Instead of making the basic ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta shells which you can easily find in the frozen section at your local grocery store, I wanted to kick the flavors up a notch. The savory and salty prosciutto pairs perfectly with the creamy, butteriness of the brie.
Brie is a soft, creamy, buttery cheese that originated in France, and is produced internationally. It has a creamy interior with a soft, bloomy, edible rind of white mold. Brie is traditionally made from cows milk, but can be made from goat’s milk.
Nothing beats a bubbly pasta bake, piping hot straight out of the oven. No matter what the reason you may need some comfort food, these stuffed giant pasta shells filled with chicken, wrapped in prosciutto and covered in a creamy Brie sauce is one for the repertoire.
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Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Stuffed Shells
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, zucchini, red onion, artichokes, reserved marinade and sea salt. Toss to combine.
Stuff mixture into al dente cooked pasta shells. Cut 10 pieces of prosciutto into half lengthwise. Wrap each shell in a piece of prosciutto, placing closely together into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
In a heavy bottom saucepan, add flour & butter, whisking over medium-low heat until a blond roux has formed.
Add brie, whisking well until smooth. Pour brie sauce over chicken stuffed shells.
Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until shells are fully heated. Remove & top with minced parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Pizza al taglio (Italian for pizza ‘by the cut’) is a variety of pizza baked in large rectangular trays and generally sold by weight with prices marked per kilogram or per 100 grams. This type of pizza was invented in Rome, Italy.
Roman pizza al taglio came into existence in the 1960’s. These large slabs of pizza are generally thicker and softer. The main emphasis being not so much upon the visual aspect of the pizza, rather the taste and convenience of the process being the priority. The rectangular pizza shape makes it easier to cut and divide the pizza to the buyer’s desire.
Years ago, growing up on a farm, pizza was not a usual meal for our family. This was until my mother acquired a nice, little, glossy covered recipe book put out by Fleischmann’s Yeast Company. Among numerous good recipes it contained one for PIZZA! My mother baked bread every week so she had yeast baking down to a science.
I really don’t recall what it was topped with, just that it was sooo…… good! Brion and I refrain from ‘ordering’ pizza very often. Not because we don’t like it but rather just the opposite — we love it. The only problem is the calorie count is just too high. That being said, it doesn’t stop me from making a homemade version from time to time.
Today I used the crust recipe from that Fleischmann’s book and a copycat filling from Boston Pizza’s BBQ Chicken pizza. Yum!
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BBQ Chicken Pizza al taglio
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pizza Crust
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Measure into bowl, 1 cup lukewarm water. Stir in 1 tsp sugar; sprinkle with the pkg of yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, THEN stir well. Add 1 tsp salt & 1/4 cup oil; stir in 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in additional 1 1/4 cups flour. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth & elastic. Place in a greased bowl; brush top with melted butter. Cover. Let rise in a warm place free from draft until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Toppings / Sauce
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In a skillet, saute onion, red & green pepper & mushrooms in a small amount of butter. Shred mozzarella & cheddar cheeses. Chop cooked chicken. To BBQ sauce add water to make sauce consistency.
Assembly
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Preheat oven to 400 F. When dough is doubled in bulk, punch down. Press into a 16 x 12 x 1" baking pan. Spread BBQ sauce & water mixture over crust. Top with sauteed vegetables, chicken, mozzarella & cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden & cheese is melted.
A number of years back, Brion and I decided we would like to seriously explore Rome ‘on foot‘. We rented a furnished apartment up in the hills of the northwest part of the city, by the Embassy residences. Each morning we would set out to travel the cobbled streets of Rome, checking out the art of Michelangelo, the sculptures of Bernini or wander through the ancient Roman ruins. In no other city can you see so much in a short space of time and yet merely scratch the surface.
Rome is the real thing! So many of its legendary sites are the original article that to see them is to fulfill a lifelong dream. It’s this that raises the ‘goose pimples’; that feeling that the city really is as old as its seven hills, that in Rome, time and beauty are measured on an altogether grander scale.
We found it easy and relatively fast to get around the city by using the public transit system. We paid 18 euros for a 7-day pass which could be used as many times as you wished. Rome’s buses struggle to cope with the daily demand that is already well over its operating limits; battling their way through traffic and streets made impenetrable by cars double parked. To rent a car to see the sights of Rome would be an exercise in frustration or to say the least, taking your life in your hands. Best to spend a day and learn the ‘system’ and you’re set!
Rome is a city that bathes in a warm Mediterranean climate. During the month we spent there we experienced some great weather — 20-23 C with only one day of rain.
Of course when in Italy it would be unthinkable not to eat pizza during your stay. We discovered a small little pizza place close to our apartment. Once or twice a week we made a point of enjoying some ‘authentic pizza’. The two options generally available in the pizzerias are Roman pizza (the paper thin, almost charred version) and Neapolitan with the thicker crust. As for the toppings, there are unlimited choices.
The pizza recipe I’d like to share today is one that is probably one that is more American/Canadian then Roman but nevertheless real good. I had adapted it from Pillsbury.com quite a few years ago.
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Ranch Chicken & Bacon Pizza
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Rating: 5
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Ingredients
Pizza Crust without Yeast
Ingredients
Pizza Crust without Yeast
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pizza Crust
In a medium bowl, measure dry ingredients for pizza crust. Make a well in center & add milk. Stir until dough leaves the sides of the bowl. With buttered hands, gently knead 5-6 times. Spray or butter a 14-inch pizza pan; press dough evenly over bottom & up sides.
Pizza Toppings
In microwave, bake the potato & slice thinly; slightly cook chopped onion. Crisply fry bacon & coarsely chop. Seed Roma tomato & chop along with cooked chicken.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread ranch dressing evenly over dough. Combine chesses; sprinkle half of the cheese over crust. Top with thinly sliced potato then remaining ingredients; ending with cheese.
Bake 13 - 16 minutes or until crust is golden & cheese is melted.
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Recipe Notes
- If you are pressed for time, no worries, just use a purchased pizza crust to speed up the process.
