Timballo

Ingredients
1/2 Lb Pizza Crust Dough, (1/4th recipe) dough recipe
1 Lb Ziti pasta cooked very al dente. (pasta will cook more as it bakes in the oven.
4 C Red Gravy or Marinara Sauce
1/2 Lb Italian Sausage cooked in pasta sauce and cut into bite sized pieces. about 1 inch
1 C Ricotta
1 Raw Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Parsley Frakes
1/8 Lb Cooked Bacon strips cut into 1 inch lengths. Browned but not crispy.
20 Slices Pepperoni
3 Hard Boiled Eggs peeled and left whole
2 Tbsp Early sweet peas
1/2 C Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 C Mozzarella
1/4 C Parmesan
6-8 Basil Leaves, Chopped.
Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste

Cook Pasta, drain and mix with 1 cup of sauce and set aside

Prepare Ricotta, whip ricotta with egg, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and Parmesan

Prepare Crust
Proof dough for 1/2 hour then roll out to about a 20-22 inch circle.
Place dough loosely in an 8 1/2 inch springform pan. Let dough fill bottom of pan to edges and overlap rim to fold over when filled.

Spoon a shallow layer of pasta into bottom of crusted pan. spread evenly
Add a ladle of sauce and spread to fill.
Place a layer of bacon over pasta.
Spread ricotta mixture over bacon.
Add layer of pasta
Place sausage pieces on and into pasta.
Sprinkle basil over all
Add enough pasta to even out layer of sausage.
Ladle sauce over layer till filled.
Spread Sliced Mushrooms over layer.
Place hard boiled eggs well spaced on mushrooms
Fill layer with pasta, sprinkle in peas and add some sauce
Cover layer with half of the Mozzarella
Add layer of pepperoni
Add remainder of pasta and cover with remaining Mozzarella.

Close carefully by folding edges of dough up over top all around. Overlap where needed and pinch edges to close

Bake at 450F for 20 - 25 minutes till medium brown.

Let stand 5 minutes then remove spring form pan,
Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes 6 generous servings

Osso Bucco (Braised Italian Veal Shanks)

Ingredients:
3 lbs Veal shanks

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 lg stalk celery, coarsely chopped
5 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 c dry sherry)
1/3 c brandy
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 sprig rosemary
1 Tbsp thyme
1 bay leaf
2 c chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and lemon juice to sprinkle over servings

Prep:
In a large skillet or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, add 2 T olive oil over medium high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper on both sides, then brown them on all sides. When browning is done, remove the shanks to a bowl to be added back in later.

In the same pan, reduce heat to low and add 2 T olive oil and butter.

Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery and garlic. Stir well to coat, then cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. (This will allow the vegetables to release their juices.

Add the Marsala or sherry and the brandy, also the balsamic vinegar. Stir in well, cover again, and let simmer on low for about 6-8 minutes.

Add rosemary, thyme and bay leaves to the simmering vegetables, along with the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and add the shanks and chicken stock. Stir both in well to mix with vegetables.

When broth is boiling, reduce heat to low again and cover. Cook for about 1-1 ½ hours. Veal should be “falling off the bone” tender after an hour or less.
Sprinkle individual servings with parsley and lemon juice

Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes or risotto (rice)
I like it served right over a bed of mashed potatoes

Pasta Piselli (Pasta and Peas)

Simple and Delicious, This dish can be complete in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

1 LB Ditali Pasta (Chili Mac Pasta)
You can use shells or bowties or mini penne
1 Lb Bag Frozen peas
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
Grated Romano or Parmesan

Time the next three steps so they are all done at the same time
-Cook Pasta in pot according to to directions on box in salted water.
-Cook Peas in sauce pan according to directions on bag
-In a skillet lightly brown garlic in olive oil

Drain Pasta, and return pasta to cooking pot
Add peas, (water and all) to pot with pasta
Add Garlic and Oil and Black Pepper. Toss well
Pour entire contents of pot into a Serving bowl

Serve on plates using a solid serving spoon. Make sure each plate gets some of the liquid

Sprinkle with Parmesan
Best served with hearty Italian bread
(encourage your guests to dip the bread into the liquid)

Pork Braciole

Ingredients
2 Lbs Boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 Lb Thin sliced Prociutto
2 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, finely minced
6 Basil leaves chopped coarsely (if using dried basil use about 1 Tbsp.
1/2 C seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan or Asiago
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare Pork
Trim off all fat and pound with meat mallet between two sheets of waxed paper till doubled in size.
About an 1/8 inch thick rectangle.

Prepare Stuffing:
Mix remaining ingredients Except Prociutto in small bowl.

Stuff Bracciole
One by one lay out each slice of pork.
Lay a slice of Prociutto lengthwise on pork slice.
Spread a thin layer of stuffing down loin leaving about 1/4 inch space at edges.
roll braciole up tightly and secure with a toothpick on each end or kitchen string.
Repeat till all pork is used

Cook Bracciole
You have trimmed all the fat. No need to par cook. Just drop braciole in your red gravy or sauce and simmer for about one hour.
They will be tender as butter.

Smother in red gravy, sprinkle with cheese and Serve with the pasta of your choice.
Serves 4 to 6

Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce tho commonly used for pasta can be used in many dishes.
Some use it for seafood or for chicken.
Others use it on vegetables, the possibilities are endless.

Ingredients
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Parmesan Grated or shredded.

Prepare
In a small to medium skillet melt butter over medium low heat.
Stir in cream with whisk and continue to cook will cream begins to scald
Add cheese and whisk continuously till smooth and desired thickness.
Remove from heat and serve.

Crab and Cheese Gnudi

Gnudi means naked in Italian.
They're kind of like a ravioli without the wrapper.

Ingredients
1 Lb Ricotta
6 oz. Crabmeat (white lump preferred)
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
salt pepper and garlic powder to taste
2 cups All purpose flour

Prepare
Combine all ingredients except flour in a mixing bowl.
Mix well with a wire whisk till light and fluffy.
Fold in one cup of flour till combined with crab cheese mixture adding more flour by the tablespoon if needed till mixture is not too sticky to handle.
With floured hands, roll mixture into 1 inch diameter balls.
Coat balls in flour and place in a bowl or pan careful not to let them touch eachother.
Finish by sprinkling more flour over balls.
Place in refrigerator till ready to cook.

Cook
Carefully place balls into salted boiling water. They will not take long so be careful not to overcook as they may become chewy.
Let balls cook till they float to the surface and give them an additional 20 to 30 seconds.
Remove with slotted spoon to serving dish.

Serve with Alfredo Sauce or even with Melted butter with Basil or Sage leaves.

Chinese Spaghetti

Chinese Spaghetti

This dish is a long time family favorite and very easy to do.

 Ingredients

 1 lb Ground Beef

1 lb Ground Beef

5 pkgs Ramen Noodles (it is good that one of them is beef flavor)

1 bunch green onions chopped into quarter inch lengths

1 cup water

2 tbspn Kikoman's Soy Sauce

2 heaping tsp corn starch mixed in 1/2 cup cold water stir well

Directions

In a large sauce pan boil some water for noodles

Brown ground beef in a 12 inch skillet

Drain

Return skillet of beef to stove

Add 1 cup of water heat on medium heat

Remove flavor packets from noodles

Empty one flavor packet to beef and water mixture and stir

Place the noodles in boiling water

(You can save the remaining flavor packets for future use)

Bring beef mixture to slight boil  

Add soy sauce stir and bring back to slight boil

Add corn starch and stir constantly till thickened

Remove from heat and stir in Green Onions

Drain noodles and place on large platter

Cover with beef mixture

Let stand 3 minutes and serve.

5 pkgs Ramen Noodles (it is good that one of them is beef flavor)

1 bunch green onions chopped into quarter inch lengths

1 cup water

2 tbspn Kikoman's Soy Sauce

2 heaping tsp corn starch mixed in 1/2 cup cold water stir well

In a large sauce pan boil some water for noodles

Brown ground beef in a 12 inch skillet

Drain

Return skillet of beef to stove

Add 1 cup of water heat on medium heat

Remove flavor packets from noodles

Empty one flavor packet to beef and water mixture and stir

Place the noodles in boiling water

(You can save the remaining flavor packets for future use)

Bring beef mixture to slight boil  

Add soy sauce stir and bring back to slight boil

Add corn starch and stir constantly till thickened

Remove from heat and stir in Green Onions

Drain noodles and place on large platter

Cover with beef mixture

Let stand 3 minutes

Serve

This dish may be my longest standing creation and the recipe has never changed. It's simple, fast and  those who try it keep making it. I hope you and your family will enjoy it as mine does.

Pumpkin and Basil Ravioli With Tomato and Onion Salsa

Pumkin and Basil Ravioli


Filling
4 c Fresh pumkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
6 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 c Finely chopped red onion
1/2 c Ricotta cheese
1 Beaten egg yolk
1/4 c Grated Parmesan
1 tsp Grated nutmeg
2 Tbsp Chopped Basil (or 1 tbsp dry basil)




Make the Filling
put pumkin in shallow roasting pan with 3 Tbsp oil
season well with salt and pepper and bake in oven @ 375f for 40 minutes or until soft

In a small skillet gently cook onion in remaining olive oil only till tender, Drain.

In a bowl mash pumpkin with onion. Leave to cool

When cool, crumble in ricotta, mix in egg yolk, Parmesan, nutmeg and basil, whisk with fork or wire whisk till well mixed. Season to taste, cover and keep refrigerated.

Make the pasta using basic pasta recipe, (Pasta from Scratch) into long sheets about six inches wide.

Make pasta and roll into long sheets about 6 inchs wide.

Fill Ravioli
If you have a ravioli form and wish to use it fill each well with about 1 teaspoon of filling.
I prefer to form ravioli individually
To form ravioli lay out pasta sheet and starting at about one inch from end of sheet place a well rounded tsp about 1 inch from one side of pasta sheet at with about 1 1/2 inch space between each spoonful continue till you get to opposite edge once more leaving at least an inch of pasta sheet.
Gently fold opposite side of sheet over filling and gently press down between mounds with fingers.
Cut ravioli with pastry wheel or knife.
On a floured surface using a fork, press edges of around fillling to seal ravioli.
Place on cookie sheet and store in freezer till ready to cook

Tomato and Onion Salsa
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Lg Clove Garlic (chopped)
1 cup of fresh ripe tomato cut into cubes
1/2 cup sweet onion diced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp capers (optional)
Lightly Brown Garlic in Olive Oil
Add onion and toss till coated with oil
Add tomato and basil, saute till warm, add capers and toss well

Cook Ravioli in boiling salted water for about five minutes, remove to serving platter with slotted spoon.
Top with Salsa and serve

Pasta from Scratch

Basic Pasta Recipe

2 C All purpose flour
4 Eggs
Chilled Water

Mound flour on a work suface or in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center
Break eggs into well and whisk with fork incorporating flour as you whisk
You may need to add chilled water a few drops at a time to make a loosely massed dough
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, It should be soft pliable and dry to touch
Knead dough for 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Cover with towel and let sit for 30 minutes

Roll out dough
Divide into 4 managable portions
Working one portion at a time. and keeping the rest covered
Flatten dough on floured surface
roll out from center toward edges till 1/4 inch thick then fold in half and roll out again
Do this 5 or six times to achieve a smooth circle of pasta then roll to about 1/8 inch thick sheet.
if pasta is to be filled keep it covered with a lightly floured dish towel and don't let it dry out.
If sheets are to be cut to lengths or shapes, leave uncovered while you work the other portions of the dough,
If using pasta maching work dough through rollers making the setting smaller till desired thickness is reached