Italian Cuisine

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Yield: 4

400 gram spaghetti (0.8lb)
1 can plum tomatoes with juices, roughly chopped
4 anchovy filets, roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers
12 black olives, pitted
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and chili pepper (fresh or dried) to season

While your spaghetti cooks in salted boiling water, prepare your sauce.
Heat up some olive oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic and chili peppers. When garlic is golden, add anchovies, olives, capers and walnuts.

Let cook for a few seconds before pouring plum tomatoes into the pan. Cook for approximately five minutes.

About a minute and a half before the al dente stage, drain the spaghetti and add it to the saucepan, allowing it to finish cooking in the sauce. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley and plate. Serve immediately.

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Drunken Spaghetti

1 lb. spaghetti (454 g)
3 to 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 cups of red wine (474ml)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese (125 ml)
Small bunch of Italian parsley, finely chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 x dried chili peppers, crushed (optional)
Salt to season

Bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Add spaghetti and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, pasta should still be a little firm in the middle (just before pasta is al dente).

In a saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic, anchovy fillets and chili peppers and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add spaghetti to the pan and toss well. Pour in red wine and cook until it has reduced and spaghetti has finished cooking. Add freshly chopped parsley and grated pecorino cheese to pasta and toss well.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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Fresh Plum Tomato Sauce

10 to 12 fresh plum tomatoes (approximately 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
4 ounces extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional extra-virgin olive oil, optional
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly chopped parsley leaves

Peel tomatoes by scoring the skin of each tomato with a sharp knife (do not cut too deep). Then, place scored tomatoes into a pot of boiling water and boil for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove tomatoes and plunge into cold water. Peel and dice tomatoes and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan. When hot, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until garlic turns slightly golden. Add chopped onion and saute an additional 2 1/2 minutes.

Add chopped plum tomatoes and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add chopped parsley and extra virgin olive oil if desired, just before using.

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Spidini’s

1 pound veal or beef (bottom round), cut into 2-ounce slices
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Dried bay leaves, 1 for every 2 spidini’s
1 large onion, cut in rings
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a 2-ounce piece of meat and dip in oil on both sides then press in bread crumbs to coat on both sides. Roll firmly and place in an oiled 2-inch deep casserole dish side by side with sides touching.

When all are rolled, place one bay leaf and a half of a onion ring in between each rolled spidini. Place dish uncovered in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit. Cut spidini’s into bite size portions discarding the bay leaves.

Optional: Roll spidini’s with a piece of provolone cheese and a small piece of fresh or canned tomatoes.

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Eggplant Lasagna

Spaghetti sauce
½ (16 oz) pkg lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/8 tsp pepper
salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
1 medium eggplant, cut in ½-inch slices
salad oil
1 (16 oz) pkg mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare spaghetti sauce. Cook lasagna noodles as label directs; drain.

On waxed paper, combine crumbs, pepper and ½ tsp salt. In small dish with fork, beat eggs with water. Dip eggplant into egg mixture, then crumb mixture.

In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, in 2 tbsp hot salad oil, cook eggplant slices, a few at a time, until tender, adding more oil when necessary. Drain on paper towels. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In 13x9 inch baking pan, layer half of noodles, eggplant slices, mozzarella and spaghetti sauce; repeat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until hot.

Yield: 8 main-dish servings.

Begin 2-1/4 hours ahead.

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Pasta Primavera

8 oz. penne or rotelle, reserve ½ cup pasta cooking liquid
¾ cup chicken stock
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cup seeded and diced plum tomatoes, including juices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp each mined fresh parsley and basil
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until a little less than al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

In same pot, combine chicken stock and cooking liquid and simmer to reduce. In another large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the broccoli, carrots, peas and then plunge them in ice water to refresh.

In a skillet, heat oil and add tomatoes including their liquid and garlic and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and basil.

Add cream to simmering chicken stock. Then add pasta to simmering chicken stock mixture and toss to combine. Add blanched vegetables and toss gently until just heated through. Transfer to a serving dish and top with tomato sauce, freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Yield: 4-6 servings

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Roasted Tomatoes with Penne Pasta

fresh tomatoes, cut in halves
olive oil
onion, chopped
garlic, minced
salt
pepper
pancetta (Italian bacon)

Cut fresh tomatoes in half and put in bowl.
Add chopped onion, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Slice pancetta in bite-size pieces and add to mixture.
Pour olive oil into bowl and gently, with hands, mix everything together so that it all gets well coated.

Pour mixture onto oiled baking dish and bake in 350 degree oven for an hour or so.

Cook penne pasta until al dente; do not rinse.
Toss penne with roasted tomato mixture and top with Parmesan slices.

**If you rinse your pasta, you rinse off the starch. The starch is needed so that the sauce can stick to the pasta. This “sauce” is best served with big pasta with ridges such as penne; not spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccini which are best for cream sauces.

Variations: Top tomato mixture with Feta cheese and grilled chicken and bake for few minutes at end of baking time (omit pancetta).

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Fettuccine Carbonara

Yield: 4

2 cups fettuccine (500 g.)
2 egg yolks, whisked
1/2 cup light cream (125 ml)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (45 ml)
3/4 cup bacon or pancetta, sliced and cut into squares (200 g.)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (300 g.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pasta water, reserved (250 ml)
1 1/2 cups Romano cheese, grated (375 ml)

In large pot with boiling salted water cook fettuccine for 10 to 12 minutes or until “al dente”. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for finishing sauce.

In small bowl combine whisked egg yolks and light cream. Set aside until needed.

In non-stick frying pan and at high heat, cook bacon squares in extra virgin olive oil, drain fat and add sliced mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring continuously to allow even cooking.

Combine cooked fettuccine and one cup of pasta water with the bacon/mushroom mixture. Gradually add egg/cream mixture tossing fettuccine over until all ingredients are well integrated (the hot pasta will cook the egg). Mix in 1 cup of grated Romano cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serve while still hot, sprinkling remaining ½ cup of grated Romano cheese as garnish.

** Do not RINSE your pasta when it’s finished cooking.

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Italian Spaghetti Sauce (very very hot)

You might want to cut back on the paprika, red pepper flakes, and the chili powder as this is very very hot. IMPORTANT to make sure you measure spices EXACTLY; even just a little too much will make it too hot to eat. Not recommended for small children. FYI… when drinking wine with this meal, people have been known to get drunk because it’s spicy hot but flavour was too delicious to stop eating it. I’m not kidding! :lol: I’ve had quite a few laughs when I served this to friends. They would drink everything in sight, but wouldn’t stop eating it. Oh well…you be the judge and PLEASE let us know of your experience! :twisted:

1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp savory
1 tsp pure sage
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder or salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp white sugar

2 (48-oz) can tomato juice AND 2 (5-1/2 oz) can tomato paste
OR
1 (48 oz) can tomato juice & 2 small cans tomato sauce & 1 small can tomato paste

1 lb minced beef
1 lb minced pork
1 large pepperoni, sliced
chicken (wings or sliced chicken breast, whatever you like)
spareribs

1 medium carrot
2 celery stalks
1 medium onion
1/2 green pepper

Meatballs:

Use the minced pork and beef for the meatballs. Add 1 egg and same seasonings in meatballs as in the sauce.

Add meat to sauce after it simmers for 1/2 hour with seasonings. Cook for 3 to 4 hours.

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Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
4 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
6 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp basil
1 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan sheese
salt and pepper

Heat oil in skillet. Cook bacon until crisp then remove, leaving fat in pan (this adds the flavour). Set bacon aside.

Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.

Stir in tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, seasonings and sugar. Cover and cook 20 minutes over low heat; stir occasionally.

Remove cover and continue cooking 15 minutes.

Mix in cheese and bacon. This recipe will yield about 2 cups.

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Homemade Pasta Dough

2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water (if using pasta machine, follow manufacturer’s directions)
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp olive or salad oil
1 tsp salt

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and remaining ingredients. With mixer at low speed, beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

With wooden spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 30 minutes.

Kneading the dough: On lightly floured board with floured hands, fold furthest edge of dough toward you; then push the dough away in a rolling motion with heels of hands. Give dough a quarter turn and repeat.

Makes 1 pound of dough for recipes that follow.

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Jumbo Ravioli

Cheese, meat or spinach filling (below)
Homemade Pasta Dough (posted above)
Marinara Sauce (recipe posted below)
4 quarts water
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp salad oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare cheese, meat or spinach filling.

Prepare dough; cut into 4 pieces. On well-floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece into 15x6-inch rectangle; with sharp knife, cut rectangle crosswise into five 6x3-inch pieces.

Spread rounded tablespoonfuls of filling on 3-inch side of each piece of pasta to within 1/4 inch of edges. Fold dough over filling, bringing ends together; with fork dipped in flour, firmly press edges together. Place ravioli in single layer on floured clean cloth towels. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling making 20 ravioli in all. Let dry 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make marinara sauce.

In 8-quart sauceot over high heat, heat to boiling water, salt and oil. Cook ravioli a few at a time, 10 minutes or until tender but firm; drain. Arrange on heated platter.

Reheat marinara sauce and spoon evenly over ravioli; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Fillings for Ravioli

Cheese Filling: Combine 8 ounces ricotta cheese (1 cup), 3 tbsp minced parsley, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg white and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir ingredients until they are well mixed.

Meat Filling: In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/3 cup minced onion, 1 garlic clove, minced, until meat is browned; remove from heat; spoon off juices. Stir in 1 egg, 1/4 cup minced parsley, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir ingredients until well mixed.

Spinach Filling: Combine one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp butter, softened, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir ingredients until well mixed.

Begin 2-1/2 hours ahead.

4 main-dish servings

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Marinara Sauce

2 tbsp olive or salad oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 16-ounce can tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp basil
1-1/2 tsp salt

Over medium heat, in oil, cook garlic and onion until tender, 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, their liquid, and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low; cover; cook 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Begin 30 minutes ahead.

Makes 3 cups

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Shrimp Marinara Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound frozen shelled and deveined shrimp

In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, in hot olive oil, lightly brown garlic.

Add tomato sauce and next 6 ingredients; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer sauce mixture over low heat 10 minutes.

Add frozen shrimp and cook until shrimp are tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Begin 30 minutes ahead.

Makes 4 cups

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Walnut Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp minced parsley
1 tsp salt

In 9-inch skillet over medium heat, in hot butter, lightly brown walnuts, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat.

Begin 15 minutes ahead.

Makes 1-1/3 cups

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Pesto

1/3 cup olive or salad oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 small garlic clove, quartered
2 tbsp basil or 1/2 cup fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In blender container, place all ingredients; cover and blend at medium speed until well mixed.

** You can add pine nuts.

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Spinach Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot butter, cook spinach and salt 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low; add remaining ingredients; mix sauce well; cook sauce until just heated through (do not boil).

Begin 15 minutes ahead.

Makes 2-1/2 cups.

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White Clam Sauce

3 (8 oz) cans minced clams
1/4 cup olive or salad oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp white wine (optional)
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt

Drain juice from clams, reserving juice.

In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot oil, cook garlic until tender. Stir in reserved clam juice and remaining ingredients except clams; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in drained clams; cook sauce just until clams are heated through.

Begin 20 minutes ahead.

Makes 3 cups.

** This sauce goes great with linguine! You can use red wine instead of white wine.

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Anchovy Sauce

1/4 cup olive or salad oil
1 small garlic clove, halved
1 (2 oz) can anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
2 tbsp minced parsley
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon juice

In 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, in hot olive oil, brown garlic. Remove from heat; discard garlic.

Stir in remaining ignredients until well mixed.

Begin about 20 minutes ahead.

Makes 1/2 cup.

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** The Sauce recipes I posted above go great served with the Jumbo Ravioli with your choice of filling (cheese, meat or spinach).

Experiment and enjoy! 8)