Tag Archives: Cooking

Lasagna with Meatballs

“The history of the name of these noodles is actually quite interesting. “Lasagna” is derived from the Greek lasanon, which means “chamber pot.” The Romans borrowed the word to refer to cooking pots of a similar shape, and eventually the word came to be used to refer to the noodles which were traditionally layered in a lasanum, a Roman lasagna dish. Many people are unaware of the humble origins of the name for this popular Italian food, which means that you can trot it out at your next dinner party and look impressive.”

Ragu`

1 onions
1/4 cup Olive oil
2oo g sausages
500 g of hamburger meat (halved 250 g each. Reserve half for Ragu` and half for meatballs.)
1/2 cup red wine
2 28 ounce cans of tomato sauce or 700 ml Tomato sauce.  (reserve 1/3 cup sauce to use with ricotta or cottage cheese)
2/3 cup water
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 box Barilla Lasagna Pasta Sheets
1/3 cup canola oil
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley
Reserved 1/3 cup tomato sauce
250 g ricotta or cottage cheese
200 g mozzarella sliced
Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F or 190 C.

In a large pan over medium heat saute` onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add ground sausage and 250 g. of hamburger meat. Working quickly with a wooden spoon break apart the the meats until they resemble meat crumbs about 4 minutes. Add wine, allow to come to vapor, 1 minute.  Add Tomato sauce with 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup milk and salt to taste. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Stir occassionally, for 10 minutes.

Prepare the meat balls.
In a seperate pan, warm canola oil over low heat. Then quickly start meatballs. In a bowl, add250 g hamburger meat, garlic and parsley working with hands to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
Shape into meatballs the size of a cherry and fry in oil until outerside is slightly hard. (5 minutes)

Ricotta and Sauce
Mix the ricotta with a ladle of sauce ‘Working with a fork combine sauce and ricotta until creamy (1 minute)
Assembling Pasta Layers for Lasagna
In a deep roasting pan, pour three ladles of sauce to thoroughly cover the bottom of pan.
Place a layer of pasta add three ladles of meat sauce.
Place a layer of pasta. Then spread the ricotta.
Place a layer of pasta, then three more  ladles of meat sauce, add the diced mozzarella.
Place a layer of pasta layer with three ladles of sauce, add meat balls as well.
Place a layer of pasta and four ladles of sauce.
Top off with mozzarella slices and Parmesan Cheese
Lightly Cover pan with aluminum foil, leaving space between cheese and foil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, let stand for twenty minutes so that ‘everything is’ congeals’ a bit before dividing into the portions.

History of Lasagna  http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-lasagne.htm

Gatto` di Patate (Potato Pie)

500 g potatoes
50 g soft butter
2 eggs
1 / 2 cup milk
70 g ham ( 3-5 slices)
150 g provolone (8slices)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp salt

Boil the potatoes in their skins (or cook in microwave).
While still warm, peel them and pass them to the crushing potatoes. Place them in a bowl.

Add butter and mix until ‘is completely dissolved, then add the eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese and coarsely chopped or slices of  ham. Add salt.

Grease a baking dish (20-22 cm in diameter) and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Make a layer with the mixture of potatoes.
Then one of provolone slices and ham slices
Cover with remaining potatoes.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs, a small amount of parmesan and a few slices of provolone and drizzle olive oil on top.

Bake already ‘hot about 190 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until’ the surface is golden brown.

Remove from oven and wait a half hour before serving.

Stuffed Clams or Mussels

Stuffed mussels or clams, open-faced or absorbed in tomato sauce makes for great finger foods.

A favorite seafood lovers dish.  You will serve this as an appetizer or part of the main course
using the sauce over fettucine or linguine pasta.  Have more fun with this dish by preparing it with a friend, child or spouse.

2 pounds (1 kilo) Mussels or Clams (bathe in a bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours in order for sand to be expelled from inside shells.)
1/2 cup water
Stuffing. Needed supply: 4 inch (10 cm) cut string for cooking string (cotton butchers twine). Will need about 20 pre-cut strings.
2 1/2 cups cubed bread (for stuffing)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Sauce
1 medium onion diced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 28 ounces cans of unseasoned tomato sauce

Directions for expelling sand from shellfish.

Pre-soak clams or mussels for 2 hours in cold water so that they expel the sand from their shells.

Directions for making stuffed shellfish
Scrub the shells with a kitchen brush or metal scrubber (no soaps or detergent). It’s okay for some algae to still be attached to the shell.
Over medium heat, place a large pan and add 1/2 cup water with all the cleaned mussels or clams, cover pan and allow shells to open. About 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl add bread crumbs, egg, salt, garlic and parsley. Using a fork or your hands mix all ingredients together.

Turn off heat on the stove and reserve water in the pan by taking the opened mussels or clams one at a time from the pan. If some have not opened leave them in pan and cover with lid. They will continue to open.
Place one tablespoon of stuffing into each mussel or clam. With one hand close shell with seafood and stuffing inside. While with the other hand the string is wrapped two times around the closed shell and knotted, or bow-tied.

In a large pan over medium heat, add onion and oil allow to saute for 4 minutes.
Slowly pass about 3/4 of the reserved water from the musssels into a bowl.  Stop the filtering process as any debris (sand) starts to float toward the sieve.  The debris will naturally be the last to float to the top. Discard the last bit of water.  Add the 3/4 filtered, reserved mussel/clam water to the pan with the sauteed onions and mussles.
Add all of the stuffed and tied clams or mussels with tomato sauce. Add 1/2 tsp salt to taste and allow to simmer in sauce for 20 minutes. Mussels will be served in a bowl, use fingers or fork and knife to remove string. The sauce may be added to cooked linguine or fettucine pasta. Top off with chopped parsley for presentation!

Calzone

Great for appetizers, lunches, picnics!!!
Handmade dough that can be baked or fried is listed at the half way point of the recipe. For baking only a store bought dough is an easy way to make Calzone without investing into the dough making, by simply substituting it with Pasta Sfoglia (2 Pastry Sheets) purchased from your local grocery store in the freezer or refrigerator departments.  Please scroll to “Home Made Dough” to follow original recipe.

Calzone
Serves 4-6
Preparation time 8 minutes, Baking time 15 minutes
Preheat oven to 400 F or 180 C.

On a clean baking sheet unroll first pastry sheet (may throw out parchment paper or place it on baking sheet with pastry sheet on top).  Add suggested fillings. Close sides of dough and place in oven for 20 minutes.

HOME MADE DOUGH: Follow this recipe for ultimate Calzone Dough La Focaccia Italiana

Pinch sides of dough to close the calzone. Place in oven to bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

FOR DEEP FRIED PANZEROTTI:  If deep frying, to make the Panzerotti, pour the contents of an entire bottle of Canola Oil into a deep pan and heat up on medium heat for 6 minutes. Carefully add the calzone/panzerotto to the oil, with a metal slotted spoon turn in oil for 3 minutes. When golden remove and place onto a paper towel to remove the oil, then onto a baking sheet and into a warmed oven (350 F) to keep them warm while making the other Panzerotti.

Suggested Fillings for calzone.

Ricotta and Spinach
250 g Ricotta
20 leaves spinach (washed and patted dry)
1 Egg slightly beaten
Combine all ingredients. With a spatula layer pastry sheet with filling. Unroll second pastry sheet and lay on top of ricotta filling.

Leeks and Dried Cranberries
4 Leeks thinly sliced and soaked in water. Carefully remove leek slices by hand from the water so that the dirt will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup milk
250 g mozzarella diced
4 Tbsp  choose any or all dried cranberries, raisins, dried apricots, or prunes, olives. (slice larger pieces)

After leaks have been washed, place into a large pan on medium heat and allow to with olive oil for 5 minutes then add milk and salt. Cook on stove top for about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour leeks into a colander to drain fluid. Return leeks to pan and add mozzarella, dried cranberries salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out dough about 1/2 cm thinkness.

Roll out first “Pastry Sheet” and place on to a baking sheet, layer with leek filling, then place second pastry sheet on top. Pinch the sides of the pastry  sheets together to close. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tuna and Sundried Tomato’s
120 g Tuna from cans
2 eggs
1/4 onion peeled and diced
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes diced
1/4 cup walnuts
100 g mozzarella diced

Place pastry sheet on to a clean baking sheet. Combine all ingredients. Layer filling on to a pastry sheet. Place second pastry sheet on layered filling and pinch pastry sheet edges together to close. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Filling For Panzerotti

Combine sliced San Marzano (Whole Peeled) Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Oregano and place into center of dough, (juice from the tomatoes that come out of the side of the closed dough will result in hot oil splatter, be careful not to put an abundance!)  Carefully, close and place into hot oil.

Brown 3/4 cup sausage and 3/4 cup hamburger. Drain fat and cool for 10 minutes. Combine browned meat with 1 minced garlic and mozzarella. Place into center of dough, close well and add to hot oil.

La Focaccia Italiana

Most requested Italian Recipe!  Dalla cucina italiana…Buon Appettito!!!    

Delicious Focaccia from Puglia!

FOCACCIA…

A thick airy crust that can be served warm or cold. Very simple to make and can be prepared by hand, or with a kitchen mixer by using the bread hook and setting the mixer on stir in 5 minutes. The dough rises only for 1 hour and is ready for toppings and to placed in the oven where it takes only 15 minutes to bake!


Ingredients needed: Flour, Sugar, Water, Milk, Boiled Potato, Salt, Olive Oil, Butter, Yeast.  Those in the states will likely use Dry/ Dry Active Yeast, while in Europe Fresh Yeast (beer yeast)  is more readily available. I using Fresh Yeast skip to part two.  

FYI:  Careful to not combine hot milk or salt directly to the yeast as they will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise. 

Part One  In a bowl combine together with a fork the following ingredients and allow the starter dough to sponge for 20 minutes.  

  • 1 package  dry yeast ( for 1 cube beer yeast se recipe below as yeast is mixed directly in to flour with no preparation)
  • 1/3 cup warm water  ( room temperature to 110 F or 43 C)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp sugar

The yeast mixture should have bubbled and increased in size.

Peel and boil 1 small potato, allow to cool.  Mash with a fork. The potato

Dough will rise to double it’s original slice and be supple to the touch

provides extra levitation to the dough and gives a nice crunch to the crust.  Potato to be added in Part Two.

Part Two

  • Yeast Starter or 1 cube fresh beer yeast crumbled,
  • 2 ¼ cup flour (500 grams)
  • 1 Potato, peeled, boiled, mashed (optional)
  • 1 c warm milk (110 F or 43 C) (or may substitute with water)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in large bowl: Yeast, Flour, Potato, Milk, Salt  May use dough hook, kneading for 5 minutes, or knead by hand. Knead dough until texture of dough is supple and elastic, not sticky, for about 5 minutes. With a small amount of oil on your hands gently spread the oil onto dough ball, place into a large bowl and loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap, setting aside in a warm area to rise for 1 hours. 

 Part Three  Pre-Heat oven to 425 F

Generously grease cookie sheet with 1 tsp of butter.

Place risen dough onto cookie sheet and extend dough into any round or square form.

TOPPINGS

  1. Traditional Preparation: halved cherry tomatoes, inverted and gently pushed into extended dough.  Sprinkle on top of dough:   1/8 tsp oregano, 1 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt, 1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, Drizzle ¼ cup Olive Oil.
  2. Try Focaccia with sliced onions spread over dough and gently pressed into dough with fingers. Add 1/8 tsp Oregano, 1/8 teaspoon Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt, 1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese

Bake in preheated oven at 425 F  for 15 minutes. Before serving drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil over Focaccia for extra flavor.


By Kimberly Crocker

BUON APPETTITO!!!