[Sca-cooks] Brunch buffet request

[Sue Clemenger]

I'm sorry that I spaced out sending this yesterday, but here's my
recipe, original included.  I'm more than willing to answer questions,
etc., but I won't be online again until this evening.
--maire
Tagine With Cheese (from the Anon. Andalusian translation, webbed on His
Grace Cariadoc's website) 

Original: Take soft cheese, not fresh that day but that has passed three
or four days, and rub it in the hand. To two ratls of this add two
ûqiyas
of white flour, put it in fresh milk and break in ten eggs and sprinkle
with pepper, saffron, cinnamon, lavender, and coriander. Beat all this
together in the tajine and when it is thick, moisten it with fresh milk
and cover it all with plenty of oil. Bury in it fried small birds or
cut-up
pigeons, egg yolks, and split almonds. Put in a moderately hot oven and
leave until it is dry and thickened and browned on top, take it out so
it
can cool, and use it. This dish may be made green [mukhdarr; text has
mukhtasar, meaning "abbreviated"] with water of coriander seed and of
cilantro and mint water in place of saffron, and another dish will
result. And he who wishes to make this tajine with cheese alone, without
fowl
or meat, shall do so in the same way, and in each of these ways it is
good.

Redaction: This recipe reminded me, more than anything, of the various
casserole/quiche-y things that are commonly served at brunches.  I
looked over a variety of casserole and quiche recipes, and used those as
my rough guides in working out such things as oven heat and time to
cook.  Since I wanted to use this as a lunch dish, and we already had
meat dishes, I chose to make it ovo-lacto friendly, and left out the
"small
birds."  We also have enough local folks with *very* pronounced
anti-cilantro opinions that I chose to use the seasonings first
mentioned.

Each recipe makes one 9x13 pan. 
Ingredients: 
2 lbs fresh cheese (I used 1 lb of cottage cheese, and 1 lb of grated
mozzarella) 
10 eggs 
1/2 c flour 
1/2 c milk (plus a little extra to brush on top) 
2 t of a blend of ground pepper, saffron, cinnamon, coriander seed and
lavender 
olive oil 
slivered almonds 

Butter or grease the baking dish.  Beat the eggs until light and
lemon-colored, and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well to avoid
cheese
clumps.  Pour into buttered 9x13 baking dish, and brush top with fresh
milk and olive oil.  Add slivered almonds if you want, but it's good
without them, too.  Bake at 350 for approximately 35 mins.