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Tag: Italian Cuisine

Bolognese Sauce with Spaghetti

I would highly recommend this recipe for bolognese sauce- it is easy to make and really delicious! The pancetta and sausage flavor it amazing.. definitely worth a try…

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
  • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 large Italian sausage links, meat taken out of the casings
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery, rosemary and thyme. Stir and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add one teaspoon of salt. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium heat till the vegetables are soft and pancetta is crispy. Add the beef and sausage and separate vigorously with the back of a wooden spoon while stirring. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the white wine and scrape off all the golden brown bits from the bottom. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, broth and milk. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low heat with lid on for 2 hours. Stir every 15 minutes or so to check the consistency. Once the consistency is according to taste, check for seasonings and serve with spaghetti.

Pasta with Beans and Artichoke

This is a simple pasta made with ingredients in my pantry and fridge… very delicious!

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pancetta, chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, crushed with fingers

1 14 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

½ pound orcchiette pasta cooked al dente with 2 cups pasta water spared

Salt

½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

½ cup parsley, chopped

 

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes till pancetta is golden brown. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the artichoke and beans. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the cooked pasta with 1 cup pasta water. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add the cheese and parsley. Check for seasonings and add more salt and pasta water as needed. Serve warm.

Pasta with Sausage and Sweet Pepper Sauce

  • ½ pound pasta, al dente with a cup of pasta water set aside
  • 4 chicken sausage links, chopped in ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the sausages and sauté on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes till the sausages are golden brown. Keep aside.

  • 1 cup fresh tomato sauce or marinara sauce
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 orange pepper
  • 1 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Start the grill outside or preheat the broiler. Coat the peppers with the oil and grill or roast them till the skin is charred- about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. Take the peppers out and peel the skin and take the seeds out. Place the peppers in a blender with the tomato sauce. Blend till smooth. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed.
Add two cups of the sweet pepper sauce to the sausages and add the pasta and half cup of the pasta water (add more water if needed). Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with cheese on top.

Braised Short Ribs with Citrus Gremolata

 

I would highly recommend this dish for the holidays. I served it with polenta and it was an amazing dinner. Oh, and don’t forget a copious amount of red wine…

  • 4 pounds short ribs, excess fat removed
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Place the short ribs in a large glass dish and sprinkle the salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Refrigerate overnight. Take out an hour before cooking.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups red wine
  • Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil until smoking. Brown the ribs on both sides for 4 to 5 minutes each in two to three batches. Keep aside. Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for minute. Add the flour and sauté for another minute. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Add the chicken broth and red wine and bring to a boil. Add the ribs back into the liquid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or till the meat is falling off the bone.
Take out of oven and take the ribs out onto a platter. Strain the braising liquid and squeeze all the moisture out of the solids. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the saucepan. Reduce to desired consistency- there should be about a cup and a half to two cups of liquid remaining. Check for seasonings and return the ribs back into the liquid. Top with gremolata and serve.

Citrus Gremolata

  • 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Zest of two clementines or half a navel orange

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and keep aside.

Sausage Mushroom Ragu

Another quick, easy and delicious dish for through the week…

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 to 4 links chicken sausage, I used roasted garlic and fontina, casings off and crumbled
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Salt
  • ½ pound cooked pasta, al dente with ½ cup pasta water spared

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the crumbled sausage and sauté on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly till the sausage is golden brown. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté on medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Take the lid off, add the cheese, mix well.

In the meantime, cook the pasta and add ½ cup of the pasta water to the ragu, mix well and check for seasonings. Serve warm.

Fresh Corn and Shrimp Pasta

Another corn recipe before they go away…

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 to 6 green onions, chopped
  • 4 ears of corn, taken off the cob
  • ½ pound medium shrimp, cleaned
  • ½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
  • Salt
  • ½ pound pasta, cooked and save 1 cup pasta water
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of half a lemon

Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the green onions and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ricotta cheese, cooked pasta and half of the pasta water. Cook on medium heat, mixing everything, until the shrimp are cooked through. Add salt and taste for seasonings. Add the cilantro and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables

Yummy and healthy dish for Meatless Monday!!

  • 2 cups zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, with skin on
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

Place the vegetables and garlic on to a line cookie sheet. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt. Mix well and roast in a 400 degrees oven for 30 minutes. Take out and let cool. Slide the garlic out of the skins and mash with fork.

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh or store bought tomato sauce
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 cup roasted corn
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Salt
  • ½ pound pasta of choice, cooked al dente and 1 cup spare pasta water

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, basil and the roasted garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn and the roasted vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cheese and pasta. Mix well and add the spare pasta water if needed. Check for seasonings and add salt.

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