Category Archives: Italian Cuisine
Penne with Basil Pesto and Cremini Mushrooms
- 2 (10 ounces) packs cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms. Saute on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, till the mushrooms are golden brown. Add salt and turn the heat off.
- ¼ cup fresh or store bought basil pesto
- ½ pound cooked penne with ½ cup spare pasta water
Add the pesto, penne and the pasta water to the mushrooms. Stir well without turning the heat on. Check for seasonings and serve.
Bucatini with Salted Pork and Shrimp
½ cup salted pork, cut into chunks less than ½- inch
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, chopped
28 ounces can of San Marzano tomatoes
½ pound medium shrimp, deveined and cleaned
Salt
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ pound cooked bucatini, cooked al dente with 1 cup spare pasta water
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Heat a wide skillet with the olive oil and salted pork and fry over low heat for 15 minutes or till the fat is rendered out and the meat is crisp. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion and garic and sauté over medium heat for five minutes. Crush the tomatoes with hand in the can and add to the onion mixture. Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat with the lid on. Check for seasonings and add salt and the red pepper flakes.
Add the raw shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the al dente pasta and cook on medium for another 2 to 3 minutes, till the shrimp is cooked through- careful not to over cook. Check for seasonings and garnish with parsley.
Sausage and Peppers Sandwiches with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta Cheese
½ cup full fat ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep aside.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pack chicken sausages (I used roasted garlic ones from Trader Joes), sliced
1 large or 2 medium red pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch squares
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups tomato sauce (jar, bottle or fresh)
Salt
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the sausage pieces and sauté on medium high heat and brown both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes. Take the lid off, add the peppers and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or till the peppers are soft, but not too soft and falling apart. Check for seasonings and garnish with basil.
4 ciabatta rolls, toasted with a drizzle of olive oil
Add some sausage and peppers into a toasted roll. Top with a dollop of ricotta cheese. Serve with oven fries.
Gluten Free Pasta Bake
I wanted to experiment with gluten free pasta. I actually went shopping for lasagna noodles but couldn’t find the gluten free variety. The store had run out of them, due to their popularity. I instead bought some penne and planned on layering my dish like a lasagna using penne instead lasagna noodles. It turned out delicious!!
- ½ pound gluten free penne (lasagna sheets will be great as well)
Cook 2 minutes short of package instructions. Drain and keep aside making sure
pasta doesn’t stick together.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 2 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- Salt
Heat a wide saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, zucchini and pepper. Saute on medium heat until the vegetables are golden brown (careful not to overcook them). Add the tomato sauce and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and keep aside.
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup basil
- ½ cup parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
Place the garlic, basil and parsley in a food processor and process till chopped well. Place the ricotta in a medium bowl. Transfer the chopped herbs, salt and egg to the ricotta cheese. Mix well.
Layer like a lasagna starting with the vegetable mixture (divide into 3 parts). Top with half the pasta. Place half of the ricotta filling. Repeat the layering. Top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Pasta Primavera with Rice Pasta
Another gluten free, vegetarian recipe!!
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
- 1 10 oz Cremini mushrooms, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 cups homemade or store bought marinara sauce
- ½ pound rice pasta, cooked
- Salt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and shallots. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and mix well. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Check for seasonings and top with Parmesan cheese.
Sausage Mushroom Calzone
3 to 4 links sausage of choice, casings off and crumbled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat a frying pan with the oil and add the crumbled sausage. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes till the sausage is golden brown. Turn heat of and keep aside.
10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Heat a frying pan with the oil and add the mushrooms and cook on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt and continue cooking till mushrooms have wilted and golden brown. Keep aside.
½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 garlic clove, grated
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.
1½ – 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 balls of store bought or homemade pizza dough, each divided into 4 parts
2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll each quarter into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture on one half of the circle and spread with knife. Add 1 tablespoon of sausage mixture and mushroom mixture. Top with couple tablespoons of cheese and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and create a slit in the middle with a knife for the hot air to escape. Place on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till golden brown. Serve with tomato sauce.
Chicken and Mushroom Ragu
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound dark meat ground chicken
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ½ pound cooked pasta
- Salt
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil. Add the ground chicken and separate with a wooden spoon while sautéing over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic and shallots. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and add the wine. Mix well and scrape the bottom. Add the marinara sauce and cook for ten minutes on a simmer with the lid on. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Check for seasonings and serve hot.