RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE

In my Italian-American cookbook, I make serve this Italian Sausage Sauce over pappardelle pasta.  I love the way the sauce gets into the rigatoni, and now this is my favorite pasta with this sauce.

1 lb mild or hot Italian sausages, about 5 links

½ cup good dry Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

2 T olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 (28-oz) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes

2 T tomato paste

1 t freeze-dried or dried oregano

1 t minced fresh basil or freeze-dried basil

1 t red pepper flakes, optional

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb rigatoni pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Remove sausage from casings and place in a large bowl.

Pour in some of the white wine and crush with hands until sausage is in small pieces.

The wine makes it easier to break up the sausage.

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. 

Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the sausages and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon.

Add the rest of the wine and cook until wine has mostly evaporated.

In the same large bowl, pour in the tomatoes and hand-crush them, removing the hard center cores. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to chop the tomatoes.

Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot along with the oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer 30 minutes.

Boil the pasta in salted water for about 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente.

Save about a ladle full of pasta water to pour into the sausage sauce.

Drain the pasta and pour back into the pot.

Add a couple ladles of the sausage sauce and toss.

Spoon into warm pasta bowls and add a little more sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Serves 4

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

I prefer this dish with pancetta, but If you are a purist, make it with guanciale (pork cheeks).  If you don't have pancetta, go ahead and make it with unflavored bacon.  Bucatini, a thick pasta with a center hole, like a straw, is the traditional way to make this recipe.  

Authentic bucatini alla carbonara does not contain cream.  The creaminess comes from the eggs and cheese.  I used the eggs my friend, Sandi, gave me.  The yolks were the color of a beautiful sunset.  Grate the cheeses, slice the shallots and garlic first and set them aside on a cutting board. This was my son, Brandon’s, favorite.  Why go to a restaurant for this when you can make it to perfection at home?

6 oz pancetta, guanciale, or 4 strips unflavored bacon, chopped 

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

½ cup dry white wine

1 lb spaghetti 

4 fresh large egg yolks

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1 T chopped fresh basil

In a large skillet that is big enough to hold the cooked pasta, cook the pancetta,  guanciale, or bacon until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, add the olive oil and sauté the shallot for about 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up the flavorful brown particles. 

Turn off the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until al dente. 

Drain the pasta, but save a cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, put the egg yolks into a mixing bowl. 

Add half of the grated cheeses and season to taste with black pepper.

Whisk until well combined. 

Return the skillet to low heat. 

Add the hot drained pasta to the pan and toss for a couple of minutes to incorporate.

Remove the skillet from the burner and pour the egg-cheese mixture onto the pasta, tossing quickly and thoroughly, which will gently cook the eggs using the heat of the pasta, but not scramble them.

Return the skillet to low heat, add cooked pork and toss another minute.

Add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce.

Add a little more grated cheese, the chopped basil, and serve.

Serves 4

 

SPICY PAPPARDELLE AI FRUTTI DI MARE

You can use any pasta that you like in this recipe. Frutti di mare is a popular multi-seafood dish from the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Frutti di mare means 'fruit of the sea' and can include all types of seafood, including mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari. You can adjust the heat by adding less red pepper flakes and if there is a seafood you do not like, leave it out. This is sure to please any seafood lover.

1 recipe for Marinara Sauce or your favorite store bought 

1 cup dry white wine

20 mussels

20 littleneck or Manila clams

                                      

1 T extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil                             

1 large shallot, diced                                                 

2 cloves garlic, minced                                                

1 cup dry white wine                                          

2 ladles of the marinara sauce

1 t red pepper flakes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 large shrimp, peeled and tails removed

10 calamari rings with some tentacles

½ lb pappardelle or fettuccine pasta

2 T chopped fresh basil

2 T chopped fresh Italian parsley

Scrub clams and mussels under cold running water and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Remove from refrigerator and add cold water to the bowl to purge the shellfish. 

Drain water from the bowl before steaming. If your mussels have beards, do not remove the beards until just before cooking them, or they will begin to slowly die.

In a saucepan over medium heat, add wine, drained mussels, and clams.

Cover and slowly boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mussels and clams have opened. 

While shellfish are steaming, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. When finished cooking, pour drained pasta back into the pot. Add a little of the sauce and mix to combine.

While pasta is cooking, add the oil to a skillet, over medium heat.

Add diced shallot, and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the wine, Marinara Sauce, and red pepper flakes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the broth from the pan with the clams and mussels into a glass pitcher.

Add 1 cup of the juice to the sauce in the skillet.

Add the shrimp and calamari and let simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until shrimp are pink.

Divide pasta between 2 warm pasta bowls.

Pour the seafood and sauce evenly over the pasta.

Garnish with chopped basil and parsley.

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a primi piatti.

LEMON SORBET WITH PROSECCO - Sgroppino al Limone

Traditionally, sgroppino is a refreshing aperitif that is said to have originated in Venice, Italy and is served blended, but this is another way to serve it as a dessert. With the abundance of lemons on the Amalfi Coast, I think it could have been invented there. This is so refreshing on a warm summer evening.

1 cup chilled Prosecco
¼ cup chilled limoncello

¼ cup chilled plain or lemon-flavored vodka 

Good-quality lemon sorbet


Fresh mint leaves

Pour ½ cup Prosecco into each champagne flute or Irish coffee glass. 

Equally, divide the limoncello and vodka into each flute or glass.

Add 2 to 3 scoops of lemon sorbet.


Top with mint and serve immediately.

Serves 2 

BAKED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO WITH SWISS CHARD

The eggplants are so crispy and are baked in the oven.  I made a marinara sauce with canned cherry tomatoes and sautéed some Swiss chard and that was spooned under the marinara sauce. I peel the eggplant leaving stripes; otherwise, the peel can be quite chewy.

We had something similar for lunch on Salt Spring Island, several years ago and I have been making it ever since.

Baked Eggplants
2 large eggplants, partially peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices,16 slices total

1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
1 T water
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Provolone or mozzarella slices for tops of eggplants

Cherry Tomato Marina Sauce
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 14-oz cans cherry tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Swiss Chard
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large bunch Swiss chard, trimmed of middle stems and chopped 

In a shallow bowl, add the flour and season generously with salt and pepper.
In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the water.
In a third shallow bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, panko, and grated Parmigiano. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle some oil on a large baking sheet pan and set aside.
Dip eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg mixture and finally in bread crumb mixture.

Place eggplant slices on the baking sheet and drizzle a little more oil on top

Place eggplants in oven and bake for 20 minutes, flip each one over, and bake another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile;
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over low heat and sauté
the garlic and red pepper flakes for a minute or two.
Add the cherry tomatoes and mash lightly with a fork or potato masher.  

Leave the tomatoes mostly whole.  

Simmer for 15 minutes, add basil and season with salt and pepper
Set aside and keep warm.

Remove eggplants from oven and sprinkle with a little more Parmigiano and add a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese on top.
Place back in oven for cheese to melt, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, add the olive oil and sauté
the Swiss chard until soft, about 5 minutes.  
Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
Set aside and keep warm.

To Assemble

Spoon the chard in the middle of 4 plates.
Ladle on some cherry tomato sauce.
Arrange 4 slices of eggplant on top of sauce and garnish with basil, if desired.

Serves 4

FROZEN LIMONCELLO-RICOTTA CUPS

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur.  It is a favorite in summertime, especially on the Amalfi coast of Italy.  My husband and I enjoyed this many times with my former son-in-law and his family in Positano.  This dessert is light and so refreshing.

1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers or Nilla vanilla wafers

4 oz melted unsalted butter

1 ½ cups ricotta cheese

¾ cup limoncello liqueur

⅓ cup confectioners' sugar

1 T fresh lemon juice

Fresh berries, for garnish

Mint leaves, for garnish

Mix cracker or wafer crumbs together in a small bowl.

Using a muddler or other wooden devise, press crumb mixture into bottom of each 6 small glass cups, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta, limoncello, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice.

Make sure all ingredients are completely combined.

Fill the cups three-quarters full, cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Remove tops and let sit on counter for a few minutes before serving.

Add a dollop of whipped cream, berries, mint leave, and a small wedge of lemon.

Serves 6

THIMBLE PRINT COOKIES WITH GLAZE

These are delicious Italian Christmas or anytime cookies.  The dough can be made plain or you can add ¼ cup poppy seeds or finely ground nuts. You can also fill with chocolate ganache instead of jelly or jam.

Strawberry, raspberry, or cherry jelly or jam
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 t vanilla or almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ t fine sea salt

Put jelly or jam in a small bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
You can also do this with a hand held mixer.
Add egg yolks and vanilla or almond extract and mix well. 
Gradually add the flour and salt, beating on low until well combined.

Cover and place dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll dough into small balls and place onto a baking sheet. 
Press an indentation with a thimble or end of a wooden spoon (dipped in flour) on each ball and add a small amount of jelly or jam.
Bake cookies until edges turn golden, about 13 to 15 minutes. 

Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Place wire rack back on baking sheet and let cookies cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing. 
The baking sheet will catch the overflow of glaze.
  
Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 T cream or milk
1 t vanilla or almond extract
Combine glaze ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. 
Drizzle over cookies with a spoon.

THE BEST ITALIAN SUBS

When I was a child, I lived a block from Mangialardo's, the famous Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.  

I believe this recipe will be equally, if not better than their subs.

Use whatever type of unflavored ham or mortadella, and salamis that you prefer.

Sub: The term used all over the USA, short for submarine 

Hoagie:  The term used in Philadelphia and surrounding area

Hero:  The term used in New York City and parts of New England

Grinder:  The term used in New England

Whether you call it a sub, hoagie, hero, or grinder, this is a quintessential Italian-American sandwich.  

Crusty Italian bread, cut into 6-8-inch pieces 

Mayonnaise
Capicola or Sopressata, thinly sliced

Genoa salami, thinly sliced

Pepperoni, thinly sliced

Ham off the bone, or mortadella (with pistachios) thinly sliced

Provolone cheese, sliced 
Shredded lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion 

Tomato slices

Casa Italian Olive Spread (recipe follows)

Slice each piece of bread lengthwise to make sandwich rolls.
Spread a little mayonnaise on each side of the bread.

Layer the bottom half with the sliced meats and top with cheese. 

Add the lettuce, onion slices, and tomato slices. 

Top with a layer of the Casa Italian Olive Spread. 

Place the top half of bread on and serve. 

Casa Italian Olive Salad

1 cup green olives with pimentos, drained

1 cup pitted black olives (Italian or Kalamata), drained

5 pepperoncini, stems and tops, removed

¼ cup roasted red bell pepper strips

¼ cup sundried tomato strips in oil

2 cloves garlic

1 T dried or freeze-dried oregano

2 t Italian crushed Calabrian chili pepper sauce or 1 t red pepper flakes

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 t finely ground black pepper

Finely chop the olive, pepperoncini, roasted red bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, and garlic.

Place in a medium bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.

Stir to combine and spoon onto your sub rolls.

Olive spread is enough for 4 to 6 subs.