Life is a jumble of numbers. But out of this have come some classic marriages. The 2-by-4 board. The 8-by-10 glossy photograph. The 9-to-5 work day. The 8 1/2-by-11 stationery. And, in the cooking world, the 13-by-9 pan.
Pause for a minute to recall a few of the comfort foods you have lifted from this standard rectangular baker. Steaming lasagna. Warm cinnamon rolls. Picnic cakes.
The height of these shallow containers can range from 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches, and this can make a dramatic difference. Most recipes directing cooks to bake foods in 13-by-9 pans do not specify the height. A pan 2 or 2 1/2 inches tall is the most reliable.
Sturdy aluminum bakeware with a plain metallic finish is one of the best all-purpose metals for everyday baking, but options include non-stick pans, stoneware, porcelain, pottery, steel and glass. Some cookbooks suggest that if using a glass container, you should lower the baking temperature 25 degrees because the transparency of glass allows radiant heat to pass directly through it. But this is mostly a matter of preference. Marion Cunningham, author of “The Fannie Farmer Baking Book,” says she never has found it necessary to lower the heat. She finds that things brown nicely in glass and you can see the coloring all around.
Now let’s get cooking.
LIGHTER HOT SAUSAGE LASAGNA
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 12 servings
16 lasagna noodles
3/4 pound hot turkey sausage
1 medium onion, peeled, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) low-sodium tomatoes, broken into pieces, juice reserved
2 cans (16 ounces each) low-sodium tomato sauce
2 tablespoons low-sodium tomato paste
1 teaspoon each, dried, crushed: basil, oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 cups grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat a large pan of water to a boil; add lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. Separate the noodles.
2. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch thick slices and place in a large non-stick skillet. Cook sausage until no longer pink. Remove from pan.
3. Put onion and garlic into pan and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until softened, 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, tomato sauce and paste, sausage, basil, oregano, marjoram, red pepper flakes, salt, several grindings of pepper and parsley. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, 35 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Spread a thin coat of the sauce over the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Top with a layer of the noodles running the length of the dish, one-third of the sauce, and half of the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Cover with a second layer of the noodles running across the dish; repeat the layers. Top with the remaining tomato-sausage sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. (The lasagna can be made 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.)
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition information per serving: 319 calories; 21 g protein; 9 g fat; 39 g carbohydrates; 576 mg sodium; 52 mg cholesterol.
BLACK BEAN COBBLER
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1 each, medium, seeded, minced: red bell pepper, green bell pepper
1 can (28 ounces) peeled, diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained, rinsed, drained again
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup shredded smoked or regular Cheddar cheese
1. Heat olive oil in a large 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and bell peppers; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, chili powder, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of the cornmeal. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in black beans and corn; simmer 5 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the topping by combining 2/3 cup cornmeal, flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine the milk, margarine and egg; beat lightly with a fork to blend. Pour into the flour mixture and stir well to blend. Stir in 1/3 cup of the cheese.
3. Spoon hot bean mixture into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the topping on top. Bake until topping is browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 422 calories; 18 grams protein; 12 grams fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 1,603 milligrams sodium; 50 milligrams cholesterol.
EGGPLANT AND POLENTA PARMESAN
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Draining time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 9 servings
Adapted from “Contemporary One-Dish Meals” by Mara Reid Rogers.
Filling:
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Polenta:
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
Tomato sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
Grated rind of 1 large orange
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. For filling, place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let drain at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Rinse lightly and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan in shallow dish. Dredge eggplant slices in egg and then in bread mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet; cook eggplant in batches about 4 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
3. For polenta, heat water and salt in a large pan to a boil. Slowly add cornmeal, whisking well. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover; cook, stirring often, until polenta starts to pull away from the pan, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish that is about 2 1/2 inches deep. Let cool.
4. For sauce, heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, vinegar, bay leaf, basil, oregano, orange rind, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.
5. To assemble: Lay the eggplant slices on top of the polenta and spread with the ricotta. Spoon the tomato sauce over and sprinkle with the mozzarella. (The casserole can be covered at this point and refrigerated. Remove from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking.)
6. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until heated through, about 35 minutes (50 minutes if refrigerated). Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 353 calories; 14 g protein; 15 g fat; 39 g carbohydrates; 607 mg sodium; 45 mg cholesterol.
