MUSSELS FRA DIAVOLO

Mussels are a favorite of my husband.  Make sure your mussels are fresh and none of the shells are broken.  I usually ask for 36 so the seafood store will count each one of them.  You can make the same recipe with clams.  

3 dozen fresh mussels, beards removed and cleaned with a soft brush

2 T olive oil

½ sweet onion, or 2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 T Italian crushed Calabrian chili pepper sauce

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups San Marzano tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cup San Marzano tomato sauce from can

Fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn

Italian parsley, for garnish

Add oil to a large pot over medium heat.

Add the onion or shallots and sauté a couple of minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the crushed chili sauce and cook to combine for another 2 minutes.

Add the white wine, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and fresh basil.

Simmer 5 minutes.

Add mussels to pot, discard any that have not closed.

Simmer 5 minutes, or until mussels have opened.  Discard any that have not opened.

Add to a serving platter or 2 bowls.

Garnish with Italian parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2

MAMAW'S POTATO CROQUETTES

I have seen recipes for potato croquettes with prosciutto ham and mozzarella cheese included. This is Mamaw's (Elizabeth Greco Noviello's) recipe she wrote down for me many years ago. She is the daughter of Big Mamma (Teresa Lapetina Greco). You can boil and mash the potatoes, add the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate until the next day when you want to finish making them. They fry up so beautifully and is one of my husband's favorite Italian-American potato recipes. . .created by Mamaw!

The two photos are of their previous home across from Byrd Park in Richmond, Virginia. Many wonderful family dinners were held there.

4 medium size Yukon gold potatoes, or potatoes of your choice, peeled and cut in half

2 t kosher or sea salt, for boiling potatoes

2 large eggs, separated

1 t garlic powder

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

¼ cup Italian parsley, minced or you can use 2 T dried parsley

¼ t ground nutmeg

Sea salt and fine ground black pepper

1 ½ cups Italian style dry bread crumbs

Extra-light olive oil, for frying (Mamaw used Mazola corn oil)

Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. 

Drain and pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl or use a potato masher.

Break the eggs and put the whites in one shallow bowl and set aside.

Put the yolks in the large bowl with the mashed potatoes. 

Stir in garlic powder, grated cheese, parsley, and nutmeg.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Put the bread crumbs in a second shallow bowl.

Using a fork, whisk the egg whites until frothy.

When potato mixture is cool enough to handle, form into ovals of about 2 ½ inches long and about 1 inch in diameter. 

Dip each croquette in the egg whites then in the bread crumbs.

Place croquettes on a platter or baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, add oil to about ½ inch and heat over medium-high heat.

Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to tray lined with paper towels and then place on a warm platter and serve.

You can place on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven for up to 30 minutes.

Makes 12 to 14 croquettes

ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD

This is one of my favorite salads. Sometimes this salad is on the menu in a pizza restaurant.  Add whatever you like to make it your own. 

Italian Salad Dressing

1 t freeze-dried or dried basil

1 t freeze-dried or dried oregano

1 clove garlic, grated or minced

1 t sugar, optional 

¼ cup red or white wine vinegar 

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup avocado oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

3 heads Romaine lettuce

1 bunch arugula or spring mix

4 oz Sopressata, Calabrese, Genoa salami

6 pepperoncini, stems removed

½ cup cherry tomatoes

¼ red onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup provolone cheese

¼ cup pitted black Italian or Kalamata olives, cut in half

¼ cup green olives, cut in half

½ cup small mozzarella cheese balls

A few small slices or shaved Parmigiano or Romano cheese

Place the Italian Salad Dressing ingredients in a jar fitted with a lid and shake to combine.

On a large cutting board pile up the lettuces and chop until bite-size pieces.

Transfer to a large salad bowl.

Do the same with the salami, pepperoncini, tomatoes, onion slices, and provolone. 

Chop through them all, until bite-size pieces.

Add the olives, mozzarella balls, and cheese slices or shavings.

Transfer to a large salad bowl, add toss with some of the Italian Salad Dressing.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

You will have more salad dressing for another salad or two.

Serves 4

GRILLED ITALIAN LEMON-HERB CHICKEN

If you love to grill any type of food with lemon, herbs, and garlic. . .you will love this easy recipe.  If you don't have fresh herbs, use freeze-dried.

2 boneless chicken breasts

¼ cup olive oil 

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 T fresh minced rosemary

2 T fresh minced thyme leaves

1 T fresh minced oregano leaves

1 T fresh chopped basil

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring pitcher, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag.

Pour half of the marinade into the bag, seal and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

Save the rest of the marinade for the pasta.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard marinade.

Grill over medium-high heat, 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Transfer to 2 plates along with some pasta.

Pour the reserved marinade over pasta and serve.

Serves 2

ZUPPE DI PESCE

Here is another seafood recipe that is definitely a soup.  I do not keep the water the clams are steamed in because here in Virginia the clams are very sandy.  I buy 2 bottles of clam nectar or broth to use in place of the juice from the dirty clams.  Do what you feel best with your clams.

2 T extra-virgin olive, plus more for garnish

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 small shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

Half of a 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

½ t crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

¼ cup water

6 littleneck clams

2 bottles clam broth

6 oz piece white fish fillet, cut into bite-size pieces

8 mussels

6 sea scallops, cut in half

8 medium shrimp

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Italian parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.

Add the fennel and shallot and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the half can crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and wine and slowly simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup water in a separate pan, add clams and simmer until open, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Strain water from clams and keep warm in pan covered with the lid.

After tomato sauce has been cooking for 10 minutes, add the clam broth and bring back to a simmer.

Add the fish and let simmer 3 minutes.

Add the mussels and scallops.

Let simmer another 5 minutes, until mussels have opened and fish is flaky.

Add shrimp and continue to simmer another 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into 2 warm bowls and garnish with parsley and serve.

Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a first course. . .primi piatti.

 

CHICKEN LOMBARDY - Pollo al Marsala Lombardo

In Italy, this dish is called Pollo al Marsala Lombardo (Chicken Marsala) and made without cheese. With the addition of cheese and green onions, it is an Italian-American version. The capital of Lombardia is Milano (Milan). The regional cuisine is based on butter, lard, pork, and veal.

If you want to serve this for company, prepare it in the morning, refrigerate, and let sit on your counter for 30 minutes before baking.
Serve with risotto, or pasta, or even roasted potatoes and a green salad.

4 T avocado oil or olive oil, divided

8 oz cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

4 boneless chicken breasts

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup marsala wine

¾ cup chicken stock or broth

2 T unsalted butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup shredded asiago cheese

¼ cup grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese

2 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 8 minutes, stirring often.
Lower heat to medium and add the onion and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
Add garlic and cook another minute.
Spoon half of this mixture into a baking dish and the rest in a bowl and set aside.

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise.
Pour flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.

In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil and brown half of the chicken on both sides until golden, about 4 minutes per side.
Place cooked chicken on top of mushroom mixture in baking dish.
Add the final tablespoon of oil to the skillet and brown the rest of the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Add to baking dish.
Spoon the rest of the mushroom mixture on top of the chicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the wine and chicken stock to the skillet and bring to a simmer.
Add the butter and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour over the chicken in the baking dish.

Combine the cheeses with the scallions and sprinkle over chicken.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serves 4 to 6

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

These almond flavored cookies remind my husband of his "Mamaw" (Nonna).  If you love almond flavoring and like those expensive, hard amaretti cookies in a tin, you will really love the soft-chewiness of these cookies.  

If you'd like, you can add ½ teaspoon of Amaretto liqueur.

2 cups almond flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ t sea salt

Zest of 1 large orange

2 large egg whites

¾ t almond extract

1 cup sliced almonds

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Spray a large cookie sheet with vegetable oil.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Stir in almond extract.

Gently fold the eggs white mixture into the almond flour mixture until a sticky dough forms.

In a salad plate or something similar, add the sliced almonds.

Form dough into small balls.

Press each ball into the almonds to flatten slightly, and place on the cookie sheet.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Remove with a spatula, while warm onto a wire rack to cool, or just loosen while on cookie sheet and let cool.

Let cool for 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioners' sugar and store in a container with a tight fitted lid.

Makes 24 cookies