Spanakopita Taquitos With Goat Cheese Tomato Dipping Sauce Ragu Food

MUSHROOM-GOAT CHEESE SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic, shallot and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until very tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the goat cheese; season with salt and let cool.
• Lay out 1 phyllo sheet, butter liberally and fold in half to form a rectangle. Butter again and fold in half again to form a skinnier rectangle. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, placing a towel over the prepared sheets to prevent them from drying out.
• Pile the mushroom and spinach mixture on one end of each phyllo rectangle. Fold up one corner of the dough over the filling to form a triangle and continue to fold (like a flag), buttering between each fold. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

BAKED GOAT CHEESE DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, parmesan and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and season with pepper; puree until smooth. Brush a 1-quart baking dish with olive oil, then spread the cheese mixture in the dish, mounding it slightly higher around the edge than in the middle. Bake until golden and heated through, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, chives, vinegar, garlic, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the dip. Serve with baguette slices.

SPICED TOMATO DIPPING SAUCE - MOROCCAN STYLE

Steps:

• Saute onion, garlic, ginger and spices in olive oil in large saucepan over moderately low heat.
• Stir frequently until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and simmer over moderately low heat about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes with juice and brown sugar.
• Increase heat slighly and simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Cool slightly.
• Puree sauce in blender or food processor until smooth.
• Be careful when blending hot liquids.
• Serve at room temp or slightly warmer.

BEST BOLOGNESE SAUCE (RAGU)

Steps:

• Saute the onions, carrots, celery and bacon over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionaly until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the ground meat and cook. Stir until all lumps are broken up and all traces of red are gone.
• Add the wine and/or tomato juice from the whole tomatoes, raising the heat slightly. Cook until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Crush the tomatoes and add to the pot, stir and add the stock.
• Turn heat to low and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionaly to break up any remaining clumps.
• After an hour or so add salt and pepper.
• Cook for at least another hour, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is very thick. This sauce may be frozen at this point -reheat before completing.
• Add the cream (1/2 & 1/2 or milk if ok, too) and cook for another 15 to 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve with any dried or fresh pasta (I think fettucine is the best)topping with the fresh parmesan. Makes a great lasagne as well.

LINGUINE WITH WHITE RAGU

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat.
• When it's hot, add the olive oil and butter and, after 2 minutes, the onions, oregano, bay leaves and red pepper.
• When the onions begin to wilt, add the vinegar, then the ground beef; stir to separate beef into tiny bits.
• Now add the thyme.
• After the beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium low.
• Cook this ragu for 20 minutes more and stir occasionally.
• Add the cheese and reduce the heat to a low simmer, just enough heat to keep it warm.
• Stir in the parsley and add salt if desired.
• Boil the fresh pasta in salted water for 3 minutes or until just cooked; drain.
• Combine the pasta with the ragu in a large serving dish.
• Just before serving, shave the white truffle over the pasta, if desired.

TOMATO, SAUSAGE AND CORNBREAD BAKE #RAGU

Steps:

• preheat oven to 375°.
• cook sausage in pan, drain on paper towel. wipe pan clean with paper towel.
• place oil and onions into pan, sprinkle with sugar. add garlic and cook until onions are caramelized.
• in a bowl mix cornbread mix, milk, sour cream, salt, egg, and cilantro.
• spray an 8" pie pan. spread onions and sausage evenly on bottom of pan.
• place cheese on top of sausage / onions.
• then spread 1/2 cup Ragu sauce on top.
• pour cornbread mixture on top, spreading evenly.
• bake for 25 minutes.
• let set for 5 minutes, then invert onto plate and slide onto sprayed baking sheet. Cornbread is now on bottom.
• spread remaining Ragu sauce on top of onions/sausage.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top.
• bake for an additional 5 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned.

EASY SPANAKOPITA APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 2 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Arrange 3/4 cup spinach mixture in a narrow row along the long end of phyllo to within 1 in. of edges. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then roll up. Brush end of phyllo dough with butter and press to seal. Repeat 4 times with phyllo sheets, butter and the spinach mixture. Place rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, seam side down., Cut rolls diagonally into 2-in. pieces (do not separate). Brush tops with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. If desired, serve with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges and dill sprigs. , Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer container; return to freezer. To use, bake rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 375° oven until heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

ATHENA'S SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH AND FETA PIE)

Steps:

• Place spinach and water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate. Microwave on high power until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, about 5 minutes. Using potholders, remove bowl from microwave and keep covered, 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander set in sink. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid.
• Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop. Transfer spinach to clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Place drained spinach in large bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using pastry brush, lightly brush 14 by 9-inch rectangle in center of parchment with melted butter to cover area same size as phyllo. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on buttered parchment, and brush thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter (you should have total of 10 layers of phyllo).
• Spread spinach mixture evenly over phyllo, leaving 1/4 inch border on all sides. Cover spinach with 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter and sprinkling each with about 2 tablespoons Pecorino cheese. Lay 2 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter (these layers should not be sprinkled with Pecorino).
• Working from center outward, use palms of your hands to compress layers and press out any air pockets. Using sharp knife, score pie through the top 3 layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes or up to 2 hours. Slide spanakopita, still on parchment, to cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.

SPANAKOPITA TAQUITOS WITH GOAT CHEESE TOMATO DIPPING SAUCE #RAGU

Steps:

• To make filling,.
• 1. Add spinach into a large microwavable bowl along with 1/4 cup water. Microwave on high for 3 minutes until wilted.
• 2. Cool completely, transfer to a clean kitchen towel, wrap and squeeze well to get all the moisture out. Set aside.
• 3. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in medium non-stick skillet until shimmering.
• 4. Saute onion, garlic and cauliflower over medium heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown and cooked.
• 5. Add cayenne pepper powder, coriander powder and salt , stir for 1 minute.
• 6. Add spinach and saute for 2 minutes.
• 7. Transfer to a medium bowl, mix in 4 eggs and bread crumbs.
• To make taquitos.
• 1. Stack tortillas , wrap in a clean damp dish towel. Microwave until warm , about 1 minute.
• 2. Beat 2 eggs in a small bowl .
• 3. Working with one tortilla at a time, spread 3 tablespoons of filling over half of a tortilla and brush egg wash over the remaining half. Roll tightly starting from the filling side.
• 4. Place seam side down on a plate, cover with a another damp towel.
• 5. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• 6. Heat 2 cups oil in a medium skillet to 350 degrees over medium heat.
• 7. Place 6 tortillas , seam side down, fry until golden brown on all sides (about 5-7 minutes, turning often).
• 8. Drain on paper towels, repeat with remaining taquitos.
• To make dipping sauce,.
• 1. Transfer RAGU SAUCE and goat cheese into a medium sauce pan.
• 2. Heat over low flame , stirring often until cheese is melted.
• Serve taquitos with dipping sauce.
• makes 4 servings as light meal.