Opa!

Hello again, my friends!  It's been a little longer than I wanted, but I'm here with another installment of my Blog that will surely make your stomach rumble.  I've got a really good friend who's Greek, and he and his wife have periodically made some absolutely wonderful authentic Greek dishes for us, most notably when we and some other good friends had a Greek night at their house.  One of the most addictive things that we had that night was called Tiropita, or Cheese Pie.  If you're a cheese lover like me, then this is something that you absolutely have to try!

Tiropita is essentially a mixture of Feta cheese (another favorite!!) and herbs wrapped up in a nice little sleeping bag of Phyllo dough.  My wife calls them Greek Hot Pockets, and absolutely loves them.  I've not had a lot of experience with this particular dish, but because I want to pique your culinary curiosity I decided to find a good article on how to construct these little chunks of awesomeness and share it with you.  Hopefully you'll find that it's easy to do, and will recommend it to a friend as I'm doing here.  If you have any secrets or extras to share on this, I'd love to hear about it.

So, without further adieu, here's the article on Tiropita.  Enjoy!!

~Aaron

How to Make Tiropita

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


Tiropita (τυρόπιτα) are Greek cheese pastries which come in different sizes but primarily are baked on large pans, made from phyllo dough filled with feta cheese. They're a delicious and unusual appetizer or side dish.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of feta cheese, drained of any excess liquid and crumbled.
  
• Lemon zest
  
• Nutmeg (optional)
  
• Toasted walnuts (optional)
  
• Honey (optional)
  
• Spinach (optional. Adding spinach makes these spanakopita)
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
  
• 1 or more cubes of butter
  
• 1 pound of phyllo pastry sheets. Completely thaw the phyllo in the refrigerator and in its packaging if it was frozen.
  

Steps

1. Crumble the feta cheese. A pair of forks works well. Beat the eggs.
   
2. Mix the beaten eggs into the feta. Refrigerate this filling mixture for about 30 minutes. The refrigeration step is optional, but it gives you time to prepare everything else.
   
3. Melt the butter over low heat and keep it warm. You can clarify the butter by skimming off the white solids.
   
   • Keep the butter warm in a small crock pot, over a very low flame, or by storing it in a heavy, ceramic pot. You can microwave it for a few seconds now and then to reheat.
     
4. Unfold the phyllo and spread it on waxed paper. Measure the phyllo on the short side and decide if you will cut it into two, three, or four strips. It's better to have strips that are too wide than too narrow.
   
5. Use clean scissors or a sharp knife to cut the phyllo sheets into strips about 4 inches (10cm) wide. You can cut a stack of several sheets at once.
   
   • Folding the dough back along itself as you go can help to keep the cuts straight and parallel to the edge.
     
6. Work with a moderate number of sheets at a time, perhaps a dozen or so. Roll extra sheets tightly in waxed paper and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to work with them. Phyllo that dries out tears much more easily.
   
7. Spread a generous length of waxed paper onto a table and have the filling, melted butter, pastry brush, trays or baking sheets, and phyllo close at hand.
   
8. Lay a strip of phyllo on waxed paper and brush it generously with warm, melted butter. The butter makes the phyllo bake to a flaky crisp. (In the photo, instead of waxed paper, there's a blue silicone baking sheet, for contrast.)
   
9. Place one to two tablespoons of the feta mixture on one end of a strip of phyllo. You can eyeball the quantity according to the size of the strip.
   
10. Fold the phyllo around the filling on a diagonal so that the corner meets the opposite edge.
    
11. Fold the tiropita straight up, following the edge.
    
12. Repeat the diagonal and straight folding until you reach the end. If there is a bit of extra, tuck it in or simply fold it around and stick it to the outside.
    
    • This is the same fold used for the United States flag, after it has been folded in half twice.
      
13. Brush the entire outside surface with more melted butter.
    
14. Lay the tiropita on a baking sheet in a single layer with a little space in between them. If you are making the tiropita before an event, you can stack them between sheets of waxed paper and freeze them until you are ready.
    
15. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Frozen tiropita will take a little longer to bake than thawed ones. Serve hot.
    

Tips

• When folding tiropita, resist the temptation to press or squeeze, especially on the empty corners. Leave loosely wrapped, and let the phyllo at the corners be hollow and flaky.
  
• Phyllo is delicate but forgiving. If it rips, brush it with a little extra butter, patch it with an extra piece, and gently keep on working. The tears won't show after it's baked.
  
• If the strip is too wide, you can fold one side in a bit, as shown.
  
• Thicker phyllo is a bit easier to work, but thinner phyllo makes a flakier crust.
  
• It is possible to make this dish without all the folding. Place five buttered sheets of phyllo on the bottom of the pan. Spread the egg and cheese mixture in a layer about a half inch (1.5 cm) thick and place another five to ten layers of phyllo on top. Butter each sheet of phyllo. Cut the top layer with scissors in lines straight across, then again in a diagonal shape. This gives the traditional diamond shaped cut. Adjust the baking time as necessary.
  
• Purchase the phyllo. It takes a lot of skill and table space to make it and roll it that thin.
  
• To pronounce "phyllo" (sometimes spelled "filo"), say FEE-low. To pronounce tiropita say "tee-ROH-pee-ta")
  
• If you aren't eating these immediately or you want to make them in advance, freeze them unbaked. Place them in a container, not touching each other. Layer them with waxed paper in between and wrap or cover them thoroughly.
  
• Leftover tiropita that are already baked are still good to eat, but the phyllo does not stay as flaky. Reheat them for 2 minutes in a 350 degree F oven to restore the crispness.
  
• Eat tiropita with your fingers, but have napkins nearby and a plate underneath.
  
• Don't cheap out on cheese. The difference between amazing and mediocre tiropita is mostly the quality of the cheese.
  
• If the feta is too tangy, you can mix in a little bit of ricotta or cottage cheese to taste, with excess liquid drained through cheesecloth. Drain excess liquid through cheesecloth so the resulting mixture is not runny.
  
• Try adding coarsely chopped walnuts for variety.
  

Warnings

• Handle raw egg and things containing it appropriately.
  
• Allow plenty of time for preparation and cleanup, especially if you are new at handling phyllo. This recipe will take some practice and patience to master, but it is well worth it.
  

Things You'll Need

• A pastry brush
  
• A baking pan or cookie sheet
  
• Waxed paper
  
• Scissors or a sharp knife
  
• Mixing bowls
  
• A pot or bowl for the butter
  
• Trays for storing the tiropita if you will freeze them.
  
• Ample counter or table space. Clean your work surface thoroughly before and after making tiropita.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Traditional Greek Salad
  
• How to Make Feta Cheese
  
• How to Make Spanakopita
  
• How to Make Baklava
  

Sources and Citations

• Wikipedia article
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Tiropita. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Hello again, my friends, and welcome to a special installment of my Blog.  If you're wondering why everyone's in green, and you seem to be on the receiving end of pinches galore, then you may be unaware that today is St. Patrick's Day.  Luckily for you, I've got the perfect culinary cure to get you in the right frame of mind: Shepherd's Pie!

Everyone knows someone who's Irish, at least in my experience.  And even if you don't, there's a good chance that you've stumbled into an Irish pub at some point just to see what all the hype is about Guiness or Harp or any of a number of wonderful Irish offerings.  And if you talk to these same people who've made Irish pubs a staple of any recreational outing, then you've probably heard at least one comment about Shepherd's Pie.  Most people (and if you're not one of them, I sincerely apologize) can't rattle off more than one or two menu items typically enjoyed at Irish pubs and eateries, but in nearly all cases, Shepherd's Pie is among them.  And if you're one of those people, like me, who make a point of finding the best Shepherd's Pie around, then you're certainly in the right place.  This process has included a great number of disappointing experiences, but I've now eaten enough of the lovely stuff to know what pings my taste buds just right, and that's what I'm going to share with you today.

At its heart, Shepherd's Pie is lamb stew covered in mashed potatoes and then baked until golden brown.  Doesn't sound too bad, right?  The key in developing an amazing batch of this stuff for me was picking out which flavors resonated with me the most and accenting them.  For me, this was the tanginess of Worcestershire sauce and the herby punch of fresh rosemary, both of which are among my favorite flavors.  And when it comes to the potatoes, I prefer the pungent flavor of buttermilk over the sweeter style made with cream.  Either way, you've got some lattitude in your own development of the flavors.  The only drawback with this recipe is that lamb can get expensive, but you can certainly use good beef instead.  Some people prefer it that way.

Ok, let's cut to the chase.  Here's what you're going to need to get that green Irish blood pumping:

Ingredients:
-1.5 pounds of lamb or good beef - can be ground or cut by hand into a small dice.  If choosing beef, I'd recommend sirloin.
-1.5 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes
-1 egg yolk
-1/4 cup unsalted butter
-1/4 cup half-and-half or buttermilk - this is where you decide if you want sweeter or more savory potatoes.
-1/4 cup sour cream - only if you decided to use buttermilk in the spuds.
-2 Tbs. olive or canola oil
-1 cup chicken or beef stock - use beef stock for an extra bold punch.
-1 cup chopped onion
-2 carrots
-2 cloves of garlic - more to taste but not to exceed 3 or 4 good-sized cloves.
-2 tsp. tomato paste
-1 to 2 Tbs. of flour
-Worcestershire sauce - at least 1 Tbs., more to taste.  I always add more.
-Fresh rosemary - At least 1 Tbs. of finely chopped leaves, more to taste.
-Fresh thyme - 1 to 2 tsp of chopped leaves.  Don't overdo this one or it's taste too earthy.
-1/2 each of frozen corn kernels and peas (English peas if you can find them).
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
First we'll start with the spuds.  Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters.  Add them to an appropriately-sized saucepan and cover with cold water.  Add a healthy pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil, covered.  When the water boils, reduce to medium-low heat and uncover, cooking the spuds until easily pierced with a fork or crushed with tongs.  Remove from heat, drain, and either mash them in the pan or place into your favorite kitchen mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer...love it!) and add your choice of half-and-half or buttermilk/sour cream, butter, yolk, and salt and pepper.  Mix until smooth, taste, and adjust the seasonings so that you get exactly what you want.  It would not do to have bland spuds on top of your pie, so do yourself a favor and knock this out of the park.

While the spuds rest, we'll get to the other part.  First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it looks shiny.  Add the onions and carrots and saute until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes.  Then add the garlic and cook until the whole mix is soft and fragrant.  NOTE: IF THIS MIXTURE GETS DRY, REDUCE YOUR HEAT IMMEDIATELY.  Now add the lamb or beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until all the meat is browned.  You don't need to kill it again, just make sure it's uniformly brown, about 3 or 4 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour in the mixture now and toss to coat.  Cook for a minute or two to eliminate the raw flour taste, and then add your stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire, rosemary, and thyme.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Once at a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let the mixture cook for at least 10 to 12 minutes, or until the gravy looks to be the right consistency.  Here's a tip: don't taste the mixture until after it's been brought up to a boil.  This will do two things: maximize the thickening power of the flour, and also integrate the flavors.  While it's simmering is the best time to taste and adjust seasonings.

Once you've got it where you want it, add the corn and peas to the meat mixture and stir to combine.  Now take a glass baking dish or earthenware baking dish and fill it with the meat mixture.  Top with the spuds, using a spatula to press the spuds in on the sides to seal the meat in.  If you don't do this, it'll bubble out and look gross.  Not where you want to be.  Smooth out the spuds so that they're even and pretty and bake in the oven (right in the middle) for 20-30 minutes, or until the spuds get a nice golden-brown color on top.  Remove to cool and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  The filling is going to be volcano-hot, so you want to give it a sec.

Now pour yourself a fitting beverage for the occasion and enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

As always, let me know how this one worked out for you, and feel free to share whatever adjustments you may have made to make it perfect for your palate.  I look forward to your comments.

Happy St. Patty's Day, my friends!

~Aaron

Breakfast 2.0 - The Benedict Challenge

Hello again, my friends!  It's been a few days since my last food tirade, but this one is well worth the wait.  After a busy week at work, house projects, and getting ready for yet another busy week, I thought it was time to push the Pause button on life and settle down for a nice, warm, classic breakfast with my wife.  Besides, it's cool and rainy today, so the timing was just perfect for one of my absolute favorite comfort breakfasts: Eggs Benedict.

Now, I'm well aware that some of you may be saying "wow, I love that, but it's gotta be a nightmare to make!"  Not so, my friends, not so.  If you break it down to the basics, Eggs Benedict is just a delicious combination of English muffins, ham or Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce.  If it helps ease your mind further, Hollandaise is just egg yolks, lemon juice, butter, hot sauce, and salt & pepper...basically.

There's really something to be said about waking up to the smell of coffee and walking into the kitchen to see a heaping plate of Benedict waiting for you, and when you sink your fork into that first gooey bite of awesomeness, it's well worth the wait.

Ok, let's get to the good part.  Now, about the Hollandaise.  There are a lot of different variations, but we're going to be making the basic recipe.  There are a few components that are up to your individual taste, but you can certainly use too much of them.  I'll attempt to steer you clear of some of the mistakes I've had to endure.  Also, successfully making Eggs Benedict is all about having everything laid out ahead of time so you aren't a hot mess while you're trying to cook.

You'll need the following for 2 servings of Eggs Benedict:
-7 eggs
-1 whole lemon
-2 English muffins, sliced into halves
-4 slices of smoked or honey ham (your choice) or Canadian bacon
-A bottle of Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
-One whole stick (1/2 cup) of butter plus an extra tablespoon or two
-Salt and white pepper
-Vinegar (white or cider; I use cider)
-A double-boiler or medium saucepan/glass bowl combo; I use a saucepan with an appropriately-sized glass bowl.
-A wide-shallow pan for poaching eggs
-A slotted spoon

Ok, that's the majority of what you need.  Now, before you do anything, fill the wide, shallow pan with 2 to 3 inches of water and add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar.  Set it over medium heat and just forget about it while you do other stuff.  This is the water for poaching your eggs, and it should be just below a simmer when you put the eggs in (bubbles on the bottom, but barely any rising to the surface).  The vinegar is to make sure that the egg whites tighten up quickly and don't spread througout your water.  Again, just put it on the heat and forget about it for now.

Now take your saucpan and fill it with about 2 to 3 inches of water and place your glass bowl in it.  The bowl should fit so that it does NOT touch the water.  If you need a bigger bowl, get one.  If the water touches the bowl, you're in for scrambled eggs instead of a velvety Hollandaise.  Trust me.  Place this pan over medium-high heat and bring to a light simmer.

While your pans with water are heating up, take the glass bowl and crack three egg yolks into it.  Doesn't matter if there's a tiny bit of white, but keep as much of the white out as you can.  Then add about a tablespoon and a half of cold water.  Whisk this until it's nice and frothy, about a minute or two.  After you've got a nice, frothy mix, set it aside for a moment.  In a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, melt your butter in the microwave.  Use 20 second increments to keep it from popping all over the inside.  Once it's liquid, remove and let it cool to what you'd call "warm" but not "hot."  With a spoon, remove the top layer of white-ish butter funk.  You want the butter as clear as possible, but it doesn't need to be 100% perfect.

As the butter cools, take the bowl with the egg mixture and place it over the saucepan with the simmering water.  You want to avoid a full-on boil or you'll have trouble with your eggs thickening too quickly.  While over the heat, whisk your eggs quickly and continuously until they thicken up to almost the consistency of shaving cream, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Don't let them get that firm...just a little looser than that.  Once the eggs are there, remove from the heat and keep whisking to dissipate the heat.  If you're not careful, the residual heat with just scramble the eggs anyway. 

Now take your butter, hopefully it's "warm" by now, and very slowly add it while continuing to whisk.  The mixture will begin to get smooth and creamy.  You're almost there!  Once all the butter is incorporated, cut your lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl. DO NOT ADD THE JUICE TO THE MIX YET!!!  Trust me, I've had to take too many mulligans because I put too much lemon juice in.  This is one of the ingredients that can definitely be overdone.  Start with one TEASPOON, and work up from there, tasting as you go.  DON'T ADD MORE THAN 3 TEASPOONS TO THIS AMOUNT OF SAUCE (or you'll be sorry).  Next, add about 5 to 7 shakes of your hot sauce (again, to taste).  The whole point of the hot sauce is to add just a little saltiness, and have a touch of heat on the end of each bite.  If the sauce is spicy, you've overdone it.  Now, add salt and white pepper (about two shakes) to taste and stir it all together.  That's your Hollandaise.  It'll take you a little longer the first few times you do it, but once you get the hang of it, it'll go a lot faster.

Now to the poached eggs.  Hopefully you have your water just below a simmer right now.  What I like to do is crack the eggs individually into a custard cup and slide them into the water.  Within a couple seconds, you should see the whites start to turn...you guessed it...white.  If they sink to the bottom, just leave them alone.  Not a big deal.  Let them sit in their hot water bath for about 5 minutes, or until they are white and relatively firm all the way around.  Give the pan a shake to test the firmness of the yolk.  Once you're satisfied, use a slotted spoon to CAREFULLY remove them from the water and onto a plate lined with paper towels.  If the yolk breaks, you can always do one over.  This is definitely more of an art than a science.  You'll probably wreck a few eggs before you get the hang of it.  I did :)

Once you're ready to put together the breakfast of the century, toast your English muffins, add a folded slice of ham to each half, CAREFULLY place an egg on each, and top with Hollandaise sauce.  Then pour yourself a hot cup of coffee, proudly strut around in front of your spouse or significant other to fish for compliments, and then dig in. 

That's it!  As with anything, this one gets better with practice.  There are a lot of things to keep track of, but this one's well worth the effort.  Enjoy your breakfast, my friends, and please feel free to share comments of your experience, or things you think make this gem better. 

Until next time!

~Aaron