Italian Sausage & Peppers
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Italian Sausage
2 Large Sliced Onions
1 Large Sliced Red Pepper
1 Large Sliced Green Pepper
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Place sausage on a sheet pan with a cup of water. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes to make certain that the water has not evaporated (if it has then add a little more water & continue to cook). Heat a large sauté pan and add to tablespoons olive oil and onions. Allow to cook for 2 minutes and then add the peppers. Add salt & pepper to taste and cook another 12 minutes over medium heat. Remove sausage from oven and allow to cool. Add the sausage to the onions and peppers and reheat together. Serve as is or on a roll.
Italian Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Cups Ricotta Cheese
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
Pinch of Salt
1 Grated Lemon Rind
1 Grated Orange Rind
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
4 Beaten Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
Mix all ingredients and place in a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake in pre-heated oven of 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour – or until firm. Serve warm or chilled. Serves 6. Store in the refrigerator.
Pasta e Fagioli
INGREDIENTS
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Celery Stalk
2 Chopped Carrots
2 ½ Ounces Chopped Pancetta
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Bay Leaves
6 Cups Chicken Stock
1 ½ Cups Water
½ Cup Chopped Parsley
4 Chopped Basil Leaves
1 ¼ Cups Cannellini Beans
28 Ounces Tomatoes (I like to use canned tomatoes)
8 Ounces Boiled Ditalini Pasta (short tubes)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
In a large stock pot add the oil, onion and garlic. Brown lightly. Next add the pancetta, carrots, bay leaves and salt & pepper. Cook about 6 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, water and herbs. Cook for another 20 minutes. Add the beans and cook another 5 minutes. Finally, add the pasta. Serve and enjoy.
Sinful Lasagna
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
LASAGNA
- 15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
- 2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
- 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
- 2 large eggs
- 4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Preparation
FOR SAUCE:
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool.
FOR LASAGNA:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water.
Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Drain pasta and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13×9-inch glass baking dish. Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.
Zabaglione
One of Italy’s great gifts to the rest of the world (besides Italian men!), zabaglione, is an ethereal dessert made by whisking together egg yolks, Marsala wine and sugar.
INGREDIENTS
2 Eggs Yolks
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Marsala Wine
In the top of the double boiler beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and foamy. Beat in the wine. Set the mixture over simmering water. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl and shisk constantly for about 4 minutes. Continue whisking until it forms a thick creamy foam that coats the back of the spoon. The eggs need to be cooked gently so the mixture stays smooth. Serve immediately over fresh fruit, sponge finger biscuits or broken biscotti pieces. Serves 2.
