Powdered Spices

More and more recipes are calling for powdered rosemary, basil, oregano, and many other spices. The only problem is they are hard to find, and very expensive if you can even find them.

You can buy the most inexpensive dried spices, and turn them into an intensely flavored powder. All you need is a Krups or other coffee bean grinder. The powder goes twice as far because you need half as much as the recipe calls for. AND, the grinder will pay for it self in a VERY short time.

Just make sure you store the powder in a dark place, and seal the spices. We use a food saver for vacuum sealing just about everything. It's worth the investment.

La Pastiera Napoletana.

This sweet cheese pie is made with cooked grain, and is flavored with lemon or orange. Other rich, sweet ricotta based cheesecakes or pies are popular in many regions, but as the title suggests, it's a prominent pie from the Naples region made around Easter.

It's a cheesecake, but one that has cooked wheat berries added to it which changes the texture considerably. The pie is lightly flavored with citrus, and cinnamon, and it is unbelievably delicious.

These days, you can find cooked wheat in many Italian specialty stores, but if you wanted to, you could easily cook your own following these directions:

1/4 Pound purpose flour
1/2 Cup powdered or confectioners Sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Orange Juice
8 Tablespoons unsalted, cold butter cut into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1 Teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia, or lemon extract
2 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
2 Pounds Ricotta Cheese
2 Tablespoons candied citron, cut into tiny diced peices
2 Tablespoons toasted, slivered almonds
1 egg white beaten with 1 Tablespoon water for topping

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Mix together the flour, and powdered sugar. Make a well in the center, and add the two egg yolks, and orange juice. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, mix in the butter until the dough is in pea sized pieces. Add just enough milk so the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 of an inch. Place the dough in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie pan. Trim excess dough around edges and reserve for topping. If the dough is too soft to roll, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, orange zest, lemon extract, and sugar. Add the ricotta and mix well. Stir in the cooked wheat, candied fruit and chopped almonds. Mix well.

Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared pie pan. Using the remaining dough, cut strips about 3/4 inch in width, and place them in a crisscross pattern over the cheese. Brush the strips lightly with the egg and water mixture, and then bake the pie for about 1 1/2 hours until lightly. browned on top. A topping of fresh strawberries adds to the visual impact and the taste,.

Cool before serving.

(Cooking Your Own Wheat: Take 1/4 pound skinless wheat and soak it overnight in cool water in the refrigerator, changing the water three or four times. Cover with lightly salted water in a heavy saucepan, and cook for about 1 hour. Drain, and rinse the wheat in cool water in a sieve. Use as needed.)

This is a special project for special guests.

Penne with Shrimp

For those Lenten meals, or simply something different, try this Penne with shrimp.

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup quality, extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, 1/4 inch diced
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1-2 TBS dried oregano
1/4 cup red wine
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tin whole flat anchovies drained and chopped
1 lb. med or large shrimp
1 lb pasta shapes, such as penne, rigatoni or med. shells, cooked al dente
2 TBS quality, aged balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 TBS red wine vinegar
10-15 fresh basil leaves, minced
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from stem
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Cut broccoli into florets and blanch in boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Transfer to large bowl, combining with pasta. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they release their juices, 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic, tomatoes, diced pepper, anchovies and balsamic vinegar and stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook until pink. Transfer to bowl and combine with broccoli and pasta.

Combine remaining oil, red wine vinegar, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper in a small bowl
Combine with pasta. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Oil and vinegar amounts can be adjusted to taste. Salt and pepper to taste. (Should be fairly salty already from anchovies).

Penne with shrimp just might be one of the best, and one of the simplest pastas you've ever tasted.

I would try a Sangiovese or Borolo wine with this one.

Scallops with Linguini and Orange Sauce

For a uniquely tasting pasta dish, a refreshingly different light taste, try this

Scallop Preparation:

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBS butter
25-30 Bay Scallops or about 8 large sea scallops, quartered

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 Cup finely minced onions or shallots
2 TBS red jalapeno peppers, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh Orange Juice or 3 TBS frozen concentrate
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup red or green bell pepper, minced
3 cloves finely sliced garlic
16 ounces cooked and drained linguine or angel hair pasta
Minced fresh Italian Parsley for final garnish

Preparation:

Heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Just before adding scallops, add the Butter. Remove from heat after scallops become pale but not cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Sauce:

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos. Sauté for about 6 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the orange juice and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cream and scallops with all of their remaining juices, and let the sauce reduce for about 10 minutes.

Add the pasta and combine with the sauce. Remove from heat. Garnish with minced fresh Italian parsley. Serve with REAL garlic bread, and a slightly chilled dry Chardonnay wine

Eggs Benedict with Crab on Toast

This is wonderful for a late brunch.

2 Ciabatta bread loaves or English Muffins, cut in half lengthwise toasted and buttered
12 ounces of fresh crab meat
8 poached eggs
1/2 cup of quick Hollandaise Sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 wedges of lemon

Butter the toasted ciabatta to taste. Spread 1/4 of the crabmeat over each half of the ciabatta loaf. Gently place two poached eggs on top of the crabmeat. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of hollandaise sauce over each egg. Sprinkle a teaspoon of chopped chives over the sauce and serve immediately.

A bowl of the remaining hollandaise sauce and fresh lemon wedges can accompany the meal.

Quick Hollandaise Sauce

2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup butter (2 sticks) melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon minced herbs - parsley, thyme or tarragon (optional)


Place egg yolks in the blender. Blend at low speed until thoroughly mixed. While the motor is running, slowly add the boiling water, followed by the hot butter. The butter should be added very slowly in the thinest stream possible. When the butter is completely incorporated, add the lemon juice, salt and herbs if you're using them. If the sauce is too thick, add a few drop of boiling water. The sauce will hold as you poach the eggs and prepare the other ingredients.

Serves 4

Spezzatino

This is a tasty veal stew that would be a perfect cold weather meal. Serve it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Polenta, or rice.

2 1/2 Pounds of Veal, Cut Into 1 Inch Cubes
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Carrots, Chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
1/2 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Beef Or Veal Stock
1/2 Cup Good Brandy
Salt & Pepper

Sprinkle the veal cubes with flour. Melt the butter with the oil, in a large casserole. Add the veal cubes, and sauté until lightly browned. Add in the vegetables, and continue cooking until they are lightly browned as well. Stir in the brandy, and cook until it has almost completely evaporated. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley and broth, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover casserole dish, and simmer over low heat for 45 minute to an hour. Add additional liquid during the cooking period if it seems to be drying out. Serve hot, over rice, polenta, or with garlic mashed potatoes on the side. A must is REAL garlic bread.

Penne With Artichokes And Shrimp

This should tickle your fancy - especially if you like shrimp.

This easy pasta dish combines two of my favorite ingredients, artichokes and shrimp. I added some ripe cherry tomatoes, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some chopped fresh parsley and mint. The only trick to making this dish sensational, is to be careful not to overcook the shrimp. If you were in a rush, you could use canned or frozen artichokes, although you would lose something in the flavor. You could also add other vegetables in as well if you chose to.

1 Pound Penne Pasta
4 Medium Artichokes, Cleaned, Choke Removed, Cut Into Quarters and Dropped In A Lemon Water Bath
1 Lemon
2 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup Good Quality Olive Oil
16 (or more) Large Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined and Cut Into 2 Or 3 Pieces
16 to 20 Ripe Cherry Tomatoes, Washed and Cut In Half
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Mint
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes As Desired

Place the artichokes in a pot, and cover with enough of the lemon water to just cover them. Bring this to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook just until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Heat half the oil in a saucepan, and add the garlic. Heat for a minute or two until sizzling, but do not burn.

Add the artichokes with half of the fresh, chopped herbs, and saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, shrimp, salt and pepper to season. Add a small amount of red pepper flakes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the tomatos begin to soften, and the shrimp turn pink. Taste and add additional pepper flakes if you would like more heat.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, and return to the pot, keeping a small cup of the pasta water aside. Add the sauce ingredients, the olive oil, and a few teaspoons of pasta water if needed to moisten to the pot and cook a minute or two until combined. Add the rest of the fresh herbs, and serve, topping each serving with some of the remaining sauce.

A delicious meal.

Beef Carpaccio

Carpaccio of beef was created in Venice, and has become famous throughout the world as being typical of modern Italian cuisine.

There are many variations of sauce used to drizzle over the paper thin slices of raw beef, but a simpler presentation would be to use peppery arugula, shaved parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. There are oher variations which use sauces of a similar nature to what they still serve in the place of origin. If possible, to make things easier, ask your butcher to slice the beef for you in paper thin slices. Or, Partially freeze the beef, and slice it by hand yourself with a razor sharp knife.

This meal serves wonderfully as a light lunch or as an appetizer for dinner.

1 Pound Beef tenderloin, bright red
2 Cups Fresh, washed and Dried Arugula Leaves
A Wedge Of Parmesan Cheese
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
Lemon Wedges

Arrange the arugula leaves on individual plates, and lay the beef on top. Drizzle with the olive oil, and season with the salt and pepper. Shave some of the parmesan cheese over the dish, and serve with a lemon wedge.

Sauce Variation:

If desired, simply arrange the carpaccio slices without the above ingredients, and drizzle with the following sauce.


1 Egg Yolk
1 Cup Of Olive Oil
Juice Of 1 Lemon
Salt & Pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard dissolved in 1 Teaspoon Warm Water
Dash Of Hot Pepper Sauce

Place the egg yolk in a blender with half the olive oil. Pulse to mix. Turn the blender on, and add the oil in a very slow stream. Add the lemon, mustard and seasonings. Pulse. Drizzle the sauce over the carpaccio slices and serve.

If you simply cannot stand the thought of raw beef, stir fry the slices in olive oil for no more than 10 seconds on high heat, but you'll be missing a real flavor treat.

Serve with slices of REAL garlic bread found on this BLOG, and a glass of slightly chilled Chianti wine.

Lemon-Chicken Marsala

To complete this meal, serve over a bed of linguini pasta or penne along with a fresh green salad or antipasto.

1 oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms
8 oz. Fresh White Mushrooms
4 Chicken Breast Halves, Skinned
Flour For Dredging
Salt & Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 TBS butter
2/3 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine
Juice from one lemon
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
Heavy Cream (Optional)

Re hydrate the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry with paper towels, and chop coarsely. Strain the porcini water, and set aside to use later. Slice the fresh mushrooms thinly.

Dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, and then brown in a skillet with the oil over medium heat. Once well browned, remove the chicken and set aside.Cook the sliced mushrooms in the same pan until tender and golden brown. If the pan becomes too dry, use a little of the porcini liquid to moisten it.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the mushrooms, and add the porcini, the Marsala wine, 1/4 cup of the porcini liquid, and the fresh squeezed lemon juice. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Turn down to medium low heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. If the juices begin to evaporate too much while cooking, add a few tablespoons of the porcini water and/or 1/4 cup heavy cream for a lighter sauce.

When completed, the sauce should be thick and creamy. To serve, place chicken pieces on a platter, spoon over the juices, and sprinkle with the fresh parsley. A very sparse sprinkling of fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese is also a nice addition and adds the final touch for a delicious, quick meal. A glass (or 2) of Chianti wine is a must.

Croutons

Ever wonder what to do with - or toss - stale bread? Croutons for salads, soups, chowders, or a dozen other things are great tasting, and easy to make.

• 6-8 slices of stale bread, preferably white - but ANY kind - except rye. And more slices if you have them.
• Garlic powder
• Powdered Thyme
• Powdered Rosemary
• Salt
• Pepper
.• 3 TBS Olive oil
• 3 TBS butter

Dice/slice bread into half inch pieces (Crust excluded.)Heat pan to hot with olive oil and butter and just before smoking stage, add bread cubes into pan, sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir constantly until bread cubes are a golden toasty color, and appear dry. Remove bread cubes, place on paper towel to degrease, and place in container if you're not going to use them right away. Refrigerate. They are so good in soups and anything that calls for or suggests croutons.

White Wine Clam Sauce

This recipe is delicious, but doesn't compare to Mario's White Clam Sauce - Joseph will know what I refer to. Ah Boston - the land of the free and the home of great Italian food. I still remember that visit. Joseph served me fresh Italian sausage and pasta that he bought at a local Italian store along with a fresh block of parmesan cheese that he grated for our meal. After eating Joe's fantastic meal, we went off to Mario's. I was SO full!! Once we got to Mario's, we talked and talked; the chianti started to flow and my appetite was fully renewed. Then Mario asked what I liked in the way of food. He went off to the kitchen and made up a huge batch of deep fried whole, small fishes served over a bed of lettuce, and a dipping sauce and I wish I could remember what was in it. I don't remember what kind of fish they were, but OH MY; unbelievably delicious! After more Chianti - the supply which never ran dry, and an hour or so later, Mario came out with an enormous bowl of linguini with white clam sauce - a sauce that Mother Theresa, Emeril, and Mama Leone would have cried over. After the linguini, we went back to the apartment, napped, and mentally prepared for the party later that evening. I made it through about 30-minutes of more food, wine, and the gathering. I slowly walked back to the apartment and went to sleep.

12 Ounces Chopped Clams ( Reserve Juice)
4 Ounces Butter
4 Ounces GOOD Italian olive oil
1/4 cup Chablis Wine - the sweeter the better
1 Medium onion, diced
4 tsp finely chopped Garlic
2 tsp fresh finely chopped Italian parsley
Salt and white pepper to taste
Linguine

Drain clams and reserve juice - and/or add a bottle of clam juice. Sautee onion in olive oil, then add garlic and stir. Add clams and parsley. Turn off heat. Add butter. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over 'al dente' linguine, and garlic bread which is also posted here.

As my dear Aunt Anna and Mario said to me many times: Mangia, MANGIA!!! you are so skinny - eat - EAT! I ate!! Oi! Did I EVER eat!!

Garlic Bread - the REAL thing!

If you go through all the trouble of making Italian bread - whether it be sourdough or your favorite recipe, PLEASE, do NOT ruin it by slathering, soaking, or otherwise decimating it with tons of grease and garlic powder and/or garlic salt! Garlic bread is a Sicilian thing that requires a delicate hint of garlic and the best olive oil you can afford.

• 1 loaf of fresh Italian bread
• 2-3 cloves of garlic - peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• Olive oil

Cut 1" thick slices of Italian bread. Place on pan under the broiler. When toasted to your liking, turn bread over and toast the second side. Remove toasted bread, rub one side of the bread with the sliced garlic buds, then lightly spritz the slices with olive oil. Try it! Everyone I know who has made it this way, has never gone back to the grease soaked, bitter garlicky stuff they used to make.

Anise Pecan/Raisin Rolls

Dough Ingredients

2 packages of yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
5 cups flour
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp Crushed Anise seed


To make dough: Soften yeast in warm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar for 10 minutes. Scald milk and pour into large bowl. Add remaining sugar and salt and cool. Stir yeast into cooled milk mixture, beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in 2 cups flour, mix well. Add oil and beat well. Add the remaining flour and mix well. A bread machine works well here FOR KNEADING ONLY. Let rest 10 minutes. Knead dough on a floured surface for an additional 1-minute. Put dough into oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place 1 hour. Punch down dough and let rise again for 45 minutes. Punch down dough again and divide into 2 pieces.

Roll each half into a rectangle and fill the middle of the dough with the raisen mixture..

Roll up each filled rectangle like a jelly roll - wetting where the ends join - to seal the roll. Cut into 12 slices. Place slices, cut side down into prepared pan. Let rise 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake another 20 minutes. Let dough cool in pan 5 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife if needed, then invert onto rack to cool.

Filling Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins

Mix all ingredients together. Sprinkle half of filling onto each rectangle and roll up.

Pan Preparation

6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups pecan halves

Pour melted butter into a 13x9-inch baking pan coating the bottom. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter in pan. Heat on stove until the brown sugar is dissolved/melted into the butter. Sprinkle pecan halves over brown sugar and spread so the pecans are evenly distributed.

These can be assembled and placed in baking pan before you head out. When you get back from church, they will be ready to put in oven.

Makes 24-rolls.

L'omelette di uovo per la mattina dopo!

Omelets fit many occasions, but this is great for the 'morning after!'

2 tsp Olive oil
1/3 Cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 Cup finely chopped onion
2 Slices prosciutto ham diced
1 Slice Provolone cheese
1 TBS grated parmesan and/or Romano cheese
2-3 Eggs beaten

Sautee peppers and onions in oil until the onions are translucent. Add chopped ham and cook for an additional 5-minutes. Add beaten eggs and cook half way through. Add chopped Provolove and Parmesan or Romano cheeses. Turn eggs with spatula, and cook until cheese has melted throughout.

Serve with broil-toasted Italian bread.

Cassata - Sicilian Rum Cream Cake

This dessert recipe is probably the most decadent dessert I have ever eaten or made. Just looking at the finished product, will cause serious weight gain, but IS IT EVER WORTH IT!!!

Here we go! There are five parts to building this structure: Spongecake, Rum Syrup, Ricotta Filling, Chocolate Ricotta Filling, and finally Assembly. (Whipped Cream NOT included!)

Spongecake

7 eggs
1 Cup confectioners Sugar
1 Cup Sifted Cake Flour
1 TBS Grated Lemon Peel
1 TBS Sweet Vermouth

1 pound crushed pistacio nuts (optional)

Separate eggs and bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two(2) round cake tins, and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Add 1 cup confectioner's sugar to egg yolks; beat at high speed until thick and lemon colored. Add grated lemon peel, flour, and vermouth. Beat at low speed until well combined.

Beat egg whites stiff. Fold half the beaten egg whites into yolk mixture until well combined. Fold in remaining egg whites until just combined. Turn into buttered cake tins. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and remove to rack.

Rum Syrup

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 Orange Slices
2 Lemon Slices
1 Cup Water
2/3 Cups golden rum.

Combine sugar, water, orange and lemon slices in sauce pan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently - uncovered - for 20 minutes. Discard fruit slices; stir in rum, cover and set aside.

Ricotta Cheese Filling

1 Lb. Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mini chocolate bits
1 TBS rum
1/2 Cup Confectioner's sugar
1 Small jar of mixed, candied fruit (citron).

Combine cheese and sugar; beat for 3 minutes. Stir in chocolate bits and chopped candied citron.

Chocolate Cheese Filling

Remove 1 cup of the above cheese filling to a small bowl and stir in melted chocolate 2-TBS of bits - until well blended. Refrigerate both fillings.

Assembly

1 Jar of seedless raspberry jam

Split each cake layer in half, as for a torte. Place cut side up on a large plate.

Drizzle 1/2 cup rum syrup. Spread with plain cheese filling. Spread raspberry jam on second layer and place jam side down on other layer. Drizzle 1/2 cup rum syrup and spread with chocolate cheese filling. Add third layer cut side up. Drizzle 1/2 cup rum syrup and spread with remaining plain cheese filling. Spread jam over cut side of fourth layer. Place jam side down over cheese layer. Drizzle on remaining rum syrup.

Spread top and sides of cake with thick whipped cream, and garnish with candied cherry halves, or marachino cherries that have been well-drained and dried. If you have the patience, you can add crushed pistacio nuts to the sides if the cake. Refrigerate for 4-hours before serving.

Fig and Date Filled Cookies

Goes great with espresso or just plain ol' coffee.


Dough
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

Filling
1 package dates
1 package figs
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 orange peel grated
1/2 cup mini chocolate bits
2/3 cup honey
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Put the dates, raisins and figs through a food chopper, then combine remaining ingredients.

For Dough, cream butter; add sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until light. Add sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and milk and mix well. Chill several hours or overnight.

Roll dough thin on a floured cutting board or counter, and cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. (Good place to use a hand crank pasta maker.) Put 1 tsp of the filling in the center of the square, and roll up -tucking the ends on the bottom. Seal edges tight. Brush with beaten egg white and a little water. Bake in 350F oven until slightly browned - about 12-15 minutes.

Classic Minestrone Soup

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, with leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes, with juice
1 box of frozen spinach
1 large can Italian white beans or Great Northern
5 cups beef or vegetable stock
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup extra-finely sliced, then roughly chopped cabbage
2 zucchini, unpeeled and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup ditalini (little tiny macaroni)

Garnish: Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Sautee the onion and celery in the oil until wilted, toss in garlic and stir for a minute, then add cut-up tomatoes and cook down for about 10 minutes to concentrate flavors. Stir in beef stock, reserved tomato juice, and beans and bring to a boil. Add half the parsley, lower heat, and cook for about 30 minutes.

Add cabbage, zucchini, spinach, and ditalini and cook at a gentle boil until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in the rest of the parsley, maybe sprinkle in some more minced garlic. Season to taste and grate in some Parmesan or Romano.

Dessert Cannoli

I recommend making the dough, wrapping it in waxed paper and chilling for 24 hours.

To make the dough, sift the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid inside. Little by little, stir the dry ingredients into the liquid until all the liquid is absorbed. Knead the dough for five minutes to ensure that it is smooth. This is a fairly stiff dough. Wrap and chill dough overnight.

Now comes the fun part. With a rolling pin, roll dough to about 3/16 inch thick. Make sure the dough and table are well floured. The dough will probably spring back a lot. If this happens, let the dough rest for ten minutes and then come back to it and roll again. We have an adjustable
hand crank pasta maker that works well for this. Adjust the rollers to a thinner setting each time you put the dough through the rollers.

Once the dough is the proper thickness, cut circles with a 3" round cutter. Next you'll need cannoli tubes. These are metal tubes approximately 5" long and 3/4" in diameter, and come in a package of 6 or 12. You can get them at a good culinary store, perhaps the Pastry Chef: http://www.pastrychef.com/Catalog/cannoli_tubes_1137650.htm. The old Sicilians used to use a wooden dowel or broom handle cut to size.

Take a circle of dough and wrap it around the tube, but not tightly. The dough should be slack around the tube, because it needs room to puff when it deep fries. Moisten one edge of the dough and press the two overlapping edges together.

Deep fry the shells in 375F oil until light golden brown. Remove from oil and let cool a couple of minutes. Slide the shells off the tube. Voila! You have a cannoli shell. This pastry is very delicate and breaks easily, so be careful when stuffing them.

SHELLS

3 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
3 TBS Shortening
2 Eggs well beaten
2 TBS White vinegar
2 TBS Cold water
¼ Cup Tangerine liquor

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut in shortening to pieces the size of peas. Turn dough on to a floured counter and knead to smooth. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30-minutes. or more.

You can roll the dough out with a rolling pin, but I find the best method is using a hand-crank pasta maker. Roll first on the widest setting (5) and then in increments all the way to setting (1).

FILLING (for 20)

1-1/2 lbs ricotta cheese
1 -1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup chocolate shavings or mini-chocolate bits
1 TBS orange or lemon zest
1/2 Cup Chopped candied citron (Optional)

Unless you have purchased DRY ricotta, DRAIN THE RICOTTA IN CHEESECLOTH for 2-3 days before making the filling!! Mix well by hand with a wooden spoon. If the ricotta has been drained, use your mixer and the beaters. If you use the beaters and the ricotta has NOT been drained, you will end up with "soup!"

Stuff the shells with filling, being careful not to break them. An iced tea spoon works well here. Arrange on a large serving plate, and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. A demitasse cup of espresso or a dry Marsala wine is the perfect accompaniment.

Home

Chicken or Veal Marsala

This recipe is not only delicious and quick to prepare, it is also healthy as it uses only a minimal amount of oil. Imported porcini mushrooms can be found in many grocery stores, and certainly at Italian specialty stores. To complete this meal, serve it with an herb-flavored rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or over Linguini. A tasty sautéed green such as spinach or broccoli rabe would round out the meal nicely.

1 oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms
8 oz. Fresh White Mushrooms
4 Boneless/skinless Chicken Breast Halves
Flour For Dredging(*)
Salt & Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2/3 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Italian Parsley

Re-hydrate the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry with paper towels, and chop coarsely. Strain the porcini water, and set aside for later use.

Slice the fresh mushrooms thinly. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, and then brown in a skillet with the oil over medium heat. (*) If you are using veal, DO NOT dredge in flour. Fast fry the cutlets in olive oil so they are medium rare.)
Once the chicken is well browned, remove the chicken and set aside.

Cook the sliced mushrooms in the same pan until tender and golden brown. If the pan becomes too dry, use a little of the porcini liquid to moisten it. Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the mushrooms, and add the porcini, the Marsala wine and 1/4 cup of the porcini liquid. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Cook on medium low heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. If the juices begin to evaporate too much while cooking, add a few tablespoons of the porcini water and a small amount of Marsala wine. When completed, the sauce should be thick and creamy. To serve, place chicken/veal pieces over Linguini on a platter, spoon over the juices, and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.

Provolone Cheese Sauce

This is a great cheese sauce for Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, or Fennugreek.

Ingredients:

Medium white sauce:

1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Provolone cheese sauce

Medium white sauce
3/4 cups (3 ounces) shredded Provolone cheese
1 can (2 ounces) mushrooms, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated onion
1/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 TBS Romano/Parmesan Cheese
Dash of nutmeg

Medium white sauce:

Melt butter in a saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until blended. Return to heat and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Add remaining milk. Heat just to boiling and cook 1 to 2 minutes.

Provolone cheese sauce.

Gradually add cheese to hot white sauce. Stir in mushrooms, onion, Worcestershire, nutmeg and paprika. Heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Spoon over veggie of your choice.

For an extra added touch, add 2-finely chopped slices of prosciutto ham.