Monday 4 January 2016

Lankee Noodle Dandy

Fanny Cradock calls this partwork 'Everyday Puddings and Pies', proudly telling us that we will be keeping our culinary toes very firmly on the ground as we add to our currently limited collection of 'pastes' with an infinite variety of new ones. Never miss an opportunity to remind us of our position. Fanny warns us that if we wish to be very fine cooks we will need to have many types at our disposal - our current repertoire of bought puff paste, sweet and savoury short pastes, ravioli paste (which I assume is pasta), basic suet paste and raised pie paste are simply not sufficient. Her aim is to prepare us for the holy grail in a future part that we can tackle together - homemade puff paste - but meanwhile we must confine ourselves to easy and simple ones.

Fanny Cradock Macaroni Pie

It is somewhat of a surprise therefore to discover that this particular 'pie' has no pastry whatsoever. Fanny says we must leave the shores of this fine land and travel to France for a pie that is so very special it doesn't even have a name in English. Defying translation, we must tackle the Timbale. Fanny describes it as an economical main course 'dish' (so it's not a pie?) which is steamed in an overcoat of blanched macaroni. Maybe this is a steamed pudding then rather than a pie? Hang on, did she say Macaroni? A Macaroni Pie?

Fanny Cradock Macaroni Pie

Fanny makes hers with smoked haddock, duchess potatoes (presumably green), tomatoes and boiled eggs, which seem to be appearing in everything these days. I'm switching mine up Scottish-style with vegetarian haggis, neeps and, erm, sweet potatoes. But first the so-called 'macaroni'. Fanny says to use the 'thick' kind which in her picture looks extremely long. I search high and low for long and thick, believe me. My local Italian deli comes to the rescue with Mezzo Ziti which I think is the right thing.

Fanny Cradock Macaroni Pie

Fanny recommends cooking it in a roomy pan of boiling water, slipping it in very slowly so that it softens as it goes and does not break up. If it does, Fanny insists we must start again. It becomes clear why soon enough. Simmer for a mere five minutes before immediately removing, draining and immersing it into a bowl of very cold water. It should be just pliable. Fanny has ready a buttered soufflé mould and begins to coil the macaroni around the bottom, and then up around the sides. Ah-ha, broken bits will never do. It sticks well to the butter and to it's neighbouring strand of pasta while still 'just cooked'. Then layer up the filling - I start with the sweet potatoes, then the haggis and finally the neeps.

Fanny Cradock Macaroni Pie

Fanny then covers the whole dish with buttered papers and steams it for around 35-40 minutes. The covering needs to be removed and the dish allowed to settle for 3 or maybe 4 minutes. Fanny warns it will be piping hot, just incase you weren't sure, so don't touch it. Lay a serving dish on the top, quickly invert it and give it a gentle shake - it should slide out well, providing you have buttered your soufflĂ© dish thoroughly. Thankfully I have. It looks quite impressive actually, just like Fanny's own picture, adding a little flair and winter carbs to my usual haggis presentation. To add a wee Scottish kick, I serve with some Scottish Chilli Rocks from Galloway Chillies, which I bought on a recent trip to the lovely named Kirkcudbright, made with Scottish Gin from Rock Rose. Perfect combination. It does collapse a little (but only a little, honest) when you cut it, but the stripes of filling are appealing. The only thing I forgot was to stick a feather in it, but let's still call it a somewhat different, somewhat special, somewhat not-everyday, Scottish (maybe French, maybe Italian) Macaroni Pie.

Fanny Cradock Macaroni Pie

16 comments:

  1. What a weird but wonderful creation! I've never seen that pasta before, I will have to hunt it down :)

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    1. Everything Fanny makes is weird and wonderful I reckon! The pasta is GREAT I'm already thinking of all sorts of things I can make with it - I think you could replace it long strips instead of lasagne sheets, would look great cut across! Hope you find some!

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  2. When I was in France, I saw (and made) a very similar thing on TV. It was smaller and fiddlier, since it was made with spaghetti and I remember thinking how original it was at the time. Trust Fanny to have got there first. Nice to see you can get La Molisana pasta over there too. I buy it a lot as it's quality.
    As for the word macaroni (spelt maccheroni in Italian) no wonder it's confusing since it's confusing for the Italians too. It's often used as a generic term for tube shaped pasta like rigatoni or penne. But here in Tuscany it's used to refer to tagliatelle. Go figure.

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    1. Fanny always got there first! The pasta is great, as ever from my local trustee Italian deli, who always sell quality! Thanks for the macaroni clarification, kind of!

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  3. I adore that long pasta too! It it toothsome & squelchalicious! THe greeks use it to make pastsiso - a wonderful dish. The greek pasta is cheap & very good. I get it in my local Sikh store. You could make a marvelous vegie version!

    The pie looks crazy! I admire your dedication to this project - I could never cope with it. I'm curious to know - does dwelling in Fanny land for such a protracted time have any effects on your life/psyche in any way? How could it not?

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    1. It was actually really fun to use, am thinking what else I can use it for - the pastsiso sounds fab! Well, yes, it does, but you know it makes me smile almost EVERY day so that's a good thing!

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  4. Pastitsio is DIVINE you must try it. Will dig out my recipe if u want. It would adapt beautifully.

    Ha ha there has to be more to Fanny's effect on you, but I'm guessing you save that for your psychotherapist!
    BTW & am the one who sent you a pic of my tacky white christmas cake last year (looked like stilton) :-)

    When assistant Peter commented on your blog I just about fainted!
    What an honour!

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    1. Yes please! Did you enjoy the Christmas Cake btw? It was such a thrill to hear from Peter!

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  5. I'll dig it out & send it!
    The cake was lovely - very rich & fruity. A bit sweet for me. I think I'd fiddle with fruit proportions if I made it again - less crystalized pineapple. What do you think? It fed & pleased A LOT of people!
    Hope Peter writes a book with a fully rounded portrait. I can't imagine having too much detailed info about Fanny!
    Obsessed!

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  6. Dare I hope?
    Could it be true?!!!

    Can't believe that more people don't know about Peter Boterill's blog, Fanny's Boy.

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  7. That looks strange but delicious. And probably the sort of thing I'd eat wedges of cold...

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    1. Yes, it would be great cold! And I can confirm it was indeed delicious!

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  8. That is impressive!! I never was a fan of the macaroni pie a high street baker used to sell, but I think this looks really interesting!

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    1. Me too, this is much more my kind of pie! It was yummy too...

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