Tag Archives: Sauce

Fontina Sauce ( Alfredo ) with Pasta or Gnocchi

Fontina Sauce by itself or accented with favorite vegetables is a tasty dish.

Cream based sauces flavored with butter and cheese are typically more popular in the northern regions of Italy.  While Italy does not have Alfredo sauce (an American sauce), the Fontina Sauce can be served on pasta or gnocchi (a potato based food). Buon Appetito!

Serves 4-6 people. Preparation time for Sauce 6 minutes. Can be prepared while pasta is boiling.

  • 4 Tbsp butter or Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots or onion
  • (OPTIONAL, choose favorite vegetables: asparagus, peas, mushrooms, spinach, thinly sliced peppers, chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 cup  heavy whipping cream (panna)
  • 8 ounces fontina cheese cut into cubes
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Cracked Pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp chopped parsley for presentation

In a large pan, begin to boil water on high heat, once boiling add 2 Tbsp salt to boiling water, add pasta or gnocchi and cook for necessary time. Using a colander drain well from water, then add back into large pan.

Fontina cheese for making a delicious sauce.

Meanwhile water is boiling, place a sauce pan on medium low heat, add butter, shallots or onions (and optional vegetables if desired) allowing to sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft. Pour in heavy whipping cream (panna), add in fontina cheese, parmesan cheese and salt into sauce. Stir until melted about 2 minutes, REMOVE from heat, do not allow to boil to avoid clumping, or burning of the sauce.

Drizzle sauce onto prepared pasta or gnocchi. Gently toss. Serve onto plates and top off with  pepper and parsley for presentation.

Health Disclosure: Individuals who experience high cholesterol are discouraged from including increased dairy intake in their meal plans due to saturated fats found in dairy. This delicious dish, (contains high saturated fat) is best consumed in a reduced amount.

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

Stuffed Grilled Calamari

Spring or Summer, both grilled calamari and calamari with tomato sauce is the perfect dish to be enjoyed as appetizers, or a delightful dinner! Also try Stuffed Calamari Casserole & Salad
INGREDIENTS                                                                                                                     

Stuffing for calamari.

  • 1 pound of whole calamari (May be bought frozen, pre-cleaned. Thaw, rinse and pat dry with paper towel.)
  • 2  cups cubed bread (for stuffing)
  • 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
  • 1/2 cup milk (may need to add a little bit extra milk so that the bread crumbs are moistened)
  • 2 garlic cloves (medium)
  • 1 tablespoons parsley
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Fill each Calamari with prepared stuffing.

In a medium size bowl, beat egg with a fork, add milk and continue to beat with fork for another 20 seconds. Add bread chunks, salt, garlic and parsley. Using a fork or your hands mix all ingredients together. Open end of Calamari tube (optional, head can be left intact) and with your finders begin to stuff cylinder body of calamari 3/4  full. Set aside on a dish. Repeat with rest of calamari.

Grilled

May be placed on a warm grill slightly golden brown, turn often, calamari will cook for a total of 8 minutes .

In Sauce, Stove Top Calamari in Marinara Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion peeled and diced
28 ounce (700 ml)can of  Tomato Sauce (or may substitute with 1/2 bottle white wine, 375 ml)
1/2 cup water (preferably from pasta water which contains starch used for thickening)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano

240 g Fussilli Pasta (cooked) optional

In a skillet pan, over low heat, add olive oil and onion. Allow to become translucent in color, 5 minutes.  Add calamari, allow to become slightly golden turning periodically. Add tomato sauce (or white wine), salt, pepper flakes, oregano. Prop open lid on pan with wooden spoon allow to simmer in sauce for 20 minutes.

If serving over pasta, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and 240 g pasta. Follow directions on box for correct amount of time to cook pasta.

Bolognese

Original meat sauce from Bologna can be served on any pasta of choice served with Parmesan Cheese!

Can be used in Lasagna!

Original Recipe from Bologna, Italy

2 Carrot’s diced
2 Celery stalks diced
1 Onion diced
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 pound ground meat
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
2 28 ounces tomato sauce (unseasoned)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt

In a separate large pan combine vegetables, meat and oil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break to pieces the

Sofritto! The base for Bolognese and Lasagna Recipes

ground beef and to combine with vegetables. Add wine and cover for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to Medium low, add sauce, milk, water and salt, cover with pan lid slightly tilted for vapor to escape. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add basil leaves allow to cook another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

 

Serve with favorite pasta and top with Parmesan Cheese!

Consider using this recipe in Lasagna recipes. Add 1 extra 28 oz (700 ml) of sauce for a count of 3 + 1 cup of water!

Lasagna Recipes in Eat Know How

Lasagna & Meatballs   http://eatknowhow.com/2011/03/05/lasagna-with-meatballs/

Southern Italian Lasagna  http://eatknowhow.com/2010/03/17/southern-italian-or-tuscan-lasagna/

Simple Lasagna (meatless) http://eatknowhow.com/2010/11/03/simple-lasagna/

Vegetarian Lasagna (meatless)   http://eatknowhow.com/2011/03/05/vegetarian-lasagna/

Southern Italian Lasagna

Delicious Italian Lasagna commonly served in Southern Italy. Buon Appetito!

Lasagna in an hour!

1 Carrot’s diced
1 Celery stalks diced
1/2 Onion diced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/2 pound ground meat
2 28 ounces tomato sauce (unseasoned)
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups Mozzarella Cheese (shredded) 250 g freshly cut Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 box Barilla Lasagna

*Optional: Consider enhancing your Lasagna providing a slight creamy taste and reducing the tomato flavor.
Additional foods that will make your dining experience more tasty:
1 hard boiled egg. Peeled sliced and added into a layer of the lasagna.
6 slices. ham Place ham slices into lasagna and reduce salt granule’s by 1/2 tsp.
6-10 Basil Leaves or (1/2 tsp dried basil) Steps up the meaning of Party!

If adding in the egg slices for additional protein: On high heat, place a sauce pan with 2 cups of water and uncooked egg. Allow to boil for 15 minutes.

In a separate large pan combine vegetables, meat and oil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break to pieces the ground beef and to combine with vegetables. Add wine and cover for 5 minutes. Reduce to medium-low heat.  Add sauce, milk, water and salt.  Placing a wooden spoon on top of pan, place lid so that is slightly tilted which will allow for water vapor to escape. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add basil leaves. Turn off stove and remove from heat.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F or 180 C.

In a 9×11 cake size pan add to bottom of pan 3-4 large ladles of sauce. Add 4 pasta sheets distributed side by side in pan. Add 2-3 ladles of  sauce to cover pasta. Place on a layer of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of parmesan (OPTIONAL: place egg slices all over sauce covered pasta.)
Add second layer of 4 pasta sheets distribute so they are side by side. Pour 2-3 ladles of  sauce to cover pasta. Place on a layer of 6 mozzarella slices. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of parmesan (OPTIONAL: evenly distribute ham slices)
Add third layer of 4 pasta sheets distributed side by side in pan. Pour 2-3 ladles of  sauce to cover pasta. Place on a layer of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of parmesan.
Add fourth layer of 4 pasta sheets distributed side by side in pan. Pour 2-3 ladles of  sauce to cover pasta. Place on a layer of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on 2-3 tablespoons of parmesan.

SECRET TRICK to ensure perfect lasagna! Look at the constructed lasagna in the baking pan. The sauce on the side of the lasagna should stop and not elevate past the side of the third pasta layer. There is sauce on the fourth layer with cheese; you are looking for about 1/4 inch of space between the fluid which stops at the third layer and does not rise to the last layer. It will be “soupy” if the sauce on the side of the lasagna completely evens out with the fourth layer.

Place in oven and allow to bake covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and allow lasagna to cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to sit and cool down for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.