Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Fagioli
Yields 4 servings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta, about half-inch thick each, diced
2 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme with several sprigs on it
1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion, chunked
2 small carrots, chunked
4 rib celery, chunked
6 large cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
2 15-ounce cans butter beans, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 box rigatoni
Grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese, for the table
Crusty bread, for mopping
Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and pancetta and brown pancetta bits lightly. Add herbs, bay leaf, vegetables and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes and stock to the pot, and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid bubble and add the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook soup for 6-8 minutes or until pasta is cooked to al dente, stirring occasionally.
Remove the stems and bay leaf from soup and let it rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Place the pot on a trivet on the table so the hot pot does not burn your table, then ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of cheese and another little drizzle of olive oil. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.
Italian Sloppy Joes
Italian Sloppy Joes
Yields 4 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground, 90 percent lean sirloin
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium portobello mushroom cap, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
5-8 fresh basil leaves, about 1/4 cup, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
4 individual ciabatta rolls or any kind of crusty hoagie rolls
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices
Preheat the broiler to high. For the meat sauce, heat a deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, twice around the pan. Add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add green pepper, onion, 3/4 of the garlic, mushrooms, allspice, red pepper flakes and a little salt and pepper to the beef and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Add the wine and cook another minute then add the beef stock, Worcestershie and tomatoes. Bring the mixture up to a bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Finish it by stirring in a handful of chopped parsley.
While the meat is simmering, combine the remaining garlic with the soft butter, basil, parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Split the rolls in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through and separating the halves. Press open the rolls by flattening them out a little bit. Slather the insides with the butter and place 2 slices of the mozzarella on each roll. Toast until golden brown under the broiler, about 2-3 minutes. Top one side of the cheesy garlic rolls with a heap of meat and serve.
Mini Meat Dumplings and Cheese Tortellini in Broth
Mini Meat Dumplings and Cheese Tortellini in Broth
Yields 4-6 servings
6 cups chicken broth or stock
3/4 pound ground veal, or ground beef, pork, and veal mixture
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese
2 pinches ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 12-ounce package small fresh cheese filled tortellini
Extra grated cheese, for the table
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Add chicken stock to a deep pot and bring up to a simmer.
While waiting for the stock to heat, combine the ground meat with egg, bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Roll into small walnut-size balls. Once stock is simmering, add meatballs. Let the stock come back up to a simmer then add the tortellini and cook according to package directions.
While the dumplings and tortellini are cooking, place the parsley leaves, lemon zest and garlic in a pile on your cutting board. Run you knife through it until it is finely chopped and mixed together.
To make sure the meatballs are cooked through, split one open and make sure there is no pink left in the meat. To serve, ladle some of the broth with dumplings and tortellini in to a shallow bowl and top with a sprinkle of the parsley mixture and some Parmigiano.
Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmigiano Taters
Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmigiano Taters
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Yields 4 servings
For the taters:
1 sack frozen tater tots or waffle fries
A couple of handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
For the dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
For the burgers:
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast
3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
4 anchovies, finely chopped
A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil, about 1/4 cup, plus some for drizzling
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 crusty rolls, split in half
Preheat oven to 425°F. Start the taters: Combine Parmigiano, salt, rosemary, hot pepper flakes and grill seasoning in a bowl. Pour four portions of taters onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake until almost crisp (about halfway through the cooking time on the package), then remove and sprinkle them with a handful of the cheese, tossing them a little to make sure they're coated, and then finish baking them off. Sprinkle them with cheese and herb mixture, tossing them around a bit so the mixture sticks. As the frost starts to melt, the flavorings will set into place.
Make the dipping sauce: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add grated onion (onion can be grated right over the pot) and garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve. While the sauce is working, prepare the burgers: In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form 4 oval-shaped, rather than round, burger patties.
Heat a large non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Preheat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the olive oil. Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it. Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops. Serve the burgers with the Parmigiano taters and a bowl with the dipping sauce alongside.
Pasta with Trees
Pasta with Trees
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Yields 4 servings
1 pound pasta
2 pounds broccolini, ends trimmed about 1 inch from the bottom
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring up to a boil to cook the pasta. Once boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. While the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil, start the broccolini: Place a large skillet with high sides with 1 to 2 inches of water over high heat and bring up to a boil. Add some salt and broccolini, using a spoon or tongs settle the broccolini into the water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, drain and reserve.
Return the skillet to the stovetop and place over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Once the oil is hot, add onion and garlic, and season with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add the broccolini to the pan and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the ricotta and Parmigiano with a ladleful of the pasta cooking liquid, salt and pepper in a serving dish. Stir to combine. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add the pasta to the skillet with the broccolini. Add broccolini and pasta to the serving bowl and toss with the ricotta/Parmigiano mixture. Season to taste. Top with the grape tomatoes and serve.
Vince’s Spaghetti Marinara
Vince’s Spaghetti Marinara
1 pound spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes
1 small can anchovy filets
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon oregano
10 leaves basil
1/2 cup Marsala wine (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add a generous handful of salt. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until slightly golden. Add tomatoes and crush with fork. Cook for about 5 minutes, then lower flame and simmer. Mash anchovies with the oil from the can to a paste consistency and add to sauce. Add sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add oregano, basil and Marsala wine. Continue to simmer for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with grated Romano cheese and serve.
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