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Comfort Foods Go Chic A new twist on old faves They soothe a tired soul when the world just doesn’t seem as nice as the day before. And when you’re fully content they make a great day even better. Comfort foods. For most of us they are a connection between our past and our taste buds. Maybe it’s the meatloaf recipe your grandmother gave to your father. Or the mac and cheese mom used to make, if you asked nicely. They are the things we ate when we felt the most safe. And today they are a way of giving ourselves and those we love a big, warm, lasting hug.
The only hitch is that in some situations a big ol’ pan of lasagna with the foil on top doesn’t seem all that refined. There’s nothing wrong with taking old faves and dressing them up to fit today’s tables. So here’s a fresh look at some of the all-time best-loved comfort foods, with little updates of elegance to help make them your own.
Ricotta Stuffed Meatloaf
Here it is, the king of comfort foods. For an extra touch of flavor, serve this on top of your favorite marinara.
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 egg
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
For the Filling:
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
1 ½ cups Sorrento® Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup grated Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Heat oven to 400°F.
Sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat about 5 minutes. Combine the beef, pork, egg, parmesan, cilantro, and sautéed onions and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside
Prepare the filling in a separate bowl by combining the ricotta, parmesan, beaten egg, cilantro and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and add about an inch of the ground meat to the bottom of the pan and along the walls. Place the hard-boiled eggs in the center and cover completely with the filling. Add the remaining ground meat on top to cover the filling.
Bake uncovered for about an hour, or until the top is golden brown. Remove and let rest about 20 minutes to ensure the filling will hold together.
Baked Macaroni with Three Cheeses
More cheeses mean more comfort. This recipe has ’em all.
3 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained (about 12 ounces uncooked)
1 (15-ounce) carton Sorrento® Ricotta Cheese
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-seasoned chunky tomatoes
2 cups chopped green pepper
1/2 cup grated Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Sorrento® Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
In a lightly greased 2-quart casserole, combine macaroni, ricotta, tomatoes, green pepper, parmesan, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle with mozzarella and continue baking until thoroughly heated (5-10 minutes) and cheese is melted.
Lasagna of Roasted Squash
This new twist on an old comfort classic is worth the effort any time of year.
Roasted Squash:
4 pounds butternut or acorn squash
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 15-oz. container Sorrento® Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each squash in half and discard the seeds. Brush cut sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Arrange the squash cut side down in a roasting pan and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool, scoop out the insides of the squash, and purée in a food processor.
In a large bowl, mix the squash puree, ricotta, parmesan, and eggs. Cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to use.
Garlic Béchamel:
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups whole or 2% milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 small clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sweat for 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, sandy color, 6 to 7 minutes.
Heat milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter/flour mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously, until very smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes, whisking continuously. Remove from heat and season with salt and nutmeg.
Lasagna:
1 pound lasagna
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Butter, for dish
1 pound Sorrento® Mozzarella Cheese, grated
1 cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the lasagna sheets in salted boiling water and drain. Toss lightly with oil.
Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Coat the bottom with a layer of bechamel. Place a single layer of lasagna on top of the béchamel. Spread a layer of squash over the lasagna sheets and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan on top. Repeat until the pan is nearly full, then finish with remaining cheese and sauce directly over the noodles. Cover and bake 1 hour, then remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. Set lasagna aside to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Creamy Dreamy Potato Pot
Potatoes? Yes. Mashed? No. Delicious? Absolutely.
3 cups potatoes, grated into strips
2 cups half and half
1/3 cup butter
1 cup grated Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine half and half and butter in a small saucepan and heat until butter melts. Do not let the cream boil. Season with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Pour hot cream and butter mixture over potatoes. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake for about an hour until cheese and potatoes begin to brown on top.
If pressed for time, use two 12 oz. packages of frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed.
Risotto Mantecato with Aged Balsamic Vinegar
This is not your mom’s red wine vinegar. It’s not even the $3 balsamic you shake with oil and put on your salad. Premium aged balsamic tastes like time itself. Just a tablespoon is like a glass of the finest wine. With this dish, if the vinegar is right, jaws will drop.
1 ½ cups short-grain rice, Carnaroli or Arborio recommended
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine 1/2 onion
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
Aged (at least 6 years) Balsamic vinegar
Warm the wine and stock separately, then mince the onion and sweat it with 2 tablespoons butter over medium low heat until it becomes translucent. Add rice and sauté slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Steam with warmed white wine. Add preheated chicken stock, a little at a time, stirring gently. When rice is nearly ready (18 to 20 minutes), turn the heat off, add the parmesan, and remaining butter. Cover and let rest for a few minutes. Plate each serving of risotto. With a spoon, press a small indentation in the center of each serving, large enough to hold a teaspoon or two of aged balsamic vinegar. Add vinegar and serve.
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