ANCIENT INDIAN COOKING

Ingredients:
Tortillas:
2 cups masa harina (Mexican corn flour)
1 ? cup warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons oil or butter (optional)

For the Tomatillo Salsa
1 ? pounds fresh tomatillo or 3 11-oz. cans tomatillo
5 fresh serrano chiles
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
? cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt

For Tacos:
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms into a ball.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, such as a cutting board or your counter top. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes smooth and no longer sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at for about ? hour.
Divide the tortilla dough into 10 equal size pieces. Keep the dough covered as you work.
Take one piece and roll it between your hands to form a ball.
Open the tortilla press and lay a piece of plastic wrap on the bottom of the press. Sit the ball of dough on the plastic wrap and flatten the dough by pressing down on it with the palm of your hand. Now lay a second piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough.
Close the press and press down firmly a few times until the tortilla is flattened. The tortilla should be thin and round.
Cook the tortillas in a cast iron or non stick skillet. You can cook them dry or use a small amount of oil.

For Salsa:
Preheat broiler.
If using fresh tomatillo, remove husks and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness. If using canned tomatillo, drain and measure out 2 cups.
Broil chiles, garlic, yellow onion and fresh tomatillo (if using canned, skip broiling it) on the rack of a broiler pan set 1 to 2 inches from the heat, turning once with tongs, until the tomatillo are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.
Place all the roasted ingredients except salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped then transfer to a serving bowl. Add in the chopped white onion and cilantro and stir. Season to taste with salt. May be served warm or chilled for later use.

SIX SERVINGS @ 8 Points each

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 6-ounce bag baby spinach
Salt
One 8-ounce package sliced mushrooms, preferably cremini
Two 18-ounce tubes prepared polenta, sliced crosswise into 1/3-inch rounds
8 to 10 ounces goat or feta cheese, crumbled
1 jarred roasted red pepper, chopped
3/4 cup jarred marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach, season with salt and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and wring the towel to squeeze out the liquid. Chop the spinach and set aside.

2. Wipe the skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Wipe the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over high heat. Working in batches, fry the polenta rounds until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Line the bottom of a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with half the fried polenta.

4. In a bowl, combine the reserved spinach and the goat cheese. Spread half the cheese mixture over the polenta in the baking dish. Scatter the mushrooms and red pepper on top. Cover with the remaining polenta rounds. Top with the remaining cheese mixture, the artichokes, mozzarella and tomatoes. Bake until the mozzarella melts, about 15 minutes. Let set for 15 minutes before serving


Balty's additions: I added an extra bag of spinach and threw some onions in while cooking the mushrooms. I used feta - but I think I'll use goat cheese next time since I think the feta and the artichokes made the lasagna a bit too "briney" for my taste. We loved it though and will make it again. I put it through the recipe builder and it is 8 pts a serving.