Nana’s Tomato Sauce
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves
28 Ounces Plum Tomatoes Blended
3 Tablespoons Basil
3 Chopped Sprigs of Parsley
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, wine, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add meatballs (if you are using meatballs) and let simmer for another 30 minutes. When done remove the meatballs to be eaten to the side. Pour the sauce over 1 pound of spaghetti that has been cooked al dente. Serves 4
Spaghetti & Meatballs Alla Nana
Don’t forget that food is a celebration to be shared. Gather your loved ones and mangia! You deserve to honor your life with good food, good friends and unhurried living. This is a great dish because it is hearty and can be made with canned tomatoes without sacrificing flavor.
INGREDIENTS
¾ Pound Ground Beef
¾ Pound Ground Pork
1 Egg
1 Crushed Garlic Clove
6 Chopped Flat Italian Parsley Sprigs
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Cup Grated Cheese
1 Cup Italian Bread Cubes
In a large size bowl mix everything together and form into balls of about 2 inches in diameter. In a large skillet brown the meatballs in hot olive oil. Remove from the pan and drain. Add to the sauce as it simmers and let them finish cooking. Serves 4
Ciambellone
Ciambellone or Italian Easter Bread is a ring shaped cake is lightly sweetened and flavored with lemon zest and sometimes dried fruit. Romans like to serve it for Easter breakfast.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Milk
¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
½ Cup Softened Butter
½ Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Egg
Powdered Sugar For Dusting
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the flour on your work surface creating a well in the center. Alternating, add the dry and wet ingredients to the well. After each ingredient is added mix well with your fingers or a fork. Add more flour if needed to make the dough workable. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Shape the dough into a ring. Beat the egg lightly with water. Brush the top of the ring with the egg wash. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown. If you want your ring to be perfectly uniform then you can use a springform pan with the center insert. This will allow you to have a picture perfect ciambellone. Dust the ciambellone with powdered sugar or you could use colored sugar as a topping. Serves 8
Holy Thursday Spinach
Holy Thursday is, of course, the day commemorating the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist. A custom was popular in many European countries that greens should be eaten on this day, coming no doubt from the Jewish meal of bitter herbs. The day is sometimes called Green Thursday. Among the Pennsylvania Dutch, spinach and dandelion greens are still eaten on Holy Thursday to prevent spring illness which probably came from Germany where it was an ancient belief. This was probably considered tonic after the weeks of Lent. Vitamins for a body that had been underfed and needing nutrients to fight off viruses. Whatever the reason spinach is good and good for you!
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
6 Chopped Garlic Cloves
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Butter
Squeeze of Lemon
Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make certain it is extremely clean. You don’t want to eat sand and grit. Spin the washed leaves in a salad spinner. In a large pot heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic over a medium heat for 1 minute. Make sure that the garlic is browned. Add all of the spinach, the salt and pepper to the pot. Toss with the garlic and olive oil. Cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high and cook for another minute. Stir with a wooden spoon. You want the spinach to be wilted. Using the wooden spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with the butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve hot! Serves 6
Nana’s Pesto
No cooking is required for this delightfully healthful dish!
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Juicy Ripe Tomatoes
3 Handfuls of Fresh Basil Leaves
6 Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Parmesan Cheese To Garnish
Mix all of the ingredients, except for the cheese, in a blender or food processor and puree. Pour over fresh, hot spaghetti or your favorite pasta that is cooked al dente. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Tomato Gravy Pork Chops
I have been making this dish for years. Sometimes I serve it over rice and sometimes I serve it over pasta. It has been a long standing family favorite. I hope you make it a family favorite too!
INGREDIENTS
4 Slices Chopped Bacon
4 Bone In (1 Inch Thick) Pork Rib Chops
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Teaspoon Paprika
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Capers
½ Chopped Onion
5 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Chopped Celery Stalk
3 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Cup Chicken Broth
8 Ounces Diced Tomatoes In Their Juice
1 Teaspoon Thyme
Pound the pork and set aside. Combine salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne in a small bowl. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chops. Cook the bacon in a large skillet for 5 minutes over a medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon transfer the bacon to paper towel lined plate. Leave the fat in the skillet. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Increase the heat to a medium high and cook the chops for 6 minutes until well browned on 1 side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, garlic and capers and cook for 5 minutes. Add the flour and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Whisk in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, thyme and cooked bacon. Bring to a boil. Arrange the chops, browned side up, in the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer the chops for 30 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving platter, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the chops to a platter and pour the gravy over the chops. Serve hot. Serves 4
Sausage Soup
This soup is a simple recipe with great flavor and is the quintessential Italian comfort food. I like to double the recipe and have leftovers during the week. It’s easy to make in a big batch for a potluck.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pound Italian Sausage (Casings Removed)
2 Chopped Onions
4 Chopped Celery Stalks
2 Cans (14.5 Ounces Each) Diced Tomatoes
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Basil
4 Cups Chicken Broth
3 ½ Cups Water
1 Cup Macaroni
2 Cans (15 Ounces Each) Cannellini Beans
¼ Cup Minced Fresh Parsley
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese For Serving
In a large Dutch oven heat the olive oil over a medium high heat. Cook the sausage for 5 minutes. Break up the large pieces with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat left in the Dutch oven. Drain the tomatoes and reserve the liquid. Add the onions, garlic, celery, tomatoes, basil and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Stir in the browned sausage, reserved tomato juice, broth and water and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse the beans. Stir in the beans and cook for 5 minutes until heated through. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 8
Pasta E Ceci Soup
You have to love this soup! If you want a vegetarian version of this soup then use water instead of chicken stock. Serve with warm garlic bread and a salad.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Diced Carrots
1 Large Diced Onion
3 Cloves Minces Garlic
1/3 Cup Diced Tomato
1 ½ Cups Soaked Overnight Garbanzo Beans
6 Cups Chicken Stock or Water
3 Tablespoons Thyme
½ Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Rosemary
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Pound Cooked & Drained Tubetti Pasta
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Grated Pamigiano Cheese for Serving
Soak the dried garbanzo beans overnight. Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Heat the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the carrots and onions. Cook for 7 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and tomato and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring. Add the garbanzo beans, chicken stock, thyme and rosemary. Turn up the heat to a medium high and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a medium low and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour. You want the garbanzo beans to be soft, but not mushy. Strain the garbanzo bean mixture through a colander. Reserve the liquid. Place 2 cups of the garbanzo bean mixture in a shallow bowl that is wide. Mash until almost smooth. Transfer to a large skillet. Add the remaining garbanzo bean mixture and 1 cup of the cooked liquid. Bring to a simmer over a medium high heat. Add the pasta dn1/2 cup of the olive oil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Cook for 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano cheese. Serves 4
Garlic Bread
Pasta Dishes seem lonely without Garlic Bread which is so easy to make. there are several ways to make
Garlic Bread. The easiest way is by rubbing a cut clove of garlic over the slices of Italian bread
by spreading the bread with butter and heating in the oven.
INGREDIENTS
1 Loaf Italian Bread
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
2 Large Smashed & Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Freshly Chopped Parsley
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Make 1 inch slices into the bread. Do not go all the way through, but just to the bottom crust.
In a small size bowl mix the butter, garlic and parsley together. Put a teaspoon of the butter mixture between each slice.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Makes 16 to 20 slices.
Garlic Mushroom Pizza
Soooooo good!
INGREDIENTS
1 Pizza Dough
¼ Cup Pizza Sauce
3 Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 ½ Cups Shitake Mushrooms
1 Cup White Mushrooms
4 Tablespoons Herb Olive Oil
2 Cups Shredded Provolone Cheese
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to make the pizzas. Preheat your oven to 400° F. Spread the pizza dough out to cover a large pizza pan. Brush with 3 tablespoons of the herb olive oil and then sprinkle with the chopped garlic. Put in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. While in the oven, thinly slice the shitake and white mushroom in a large skillet, heat with the remaining tablespoon of herb olive oil. Cook over a high heat and sauté the mushrooms for 8 minutes until golden. Remove the cooked pizza dough from the oven. Spread the pizza sauce over the cooked dough. Sprinkle the baked dough with the 1 cup of the shredded provolone cheese, then the mushroom and the other cup of the provolone cheese. Place back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cut into slices. Repeat until you have used all of the ingredients. Makes 4 pizzas. Serves 8
Soooooo good!
INGREDIENTS
1 Pizza Dough
¼ Cup Pizza Sauce
3 Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 ½ Cups Shitake Mushrooms
1 Cup White Mushrooms
4 Tablespoons Herb Olive Oil
2 Cups Shredded Provolone Cheese
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to make the pizzas. Preheat your oven to 400° F. Spread the pizza dough out to cover a large pizza pan. Brush with 3 tablespoons of the herb olive oil and then sprinkle with the chopped garlic. Put in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. While in the oven, thinly slice the shitake and white mushroom in a large skillet, heat with the remaining tablespoon of herb olive oil. Cook over a high heat and sauté the mushrooms for 8 minutes until golden. Remove the cooked pizza dough from the oven. Spread the pizza sauce over the cooked dough. Sprinkle the baked dough with the 1 cup of the shredded provolone cheese, then the mushroom and the other cup of the provolone cheese. Place back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cut into slices. Repeat until you have used all of the ingredients. Makes 4 pizzas. Serves 8
