[Sca-cooks] Brief ricotta return. :)

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> The quantity of spinach was increased from 18 to 20 oz. because modern
frozen
> chopped .spinach comes in 10 oz. packages, so a slight increase in spinach
content makes
>  measuring much simpler.
>
>          -- Ruth

OK, question time, here. Why were you using frozen spinach? I wasn't aware
it was a common comodity in the MA. Furthermore, in both flavor and texture,
fresh spinach is considerably different from that stuff that comes out of
the packages. From the original translation, I would expect something rather
light and tender:

30 To make Genovese tart

"Take eighteen ounces of chard or spinach, three ounces of grated cheese,
two and
one half ounces of olive oil and the fresh cheese from six ounces of curdled
milk [2]. And blanch the herbs and chop them small and stir it all together
and
make a good covered tart with it. " (Valoise' translation).

> The relative quantities of spinach and "new" cheese (ricotta is used here)
have been upped a > little in relation to the original recipe, and the
quantity of olive oil reduced slightly (to avoid a
> rather bitter aftertaste), but the proportions are still quite close to
the originals.

Also, as far as your comment on the olive oil- what kind were you using?
Extra virgin is strongly flavored (and bitter)- that's why you use it in
salads. Later pressings are much milder and more commonly used for cooking.
Which did you use?

Saint Phlip,
CoDoLDS

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....