Leahs Cheesy Fresh Tomato And Spinach Pie With Bacon Recipe

I made this up yesterday since I wanted to use up some ingredients in my freezer and had fresh tomatoes from the garden. Pie was savory and moist without being mushy and the parmesan and mozzarella cheese with crispy bacon add that extra umph we all crave. This is a pretty dish that would do well at pot lucks, for vegetarians (without the bacon of course) and at parties served as an appetizer cold, hot or in between. Cooking time includes cooking bacon.

Ingredients:

Be lazy - Use 1 pre-made pie crust unbaked - if frozen, allow to come to room temperature
2 large beefsteak tomatoes or four plum tomatoes - could also use grape or cherry, simply slice in half.
1/2 packaged Box of frozen spinach thawed and completely drained of its juices
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk 2 percent or whole
4 jumbo eggs (or 5 medium/large eggs)
Pie pan
Working oven preheated at 350 degrees
1/3 cup flour - all purpose
2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons shopped minced onions (for color and optional)
red chili flakes (optional)
Clean tea towel to help squeeze out water from thawed spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees
Place and unroll unbaked pie pastry into pie pan.
Slice bacon and cook up in skillet while performing other tasks.
Once spinach is thawed (I used my microwave for 1-2 minutes on medium strength) place half of the boxed thawed spinach into a clean tea towel and grab corners to create a bundle.
Over sink start squeezing - and squeeze some more, loads of water will come out - you really want to get all the water out, and after opening back up your dish towel, the spinach will easily pop out of your dish towel.
Fork pie pastry all over on bottom with holes to prevent buckling
Sprinkle at least 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese on bottom of pie pan on top of pie pastry.
Sprinkle three tablespoons of the flour on top of the parmesan cheese - this will prevent your pie from being too drippy of tomato juices
Slice if using beefsteak tomatoes or plums into 1/4 inch slices and arrange in circles over lapping slightly in pie pastry. Sprinkle a little salt all over the tomatoes.
Sprinkle about half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes.
In bowl, crack your eggs and add mayonnaise, whisk till completely combined and thick.
Add freshly cracked pepper, tomato paste, 1/2 of the remaining parmesan cheese, remaining flour, optional shakes of chili flakes and half of the nutmeg to egg mixture.
Stir again then add spinach - stir till combined.
Pour egg mixture over tomatoes.
Once bacon is done, drain any extra fat and place on top of egg mixture and add additional shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
With hand or back of spoon, slightly press cheeses and bacon into egg mixture to get them wet.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining nutmeg.
Add optional diced green onions.
Place pie pan carefully into preheated oven and allow to bake for 40 minutes.
When checking for doneness, insert knife - which will come out a little wet, but not gloppy.
Let Pie/tart set up for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
This can be served hot, cold or warm - it was super delicious cold late last night when I was struck with a little hunger after watching Craig Furgenson!
Yes I KNOW!!! lol

Click on photos to see a larger image.

Have fun with this one and use tomatoes from your own garden (or a friends) or from the farmers market nearby - the extra taste of fresh tomato will really come through!

Chicken el Capitan

This one made time and time again at my parties, and is such a great crowd pleaser, perfect for stretching out the chicken when serving for more than 4 people and might be on a tight budget.

This chicken is ever so tender, juicy and the seasonings add a distinctly “adult” flavor.

Serve with rice and of course, and have little bowls filled with the extra condiments that allow your guests to pick and choose their toppings for one heck of a delectable and sensational looking entrée. Double the recipe if making for a crowd.

• 4 pound chicken all cut up – or your choice of cut up chicken parts with skins still on
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups carrots – sliced
• 1 large onion – sliced
• 4 shallots – sliced
• ½ cup green sweet pepper – sliced
• 2 garlic cloves – minced
• 1-1/2 cup stewed tomatoes or canned (whole plum tomatoes are great – 2 cans)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup red wine (drinkable)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped
• 8 peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon, thyme
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• ***For Braising Chicken
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ****For Condiment Choices
• Serve these in accessible little bowls with spoons so that your guests can choose their toppings
• 1 cup real bacon bits
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup yellow currants mixed with 1/2 cup raisins
• ****Equipment Needed:
• Large casserole dish (My mom and I both use a deep Le Cruset skillet with lid which goes from stove top to oven ), heavy skillet for braising chicken if using casserole dish.

1. Rinse and pat dry your chicken which has been cut up into eight pieces (legs separated from thighs, etc)
2. Dredge lightly in seasoned flour (salt & pepper added) and shake off any excess.
3. In deep skillet on medium high heat, heat olive oil first, and then add butter.
4. Once butter is melted and starts to bubble, add chicken pieces skin down first.
5. You are only browning the chicken, not cooking it, so you want a nice caramelized look to your chicken skins. Flip chicken accordingly, and brown on the other side. As chicken pieces are browned, remove and set aside on separate plate for now.
6. Add anymore remaining chicken pieces to your skillet and do the same browning process until all chicken has been braised.
7. Add a little of the butter if you need to and add onions and shallots, sweat them for 5 minutes.
8. Or you could have made the bacon bits first and used the bacon fat, yum - to braise chicken in.
9. Add garlic and green pepper and cook until soft.
10. Add stock or water, wine, tomatoes and all seasonings. Stir mixture.
11. Add chicken to skillet and cover.
12. Transfer to oven and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is extra tender.
13. Serve with hot rice, and condiments.

See many more of my recipes:

Chicken El Capitan @ Group Recipes