"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.