"Ozgirl" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Ozgirl" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>>
>>> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> "Alice Faber" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>> In article >,
>>>>> "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Angela wanted me to buy some fresh spinach for green smoothies. And I
>>>>>> want
>>>>>> to make some stuffed shells. With spinach in them. I don't think I
>>>>>> have
>>>>>> ever made the cheese stuffed shells from scratch. Way back before we
>>>>>> knew
>>>>>> of the food allergies, I used to buy frozen ones. And I can still do
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> for Angela but due to the eggs in them, I can't eat them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have run across at least one recipe that doesn't require the egg.
>>>>>> It's
>>>>>> just a mix of ricotta and parmesan cheese in it. Ah but the spinach
>>>>>> part.
>>>>>> All of the recipes I see call for frozen spinach, thawed and juices
>>>>>> squeezed
>>>>>> out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have made plenty of lasagna using spinach. I know I have used
>>>>>> frozen, but
>>>>>> I also think I have used fresh. I remember just chopping it finely
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> adding it to the cheese. But perhaps this would work differently in
>>>>>> lasagna
>>>>>> because you let it sit after baking and the juices would be absorbed?
>>>>>> I do
>>>>>> put other veggies in my lasagna and I do sauté them first.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So my question is... Do you think I could just chop the spinach
>>>>>> finely and
>>>>>> add it to the cheese? Or should I cook it and cool it first?
>>>>>
>>>>> Cook the spinach first. Just wash the leaves and steam them until they
>>>>> wilt down. The volume change is dramatic. Then drain, squeeze the
>>>>> water
>>>>> out, and chop. If you don't do this, all the water the spinach loses
>>>>> when you cook it will make the stuffed shells soggy.
>>>>>
>>>>> On the other hand, I don't think leaving the egg out will make any
>>>>> difference.
>>>>
>>>> Okay. Thanks. Leaving the egg out when I made lasagna made a HUGE
>>>> difference and not in a good way. The end result was a sloppy mess.
>>>
>>> Ricotta shouldn't go sloppy. Try to get a dry one from a deli, I find
>>> the carton type more creamy in texture. I used to like the smoother one
>>> when doing Weight Watcher's. Sometimes for breakfast I would mix a bit
>>> of liquid sweetener through it and spread on toast, top with cinnamon
>>> and put under the grill for a little bit, wonderful
>>
>> No delis here that I know of sell it. And we don't actually have delis
>> here anyway. There are deli departments that sell sliced meat and
>> cheese. The only Ricotta we can get comes in tubs.
>
> That's a pain, all supermarkets here sell ricotta, cottage and fetta etc
> fresh in the deli dept where the olives, dried tomatoes etc are.

We couldn't even get fresh mozzarella here until recently and only a few
stores sell it. I only know of one that sells fresh feta. That one also
has bulk olives. Only a couple of others do the bulk olives.