Tag Archives: Italian Recipes

2 Simple Spaghetti Sauces

Easy and Flexible. This sauce can be used for many dishes.

1. Pair this sauce with Spaghetti or any other pasta and top off with parmesan cheese.
2. Try serving the sauce over orecchiette and grating Ricotta Dura on top. A saltier and freshly made to serve cheese.
3. Serve sauce over white rice and parmesan cheese. Delicious!
4. Also as main sauce in Ragu. For Lasagna or Cannelloni (mozzarella cheese)  Authentic Ragu` Italian Sauce

Delicious Tomato Basil Sauce for the Eggplant Parmigiana

Delicious Tomato Basil Sauce for the Eggplant Parmigiana

Simple Spaghetti Basil & Tomato Sauce (Onion Based) serves 5-6
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
28 oz or 720 grams  Tomato Sauce ( De Cecco or Fratelli)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
8 Basil leaves

In a medium size pan, sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium low. Add tomato sauce, salt, milk (helps to reduce acidity of sauce which comes from the processed seeds.) Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add basil leaves to sauce at end of simmering time.

For nice presentation of dish pinch 2-4 leaves off basil plant and place on pasta dish.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

 

Marinara Sauce (Garlic Based) Serves 3 

  • 1/4 c. Olive Oil
  • 1 garlic clove peeled and minced (there are 2 garlic cloves in this recipe)
  • 14 oz Tomato Sauce (only Ripened Tomatoes)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt (salt to individual taste)
  • 1/8  tsp oregano
  • 1/8 tsp parsley
  •  pinch of red pepper flakes (1/16 – 1/8 tsp)
  • 1 garlic peeled and minced (for a hint of garlic taste) optional


In a saucepan, sauté garlic in olive oil over low heat for 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, water, milk and salt. Allow to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic clove minced and allow to simmer another 5 minutes of preparation.

Serve over favorite prepared pasta.

Cannelloni with Beef, Pork or Poultry

Tasty Tomato Basil Sauce
1 medium onion
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 28 oz tomato sauce
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
10 Basil leaves

In a medium size pan, sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium low.
Add tomato sauce, salt, milk (helps to reduce acidity of sauce which comes from the processed seeds.)
Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Add basil leaves to sauce at end of simmering time.

For cannelloni
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion diced
1 garlic close minced
1 pound (450 grams) of ground meat of choice: beef, pork or poultry
1 tsp dried or 2 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 pound (225 grams) diced into small pieces mozzarella
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 box Cannelloni or Pasta Shells

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
200 grams Mozzeralla cut into clices

In a frying pan over medium heat add oil, garlic and onion; saute for 4 minutes. Add ground meat and with a wooden spoon break to pieces so that there are no large clumps and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and drain meat in colander, allow to sit over a bowl or pan so that meat pieces are not lost though colander holes.
In a large bowl slightly beat two eggs with fork. Add mozzarella cheese, meat, salt parsley. Mix together with large spoon or hands.

In a large cake pan (9×11) spread 1 cup of sauce.

Take uncooked cannelloni shells and fill with meat and cheese mixture. Place stuffed shells on sauce in the pan. Fill first layer with the rest of stuffed uncooked pasta shells slightly space apart. Ladle rest of sauce over the shells. Top off with 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and slices of mozerrala. Cover dish with tin foil and allow to bake on 350F or 180 C for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Italian Strawberries and Cream

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream.
Strawberries are combined with tangy and sweet balsamic vinegar and creamy ricotta in this quick and simple dessert.

INGREDIENTS
1 c ricotta cheese (drained of liquid)
1 T honey 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
3 T Balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T brown sugar 16 oz strawberries, (leaves and stems removed) and quartered
1 T fresh basil, cut into fine ribbons

DIRECTIONS
Open container of ricotta cheese, empty ricotta into colander (sat onto a plate for liquid to collect) by turning container upside down and and allow ricotta to gently slide onto colander so that drains of all liquid (about 15 minutes then discard liquid).
Spoon 1 cup of cheese into a mixing bowl of a food processor. Add honey and vanilla. Process for 1 minute until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, heat for 3 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl combine the strawberries and basil with vinegar mixture. Divide equally among 4 glasses. Top with ricotta cream. Serve chilled.

Number of Servings: 4

Chicken Marsala

Easy to prepare, delicious to eat!

1 pound chicken breast (butterflied)
1 cup Semolina Flour or 1 cup bread crumbs in bowl and set aside
1/3 cup light olive or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp butter
Seasoning: 1/8 tsp or “A Pinch” each per chicken slice: Sage, Pepper and Salt

Marsala Sauce

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1-2 Portabella Mushrooms
  • 1/2 tsp each: Sage, Pepper and Salt (if needed, add to taste.)
  • 1 tsp flour
  • 1 cup DRY Marsala (suggested FLORIO MARSALA).  i.e. (Sweet or SemiSecco Marsala ONLY for baked goods.)
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley Chopped (or 1/2 Tbsp dried parsely) for presentation

Optional: 1 pint heavy whipping cream, or 1 cup milk. Provides for a creamy sauce to serve over Tortellini pasta.
Optional: Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for pasta.

Begin with filleting chicken breast. Place knife along the length of the chicken breast while placing the other hand on top as you carefully slide knife through the length of the chicken.  Gently open the top flap of breast allowing for easy movement of cutting the meat. Once chicken has been butterflied open you may choose to leave it as a large fillet or, cut it in half to obtain 2 chicken slices.

Place skillet on low heat add oil and butter allow to warm for 3 minutes. DO NOT let the ingredients come to a “smoke point”, it will change the flavor of  your dish.

Dredge (cover) each chicken breast in Semolina Flour OR Bread Crumbs allowing it to cook about 3 minutes on each side. Season with salt, pepper and sage. Remove browned chicken and set aside.

Allow pan to cool about 4 minutes and wipe clean with paper towel.

Marsala Sauce
Return pan to low heat and add olive oil, onions, mushrooms and seasonings. Cover pan and allow to saute for 5 minutes. Add to  vegetables flour and stir. Add  Marsala and stir. Allow to simmer for 1 minutes. ( May add heavy whipping cream and allow to simmer together for another 5 minutes.)  Top off with chopped parsely for taste, color and presentation. Add chicken to sauce and allow to simmer on low heat for 2 minutes.

Can serve by itself, with pasta or, with salad.

Beauty of Wine and Grape Juice

The presence and evidence of wine has been traced to the first and second millennium in China and from there, production of wine has been found to also exist during 5000-6000 BC in the Mid-East.  Wine evolved and technology began to advance during the Roman Empire as vineyards were cultivated and wine was stored and shipped in barrels.  Today, researchers provide us with the latest DNA results concerning the progress of the fruit and it’s spirit.

After much DNA research on grapes in the countries of Australia, France and Italy the studies have concluded that the next two-four years of wine production should be exceptional due to the optimal quality of the grape. “The cultivated heterozygous grape species, Vitis vinifera, has potential to become a model for fruit trees genetics after determining it’s genome sequencing”, according to the IASMA Research Center, San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy.   Agriculturalists will benefit from this research by quickly identifying and reducing the number of micro-organisms or parasites that are bringing harm to the plant, allowing the farmers to produce a more stable product.  The consumers can look forward to a higher quality wine, which will be more readily available.

Italian wines have consistently outpaced the French and Spanish wines over the past few years. Recent statistics released in a survey done in Los Angeles, CA have shown young Americans and women to perfer: Chianti Classico, Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige and Friuli), Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello.  However, countries that are competing for a place in the local cantina are: Africa, Argentina and Portugual.  All who have found ways to provide a table wine that will elegantly enhance the simplest to priciest of dinners.

              Recent information in the media presents the  medicinal benefits of wine and juice content of fruit (i.e. Minute Maid), which comes from a chemical compound called Resveratrol (also found in peanuts, soy, cranberries, blueberries, and Itadori tea which maybe a good substitute for red wine) linking it to possible human longevity.  What is known about resveratrol is that it is produced in the skin of red/purple grapes and it’s main purpose is to operate as an anti-fungal agent or an anitbiotic.  It transfers to the juice of the fruit during crushing and fermentation. It’s typically found in red wines, but not white wines. 

Resveratrol is a phenolic compound that can be found where grapes grow in colder climates such as: Northern CA, MI, Canada and North European countries.  This is because rainfall is more and sunlight is less, hence the need for resveratrol to fight against developing fungi.

Medicinal resveratrol has been evident when 1 glass of wine is consumed daily, permitting the blood cells to smoothly pass each other instead of sticking to one another and creating potential blood clots that lead to heart disease. According to the AWRI (Australian Wine Research Institute), Resveratrol is being studied to determine it’s effect on damaged DNA and how it may act as an anti-cancer agent. “It appears related to anti-oxidation, where resveratrol may prevent and repair damage to DNA associated with the initiation of cancer, as well as acting to prevent the growth and proliferation of cancer cells, both at the gene and cell level.”

One cup serving of grapes yields: 57 calories, 6 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 2 mg of sodium, 1 gram of dietary fiber and vitamins A and C.

One glass of red wine yields: 4 oz 85 calories, sodium 6 mg, total carbohydrates 2 g.

by: Kimberly Crocker Scardicchio

Global Literature Research

  1. Perspectives in Nutrition, Sixth Edition Wardlow, Hampl, DiSilvestro
  2. Fundementals of Anatomy & Physiology 6th Edition, F. Martini
  3. pubmed.gov PLoS ONE. 2007 Dec 19;2(12):e1326.
  4. http://www.awri.com.au/industry_development/wine_and_health/faqs/
  5. http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/news/ng.asp?n=66631-grape-genome-wine
  6. http://194.177.100.52/comunicati/doc/2350-gbChiusuraVinitalyUs07.doc
  7. Pubmed Jennifer Burns, Takao Yokota, Hiroshi Ashihara, Michael E. J. Lean, and Alan Crozier*Plant Products and Human Nutrition Group, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IBLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, U.K., Department of Human Nutrition, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Queen Elizabeth Building, Glasgow, G31 2ER, U.K., Department of Biosciences, Teikyo University, Utsunomiya 320-8551, Japan, and Metabolic Biology Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan