Eye Candy Corn-ingware - Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Browned Butter

I have discovered something wonderful about the weirdly shaped French White piece I found at the Goodwill a while back...

Unlike the original version of French White, being the straight sided souffle-esque dishes.

This strange looking "newer?" version works GREAT on the stove, for it actually HAS something akin to handles.

Thus, it is, armed with copious pieces from my collection, I embarked upon Ravioli.  Granted, I cheated.  Wonton is by no means a replacement for a good pasta, but under time constraints, it will suffice.  It's not nearly as tasty as pasta and they stick together horribly after cooking, but sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

Which brings me to this feast of Corningware pieces used in the preparation.  By NO means, whatsoever, do you need to have all these pieces to make ravioli, but I thought it would be fun to break out as many pieces as possible.  I will say this, however...  Making the filling is infinitely easier in an actual piece of Corningware.  It goes from the stove top to the refrigerator for storage in a snap.  The rest of it is all eye candy.

Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Browned Butter

2 TB unsalted Butter
2 Leeks, sliced thinly (white and light green parts only)
a pinch of Red pepper Flake
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 (15oz) can Pumpkin Puree
3 TB Olive Oil
4 oz Soft Goat Cheese, crumbled
Salt & Pepper
1 pkg Wonton Wrappers (I like the square ones)

Sauce:
4 oz unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp fresh Sage, chopped
2 TB Heavy Cream

Serving:
Arugula
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Walnuts, toasted & chopped

Corningware Cast:
Weirdly Shaped French White 2qt Dish with Lid
Cornflower Bake & Broil trays (P-35-B)
Wheat Bake & Broil tray (W-35-B)
All/Just White Counter Saver (20x14)
Grab-it Bowl 15oz bowl  (P-150-B)
Cornflower 4 Quart Saucepan (P-34-B)

First, you need to melt the 2 TB of Unsalted Butter in your weirdly shaped French White 2 quart dish, set over medium flame.

When the butter is melted, add the Leeks and begin sauteing until they begin to soften a little.

Add the Red Pepper Flake and the crushed Garlic, sauteing about 2-3 minutes longer.

Remove from the flame, and stir in the Pumpkin puree.

Crumble the Goat Cheese and add it to the mixture as well.

Stirring until everything becomes creamy looking.

Add the Olive Oil and season with Salt and Pepper.

Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour (warm filling makes gooey pasta & wonton)

Meanwhile, prep your assembly area.....

Grab your Bake & Broil trays (P/W-35-B)...

Sprinkle them liberally with flour, so the pasta/wonton doesn't stick.

Grab your Counter Saver....  (I like the counter saver, even though I have granite counter tops)

Don't forget to fill a small ramekin with water and grab a pastry brush.....  (I forgot, oops)

Lay out the Wonton wrappers.

Remove the filling from the refrigerator and grab a teaspoon.

Place about 1 tsp of filling on each wrapper.

Brush 2 edges with water.

Fold into a triangle and press down 1 side.

Pick up the Ravioli and carefully press the other side together, making sure to get as much air out as possible.

I usually do 1 row, or about 4 at a time....

Using a fork, press down on the folded edges.

Move to the floured Bake & Broil tray (P/W-35-B)

Repeat with the remaining Wonton and filling, until you have filled both trays (about 4 dozen) Don't worry, you will probably have 1 or 2 Wonton wrappers left over.

Cover with plastic wrap and move to the freezer for 30 minutes. (they seem to boil better if they are partially frozen first)

While the Ravioli are chillin in the freezer.....

Place 4 oz Butter in a 15oz Grab-it bowl (P-150-B) set over low flame, then add the chopped Sage and season with Salt once the butter melts.

Cook slowly until the butter begins to brown, then remove from the flame and stir in the Heavy Cream.

Keep warm over low flame.

Fill a 4qt Saucepan (P-34-B) with 3 quarts of water and add 2 TB Salt, then bring to a boil over medium-high flame.

Remove the Ravioli from the freezer.

Drop about 12 Ravioli at a time, into the boiling water.

Remove them when they float.

Place in a warmed bowl and drizzle with the warm browned butter.

Continue until all the Ravioli have been boiled and coated in browned butter.

Serve over on a bed of Arugula.....

Sprinkled with Toasted Walnuts (or Pecans) and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Where is your Corningware??
~~

Broil, Bake and Basil - Sesame Basil Cookies

For all of the cooking with Corningware I have done over the years, and all of the praises I continuously sing about it's incredible ability to do just about anything in the kitchen, and to do it better than any metal pot or pan ever could, I STILL find new reasons to love this stuff even more.

I recently found another "find" at the Good Will.  A Corningware Broil and Bake tray (P-35-B) in the Cornflower pattern.

Of course I snatched it up, since it was only $3.99.  I had originally planned on simply adding it to my collection, since I already own a Meat/Fish Server/Broiler tray (P-19).  Lady luck was not done with me yet, though.

A couple days later, I had to drop some stuff off at "Chase Me Again" which helps to support "My Father's House", a local shelter for homeless families in the Gresham area.  Me being me, I can never resist the urge to look around a thrift store.  I figure if I drop off twice as much stuff as I bring home, then I am ahead of the game with my spring cleaning, right?  Well, while I was perusing the miscellaneous kitchen gadgetry, I happened across a SECOND Broil and Bake Tray.... In the much rarer Wheat pattern.

On top of that, it actually had the serving rack with it as well.  (with rubber feet still intact)

I love mid-century style...  BONUS!

And then there were two. Now, this did not come without guilt.  I kept thinking to myself, "When am I going to broil 2 things in the oven at one time?"  Then it hit me.  The P-35-B is a broil and BAKE tray, "Bake" being the key word.  Does that mean I can bake cookies on it?  I was determined to find out.

The answer?  Oh HECK yeah!  They turned out beautiful.  I have never been so pleased!  I even tested 1 pan on a regular baking sheet lined with parchment.  The Corningware Baking tray beat it hands down.  They were perfectly done on the bottom, not too browned around the edges and didn't spread too thin the way the parchment lined cookies did.  Oh, Happy Day!

There are 2 provisos for baking cookies on the Broil, Bake Tray (P-35-B)....  You will have to oil the baking trays.  A lot of cookies recipes call for a "Greased Cookie Sheet" and I have gotten use to simply lining them with parchment.  Parchment doesn't work well on Corningware, so go ahead and rub them lightly with oil.

Second, you really need to have 2 trays for effective cookie baking.  Corningware gets VERY hot, and it holds the heat like cast iron, even after being removed from the oven.  So you need a second tray to throw in the oven while the first one cools down enough that your cookie dough won't melt as soon as it hits the tray.

Other than that, they are an absolute blessing in the kitchen.  

Basil Sesame Cookies

    

3/4 cup Sesame Seeds, toasted
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
8 TB Unsalted Butter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 large Egg
1/2 Vanilla Bean (Caviar only)
1 bunch Sweet Basil Leaves, finely chopped
2 Corningware Broil, Bake Trays (P-35-B)

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
Toast the Sesame Seeds in a skillet set over medium flame, tossing frequently to prevent burning (about 5 minutes)

Combine the Sesame Seeds with the remaining dry Ingredients in a small bowl and mix well with a whisk.

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, until fluffy.

Add Brown Sugar and cream together well.

Add Egg and Vanilla Bean Caviar, beating until everything is nice and fluffy.

Add chopped Basil and mix to combine.

Add the dry ingredients and stir until evenly mixed.

Lightly oil your Broil, Bake Trays.....

Roll the dough into 3/4 inch balls and place on the Corningware Broil, Bake Tray (P-35-B).

Flatten each cookie, slightly.

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. (in the mean time, throw in the other pan)

Enjoy with Darjeeling tea.

Where is your Corningware??
~~