BROWNIES

A Brownie might be one of the globes most desirable desserts. Simple to make, super chocolaty, easy to carry in your pocket, and totally versatile. But, what about a brownie that takes on MAGNIFICENT SIZE?

I’d call that a EuroCAST Miracle!

Our guest contributor this week is Albana Shupki, originally from Albania, which is on Southeastern Europes Balkan Peninsula. a small country that dips it’s toes in the Adriatic and Ionian waters. Her recent work has garnered some pretty impressive looks from the New York Times Cooking page, and Food52!

Please let me introduce this weeks guest contributor, Albana Shkupi

“I have a passion for cooking. I’m not a chef by profession, my handle name it’s just for fun! But, I consider myself a chef for my family. I spent half of my life in Albania, and the rest in France and US! Thus my different journeys affect my way of cooking!

I currently live in Tampa Bay, a Floridian  for a long time now. I started this blog a year ago just with the desire to share what I cook for our family of four! My way of cooking it’s easy, uncomplicated, and balanced everyday recipes with a touch of gourmet as my friend says. I consider myself a foodie who loves to explore, try new types of cuisine and foods from different cultures, and incorporate it on my everyday cooking! I love to cook, but I take a great pleasure photographing my dishes. My biggest achievement during this busy year was the features on NYT Cooking page, and Food52! In the end my goal is to show you that cooking is fun and Uncomplicated!

My favorite quote “ The secret of life is Butter”

I left my country when I was 23 year old. Albania is well known for different types of pies using fillo dough, such as cheese pie, spinach pie,  or my favorite meat pie or we call them “byrek”  Albanian cooking is representative of Mediterranean cuisine, based on consuming a lot of vegetables, olive oil, fish and seafood. But, also meat is part of every day meals. I started cooking at a very young age in my family, mostly just by watching my mom cooking. 

When I moved to Paris, I cohabited with an aged french lady which gave me the opportunity to learn about french cuisine and start exploring new flavors. That is when I started to become a foodie and really enjoyed eating in Parisians bistro.

I have been living in Florida for 18 years now! I have to admit, moving from Paris to Clearwater wasn’t easy. But, slowly we started to get adapted to the new life and appreciate American food. I am a big lover of Southern food! 

Yes, I think all the countries that I lived have their own contribution on my way of cooking. My all time favorite dish will be the albanian “byrek” . That is the first dish I ask to eat when I visit my country. 

Albana’s byrek. “Ground beef, onion, spices all wrapped up in handmade phyllo dough, but store bought phyllo shortens the prep time, and it’s still flakey and delicious.”

ONE SKILLET BROWNIE

Albana made this scrumptious brownie in EuroCast’s 11” skillet with removable handle. It’ll serve as many as can fight their way to it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter, or 1 stick

• 1 cup of sugar

• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup of flour

• pinch of kosher salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Chocolate chip morsels for flair (optional, but why not?)

• Ice cream (which in my book, is not optional but you do you baby)

Procedure:

Albana made this in EuroCAST’s 11” skillet with the removable handle.

It will serve as many as can make it to the table in time.. :)

Preheat oven to 375F

• in a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter completely and allow to cool

• In your stand mixer, or with a hand mixer and a medium size bowl add the sugar and slowly pour in the melted and cooled butter, scraping in any solidified bits

• add the eggs one and a time and incorporate well

• add in the vanilla

• beat the egg, sugar and vanilla mixer on high for 2 minutes until slightly pale

• In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt

• with the mixer running on low sift in the dry ingredients and mix well.

• Pour into your EuroCAST skillet and place in your preheated oven

• Bake until the top resists, and the edges come away from the sides of the pan. Approx: 18-20 minutes

• Sprinkle chocolate morsels as you see fit.

• Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting and serving

  SERVING SUGGESTION:

• The whole pan of Brownie’s will easy slide onto a cutting board for easier cutting. (careful to only use silicon or wood tools INSIDE the skillet to maintain that beautiful non-stick surface and your warranty)

• Ice cream, shaved chocolate, more chocolate morsels or you know … both!

  ALTERNATIVE METHOD: Albana shared with me that she also makes this brownie IN the pan, the mixing and all and it’s very clever. Use a spatula to mix.

• Melt the butter in the pan over medium low heat

• add the sugar and stir well to incorporate and “melt” the sugar

• stir in the dark cocoa until well mixed

• REMOVE from heat:

• add both eggs and the vanilla, salt and finally the flour

• Mix well OFF the heat and pat into place to smooth the top

• sprinkle the morsels over and place in the oven.