Monday, September 3, 2012

Easter Makeover: The Pie That Ate My Diet!

Yep, another holiday is on its way and here comes the Easter Bunny! Which bunny is visiting your house – the healthy-minded bunny or the bunny bearing plenty of high-calorie goodies to tempt you? Your Easter celebration doesn’t have to be filled with high-calorie pies, quiches and candy. It’s possible to keep the tradition but modify your favorite dishes so that they are lower in fat and calories. 

Take the following Italian Easter Pie as a classic example. The nutrition stats on this loaded pie are likely to scare the tail right off the bunny, but that doesn’t mean this pie is doomed.

Hoppy Days Are Here Again!

You’ll be amazed at how a few little tweaks here and there can cut the calories in half (check out our revisions after the original recipe). Serve a slice of the new and improved pie with a fresh green salad and smile knowing your meal didn’t eat your diet.

If pie isn’t your thing, check out the Diet.com recipe section for healthy and delicious recipes and start planning your Easter brunch or dinner. And, stay tuned for more Easter tips such as Easter candy facts and Easter basket ideas. 

Magic in the Pie

Before: 936 calories and 51g fat
After: 517 calories and 17g fat


Easter Pie - The Meal That Ate Your Diet!

This pie is layered with just about every high-fat meat, cheese and fat known to the food industry. Don’t load yourself down when you can easily modify it!

Dough
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour, more if needed
1/2 cup whole milk, scalded
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
1 tsp honey
2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp butter flavored Crisco
3 Tbsp lard
3 Tbsp buttermilk or sour cream
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
5 eggs (for dough)
1 egg, boiled
1 egg, mixed with 1 Tbsp water for glaze

Filling
1/2 lb mortadella, sliced and chopped
1/2 lb provolone, thinly sliced
1/2 lb capicola (hot ham), very thinly sliced
1/4 lb prosciutto, very thinly sliced
2-3 slices each pepperoni or salami, chopped
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1 entire basket Easter cheese (fromaggio fresca)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons romano cheese, freshly grated
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, cracked

Servings: 8 slices
Nutrition Info: 936 calories, 49 g protein, 67 g carbohydrates, 51 g fat, 22 g saturated fat, 4390 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.


Easter Pie – New and Improved

Anything can be made over! Cutting the amount of fat, substituting lower-fat products and using leaner meats and less of them can make a world of difference without sacrificing taste. To save time, buy a prepared whole wheat crust and to boost nutrition/fiber, add your favorite veggies such as spinach, squash, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes.

Dough
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour, more if needed
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup 1% or evaporated skim milk, scalded
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
1 tsp honey
2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp trans fat-free Crisco
3 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 eggs (for dough) and 3/4 cup egg substitute
1 egg white, mixed with 1 Tbsp water for glaze

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 4 1/2 cups flour. Using the dough hook attachment, work 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon trans fat-free Crisco into dough, as though you were making a pie crust. 
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon honey in 1/2 cup lukewarm water, stirring well until dissolved. Bring water temperature to about 105 degrees (or warm to the touch). Stir in 1/3 cup flour to "feed" yeast. The yeast mixture should begin to bubble and foam up. Set aside for 10-15 minutes. 

Tip:It's a good idea to keep more than one type or brand of yeast on hand if you bake your own bread. When you measure out your yeast, you can use half from one jar, and half from the other brand of yeast at the same time. This is good insurance in case the yeast isn't as active as you'd like it to be; if only half the yeast is good, your bread will still rise. It will just take longer.

In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, scald 1/2 cup milk. Watch milk carefully during the scalding process and remove from heat when the milk begins to foam slightly. Set aside and allow to sit undisturbed. A skin will form around edges and on top of milk as it cools. Remove the coagulated milk from the edges and skim the top skin off using a spoon. Pour the cooled (85 degrees) milk into the yeast mixture.

Using the same saucepan the milk was heated in, melt 2 tablespoons butter. When butter has nearly melted, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and remove from heat. Allow to cool to nearly 85 degrees. 

Break 2 eggs and egg substitute into flour mixture. Mix on medium setting 2 minutes. Add butter mixture and 3 tablespoons fat free sour cream. Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture and combine. Add 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (do not substitute).

Knead at medium speed of electric mixer for 8-10 minutes. If dough is too stiff for easy mixing, add a few tablespoons water.

Turn out onto lightly floured board and using your hands, which you've rubbed with olive oil (remove jewelry!), knead gently for 5 minutes. Dough should be light and airy, and somewhat sticky. As you knead, you should hear little "pops" as air bubbles break and new air pockets are formed. 

Place into a bowl coated with cooking spray, turn once to coat, cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm, draft free place to rise until doubled in bulk.

When the dough has doubled, punch it down and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Divide in 1/2 and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Grease a deep dish pan with cooking spray. Line the pan bottom and sides with the rolled out dough, easing dough into pan without stretching. Puncture bottom and sides with fork; coat with egg white glaze.

Filling
1/4 lb smoked turkey breast, sliced and chopped
2 ounces reduced-fat provolone, shredded
1/4 lb extra lean ham, very thinly sliced
2 ounces prosciutto, very thinly sliced
2 slices turkey salami, chopped
2 cups fat free ricotta
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbsp romano cheese, freshly grated
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, cracked

Tip: At your deli, have the cold cuts sliced thinly, with the proscuitto being shaved thinly enough to see through it.

Measure out a half cup of the ricotta. Add parmesan and romano cheese to this, then stir in the cracked whole peppercorns. Note: To crack peppercorns, measure out quantity of whole peppercorns into a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin to crush them as you would bread crumbs.

Assembly
Begin by lining the bottom of the crust with a thin layer of proscuitto, torn into strips. Next, add a layer of ricotta, parmesan, romano, cracked pepper mixture. Place a layer of sliced ham to cover the layer. Next, place a thin layer of provolone cheese. Cover this layer with 1/2 cup ricotta. 
Place a layer of thin strips of smoked turkey, and next a layer of the remaining ricotta. Press down slightly if the filling is getting too high. Next, a layer of ham, then a final layer of prosciutto.

In a cup, beat one egg white with 1 tablespoon cold water. Use this as the egg glaze for brushing over crust just before baking.

Brush the pie edges with egg glaze so that the top crust will make a better seal with the bottom crust.

Roll out and drape top crust over pie; trim away excess using a kitchen scissors, leaving a 1/2 inch margin. 

Press together and crimp edges well, then flute in a decorative fashion. 

Insert 3 aluminum foil funnels or pie birds through pie crust top in order to allow steam to escape. Let rise 15 minutes, brush crust with egg glaze before baking in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Check at 35 minutes; if browning too rapidly, place aluminum foil tent over top (be sure close oven door quickly or you'll drop the temperature!) 

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch slices and allow individual slices to sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. 

Servings: 8
Nutrition Information: 517 calories, 30 g protein, 63 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 3062 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.

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