Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (66 page)

Caesar-Filled Fricos

When melted on a baking sheet, grated Parm takes on a crisp, cracker-like consistency, and it can be molded into different shapes when warm. I like to press the fricos into an egg carton to make little cups; they make my favorite Caesar salad into a great finger food!

MAKES 24 CUPS; SERVES 8 TO 12

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

In a small bowl, combine 1½ cups of the Parmigiano and the flour.

To make the fricos, use about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture to make a circle about 3 inches across on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cheese to make 24 fricos; you'll need to use 2 or more baking sheets. Bake the fricos until they start to smell nutty and the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Working quickly, lift the cheese rounds off the baking sheet with a small spatula and transfer them to the cups of an egg carton; use your fingers to press them into the cups and shape them into small bowls. Let cool.

Combine the anchovy paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, and pepper in a bowl, then whisk in the EVOO. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheese. Toss the lettuce with the dressing and overfill the cups.

This recipe was developed for Helio Castroneves, the Indy 500 and
Dancing with the Stars
champion. It is an exotic starter for any lovers of Brazilian food and music—and it will make your mouth dance.

SERVES 8

In a blender or food processor, combine the peanut butter, bread, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, hot sauce, cilantro, lime zest and juice, scallions, chicken stock, EVOO, and salt and pepper. Puree the mixture until smooth and transfer to a medium skillet.

Place the skillet of sauce over medium-high heat and bring up to a simmer. Drop the shrimp into the sauce and simmer until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the warm shrimp and sauce in a dish with tooth picks or forks.

Chicken Parm Bites

These mini cutlets on a toothpick are popular party fare. In the interest of full disclosure, at an office cook-off, one of my television producers, Andrew Goldman, presented a delicious parm bite of his own (see
this page
) that rivaled my version. Read through both before you decide which one's for you. Frankly, I'm torn.

SERVES 8

Arrange 3 shallow bowls on the counter and fill one with the flour, one with the eggs, and one with a mixture of the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, lemon zest, and parsley.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and coat each first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the bread-crumb mixture. Set the coated chicken pieces on a baking sheet.

Place a large pan over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Cook the chicken bites in 2 batches, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.

While the chicken bites are cooking, place a small pot over medium heat with the crushed tomatoes and bring up to a bubble. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Serve the chicken bites with the tomato-pesto sauce alongside.

These are like little chicken parm–stuffed calzones. I take my hat off to you, Goldman!

MAKES 16 BITES; SERVES 8

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the ground chicken to the skillet and cook until golden, 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

Once the chicken has browned, add the onions and garlic, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, half of the parsley, half of the oregano, half of the basil, and salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes to combine the flavors. Remove from the heat and mix in the mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano. Set aside to cool.

Once the filling has cooled, place the pizza dough on a clean, flat work surface that has been dusted with flour. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 12 × 10 inches. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each strip in half again, leaving you with 4 long strips. Cut all the strips in half widthwise, then cut each piece in half again, leaving you a total of 16 squares.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk up the egg with the milk to make a wash and set aside. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the middle of each dough square, leaving a small border around the filling. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, brush the border with the egg wash. Fold all the sides inward, one at a time, as if you were closing a box. Once the filling is enclosed, lightly pinch the seam closed. Transfer to a nonstick baking sheet, seam side down, and repeat this process with the remaining dough squares and filling.