Sunday, March 24, 2013

Sicilian "Enchiladas"- #SundaySupper

Sicilian "Enchiladas"
EEe! It's my first #SundaySupper post! Yay! So excited to be a part of this amazing group. This week is celebrating the holidays that are coming up-Easter and Passover, and is hosted by one of my bloggy buds, Carla from Chocolate Moosey.

But enough oohing and ahing, let's talk about a little something my family calls "scapelli"/"scapellis" (I have no idea if that's how it's spelled, I've never seen it written, we just say it. I'm told it apparently translates to "hot hands"...maybe in Sicilian or some local dialect? I'm unsure.). My grandma (dad's mom) has been making them, usually about once a year (and almost always for Easter), for as long as I can remember. She learned how to make them from my grandpa Blogna's mom, my great-grandma Helen. So they're some kind of Italian dish, but no one has ever heard of them, and I have had 0 luck finding anything about scapellis on the interwebs. I now am assuming they are some sort of family recipe, that is pretty much exclusive to my family (and possibly any relatives I have back in Italy). Now, let me explain what scapellis are, and if they sound familiar OMG tell me because I'll freak out.

Now...my knowledge is sort of fuzzy. I've never watched my grandma make the whole thing start to finish, and the woman has been insanely stubborn about writing it all down for me. Scapellis are a sort of crepe-like thing (made from flour, eggs, and water), made in a skillet greased with um...saltback, porkback? Something like that. And then they soak in hot chicken broth (wedding soup is usually being made at the same time, so I'm pretty sure she uses the same chicken stock). Now here comes the "hot hands" part. You take out the hot, soaked, scapellis and sprinkle Romano cheese inside, then you roll them up and transfer them to a dish, where they will all be soaked in hot chicken broth again. And you sprinkle more Romano cheese on top of all of that. It's served in a shallow bowl with some of the broth and lots of Romano. It sounds really strange, and simple, and like not that big of a deal.

BUT OH MY LORD IT TASTES AMAZING. We cannot get enough of them. My brother and grandpa hold contests to see who can eat more, but we all gorge ourselves. They're even one of the things my mom misses about that family, so we usually try to sneak her some home. Just....so full of flavor and goodness, yet they're somehow indescribable. It's like...there's no way you can understand their appeal until you try for yourself.
Sicilian "Enchiladas"
And I like...never get to eat them. I'm rarely home and am lucky if I'm there for a time when they're made. And, like I said, my grandma is being a real pain about getting me that recipe.

Then, when I made homemade tortillas and enchiladas for Michael's birthday, inspiration struck! I could make my own version of scapellis in the meantime! In sort of a scapelli-enchilada hybrid kind of way. Pretty much what I did was use my homemade flour tortillas to try to simulate the flavors of scapellis (and add in some shredded chicken to make it a bit more entree-worthy). And it was a success! These definitely are not exactly the same as my family favorite, but they will definitely keep me happy until I can try making the real thing. And they're just awesome in their own right, as they are. :)

Give em a try. You'll see. 



Sicilian "Enchiladas"

Inspired by great grandma Helen's scapellis and using inspiration from these enchiladas

Sicilian "Enchiladas"
Ingredients:
  • 8-9 soft flour tortillas
  • about 2 cups shredded, cooked, chicken
  • Romano cheese to taste (approx. 4 oz?)
  • Chicken broth/stock
Preparation:
Sicilian "Enchiladas"
  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees and spray a 9 x 13" pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • On each tortilla sprinkle some cheese, then chicken, then more cheese. Roll up and place, seam side down, in baking dish.
  • Once all of the filled tortillas are in the dish, sprinkle more Romano cheese on top of all. Pour in broth until the dish is almost full and the tortillas are nearly covered. Sprinkle more cheese on top.
  • Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake until warmed through: 45-50 minutes.
  • Serve in a bowl with some of the broth and sprinkle with more cheese.
  • Note: This reheats great-in the oven or microwave.
Sicilian "Enchiladas"
Simple and stunningly delicious.

Check out the rest of the #Sunday Supper goodness!
Easter
Breakfast, Breads, and Buns
Appetizers and Sides
Main Dishes
Dessert
Passover
Dessert
Wine Pairing Recommendations for #SundaySupper Religious Feasts from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, March 24 to talk all about Easter and Passover recipes! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.
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I love it when you try & want to share recipes you found here! Please just rewrite in your own words, use your own photos, & always link back to me! Thanks!

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