Smoky tomato lasagne and crispy apple tart

Smoked Tomato Lasagne

Pics by Steve Shanahan 

© Redbox Photography

First published Canberra Times 6 May 2015.

As the cold weather kicks in, we witness the slow demise of the tomato plants that are so prolific throughout our short growing season in Canberra. Despite the fact these poor plants don’t seem to understand that it’s time to call it a day and give up, they still try and keep producing.

As an ode to the faithful tomato I wanted to make a dish that provided a fitting send off and settled on the process of smoking the tomatoes in a stovetop smoker. This was to give that extra punch to my lasagne.

The hot sun and scant rain provide perfect conditions as I harvest plump, very ripe tomatoes from my plant. So I go into my peasant, down homey kind of thing that happens when I use my own garden produce to make something extra special and get personal with my tomatoes.

For this dish, it involved making a stovetop smoker by adapting an old stainless stock pot and lid. I laid some foil on the inside base, then a handful of hickory chips, another layer of foil and then placed an old round metal cake cooler over the foil. I placed four large, salted, halved tomatoes cut side up on the cake cooler and then placed the lid on the top and sealed with layers of foil to prevent the smoke from escaping.

I turned the exhaust fan on maximum suck, placed my smoker on a medium heat until I could smell the faintest smell of smoke, then I turned the heat well down and continued cooking for fifteen minutes.  I removed the foil and lid carefully, and lifted the tomatoes out carefully. They were clearly well smoked, a pretty rosy red and dripping with sweet juices. If you prefer a lighter smoke flavour, cook for five to ten minutes only.

The smoked tomatoes provide a powerful, smokey hit and add a complex richness to all the ingredients, including the Italian sausage, but the tomatoes are the obvious superstars here. Although this unusual lasagne could also be made without smoking the tomatoes, it would benefit from using very ripe and punchy tomatoes.

We finished our meal with a gorgeous, rosy apple tart, to celebrate the seasons. Perfect for this time of year. The apple tart should be started a few hours prior to cooking as the almond paste needs to thicken.

Any leftover lasagne or béchamel sauce can be frozen for later use.

  

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 175C and lightly grease a 28cm x 20cm lasagne dish or size thereabouts.

Serves 6 to 8

Smoked Tomato Lasagna

3 large, ripe tomatoes, halved

400g tin of tomato puree

2 tsp brown sugar

large pinch of grated nutmeg

pinch salt and pepper

1 cup of béchamel sauce

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

300g mushrooms, sliced

400g ricotta cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup basil, chopped

500g raw Italian sausages, sliced into 1.5cm slices

250g fresh lasagne sheets

200g mozzarella cheese, grated

Using a stovetop smoker and following the above instructions, smoke the tomatoes, cut side up and salted. When cooked, remove the tomatoes from smoker, allow to cool, and peel off the skins.

Place the skinned tomatoes into a bowl and puree with a blender. Stir in the tinned tomato puree and mix the béchamel sauce through. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and brown sugar. Set aside.

Warm the oil and butter together in a large frypan over a high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and fry until the moisture has cooked out of the mushrooms and softened, about ten minutes. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix the ricotta, basil and eggs together, adding salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

To assemble, spread one cup of the smoked tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of the lasagne dish. Place a layer of lasagne sheets over the sauce, cutting to fit. Add another cup of smoked tomato sauce, then half the mushrooms, half the sausage, and dollop with half the ricotta mixture. Repeat the layering, ending with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the top with grated mozzarella cheese.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for forty-five minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about thirty minutes extra.

Allow the lasagne to stand for about fifteen minutes before serving. The lasagne will hold together better, the longer it is allowed to sit so the lasagne sheets can absorb the juices.

Bechamel Sauce

4 tbsp unsalted butter

4 tbsp plain flour

2 cups warmed milk

pinch salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir for about two minutes. Keep the mixture from browning.

Gradually pour in the warmed milk, whisking constantly. Bring the milk mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat to low, and, still whisking, let simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Crackly Apple Tart. 

Crackly Apple Tart

Almond Paste

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup almond meal

1 large egg

½ tsp vanilla paste

5 tbsp double cream

Tart

7 sheets of Filo pastry, cut to 23cm width x 33cm length

5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp sugar

3 sweet, red apples

3 tsp apricot jam, strained to remove solids so only the gel is remaining.

2 tsp water

Mix the almond meal and sugar together in a bowl.

To make the almond paste, beat the egg, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in half the almond and sugar mixture and then the cream. Finish by whisking in the remaining almond and sugar mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a couple of hours.

Preheat oven to 175C and prepare a rack in the centre of oven. Line a biscuit tray with baking paper or a silicone sheet.

Place a sheet of filo pastry on the tray and brush gently with the melted butter and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar. Cover the sheet of filo with another sheet and repeat the process of stacking, buttering and sugaring until all the filo is used up. Carefully spread the almond paste over the top sheet, minding not to tear the sheet, leaving a narrow border without paste around the edge of the filo sheet.

Slice each apple in half and remove the cores. Slice each half into very thin slices and arrange in 3 vertical rows over the almond paste. Press the slices down so they are embedded slightly in the almond paste.

Bake the tart for about half an hour or until the apples are soft when pricked with a sharp knife. If the apples are very pale, you can place under a grill for a few minutes to bring them up in colour.

Transfer the tray to a cooling rack and heat the strained jam and water in a microwave to form a glaze. Gently brush the glaze over the entire tart. Serve sliced or broken up with fingers, warmed or at room temperature with cream or ice cream. 

Semifreddo

Berry Maple Semifreddo

Photos property of Steve Shanahan

First published Canberra Times 16 January 2013.

In the midst of what feels like a never ending summer, my thoughts turn to cool and easy desserts. The brief at this time is no fuss; something I can prepare in advance but will still look and taste fresh on the day.

These are just the ticket, no fussing with an ice cream maker, all you will need is an electric mixer with two bowls or a spare hand mixer for whipping cream.

You can freeze the left over egg whites in an airtight container. To track your frozen egg whites, place a small piece of masking tape on the lid and write the date on it. When preparing to use the egg whites, thaw completely to use in meringue or coconut roughs below. 

Berry maple semifreddo

500g raspberries, frozen thawed, or fresh

250g caster sugar

8 egg yolks

600ml pure cream

100g maple syrup

Combine the raspberries and 50g of the sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook gently for four minutes until the berries just begin to soften and the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool and then refrigerate till cool.

Whisk the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed for five minutes until creamy, light and fluffy.

Heat the remaining sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat for five minutes until it is just beginning to darken and the sugar has dissolved. Mix with a silicone spatula, gently scraping the bottom and edges and mix any lumps back into the centre. Any lumps will eventually melt. Work fast to stop the sugar from burning. While the yolks are still whisking, pour the sugar liquid into the egg yolks in a thin, steady stream with the mixer on moderate speed, so as not to cook the yolks. Whisk until completely cool.

Whip the cream in a separate bowl to form stiff peaks. Fold in the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the chilled raspberry mixture. Pour into a two litre loaf tin lined with plastic wrap so the ends and sides of the plastic wrap hang outside to provide a handle for later removal. Stir in the maple syrup gently to create a marbled effect. Cover with the overhang of plastic wrap and freeze for five hours until firm. Remove by grabbing the plastic wrap, lifting from the tin and turn out onto a serving plate.

 

Salted caramel semifreddo

Praline

150g caster sugar

¾ tsp sea salt

Caramel

100g caster sugar

50ml water

50g salted butter chopped

1 tsp sea salt

150ml pure cream, slightly warmed

6 egg yolks

50g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

350ml pure cream

For the praline, pour the sugar in an even layer in a heavy based saucepan. Line a baking tray with baking paper that has been lightly greased with vegetable oil.

Heat the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat for five minutes until it is just beginning to darken and the sugar has dissolved. Mix with a silicone spatula, gently scraping the bottom and edges and mix any lumps back into the centre. Any lumps will eventually melt. Work fast to stop the praline from burning and immediately mix in the salt. Quickly pour the mixture onto a baking tray, swirling and tilting the praline so it spreads thinly over the tray. Set aside to cool and set.

For the semifreddo mixture, crush the set praline into small chunks and place into a plastic bag. Bash it with a rolling pin to crush. Set aside.

Combine the 100g sugar and 50ml water in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Brush the sugar from the sides with a wet pastry brush then cook without stirring until a deep amber colour. This will take about eight to ten minutes. Add the butter and salt and stir to combine. Add the cream and stir until mixed. If sugar crystals form when you add the cream, return the pan to a low heat for one or two minutes, then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, the 50g of sugar and vanilla paste in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed for five minutes until creamy, light and fluffy. While the yolks are still whisking, pour the hot caramel mixture into the egg yolks in a thin, steady stream with the mixer on moderate speed, so as not to cook the yolks. Whisk until the egg yolk mixture cools and refrigerate until completely cold.

When the yolk mixture has completely cooled, whip the cream until soft peaks form and gently fold the cream and the crushed praline into the cooled yolk mixture. Pour into a two litre loaf tin lined with plastic wrap so the ends and sides of the wrap hang outside to provide a handle for later removal.

Cover with the overhang of plastic wrap and freeze for five hours until firm. Remove by grabbing the plastic wrap, lifting from the tin and turn out onto a serving plate.

 

 

Coconut pineapple and basil semifreddo

6 egg yolks

1 cup caster sugar

½ cup fresh pineapple, finely chopped and extra to serve

½ cup pineapple juice

1 cup coconut cream

1 cup of pure cream

2 tbsp dessicated coconut

2 tbsp fresh Thai basil leaves, finely chopped

Heat the sugar and pineapple juice in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Whisk the egg yolk s in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed for five minutes until creamy, light and fluffy. While the yolks are still whisking, pour the hot sugar and pineapple liquid into the egg yolks in a thin, steady stream with the mixer on moderate speed, so as not to cook the yolks. Whisk until completely cool. The mixture will gradually thicken and go pale and creamy.

Whip the coconut cream and the pure cream together till soft peaks form and gently fold through the egg yolk mixture along with the coconut, pineapple and basil.

Pour into a two litre loaf tin lined with plastic wrap so the ends and sides of the wrap hang outside to provide a handle for later removal.

Cover with the overhang of plastic wrap and freeze for five hours until firm. Remove by grabbing the plastic wrap, lifting from the tin and turn out onto a serving plate.

Serve with fresh pineapple pieces.

Coconut roughs

125g unsalted butter

2 egg whites

1 tspn vanilla paste

120 plain flour

120g caster sugar

80g shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 200C

Mix the butter, egg whites and vanilla in a bowl, then fold in the flour and sugar. Beat until smooth.

Spread teaspoonfuls on baking paper lined oven trays. Spread each spoonful to about one millimetre thickness in random elongated shapes.

Bake for five minutes until golden and keep an eye out for burning. Leave to cool and harden. Serve with semifreddo or ice cream.