Category Archives: Recipes

Pork & Roasted Vegetables

The preparation time for this dish is 5 minutes. The easiest dish to prepare and then into the oven for 1-1 1/2 hours. Read a book, watch a great movie, get office or house work done while your oven does the work!

Choosing a Pork or Beef Roast.  Allow for water loss when working with meat, measure 5 ounces per person.

Serving 6, 30 ounces or buy a 2 lb pork roast (900 g, round up to 1 Kilo of meat).

INGREDIENTS

3 onions peeled and quartered (Red or Yellow)
Do Not peel following vegetables to optimize flavor of dish.

  • 4-6 Red Potatoes washed and quartered
  • 4 Carrots quartered
  • 3 Zucchini’s quartered and lightly salted (removes bitterness)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 2  Garlic Cloves (peeled and minced)
  • 1/4 c. Olive Oil

Pork or Beef Roast (washed and patted dry with paper towels)

  • 1 tsp each Salt
  • 1 tsp dried Sage( or 1 Tbsp freshly chopped) .
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • 3-4 Rosemary Sprigs
  • 1 1/2 c. Water
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce for Pork Roast
  • 1 cup red wine for Beef Roast
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 F (232 C).

In an oven safe dish place washed and quartered vegetables. With a large spoon turn 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tsp turmeric, rosemary springs, garlic, olive oil into vegetables until they are well coated. Place into oven set at 450 F.

Place skillet on medium high heat for 1 minute and then add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.  Add meat to skillet and sear each side for about 2 minutes. The meat is ready to turn when is easily releases itself from pan. (Don’t fight to detach! The meat will detach itself once completely seared on one side.)

Rub seasonings onto Pork poast

In a bowl, mix 3/4 tsp, salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, 3/4 tsp sage. Rub seasonings onto all sides of roast. (Use all theseasoning!) In a roasting pan, rest 4 rosemary sprigs about 3-5 inches in length on bottom of pan, place pork, or beef roast on top.  Add water, soy sauce (or wine). Cover pan with aluminum foil and seal edges.

Leaving vegetables in the oven to continue baking. Reduce oven temperature to 325F (150C) when placing roast in the oven and bake roast  for 20 minutes per pound (450 grams). Internal temp. will reach 160 F or 72 C. Using oven gloves, carefully remove pan from oven and place onto a pot pad. Keep covered and allow roast to rest for 10 minutes. With a large meat fork and butcher knife thinly slice meat. Remove vegetables from oven and with large spoon, gently place vegetables around meat for presentation. Buon Appetito!

Easy Homemade Taco or Burrito Meat

Easy to make! From frying pan to dinner plate in 15 minutes! Serves 16 taco’s or burrito’s. A dinner party, or fun family weekend afternoon that can be  brought together last minute with minimal effort

1/3 c. Olive Oil
1/2 Onion diced (red or yellow)
2 Garlic Cloves (peeled and minced)
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Salt
2 pounds ground meat
1 c. Tomato Sauce
1/4 c.  Water
(Optional: Add in red beans, red bell pepper diced and a celery stick sliced small.  Increase spiciness with 1 tsp cumin, or 1/2 tsp more of red pepper flakes.) 

Herbs & Spices makes this meat sauce delicious!

Add in peppers as part of the sauce, or serve them as a topping.

On medium heat, place in a frying pan: onion, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes in olive oil, allow to saute` for 4 minutes. (next, may add in vegetables with cumin and allow to cook for 5 minutes) Add ground meat breaking it down with wooden spoon until brown and crumbly. Add salt, tomato sauce and water, stirring, incorporate all ingredients, cover and allow flavors to come together for 5 minutes.Remove from heat and turn off stove.

Prepare your taco and burrito topping the meat sauce with favorite toppings: sliced avocado, tomato, pepper sticks, lettuce, re-fried beans, rice, bacon, cheese, guacamole, mayonnaise or sour cream.

If sensitive to spicy foods, drink a glass of milk with your dinner. The milk fat covers the acidity of tomato seeds combined into tomato sauce and also calms the strength of the spice so that digestion is easier on those with lower tolerance of spicier foods.

ADD ON TO YOUR PARTY WITH:
Paratha
Feeling adventurous! Make your own burrito style bread; bringing a bit of Indian cooking to your table.

Cucumber Guacamole Dip

Sangria’s Best

Veal alla Marsala

A delicate and less filling meal that will leave one completely satisfied at the end of lunch or dinner.

Serves 2-4

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon butter
1/2 onion dice
4 Slices of Veal Sirloin Steak
4 Slices of Prosciutto Crudo
4 Sage leaves
4 Tooth Picks
1/2 cup Marsala
Black Pepper

Directions
In a skillet over low heat on stove top, add Olive Oil butter, Onions. Allow to saute for 5 minutes until onions become clear, (translucent). On cutting board place the 4 Veal Steaks, salt each slice. Lay on top of each veal one 1 slice of Prosciutto and 1 Sage leaf. Insert a tooth pick through each sage leaf and into the meat in order to attach the veal, prosciutto and sage together. Place into the skillet with onion, cover skillet with a lid and allow to slowly brown for 3 minutes. Uncover lid and add Marsala and Black Pepper to taste. Cover Skillet and allow to simmer for 4 minutes. Remove meat from fluid place onto plates. In a bowl, place 1 tablespoon flour. Slowly add in fluid from skillet, whisking continuously. Add all back into pan to re heat.

Place each slice of meat on an individual plate, top off with sauce and serve with a side of Arugula Salad.

Arugula Salad
2 Cups Arugula
2 Cups green lettuce
1/4 cup Grated or Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Cracked Pepper

In a bowl, add all ingredients.  Toss with spoons and serve with meat.
Top off with balsamic Vinegar Glaze,  Olive Oil Pepper.

Lemon Tuna Pasta Delight

Reminiscent to a Southern Italian eating experience, enjoy this pasta dish that is palpably light, thanks to the lemon zest that accents this easy to make meal. A spring and summer time favorite!

Lemon Tuna Delight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serves 4
Ingredients for Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 medium size garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 10 cherry tomatoes (washed and cut in half)
  • 1 Tablespoon Capers
  • 3-6 ounces of tuna (May use canned or pieces cut from a tuna steak.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon parsley torn into smaller pieces
  • Lemon Zest of 1/2 lemon. avoid cutting white pith. (Lemon should appear freshly picked with a bright yellow appearance and thick skin.)
  • Juice of half lemon
  • 4 Lemon Rounds (for presentation)
  • 4 Parsley sprigs (for presentation)
  • 250 g of Barilla Pasta

Directions
13 minutes
Fill a pasta pot with 8 cups of water, cover with lid, place on stove top on high heat and bring to a boil. Add 2 Tablespoons salt when the water boils, stir with wooden spoon. Add pasta. Pasta should par boil for 8 minutes. Immediately, placing a colander into a clean sink, take the pasta pot using pot holders or oven mitt, pour boiling water and pasta into colander. Add drained pasta to sauce.

10 minutes
Utilizing a large skillet pan, place on stove top on low heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil,1 garlic clove cut in half and red pepper flakes; allow to saute for 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. (Carefully, take a fork and remove cooked garlic, discard.) Add tomatoes to skillet cover with lid and place onto low heat once again. After 5 minutes remove lid from skillet and with a wooden spoon gently push down on each tomato to release its juice. Add Salt, Capers, Tuna, 1 Garlic Clove Minced (clove cut into small pieces), Parsley. Cover skillet and allow to continue to simmer for another 3 minutes. Add 2 ladles, (about 1/2 cup), of pasta water (using the pasta starch in the water will serve to better adhere sauce to the pasta.). Using a wooden spoon stir the water and the sauce together. Add cooked and drained pasta to sauce, toss so that pasta is coated by sauce. Add lemon zest, the juice of 1/2 the lemon, 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil gently toss pasta to combine flavors.

Plating Pasta for Presentation
Evenly distribute pasta on each plate. Place a thinly sliced lemon round in the center of each pasta mound along with a sprig of Parsley.

Utensils Needed:
Pasta Pot or tall pan for boiling water with lid.
Skillet with lid.
Tablespoon for measuring
Teaspoon for measuring
Cutting Board
Steak Knife
Wooden Spoon
Zester and Mincer
Large Ladle
Towel
Potholder or Oven Mitt
Colander

Pastiera Napoletana Ricotta Grain Pie

Pastiera is traditionally made on Good Thursday or Good Friday and is to be eaten as a dessert on Easter Sunday!  Each family hands down a ‘secret’ recipe from one generation to the next. I extend my family recipe from Naples to the many of friends who have enjoyed this dessert that I personally have made for you! ~Francesca

Time Saving Tips: 

By following these tips the time spent on this recipe can be reduced to 30 minutes for total preparation time from 3 hours.  Buy already pre-cooked grain.    Additionally, Pasta Frolla / Pie Crust is commonly sold as a pre-made item in the stores, use the pre-made crust.  Following these 2 tips will help you to put this wonderful dessert together in no time at all!

Grain Tip for Ol’ Fashion Recipe!

If you decide to cook your own wheat, go for the soft wheat, which you can usually find in health food stores and some grocery stores.

You can process the ricotta smooth in a food processor first if you know that your crowd isn’t into the distinctive texture that ricotta brings to the dessert.

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A few more caveats: I used a 9 x 2-inch layer cake pan for this recipe, or even a springform pan if you don’t mind working the dough further down the higher sides of the pan.

You can use any pasta frolla (pie crust) sweet, short pastry dough recipe you prefer. Mine is generous to allow for a bit of freedom in deciding your pan size, plus I like having a little extra dough in case of a flub, or just to have on hand for miniature crostate or to roll out as cookies.

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Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
10 to 12 servings

Crust can be homemade or store bought.

Homemade Crust:

  • 250 g Flour
  • 100 g Sugar
  • 100 g Butter
  • 1 Large Egg
  • Lemon Zest of half  Lemon
  • Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and work together with your hands until ingredients form into a smooth dough ball. Place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes until cold 0r 10 minutes in the freezer while making the filling.
On a floured board, roll 2/3 of the pasta dough into an 11-inch circle, 1/8th of an inch thick. Transfer the dough to a deep, 9-inch pie plate, or a 9 x 2-inch layer cake pan by rolling the dough around the pin like a carpet and then unrolling it onto the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim the dough to leave a 1/2-inch overhang.  Roll out the remaining pasta frolla into a rectangle at least 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Using a pastry cutter, make 6 or 7 long strips of dough, 3/4-inch wide.  Set aside the strips, they will be added as the last part of the cake lattice work on top of the filling.

FILLING INGREDIENTS

  • 250 grams Sugar
  • 3 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
  • 300 grams Ricotta (cow’s milk only or unsalted goat’s milk)
  • 10 ounces of precooked  whole grain (may substitute with barley) Should be creamy in texture without losing integrity of grain.
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4  tsp of Orange Flower Water (Preferred:  PANEANGELI Aroma Fior d’Arancio per Pastiera Napoletana)
  • 1/4 cup candied fruit (optional)
The Filling may use ready made grain sold in can or glass jar!

For uncooked grain, place  224 grams (8 ounces) grain in a sauce pan over low heat in 1 1/2 cups milk with 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon for 2 hours, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy—the grains will retain their shape, but the rest of the mixture should be soft and smooth and there should be no huge clumps of grain; it should resemble creamy oatmeal. Transfer the grain mixture to a shallow bowl and allow it to cool completely.

  1. Place  in a large bowl eggs and sugar whisk until doubled in size.  Add Ricotta ,Precooked Grain, Vanilla,  Lemon Zest, Orange Flower Water and Candied Fruit, making sure all the ingredients are completely combined. Consistency of batter will be similar to thick pancake batter.

  2. Pour the filling into and carefully arrange  the 6-7 inch length dough strips on top to form a lattice pattern and pinching the edges together with the overhang. Trim all the pastry so that is is even to the top of the pan.

  3.  Bake the pastiera on the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, (rotating it 180° after 20 minutes to ensure even browning). If necessary, you can protect the edges from overbrowning with some strips of aluminum foil.

  4. The pastiera is done when the filling is set but jiggly and the pastry is golden brown. A knife inserted in the center will come out clean. Remove it from the oven and set it to cool on a rack. Allow the pastiera to cool completely, or chill it overnight before cutting it into wedges to serve.