"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.