What is Bisquick??

[Infelice]

I was doing a little online research for a nice potato and bacon frittata recipe and one version I came across used an ingredient that Im not familiar with.... "Bisquick".

I havent found any other frittata recipes that use Bisquick so Im wondering what it is and whether theres an alternative that I could use as a substitute??

[stonemaybe]

from the Cook's Thesaurus, a link Menolly posted many moons ago...

biscuit mix Notes: Use this mix to make biscuits as well as pancakes and other baked goods. Bisquick is a well-known brand. To make biscuits from biscuit mix, combine 2 parts biscuit mix with 1 part water, roll out on floured surface, cut into biscuits, and bake for about 10 minutes at 425º. To make your own: Combine 3 cups flour (preferable cake or pastry flour), 1/3 cup powdered milk, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup shortening. Sift together the dry ingredients, then mix in the shortening until the mix reaches a sandy consistency. Cover and store in a cool place.

Doesn't really make much sense to me. here's the link.

www.foodsubs.com/Flour.html#biscuit

[Infelice]

Thanks. Hmm dunno how it would work in a frittata tho. Sounds like a prepared pancake mix.... not frittatary at all.

Might stick to the traditional style recipe.

[Menolly]

Is this fritatta more a quiche? Does it have a crust? If not, then I suspect the Bisquick is used as a thickener for the "batter."

[aliantha]

I thought a frittata was an open-faced omelet. What would you need Bisquick for?

Maybe they're using the Bisquick for a crust, so it's sorta-kinda a quiche, except with a thicker and chewier crust?

I am confuzzled.

[Infelice]

Is this fritatta more a quiche? Does it have a crust? If not, then I suspect the Bisquick is used as a thickener for the "batter."

There is no explanation for the inclusion of bisquick in the recipe but I suspect it would be used to create a kind of "crust" for the frittata (sort of like how the addition of flour to a baked custard mix transforms it into more of a clafoutis).... which kind of transforms the frittata into more of a quichey kind of thing.

Im a traditionalist when it comes to food dishes... frittata is indeed a kind of open faced omlete with egg being the main binding ingredient and there is no "crust" as such.

BTW just finished baking the said frittata and its superb ... Im a bit chuffed

[wayfriend]

Bisquick is a staple. It's not gourmet food, but it's very versatile and therefore useful. It's especially good for biscuits to go with beef stew.

But I have no idea why it'd be used in a fritatta. I do know that sometimes pasta is put into a fritatta.

But hey ... if everyone made everything the same way, where would we be? We should all thank, for example, the guy who said, Hmmm, I know it sounds crazy, but I wonder what would happen if I put marshmallows on my sweet potatoes...

[Damelon]

I'm not really sure why you would use Bisquick on a fritatta. I don't think it would make one of the right consistency. Wayfriend is right. It's good for the kinds of biscuits that you put in a stew and it's ok for pancakes. As a kid, my mom made pancakes from Bisquick all the time, but for a fritatta, I don't see it.

[Menolly]

I'm not a real big fan of biscuits, or dumplings as we tend to call them here, that are cooked in a stew, so I don't use the Bisquick substitute for that. I prefer my dumplings to be more Amish style, the flatter, rolled out square shaped style ones.

But, I do use the Bisquick substitute to make my copy-cat version of Red Lobster's cheese biscuits. yummy...

[aliantha]

I actually haven't bought Bisquick in years. Biscuits and pancakes are really easy to make from scratch. Seemed dumb to have another box on the shelf when I already have the flour and baking powder and whatever else is in the mix.

[Menolly]

Seemed dumb to have another box on the shelf when I already have the flour and baking powder and whatever else is in the mix.

*nodding*

That's why I use the substitute that Stone linked to above.
I have all of the ingredients anyway, and if a recipe says Bisquick, i just sub those ingredients.

[wayfriend]

I'm not a real big fan of biscuits, or dumplings as we tend to call them here, that are cooked in a stew, so I don't use the Bisquick substitute for that. I prefer my dumplings to be more Amish style, the flatter, rolled out square shaped style ones.

Well, I was speaking of biscuits that are ... well, biscuits - not dumplings. Like a bun, except heavier and harder.

Now, if this continues, and someone discusses whether or not they put their buns in their stew, I'm outa here.

[aliantha]

Hmm, yeah. The dumplings I'm familiar with are lighter and airier than yer typical baking-powder biscuit.

[Infelice]

Dumplings(in ozland) are balls of a soft scone like dough that are cooked by sitting them on top of a stew and allowing the heat of the simmering stew to cook them. Properly cooked they are light and fluffy.

Do you guys have a product called Self Raising Flour? Its a pre -mixed combination of plain flour and baking powder used for making cakes and anything else that requires the dough to rise.

[Menolly]

Dumplings(in ozland) are balls of a soft scone like dough that are cooked by sitting them on top of a stew and allowing the heat of the simmering stew to cook them. Properly cooked they are light and fluffy.

*nodding*

That was what I was talking about as the biscuits/dumplings cooked in a stew. As I said, I prefer the rolled flat type of dumpling for stews.

Do you guys have a product called Self Raising Flour? Its a pre -mixed combination of plain flour and baking powder used for making cakes and anything else that requires the dough to rise.

We do.
I tend to keep a bag of all-purpose flour and a separate canister of baking soda on hand instead though. I prefer sifting the two together fresh when I do actually bake something.

[aliantha]

Czech dumplings are lighter than a baking-powder biscuit. My first Czech teacher said her mom would slice hers with a string, because using a knife would crush it. My mom never did that, but she usually made smaller, single-serve dumplings instead of one big one.

Here's a recipe for Czech bread dumplings and one for potato dumplings. Disclaimer: I haven't tried either recipe.

[Menolly]

hmm...

Based on the Czech bread dumpling recipe, I guess one could call a matzah ball a dumpling...

[aliantha]

Not surprising -- Prague had a big Jewish population before WWII.

[Wyldewode]

Do you guys have a product called Self Raising Flour? Its a pre -mixed combination of plain flour and baking powder used for making cakes and anything else that requires the dough to rise.

We do.
I tend to keep a bag of all-purpose flour and a separate canister of baking soda on hand instead though. I prefer sifting the two together fresh when I do actually bake something.

I do the same. . . It is easier because many American recipes utilize both baking powder and baking soda for leveners. And I also use all purpose flour for making pizza dough too.

[Vader]

Czech dumplings are lighter than a baking-powder biscuit. My first Czech teacher said her mom would slice hers with a string, because using a knife would crush it. My mom never did that, but she usually made smaller, single-serve dumplings instead of one big one.

Here's a recipe for Czech bread dumplings and one for potato dumplings. Disclaimer: I haven't tried either recipe.

Czech dumplings (like German or Austrian ones) consists of old white bread soaked in milk, egg yolk, salt pepper, nutmeg, chopped parsley salt. You mix it and let it rest. Then beat up the egg whites until stiff and mix under the bread-egg paste. Usually you wrap them up into a clean linen towel or linen napkin so that it looks like a big sausage. You can also form balls, but be careful - if the mixture isn't rightthey will fall apart. Then you let them simmer slowly in slated water. Unwrap and cut with a string.

Leftovers taste good fried in a bit of butter.