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

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)

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