Spicy Spaghetti, Cake, Monte Cristo Sandwich

DEAR SOS: Bellapasta restaurant in Los Angeles serves spicy spaghetti with chicken and vegetables that is wonderful. I would like the recipe.

--LINDA

DEAR LINDA: You can prepare the marinara sauce and chicken in advance, leaving the cooking of the spaghetti and final assembly of the dish until you are ready to serve.

BELLAPASTA SPICY SPAGHETTI WITH CHICKEN

3 stalks celery, cut up

1 large onion, cut up

1 carrot, cut up

2 cloves garlic

8 leaves fresh basil

2 teaspoons black pepper

Salt

3 pounds tomatoes, peeled and cut up

Chicken and Vegetables

Spaghetti or other pasta, cooked al dente, optional

Combine celery, onion, carrot, garlic, basil, pepper and salt to taste in processor or blender container. Mince finely in processor or blend well. In large saucepan combine minced vegetable mixture and tomatoes. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cool, then return mixture to processor or blender and blend until smooth. Prepare Chicken and Vegetables. Arrange on platter and top with blended sauce. Serve with spaghetti. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

426 calories; 257 mg sodium; 102 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 39 grams protein; 3.30 grams fiber.

Chicken and Vegetables

3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 yellow squash, sliced

3 zucchini, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup white wine

Salt, pepper

Dried red pepper flakes

Cut chicken breasts into chunks. In large skillet saute chicken with garlic in oil until golden brown. Add squash, zucchini and carrots. Saute until vegetables are just tender. Add wine. Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until wine is reduced by half.

DEAR SOS: I believe this is the caramel upside-down apple cake that Sharon, who requested the recipe, really wanted.

--BARBARA

DEAR BARBARA: It was good of you to take the time to correct us. Many thanks.

CARAMEL UPSIDE-DOWN APPLE CAKE

3/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

5 large tart apples (about 2 1/4 pounds total), peeled, split, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Whipped cream mixed with little cinnamon, optional

Grease 9-inch springform pan. Wrap foil around outside base of springform to prevent any leakage.

Spread light-brown sugar evenly on bottom of prepared pan. Press sugar down with hands. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Scatter 2 tablespoons butter, divided into little bits, over sugar. Arrange apple slices over sugar, overlapping around edge of pan. Fill in center with another overlapping circle of apples. Arrange remaining slices evenly over, covering any spaces between slices. Compact gently with hands.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In separate bowl, cream remaining 1/2 cup butter and granulated sugar until light. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well (mixture may appear curdled). Add sifted dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.

Spread batter carefully over apples to edge of pan. Place springform on baking sheet for easy handling. Place pan on rack in center of oven and bake at 350 degrees until well-browned and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes.

Remove ring from springform. Invert cake onto serving plate and leave bottom of pan on cake 10 more minutes. Lift bottom off carefully. Cool 1 hour before serving. (Cake can be baked 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, well covered. To reheat, warm at 200 degrees about 15 minutes.) Serve warm with small dollop of cinnamon-flavored whipped cream. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

521 calories; 205 mg sodium; 87 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 84 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.78 grams fiber.

DEAR SOS: I would like to have a recipe for a Monte Cristo sandwich.

--JEAN

DEAR JEAN: How about the Monte Cristo sandwich recipe from the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park?

AHWAHNEE HOTEL MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

3 slices white bread

1 slice ham

1 slice turkey

1 slice Swiss cheese

Crepe Batter

Oil

Powdered sugar

Top 1 bread slice with ham and turkey and another bread slice with cheese. Stack and cover with third bread slice. Cut in halves diagonally. Dip each sandwich half in Crepe Batter.

Heat enough oil for frying to 375 degrees. Fry sandwich halves until golden on both sides, using tongs to turn. Remove and dust with powdered sugar. Makes 1 serving.

Each serving contains about:

813 calories; 1378 mg sodium; 227 mg cholesterol; 46 grams fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 0.23 grams fiber.

Crepe Batter

2/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Dash salt

1 small egg

2/3 cup water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Beat egg in separate bowl. Add water to beaten egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix well. Makes about 1 cup.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.