Remembering Childhood Comforts.

Happy childhood memories are few for me and they almost all seem to revolve around food in some way. No wonder really, as food is comforting in itself. It fools you into believing that all is right with the world, well for that moment at least; and later on, if need be, the memory of it can soothe an unpleasant moment in time. 

Take, for example, a thunderstorm brewing and suddenly taken back to a childhood memory. During such storms, I would put four chairs in a square formation, throw a large blanket over them and pretend to be camping outdoors. Some of you probably did the same thing, but called it “playing fort”.  I would have my favorite stuffed animals as company, a flashlight to light the interior, books to read and a large bowl of one of my grandmother's home cooked meals. It could be spaghetti and meatballs, shrimps in sauce over spaghetti, or one of her many delicious soups. Whatever it was, it was wonderful and I would always sneak out of my tent (between thunderclaps) to get a second bowl.

My grandmother's cooking was able to provide me with, not just comforting moments, but comforting memories to help me later on. One such dish was her Paste E Fagioli; a wonderful dish of beans, meat and pasta in a flavorful broth. The steam rising up from the bowl, so fantasy figures could be picked out, much like one would do when watching the clouds in the sky.  Problems are set aside momentarily while the senses take in the taste, texture, smell and overall good feel of the food being consumed.  Oh, the problems are still there, but now a calm has been reached.  The mind and body, instead of knee-jerk reacting, can deal in a more orderly manner; or that is what we hope for.

While Pasta e Fagioli (meaning pasta and beans) is a typically Italian soup, recipes can be found as far as the Alps, and stretching all through the Mediterranean.   Originally, the scarcity of meat made this a vegetarian meal with the starchiness of the beans, maybe potatoes too, giving a thicker consistency.  As cattle, pigs and sheep became more plentiful, additions of these meats elevated the quality of the soup.  Think of this recipe as an example of the story, “Stone Soup”; whatever is at hand can be placed in the pot, all combining for a delicious meal.  My grandmother made this soup in a large stock pot on the stovetop, but I have converted it for cooking in a crock pot.  The stovetop method took hours; stirring and checking to make sure nothing stuck to the bottom and burned.  The crock pot method still takes long hours of cooking, but “setting and forgetting” is less stressful.

 Pasta E Fagioli

 Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

4 celery stalks, diced

1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can tomato puree

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 (16 oz.) cans white kidney beans (Great Northern), drained and rinsed

1 qts beef stock

3 tsp oregano

2 tsp ground black pepper

4 Tbsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp cayenne pepper flakes

8 oz. ditilini pasta, cooked before adding to the crock pot

Preparation:

In large skillet, brown meat till no pink shows; drain grease.

Spray 6-quart crock pot with non-stick spray. Mix together meat and all ingredients, except the pasta. Set on low heat and cook for 7 hours; add in pasta and cook another 15 minutes before serving. If desired, grated Parmesan cheese can be sprinkled on top of each serving.

Makes 12 - 14 servings.

Mary Cokenour

The Enclosed Sandwich.

Now while the Earl of Sandwich gets the credit for giving this one handed meal of bread, cheese and/or meat its official name; the concept was around for centuries before his birth. What's Cooking America.net gives a history going back to the 1st century, and the Earl certainly wasn't a spark in anybody's eye at that time.

While the sandwich is an "open ended" meal, there are many cultures which have the "enclosed" sandwich, or meat pie. The Italian Calzone, the Cornish Pasty, the Mexican Empanada, Chinese Roast Pork Buns, and dare I say it...the American "Hot Pocket" are just a few.  A crusty pocket of dough containing a filling of meat and perhaps cheese and vegetables, depending on the culture's tastes. A one handed meal, like the sandwich, but very unlikely the filling will fall, or be squashed, out from between the bread. The versatility of the meat pie is that it can be made with any type of dough, including pie or phyllo doughs which make a flakier pastry shell.

In my family's culture, Croatian, there is a meat pie called Burek containing beef, lamb, vegetables and seasonings. Sold in bakeries, this is their version of "fast food"; an on-the-go meal that can be eaten with one hand and quickly. I like to make mine with phyllo dough which I can find in the frozen food section of most supermarkets; otherwise I use pie dough, as I enjoy the flakier crust more.

Recently, via Facebook, I found relatives in Croatia that I never knew about, but we're all finally getting to know each other. So, I'm dedicating this blog post to them, and hope I've got the recipe correct and am doing them proud.

Burek(Won Second Place for Better Homes and Magazines Recipe Contest – Appeared in January 1998 issue.)

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground lamb
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped pickled beets
1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups beef broth
9 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
½ cup butter, melted

Preparation:
In a large skillet, cook beef, lamb and onion over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain excess grease; stir in beets, parsley, paprika, black and red pepper, and egg; set aside in large bowl.

In small saucepan, melt the ¼ cup of butter, stir in the flour to make a paste; gradually add in the beef broth, stirring constantly; mixture will thicken. Add this to the meat mixture, stir, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until completely cooled.

Preheat oven to 400F; spray a 15” x 10” x 1” jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To assemble: stack 3 of the phyllo sheets, brushing each one with the melted butter; cut stack in half, crosswise Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets to get 6 large rectangular stacks. Spread ¾ cup of meat mixture at one end, leaving a one inch margin; begin rolling the phyllo towards the other end, tuck in the ends to seal and place seam side down on the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 180F.

Makes 6 servings.

Mary Cokenour
August 1997