Tag: mangia

Bowtie pasta with salmon

Pasta with Salmon

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Pasta with salmon is a delicious pasta dish with salmon, sundried tomatoes, and capers. You can either use fresh or canned salmon, or smoked salmon, which is what I prefer. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can either use milk or cream cheese (for a tangy, creamier consistency). I also like to use short pasta, and sundried tomatoes that have been preserved in olive oil.

Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients

1/2 lb penne, rigatoni or farfalle pasta
1 T olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3-4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
5 oz tomato sauce (or to your liking)
1-2 T heavy cream or cream cheese
4 oz smoked salmon with dill, broken up into bite-size pieces
2 tsp capers
salt, to taste

  1. in a large pot, cook the pasta according to directions on box, drain, and set aside.
  2. in a large pan, sauté shallot in olive oil until a little translucent, then add the garlic, stirring.
  3. add sundried tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring so as not to burn.
  4. add cream or cream cheese and stir until completely mixed.
  5. add salmon and stir.
  6. add capers and salt to taste.
  7. throw in the pasta and stir until coated, being careful not to break up the salmon any more.
  8. sprinkle with parsley or chopped scallion on pasta with salmon before serving.

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Fresh tomato and mozzarella pizza

Mangia Che Ti Fa Bene!! (Eat It, It’s Good For You!)

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There’s nothing quite like eating a panino (small sandwich) of prosciutto sliced thinly and mouth-watering mozzarella made from buffalo milk, usually still warm when you buy it, while listening to the birds singing and the scent of jasmine and oleander wafting through the air. Just the thought of that makes me want to close my eyes and go, “Ahhhhhhhhhh…”, as I am transported back to Selvacava, standing on the balcony of my father’s house, looking at the other towns across the valley on a sunny summer day.

View from the balcony of my dad's house in Selvacava, province of Frosinone

View from the balcony of my dad’s house in Selvacava, province of Frosinone

A lot can be said about Italian cuisine. For one thing, the idea that Italians cook with a lot of garlic is not true. Garlic has a wonderful taste but it should not overpower the main ingredients of the dish. Also, Italians (in Italy) don’t eat spaghetti with their meatballs. The meat usually is eaten after the pasta, as the main course.

In fact, much of what Americans consider to be Italian dishes actually originated in the United States with the many immigrants who came here from Italy at the end of the 1800’s to the early 1900’s. These Italians were mostly poor and once they saw that they could actually buy foods here that were out of the question in Italy because they were so expensive, they adapted their dishes to include all these delicious meats, fish, etc.

But, getting back to real Italian cuisine, it can be traced back to before the Roman Empire, over 2,000 years ago. It started out as Etruscan, but was greatly influenced by the Greeks. It has evolved much over the years with influences from such places as Northern Africa as well as Northern Europe. Northern Italian cuisine has been influenced by Germanic culture, while Southern Italy was influenced by the Arabs. As Italy formed independent city-states during the Middle Ages, each region developed its own cuisine, which is why there are so many differences in typical dishes from one area of Italy to another.

It is believed that what is known today as French cuisine was actually inspired and built upon Italian cuisine. It was introduced to France in the 1600’s by Catherine de’ Medici, of the wealthy and prominent Medici family that came to power in Florence in the 13th century, who brought her personal chefs with her when she married King Henry II.

Today’s Italian cuisine varies from region to region. Because the climate is colder the farther north you go and, therefore, olive groves are scarce, olive oil is not used as much to cook with in the north, but rather the dishes are cooked in butter or lard. Cream or cheese sauces, such as pesto, are popular instead of tomato sauces since most of the dairy farms can be found in regions such as Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna. Polenta and creamy risotto dishes are common, as is filled pasta such as ravioli and tortellini, and game meat dishes, such as rabbit, and osso buco.

Italian Mushroom risotto

Mushroom risotto

In the south, olive oil is almost always used to cook with, and the sauces are mostly tomato based and spicy, eg. pasta all’arrabbiata. Agriculture plays a major part in the food industry here due to the warmer climate, as well as fresh seafood. Dried pasta is eaten every day, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits are grown in this part of Italy, along with wheat, olives, figs and peaches.  The meat dishes tend to be of lamb, mutton, or pork.

Prepared lamb with rosemary

Prepared lamb with rosemary, ready for cooking.

The cuisine from central Italy is what the rest of the world knows as Italian food. It is very simply made with few ingredients. The sauces are mostly tomato based and foods are cooked in olive oil. Meat dishes, as well as dried or fresh pasta, are eaten daily. This is where most of the well known cheeses and cured meats come from.

Making fresh pasta

Fresh pasta

Hanging Italian prosciutto

Hanging prosciutto

And by the way, it’s not gravy, it’s sugo (tomato sauce) or ragu (meat sauce)!

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Thanksgiving turkey, Italian style

Thanksgiving Turkey, Italian Style

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(Updated 11/2023)

Thanksgiving at my house has always been a wonderful occasion. Even though it is an American tradition, my mother managed to add an Italian flavor to it by including a pasta dish, along with the typical side dishes of cranberry sauce, regular potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes. Although she is long gone, we still keep up the tradition.

She would cook the stuffing the night before but still put it in the raw turkey on Thanksgiving so that it would absorb all the juices of the turkey as it roasted in the oven. I know everyone says not to stuff the raw turkey because you can get sick from the bacteria, but I am still here and still making the turkey the same way she always did!

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The stuffing is made with chicken gizzards which sounds odd but, trust me, it is very tasty. I also add some dried salami cut up into little cubes, but that can be left out if you feel it is too overpowering. The amounts used in this recipe are approximate. I don’t usually measure the ingredients, I go by what looks good. And don’t forget to always wash your hands with warm water and soap after handling any raw poultry, including the gizzards.

If you are using a frozen turkey, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator to reduce shrinkage. This can take approximately 24 hours per 5 lbs. Always use a smaller sized turkey because the smaller ones are younger and so the meat is more tender and juicy, and never use a pre-basted turkey. Before placing the turkey in the oven, cover it with bacon strips and lemon slices to give it that extra zing. (I love to eat the crispy bacon as soon as the turkey comes out of the oven!) Do not cover it with aluminum foil because it will create steam and you will not get a crispy outer skin, and never roast it in an oven less than 325°.

It takes around 3 to 4 hours to roast a 10 to 12 lb. turkey, or about 20 minutes per 1 lb. You know it’s ready when the thermometer that comes embedded in the turkey pops out, or if using a regular thermometer, the temperature should be greater than 180°.

The regular potatoes are added to the roasting pan after the turkey starts to brown. These potatoes are then served with the pasta. Yes, it is a very starchy meal, but it is so good that I would rather eat the pasta than the turkey!

Serves about 10 people
Ingredients
10 to 12 lb turkey
stuffing
10 potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
2 jars of Heinz or Franco-American turkey gravy
paprika
7 to 8 bacon slices
1 lemon, sliced
2 c white wine (or beer), approximately
1 box of medium shell pasta (You can make more than one box but then you will fill up on pasta and not eat anything else, which is what happens to me!)

For the stuffing:
3 1/2 to 4 lbs of chicken gizzards
olive oil
4 to 6 small cloves of garlic
1 onion, chopped
dried oregano
dried thyme
3 c breadcrumbs, approximately
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
dried salami, small cubes, to taste
olives, black or green, pitted, to taste
1 tsp capers
sweet peppercorns, according to taste
salt, to taste
The night before:

  1. Rinse the chicken gizzards and either cook in a pressure cooker for about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, or boil in a large pot for about 1 hour until tender. Save some of the broth.
  2. Cut up the gizzards into small pieces.
  3. In a large pan, cover the bottom with olive oil and sauté the garlic; add the gizzards and sauté for another 5 minutes.
  4. Shut the heat off and remove from stove.
  5. Add remaining ingredients, with enough breadcrumbs so that it is not too dry and not too moist. If it is too dry, add some of the broth that you reserved, making sure not to add too much because if it is too wet, it will be like mud when it is cooked in the turkey.

For the turkey:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. Rinse the turkey and sprinkle salt and paprika all over it. Spoon the stuffing into the turkey.
  3. Tie the legs with string and tuck the wings under the turkey. Place in a roasting pan with a little bit of olive oil on the bottom of the pan.
  4. Place bacon strips and lemon slices over the turkey (above photo).
  5. Place in preheated oven uncovered. When you see that the turkey and juices are sizzling, reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
  6. After about 1 1/2 hours in the oven, when the turkey has some color, add the potatoes, gravy, and 1 cup of white wine. If the gravy starts to get dry, add more white wine, but no more than 2 cups total. You can add the leftover broth from the chicken gizzards or water after that. Baste the turkey with the gravy every once in a while so that it doesn’t dry up and burn.
  7. When the embedded thermometer pops out, the turkey is done. You can also stick a thermometer in the thigh and check that it is over 180°, making sure that the thermometer does not touch the bone because bone is a good conductor of heat and the temperature will be higher than the meat itself. Another way to tell it’s done is if the drumstick can be pulled away from the rest of the turkey.

    Roasted Turkey

    Roasted Turkey

  8. Remove the turkey from the oven and let stand for about 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving. In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
  9. Place the turkey on a plate large enough to accommodate the size of the turkey. Remove some of the potatoes that are still whole, and some of the gravy and drippings and set aside to serve with the turkey.
  10. Mix the cooked pasta with the remaining broken up potatoes and gravy in the roasting pan. Add more gravy or potatoes, depending on your taste, and serve.
Pasta with potatoes

Pasta with potatoes

Struffoli, sweet fried dough balls covered in honey and sprinkles

Struffoli

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Struffoli are little sweet fried dough balls covered in honey and sprinkles, and sometimes with candied fruit. They are usually served during the holidays, especially during the Christmas season and Easter. It has a long history, originally created by the nuns of Naples to give as a thank-you gift to the aristocracy for their charitable donations to the poor.

About 15 servings

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
4 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 T baking powder
vegetable oil for frying
1 small jar of honey (or to your liking)
1 tsp lemon juice (can leave out)
candy sprinkles

  1. in a large bowl, whisk the eggs until completely mixed.
  2. add the sugar and vanilla and mix.
  3. in a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
  4. cut pieces of butter and add to the flour and mix with your hands.
  5. slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Use either a spoon or your hands to mix the dough. You can knead the dough on a cutting board if you feel it helps but make sure to sprinkle some flour first onto the board. Let dough rest in a cool, dry place for a little while.
  6. roll out dough onto a floured surface into long, thin rolls.
  7. cut the dough into 1/2 inch chunks and roll them into little balls.
  8. drop them into a large frying pan filled with hot oil in batches and fry until they are golden brown, then remove each batch using a slotted spoon.
  9. in a saucepan, heat the honey (with the lemon juice, if desired) and drop the fried dough balls in a little bit at a time. Stir until they are all coated with honey.
  10. remove the struffoli from the saucepan and arrange them onto a plate and sprinkle with candy sprinkles.

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Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce (Pasta Sauce)

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Tomato sauce (pasta sauce, or some people call it gravy) is considered to be one of the five “mother sauces” that all cooks should know how to make, along with béchamel, velouté, hollandaise, and espagnole. If you can make these sauces, you can make any variations of them for every type of cuisine.

I like to use fresh herbs when they’re available but you can use dried herbs also. Just remember that dried herbs have a more concentrated and powerful flavor and so the quantities need to be adjusted (use more fresh herbs, less dried herbs). I add them in the beginning so that the sauce absorbs their flavors as it simmers.

I make either marinara, which is plain tomato sauce, ragù, which is a meat sauce (add meatballs, chicken pieces or sausages), or seafood (puttanesca, zuppa di pesce, etc.), depending on what we feel like eating.

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Ingredients
2 cans tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (non-GMO if you can find it)
1 T olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, smashed and sliced
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground dried sage
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil or 3 fresh basil leaves
1 T fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
a splash of red wine
salt (if needed)

  1. add olive oil to the pot and sauté the garlic cloves.
  2. add the rosemary and continue to sauté (this will give it a stronger taste which I love!).
  3. add the cans of tomatoes and stir.
  4. add the herbs, and onion and garlic powders, stir.
  5. add the bouillon cube and stir to dissolve.
  6. add a splash of red wine, stir.
  7. simmer for about an hour. Add salt if it needs more. If it gets too thick, add a little bit of water or wine.

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Veal Saltimbocca (alla Romana)

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Veal saltimbocca is a classic Roman dish. Saltimbocca literally means “to jump in the mouth”. You can use fresh sage leaves when available for each cutlet or rubbed dry sage which comes in those small spice and herb containers, which is what this recipe uses. You can also leave out the tomatoes and use dry white wine instead.

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

3 lbs. thinly sliced veal leg (cutlet)
2 oz. butter
¾ c. olive oil
3 lbs. canned plum tomatoes, chopped fine
3 T fresh parsley
3 tsp oregano
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp sage or 1 fresh sage leaf to place on every cooked cutlet
12 oz. prosciutto ham, very thinly sliced
12 oz. mozzarella or provolone cheese, thinly sliced

  1. Pound veal slices thin if necessary.
  2. Heat oil and butter in a saute pan. Saute veal slices and remove when done to a sheet pan.
  3. After all veal is cooked use the same pan with the remaining butter and oil to cook tomatoes, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and sage. Cook and stir about 10 minutes.
  4. Arrange veal slices in plates.
  5. Cover each portion of veal with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of cheese.
  6. Neatly cover each veal portion with some of the sauteed tomato mixture.
  7. Sprinkle each portion with parmesan cheese, if desired.
  8. Warm in low oven if prepared in advance then broil just before serving to lightly brown top.

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Pasta alla Caprese

Pasta alla Caprese (with pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella)

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Here is a simple but tasty pasta recipe for when you have to cook dinner in a hurry or are just not in the mood for anything fancy.

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients
1 box (1 lb.) of penne pasta, or any other short pasta
4 small tomatoes, cubed
2 c of fresh mozzarella, cubed
4 T pesto sauce
salt to taste

1. cook pasta, drain and reserve some water (in case the pasta is too dry).
2. add tomatoes and mozzarella to the hot pot that you used to cook the pasta in to warm them up a bit.
3. throw pasta and pesto sauce into the pot and mix well.
4. add salt to taste.

If the pasta is too dry, add some of the reserved water a little bit at a time.

Chicken alla Ciociara with Polenta

Chicken alla Ciociara

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serves 4 to 5 people

Ingredients

8 – 10 chicken pieces on the bone (whole legs or thighs and drumsticks, breasts) with skin removed
6 T olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan
1 shallot, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary; can also chop the leaves or use dried rosemary (1/2 tsp)
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
red wine, approx. 1 cup
red wine vinegar
salt, to taste

  1. sprinkle chicken pieces with vinegar and salt.
  2. sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil; add rosemary.
  3. place chicken pieces in pan and sprinkle half of the parsley on them, and brown them, about 15 minutes.
  4. turn chicken pieces over and sprinkle remaining parsley and brown them for another 15 minutes.
  5. cook on medium low heat for another 45 to 60 minutes, until cooked through. If it gets dry, add red wine, a little bit at a time (or you can add water or chicken broth).
  6. serve with polenta or mushrooms on the side and a salad.

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Rosemary

Rosemary – my favorite herb!

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(Updated)

Rosemary, or “rosmarinus officinalis”, is one of the most versatile herbs. Not only is it used in cooking, but also in beauty products such as soaps and shampoos, for its health benefits, and even for pest control in gardens.

It has a wonderful aromatic flavor that takes me back to when I was a little girl, in my Nonna’s kitchen in Selvacava, waiting patiently for Sunday dinner to be ready (which was always in the afternoon), that smell of chicken legs cooking in garlic, wine and, of course, rosemary, wafting through the air along with homemade bread baking in the brick oven which was in a hole in the wall.

My Nonno and Nonna

My Nonno and Nonna – my grandfather and grandmother

Rosemary is an evergreen herb that is native to the Mediterranean. It is a member of the mint family. It looks like a small pine tree with silvery green needle-like leaves, and usually has small bluish purple flowers when it blooms.

The Latin name, rosmarinus, means “dew of the sea”. It has been used since ancient times for its medicinal properties such as to alleviate muscle pain and as an anti-inflammatory, in perfumes, and as decorations, and is a good source of calcium, vitamin B6, and iron. Studies have also shown that it can boost the immune system, improve digestion, and even inhibit tumor growth and cancerous cells. In fact, researchers at Sapienza University in Rome studied the population of a small seaside village in Italy, Acciaroli, to determine why so many of them (1 in 10) have lived to be 100 or more years of age. They found that one thing they have in common is their high consumption of rosemary and they believe that plays a big part of it. (http://www.news-medical.net/,  http://www.independent.co.uk/, https://www.nytimes.com/)  The study has shown that the people of Acciaroli have a low level of the hormone adrenomedullin which is causing a widening of blood vessels, therefore improving circulation. (Of course they also take long hikes and live a healthy lifestyle by eating food they’ve grown themselves organically.)

I just love the way it tastes. I have been known to eat sprigs of rosemary that were cooked in my dish. My husband and son on the other hand complain that I put too much in my cooking. It does have a strong taste and should be used sparingly. It goes well with chicken dishes, potatoes, and in tomato sauce.

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Angel hair pasta with shrimp and capers

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Capers

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When cooking shrimp, do not leave unattended because shrimp does not take long to cook. You do not want to overcook it because it will end up being dry with a hard, stringy texture.

I also like to boil the shells to make a broth and add it to the shrimp in place of the chicken broth or fish stock. It adds a wonderful taste to it without overpowering the flavor.

serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients

1 lb angel hair pasta
25-30 fresh or frozen large (31/40) shrimp, peeled and de-veined; leave whole or cut them up into smaller pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp (or more) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter
Splash of dry white wine
2 tsp capers
1 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 cup of chicken broth or fish stock
extra virgin olive oil
celery salt to taste

      1. In a large sauté pan, sauté shallot and garlic until garlic is golden brown.
      2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. When draining, reserve about 1 cup of the water – I use this water if the shrimp becomes too dry while cooking or if it looks to dry when you mix the shrimp with pasta at the end.
      3. Add shrimp and cook until it starts to turn pink.
      4. Add parsley, thyme, lemon juice and butter.
      5. When shrimp become completely pink (don’t let it burn!), add white wine, capers and broth and cook until the broth and wine are reduced.
      6. Drain pasta; add pasta to the shrimp and mix, making sure the broth thoroughly covers the pasta. If it looks too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
      7. Serve with a little bit of fresh parsley sprinkled over it. You can also drizzle some extra virgin olive oil.