Category: Eggs

Kale Pie

Kale Pie

Kale Pie is a great lunch to make.  I am focusing more and more on a healthy lifestyle and that includes what goes into the body.  Living in the sun parlour of Canada, I am very fortunate to have access to fresh vegetables all year round.  My kale grows locally and I pick up bunches of it as needed.  This is a simple recipe and makes a great main.

To the kale I add a large onion and a red bell pepper.  If you don’t have kale, spinach makes a nice alternative.  If you like you can add ham or bacon, but vegetables are fine and hearty to satisfy the hunger.  You can also add cheese, but today I wanted to cut the fat.

I love kale and you may like this recipe too:  https://recipesatmytable.com/mushroom-and-kale-quiche/

Ingredients for Kale Pie

The Crust

  • 3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

The filling

  • 1 large onion
  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1/2 cup any shredded cheese ( optional)

The Process

Defrost the potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes, stir and return to microwave for another 2 minutes.  Grease a pie plate with the canola oil.  Toss the potatoes with the Italian seasoning and the paprika.  Mold the potatoes to the dish pushing down with your hands to form a crust.

Place in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

Meanwhile sauté the onion and pepper for a few minutes.  Add in the Kale and wilt. Remove from heat and let cool.

Whisk the eggs, yogurt, salt and pepper.

Place the vegetables into the cooled potato crust.  Pour the egg mixture over them.Place in a 375 F oven for 20-25 minutes.

 Beautiful layers. The yogurt/egg mixture makes a little crust over the vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

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Nonna's Pastina Re-invented:Recipes at my Table

Nonna’s Pastina Re-invented

Nonna’s Pastina Re-invented

Growing-up Italian means eating pastina first.  My children and I and everyone in my family before me ate pastina as one of our first foods.  We ate it in chicken broth, olive oil, butter etc.  Which ever way we prepare it, we sprinkle it with lots of cheese.  Nonna’s Pastina Re-invented came about when I had extra kale in the kitchen.  I wanted to make a healthier and heartier dish with memories of the past.

Nonna’s Pastina Re-invented is a twist on two favourites.  My nonno Salvatore loved egg drop soup and we all loved the tiny meatball soup.  The truth is that I made canelloni and have leftover stuffing.  I added frozen kale to my leftover meatball mixture and then dropped the tiny meatballs into chicken broth.  I cooked some pastina and then added that.  At the last-minute, I whisked up some eggs and dropped them in.

My husband is not really a soup eater, but he licked the bowl with this recipe. Nonna’s Pastina Re-invented will satisfy the pickiest eaters while being a wholesome and healthy dish.  Bring it to the table as a main.  Your family will want extra bowls of this!!

I took my basic meatball recipe and I added some frozen Kale. 

I drop the meatballs into some chicken stock.  After about 5 minutes I add my cooked pastina or you can add the raw pastina directly into the pot.  

I add the egg to the soup

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This soup is the best!!

I could eat many bowls of this soup.

 

Nonna's Pastina Re-invented:Recipes at my Table
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Nonna's Pastina Re-invented

 The best soup ever!!

Course Soup
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Nonna's Pastina Re-invented
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 2 cups prepared meatball mixture see recipe notes for link
  • 1/2 cup frozen kale defrosted
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 onion whole
  • 1 clove garlic whole
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup pastina I used Hungarian noodles
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large pot place the broth, onion and garlic.

    Add the salt and black pepper.

    Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

    Make your meatballs. 

    Defrost and drain the kale.  Wring it out so that most of the water comes out.

    Add the kale to the meatball mixture. Mix and make meatballs using 1 tsp of the mixture.

    Roll the meatballs and place on a plate. 

    Remove the garlic and the onion from the broth.

    Add the meatballs one at a time and and simmer on medium/low for 10 minutes.

    The pot should still have a slow rolling boil.

    In another pot cook your pastina for about 5 minutes. 

    Drain and add the pastina to the pot. 

    Beat the eggs and slowly stream them in. (Watch my video)

    As soon as the eggs float to the top turn off the heat. 

    Sprinkle in the parsley.

    Ladle into bowls and dress with plenty of parmesan cheese.  

Recipe Notes

For the Meatballs see https://recipesatmytable.com/italian-meatballs/

Any type of small pastina is great with this soup.  If you like, you don't have to cook the pastina separately.  You can add it in after the meatballs cook, which is about 5 minutes.  

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Mushroom Kale Quiche Recipes at my Table

Mushroom and Kale Quiche

Mushroom and Kale Quiche

Quiche is healthy and packed with a lot of flavour.  This Mushroom and Kale Quiche uses a healthy pie crust made with yogurt.  No fuss is what I like about this whole meal; served with a side salad, it is healthy for you. Growing up we had quiche minus the crust; also known as Italian frittata and you can certainly make this recipe without the crust.

If you are looking for a traditional French Quiche recipe go to: http://frenchcountryfood.com/recipes/entrees/quiche.html

Egg dishes are hearty and the mushrooms in this make it filling.  More and more we try to do several days of the week as meatless.  The vegetables are colourful and it is true that we eat with our eyes first. You can make this as a crustless pie; follow the same directions and ensure that you grease your pie plate.  Put into a 350 F oven for the same amount of time.

You might like a cauliflower crust and refer back to : https://recipesatmytable.com/italian-cauliflower-egg-pie/

After you pulse the flour, salt, and crisco, add the yogurt.

Once the water hits the food processor, the dough comes together and here it is ready for the refrigerator.

After it rests, flatten it out and use extra flour for dusting.

The yogurt makes this dough smooth and pliable.  It won’t crumble or tear.

Onto the pie dish it goes and ready for the oven.  I still laugh at my edges, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

I whisk the egg mixture.

The filling in the pan is golden now.

Put the filling into the precooked pie shell first.

Now pour the liquid into the quiche.

N

I wrap the edges of the crust in tin foil so that they don’t burn.

Out of the oven and it smells so good!!
Mushroom Kale Quiche Recipes at My Table
Mushroom and Kale Quiche
Mushroom Kale Quiche Recipes at my Table
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Mushroom Kale Quiche

Healthy for you and great tasting!!

Course Mushroom Kale Quiche
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Mushroom Kale Quiche
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Pie Crust

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp Crisco Shortening
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 1/2 tbsp cold water

The filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper chopped into little cubes
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms diced
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1 cup frozen kale
  • 1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions

The Pie Crust

  1. In a food processor pulse the flour and salt.

    Add the shortening and yogurt and pulse until it looks like little peas.

    Add water 1 tbsp at a time, until a ball forms.

    Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for one hour.

The filling

  1. Sautee the onion in the olive oil for a few minutes.

    Add the red bell pepper and cook for another few minutes.

    Sprinkle with half the Italian seasoning and add the diced mushrooms.  

    Continue cooking until soft and it should take on a little golden look.

    Add strained kale at the end and cook until any liquid is absorbed.  

    In a medium bowl add the eggs, parmesan and the Italian seasoning, and whisk.

    Now add the milk and whisk again.

The assembly

  1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and pat down using extra flour for dusting and rolling.

    Always work from the centre out.

    Place your pie crust into a baking dish and bake at 400 F for 8 to 10 minutes.

    Remove the pie crust and place the filling on the bottom.

    Pour the liquid over the filling.

    Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

    Cook in a 350 F oven for 35 minutes.

    Remove and let cook for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

    Serve with your favourite side salad. 

Recipe Notes

I always have egg whites in cartons on hand.

To cut fat I have 0% or 1% milk.  You can use whatever your family prefers. 

Frozen Kale is a better bang for your dollar and the work is done for you.  

 

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Italian Cauliflower Summer Pie Recipes at my Table

Italian Cauliflower Egg Pie

Italian Cauliflower Egg Pie

Italian Cauliflower Egg Pie is our version of quiche.  This combines the goodness of many vegetables and gives your family a wholesome, but enjoyable meal for even the pickiest eaters.  Everyone loves a crunchy crust and this one delivers.

Cauliflower is everywhere in cooking today.  Growing up we ate a lot of it, but mostly it was boiled and served with a simple dressing of oil and vinegar.  We used it in soups and of course my favourite was dipped in egg and flour and fried.  This was the best of Calabrese Cuisine.  Who doesn’t like fried foods?

As we get older, we seek comfort, but healthier versions of our favourite foods.  I have seen many versions of cauliflower crusts.  I use this one for pizza too.  With an abundant supply of antioxidants cauliflower has many health benefits: https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/13-benefits-cauliflower/

My Riced Cauliflower.  I buy it on sale, put it in a food processor and then freeze it.  My riced cauliflower recipes at my table

Adding potato flakes to the crust helps to bind the ingredients and soaks up any excess water from freezing the cauliflower.

Use a flan pan because it gives a nice presentations.  Grease it with olive oil and shake on some breadcrumbs for a little crumb coating.

Spoon the crust into the pan.

You can use your hands to spread the crust.  I have this mini rolling pin by Pampered Chef and it one of my favourite tools in the kitchen.  It helps me get right into the edges.  Always use a piece of plastic wrap for spreading it helps to smooth anything out without sticking.

The filling comes together.

The crust comes out of the oven and it is ready for the filling.

Spoon the ricotta over the pie.  Tear the basil and put it on over the pie.

I like to peek into the oven.

Pie is done.

Ready for a slice of this pie?slice of pie recipes at my table

Italian Cauliflower Summer Pie Recipes at my Table
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Italian Cauliflower Egg Pie

Course Main Course
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Italian Cauliflower Egg Pie
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Crust

  • 3 1/2 cups riced cauliflower
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian breadcrumbs

The filling

  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 cup potato flakes
  • 1/4 cup onion flakes
  • 2 small zucchini
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • handful of fresh basil or parsley

Instructions

The Crust

  1. Set oven to 425 F.

    Mix cauliflower, parmesan cheese, garlic, eggs and Italian seasoning.

    Prepare a spring form pan by greasing it with the 1 tbsp olive oil and then cover as much of the pan as you can with the bread crumbs.  Shake off excess.

    Add a little olive oil to your hands and press in the cauliflower mixture.

    Press to cover bottom and sides of pan.

    Place in oven for 15 minutes.

    Remove from oven.

The filling

  1. Set oven to 375 F. 

    Grate zucchini on grater.

    Dice onion.  

    Combine eggs, milk, parmesan salt and pepper. 

    Whisk until all are blended.

    Add the grated zucchini and diced onion.

    Add fresh basil or parsley.

    Stir to blend all ingredients. 

    Pour egg mixture into shell. 

    Add dollops of ricotta over the pie.  

    Bake for 40 minutes.

    Remove and let cool 15 minutes before cutting.

    Serve with any fresh greens.  


Recipe Notes

I rice and freeze my own cauliflower.  Simply wash your cauliflower.  Put it through a food processor and freeze in Ziploc bags.

 

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