Flat Bread Pizza and Rocket Salad

Do you know those nights where you are desperate to order out?
But if you did you would not have that extra couple bottles of wine, or the money to have friends around on the spur of the moment?
Here is the best thing I have right now.
Flat bread Pizza.
It doesn't matter if it is Pita, Greek, or whatever.. no money or effort at all and chuck a few of these flat breads into the freezer when you find them on sale and you can whip them out and cook them FROZEN!!!!  This is a recipe that is great to teach kids of all ages too!

All photos are pre-cooked

Mozzarella and Tomato Sauce and Sauteed Mushroom, tomato sauce and Mozzarella

This one has olive oil and garlic salt,mozzarella and Parmesan cheese,sauteed mushrooms and fresh rocket

1 to 2 a person

Feeds 8
Ingredients

2 packages of flat bread (most come in 6 per pack)
1 26 Oz jar of tomato sauce
8 oz of Pepperoni
1 Lb shredded mozzarella
2 tsp of more of dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp or more of garlic salt
1 bag of rocket salad or whatever salad
1 small box of sliced mushrooms
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Prepare

*Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
*Place flat bread on a cookie sheet
* With a TBS put sauce on flat bread
* Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic salt
* Add generous amount of mozzarella cheese
* Add 5 or 6 slices pepperoni
*Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until bubbly and brown
* Mix salad with mushrooms and balsamic and olive oil

* ADD ANY TOPPING!!!
Black olives, Onions, Red peppers, Ham etc..whatever you have around!!!!!! Be creative!!!

Pasta with Salmon, Asparagus, Sun Dried Tomato, Capers and Feta Cheese

Very often I am rummaging around in my freezer and pantry...knowing that I have a few more days to make things work before we get paid.
I can not stress enough to get your pantry stocked with a few basics, and then use this sight to inspire yourself or give you a  whole new idea for a new recipe...
Most things I make are almost entirely from something I find on sale, unless I am having a week with a planned menu where I will buy things geared for those dishes.
I do both depending on my schedule and creativity levels!
Menu weeks are weeks where I don't want to think at all about what I am going to make, the flip side....shopping sales and making what I can out of what I buy which is typically when I am  needing to stretch the money a bit more...
This next dish is a "gotta make it work with what I have" dish, and we were all, including the kids, thrilled with how it turned out! My husband picked up the Asparagus and Feta for me, but I had everything else on hand.

Feeds 6

Ingredients

4 individually frozen salmon fillets

20 or 25 baby asparagus spears cut into 1 inch pieces
(See Cooking Class 1  under "How To Video's" if your not sure how to do this)

1 Tsp of Capers
4 Tbs of thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes and a splash of the oil they come in..
4 to 6 oz fresh feta cheese
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine
 2 tsp Sea salt
 1 tsp Crushed red pepper
2 Tsp Marjoram
2 Tsp Basil
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 1/2 a stick Salted Butter ( About 4 Tbs )
Water from your pasta that is cooking, about 1 cup
2 Pounds of Pasta (any kind) I used fettuccine for this dish

Fresh Feta

Prepare

* Put the water for your pasta in a big pot and throw in a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt into the water, turn on high, cover and allow to boil
* Put a splash of olive oil and your minced garlic into a very large saute pan on medium and start browning your garlic, allowing it to get all it's lovely flavor into the olive oil..
* Add your pasta to the boiling water and turn down to medium heat
* Add your salmon (still frozen!!!) into the pan and add 1/2 of your white wine, sun dried tomato and capers to the pan and cover.. flip your fillet over after about 3 minutes
*Add your spices
* Add your asparagus, the rest of your wine, about 1/2 cup of the water from your pasta and the rest of your butter.. cover and turn heat to low
* Drain your pasta and then add to your saute pan, mix really well and again cover and leave for about 3 minutes
* Place your pasta onto a plate and then crumble some Feta cheese on the top. Add Sea salt and crushed red pepper if desired...

Risotto with Asparagus, Mint and Peas

Risotto is one of those dishes that can be used for a multitude of things... you can have it be very basic and then after it is cooled down use it for my all time favorite... Rice Ball Parmesan...You can also add other things too it.
My dear friend Andrew made this while he and his family lived with us last spring and it was GORGEOUS!! So experiment with different things and let me know what you discover!

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup of water
½ a bottle of dry white wine
1 stick and a couple of tbs of butter, about ¾ of a cup
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 16-0z-box Arborio rice
20 to 25 Asparagus stalks cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup freshly shelled small peas or petite frozen peas (about 1/4 pound)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Prepare

* Saute your asparagus and peas in a medium pan with about 2 tbs of olive oil until golden brown set aside off the heat
*Melt ½ a stick of butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. *Add onion
* Sauté until soft and transparent, about 6 minutes
* Add rice; stir until rice is translucent at edges but still opaque in center, about 3 minutes
* Add wine; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 1 minute
* Add broth 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, about 15 minutes
* Add the last of the butter, stir in well
* Add your mint, stirring in well
* Taste the risotto, if it still seems too al dente, slowly add water as you did the broth until it is absorbed cooking until rice is tender but firm to bite and the mixture is creamy
* Add a generous handful of cheese… stir until it melts
*Season with salt and pepper
*Serve and add another handful of fresh Parmesan

Fresh Fettucine with Sausage,Asparagus,Spinach and Crumbled Goat Cheese

I LOVE PASTA...

Since my years living in Milano, Italy I cannot get enough..
You can invent all kinds, knowing just some basics.
I was given a pasta attachment for my Kitchen Aid and have been liberated to a whole other level of culinary delight.
The funny thing is that I usually play with these dishes on days that the pantry looks bare and I am feeling really uninspired and a bit grumbly.
Then lo and behold, most everything can, with a minimal amount of thought be turned into a pasta dish fit for a king..
Be adventurous and share your success stories with us!

 Feeds 6

 Ingredients and Preparation for fresh pasta

Making fresh pasta with a pasta maker/mixer

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1tsp sea salt
4 large eggs
1 tbs cold water
1 to 2 Tsp of olive oil if your flour is dry

* Sieve flour and salt into the mixing bowl, add eggs and water and oil, mix with paddle attachment for 2 minutes on 4 or 5 speed , then switch to the hook and mix until the dough forms , about 4 minutes on 6 or 7 speed.. hand fold for  a while until the dough is springy.. about 4 minutes.. then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at least 30 minutes..

* Put pasta attachment on and make pasta  sheets according to directions

* Put on fettucini attachment and due according to direction

* Leave aside to dry  until adding to  boiling, salted water


Ingredients for sauce


*1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on the top
* 1 pound of ground/minced sausage
* 8 oz of frozen spinach or 2 cups
* 6 to 8  Oz of goat cheese
* 8 Asparagus spears, cut off the end, discard, and then cut into inch pieces
* 4 minced garlic cloves
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 TBS of butter
* Sea salt
* 4 Tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon of cracked red pepper, or to taste
* 2 pounds of fresh or dried fettucini


Prepare

* Make the pasta if applicable, put large pot on to boil with a splash of olive oil and dash of sea salt

* Brown the sausage with the minced garlic

* Using the same saute pan, put in asparagus and splash of olive oil on 1 TBS butter and sautee for a few minutes, adding the Italian seasoning as well

* Add 1 cup of broth and 2 cups of frozen spinach, sea salt and red pepper flakes and when it reduces add the other cup of broth

* Simmer covered for 5 to 10 minutes

* Turn heat off of mixture and allow to sit for 5 minutes

* When big pot is boiling put fresh past in and allow to cook until pasta comes up to surface

* Drain pasta and add to large pot with all the sauteed yumminess

* Cover and let sit for 5 minutes

* Crumble a generous amount of goat cheese on top of the pasta that has been put onto the dish you will serve it in.

* Serve with a small amount of  parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of red pepper flake if you want....

                                         SERVE WITH A SIMPLE SALAD

Wine Suggestion- Chianti

Fresh Pasta

Now hear me out..

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!!!

Fresh home made pasta is not only a million times easier than anyone thinks, but more delicious than just about anything in the world too.

I have a Kitchen Aid Pasta attachment that I use. You can also buy the hand crank type. It matters only that the end results produces delicious, inexpensive culinary delights!!! I spend all of 10 minutes throwing the dough together, and another 15 making it into sheets, and then strips of pasta. Please give this one a go, you WILL NOT be sorry! 

Making fresh pasta with a pasta maker/mixer

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1tsp sea salt

4 large eggs

1 tbs cold water

1 to 2 Tsp of olive oil if your flour is dry

* Sieve flour and salt into the mixing bowl, add eggs and water and oil, mix with paddle attachment for 2 minutes on 4 or 5 speed , then switch to the hook and mix until the dough forms , about 4 minutes on 6 or 7 speed.. hand fold for a while until the dough is springy.. about 4 minutes.. then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at least 30 minutes..

* Put pasta attachment on and make pasta sheets according to directions

* Put on fettuccine attachment and due according to direction

* Leave aside to dry until adding to boiling, salted water

Bolognese Sauce for Pasta or Lasagna

 One of my very favorite meals has got to be Spaghetti Bolognese!

This recipe is also the one I use for my Lasagna recipe which is on this site under the Italian Section.

It started out as my mothers recipe and I twigged it a little through the years.... and know am certain you will make it your own too! You can freeze it if you make extra, and I have NEVER seen anyone turn it down when I cook a meal for a friend who has just had a baby or is feeling poorly.



Serves 12



Ingredients for Sauce 

 The sauce is really the important, I cook mine for as LONG as possible, start it one day and turn it off at night, re-heat it the next day... letting all those LOVELY flavors mix and marry..

2 Large cans of diced tomato
3 Large cans of crushed tomato
4 Small cans of tomato paste
7 cloves of garlic-minced
2 onions minced
9 Italian sausages, either hot or mild
5 pds of beef mince/hamburger
Salt
Pepper
Dried Basil
Dried oregano
Crushed red pepper
Thyme
Sugar
Olive oil
Stick of butter
1 bottle of drinkable red wine
Water


Preparing the sauce

* In 2 large pots, add a splash of olive oil, turn on medium high
* Keeping in mind you need to break the ingredients in half, add onion and garlic to the pots
* Sautee until soft
* Add half a stick of butter to each pot
* Add hamburger and sausage to brown
* Add spices, like 2 Tbs of each except for the crushed red pepper, only 1/2 teaspoon of that to each pot
* When sausage is cooked, remove from pot and cut in half and then into pieces, throw back into the pots
* Add a glug of red wine to de -glaze the pots
* Add the crushed and diced tomatoes
* Stir in half the bottle of red to each pot
*Add the tomato paste
*Add 1/8 cup of sugar to each pot
*In the cans you have used, fill them with water and add in
*Taste it and if you think you need more spice add it!
*Turn heat on to simmer and cover and leave it stirring every little while
( when you go to bed turn it off and leave it till morning )

Rosemary Infused Marinara Sauce

I start a new class today and am making a Marinara and also a Bolognese Sauce with my students and realized that I didn't have them on their own on the web site!
SO here is a wonderful simple recipe for Marinara sauce in which I threw in some fresh rosemary sprigs from our garden... perfect for an easy quick meal!

 Ingredients

2 medium cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 onion finely diced
5 cloves of minced garlic
3 fresh spriggs of rosemary
olive oil
Italian seasoning
1/2 cup red wine (what ever you would drink, preferable a dry red, not sweet)
Sea Salt
Fresh cracked pepper
 fresh or dried basil
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Prepare

*In a medium sized pot add a splash of olive oil and dab of butter... add your onion and garlic, cook until soft over medium heat
* Add your diced tomatoes and tomato paste, stir
* Add your wine and stir
* Add your fresh rosemary, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
* Turn heat down to simmer and cook until the Pasta is ready

Homemade Pizza

One summer we went to London to visit very dear friends of ours.
We met in New York City, and they had been relocated back to London for a job.
Out of the abundance of their hearts, they gave us some air miles to go towards a trip to visit them the summer of 2003.
We were a family of  5 at that time and had never been to England despite the fact that I had done so much traveling. I will never forget  William our friend, driving in a tiny car to get us all. We had our suitcases on our laps, children squished together and were SO excited to be in England on a 3 week holiday!!! We arrived at their home in Gerrard's Cross, a picturesque village, jet lagged but excited to have a glamorous, unexpected holiday with dear friends.
We walked into their home to the smell of something amazing.
Hester had in her fantastically loving way, made homemade pizza!
I had never had homemade pizza in a home before! She actually later introduced me to my bread maker, and so gets credit for my making the pizza dough as well!

Today I am giving you my recipe for homemade pizza and two topping options that are both mouth wateringly yummy.
The first is the original recipe from my dear Hester!

If you don't have a bread maker, ask at the bakery counter of your store for fresh pizza dough and discover the joys of fresh gourmet style pizza!!! Just pennies compared to what you would pay in a restaurant!

Makes 12 personal sized pizza's

Ingredients
Pizza Dough in a bread machine
7 cups of bread flour
2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 tsp dry bread yeast
2 Tbsp dry milk powder
3 cups water


Toppings 
Pizza #1

1pint creme fresh ( a nicer version of sour cream )
1 large sweet vidalia onion cut into thin round slices
1 tsp powdered or confectioners sugar
2 tsp butter
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 package of smoked bacon cooked and crumbled
Fresh cracked black or red pepper

Pizza #2
1 pint of creme fresh
1/2 cup of cooked and drained frozen or fresh spinach
1 package of Prosciutto, cut into strips
1 pint of brown mushrooms, sauteed
8 0z or more of fresh goat cheese
Garlic Salt
Fresh Basil
Olive oil
Fresh Cracked Pepper


Prepare
Pizza Dough
You need to plan on making the dough before hand, in my bread machine it takes 45 minutes to make the dough and then another 15 minutes resting at room temperature.Just follow your machines directions. By all means make it ahead of time and refrigerate it, just take it out for about 30 minutes to get to room temperature before working with it(Or buy it from a pizzeria or grocery store in the bakery department)

Toppings 
#1
* Pre Cook your Pizza bases in a 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until very lightly golden
* Saute your onion in butter and powdered sugar on low heat, constantly stirring until golden brown
* Add your creme fresh to each base, and add your onion, crumbled bacon and mozzarella to each one, keeping in mind each needs about the same amount

#2
*Pre Cook your Pizza bases as above
*Add your creme fresh, prepared spinach, sauteed mushrooms, prosciutto, crumbled goat cheese, garlic salt and a drizzle of olive oil

* Cook Pizza's at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes

Pasta with Cream Sauce

I lived in Milan, Italy for quite awhile. It was there that I really became a model, the clients were a bit friendlier than the clients in Paris, that or I had a little more experience so wasn't so awkward... I was a miserable model when I first started and was lucky to work at all. Italians had a way about them that I loved. Very passionate in their expressions and patient with me in my nalvete.
I would often have to cook, not really knowing what I was doing.. but obviously in Italy one has a plethora of things to choose from when cooking. I came home one night with heavy cream, fresh ravioli, and "Invented" my own version of a cream sauce...I fed it to a few friends who assured me any Italian Momma would be proud!

This dish has Shrimp, Peas and Ham or Bacon and is my son Noah's absolute favorite. You can also substitute chicken if you don't like shrimp...

I used fettuccine and ham for this dish

Serves 4 to 6


Ingredients

2 pounds of fresh or dried pasta ... any kind you could even use tortellini or Ravioli!!!!!
1 pound of shrimp
2 cups frozen or fresh peas
2 pints of heavy cream
12 pieces of bacon cooked and crumbled or ham diced into small cubes
1 or 2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 stick of butter
2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
White pepper
Sea Salt
Italian Seasoning
Italian Bread
Arugula Salad


Prepare

* Boil your water for the pasta, cook pasta until al dente or still firm
* In a VERY large sauce pan, cook your bacon
* In the same pan with a little of the bacon fat, and on medium high heat, saute your  garlic and add 1/2 stick of butter and about 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
* If adding ham and not bacon add a splash of olive oil to your pan and than saute your garlic and add your Italian seasoning and 1/2 stick of butter
* Add your shrimp and peas and stir for about 2 minutes
* Slowly add your cream and 1/2 cup of cheese to the pan, turn your temperature to low and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
* Add about 1 tsp of white pepper
* Turn mixture off and cover while your pasta is cooking
* Drain your pasta and add it to your pan, if your pan isn't big enough to allow you to mix it up , add your sauce to your pasta in your pot that you boiled the pasta in
* Stir all together and add the rest of your cheese, giving it one final stir
* Serve with some garlic bread and a very simple arugula salad

Fettuccine with Sausage, Shrimp, Peas and Spinach in a light cream sauce

Pasta is my passion.
It is forgiving and complex at the same time.
I am able to throw things into it and come out looking like a star and feeling like all is right in the world.
As you will notice by my postings Italian food is some of my favorite and here is my latest creation.
Determined by what I have available, my encouragement is that you open your mind to the endless possibilities that pasta can offer.  It is economical and well worth experimenting with!

Ingredients and Preparation for fresh pasta

Making fresh pasta with a pasta maker/mixer

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1tsp sea salt
4 large eggs
1 tbs cold water
1 to 2 Tsp of olive oil if your flour is dry

* Sieve flour and salt into the mixing bowl, add eggs and water and oil, mix with paddle attachment for 2 minutes on 4 or 5 speed , then switch to the hook and mix until the dough forms , about 4 minutes on 6 or 7 speed.. hand fold for  a while until the dough is springy.. about 4 minutes.. then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at least 30 minutes..

* Put pasta attachment on and make pasta  sheets according to directions

* Put on fettuccine attachment and due according to direction

* Leave aside to dry  until adding to  boiling, salted water


Ingredients for sauce


*1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on the top
* 1 pound of ground/minced sausage
* 8 oz of frozen spinach or 2 cups
* 1 pint of heavy cream
* 16 oz of shrimp, frozen or fresh with the tails off
* 1 cup of frozen or fresh peas
* 4 minced garlic cloves
* 1/2 cup of chicken broth
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 TBS of butter
* Sea salt
* 4 Tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon of cracked red pepper, or to taste
* 2 pounds of fresh or dried fettuccine


Prepare

* Make the pasta if applicable, put large pot on to boil with a splash of olive oil and dash of sea salt

* Brown the sausage with the minced garlic, don't drain the fat unless it is really over the top!

*Add the shrimp and peas  and saute for a few minutes, adding the Italian seasoning

* Add broth and 2 cups of frozen spinach, sea salt and red pepper flakes and when it reduces add the cream and a generous pat of butter.

* Simmer on low covered for 5 to 10 minutes

* Turn heat off of mixture and allow to sit for 5 minutes

* When big pot is boiling put fresh past in and allow to cook until pasta comes up to surface

* Drain pasta and add to large pot with all the sauteed yumminess

* Cover and let sit for 5 minutes

* Serve with a small amount of  Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of red pepper flake if you want....

                                         SERVE WITH A SIMPLE SALAD

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken, Pinenuts, Artichokes and Sundried Tomato

Many years ago before I was married, I had a version of this pasta and fell in love with the simplicity of the 'sauce' and the explosion of flavor that it had.
I have left out the chicken for vegetarian friends and family, used rice pasta for those with gluten intolerance... the possibilities are endless!!!!!

 

I made this with fresh angel hair pasta

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 pounds of Angel Hair Pasta or Rice Pasta ( Fresh or store bought)

4 diced chicken breasts

8.5 oz artichoke hearts in brine (salt water)  quartered length wise

8.5 oz sun dried tomatoes in olive oil sliced thin

1 cup of pine nuts raw

5 cloves of garlic minced

3 cups of chicken stock

Italian seasoning

1 cup white wine

Sea Salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Red pepper flake

butter

olive oil

Fresh parmesean cheese

Prepare

* Put your water on to boil for the pasta

* In a very large pan add a splash of olive oil and 2 tbs of butter to melt on medium heat

* Add your garlic and pine nuts, cook until golden brown, be careful not to burn!!!!

* Add 4 tsp or more of Italian seasoning

* Add your sun dried tomato including some of the oil

* Add your chicken and stir to brown (not cook completely) all sides, slowly adding your chicken stock and wine 1/2 a cup at a time, letting reduce before adding more

* Turn down the heat to a low simmer

* Add 1 tsp of red pepper flake and 1 tsp of sea salt and cover for 5 minutes

* Add your artichoke hearts and give a final stir and turn the heat off and cover

* When the pasta is al dente ( Still firm) drain and add to the mixture

* Stir and coat the pasta in the sauce and cover again and let sit another 5 minutes to let the hot pasta absorb all the flavors

*Serve with a generous amount of shredded parmesean cheese, a small simple salad and fresh garlic bread

Wine Suggestion- Gruner Veltiner

Matthew's Meatballs

We almost didn't put this one up.

At one point our children were sworn to secrecy about the secret ingredient, the one I found in an old school Italian cookbook my mom gave me. Even Grandma Anna didn't have it, and it makes so much difference.

I only ask this. When you make them, make lots, they freeze well. Eat them with someone, they must be enjoyed with others.

Matthew is the one who has perfected these yummy golf ball sized delights. He forms them with loving care and precession, his perfectionism reflected in all its glory.

Enjoy!

Serves 12 adults and 6 children

Ingredients

For the meatballs

5 pounds of hamburger

6 large eggs, whisked in a bowl and set aside

1 loaf of white bread, crust removed

8 oz of fine bread crumbs

2 cups of milk ( the secret ingredient!)

2 Tbs of Sea Salt

1 Tbs of Fresh Black Pepper

3 Tbs of Italian seasoning

For the sauce

6  Whole Spicy Italian sausages

2 Large cans of diced tomato
3 Large cans of crushed tomato
4 Small cans of tomato paste
7 cloves of garlic-minced
2 onions minced
Salt
Pepper
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Crushed Red Pepper
Thyme
Sugar
Olive oil
Stick of butter
1 bottle of drinkable heavy red wine- Chianti is nice because it is so rich
1 to 2 cups of water

4 to 5 pounds of Spaghetti

3 cups of grated parmesean cheese

Garlic Bread

Prepare


The longer you allow the sauce to cook the better it will be! 


Sauce
* In 2 large pots, add a splash of olive oil, turn on medium high
* Keeping in mind you need to break the ingredients in half, add onion and garlic to the pots
* Sautee until soft
* Add half a stick of butter to each pot
* Add sausage to brown
* Add spices, like 2 Tbs of each except for the crushed red pepper, only 1/2 teaspoon of that to each pot
* When sausage is cooked, remove from pot and cut in half and then into pieces, throw back into the pots
* Add a glug of red wine to de -glaze the pots
* Add the crushed and diced tomatoes
* Stir in half the bottle of red to each pot
*Add the tomato paste
*Add 1/8 cup of sugar to each pot
*In the cans you have used, fill them with water and add in
*Taste it and if you think you need more spice add it!


Meatballs

* Get a VERY large mixing bowl, a large shallow baking dish, and at least 2 baking sheets

* Mix the hamburger and eggs together with your hands, get all of it incorporated!

* Add the milk to the shallow baking dish and add your bread into it allowing it to soak in the milk, squeeze the milk out of the bread and add to the hamburger, (If you run out of milk with the loaf, add more!)

* Again incorporate the mixture together

* Add your bread crumbs slowly while mixing up, sure to go through and not have clumps

* Add your seasoning, salt-pepper- italian seasoning

* Form golf ball sized meatballs, making sure you compress them well, and place on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart

* Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until brown, turning them over once

* Add your still hot meatballs to your sauce and allow them to cook in the mixture for at least 1 hour, more if you can, on low heat

* Stir the sauce every now and again to avoid burning

* Pop your garlic bread in the oven to warm it up

* Prepare your pasta and drain

* Add your sauce and then 3 meatballs to each plate

* Serve with garlic bread and a handful of your grated parmesean cheese

* Freeze left over meatballs and sauce!

Try left overs on a crusty italian baguette with a bit of sauce and a couple pieces of mozzarella! 

Wine Suggestion- Conero Rosso

Manicotti with Rosemary infused Marinara sauce

Happy New Year! 

I spent a lovely time away  in California with family and friends and gained at least 5 pounds with all the gorgeous food we had!
I left you all with the promise of a Manicotti with rosemary infused marinara... here is the story behind it..
My dear mother in law introduced me to the Italian tradition of having a pasta dish at Christmas time BEFORE the main dish.. !!! To most of us it seems insane, but as I have birthed most of my sons with this understanding, I too have taken on this lovely tradition and simply expect it to take many hours to finish a meal at holiday time!!
My kids were trying to decide ravioli or Manicotti, and since I purchased the ricotta in bulk at a wonderful local shop, I had to use it and made Manicotti a few days later and took a few trays with me to California for New Years celebrations to try to help my wonderful cousin with all of the cooking she does when we are there.

I recently planted fresh rosemary in my garden and felt like using it for the sauce, hence the name.... Easy, cheap, of course a bit time consuming, but well worth the effort!!! And can be frozen if you make extras!

Thank you Char for letting me post this!!
xxoo



Serves 12

Ingredients


10 Large Eggs
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 Tsp of Sea Salt
2 1/2 cups water
2 medium cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 onion finely diced
5 cloves of minced garlic
3 fresh spriggs of rosemary
olive oil
Italian seasoning
1/2 cup red wine ( what ever you would drink)
Sea Salt
Fresh cracked pepper
A handful of fresh Basil
Fresh oregano
12 oz fresh ricotta cheese
4 oz shredded mozzerella
1 cup thickly grated parmesean cheese
Garlic bread
Mixed salad


Prepare

 Cheese
* Put your ricotta, mozzarella and 2 tsp of Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste into a bowl and mix it and put in fridge

 Sauce
*In a medium sized pot add a splash of olive oil and add your onion and garlic, cook until soft over medium heat
* Add your diced tomatoes and tomato paste, stir
* Add your wine and stir
* Add your fresh rosemary , oregano and salt and pepper
* Turn heat down to simmer and cook until the Manicotti is ready to be assembled

 Crepes
*Whisk together in a mixer or by hand your eggs, flour, salt and slowly add your water alittle at a time until the mixture is smooth
* Get a small pan and put on high heat with a little butter in the pan
* Add about 1/8 of a cup of your mixture and swirl around to create a crepe

* When it bubbles like a pancake, flip it
* Place on a plate after other side is cooked, repeat until mixture is gone adding butter to your pan every other crepe


*Turn oven on to 325 degrees
* Prepare 2 long baking dishes by adding a small amount of sauce to the bottom
* Assemble your Manicotti by adding about 2 1/2 Tbs of ricotta mixture to a crepe, roll it and place into baking dish

 

* Carry on this way until you finish your crepes, you should have about 24

* Cover with sauce and bake about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly

* Serve with a sprinkling of parmesean cheese, garlic bread and a simple salad

*You can freeze extras simply by letting the Manicotti cool to room temp and then cover with foil and freeze, removing the day before you want to eat and defrosting in the fridge over night..

Can also be a starter to a meat meal!!! 

Wine Suggestion- Zweigelt

Rice Balls Parmesan Style

So many of the dishes I will post are dishes we used to get when we went out for dinner or would expect to get out at a lovely restaurant. Now because of our budget and family size we have modified them and now make at home!

This dish was something we used to eat all the time when we lived in Brooklyn, NY. I had never heard of them before then. These lovely baseball sized rice balls (and sometimes bite sized but that's another recipe!) with all the delightful sauce and Ricotta that makes them just amazing. I was in love!
Then when we moved to England for 4 years and so many of the things our family were used to eating were no longer available to us.
My mom gave me a really cool, old school Italian cookbook, and to our delight rice balls was in it! We simply made them the bigger size and Parmesan style!We were so happy to be able to make them not just for our family, but we also for friends.
I kept it secret for awhile, but no longer... this is really easy to have as a gluten free dish( substitute regular bread crumbs for gluten free crackers), or vegetarian too ( leave out the  hamburger beef and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken)

Please leave me feed back everyone! I would love to have anyone who has had these dishes,
either when I have made them for you or when you do them yourself let me know how it went!!!


Serves 8  (But really easy to double this recipe!!)


Ingredients 


1 box of Risotto rice
1/2 bottle of white wine
3 cups of chicken stock
1 large white onion, minced finely
1/2 cup of butter
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
White pepper
Sea salt
Italian seasoning
3 cups of frying oil
2 cups of fine bread crumbs
8 oz mozzarella cheese cut into slices and 20 1/2 inch cubes
1 Can of jar sauce (or see an easy recipe for homemade sauce under 'Chicken Parmesan a la Matthew')
1 cup cooked ground beef
12 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 cup cooked peas




Prepare

*Melt 1/4 cup of the butter and olive oil in a large pan on medium heat
*Add the minced onion and stir until soft and transparent
*Add your box of Risotto rice and gently stir into the butter and onion, coating the rice with the mixture
* Add the other 1/4 cup of butter to the pan and let it melt.. be careful not to burn the rice, it should only go a bit golden
*Slowly add the chicken broth and white wine, alternating each. Add like 1/2 a cup at a time, and stir constantly

*When all the liquid is absorbed ( After about 30 minutes) add the 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese, give a final stir and remove from heat
* Put Risotto in a dish to cool to room temperature (can be made up to a day ahead of time)

 When mixture has cooled...
* Make your bread crumbs with 5 stale pieces of bread or put pre made bread crumbs into a bowl (large enough to roll your rice balls in)and season to taste with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning
( I used a food processor for mine )

 

* In a saute pan, brown your hamburger adding Italian seasoning and a dash of salt
* Next take your rice, bread crumbs, hamburger, peas and cubed mozzarella to a table with space to move to begin putting the Rice Balls together

It is a family affair this rice ball making! Matt is making bite sized version here..not baseball size so don't be confused!

 

* Next in clean hands take a scoop of risotto, enough to fill up your palm and then place a bit of meat,a few peas and a cub or 2 of mozzarella
* Next take the same amount of risotto and place on the top and start rolling the ball together in your palms

Rolling

*Then roll the ball into the bread crumbs, proceed this way until you run out of risotto, should make about 12 to 15 baseball sized balls

ready to be fried!

* Turn oven on to 375 degrees
* Heat up frying oil (I use a wok)
* When the oil is hot enough, (test it by putting a bread crumb in and if it dances its ready) add one rice ball at a time, (don't crowd them!) and  cook until golden brown

 

* Remove with a slotted wooden spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb extra grease

* Place the rice balls into an oven safe baking dish and make an x on the top of them, careful not to cut to far down, maybe 1/3 of the way so they are still in a ball shape, do to all of them
* Add about 1 Tbsp of fresh ricotta cheese to each
* Add a generous scoop of sauce to each
* Add a slice of mozzarella to each
* Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and brown

       *  I serve this with a small mixed basic salad


Extra rice balls can be frozen when cooled from the frying and then when defrosted the day ahead and prepared to bake as stated above, so if you have the time, make a double batch!!! Great to have for a day you can't be to bothered but want something extra yummy!!

Wine Suggestion- Alto Adige Muller Thurgau

Chicken Cutlet Parmesean ala Matthew (my gorgeous husband!)

So one of the things I loved immediately about my husband (besides his dark smoldering Sicilian beauty) was his love for cooking. His wonderful Grandma Anna was forever making lovely food, and as Anna started to get along in age, he realized she was the one that could teach him all these lovely dishes, and so he learned them with her encouragement. You can not believe how much his cooking blesses our family time and time again! Sure enough 3 out of 4 of the kids birthdays , someone requests one of these dishes that are true Turrigiano fare!!!
So get those recipes from your family and write then down!!!! Or start a tradition yourself!

Serves 6 (cut in half if cooking for fewer, but remember you can always freeze it!)


Ingredients

12 chicken breast cutlet ( pounded until thin)
3 cups of fine bread crumbs
4 TBS Italian Seasoning
2 Tbs garlic salt
3 eggs whisked
8 oz mozzarella cheese cut in slices
2 medium cans diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves minced
Olive oil
1 minced onion
2 Pounds of Rigatoni Pasta
2 Cups shredded Parmesean cheese
Sea salt
White or black pepper


Prepare

* Put a large pot of water with a pinch of sea salt, and splash of olive oil on medium high heat
* Pound the chicken breasts with a mallet or rolling pin until about 3/4 inches thick
* Turn the oil on to get hot, you will know it is ready when a bread crumb dances around
*Whisk the eggs, add a handful of parmesean cheese and white pepper
* Add Italian seasoning and garlic salt to the bread crumbs, mix
* Dip the chicken first into the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs
* Place on to a shallow dish (unless the oil is ready .. )
* Add the chicken into the oil and fry until golden brown, place into a baking dish, carry on until all chicken is done
* Turn oven on to 350 degrees
* In a sautee pan, add a splash of olive oil and onion and garlic, on medium heat stir until soft and transparent
* Add diced tomatoes, 2 tsp of Italian seasoning and garlic salt
* Cook for 8 minutes on medium heat
* Add sauce to the cutlets and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese
* Bake for 30 minutes
* Cook pasta and drain when tender, add the rest of the sauce to it
* Add the pasta to a dish and top with a cutlet and add parmesean if you like!

If you manage to have leftovers, simply freeze the cutlets and re heat another time. The only thing you will need to do fresh is the sauce and pasta. It also goes happily into the fridge to be reheated for lunch the next day!!

Lasagna

Well everyone it is Thanksgiving today, so praying that you all have a moment with your loved ones to either tell them what your grateful for or to say it quietly in your heart... I am so grateful for my wonderful husband and children, my extended family and friends and especially today for my darling Anna Turrigiano, my grandma through my marriage to Matthew. She was a strong Italian women who taught so many of us so much.


My dear friend Gary wanted this recipe too, so here you go darling Anstey family...

Kind of expensive to make with all the stuff, but I always make 2 trays ( to much to only make 1 and they are better after they are frozen and re-heated!) and freeze one and this year made extra sauce for freezing too, good for another meal on a day when we don't want to fuss over what to have! So really it can be 3 meals so the cost isn't THAT bad!


Serves 6  ( 12-15 if you use both trays!)


Ingredients for Sauce 

 The sauce is really the important, I cook mine for as LONG as possible, start it one day and turn it off at night, re-heat it the next day... letting all those LOVELY flavors mix and marry.. It is also the sauce we use for Spaghetti Bolognese ( Spaghetti with Meat sauce) 

2 Large cans of diced tomato
3 Large cans of crushed tomato
4 Small cans of tomato paste
7 cloves of garlic-minced
2 onions minced
9 Italian sausages, either hot or mild
5 pds of beef mince/hamburger
Salt
Pepper
Dried Basil
Dried oregano
Crushed red pepper
Thyme
Sugar
Olive oil
Stick of butter
1 bottle of drinkable red wine
Water


Preparing the sauce

* In 2 large pots, add a splash of olive oil, turn on medium high
* Keeping in mind you need to break the ingredients in half, add onion and garlic to the pots
* Sautee until soft
* Add half a stick of butter to each pot
* Add hamburger and sausage to brown
* Add spices, like 2 Tbs of each except for the crushed red pepper, only 1/2 teaspoon of that to each pot
* When sausage is cooked, remove from pot and cut in half and then into pieces, throw back into the pots
* Add a glug of red wine to de -glaze the pots
* Add the crushed and diced tomatoes
* Stir in half the bottle of red to each pot
*Add the tomato paste
*Add 1/8 cup of sugar to each pot
*In the cans you have used, fill them with water and add in
*Taste it and if you think you need more spice add it!
*Turn heat on to simmer and cover and leave it stirring every little while
( when you go to bed turn it off and leave it till morning )

Ingredients for the Lasagna


40 oz of Ricotta Cheese
4 Cups of Shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 Cups of  Shredded Parmesean Cheese
2 Cups of Shredded Asiago Cheese
27 oz Lasagna noodles
3 Tbs of parsley
2 Tbsp of garlic powder
2 tsp of salt
2 tsp of white pepper
3 eggs


Prepare

* Mix all the cheeses and eggs and spices with your clean/washed  hands in a medium sized bowl
* Chill mixture until ready to use

* Get two large baking dishes
* Turn the oven on to 375 to preheat
* Add a spoon full of sauce to the baking dishes
* Add the lasagna noodles in one layer
* Add the cheese in dots all over the noodles
* Add more sauce
* Repeat 2 more times

* For the final layer add the noodles, then add sauce and top with shredded mozzarella, MAKE SURE THE SAUCE COVERS ALL THE LASAGNA NOODLE..(you should have 3 layers in between the top and bottom layer)

 * Put on a baking sheet and cook for 1 hour
* Let it sit for at least 45 minutes before serving
* Add a dash of parmesean cheese and some garlic bread...

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ministrone Soup

I have been making this soup for I don't know how long. I can't remember who or what was the catalyst for it, but can tell you that I have been blessed with friends and family who have inspired me as much if not more than my traveling.
What is SO wonderful about this soup is that you can play with the ingredients. I make it without meat and also with meat, and even if the kids don't want the vegetables that I leave chunky, the broth has all the vitamins any ways and they feel like they got away with a huge thing and I secretly know I won! I have,  at different times in my life when  doing a gluten free diet, switch up the penne pasta for rice pasta... the possibilities are endless! Left over vegetables about to go bad are also something I do on occasion. A french baguette and a chunk of cheese if your feeling fancy is a nice add on..

Serves 8-10 and enough to freeze

Ingredients

4 carrots cut into chunks
3 stalks of celery cut into chunks
2 zucchini/courgette cut in half length wise and then into 1/2 inch pieces
2 yellow squash cut in half length wise and then into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups of cooked white kidney or cannellini beans- drained
2 cups cooked red kidney beans-drained
1 28oz or 794g of Diced tomatoes
2 potatoes washed and diced small with the skin on
2 large onions
8 Italian sausages cut into chunks (or leave out if going meatless)
2 to 3  Cups of chicken broth
1 Cup of white wine or water
3 TBS Italian seasoning
12 oz of Penne or Macaroni Pasta
1 tsp of red pepper flake
1 cup shredded parmesean cheese
7 cloves of garlic, skin off and sliced
Sea salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
Butter



Prepare

*In an 8 quart pot, add a generous splash of olive oil and turn heat up to medium high
*Add your onion and garlic
*Add your pork sausage  ( could be turkey or chicken sausage too )
*Add your potatoes, carrots and celery
*Add 2 Tbs of Italian Seasoning
* Keep stirring mixture to brown it up evenly

*Add 1 Tbs of salted butter
*Add a dash of sea salt and pepper
*After everything looks golden , add the squash and zucchini to the mixture
*Toss everything around gently to coat
*Add 2 cups of broth
*Incorporate all by gently tossing 

*Add the whole contents of your diced tomatoes
*Continue to stir until everything is incorporated

*Add your beans
*Add the rest of your Italian seasoning and Sea salt and Pepper
*Add your wine/water and the rest of your broth of needed
*Add your red pepper flake (optional)
*Taste the broth and decide if it needs more seasoning

* Lower the heat to low/simmer, cover soup and let it cook as long as you can, stirring every little while, up to 3 to 4 hours

* Give it a final taste, careful as it will be HOT.. add spice as needed. Turn soup off

* Put a medium size pot on to boil with a dash of salt and olive oil ( By doing this you can refrigerate any left over soup with no worry of the pasta breaking down into it)
* Boil pasta until it is still firm but not crunchy or soggy
* Drain pasta and put back into the medium sized pot
* Add a scoop of pasta to a soup bowl, and then add some soup
* Put a sprinkle of parmesean cheese, let cool for a few minutes if giving it to the kids (it is nice if it sits for a minute like this)

* Serve with a hunk of French or Italian bread and a wedge of cheddar cheese!


* ALSO TRY ADDING (with or in lieu of)

Spinach
Califlower
Corn
Parsnips ( prepare like you would the potato)
Kale
Green beans
White Mushrooms
Peas

Homemade Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Pesto

So tonight I decided to break out the big guns, my in laws are town and we had a couple friends over for a small dinner party. A bit time consuming but fantastic dinner for not a lot although it could be if you buy it , are homemade ravioli.

Once you get the hang of the fresh pasta, it is a natural progression to want to become pasta making crazy and why not give ravioli a try? My kids go NUTS and my friends go home full and happy.

I made a video to show you exactly how it is done, so I won't go through the steps of putting to gether and preparing here. Let me know if the video is helpful and I will do more.

Feeds 6

Ingredients
for the pasta
3 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/12 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 tbs cold water
1 tbs olive oil ( if you live in dry climate)


Garlic Bread
8 oz of salad of your choice
1 lbs Ricotta
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 cup shredded parmesean
1 jar pesto sauce (we will do homemade sometime but this is cheaper)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Prepare
*Mix the cheeses and white pepper, garlic powder, parsley and sea salt, put in fridge until time to stuff ravioli
*Mix the flour, salt, eggs, water and oil in the mixer with the flat attachment for 4 minutes on speed 4 then switch to the dough hook and mix another 5 on speed 5.
*Take the dough out and on a lightly floured counter hand mix until springy, about 10 turns
*Cover dough and let rest for 30 minutes

WATCH THESE VIDEOS


Part 1



Part 2 


* Put a large pot of water on to boil with a pinch of sea salt and a splash of olive oil
* GENTLY place ravioli in pot when the water is boiling
* Turn heat down to gentle boil
* Cook until Ravioli float to the top
* Drain Ravioli and gently put back in big pot
* Empty contents of pesto into the hot pot and gently incorporate to ravioli

* Put 5 or 6 on each plate
* Sprinkle with parmesean cheese
* Serve with garlic bread and a small simple salad

Wine Suggestion- Gemishdastaz

Fresh Fettucini Pasta with Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom

 First an apology for posting so late, second an apology for the fresh linguine intro...
I KNOW how daunting making pasta is BUT once you do it 2 to 3 times, you are LIBERATED!

When I was 28 I married for the first time and for my wedding shower, my wonderful mother-in-law bought me the best thing ever; a Kitchen Aid mixer! About a year ago my mom bought me a pasta attachment for the Kitchen Aid and WALLA - a fantastic discovery: fresh pasta!!!

Fresh store bought pasta is very expensive in my book, especially with the way my guys eat, and having had amazing pasta in Italy, I always imagined myself to be whipping up this fantastically light, flavorful delight!

Also  I feel the domestic goddess coming through and a bit of Nigella Lawson at her best!
If you can't do fresh pasta for whatever reason, no one would judge you for it and dried pasta is a happy and fabulous substitute!


Serves 8 (1 portion per person so be prepared to have desert and an apology!)

 Ingredients

Making fresh pasta in a mixer
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1tsp sea salt
4 large eggs
1 tbs cold water
1 to 2 Tsp of olive oil

* Sieve flour and salt into the mixing bowl, add eggs and water and oil, mix with paddle attachment for 2 minutes on 4 or 5 speed , then switch to the hook and mix until the dough forms , about 4 minutes on 6 or 7 speed.. hand fold for  a while until the dough is springy.. about 4 minutes..

* Put pasta attachment on and make pasta  sheets according to directions

* Put on fettucini attachment and due according to direction

* Leave aside to dry  until adding to water


Ingredients - See above as well as the following:


* 2 cups fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1 pound of ground/minced sausage browned and put aside until later
* 1 container of sliced mushrooms
* 4 oz of frozen spinach
* 4 minced garlic cloves
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 TBS of butter
* Sea salt
* Fresh ground pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon of cracked red pepper
* 2 pounds of fresh or dried fettucini


Prepare

* Make the pasta if applicable, put large pot on to boil with a splash of olive oil and dash of sea salt

* Brown the sausage, put aside

* Using the same saute pan, put in mushrooms and splash of olive oil on 1 TBS butter , brown the mushrooms adding a bit of salt and pepper

* Add 1 cup of broth and 2 cups of frozen spinach

* Simmer for 5 minutes

* Turn heat off of mixture and allow to sit for 5 minutes

* When big pot is boiling put fresh past in and allow to cook until pasta comes up to surface

* Drain pasta and add to large pot with all the sauteed yumminess

* Cover and let sit for 5 minutes

* Serve with generous amount of Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of red pepper flake if you want....

Wine Suggestion- Chianti