Roasted Asparagus with Taleggio Goat Cheese "Mousse"

Ciao a tutti! Around a month back, I had the pleasure of taking a class at DeGustibus Cooking School by Melissa Muller Daka. Some of may remember my interview with Melissa some months back. She is the chef and proprietor of Eolo and she recently opened another restaurant, Pastai. The class was wonderful, we were served 5 courses, each paired with a different wine. She also demonstrated how each dish was made and shared some wonderful stories. The food was absolutely incredible; one dish that really stayed in my memory was a Spring Vegetable Salad Tower with roasted beets, taleggio, grilled asparagus and spring onions, drizzled with pistachio pesto.  I could not believe how something that sounded so simple tasted so amazing, I mean, this was really one of the best dishes I've ever tasted. 

So, the other day at the green market, the asparagus looked so beautiful, I was tempted to try to recreate it. The only thing I did differently was omit the beets, because I served this with my beet gnocchi, so I think it would have been beet overkill. To replace the beets, I just added some beautiful fresh baby tomatoes. The asparagus have such a wonderful crisp and the cheese is just delicious. It's a combination of taleggio, goat cheese, spring onions and some seasoning. Since taleggio is a little strong for some, the goat cheese works perfectly and balances very well. Enjoy!! 

Spring Salad

The Asparagus and Tomato

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 pound of asparagus, cut and cleaned

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. pepper

Baby tomatoes- as many as you would like

Salt and pepper (quanto basta)

Prepare a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add your asparagus and season with the salt and pepper. Cook for around 5-7 minutes, you want the asparagus to stay crispy. Turn off the heat. 

The Taleggio Goat Cheese "Mousse"

1/2 cup of goat cheese

1/2 cup of taleggio

2 tbsp. fresh spring onions

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. pepper

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. mixed Italian seasonings

In a food processor, add the goat cheese, taleggio, spring onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and Italian seasonings. Process until very smooth and creamy. 

To serve the salad, place a spoonful of the cheese "mousse" on your plate and serve with some of the roasted asparagus and a few baby tomatoes, sliced. Sprinkle the entire plate with a little extra salt and pepper. Buon Appetito! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Buongiorno!! If you come from an Italian American family, odds are you have had your fair share of Sunday night dinners. The family gathering in the kitchen…laughing, having a good time, maybe having a few sips of wine and cooking!! A classic Sunday night dinner is of course, Spaghetti and Meatballs. Every family has their own recipe and that is one of the things I love about certain recipes. Ever family has their own and that is what makes them so special.

I like the outside of my meatballs to get a little browned, but I know that that’s just me. We always have a debate in my household because my family prefers them softer, usually soaking in the tomato sauce. I myself like the exterior a bit crunchier. So I usually end up making two batches so I keep everyone happy and satisfied, that’s just my nature. My secret ingredient in my meatballs is…..wait for it…..ricotta!!! It makes them so light, tender, moist and delicious!! I love my recipe for meatballs; they are as perfect as meatballs can get, in my humble opinion. I obviously have to serve my meatballs with spaghetti and my classic tomato sauce.

Sweet little story about these meatballs…when I made these the other night for my family, as they were frying, the smell really reminded me of what I remember my Nonna Nettie’s Meatballs smelling like. I thought maybe it was just wishful thinking…but then I made a little test meatball (which I always do and highly suggest!) and gave it to my mom to try. She said “wow, these taste like grandmas.” To have my mother say that my meatballs, which I still remember my grandma frying specially for me over the weekend, is the absolute best compliment I could ever get about my cooking.

So try this recipe and let me know how it compares to yours!!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tomato Sauce

¼ extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. red pepper

2 large cans of San Marzano tomatoes

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Prepare a medium size pot over medium heat. Add your olive oil and minced garlic. Allow the garlic to soften, but not brown. Add your salt, pepper and red pepper. Add your tomatoes and cook them down a little. Add a handful of the basil. Cook for 30 minutes covered on low heat, occasionally stirring.  You can start the meatballs now…

Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 pound of ground beef

1 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs

¼ cup parmigiana, grated

¼ ricotta

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large egg

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

½ cup olive oil

1 box of whole grain spaghetti

1 tbsp. salt, for the pasta water

Crumble the beef in a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, parmigiana, ricotta, parsley, basil and garlic. Beat the egg with 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Pour this over the meat. Mix the ingredients with cleans hands just until blended. DO NOT OVER MIX!! If you over mix, you will get really hard, tough meatballs. We don’t want that!! Shape the meatballs in balls. You can make them as big or small as you like, but make them roughly the same size so they cook at the same speed. Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Put the meatballs in the skillet and fry. Turn them when they are golden brown, around 10 minutes. Cook them for around 20 minutes. As I said, I prefer my meatballs well done. 

Start salted boiling water in a large pot over high heat. Pour in half of the tomato sauce over the meatballs. Cook for an additional 30 minutes in the sauce as the water boils. You will want to cook the meatballs until there is no pink in the center.

Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and stir. Once it is al dente, strain the pasta and add to the remaining tomato sauce. Serve a portion of the pasta with the meatballs and sauce over it. Buon Appetito!! 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Parmigiana and Hazelnuts

Ciao a tutti!! Okay, so I know I may be alone here, but I LOVE Brussels sprouts. I mean, I really love them. I have a dear family friend to thank for that. A few years back we went to her house for Thanksgiving and one of the sides she served was sprouts with garlic. My first thought was “Brussels sprouts? For Thanksgiving? Uhhh.” But, I am never one to be rude and insult someones effort in the kitchen, so I gave them a try. Wow. She made them so crispy and delicious, I was shocked. Since then, I've been hooked and I look for anyway to have some fun with them.

Now, if you were like me and thought you hated Brussels sprouts, that’s probably because you've had plain steamed or boiled ones. I promise you that this recipe will definitely change your mind. I shave my sprouts using a mandoline so they get really browned and crispy. It is more time consuming, but it is worth it. I also fry them in bacon fat. I know, I know, not the healthiest thing, but hey, why not?!? I also add hazelnuts, parmigiana and bacon. Yes, bacon. I mean, crispy Brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, parmigiana and bacon. Who wouldn't love that? So, please give them I try. You won’t regret it.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Parmigiana and Hazelnuts

1 pound of bacon (I like applewood smoked, but you pick whatever you prefer)

1 clove of garlic

1 pound of Brussels sprouts

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. black pepper

½ cup of roasted hazelnuts

½ cup of grated parmigiana (good quality!!)

Start off by cooking your bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Let it cook long enough to get really, really crispy, for around 15-20 minutes. Take the bacon out of the pan and put on a paper towel to soak up any of the excess oil. Allow to dry. You will be using the same pan you cooked your bacon in to prepare the sprouts.

Mince your one clove of garlic and add to the pan, allow to roast slightly.

Trim all of the sprouts, removing any bruised leaves and cutting off some of the hard root end. Using a mandoline, shave your Brussels sprouts one at a time. Add the sprouts to the pan, along with salt and pepper. Toss the sprouts and make sure they are completely coated in the bacon fat. Cook for 30-45 minutes depending on how crispy you like it. I like my Brussels sprouts VERY crispy. When they are done cooking, move them to a bowl.

Chop your bacon in 1 inch pieces and add to the spouts. Add ½ cup of roasted hazelnuts and ½ cup of grated parmigiana and toss. Buon Appetito!! 

Cappuccino

Ciao a tutti!! My Cioccolata Calda post was such a success, I figured we were due for another delicious Italian drink! So, what better than a cappuccino? Cappuccino is an Italian coffee prepared with espresso, hot milk and steamed milk foam. Mmmmmm….foam.  If you’re feeling adventurous you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or cocoa, like I often do!

In Italy, Cappuccino is traditionally consumed early in the day as part of breakfast. So, if you are traveling to Italy and you don’t want to stand out as an obvious tourist, drink your cappuccino before noon!! You’ve been warned.

I loved starting my mornings with a nice, hot and foamy cappuccino. Our hotel prepared fresh cappuccinos to order which was a real treat; I really looked forward to them.  Now that I’m home, I prepare cappuccinos as well. It’s not the same as drinking them in Italy, but until I return at the end of the year, it will just have to do! I've prepared two versions for you. Neither is prepared with a cappuccino machine, because while I have a cappuccino machine, I understand that most people don’t because they’re not as food obsessed!! One is traditional cappuccino and one is a paleo cappuccino. Buon Appetito!!

Traditional Cappuccino

1 cup of milk

1 tsp. sugar

1 ½ cups of strong brewed Italian coffee (I like illy)

Add milk and sugar to a microwave safe mug and heat slowly until nice and hot. Take it out of the microwave and using an electric whisk, whisk until it is frothy.

Pour heated coffee into a separate mug and top with the foamy milk.

Paleo Cappuccino

1 cup of almond milk

1 ½ cups of strong brewed Italian coffee (I like illy)

Cinnamon

Add milk to a microwave safe mug and heat slowly until nice and hot. Take it out of the microwave and using an electric whisk, whisk until it is frothy.

Pour heated coffee into a separate mug and top with the foamy milk. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like!! 

The Lighter Side of Italy

When you think of Italian food, visions of gelato, pizza, cheese and pastries dance in your head, right? Well, maybe that’s just me. Seriously, when people think of this food, they think of heavy, cheesy and calorie laden meals. But I have always wanted to change that idea. Italian food can be very healthy; you just have to know how to eat it and how much of it to eat.

When I was in Italy, I didn’t really eat all that differently than I do when I’m at home. My lunches and dinners started with a grilled vegetable plate with zucchini, eggplants and peppers or a beautiful salad with arugula and tomatoes. My mother and I usually shared one pasta, pizza or meat entrée. 

The thing in Italy is, pasta is not a main course. It is an appetizer. So when it comes to the table, don’t expect a huge bowl filled, if you order ravioli, you’ll probably get four. Pizza is made with a very thin crust, as opposed to all those thick crusts with the extra calories. Plus, all the food that I eat is prepared with natural, wholesome ingredients. Yes, there is cheese, chocolate and bread. But cheese in its purest form, bread, made with ingredients that you can actually pronounce. 

So, I want to share a few of the dishes that I enjoyed while in Italy and I hope it will inspire you to get on board with Healthy Italian La Dolce Vita Lifestyle!!

Spinach with Lemon

1 pound of baby spinach leaves

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. chopped garlic

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. lemon zest, grated

Start off by rinsing the spinach in cold water. Spin it in a salad clean to ensure that it is mostly dry. In a deep pot, heat olive oil and chopped garlic over medium heat, for around two minutes. Add the spinach, salt, pepper and toss. Cook for around 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Use a slotted spoon to serve spinach and top with freshly grated lemon zest. Buon Appetito!!

Grilled Vegetable Antipasto

3 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into sticks

2 zucchini, cut into sticks

1 large eggplant, cut into sticks

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1 clove of garlic, minced

Prepare a grill pan over medium heat. Add your sliced vegetables into a bowl and brush with the olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Begin grilling the vegetables in batches, depending on how big your pan is. All together, it should take around 30 minutes to grill.

Chicory with Lemon

2 heads of chicory (outer ribs discarded and the remainder cut into 2 inch pieces)

¼ cup of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. red pepper

1 tsp. salt

Lemon juice(quanto basta!)

Wash the chicory. Cook in boiling salted water. Stir, until tender for around 5 minutes. Drain.

In another pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook garlic with red pepper, but don’t let it burn! Add the chicory, stirring until most of the liquid had evaporated, for around 4 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of salt and a little lemon juice!!

Bella Roma: Part Due; Shopping and Pasta all Norma

Ciao a tutti! Every time we travel, we make a point of leaving a few days to just wander so we don’t get too overwhelmed, I think this is usually a pretty smart choice, at least for us. So, today we decided to walk and browse in and out of some shops. My mother always told me about a department store that she went to on her first trip to Italy with her best friend when they were younger. The store is called Upim. It is basically the Italian equivalent or a Target or JCPenney. My mother and I found it on my first trip in the summer of 2011 and I was very eager to get back. This Store is so much fun!! They have clothing, makeup, accessories, home décor, jewelry…pretty much anything that women love!

I love shopping in Italy and getting brands and designers that are not available in this country, I know that may seem silly, but I get a kick out of it. I especially love buying Italian makeup and shoes! Unfortunately at Upim, you're not allowed to take pictures, so I have none to share with you. Now, enough about the shopping, let’s get to the reason why I’m here: FOOD!! 

After all that shopping, we worked up a good appetite. On our last trip, we were lucky enough to find a little outdoor café just a couple of blocks from Upim, so we decided to have lunch there again, we even had the exact same meal.

Fried Zucchini Flowers, my weakness

Pasta all Norma and a few Fried Zucchini Flowers. You just can’t go wrong. Pasta alla Norma is a favorite of mine. I love eggplant, so the chance to pair it with pasta and  ricotta salata…..mmmmmm. And it doesn’t hurt that it is also named after Vincenzo Bellini’s opera, “Norma.” The story goes that in the 19^th century, Nino Martoglio, a Sicilian writer, poet and theatre director, was so impressed when he first tasted the dish that he compared it to “Norma,” Bellini’s masterpiece. It is a classic Sicilian dish from Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily.

If you haven’t tried Pasta all Norma, I highly recommend it. What can I say? It’s just a wonderful dish. I hope you enjoy my version, please let me know what you think!

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma. Doesn't it look yummy?!?

2 medium eggplants- cut into little cubes (you pick exactly how little)

7 tbsp. olive oil

Salt & Pepper (quanto basta!)

Onion- minced

1 tbsp. red pepper

4 cloves of garlic-minced

1 large can of tomatoes (I always use San Marzano tomatoes, in my opinion, they’re just the best!)

Handful of fresh basil

1 pound of rigatoni

1 cup of ricotta salata

Preheat your over to 400 degrees. Put the eggplant in a bowl and drizzle with 4 tbsp. olive oil. Add salt and pepper and toss. Put the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for around 20 minutes or until lightly caramelized, but not burnt!!

Heat the remaining oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, around 10 minutes. Add red pepper and garlic; continue cooking until the garlic softens. Add tomatoes, some of the basil, salt and cook for around 6-7 minutes.

Boil some water for the pasta. Once it is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, around 9 minutes. Drain pasta and add to the tomato mix. Stir in the eggplant and toss, add the remaining basil and a little salt. Garnish with ricotta salata. As always, I LOVE to hear what you have to say! Boun Appetito!! 

Bella Roma- Part Uno; Castel Sant’Angelo and Seafood Pasta

Rome. When I first came here to study opera in the summer of 2011, I didn't quite know what to expect. My mother had been before and loved it and of course I have a lot of pride in my Italian background, but I had never been out of the country and was a little nervous. But, like most people that visit Italy, I instantly fell in love. It may sound like a cliche  but it’s true. I feel in love with the culture, history, the people, the food and just everything about being in Italy. I mean, what’s not to love?  

The second I landed back home, I was literally counting the minutes until I got to return. And luckily, just a year, 5 months, 11 days and 7 hours later, I got back to Italy. Not only was I going to get to experience Roma, but Firenze as well. On my first trip, we spent 6 nights in Rome and two weeks in Ischia and I loved every second of it. This time, we would be spending 2 and half weeks in Rome and a week in Florence.

Today, we decided to cross the Tiber River and go to one of my favorite places in Rome, Castel Sant’Angelo. One of the reasons I love Castel Sant’Angelo so much is that it figures prominently in Puccini’s “Tosca.” It is the prison and execution location of Mario Cavaradossi, as well as where Floria Tosca throws herself from the rooftop after learning of Cavaradossi’s death, as she is trying to escape from Scarpia’s henchmen. As she stands on the edge about to kill herself, she sings “O Scarpia, avanti a dio!” and the theme of the hauntingly beautiful aria “E lucevan le stelle” is played. Every time I visit, I feel the need to sing the last line all the way at the top (only if no one is around of course.)

Castel Sant’Angelo is the tomb of Hadrian and was later used by popes as a fortress and castle. It’s very fun walking around and finding little nooks and crannies to squeeze into. After exploring for a few hours, we decided it was time for lunch and ate at a little restaurant right off the Tiber. As soon as we glanced at the menu, we knew we had to try the gnocchi with fresh seafood. 

Homemade gnocchi with shrimp, clams, tomato and arugula in a garlic wine sauce. We also shared a Caprese salad. The pasta was incredible. The gnocchi were light and fluffy, just the way homemade gnocchi should be. The seafood was delicious and fresh, the sauce a wonderful fragrant combination of the wine and garlic, mixed with the seafood flavor and a little juice from the tomatoes. It was heavenly. While I don’t know the exact recipe of their version, I did try recreating my own once I got home, so I am happy to share my recipe with you. I made homemade gnocchi, but you can obviously use pre-made. Enjoy!!

Gnocchi with Seafood

1 pound of clams

1 pound of shrimp

1 package of gnocchi

¼ cup of olive oil

1 tbsp. crushed red pepper

4 cloves of garlic, minced very fine

½ cup of white wine

6 baby tomatoes, chopped in half

Handful of fresh arugula

Start off by cooking the clams with ½ a cup of water until cooked. Keep the liquid. Remove the meat from inside the clams and throw out the shells.

Start boiling salted water for your pasta. Once it has begun to boil, add the gnocchi. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat up the olive oil. Add crushed red pepper and garlic. Once the garlic has begun to brown, remove from heat and add the white wine and around 6 ounces of pasta water to the sauté pan. Put it back on the stove to heat.

When the pasta is almost done, remove from the water and add to the sauté pan. Save the water!! Add more liquid to the sauté pan depending on how creamy you want the sauce. Add the clams and shrimp and finish cooking with all the seafood until nice and al dente. Add the chopped tomatoes and arugula. Serve immediately. Enjoy with a glass of Prosecco. Buon Appetito!! 

Guest Post from Strands of My Life- Stuffed Calamari

Ciao!! Once again, I will be sharing a wonderful guest post with you, courtesy of Suzanne Perazzini of Strands of My Life. She is sharing her delicious Stuffed Calamari which makes me very excited! Be sure to drop by her blog and facebook  page and return the love! Enjoy!!

      *********

Adriano cooked this dish. It is a classic Italian dish with the addition of walnuts for a  bit of crunch. He also made a tomato/carrot puree to accompany it. He’s useful to have around.

I have probably mentioned before that my parents owned a seafood processing factory after we left the farm when I was ten. During my teens I worked there in the school holidays and loved it. it made me feel like an adult. I worked in the production lines either processing wet fish or crayfish. I met a lot of colourful characters there and no more so than Sam. It’s a while ago now and I can’t remember if he was Tongan or Maori but I do remember his quirkiness. One day he arrived at work wearing glasses and assured us that he now needed them. Later in the day I watched him rub his eye through where the lens should have been. Yes, no lenses. He explained that he was sure he could see better with them on.

Sam was always short of money but one day he told us he had bought a car. We were rather surprised and asked why he hadn’t driven it to work. He said he had. We looked out the window but only our cars sat out there. “Where is it?” we asked. He smiled and walked away. A week or so later, his flatmate, who also worked in the factory, explained the situation. Sam had brought a wreck for a few dollars and had it delivered to their front garden where it sat in all its awful glory. Each morning he got ready for work and went out and sat in the car, grabbed the steering wheel and put his foot on the accelerator and imagined he was driving to work. Then he got out and walked.

For a while I worked on our shortest production line with Sam. He packed sprats into plastic bags for cat food and I sealed them with a heat machine. One evening, Sam had had a little too much liquid refreshment and got himself into a touch of strife with the officers of the law. He told me the next day that they had asked what his job was and he had had to think long and hard and then answered, “I’m a cat sprat packer.” Apparently the officer took it in his stride. But it did give me pause for thought – I was a cat sprat packer too.

That was many years ago. I wonder what happened to him or if he ever did acquire a working vehicle. Wherever he is, he probably needs glasses for real now.

Recipe: Stuffed Calamari

Ingredients 

·         4 big calamari

·         40 g. (or 2 slices) of bread, crumbled finely

·         bunch of parsley, chopped finely

·         1 garlic, chopped finely

·         ¼ cup walnuts

·         4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·         1 egg

·         Salt & pepper

Method

1.      Clean calamari. Separate tentacles from bodies. Chop tentacles finely.

2.      Chop up the parsley finely.

3.      Saute’ garlic in a pan with1 tablespoon of the oil for a few seconds and add the bread and a lot of parsley.

4.      Saute’ for about 2 minutes. Add tentacles. Cook until the liquid almost evaporates.

5.      Chop up the walnuts finely but not too small. Add to the filling mixture.

6.      Fill up calamari with the filling. Close with food sticks or toothpicks.

7.      Pour the remaining oil in the pan. Put the stuffed calamari in the pan when the oil is hot. Brown all sides then turn down the temperature and cook through, turning every now and then to cook them evenly.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 4

Guest Post from Oh Cake- Hat Trick Lasagna

Ciao my lovely readers!! Today my guest post will be from Jessica Hose of Oh Cake. She is sharing her recipe for Hat Trick Lasagna which includes Grilled Eggplant, Sausage and Peppers and Bolognese!! Pretty much all of my favorite foods. Be sure to take a look at her blog, “like” her facebook page and follow her on pinterest and twitter @jesshose! Click here to go directly to the recipe for Hat Trick Lasagna!! Enjoy!! 

Butternut Squash Fritters

Butternut Squash Fritters. Do I have your attention now? I thought so. I really look for any excuse to turn anything into a fritter. I’m not even kidding. I know fried food may not be the healthiest, but let’s face it, it tastes delicious. I want to make it clear that I don’t eat fried food terribly often, but when I do, I want it to be something really good. Enter my Butternut Squash Fritters.

These are so good and they are a nice change from the usual vegetable fritters made with broccoli or cauliflower. For one thing, butternut squash lends itself so well to sage, rosemary and thyme that it just seemed like the right thing to do. Imagine making a savory butternut squash pancake, that’s what these are, except that these are fried, so while they are definitely similar to a pancake, they are really crispy. These also have parmigiana cheese which just makes them even more amazing. 

I love the idea of serving fun appetizers for Thanksgiving that are a little different and I think these would do just perfectly. You might also like to try my Pumpkin Gnocchi or if you’re serving a soup, perhaps a bowl of my Pumpkin Sausage Stew. These are also great for a low carb, paleo or gluten free diet. I always love when you guys leave comments, so please let me know what you think!!

Butternut Squash Fritters

1 ½ cups of pureed butternut squash

2 eggs

½ cup coconut flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

¾ cup of parmigiana

2 tsp. chopped fresh sage

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 cup of neutral oil for frying

In a medium size bowl, combine butternut squash and eggs. In another bowl, combine coconut flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper. Mix into butternut squash mix. Add parmigiana, sage, rosemary and thyme. These will be pretty moist, but don’t be startled, they will stay together and fry perfectly!!

Prepare a deep pot over high heat and add your oil. Once it is hot enough, form into balls, 2 tablespoons full and put in the oil. You may want to flatten them a little once they are in the oil as I did or you can keep them as they are!! Fry each side for around 3 minutes. Once they are all done, put on a wire rack so any excess oil drips off. Buon Appetito!! 

Spaghetti Sausage Pie

Ciao a tutti! Last night I knew I felt like making dinner but I wasn’t quite sure what to prepare. I looked through my refrigerator and it hit me! I had fresh eggs, sausage, parsley, garlic, ricotta and parmigiana, so…..Spaghetti Sausage Pie!! If you are familiar with the Food Network show “Chopped” you know that the premise of the show is to build a dish out of four ingredients in the mystery basket. Now, I don’t have a lot of the unusual ingredients that they showcase, but I love challenging myself and trying to figure out what to prepare just by seeing what foods I have in the house.

I love Pasta Pies. The great thing about pasta pies is that you can pretty much do whatever you like with them. For one thing, if you have some leftover pasta from a previous dish and want to spice it up, you can easily add some ingredients to it and bake into a fresh and delicious pie. It is also a great dish served room temperature for a picnic and it travels very well for a party. Like I said, I had sausage, but you can also make it with chicken, beef or vegetables. I cook my pasta al dente because when it is mixed with the egg and cheese mixture it will naturally soften up a little, so when you cook your pasta make sure that it doesn’t get too soft. This way, when it is out of the oven, the inside will be just creamy enough with the cheese and the outside should have a light crunch.

I made this with whole wheat spaghetti; as I’ve said before, I do what I can to make my recipes a bit healthier. Obviously, I am not going to try to pass this dish off as healthy, but every little thing counts. I had a nice slice fresh out of the oven with a side of sautéed zucchini. Let me know what you all think!!

Spaghetti Sausage Pie

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 links of Italian sausage- hot or sweet, it’s up to you!
¾ cup of ricotta
½ cup of parmigiana
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper
Garlic-chopped
Parsley- chopped
2 eggs
½ a box of spaghetti

First, prepare a small pan with olive oil over medium heat and put the sausage in. Let it cook on each side for a few minutes. Once it has browned, flip to the other side, repeat flipping them every few minutes until they are fully cooked.

Start boiling a pot of water for your pasta and salt the water.

While the sausage is cooking, in a medium size bowl, mix ricotta, parmigiana, salt, pepper, red pepper, chopped garlic and parsley. All of the seasonings are to taste, so you can add as little or as much as you would like. In fact, what I like to do is try a little of cheese mix before I have added the eggs so I can see if it is well seasoned. Next, add the eggs and beat until thoroughly combined.

Once the sausage is done, let it cool for at least ten minutes. At this point, the water should be boiling so throw your pasta in. Spaghetti cooks very quickly, so stand by. While that is cooking, cut your sausage into slices and add to the cheese and egg mixture. Drain the pasta and run cool water it so it doesn’t instantly cook the eggs!!

I cook my pie in a traditional glass pie pan. You can also use a casserole dish if you like. Whatever you use, oil it so the pasta doesn’t stick. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Add the pasta to the egg and cheese and stir. Put the pasta mix in your pan and into the oven, cook for 30-45 minutes. Everyone’s oven is different, so be sure to check in every few minutes. You don’t want the center soft and undercooked, but you don’t want it burnt. Once you the pie is done, let it sit for around fifteen minutes before serving. Serve with a nice side of sautéed vegetables or a fresh tomato and arugula salad. Buon Appetito!!

Cacio e pepe, coffee rubbed steak and eggplant arancini

Ciao! Today’s enticing meal will be angel hair cacio e pepe, coffee rubbed steak and eggplant arancini.

Il Primo (first course)

Cacio e Pepe is a classic Roman pasta dish. It translates to "cheese and pepper" in Italian. This dish was made for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time, as its main ingredients are black pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese. It is typically made with a long, thin pasta, I like mine with angel hair. The sauce is nice and creamy from the perfect mix of cheese and starchy pasta water. 

Cacio e pepe

1 box angel hair

1/4 freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated 

Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add pepper to a sauté pan and toast until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add oil and butter and stir occasionally until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat. Cook pasta al dente. Drain, saving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the oil and butter mixture, then add the pasta and mix. Toss until the angel hair is well coated. Stir in the cheese (add a splash or two more of the reserved pasta water if necessary) and serve immediately. You don’t want the sauce to sit too long; it’s nice and fresh, so eat it now!

Il Secondo (main course)

I know what you’re thinking, coffee and steak? Sounds strange, no? But let me tell you, there is something about the way coffee and meat taste when combined that is just divine. There is enough of a coffee taste to flavor the steak but not overpower it. I also prepare my steaks with smoked olive oil, which adds to the intensity. Smoked olive oil and coffee flavored salt can be found at gourmet shops. If you can’t find these items, you can substitute regular olive oil of course and in place of coffee salt, you can use coffee powder.

Coffee rubbed steak

4 tablespoons of smoked olive oil

4 tenderloin steaks

Coffee salt

Prepare a flat grill with 4 tablespoons of smoked olive oil. Rub your steaks with coffee salt, use as much of as little as you like. Put on the grill. Some people like there steaks rare, some medium, some medium well, this part is up to you. You may cook them as long or as little as you like to get it the way you want. I am one of the few people that actually like my meat well done, including steaks.

Il Contorno (side dish)

Okay, so technically these are not arancini. Arancini are rice balls that are coated in breadcrumbs, stuffed with mozzarella and fried. There is no rice in this recipe, but they look just like arancini and there are similarities as far as taste. The middle of an arancini is creamy and cheesy, as is this. And the outside is crispy and crunchy. My recipe is made with seasoned eggplant, which is then shaped into a ball and then stuffed with cheese, breaded and fried. Have I won you over yet?

Eggplant arancini

2 large eggplants
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
Olive oil
2 eggs       
3/4 cup grated Parmesan  
1 1/4 cups whole wheat bread crumbs, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea flour
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into little cubes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil. Pat eggplant dry; put on prepared sheets. Brush lightly with oil. Bake until eggplant is tender and dry, about 1 hour. Cool slightly; chop coarsely. Whisk 1 egg, Parmesan, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl. Stir in chopped eggplant (mixture will be soft). Spread 1 cup breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk 1 egg and chickpea flour in another bowl. Press and shape eggplant mixture into balls. Press 1 piece mozzarella into center of each ball, making sure eggplant mixture covers cheese. Dip balls into egg batter; roll in breadcrumbs. Pour oil into large skillet heat over medium-high heat. Add balls to skillet; sauté until browned, turning often, about 4 minutes. Move to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

This is a lovely Sunday dinner for the family. Meat, pasta and “vegetables” (well, the eggplant kind of counts, right?). Buon Appetito!