Category Archives: Italian

November 28, 2010 · 9:00 pm

White Bean, Rosemary and Pancetta Pizza

Our kitchen is still a disaster, but the walls and floors have dried out, so I may have my kitchen back for a while before they start the reconstruction process. We just got back in town tonight after a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family. This was a quick and easy dinner. These would also make a great appetizer if you cut them into smaller pieces.

Ingredients:
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1-inch-by-1/4-inch strips
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt
4 pocketless pita or naan
6 ounces thinly sliced Fontina cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven with a pizza stone to 450°.

In a skillet, cook the pancetta in 2 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat, until crisp; transfer to a plate. Add the garlic, rosemary and crushed pepper to the skillet and cook for 20 seconds.

Mash in the beans. Stir in the pancetta; season with salt. Brush the flatbreads with oil and spread with the bean mixture. Top with the cheese.

Bake the flatbreads until the cheese is bubbling, 7 minutes; transfer to plates and serve.

We had this with a salad and some Wolfgang Puck Lentil Soup from a can. I think next time I would switch out the lentil soup for some tomato basil soup.

What did the family think? I used naan for these and it was great because they were like little pizzas. Our oldest and I really liked these. Hubby wasn’t impressed and neither was our youngest.

from foodandwine.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Italian, Super Easy to Make

November 9, 2010 · 9:17 pm

Italian Sausage Baked Ziti

Warm, yummy and perfect for a chilly rainy night…

Ingredients:
1/2 pound Ziti pasta
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pound Italian sausage
1 jar spaghetti sauce
4 slices Provolone cheese
8 ounces Ricotta cheese
6 ounces Mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain when done.

Brown the meat and onion and drain fat. Return the meat and onion back to the pan and add the spaghetti sauce simmering for 15 minutes.

Layer ingredients in a square baking dish. Pour 1 cup of the meat mixture on the bottom of a casserole dish.

Next, put half of the pasta on top of the meat mixture. Top with provolone cheese slices and ricotta cheese spread over the provolone cheese. Then add the remaining pasta and top with to the remaining meat mixture making sure to cover all of the noodles.

Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes and you may want to bake it on a cookie sheet to prevent splatters in your oven.

from bigoven.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Italian

November 3, 2010 · 2:31 pm

Calzones

We used Italian sausage and spinach, but you could use pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers… whatever you like to have on your pizza could go in this calzone.

Ingredients;
2 cans Pillsbury pizza crust
8 ounces Italian sausage
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 egg
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Pizza sauce OR marinara sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through using a wooden spoon to crumble.

Add spinach and water to skillet; saute 1 to 2 minutes until spinach is wilted; drain.

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir in Italian herb seasoning and garlic salt; set aside.

To make calzone, unroll one pizza crust on a non-stick cookie sheet. Use a knife to cut the pizza dough into four equal rectangles. Put 1/4 of the ricotta mixture in the center of each rectangle then put 1/4 of the sausage mixture on top of the ricotta mixture.

Place the second pizza crust on top of calzone fillings. Use a knife to cut it into four rectangles. Press the edges down with a fork or your fingers so the filling won’t leak out.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until dough starts to get golden.

What did the family think? This was a huge hit in our house.


image from yumsugar.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Vegetarian

November 2, 2010 · 10:08 am

Stuffed Shells

We are a pasta lovin’ and a cheese lovin’ house, so I knew these would be a hit!

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs, beaten
1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce, divided

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and run cold water over them too cool them off.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan until well combined.

Cover bottom of 9×13 dish with thin layer of spaghetti sauce.

Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in baking dish.

Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells and then sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.

Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.

We had these with a salad, but I wish I would have made some nice warm yummy garlic bread to go with it, too.

Did I change anything? I actually ended up using two jars of sauce. I used just a little bit of the second one to finish off the top of the noodles. I just felt like it needed a little bit more sauce.

What did the family think? It was a hit! There was a little bit leftover and I was already dreaming about having the leftovers for lunch. Apparently, so was our oldest. He asked me if he could have the rest in his lunchbox for the next day. I reluctantly said yes. Next time I will have to make more. 🙂

adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

October 26, 2010 · 7:58 pm

Goulash

Hubby asked me if I would put this in our dinner recipe rotation this week. Our oldest son gave it “five stars”…it is a very “kid-friendly” dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
2 cups shredded carrot
2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
2 1/2 cups water
8 ounces dried cut whole wheat ziti pasta (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoongarlic powder
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Instructions:
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook ground beef and shredded carrot over medium heat until meat is brown. Drain off fat.

Stir tomato soup, the water, uncooked ziti, dried basil (if using), onion powder, and garlic powder into meat mixture in Dutch oven.

Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook about 25 minutes or until ziti is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil (if using) and mozzarella cheese.

Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

Did I change anything? I used macaroni noodles instead of the ziti the recipe called for.

What did the family think? Our oldest son liked it so much he requested the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow. Everyone else liked it too…it was perfect for the chilly weather.

adapted from diabeticliving.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

October 25, 2010 · 8:16 pm

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

It’s been a while since I made this, but this is a staple in our house. It is perfect for a cold and rainy night like tonight.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb Italian sausage
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound dried tortellini
1-2 cups fresh baby spinach (depending on how much you like spinach)
grated or shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions:
In a Dutch oven, cook Italian sausage using a wooden spoon to crumble. When Italian sausage is cooked through, add tomatoes, wine, chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a simmer.

Add tortellini and cook until done.

Add spinach right before serving. Stir until wilted.

Serve and garnish with Parmesan.

Did I change anything? Sometimes I add a little chopped zucchini and/or some diced carrots.

What did the family think? We love this one. It’s definitely comfort food at our house.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Stew/Soup, Super Easy to Make

October 21, 2010 · 11:18 pm

Orechiette with Sausage, Beans and Mascarpone

If your family INSISTS on having red sauce on their pasta (like mine does) then this may not be the dish for you. However, I will say that having served them a couple of pasta dishes lately without red sauce, they are s-l-o-w-l-y coming around to the idea that pasta does not have to be covered in marinara.

Ingredients:
1 pound orechiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound turkey sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it browns.

Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the beans and oregano cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cup of pasta cooking liquid and stir, scrapping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until it dissolved into a light sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pasta. Stir until coated and serve.

Did I change anything? I didn’t use as much pasta as the recipe called for. I used probably closer to 3/4 lb.

What did the family think? After they got over the fact that it didn’t have red sauce in it, they liked it.

from Food Network

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Filed under Everybody Ate It, Italian

October 18, 2010 · 10:34 am

Gnudi (Pronounced Nudey)

I saw this on Giada’s show recently. It’s an Italian dish that I had never even heard of before last week let alone eaten, but I love to experiment with new foods, so I thought I would give it a try.

Ingredients;
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to small, flattened balls.

Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess. Slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Make sure the water is at a gentle boil. If it is at a hard boil, the gnudis will fall apart. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they float to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes.

Arrange gnudi on a platter and lightly drizzle with marinara sauce.

We had this with some pasta and Italian sausage links on the side.

Did I change anything? The only thing I did differently is that once they were all cooked, I microwaved them for about a minute just to make sure the eggs that are in them were thoroughly cooked and to get the ones that came out of the boiling water first warm again since it did take a while to make them all and the ones that came out of the water first were getting a little cold.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked these. Our oldest tried a few bites, but was not impressed which is what I thought would happen, but I was proud of him for trying.

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Filed under Italian, Vegetarian

October 11, 2010 · 9:49 pm

Chicken Parmesan

My family loves pasta and anything covered in pasta sauce, so I had a pretty good feeling they would like this.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup fine dry Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (9-ounce) package pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
4 fresh basil sprigs (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Lightly grease baking dish that is big enough for all of the chicken breasts.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in shallow dish.

Dip chicken in eggs, then cover with bread crumb mixture.

Arrange chicken is prepared baking dish. Drizzle with oil.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink in center.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss pasta with sauce; divide among plates.

Top with chicken. Garnish with basil.

What did the family think? Four thumbs up! 🙂

from cooksrecipes.com

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

October 6, 2010 · 9:38 pm

Zucchini Noodles

I have wanted to try this recipe since May when I read A Homemade Life. The only problem was I needed a mandoline to slice the noodles/zucchini the right way and I didn’t have one. My dear sweet generous MIL bought me one a week or so ago just for the heck of it.

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, trimmed
3 T olive oil
3/4 lb. dry spaghetti
Spaghetti sauce

Instructions:
Put a large pot of water over high heat and cook the pasta per the directions on the box. DO NOT DRAIN.

While the water heats, prepare the zucchini. Using a mandoline slicer fitted with the julienne blade, carefully slice the zucchini into long, skinny noodles, each about the width of a strand of spaghetti.

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini “noodles” and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy.

When the pasta is done, use tongs to transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add zucchini to bowl and toss to mix.

Serve with spaghetti sauce and parmesan.

We had this with some meatballs (which I had made ahead of time…I just put them in the pot of spaghetti sauce and while the spaghetti sauce warmed up on the stove, the meatballs warmed up, too) and some grapes.

Did I change anything? I made this pretty much the way the recipe calls for. You can, however, completely leave out the pasta, and just serve the zucchini noodles. My favorite Italian restaurant has this on their menu and I order it almost every time.

What did the family think? You won’t even know there is zucchini in there. It is SO good and such a neat way to get some extra veggies in there as well.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian