A Saucy Selection From Chef

Arthur Schwartz, host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Food Talk," is a man who knows food. He has written several cookbooks, most recently "Naples at Table," which gives readers a culinary tour of Italy.

The Saturday Early Show challenged Schwartz to be its Chef on a Shoestring and create a three-course meal for four on a $30 budget. Schwartz created a lasagna meal with a side dish and a dessert.

Schwartz's career started nearly 30 years ago when he was one of the first male newspaper food editors in the country. He is now an author, cooking teacher and radio host.

In 1999, he received the IACP Award of Excellence in Electronic Media. His show was also nominated for the 1999 James Beard Foundation's Broadcast Media Award for best radio show on food.

As our Chef on a Shoestring, Schwartz made lasagna with salami, spinach, and ricotta; mussels oreganata; and old-fashioned pineapple upside-down cake.

The Recipes:

Mussels Oreganata (Baked Mussels)
Makes 30 to 35 pieces, serving 4 to 6 as an antipasto

Ingredients:
2 pounds mussels (30 to 35), de-bearded if necessary, and well-scrubbed
For the topping:
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons of the mussel broth (from steaming)
1 generous tablespoon very finely minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Method:

1. In a large, covered pan, steam the mussels until they open without adding any liquid or seasonings. This usually takes less than 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Let the mussels cool, then remove them from their shells, reserving half of the shells. Reserve the broth separately.
2. Place two or three mussel meats in each shell half, depending on the size of the shell, and arrange the shells in a single layer in a shallow, broiler-proof baking pan.
3. In a small bowl, using a fork, blend together the breadcrumbs and the other topping ingredients, using just enough mussel broth to moisten the crumbs very slightly.
4. Using a teaspoon, cover the mussels in each shell half with crumbs, packing them slightly so they are not loose. This recipe can be prepared in advance up to this point but no more than a few hours ahead.
5. Refrigerate the stuffed mussel shells if you are not going to serve them right away.
6. Just before you are ready to serve the mussels, place the pan under the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source, and broil until the tops have browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully so the mussel topping does not burn. Serve immediately.

Lasagna with Salami, Spinach, and Ricotta
Serves as many as 12 for a first course, 6 as a main course

Chef's Note: Arthur uses diced salami in this recipe. Diced salami, preferably Neapolitan-style sopressata, is available at most supermarkets and substitutes for browned and crumbled meat in this recipe. Besides being delicious, salami saves you from having to brown meat, which also saves you from having to clean another pan. Dried sausages like sopressata are often included in southern Italian baked lasagna. According to the chef, as an additional bonus, with the salami instead of the usual meat, the lasagna fills a conventional 2-inch deep, 13- by 9-inch baking pan. There's no need to have a special 3-inch deep lasagna pan. He uses Pryex, which will cook the lasagna at the least time indicated. A metal pan may require slightly longer.

Ingredients:
1 box (9 ounces) Barilla Oven Ready Lasagna noodles, uncooked
2 eggs
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella, shredded or coarsely chopped
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, defrosted or lightly cooked, then squeezed of all excess moisture (and chopped if leaf spinach)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a combination of Parmigiano and pecorino Romano
4 ounces sopressata (Neapolitan-style salami), cut into 1/8-inch dice or, if bought in slices, cut into dice
6 cups homemade tomato sauce (recipe follows) or two 24- or 26-ounce jars sauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the ricotta, half the mozzarella, the spinach, and the grated cheese.
3. Spread 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking pan. There is no need to grease the pan.
4. Arrange four uncooked noodles over the sauce, placing them down the center of the pan, overlapping them slightly and leaving about 1/2 inch at each end of the pan. They will not reach any sides of the pan, but will fill the pan when cooked.
5. Using a spatula, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the lasagna. Sprinkle with half the remaining mozzarella and half the diced sopressata. Dot the top with one cup more sauce, then spread the sauce around with a spatula.
6. Arrange four more uncooked noodles over the sauce, then spread on another 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 cups sauce.
7. Then arrange 4 more uncooked noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, the remaining sopressata and one cup more sauce.
8. Finally, arrange the last four uncooked noodles. Spread on the remaining sauce, then distribute the remaining mozzarella.
9. Cover snugly with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until bubbly. Uncover and place back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Basic Tomato Sauce
Makes about 6 cups, enough for 1 baked lasagna using Barilla oven-ready noodles

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced (about 1 cup)
3 28-ounce cans peeled plum tomatoes, drained of the can juices (see note)
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Hot red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a 3-quart saucepan or high-sided sauté pan, combine the oil and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is fully tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes to the pan. For a chunky sauce, just break them up with the side of a wooden spoon, then smash them into the bottom and sides of the pan. For a smooth sauce, using a food mill, puree the tomatoes directly into the pot. Stir well.
3. Add the salt and either hot red pepper flakes or black pepper to taste. Increase the heat slightly and bring to a brisk simmer. Adjust the heat as the sauce cooks down, and stir frequently, simmering briskly for about 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
4. If desired and available, add a few leaves of torn, fresh basil for the last minute or two.

Note: Schwartz says he finds the easiest way to drain the tomatoes is to open the can but not remove the lid, then use the lid to hold back the tomatoes while the juices run into a cup or bowl. There is one half to one cup of canning juices in most brands of peeled plum tomatoes. If there is a very little bit of liquid, use it. If there is a lot of liquid, save it, to add to the sauce if necessary, but it usually isn't needed. Schwartz saves what's left of the juice in the freezer to use in soups and stews.

Old-Fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Serves at least 6

Note: Schwartz says unfortunately, canned pineapple comes in thinner slices than it used to, so today's cake has a little more cake in proportion to fruit than in the old days. Today's cans also leave you with two extra slices. He says to consider it the chef's share. Or, make the cake with a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple, and use it all.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple in heavy syrup, drained
Maraschino cherries, optional
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, separated (at room temperature)
2 cups flour, sifted before measuring (see note)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet (a standard size), melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Swirl the pan so the sides get a film of butter. Spread the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the drained pineapple over the sugar. Add maraschino cherries to the center of each pineapple ring.
3. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl at least a couple of times.
4. Add the sugar just a few tablespoons at a time and beat it in thoroughly before adding the next few tablespoons, again scraping down the bowl a couple of times.
5. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
6. Place the sifted flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and use a wire whisk to mix them together well.
7. Add the vanilla extract to the milk. Add half the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat to mix well. Add all the milk, and beat well again to mix well.
8. Finally, beat in the remaining flour. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks.
9. With a rubber spatula, carefully fold half of the egg whites into the cake batter. When well incorporated, fold in the remaining egg whites. Scrape this thick batter onto the pineapple in the skillet, gently evening and smoothing the top.
10. Bake in the preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes.
11. Let cool for no more than 5 minutes. Turn upside down on a serving dish. If desired, garnish with maraschino cherries, if you haven't already. The cake is delicious served with whipped cream or ice cream.

Note: Schwartz says to put a one-cup dry measure on a piece of waxed paper and sift the flour through a fine strainer or sifter into the cup and until the flour mounds in the cup. To make a level measure, swipe across the top of the cup with a straight edge. Pour the flour into a mixing bowl. Repeat for the second cup of flour, using fresh flour, not the overrun on the waxed paper. After measuring, pour the excess flour on the waxed paper back into your flour canister.