Yum! Zucchini! One of my favorite vegetables. You can make these a million different ways. In quiches, in omelette's, fried with bread crumbs.. tonight, we are making them along side spiral macaroni's (Rotelle).
Another quick and easy dish with lots of deliciousness. Similar to my Pasta Piselli recipe..
What you will need:
Large Pot
2 small cans of tomato sauce - I recommend Redpack or Tutto Russo or Del Monte
1/2 Large Onion
3 cloves garlic
salt/pepper
olive oil
Grated Cheese - I recommend Locatelli or Pecorino Romano
2 Zucchini
3 cups of water
Let's get cooking:
In the Large Pot, add in your olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated add in your garlic and chopped onions.
Let them simmer for about 4 minutes on Medium heat. Now add in your Zucchini. You'll want your Zucchini cut in cubes. Not too big. Sir your mixture in the pot a couple of rounds. Add in your cans of tomato sauce, stir and cover for 5 minutes. Now add in about 3 cups of water. Cover on High. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add in your Rotelle. (feel free to use ditalini, or any smaller macaroni's).
For the important part! Some people like this dish soupy. Others like myself enjoy it more pasty!. If you want it soupy, add in another cup of water and leave the cover on the entire time while the macaroni is cooking and turn your heat to Med. If you want it pasty, cook with the cover on for 8 minutes on Med to high heat. Remove the cover after that time frame, leave heat as is. (stirring occasionally so that the macaroni doesn't stick together). If the mixture is still not getting pasty after 11 minutes, crank up your heat to high and let the water evaporate. Add in about a table spoon of grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste, mix and serve! This will be piping hot for sure, allow it to cool just a bit before you dig in!
Wine Recommendation: Antinori Peppoli Chianti 2007
Buon Appetito!
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Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Spinach Pie
Easter is coming and in my family that means we make a lot of Pies! Not apple, or cherry, we make meat pies (pizza rustico), spinach pies, artichoke pies.. Pies to eat before our 5 course meal, same as Christmas dinner!
This is a pie you serve as an appetizer or with your main course. Either way, your family will be cheering.
What you will need:
2 Pie Shells (from the freezer section)
1 large bag of frozen chopped spinach
1 Large container of Part Skim Ricotta
1 Large Mozzarella for shredding or 1 bag of already shredded Mozzarella (Polly-o or Sorrento)
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano or locatelli cheese
2 eggs
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
1 Large Saute Pan
Large mixing bowl
1 or 2 baking sheets depending on how long they are. You need to be able to fit both pies.
In your Saute Pan, add in your olive oil to line the pan. Turn to med-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add in your garlic. let it start to get somewhat golden brown (less than a minute).Now add in your bag of frozen spinach (no need to thaw it before hand). Stir until cooked all the way (no longer frozen). Turn off your stove.
Preheat your oven now at 375 degrees.
In your large mixing bowl, add in your ricotta, shredded mozzarella, 2 eggs and grated cheese. Mix all together until the eggs are evenly spread throughout the mixture. Add in salt and pepper to taste. About 1 teaspoon of salt and about 3 shakes or grinds of pepper. Mix evenly again. Now take your spinach from the saute pan and add it to the mixing bowl. Again stir until the ingredients in the bowl are evenly distributed.
You should definitely have enough for both pie shells. Add in your mixture to each pie shell. You should leave a little room at the top (don't fill all the way). The ingredients will rise during the baking stage.
Place your pies on the baking sheet/sheets. Put in the oven, it should be preheated to the correct temp by now. Set your timer for 30 minutes. Check periodically after the first 15 minutes. All ovens vary in levels of temperature and cooking time. You want to take your pies out once the top has turned a golden brown.
Tip: I usually place foil around the edges of the pie, sometimes they tend to cook quicker then the inside. To avoid burning the edges, i add the foil, then at the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time, i remove the foil so that the edges can get a nice golden brown color.
You don't serve this dish right out of the oven. If you do, the inside will just spread out once you cut into the pie. Let is hang out for about an hour. Serving this at room temperature to warm is the way to go!
Buon Appetito!
This is a pie you serve as an appetizer or with your main course. Either way, your family will be cheering.
What you will need:
2 Pie Shells (from the freezer section)
1 large bag of frozen chopped spinach
1 Large container of Part Skim Ricotta
1 Large Mozzarella for shredding or 1 bag of already shredded Mozzarella (Polly-o or Sorrento)
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano or locatelli cheese
2 eggs
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
1 Large Saute Pan
Large mixing bowl
1 or 2 baking sheets depending on how long they are. You need to be able to fit both pies.
In your Saute Pan, add in your olive oil to line the pan. Turn to med-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add in your garlic. let it start to get somewhat golden brown (less than a minute).Now add in your bag of frozen spinach (no need to thaw it before hand). Stir until cooked all the way (no longer frozen). Turn off your stove.
Preheat your oven now at 375 degrees.
In your large mixing bowl, add in your ricotta, shredded mozzarella, 2 eggs and grated cheese. Mix all together until the eggs are evenly spread throughout the mixture. Add in salt and pepper to taste. About 1 teaspoon of salt and about 3 shakes or grinds of pepper. Mix evenly again. Now take your spinach from the saute pan and add it to the mixing bowl. Again stir until the ingredients in the bowl are evenly distributed.
You should definitely have enough for both pie shells. Add in your mixture to each pie shell. You should leave a little room at the top (don't fill all the way). The ingredients will rise during the baking stage.
Place your pies on the baking sheet/sheets. Put in the oven, it should be preheated to the correct temp by now. Set your timer for 30 minutes. Check periodically after the first 15 minutes. All ovens vary in levels of temperature and cooking time. You want to take your pies out once the top has turned a golden brown.
Tip: I usually place foil around the edges of the pie, sometimes they tend to cook quicker then the inside. To avoid burning the edges, i add the foil, then at the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time, i remove the foil so that the edges can get a nice golden brown color.
You don't serve this dish right out of the oven. If you do, the inside will just spread out once you cut into the pie. Let is hang out for about an hour. Serving this at room temperature to warm is the way to go!
Buon Appetito!
Escarole & Beans.. Scarole e fagioli
I intentionally took out my 2 bushels of escarole this morning and put them on my kitchen counter, so that when my mom walked in, she might ask if I wanted her to get started on it for dinner. Sure enough, she did! So, I'll be honest and tell you that I didn't completely cook this dish tonight, I had a little help, but i can definitely tell you that the recipe is the same. This dish is on the healthy side, it's chock full of protein and leafy greens. You can make this a side dish or as your meal.
What you will need
1 Deep Pot
Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 bushels of escarole
1 can of cannellini or small white beans
Salt & Pepper
Preparation:
Fill your Pot half way with water. Turn on High Heat, cover. Start to clean the escarole, one leaf at a time in cold water. The last thing you want is to be enjoying your meal and then hearing crunch or the feeling of sand in your mouth. Its a tedious process, but worth it.
Once your leaves are cleaned, cut in half or quarters. Throw the leaves in the pot of water. At this point you can chop your garlic. Using fresh beans is great, but in terms of quickness and time, the canned beans are fine too. No need to drain the liquid out of the can, the starchy consistency will help thicken the dish. Once the leaves are wilted, and the water is just about boiling, you can stain the escarole.
Using the same pot, place it back on the stove, add in your olive oil, enough to line the pan, once the oil is heated, throw in your garlic. You want to make sure your garlic turns a goldne brown color. Cutting your garlic in slices vs chopped is best for this dish as you don't want crunchy garlic bits, but a nice smooth garlic taste. Once they are golden brown, add in your can of beans. Stir once, the heat should be turned down to medium. Now add in your escarole. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes only. Add in Salt and Pepper and you are ready to serve.
Tip: You can easily add any type of Pasta to this dish, or serve with a crostini and grated cheese. It's filling and nutritious!
Wine Recommendation: Rodney Strong 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir
Bon Appetito!
What you will need
1 Deep Pot
Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 bushels of escarole
1 can of cannellini or small white beans
Salt & Pepper
Preparation:
Fill your Pot half way with water. Turn on High Heat, cover. Start to clean the escarole, one leaf at a time in cold water. The last thing you want is to be enjoying your meal and then hearing crunch or the feeling of sand in your mouth. Its a tedious process, but worth it.
Once your leaves are cleaned, cut in half or quarters. Throw the leaves in the pot of water. At this point you can chop your garlic. Using fresh beans is great, but in terms of quickness and time, the canned beans are fine too. No need to drain the liquid out of the can, the starchy consistency will help thicken the dish. Once the leaves are wilted, and the water is just about boiling, you can stain the escarole.
Using the same pot, place it back on the stove, add in your olive oil, enough to line the pan, once the oil is heated, throw in your garlic. You want to make sure your garlic turns a goldne brown color. Cutting your garlic in slices vs chopped is best for this dish as you don't want crunchy garlic bits, but a nice smooth garlic taste. Once they are golden brown, add in your can of beans. Stir once, the heat should be turned down to medium. Now add in your escarole. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes only. Add in Salt and Pepper and you are ready to serve.
Tip: You can easily add any type of Pasta to this dish, or serve with a crostini and grated cheese. It's filling and nutritious!
Wine Recommendation: Rodney Strong 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir
Bon Appetito!
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