In article <[email hidden]>,
Melba's Jammin said:I've been up to me [censored] in egg noodle dough since Sunday. I want to use
my cottage cheese pirohy filling (dry cottage cheese, onion, dill weed,
maybe some sour cream, maybe an egg -- depends on) with wide strips of
thin dough in one way or another -- either layered, similar to lasagne
(and don't even think about calling this a pierogi casserole, ok? Just
DON'T), or rolled; i.e., lay out a strip of cooked dough and smear on
some cottage cheese filling, then roll up like a pinwheel thang.
Got that? So here's my question: Assuming that I get this concoction
into a pan, either layered or in fat little rolls, how do I keep
everything moist, soft, and tender (as much as an egg noodle with some
tooth to it will be tender)? Do NOT suggest I dump some sort of cheese
on top to melt. I don't particularly want to cover it in sour cream,
either.
And, since anything layered it bound to be called some kind of lasagne
whether I want it known that way or not, I'm leaning toward fat little
rolls either seam-side down or standing on end.
I'm willing to use some butter, but not much.
I can't see pouring much liquid in it - I don't want a soupy serving of
anything here.
How about some melted butter poured and/or brushed on top, then covered
with foil during baking?
Hit me!
OK. Done. Pictures are on my website if you care; here's the narrative:
"December 1, 2005
White Rabbit! *
I've been making Egg Noodles Wazoo since Sunday afternoon. I do believe
the project is complete with this evening's activity. Oodles of noodles
abound, five triple batches mixed, rested, rolled, cut, dried, and
stored. A year's supply.
While I was into Batch No. 4, I got to thinking about figuring out a way
to use some of the noodle dough with my favorite pirohy filling -
cottage cheese. Yesterday, I posted this to the internet food group in
which I participate:
(deleted for redundancy)
The inmates rallied 'round one of their own with a number of ideas
ranging from steaming to filling them with raspberry jelly (Where did I
say I wanted that involved?), with thoughts of deep-frying the noodle
stuff and then piping the cheese mixture on it. There was a little too
much interest in turning my filling into some freakin' sweet thing. Did
I say I was making blintzes, fer cryin' out loud? I did not. We had a
nice discussion on the group, though someone suggested I was grumpy
about it. Not true at all. They couldn't see the twinkle in my eyes
when I was doing all that writing. I was questioned as to why I was so
committed to the dish and doing it the way I wanted to do it (but
seeking some guidance from the wizened inmates). Best I could explain
was that I was listening to K.D. Lang and decided I wanted one o' them
"Hallelujah" experiences and this was gonna be as good a way to get it
as anything. . . .
I mixed Batch No. 5 this morning and it was stiff, stiff, stiff. I used
only about 4 tbsp water for 3 cups of flour and 3 eggs. The dough
rested all day while I was out and about and I finally put action to
thought after supper. And know this: Call it a Pierogi Casserole,
Pierogi Hotdish, Lazy Man's Pierogi, or Pierogi Lasagne and I will hunt
you down and hurt you. It resembles pirohy in that the ingredients are
pretty much the same but the construction is so not pirohy.
OK, the dough was ready and I had the filling ingredients in house.
Pictures for your viewing pleasure. The filling was made thusly: About
5 green onions were chopped in the food processor. Then I dumped a
12-ounce container of Old Home Dry Cottage Cheese into a towel and
squeezed it until it was dry. Then dumped it into the food processor
workbowl. I pulse-processed a bit until the cheese was thoroughly
broken up and almost starting to clump back together. Added some salt
and about a tablespoon of light sour cream to bind it. I almost forgot
the dried dill weed. Mix that in by hand, please, elsewise your filling
will look a tad green throughout.
With great care, I rolled the noodle dough as I have been for four
friggin' days, then carefully measured 4x6" rectangles. I figured seven
should get me what I wanted. By now I had a plan (fancy that). I
figured to spread some of the filling on each of the cooked noodle
pieces, roll them up like a jelly roll, then cut each piece in half and
stand it on end in a baking dish, pour some butter-browned chopped
onions over, cover, and bake to heat through. Rob wanted to know what
the heck I was doing that made the house stink. Onions. Browning.
Might have to smack him one. Heathen.
Well-l-l-l, it went like this: I cooked the noodle pieces in shallow
water, lifted them from the water and drained them on cloth toweling; I
spread some of the cheese filling on top and discovered that a schmear
of sour cream on top of the initial glob of filling facilitated the
spreading somewhat. I rolled them into wee jelly roll shapes and was
feeling pretty good. I realized I was going to run out of filling and
added maybe 3/4 cup of fat-free cottage cheese to what I had left (1/2
cup?). The last two rolls were filled with a pretty loose mixture but
they rolled up fine. I deep-sixed the thought of cutting them and
standing them on end and, instead, arranged them in a baking dish in
which I'd smeared some of that chopped onion-in-butter thang. Then I
poured the rest of the butter and onions on top, covered it with foil,
then baked it for 30 minutes. When I removed the dish from the oven,
things appeared swimmingly - literally. Lots of liquid surrounded the
rolls. A fair amount of liquid released from that non-fat cottage
cheese (it's not all butter there). No harm, no foul. I let things sit
for a good 10 minutes because they were plenty hot and, frankly, I was
nervous about actually putting a fork in it.
OK, so I lifted two to a plate. They transported fine, everything held
together nicely. The dough was tender (more than I expected it to be,
frankly) and the filling was okay. Not great, but okay. A little more
salt wouldn't have hurt, but I didn't want to over do it.
So there it is. I gotta name this adventure even though I may likely
never make them again. It was labor intensive for what it came out to
be, but I'll be damned if you'll ever catch me smearing that filling on
a lasagne noodle. I think for the amount of time spent, I'd rather
enjoy that filling in lovely properly triangular pirohy. I'm glad I did
it, though. It generated some nice discussion amongst a few of the
foodies. Was it "Hallelujah"? Mmmm, no. I guess I'll just have to
rely on the Apricot Butter for that.
-Barb
*Say "White Rabbit" the very first on the first day of the month and
you'll have good luck for the month. Do it faithfully (notice I do not
say "religiously"😉 and you'll have The Rabbit Habit. "
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 11-28-05 - Sam I Am! and Hello
