PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE RECIPE

Serves: 6 - 8 ppl

INGREDIENTS :

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions - finely chopped
• 4 celery stalks - finely chopped
• 2 carrots - peeled and finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 lb ground Veal
• 1 lb ground Pork
• 1/4 lb Pancetta, or slab bacon, ground
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 tspn fresh thyme leaves
• kosher slat and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 recipe Basic Pasta Dough 
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

HOW TO COOK PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE

In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, and sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the veal, pork, and pancetta and stir into the vegetables. Brown over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking. Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, and thyme, bring just to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper (NOTE: Since I ended up cutting this recipe in two, mine took just under an hour to cook)

Roll the pasta dough to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine. Cut the pasta sheets crosswise into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Set aside on a baking tray, with the thin layers of pasta separated by wax or parchment paper.

Bring 6 quarts of water to boil and add two tbls salt

Transfer two cups of the ragu to  a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, and heat gently over medium heat. Cook the pappardelle in the boiling water until tender, about 1 minute. Drain the pasta, then add it to the pan with the ragu and toss over medium heat until it is coated and the sauce is dispersed, about 1 minute. Divide evenly among 6 to 8 warmed bowls. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano over each bowl and serve immediately.. yummy.. enjoy your bolognese :)

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA RECIPE

SERVINGS: 6-8

CATEGORY: Main Dish

TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 40 min. + standing

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 medium zucchini (1-1/4 pounds)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) cream-style cottage cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to boil; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut zucchini into 1/4-in. slices. In small bowl, combine cottage cheese and egg. In a greased 3-qt. baking dish, place half of the zucchini; sprinkle with half of flour. Top with cottage cheese mixture and half the meat mixture. Repeat layer of zucchini and flour.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining meat mixture. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. And Enjoy your Lasagna :)

CHICKEN & CAMPANELLE PASTA WITH ROASTED GARLIC CREAM

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 lb grilled chicken breast
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup shiitake mushroom
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup rich chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 lb campanelle pasta, cooked
• 12 leaves fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

ROASTED GARLIC CREAM ( USE 1 CUP)

• 1 cup peeled garlic
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

HOW TO COOK 

• Prepare the Roasted Garlic Cream recipe. (see below).
• Grill the chicken or roast the breasts and dice them into bite sized pieces.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, mushrooms and chicken. When the onions are heated through, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the chicken stock and cream and reduce by half its volume or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Sir in the Roasted Garlic Cream and add the cooked pasta. Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and more fresh basil.
• Roasted Garlic Cream: (This sauce is a garlic lover's dream! It will add incredible garlic flavor, aroma and depth to any dish. It is so versatile that it can be used on pizza! The garlic flavor is mellow not strong and the texture will be similar to that of peanut butter. It makes wicked garlic bread.).
• Place the garlic in a saucepan and cover with olive oil. Heat to medium high and cook for about ten minutes until the garlic is golden brown, but not burnt.
• Remove from heat and strain the olive oil into an airtight container to use in future recipes.
• Put the cooked garlic into a food processor or blender.
• Heat the cream in a heavy saucepan, reducing it to half of its original volume, or until the amount equals about one cup. Pour the cream into the blender with the cooked garlic and purée into a paste. This was really yummy!

SPIRAL PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT RECIPE

Spiral Pasta with Sausage and Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 9 T olive oil
• 2 T butter
• 1 eggplant, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 14-ounce cans (or [1] 28 oz.] diced Italian tomatoes
• 1 ½ pounds sausage (Italian, kielbasa, or your favorite)
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• ¼ cup brandy
• 1 pound spiral pasta, cooked al dente
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 T olive oil and 1 T butter. When hot, add eggplant and toss. Sprinkle with small amount of salt. Cover. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 T olive oil and cook about 5 minutes more, uncovered. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 T olive oil and 1 T butter. Add onions and garlic, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Toss to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil. Cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes. Add brandy. Increase heat to medium high. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered.

3. Remove lid from eggplant and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes to brown slightly.

4. Slice sausage. Heat 2 T olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta and tomato mixture to the eggplant and combine. Add sausage. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 T olive oil and 2 T red wine vinegar. Stir well. Serve, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve your spiral eggplant pasta with a good, well-rounded Italian red such as Chianti or Sangiovese. Try this guys :) and enjoy!

PROPER BLOKES SAUSAGE FUSILLI RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

•  2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
•  2 dried red chillies, crumbled
•  olive oil
•  600g good-quality coarse Italian or Cumberland sausages
•  1 tablespoon dried oregano
•  a wineglass of white wine
•  zest and juice of 1 lemon
•  500g good-quality fusilli or penne
•  sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  a couple of knobs of butter
•  a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
•  a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

HOW TO COOK

Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavour Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavours then add the butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

CONCHIGLIE WITH ANCHOVIES AND CHICKPEAS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound conchiglie, pasta
• 2-4 ounces anchovies, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1 can chickpeas
• pepper to taste
• optional: red hot pepper flakes

HOW TO COOK :


Cook pasta in salted water till al dente, about 9 minutes. Chop anchovies and garlic together then in a large frying pan heat olive oil add anchovies and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add in capers for 30 seconds then tomatoes, oregano and pepper. Put pasta right into the anchovy pot, you can add a ladle of pasta water, stir in chickpeas and serve with red hot pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil. ENJOY!!

BAKED DITALINI WITH 3 CHEESE

Baked Ditalini with 3 Cheeses


INGREDIENTS :

• 8 oz Ditalini [ or other small Pasta ]
• 1 c Milk
• 3/4 c Ricotta cheese, part skim milk
• 1/2 c Sharp cheddar cheese -- grated
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c Parsley -- chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 c Dry bread crumbs
• 2 tb Margarine -- melted

HOW TO COOK :


Cook and drain pasta, rinse in cold water. Meanwhile in blender, combine ricotta, and milk. Blend til smooth. Transfer to small bowl, stir in cheddar and 1/3 cup of the parmesan,parsley,salt and pepper, til well mixed. When pasta is done, stir into cheese, mix well, add to a 10" round casserole dish. Mix bread crumbs,marg, and 1/4 cup parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over pasta. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes, til nice and brown on top.
Serve and Enjoy your pasta :)

BUCATINI RECIPE

You should be able to get the pancetta for this recipe at a local Italian deli or specialty store. Bucatini is a thick rod shaped pasta with a hole in the center. If you prefer you could also spice this dish up a little by adding a pinch of crushed red pepper with the garlic.Try This.. :)


INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) : 


2 tblsp of olive oil
1/4 of a pound pancetta, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 28 oz can of imported Italian tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound of bucatini pasta
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese


HOW TO COOK :


Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until golden about 1 minute longer.


Crush tomatoes and add with juices to pan. Add salt & pepper and a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.


While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the bucatini. Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente.


Drain the pasta, then add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Pomano to the sauce in the saucepan and toss well. Transfer to warm serving plates and serve immediately, with the remaining Pecorino Romano on the side. Hmm.. smell's good :)

AGNOLOTTI RECIPE

Ingredients:


The Italian rule of thumb is 1 egg to 3/4 cup of flour per person. If this is your first time, start out with a smaller batch if you want.

• 4-6 large eggs 
• 3-4 cups sifted all-purpose flour; In Italy they would use half Durum and half Semolina flour.
• Kosher salt to taste 
• the water

FILLING:

• 2 large eggs 
• 1 lb. ground beef (85-90% fat)
• 1 pint ricotta cheese
• A good handful of fresh grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
• 2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic 
• 10-12 fresh basil leaves chopped 
• 1/2 bunch finely chopped parsley 
• Some good olive oil

HOW TO COOK :

          As far as the dough goes, make it however you make it; by hand on a large cutting board, your table or in a machine?? My father would use a large piece of plywood that cut to fit over the end of the table and that was his pasta board. Place the sifted flour in a mound in the center of your pasta board push the flour away from the center to shape it like a bowl. 

           Add 4 eggs, a pinch of salt, and start mixing by hand. Keep kneading it and eventually it will become dough. If it's kind of wet and keeps sticking to your hands, add a little flour or sprinkle some on the board as your kneading it. In the same token, if it's too dry add a splash of water. When ready, form it into a ball and set aside for 30-45 minutes with a dry dishtowel over it.

         Heat a 12" sauté pan to med-high then add a little oil just cover the bottom. Break up the ground beef in small pieces and sauté. Sprinkle with S&P and garlic to taste. As cooking keep breaking up the meat into small pieces almost like you were mashing it. While the meat is cooking, beat the eggs in a in a med. size bowl and then remove about 1/4 of it and set aside for later use. Add the ricotta cheese, some grated cheese, S&P to taste and some basil and parsley. Mix together until blended. When the meat is done remove it from the burner and drain off most of the liquid. After it cools down somewhat, mix it with the cheese mixture and set aside.

           Time to make the pasta! If you have made ravioli before, do it your own way. If not, roll out the dough thinly and cut into 1 & 1/2 inch strips. The Agnolotti's are going to be about 3/4 inch squares. Place a dab of stuffing along half of the strips about every 3/4 of an inch or so and brush the other side with the leftover egg. Fold the dough over and press the edges firmly with your fingers and don't forget to press between the stuffing also. Then, cut them with a with a pastry wheel. My father would roll the dough into a 2 foot circle, spread the filling on half of it, fold the dough over and roll out the ravioli with a special rolling pin with squares in it just for ravioli then cut them with a with a pastry wheel. Talk about mass production, he would make 2-3 hundred on a Sunday morning.

           Put the pasta water on and bring to a boil. Add some salt and the pasta slowly and stir very gently or you'll bust them up. Remember, this is fresh pasta and should be done in about 3-5 min. "AL DENTE". DO NOT OVER COOK. Rule of thumb is when fresh pasta comes to the surface it's done. Drain pasta but DO NOT RINSE. 

             Layer each serving dish with some sauce and place the pasta flat on the plate, right side up. Drizzle a little sauce over the top of the pasta; sprinkle with graded cheese and for garnish sprinkle with parsley and basil. Yummy.. you must try this :)