Savory

Manicotti

By: Jillian Makroulakis (5th grade)

FOR THE CREPES

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup water

• 3 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Vegetable oil

FOR THE FILLING

• 2 pound ricotta

• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped or shredded

• ½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano or pecorino romano

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat- leaf parsley

• Pinch of salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• Marinara sauce

1. To make the creps, in a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat a 6-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan over medium heat. Brush the pan lightly with oil.

3. Holding the pan in one hand, spoon in about 1⁄3 cup of the crepe batter and immediately rotate and tilt the pan to completely cover the bottom.

4. Pour any excess batter back from the pan.

5. Cook the crepe for 1 minute, or until the edges turn brown and begin to lift away from the pan. With your fingers, flip the crepe over, and cook for 30 seconds more, or until spotted with brown on the other side.

6. Slide the cooked crepe onto a plate. Cover with a piece of wax paper. Pepeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes and separating each one with a piece of wax paper. (The crepes can be up to 2 days ahead of serving. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

7. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

To make the filling,

1. stir together all the ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Spoon a thin layer of the sauce into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.

3. Place about ¼ cup of filling lengthwise down the center of the crepe and filling, placing them close together. Spoon on the remaining sauce.

4. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the manicotti are heated through. Sever hot.

Tostones

By: Victoria Fattorouso (5th grade)

• 2 unripe plantain

• ½ cup oil

• 1 tablespoon salt, (or more, to taste)

Dip: (OPTIONAL)

• 1 ripe tomato, chopped

• 4 sprigs parsley

• 1 clove garlic

• ¼ teaspoons pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Peeling: Peel the plantains and cut into 1 inch [2.5 cm] thick slices.

2. Fry: To fry the tostones, heat the oil over medium heat in a small saucepan, and fry the plantains till light golden (about 5 mins).

3. Flatten the plantains using a tostonera to about ¼" [0.5 cm] (I prefer thin tostones as they are crispier and stay so longer). You can also use the bottom of a big jar and press on a cutting table if you don't have a tostonera.

4. Fry the plantains again until they turn golden yellow on both sides (about 5 minutes).

Serve: Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve immediately. Best served freshly-fried as a side dish, but if you want to try it as an appetizer, we give the choice of serving with a dip (see below)

How to make tostones garlic dip: (optional)

Make the dip: Using the ingredients for the dip, pulse all the ingredients until they are thoroughly blended but not liquefied.

Square Spanakopita

By: Jillian Makroulakis (5th grade)

• 2 pound spinach

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 cup cream sauce

• 5 or 6 eggs, beaten

• 1 cup finely crumbled feta cheese

• Salt and pepper

• Dash of nutmeg

• ½ pound phyllo pastry sheets Melted butter

1. Wash spinach and discard stems. Dry as thoroughly as possible on absorbent paper and cut in pieces.

2. Saute onion in butter until soft.

3. Add spinach and Saute a few minutes longer. Cool.

4. Add cream sauce, eggs, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg. Mix well.

5. Place 6 or 7 layers of phyllo pastry sheets in a 11x14x2 inch pan, brushing each sheet well with melted butter. Add spinach mixture, then place 7 to 8 layers of phyllo pastry sheets on filling, again buttering each sheet.

6. Bake in a moderate 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

7. Cut Into squares before serving. Squares should be cut small and may be squared with toothpick to keep phyllo pastry and filling together Yield: 16 squares

NOTE: This method of making the repice in a pan may be adapted to any of the phyllo pastry recipes given in this section.

Kaftidakia’s

By: Jillian Makroulakis (5th grade)

• 1 pound ground round steak

• 1 onion, finely grated

• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• Salt and pepper

• Oregano

• Mint

• 1 or 2 slices white bread

• ½ cup water

• 1 egg

• Flour

• Olive oil

• Butter

1. Mix meat, onion, garlic, sail, pepper, organo, and mint.

2. Remove crusts from bread slices and moisten in water.

3. Add bread and egg to meat. Knead mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls, dust with flour, and saute in equal amounts of olive oil and butter.

4. When meatballs are cooked and browned on all sides, place immediately in covered casserole and keep warm until ready to serve. Yield: 1 ½ -2 dozen.

Sinigang

By: Naya Lerum (5th grade)

• Pork-while you can use meatier and leaner parts such as pork shoulder (kasim), I recommend bony cuts such as spare ribs, pork belly with ribs, hocks and knuckles, tailbone or neck bones for better flavor

• Tomatoes-use ripe, juicy tomatoes

• Onion-peeled and quartered

• Fish sauce-brings umami flavor; you can swap with salt if you prefer

• Gabi-adds a starchy component to the dish and thickens the broth

• Radish (labanos)

• Sitaw (long beans), eggplant, okra, bok choy-these are the vegetables I used but feel free to use other local produce available such as kangkong (water spinach) and pechay

• Tamarind-can be fresh pods, paste, or powder mixes

• Banana or finger chili peppers (siling haba)-adds a mild heat; optional and can be omitted

• 1. Wash tamarind pods under cold, running water to remove any grit or dirt from the skins. Place in a saucepan with about 1 cup water and bring to a boil.

  2. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until soft and outer skins begin to burst.

  3. Using a fork, mash the tamarinds to release the pulp.

  4. In a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, place the tamarind and liquid. Continue to mash with a fork, returning some of the liquid into the strainer once or twice, to fully extract the juice. Discard seeds and skins.

  5. Pour tamarind juice into the pot. Pork sinigang is delicious on its own or with steamed rice.

  6. For the complete experience, serve it with fish sauce and chili peppers on the side for dipping. Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepot to an internal temperature of 165 F or in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals until completely warmed through, stirring well after each interval to distribute heat.

Enjoy this delicious pork sour soup and keep warm, my friends!

Chicken Adobo

By: Naya Lerum (5th grade)

• 1 teaspoon (15ml) canola oil or other natural oil

• 4 bone in, skin-on chicken legs, separated into thighs and drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds; 1.15kg)

• Kosher salt

• 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 whole fresh bay leaves or 3 whole dried bay leaves

• 11/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

• 1 ¼ cups (300ml) water

• 1 cup (240ml) soy sauce

• 1 cup (240ml) rine vinegar

• ( Optional ) Steamed white rice or garlic fried rice for servings

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Blot chicken dry with paper towels, then season lightly all over with salt.

2. Working in batches if necessary, add chicken pieces to the pot in a single layer, skin side down, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook until well browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken pieces and cook until lightly brown on the second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

3. Add garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns to now-empty pot and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is very fragrant and garlic turns a light golden color, about 30 seconds. Add water and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

4. Add soy sauce and vinegar, return chicken pieces to pot, increase heat to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes, turning the chicken pieces halfway through.

TO SERVE: The chicken is best served after sitting overnight in the refrigerator (see note), but it can also be served immediately, with steamed white rice or (preferably) garlic fried rice. The chicken pieces can also be briefly broiled before serving.

TO BROIL CHICKEN ADOBO: Adjust oven rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Transfer chicken pieces to a paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet and blot surface with more paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible; discard paper towels. Arrange chicken skin side up on the baking sheet and broil until chicken skin is crispy and lightly charred, about 2 minutes (keep an eye on the chicken to ensure it does not burn). Serve immediately with steamed white rice or (preferably) garlic fried rice, passing adobo sauce at the table.

NOTE: Chicken adobo is improved immensely by being refrigerated overnight, due to the way the cooked vinegar mellows over time.

Jerk chicken (parental help advised)

By Kailie McIntosh Edwards (7th grade)

• 1 chopped onion

• 2 scotch bonnet pepper

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 1 tablespoon adobo all-purpose seasoning

• 2 teaspoon dried thyme (crushed/chopped)

• 2 ½ teaspoon of nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ cup of soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

• Two 3 ½-to-4- pound chickens quartered

Step1: Make the jerk sauce.

Put in a blender or another item like a blender your onions, peppers black peppers thyme nutmeg salt ginger adobo all-purpose seasoning blend until pasty with the machine on add in the soy sauce and vegetable oil then pour in the oil

Step2: coat the chicken

Make sure your parents have cleaned and cut the chicken then add in the bowl of sauce and turn it to coat. Once coated, put it in a ziplock bag, refrigerate overnight.

Step3: Take the chicken out of the fridge and either ask your parents to grill or bake the chicken hope you enjoy