Ham In Cottage Cheese Pastry Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 5-pound fully cooked canned ham | ||
| 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained | ||
| Parmesan cheese | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), grated | |
| Cooking oil | 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/4 cup very finely chopped almonds | ||
| Onion | 2 Tablespoon, finley chopped | |
| Salt | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| All purpose flour | 1 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Salt | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Shortening | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 3/4 cup cream-style cottage cheese, sieved | ||
| Egg | 1 , beaten | |
Directions
Place ham on rack in shallow baking pan.
Insert meat thermometer.
Bake in 325° oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or till meat thermometer registers 140°.
Remove ham from oven; use baster to remove drippings from pan.
Remove rack.
Cool ham 20 minutes.
Trim any excess fat from outside of ham.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
Place spinach between a double thickness of paper toweling; press out excess moisture from spinach.
In small mixer bowl combine spinach, Parmesan cheese, cooking oil, almonds, nion, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Beat well, scraping sides of bowl continuously till mix-ture is the consistency of soft butter.
Set aside.
To make pastry, in medium mixing bowl stir together flour and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cut in shortening till pieces are the size of small peas.
Add cottage cheese.
Toss with fork till all is moistened.
Form into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface roll out pastry to 15x12-inch rectangle.
Spread spinach mixture atop the ham.
Drape the pastry over the ham, covering top and sides with pastry.
Mold pastry to the shape of the meat.
Trim extra pastry at bottom; cut slits in top.
Cut decorations from the pastry trimmings and arrange over the top.
Brush pastry with the beaten egg.
Bake in 450° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or till pastry is browned.
Transfer to serving platter.
If desired, garnish with sprigs of watercress.
Insert meat thermometer.
Bake in 325° oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or till meat thermometer registers 140°.
Remove ham from oven; use baster to remove drippings from pan.
Remove rack.
Cool ham 20 minutes.
Trim any excess fat from outside of ham.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
Place spinach between a double thickness of paper toweling; press out excess moisture from spinach.
In small mixer bowl combine spinach, Parmesan cheese, cooking oil, almonds, nion, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Beat well, scraping sides of bowl continuously till mix-ture is the consistency of soft butter.
Set aside.
To make pastry, in medium mixing bowl stir together flour and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cut in shortening till pieces are the size of small peas.
Add cottage cheese.
Toss with fork till all is moistened.
Form into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface roll out pastry to 15x12-inch rectangle.
Spread spinach mixture atop the ham.
Drape the pastry over the ham, covering top and sides with pastry.
Mold pastry to the shape of the meat.
Trim extra pastry at bottom; cut slits in top.
Cut decorations from the pastry trimmings and arrange over the top.
Brush pastry with the beaten egg.
Bake in 450° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or till pastry is browned.
Transfer to serving platter.
If desired, garnish with sprigs of watercress.
Chef
