Three Cheese Mac and Cheese w/ Prosciutto & Leeks inspired by The Big Chili

One of my favorite types of books to read are cozy mysteries (or cozies). Although I've enjoyed almost every cozy I've read, I tend to gravitate towards the foodcentric ones. Weird, huh?  I credit Diane Mott Davidson and her Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series for introducing me to the genre. A few more of my favorite culinary cozy series are the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke, the Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle, the Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby, the Savannah Reid Mysteries by G.A. McKevett, and the Gourmet Girl Mysteries by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant. I also enjoy the Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries by Jane Cleland, but they are't culinary centered.

Obviously I love the foodie-type ones. I mean, have you read the title of my site? Anything that combines two of my favorite things (food and books) is a-ok in my book...did you catch my post about joining the Foodies Read Challenge this year? Well, as a part of that, I'm hoping to introduce you to even more reads for you or the foodie in your life over the course of 2016.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Welcome to the April edition of Blogger CLUE Society, where members explore each other's blogs and learn a little more about each other, all while looking for a recipe that fits the monthly theme. This month's theme is Spring Vegetables, and I had the pleasure of digging through the archives of Taking On Magazines, run by Christiane (aka The Mom Chef).

I bet you can guess what the focus of Taking On Magazines is. Right? As a regular "mom chef", Christiane often found that the results she got after making magazine recipes varied from what was presented, either taste, presentation, or yield-wise. So, she decided to share the results of these same recipes coming out of an everyday kids-husbands-animals-underfoot kitchen. I bet there's a world full of mom chef's who can relate.

Along with magazine recipes, you can also find cookbook recipes and family recipes at Taking On Magazines, as well as a bit of stuff that is totally off topic (roundups, tours, features, etc). So, on to the nitty-gritty—the results of my "hunt". With spring vegetables in mind, I searched everything from "spring" to "vegetables", and on to specifics like "asparagus" and "peas".

Fairy-ring Mushroom, Prosciutto, and Leek Pizza inspired by Little Island

Katharine Britton has a way with family. Realism. The good, the bad, and the ugly. She writes about the secrets, the hurt, and the struggle that lies buried beneath the surface. And I find that extremely refreshing.

What goes hand in hand with family gatherings? Food, of course! I wouldn't necessarily classify Britton's novels as foodie novels, but I noticed that with Her Sister's Shadow, and even more so with this one, that it plays an important part in the lives of the people within.

Family dynamic, secrets, and forgiveness (again, similar to her first novel) seem to be the themes that drive this story. Oh, and the setting is just gorgeous; a quaint island in New England, where "the air smelled like creosote and clam broth". I would have loved to plant myself in an adirondack chair overlooking the harbor while I read the book.

Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Bucatini Carbonara #12WeeksofWinterSquash

A few days ago, an overwhelming desire for Carbonara came over me.  I needed that silky sauce like plant needed rain.  In the middle of a drought.  With enforced water restrictions.  I don't know what made it burrow into my psyche, but it was so deep that I knew I wouldn't feel settled until I had a big plate of it.  So, I set to work rummaging through the fridge and pantry.

I had eggs and cheese.  Oh, and even better, I had a package of Bucatini - my favorite noodle.  There's something about that long, slender, hollow tube that I can't resist.  I think it must be its ability to trap the sauce inside.  I didn't have bacon, but I had prosciutto.  That would work.  For a good Carbonara, that's really all you need.  Maybe some black pepper to grind over the top.

But, while I was rummaging, I found a good chunk of butternut squash.  It was a third of one that I roasted to use for infusing vodka (more on that next week).  I decided that while I'm in the throes of the 12 weeks of winter squash, I would add it to the dish.  However, I did not want to wait for the oven to preheat and squash cubes to roast, so I thought I'd try grating it instead.

Fast Focaccia with Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Shallots #passtheprosciutto

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Parma Ham - Pass the Prosciutto.  All opinions are my own.

I'll be the first to admit that when the holiday season rolls around, especially the day-before and the day-of any given holiday, I sometimes leave my family high and dry in the "normal" meal department.  Between preparation of the big meal and lack of stove/oven/refrigerator space, we eat a lot of cereal, sandwiches, and leftovers while the scents of the season linger around us.

This is one thing that I've vowed to change this year.  I will not starve* my family in anticipation of the big meal. This will just take a little advance planning on my part.  That's where simple meals like stratas, that can be prepared the evening before and left in the fridge for morning baking, come in.  Or a tray full of assembled quesadillas waiting to be baked for a quick lunch.  Or, believe it or not, a loaf of focaccia and bag full of pre-chopped mixed lettuce leaves to go with it.

Yeast bread?  I'm sure you're wondering if I'm being serious right now.  Who has time to make a yeast bread in the midst of the madness that is a holiday meal?  I do.  You do.  Anybody does, when it's this fast focaccia!  After a quick mix and knead, it gets stretched into a prepared pan.  After that, it's pretty hands off.  Prepare something to top it while it rises, then slide it into the oven for less than 30 minutes.

Pastry Puffs {Ham & Cheddar or Prosciutto & Parmesan}

So a while ago, I mentioned being completely enamored by The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook.  Well, nothing's changed since then.  I still am.

But I don't want to reveal too much about the book, because I think I'm going to do a review on it.  It deserves it.  It's one of those books that takes my mind to another place.  Me owning my own small bakery. ...Daily specials.  Busy people stopping in on their way to work or class and grabbing something warm and homemade to start their day.  Mom's with strollers rolling in with the second wave.  College kids with backpacks and laptops hanging out mid-day.  And then the few late-afternoon stragglers grabbing some goodies to take them through their evening.  Sigh...

Yes, I really do think like that.

These pastry puffs were one of the things I immediately stuck a sticky tab on the first time I flipped through the book.  I can't resist puff pastry.  And the description of the spice blend - "Griff's unique spice and herb blend tastes exotic, elevating this simple breakfast pastry above the ordinary, but many of the spices are probably already sitting in your spice rack.  The spices give the pastry a bit of a kick, which can be a boost for early risers" - was so enticing.  They were not to be resisted.

They make theirs with black forest ham and sharp white cheddar.  I made half of mine the same way and decided to try the combo of thinly sliced prosciutto and some shavings of parmesan, as well.  Both ways were utterly mouthwatering.  Scrumptious.  Mentally added to my pastry case...

Pastry Puffs (Ham & Cheese or Prosciutto & Parm)

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 12-14 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack puff pastry prosciutto cheese spice

Ingredients (8 pastries)

for the spice blend:

• ½ tsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• fine sea salt, to taste

for the pastries:

• 1 (17.3 oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), defrosted
• ¼ lb. thinly sliced ham
• ¼ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto
• ¼ lb. sharp white cheddar, thinly sliced
• ¼ lb. parmesan, thinly sliced
• 1 egg, beaten w/ 1 Tbs. water, for egg wash
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt

Instructions

Position in a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

make spice blend:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

make the pastries:

Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares.

Divide the ham and cheddar and place in the centers of half of the pastry squares. Do the same thing with the prosciutto and parm. Sprinkle some of the spice blend (to taste) over each one.

Fold two opposite corners of each square over the filling to make a "pouch" and press the edges to seal. Set the pastries on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with some more of the spice blend. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the pastries.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

notes:

You won't use all of the spice blend for these. Seal it in an airtight container and use to add a kick to other dishes. Or make lots more of these.

You could do all one or the other of the meat & cheese combos by simply doubling the amounts.

slightly adapted from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

Powered by Recipage

I am sharing this post with:
Scrumptious Sunday @ Addicted to Recipes

Prosciutto, Parmesan and Arugula Sandwich inspired by Sideways #FoodnFlix

A film that is a celebration of wine.  I'm definitely down with that.  Thing is, you also need to be okay with a bit of "crass" to be down with Sideways, as well.  The story of oenophile Miles taking his best buddy from college, Jack, on what is meant to be a mellow tour of California wine country as a send-off before Jack gets married the following weekend.  Miles has a schedule down pat...vineyard tours, wine tasting, maybe a bit of gold, and good food in between.  The only problem?  Jack, who is basically his polar opposite, is looking at this week as his final hurrah.  Sure, he wants to drink wine.  But he's not so into the specifics of how each particular wine was made.  He just wants to party.   And get as many girls into bed as he possibly can before he's only "allowed" the one.

Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden church are joined by Victoria Madsen and Sandra Oh to play these very real characters whose personalities seem to be portrayed by their views on wine.  Miles is methodical and appreciates the underdog.  Jack is a man-child who is ready for anything.  Maya is accepting and inquisitive.  Stephanie is hopeful and upbeat.  Hmmm...I wonder then if my views on wine define me, as well?

You will find humor, friendship, love, sex, wine, food...basically the things that make up life...in abundance throughout the film.  It makes me want to head out to wine country with a full picnic basket and a wine key.

And nestled inside my picnic basket would be this sandwich wrapped in wax paper.  Soft little ciabatta rolls filled with airy holes sandwiched around salty, seductive prosciutto and thin, pungent slices of parmesan all topped off with some peppery baby arugula and the earthy, muskiness of truffle oil.  A bottle of bold, perfect Dreaming Tree Chardonnay ("big fruit and loads of spice") from California's central coast and a wine glass would be tucked alongside with a fun napkin.  And a book.  That's pretty much bliss.

I had to tell you an interesting little story, as well.  You know how everything in life seems to go full circle?  Well.  I hadn't watched Sideways since it was first released in 2004.  So basically, I'd forgotten most of the dialogue and nuances.  Go back to ...oh, say... 1995 or so.  Dave Matthews has been my favorite guy for years and years.  Back then I was in college.  I found a great little interview with him in some magazine.  I don't remember exactly which one.  Spin?  Rolling Stone?  Something along those lines.  Anyway, he mentioned a couple of books that he enjoyed in the article.  So like any devotee worth their weight, I promptly went out and bought those books so that I, too, could read them.  One of them became a favorite of mine.  A book that I continued to dust off every couple of years or so and re-read.  That book was A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

Somehow I missed the part in the film (or just neglected to register) the first time I watched it in which Miles is depressed after finding out his novel was rejected again. Jack is trying to console him. This is how that "comforting" played out...

Miles: Well, the world doesn't give a shit what I have to say. I'm not necessary. Had. I'm so insignificant I can't even kill myself.
Jack: Miles, what the hell is that supposed to mean?
Miles: Come on, man. You know. Hemingway, Sexton, Plath, Woolf. You can't kill yourself before you're even published.
Jack: What about the guy who wrote Confederacy of Dunces? He killed himself before he was published. Look how famous he is.
Miles: Thanks.

So. I had already bought a bottle of wine in anticipation of watching the film again. It wasn't a Pinot Noir (though I do love Pinot), but it was a fantastic bottle of Chardonnay made by my aforementioned favorite guy, Mr. Dave Matthews (along with Steve Reeder) in his California winery. Dave. The one who prompted me to read A Confederacy of Dunces. Which was mentioned in the film Sideways. Which I watched while drinking wine made by Dave Matthews. I consider that full circle. Life is funny that way.

Prosciutto, Arugula, and Parmesan Sandwich

Soft little ciabatta rolls filled with airy holes sandwiched around salty, seductive prosciutto and thin, pungent slices of parmesan all topped off with some peppery baby arugula and the earthy, muskiness of truffle oil.

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Keywords: sandwich prosciutto parmesan arugula truffle oil July 4th

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 Ciabattini/Ciabatta Rolls
• ~2 oz. Prosciutto, thinly sliced
• ~1 oz. Parmesan, thinly sliced
• 2 small handfuls baby arugula
• truffle oil, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Slice the fresh ciabattini (ciabatta rolls) in half. Divide the prosciutto between the two bottoms of the rolls. Do the same with the Parmesan. Divide the baby arugula between the two buns and drizzle with a little truffle oil. Grind some black pepper over the top. Set the top half of the roll on top of everything.

Food 'n Flix is being hosted by my pal Tina of Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor with the chosen flick Sideways.  And might I mention that I'm actually posting early in the month for once...you still have plenty of time to join in the fun, if you like.  Please head over to check out Tina's announcement post for more details - we'd love to see what Sideways inspires you to cook/make/bake in the kitchen!

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #23 Nancy Silverton - Prosciutto Parmesan Braids

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

23. Nancy Silverton- With the 1989 founding of La Brea Bakery, Silverton kicked off the Cali artisanal baking craze, and her same sourdough starter still seeds the more than 300 breads and rolls available through the bakery.


Honestly, I didn't know much about Nancy Silverton last week.  What I knew was that she'd written some cookbooks and that she was known for baking.  But after digging a little deeper, I found out that she's done so much more than just write a few cookbooks and bake well.  I am super impressed by this lady.  What basically began as an afterthought and a side business (creating the perfect loaf of bread), ultimately put Silverton on the map.  In what makes an amazing back story, she delved into food because she was enamored with a handsome "goateed, chanting-obsessed Buddhist in Birkenstocks. "    Fortunately, by the time she realized that relationship wasn't going to work out, she'd found a new love- food.  She decided to enroll in London’s prestigious Le Cordon Bleu.  Her grades were just okay.  And get this- her pastry grades were the worst of all of her grades.  Yet, she worked as a pastry chef at Michael's in Santa Monica shortly after graduation...and she worked it well.  That led to a Head Pastry Chef job offer from a young chef who was opening a new restaurant on the Sunset Strip.  You may have heard of him and the restaurant...Wolfgang Puck and Spago? Oh yeah.  Here she met the man she would marry (Mark Peel) and open Campanile on La Brea in 1989.

This is where the business of bread began.  Nancy wanted to bake bread to offer their dinner guests, and also sell the loaves as a side business.  But she didn't want just any bread, she wanted perfect, complex, artisan bread.  Six months and many loaves later, that "side business" La Brea Bakery took off.  And it soared!  She may still be the queen of sourdough. Here's where it gets crazy.  Eleven years later, Silverton and Peel sold the business for $55 million...and cleared a little more than $5 million when all was said and done.  Now that's good bread.  She decided to invest her money.

When her marriage fell apart she left Campanile and started Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza (w/ Mario Batali & Joe Bastianich).  It was also around this time that she learned that she had lost everything that she invested...because she'd invested it with Bernie Madoff.  She could have been bitter (I'm pretty sure I would have been), but instead she focused on all of the good things she had (like a job) and looked to the future to start building another five million...at least.  She's a rock star in Los Angeles...and I'd say around the world, still consulting on La Brea Bakery and authoring eight cookbooks.  And she's doing what she loves.  game-changer, indeed.

Well.  I knew I was baking something this week.  And once I came across the recipe for Parma Braids from Silverton's Pastries from La Brea Bakery cookbook, I stopped in my tracks.  I needed these...and I needed them pronto!  Making them entailed making croissant dough (and subsequently croissants....yay!), so it was a win-win-WIN choice for me.  They.  Are.  Heavenly.

Prosciutto Parmesan Braids

slightly adapted from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

yield: 12

½ recipe (~2 lbs.) Croissant dough, chilled for at least 3 hours

8 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced into 24 pcs.

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

~½ C. (~2 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

---

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a few drops of water

~¼ c. sesame seeds

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangle, 16½ x 7" and ~¼" thick, flouring the surface of the dough as necessary and lifting the dough to square off the edges and corners to help maintain a rectangular shape and even thickness.  Trim the edges straight and brush off any excess flour.

Working with the longer side parallel to the edge of the counter, cut the rectangle horizontally into two strips, each 16½ x 3½".  Cut each strip into three pieces, each 5½ x 3½".

Working with one piece at a time, place the longer side parallel to the edge of the work surface and gently score two horizontal lines across the center, 1" apart.  Make 8-10 cuts through the dough spaced ½" apart along the long edge, stopping ¼" away from the scored line.  Repeat the cuts along the opposite side.  Separate the strips slightly, so that they no longer touch.

Place 2 pieces of prosciutto the same length as the rectangle on top of each and roll them up fairly tightly.  Place the rolled prosciutto inside of the two horizontal lines in the center of the dough.  Grind as much black pepper as you'd like over the prosciutto and then sprinkle ~2 tsp. of the parmesan over that.

Place the shorter side parallel to the edge of the work surface.  make a crisscross pattern by taking the top right strip and crossing it over the middle to the edge of the prosciutto, stretching slightly if needed and using your fingertip to press gently into other side.  Cross the top left strip over the middle to the other edge and so on all the way down the line...basically, like you're lacing a shoe.  When you get to the two last pieces, tuck them underneath the bottom of the braided and gently press together.  Your braid will be ~5" long and 1¾" wide.  Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough and fillings.  Set aside in a warm place and allow to rise until spongy to the touch, ~1 hour.  Repeat with the remaining dough (from fridge) and toppings.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 425° F during the last 15 minutes of rise time.  Brush the surface with the egg yolk and sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame seeds over each brain.

Open the oven and spray well with a water bottle and shut the door.  Open door again after a few seconds and slide sheet in; spray again quickly with the water bottle and close the door.  Bake for ~25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp.

*source: LA Times online magazine

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things

I am also sharing this post with:
Yeastspotting (guest host Tartine Bread Experiment)

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #6 Marcella Hazan - Layered Crespelle w/ Tomato, Prosciutto, and Cheese (crêpes)

the "Gourmet" prompt...

6. Marcella Hazan- Marcella made Italian cucina make sense. She broke it down for us, explained the regions, and her meticulous recipes are so reliable. She banished the red–sauce image forever

I'd heard of Marcella Hazan, but never really "looked into her" or made any of her recipes.  I am so pleased that she is number six on the list...I can't get enough of her right now.  I'm in the midst of reading her memoirs, Amarcord: Marcella Remembers, so I don't have a whole lot to tell you about her yet other than recommending this book, it is so interesting.  

Marcella is not a life-long "foodie".  As a matter of fact, she saw food only as a means of getting her through the day: fuel.  It was her husband Victor who would ramble on about food and cooking in the days they were courting, much to Marcella's dismay.  But when they married and moved from Italy to the United States, Marcella learned to cook out of necessity.  She drew on the food she grew up with, substituting ingredients that she could find in the States.  

Perhaps one of the most significant events in her life (for us, at least...otherwise we may not be talking about her now) was a Chinese cooking class that she signed up to take.  After the first class, her instructor "announced that she was taking a sabbatical in China".  Her classmates then asked her what she cooked at home.  This was simple, she answered "normal food"...such as "tagliatelle alla bolognese, fegato alla veneziana, risotto coi funghi, and rollatini di vitello con la pancetta."  Silence.  Crickets chirping.  They other ladies in the class asked her if she'd be willing to teach an Italian cooking class.  

So, with the encouragement of Victor, she began teaching Italian cooking once a week to six of her "classmates".  Victor and Marcella became partners in her lesson planning...mapping out the history, lessons, menu plans... This eventually led to a cookbook (and then more) in which Victor double-checked what Marcella wrote.  They are a fabulous team.  I can't wait to read more on Marcella Hazan...and cook more of her recipes.  I hope you'll look into her if you're not already familiar with her work and her life.

worth further exploration: (books) Amarcord: Marcella Remembers by Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan, The Classic Italian Cook Book: The Art of Italian Cooking and the Italian Art of Eating, (articles) NPR - Long View: Marcella Hazan Brings Italy to America, The New York Times - For Better, for Worse, for Richer, for Pasta (an interview with Marcella and Victor Hazan), (blog post) Steamy Kitchen: Meeting Marcella and Victor Hazan

Layered Crespelle (Crêpes) with Tomato, Prosciutto, and Cheese

adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

makes 4-6 servings

9 crespelle (crêpes)*see recipe below

~1 c. mozzarella, shredded or diced

 3 oz. prosciutto, sliced fine

~½ c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

tomato sauce:

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1½ Tbs. chopped parsley

⅔ c. canned plum tomatoes, cut up, w/ their juice

salt

*Crespelle (crêpes):

These are basic, unsweetened crespelle.  They are often used as if they were pasta wrappers, stuffing them with savory meat, cheese, or veggie fillings.

makes ~15

1 c. milk

¾ c. all-purpose flour

2 eggs

couple pinches salt

butter, for pan

Pour the milk into a bowl that is braced on the counter (use a damp towel or a "tacky" shelf-liner).  With a whisk in one hand and a small strainer/sifter in the other, sift the flour into the milk whisking steaking to avoid lumps.  When all the flour is added, beat evenly until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating rapidly.  When both eggs are incorporated, whisk in the salt.

Heat an 8" (or whatever you have) nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Smear a little butter on the pan and pour ~2-3 Tbs. of the batter onto the pan, tilting and rotating the pan to evenly distribute the batter.  If your pan is larger than 8", simply swirl the batter around with the back of your ladle or measuring cup as soon as you pour it onto the pan...as in...immediately!

As soon as the batter sets and becomes firm with brown speckles, flip it over and finish cooking the other side.  Stack on a plate and repeat until all batter is used.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

tomato sauce:  Put olive oil and garlic into a small sauté pan, turn heat to medium, and cook the garlic, stirring until it turns pale gold.  Add parsley.  Cook just long enough to stir once or twice, then add cut-up tomatoes with their juice and a pinch of salt.  Adjust to a slow simmer for ~10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn off heat.

Lightly rub some butter in the bottom of a 9" pie or cake plate.  Choose the largest of your crespelle and place it on the bottom of the pan.  Coat it thinly with tomato sauce...go lightly because you still need to do this 8 more times...it's a very thin layer.  Sprinkle some of the prosciutto, mozzarella, and parmesan over the sauce, then cover with another crespelle.  Repeat until you've added the top crespelle, covering this with just a dab of tomato sauce and some parmesan.

Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Using a spatula to help lift and guide the "pie", immediately transfer to a serving plate/platter.  Allow to settle a few minutes before serving, or serve at room temperature.

*sources/references: Amarcord: Marcella Remembers, Long View: Marcella Hazan Brings Italy to America

Marcella Hazan (1924-present)

"The explanation is that I consider cooking to be an act of love. I do enjoy the craft of cooking, of course, otherwise I would not have done so much of it, but that is a very small part of the pleasure it brings me. What I love is to cook for someone. To put a freshly made meal on the table, even if it is something very plain and simple as long as it tastes good and is not a ready-to-eat something bought at the store, is a sincere expression of affection, it is an act of binding intimacy directed at whoever has a welcome place in your heart. And while other passions in your life may at some point begin to bank their fires, the shared happiness of good homemade food can last as long as we do."  ~Marcella Hazan

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Claudia- A Seasonal Cook in Turkey, Heather- girlichef,  Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathleen- Bakeaway with Me, Viola- The Life is Good Kitchen