The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook {Pass the Cook Book Club}

After a brief break in December, the Pass the Cook Book Club is back again with three delicious recipes from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook


The three choices were seafood lasagna, a veggie pot pie and white chocolate mousse with Frangelico.  They all sounded really delicious but I was most intrigued with the veggie pot pie. The recipe had NO peas and ricotta. I hate peas and love ricotta so it seemed like the perfect fit.
 

The recipe itself was a bit time consuming and definitely not a quick week night meal. This makes sense since the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook is all about special entertaining.  I wasn't doing any entertaining but took Saturday afternoon to whip up this warm, filling comfort food.

The veggie pot pie was good and all the flavors worked well together, especially the hint of lemon.  What got me a little confused though was the Italian flare with a pot pie feel.  I didn't feel like I was eating Italian but all the flavors were there. Just a bit off with the buttery crust but hard to articulate.

If you want to become a part of the cookbook club read this post and click for the Facebook group. Come join us in the fun!

Vegetable Pot Pie

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

6059224

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Pastry dough for a double crust pie (I used store bought pie crust)
• 1 pound fresh spinach, well rinsed and dried, stems removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces fresh mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
• 3 ripe large tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)
• 4 eggs
• 1 pound ricotta
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons water

Instructions

Finely chop the spinach. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the spinach and cook uncovered until the liquid evaporates and the spinach is dry, about 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Sauté the mushrooms in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over low heat until the moisture evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove to a separate bowl.

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute. Plunge into cold water. Peel and seed the tomatoes. Finely chop the pulp and place in a sieve.

Combine 3 of the eggs, the ricotta, half the dill, the basil, parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest, and Parmesan in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 375.

Roll out half of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface and line a deep 2-quart baking dish with the pastry. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture into the dish. Place half the spinach over the ricotta and sprinkle with some of the remaining 3 tablespoons dill. Spread half the mushrooms over the spinach and sprinkle again with dill. Top with half of the tomatoes. Repeat the vegetable layers and cover with the remaining ricotta mixture.

Mix the remaining egg and the water in a small bowl. Brush the edge of the pastry with the egg wash. Roll out the remaining dough and place over the dish. Trim the pastry and crimp the edges together. Cut steam vents in the pastry and brush with the egg wash.

Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

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