana for picnics.

They're way better than sandwiches.

Hints:

You can also add 2 slices bacon, diced, when you fry the onion.

Some people prefer a can of peas and carrots, drained, instead of just peas.

Ma used plain peas, and so do I.

It just doesn’t seem right to see carrots in it.

                        Corned Beef Pie

In a dutch oven place

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

Fry the onion over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until soft.

Add

1 can corned beef, chopped

1 can sweet peas, drained

1 potato, diced

1 teaspoon curry

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Continue cooking, stirring to combine the ingredients, about 5 minutes. 

When the meat is almost done cooking, preheat oven to 400º F

Roll out

400 g flaky or puff pastry

Line the bottom and sides of a baking dish with 3/4 of the pastry.

Pour in the meat mixture.

Cover the top with the remaining pastry.

Brush the top of the pastry with

1 beaten egg (or milk)

Prick the top pastry with a fork so steam can escape. 

Bake for 40 minutes.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

French Canadian Tourtiere Pie by Margaret Ullrich

Summer is just zipping along.

On June 24, folks in Quebec will be celebrating the holiday Saint Jean Baptiste Day.

According to the Jesuits, the first celebrations occurred on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River in 1636, with a bonfire and five cannon shots.

It’s now celebrated with parades, bonfires, fireworks, feasting, drinking, musical concerts, flag waving, patriotic speeches and contests.

And Tourtiere Pie.

Winnipeg has a very strong French community across the river in St. Boniface.

So, when we moved to Winnipeg in 1975, we heard about  Saint Jean Baptiste Day.

One of our new neighbours gave me a Tourtiere Pie recipe.

Wanting to take part in the local festivities - and, as any other Maltese, eager to learn a new meat pie recipe - I decided to try it.

I invited some friends to come and celebrate.

And that’s a nice Canadian thing to do.

                        Tourtiere Pie

In a dutch oven combine

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound lean ground pork

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 Cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon sage

Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until mixture boils. 

Reduce heat and simmer until meat is cooked, about 5 minutes.

When the meat is almost done cooking, preheat oven to 425º F

Roll out

400 g flaky or puff pastry

Line the bottom and sides of a baking dish with 3/4 of the pastry.

Pour in the meat mixture.

Cover the top with the remaining pastry.

Brush the top of the pastry with

1 beaten egg (or milk)

Prick the top pastry with a fork so steam can escape. 

Cover edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. 

Remove foil and return to oven. 

Bake an additional 20 minutes until golden brown. 

Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Tourtiere Pie is a delicious meat pie recipe.

But to be honest, I prefer Ma’s Timpana recipe.

As I once said

Maltese cooking is heavy on simple carbs. 
Maltese go beyond simple into downright retarded.

Well, I’m Maltese, not French.

Anna Sultana's Tuna Pie, Maltese Style

About a week ago I posted Ma's recipe for Baked Tunny.

Looks like it's become a popular recipe.

It's one of the month's top posts.

That's great to see.

That post has some information on big tunny and little tunny. 

Yes, there is such a thing as little tunny.

I'm not making some kind of gangster joke.

Yes, I miss Carmela and the boys, too.

Fresh tunny, big and little, isn't easy to find in some areas.

Like around here in Winnipeg.

This being the bald prairies and all.

But, if you can get tunny here's another recipe.

And if you can't, so it goes.

You can precook a few thick slices of fish.

As this recipe calls for cooked fish, it's also a nice way to use leftovers.

Hints:

If you're substituting canned tuna, do the math so you get about 500 grams 

(a little more than a pound).

If you've just caught a fresh little tunny, don't forget that they should be bled 

and iced soon after being caught.

After the fresh little tunny has been prepared, slice and fry the fish steaks in oil 

and remove the bones.

Then continue with the recipe.

Aubergine is another name for eggplant.

Some folks find eggplant has a bitter taste.

Slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick and place the slices on a paper towel.

Sprinkle the slices with salt and let sit 15 minutes.

Then wipe off the salted surface.

It helps.

The cauliflower should be cleaned and cut into florets, hopefully about the same size.

That way they'll cook evenly.

                        Tuna Pie

Serves 4

In a large saucepan fry

1 large onion, diced

Add

4 large tomatoes, quartered

2 green peppers, chopped

1 aubergine, sliced and prepared (see above)

1 small cauliflower, prepared

Add

500 g fresh tuna which had been cooked or canned

100 g green olives

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

grease 9 inch pie pan          

preheat oven to 400º           

Line the bottom and sides of the greased dish wish

with 3/4 of 400 g flaky or puff pastry

Spoon fish vegetable mixture into the pie dish.

Cover the mixture with the remaining 1/4 of the flaky or puff pastry.

Brush with 

milk or beaten egg

Prick all over with a fork.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuna pie is best hot.

But it's also handy for a picnic.

Anna Sultana's Timpana - Pasta Casserole, Maltese Style

Got a few e mails asking when I was going to post recipes again.
Especially Ma's recipes.
So, it's time to get away from my least favourite room.
To be honest, I was looking for any excuse to take a break.
How do you think it became my least favourite room?

Back in 2010, when I started comparing Carmela Soprano's recipes to what Ma cooked, I was a little carefree about giving actual recipes.

Actually, I was sloppy.

For example, in February, 2010, I compared Carmela's Baked Ziti to Ma's Timpana.

Looking back at it, I apologize.

Back then my posts were full of stuff like

The closest thing to Carmela's Ziti, comfort-wise, was Timpana. It also called for pasta, some cheese and meat. The sauce was tomato, naturally. The boiled pasta was mixed into the tomato meat sauce. A few raw eggs were added to up the protein and the cholesterol.

Ah, but then the Maltese touch was added.

Maltese cooking is heavy on simple carbs. Maltese go beyond simple into downright retarded. A pan filled with macaroni is not enough starch. Oh, no. What makes a Timpana unique is it is baked like an apple pie.

Sure, I had basically explained what Timpana is.

But I didn't give an actual recipe.

Until now.

About the macaroni…

Usually Ma used ziti.

Sometimes penne.

In a pinch, elbow.

You want something that can be filled by the sauce. 

Spaghetti would just lay there.

Not a good thing.

About the tomato paste...

If you like a stronger tomato flavour, use the whole can.

Hey, it's your timpana.

                        Timpana

In a dutch oven pour

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Add

2 onions, chopped

Fry until lightly browned.

Add

200 grams (about 1/2 pound) ground beef

200 grams (about 1/2 pound) ground pork

Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

250 ml (about 1 Cup) chicken or beef stock

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Season with

salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce is simmering, in a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

400 grams (about 1 pound) macaroni

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Drain the pasta well and add it to the sauce in the dutch oven.

Beat

4 large eggs

Mix them into the sauced macaroni.

Add to the macaroni

100 grams (about 1/4 Cup) Parmesan cheese

Stir everything together.

Preheat oven to 350º           

Roll out

400 g flaky or puff pastry

Line the bottom and sides of a baking dish with 3/4 of the pastry.

Pour in the macaroni sauce mixture.

Cover the top with the remaining pastry.

Brush the top of the pastry with

1 beaten egg (or milk)

Prick the top pastry with a fork.

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on depth of pan.

Timpana is best served hot.

But it is also delicious cold and is great for picnics.

Anna Sultana's Pastizzi / Ricotta Tarts, Maltese Style

Okay, the Pasticiotti was the last Soprano recipe.

It was what we've come to expect from Carmela.

Delicious.

But... a bit labor intensive.

And it's a little hard to believe that she actually would make a batch for the family.

Let alone a houseful of company.

All that work for 8 tartlets.

It was supposed to serve 6.

Right.

Can't you picture Tony eating 4 all by himself?

And JR grabbing the other 4?

Ma had to feed her family in addition to doing a regular 40-hour shift at Lily Tulip.

She needed more bang for her buck in the kitchen, time-wise.

A favourite special event dessert was Ma's Pastizzi, cheese cakes.

No, Pastizzi is nothing like the Co-op Refrigerator cheesecake.

Or Carmela's cheesecake.

This was Ma's cheese cake.

And we loved it.

       

                              Pastizzi

Makes 6

Grease a large baking sheet

Press through a sieve

200 g ricotta

Add

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of white pepper

Mix well.

In a large bowl whisk until pale yellow

3 large eggs

Add seasoned ricotta and mix well.

On a floured surface roll out into long strips

200 g puff pastry (from the frozen food section)

Cut pastry into 6 squares.

Put a tablespoonful of the ricotta filling in the center.

Bring together the corners of the pastry, leaving the top a little open.

Place the cheese cakes on the prepared pan.

Beat together

1 egg yolk

1 Tablespoon water

Brush the yolk mixture over the cheese cakes.

Preheat oven to 425º

Bake 45 minutes until lightly golden.

They're best hot.

My favorite part is the crusty baked egg on top.

Way better than the icing squiggle on the storebought Hostess cupcakes.

Anna Sultana's Meat Pie, Maltese Style

The English were in Malta from the time of Napoleon to 1964.

That's quite a while.

Too long to go without comfort food.

If you've ever been to England, you know Brits like meat pies.

Well, the cooks in the Maltese restaurants aimed to please their customers.

They got some English cookbooks and learned how to make meat pies.

So did the Maltese mothers.

And who could blame them?

Actually, meat pies are handy for using up bits and pieces.

You'd think meat pies were a Maltese idea.

You know how it is...

Too little to serve as a main course, too much to throw away.

But just the right amount to add to a meat pie.

Waste not, want not.

Oh, 200 grams is almost 1/2 a pound.

Don't worry if you've got more or less.

If you have 300 grams of one and 100 grams of the other, no problem.

I mean, what's a large onion?

Don't have kidneys?

Use more of the other meats.

It's your pie.

Same with the spices.

Maybe someone doesn't like allspice.

Adjust the seasoning.

The customer is always right.

                       

                        Meat Pie

Preheat oven to 400º

Fry in some fat until tender

4 large onions, chopped

Chop and add to the onions

200 g kidneys

200 g beef

200 g pork

100 g bacon

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add

200 g peas

1 teaspoon allspice 

1/2 teaspoon curry

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Roll out

400 g puff pastry

Line a pie plate with half.

Place the filling in the pie plate.

Cover with the remaining puff pastry

Prick the top crust.

Beat

1 egg yolk with 2 Tablespoons water

Brush the top crust with the egg mixture.

Bake 50 minutes.

Serve hot.

Or cold.

Handy for a picnic.

Carpe summer!

Anna Sultana's Vittorin - Jam Pie, Maltese Style (Traditional for the Feast of Il-Vittorja)

Okay... the worst of Carmela's Entertaining with the Sopranos is over.

Good luck trying to find a Pizzelle iron.

Since the Pizzelle was a holiday cookie, I thought I'd look up a Maltese holiday treat.

Vittorin is traditionally made for the feast of Il-Vittorja.

No idea who he - or she - is.

Malta has a lot of festas for parish patron saints.

Some are just local favorites.

Some were knocked off the calendar in the 60s.

Nothing personal.

The Pope just wanted to make Catholics more like Protestants.

Maltese kept all their festas and holidays.

Tradition always beats out theology.

And, thank goodness, they kept the holiday recipes.

This is really easy to make.

And I'm sure Il-Vittorja won't mind if you make it for somebody else's feast day.

After all, Il-Vittorja is a saint.

                        Vittorin

Preheat oven to 400º

Grease a pie plate

Mix together

200 g jam, any flavor

juice of 1 lemon

grated rind of 1 lemon

Add

200 g fine dry breadcrumbs

Line pie plate with

300 g puff pastry (you can find this in the frozen food section)

Put the jam mixture in the dish.

Roll out the remaining

100 g puff pastry 

Cut into strips and form a trellis on the jam filling.

Bake 30 minutes.  Let cool.

This is very sweet, so a little goes a long way.

It's nice with vanilla ice cream.

Or chocolate ice cream, if you're using cherry jam.

Anna Sultana's Qassatat tal-Pizelli, Small Pies with Peas, Maltese Style

Yesterday I posted Ma's Qassatat ta I-Irkotta, small ricotta pies.

A friend e mailed and asked if there was anything similar for the lactose intolerant.

No problem.

Qassatat ta I-Irkotta can easily be prepared as Qassatat tal-Pizelli.

A Qassatat with a peas filling.

Great for the lactose intolerant and vegetarians in the crowd.

And everybody else.

                        

                        Qassatat tal-Piżelli 

grease a cookie pan         

preheat oven to 375º        

bake 45 minutes, until golden brown

FILLING

Fry in oil or butter

1 large onion, chopped

Add

400 g cooked peas (or canned, drained)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix well

Let cool

====

DOUGH

In a large mixer bowl, mix

400 g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

Rub in

200 g margarine

Add 

water

enough to form a soft dough

----

Roll out the dough, and cut using a round 18 cm cutter

Place some of the filling in the center of each circle

Brush the pastry ends with water

Gather the edges toward the center,

leaving it uncovered over the filling.

Bake 45 minutes 

As with the Qassatat ta I-Irkotta, you can use frozen puff pastry.

Qassatat ta I-Irkotta and Qassatat tal-Piżelli are good hot or cold.

Make both and give the folks a choice.

Anna Sultana's Qassatat ta I-Irkotta - Small Ricotta Pies, Maltese Style

On Saturday I posted Carmela Soprano's La Pastiera.

Last year it shared a post with my Ma's Qassatat ta I-Irkotta, small ricotta pies.  

Just a few sentences.

Sorry.

Live and learn, right?

They're both pie recipes, have a ricotta filling and a crust.

There the similarity ends.

Ma's recipe is 100% simpler.

You can prepare it for lunch the same day.

And, it's healthier.

Watching your cholesterol?

No problem.

                        

                        Qassatat ta I-Irkotta 

grease a cookie pan         

preheat oven to 375º        

bake 20 minutes, until golden brown

FILLING

In a medium bowl, beat together

250 g ricotta

1 large egg

====

DOUGH

In a large mixer bowl, mix

400 g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

Rub in

200 g margarine

Add 

water

enough to form a soft dough

----

Roll out the dough, and cut using a round 18 cm cutter

Place some of the filling in the center of each circle

Beat

1 egg 

Brush the pastry ends with the beaten egg

Gather the edges toward the center,

leaving it uncovered over the ricotta.

Brush the pastry and ricotta with the beaten egg

Bake 20 minutes 

Simple, no?

Qassatat ta I-Irkotta isn't just for Easter.

It's handy for lunch boxes and pic nics, too.

Just so you know.

In a rush?

You can use that frozen puff pastry.

Anna Sultana's Torta tal-Lampuki - Fish and Vegetable Pie, Maltese Style

On Saturday I posted Carmela Soprano's Pizza Di Scarola.

Hope the kids didn't get excited and expect something like a take-out pizza.

Sorry.

Just tell them it's a learning experience.

If the kids got to this post first, they're probably going to be expecting something like a cake from a fancy bakery.

Again, sorry.

Just a reminder, pizza is Italian for pie.

Torta is Maltese for pie.

Pie covers a lot of territory.

Torta tal-Lampuki is a lot easier than Carmela's recipe.

It's pretty much the same idea, but more like a pie.

You use puff pastry instead of home made bread dough.

You can find boxes of puff pastry in the frozen food section.

It's got lots of caulifower, onions and tomatoes.

But, it also has fish.

And you're going to have to do some substituting.

Lampuki is a common fish in Malta.  They're in season from mid-August to December and, according to the Maltese, they migrate in the Mediterranean Sea.

Yeah, right.

Lampuki won't even go near Sicily, so guess what your chances are of finding them in North American stores.

Okay, time to improvise.

Ma used bluefish, especially when Pop bought some fresh from the returning fishermen in Sheepshead Bay on Long Island.  Get a fish with a bit of density to it.  Sole will just melt to mush in this recipe. 

Oh, you can use any kind of olives you like.

Ma's not as picky as Carmela.

                        Torta tal-Lampuki

        

preheat oven to 375º           

bake 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown 

Cut into portions 

800 g (about 2 pounds) fish

Dip in flour and pan fry lightly.

Remove any bones and set aside.

In a dutch oven fry over medium heat 

2 onions, finely chopped

Add

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 cauliflower, chopped

1 Cup fish stock

Cook until the vegetables are tender.

Add

6 olives, chopped

Season with 

salt and pepper

Line a pie pan with 

300 g puff pastry

Put half of the vegetable mixture in the pan.

Put the fish on top.

Cover the fish with the rest of the vegetables.

Cover the vegetables with the remaining 

100 g puff pastry

With a pastry brush spread some 

milk or beaten egg 

over the top crust.

Prick all over with a fork.

Bake until golden brown.

Torta tal-Lampuki is also handy for picnics.

It's great as a light main course.

Kids like it, too.

As long as they aren't expecting fruit when they bite into it.

Carmela Soprano's Sfingi, Anna Sultana's Zfineg ta San Guzepp, St. Joseph's Day Doughnuts

In North America St. Patrick gets all the Hallmark cards, parades, beer and press.  But, for the rest of Europe, March 17 is just another day.  And, in Italy and Malta, March 19 is the feast of St. Joseph, and that's when everybody celebrates.  Big time.

Seriously.

I looked through the holiday section of Entertaining with The Sopranos.  There it was, in black and white.  St. Joseph's Day.  Sfingi.  And, in tiny print under that, St. Joseph's Day Zeppole.

The Sopranos and the Sultanas are one.

Okay.  If you've never had a Sfingi/Zfineg, it's a tiny ball of puff pastry which is fried like a doughnut ball, split open and stuffed with a ricotta and candied citron filling.  The filling is strictly for St. Joseph's Day.  As it's explained in Entertaining with The Sopranos: 

If it is not St. Joseph's Day, you can just shake these, without the filling, in a bag with cinnamon sugar and serve them like donuts.

No kidding.  Do not fill a Sfingi/Zfineg if it is not St. Joseph's Day.  Hey.  We're talking religion.  It doesn't have to make sense.  It just has to follow the rules and be done right.  Even for Tony and the boys, some things are sacred.

There's a Maltese doughnut recipe called Zeppoli ta san Guzepp.  Don't get excited.  It's fried choux pastry balls filled with a sweet rikotta filling coated in honey and nuts.  You get the idea.  St. Joseph equals fried dough with a creamy filling.

I always thought, with all the stress on St. Joseph's doughnuts, that he would be the perfect patron saint for Canada.  I mean, we Canadians love our donuts,  eh.  I checked.  St. Anne is the patron of Canada.  It's like the filling.  We're talking religion.  It doesn't have to make sense.  It just has to follow the rules and be done right.

It was really springlike for the first half of the week and we were enjoying long walks.  Walks are great, but they take time.  I didn't have time for recipes from Entertaining with The Sopranos.  

Then, on Thursday, it was back to winter weather.  But Paul and I still had to go out.  His cartoon 'The Bicycle Lesson' had won an award.  (copy and paste to see it) 

http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/the-bicycle-lesson/3975404776 

   

A prestigious award.  He had been written up in 'The Times'.  The Community paper and flyers hadn't been delivered in our neighborhood for a while and Paul wanted copies.  So we walked over the the Free Press building. 

When we got home we were freezing.
Carmela to the rescue.  Hot Buttered Rum.
She called it a classic.  Just the thing for a Winnipeg winter day.

It's in the book, so I'm counting it.

Another two recipes down.  Seventy more to go.

Here is a baked Sfingi recipe, if you'd rather not fry doughnuts.

Here's Bobby's recipe for Zeppole in his chapter If I Couldn't Eat, I'd F**king Die in Artie Bucco's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.