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obsessedmuch asked for these recipes weeks ago and I'm only just getting around to writing them down. OTOH, she owes me email. So there. 8)
Anyway, here they are. They're all from various issues of Italian Cooking and Living.
Three Cheese Stuffed Shells
salt
1 pound jumbo pasta shells
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablesoon chopped basil
freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta
1 1/2 cups grated Grana Padano or domestic parmesan, divided
8 ounces fresh or regular mozzarella, diced and divided
freshly ground nutmeg
1 egg
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the pasta shells and cook until just under al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, toss, and let cool.
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup Grana/Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, a pinch of nutmeg, the egg, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Take a spoonful of filling and stuff into each of the pasta shells.
Spread half of the tomato sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Grana/Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes. Serves 4
[TBQ's note: Very tasty dish and not at all hard to make. About the worst of it is the time it takes to actually stuff the shells. Wouldn't recommend it as an after-work dinner, but makes a great weekend meal. Heck, if you've got kids the shell-stuffing part makes for an excellent chance touse them as slave labor get them involved in the cooking process.]
Chicken Pizzaiola
4 ripe tomatoes, core and seeds removed, quartered
1 pound fresh or regular mozzarella, cubed
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
salt and freslhy ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 basil springs for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, and oregano. Season with salt and papper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss and set aside.
In an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to the skillet to sear, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and distribute the mozzerella mixture on top of each chicken breast. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns slightly golden. Remove the chicken from the oven. Serve in pairs, garnished with a spring of basil. Servies 4.
[TBQ's note: this dish is insanely good and easy to make, esp since it's uber-simple to knock it down to one or two portions if you're just making a quick dinner for yourself. The only catch is that the tomatoes really make the dish, so if they're out of season the dish won't "pop" the way it would in summer.]
Sausages and Polenta
12 cups chicken stock
sat
3 cups Polenta/Yellow Cornmeal
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
12 links Italian sausage (spicy or sweet)
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (can be omitted if you don't like wine)
2 1/2 cups tomato puree
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
6 tablespoons grated parmesan
To prepare the polenta, place the stock in a pot and add salt. Bring to a boil, and add the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the polenta thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Pour into a buttered pie dish to cool.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until it softens and turns a light golden color. Using a fork, prick some holes in the sausage links. Remove the garlic from the skillet, and add the sausage links. Saute until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes (you may have to do this in batches). Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta to the skillet, and saute for 5 minutes, then place the sausage links on top. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates. Add the tomato puree and season with salt and papper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When sauce is done, add the parsley.
Turn the polenta out of the pie dish onto a cutting board and cut into 6 wedges. Spoon 2 sausage links and some sauce over each one. Sprinkleeach serving with a tablespoon of parmesan and serve. Serves 6.
[TBQ's notes: I copied the recipe as-is, but be aware this makes a TON of polenta. "Serves 6" is an amusing understatement, as you could easily serve 20 on just the polenta alone - and I'm a big eater! When I make this I cut the stock and polenta in half, which creates a more managable portion. I also use quick-cooking polenta which doesn't take 30 min of constant stirring. This is a very good and hearty dish that's excellent for cold and snowy days.]
Turkey braciole with pesto
4 boneless, skinless turkey breasts (or substitute chicken) about 6 to 8 ounces each, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pesto
1 10 ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed of excess liquid
8 thin slices prosciutto cotto (or substitute ham)
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2 inch strips
8 pieces fontina (or substitute mozzarella), each about 2 inches by 1/2 inch
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 each red and yellow bell pepper, seeds and inner white ribbing removed, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay a 12 inch square of pastic wrap on a work survace, and place on turkey breast in the center. Season with salt and pepper and spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto over it. Top with about one quarter of the spinach and lay two slices of procittuo over. Place one pieceof the carrot and 2 pieces of the cheese on top of the prociutto, and dot with some butter. Season with salt and pepper and roll the turk up tightly around the filling. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more turkey braciole. Place them in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Unwrap the turkey braciole. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the turkey braciole on all sides until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the braciole to a baking sheet, and place it in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
In a skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons ofolive oil. Add the celery and bell peppers and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the braciole and arrange them on plates. Spoon the bell pepper mixture around and serve. Serves 4.
[TBQ's note: Personally I found the whole 2 hour wait plus searing thing to be a pain in the ass, because if you screw it up the braciole unravel and you have a mess on your hands. You can skip that step and chuck the braciole directly into the oven. The searing doesn't add enough flavor in this instance to be worth the hassle. You just might need to cook it in the oven a few minutes longer is all.]
obsessedmuch asked for these recipes weeks ago and I'm only just getting around to writing them down. OTOH, she owes me email. So there. 8)Anyway, here they are. They're all from various issues of Italian Cooking and Living.
Three Cheese Stuffed Shells
salt
1 pound jumbo pasta shells
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablesoon chopped basil
freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta
1 1/2 cups grated Grana Padano or domestic parmesan, divided
8 ounces fresh or regular mozzarella, diced and divided
freshly ground nutmeg
1 egg
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the pasta shells and cook until just under al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, toss, and let cool.
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup Grana/Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, a pinch of nutmeg, the egg, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Take a spoonful of filling and stuff into each of the pasta shells.
Spread half of the tomato sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Grana/Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes. Serves 4
[TBQ's note: Very tasty dish and not at all hard to make. About the worst of it is the time it takes to actually stuff the shells. Wouldn't recommend it as an after-work dinner, but makes a great weekend meal. Heck, if you've got kids the shell-stuffing part makes for an excellent chance to
Chicken Pizzaiola
4 ripe tomatoes, core and seeds removed, quartered
1 pound fresh or regular mozzarella, cubed
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
salt and freslhy ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 basil springs for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, and oregano. Season with salt and papper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss and set aside.
In an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to the skillet to sear, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and distribute the mozzerella mixture on top of each chicken breast. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns slightly golden. Remove the chicken from the oven. Serve in pairs, garnished with a spring of basil. Servies 4.
[TBQ's note: this dish is insanely good and easy to make, esp since it's uber-simple to knock it down to one or two portions if you're just making a quick dinner for yourself. The only catch is that the tomatoes really make the dish, so if they're out of season the dish won't "pop" the way it would in summer.]
Sausages and Polenta
12 cups chicken stock
sat
3 cups Polenta/Yellow Cornmeal
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
12 links Italian sausage (spicy or sweet)
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (can be omitted if you don't like wine)
2 1/2 cups tomato puree
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
6 tablespoons grated parmesan
To prepare the polenta, place the stock in a pot and add salt. Bring to a boil, and add the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the polenta thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Pour into a buttered pie dish to cool.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until it softens and turns a light golden color. Using a fork, prick some holes in the sausage links. Remove the garlic from the skillet, and add the sausage links. Saute until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes (you may have to do this in batches). Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta to the skillet, and saute for 5 minutes, then place the sausage links on top. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates. Add the tomato puree and season with salt and papper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When sauce is done, add the parsley.
Turn the polenta out of the pie dish onto a cutting board and cut into 6 wedges. Spoon 2 sausage links and some sauce over each one. Sprinkleeach serving with a tablespoon of parmesan and serve. Serves 6.
[TBQ's notes: I copied the recipe as-is, but be aware this makes a TON of polenta. "Serves 6" is an amusing understatement, as you could easily serve 20 on just the polenta alone - and I'm a big eater! When I make this I cut the stock and polenta in half, which creates a more managable portion. I also use quick-cooking polenta which doesn't take 30 min of constant stirring. This is a very good and hearty dish that's excellent for cold and snowy days.]
Turkey braciole with pesto
4 boneless, skinless turkey breasts (or substitute chicken) about 6 to 8 ounces each, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pesto
1 10 ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed of excess liquid
8 thin slices prosciutto cotto (or substitute ham)
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2 inch strips
8 pieces fontina (or substitute mozzarella), each about 2 inches by 1/2 inch
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 each red and yellow bell pepper, seeds and inner white ribbing removed, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay a 12 inch square of pastic wrap on a work survace, and place on turkey breast in the center. Season with salt and pepper and spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto over it. Top with about one quarter of the spinach and lay two slices of procittuo over. Place one pieceof the carrot and 2 pieces of the cheese on top of the prociutto, and dot with some butter. Season with salt and pepper and roll the turk up tightly around the filling. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more turkey braciole. Place them in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Unwrap the turkey braciole. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the turkey braciole on all sides until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the braciole to a baking sheet, and place it in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
In a skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons ofolive oil. Add the celery and bell peppers and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the braciole and arrange them on plates. Spoon the bell pepper mixture around and serve. Serves 4.
[TBQ's note: Personally I found the whole 2 hour wait plus searing thing to be a pain in the ass, because if you screw it up the braciole unravel and you have a mess on your hands. You can skip that step and chuck the braciole directly into the oven. The searing doesn't add enough flavor in this instance to be worth the hassle. You just might need to cook it in the oven a few minutes longer is all.]
