Fare Exchange: Recipes that college boys love and tomato pie

Good morning, readers. We have a new entry in the nostalgic request category: recipes from Shapiro's. Secondly, we are looking for Italian recipes for preparing fish entrees.

Kim from East Brainerd wrote, "I was looking on the web for the potato salad recipe from the old Shapiro restaurant on Cherry Street and I came across another request in Fare Exchange. Lew of Signal Mountain requested the 1960s version of the recipe on April 28, 2010. Did anyone respond? Do you happen to have the recipe?

"There was a newspaper clipping on the wall at the later Shapiro's in St. Elmo, featuring the original Mr. Shapiro and his recipe, but that restaurant has since closed. I made the potato salad from the recipe years ago and it was great, but I have lost my handwritten copy. Could you help? Also, do you have any additional recipes from Shapiro's? My husband and I miss them. We loved their hot dogs, slaw, potato salad, half-cured pickles and Coca-Cola cake."

Shapiro's was probably the town's earliest deli, and I remember its central counter with an amazing display of deli meats and cheeses to be sliced as you waited. The aroma of their special pickles and pastrami filled the air. Shapiro's just may have introduced the bagel to Chattanooga, too.

Last week we printed the recipe for Fehn's macaroon pie, and this week Camille from Hixson and F.S. sent their versions. Here's the kind of helpful hint that you would want to note on your pie recipe from F.S.: "I do want to add that the recipe needs to be followed closely. For example, mixing the dates and dry ingredients coats the dates so they don't clump together. Eggs at room temp will yield a better product, and use real whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. Fehn's used real whipped cream and this delicious pie deserves it."

Camille from Hixson also sought your help on a couple of shopping requests and is grateful for the answers. "Thanks to Melissa and Valerie for answering questions about where to get vanilla bean paste and ricotta salata. I struck out again at Fresh Market on the vanilla paste but did find it eventually at The Sugar Shoppe on East Brainerd. Success at EarthFare on the cheese."

Laura Grody supplied a chicken ring recipe, giving it a high compliment from college-age sons. "My boys ask for this when they are home from college. Once I made it, forgetting to add the cheese. We did not miss it at all."

Pampered Chef Enchilada Chicken Ring

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, undrained

1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or light

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 cups coarsely chopped chicken

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls

Salsa

Sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, then add chopped chicken. Separate dough into triangles, then place crescent rolls in a clock pattern on a round cooking sheet, placing triangles at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock, then fill the gaps from there. There should be a 5-inch circle in the middle. Scoop the filling evenly around the ring. Bring points of the triangles up over the filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Variation: Divide the filling into 16 portions. Fill each triangle individually, bringing the sides up on the rolls to make a purse. Then bake on cookie sheet.

Tena Wexler was on a business trip to Knoxville and dined at an Italian restaurant on a hill on Kingston Pike, "the right side of the road going out of town. Their fish was excellent, and I would love to learn how to prepare fish Italian style."

She also noted that a previous request for tomato pie had not been fulfilled, and she sent the recipe printed this summer elsewhere and credited to Chyela Rowe at Signal Mountain Farm.

Savory Heirloom Tomato Pie

3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes (about 1½ to 2 pounds)

1 classic pie crust

2 yellow onions, sliced

1/4 cup oil-cured Italian black olives, pitted and chopped

2 1/2 ounces aged cheese like Parmesan

1/4 cup freshly made pesto

Olive oil or toasted garlic drizzling oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Coarse kosher salt

Slice tomatoes 1/4-inch thick and sprinkle a little salt on them to release some juice. Cover them between paper towels and press gently to squeeze out some juice. Let them sit for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pie crust and press into a 10-inch tart pan or deep pie dish. A thicker crust is preferable. Bake unfilled for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is firm but not browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Slice onion and cook with a little oil and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and remove from heat when the onions are golden brown.

Start layering the pie by generously spreading pesto into the crust. Next, press a layer of tomatoes into the bottom of the pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the onions over the first layer of tomatoes, then top with the rest of the tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil or toasted garlic drizzling oil over the tomatoes; season and top with olives and cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees on the top shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. The crust will be golden brown, and the tomatoes will begin to look a little dehydrated on the edges. Let the pie cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature.

Let's talk about those heirloom tomatoes. They certainly look more interesting than regular tomatoes, but I haven't noticed any improvement in taste. More importantly, what have you found? As tomato season wanes, we all want to sample the best.

Just a Dash

C.L. says she got this one from her small-town upbringing.

"Breakfast supper is my Just a Dash. This meal works for all ages. Make it easy with just sausage and eggs and fruit and frozen biscuits or, if you are saving money, make pancakes with a little fruit sliced over the top."

There you have it for today. But next week is a'coming, and hopefully you are a'coming, too.