Pumpkin Risotto

I am so excited to share this authentic Italian recipe that I received from an Italian friend! While living in Italy we participated in the Amici program which matches American families with Italian families who share similar interests and whose kids are the same gender or close in age. We were matched with a wonderful family, the Lorenzos.  Despite the language barrier we had great times together. The dad, Enzo, and the boys, Riccardo and Federico, speak pretty good English. The mom, Giusi (pronounced Juicy), didn't speak any English, and I do not speak Italian so communication was a challenge. We wished that we could talk to each other more, but were able to find common ground through shopping and cooking. This is a picture of our families a few days before leaving Italy.

The front row: Federico, Giusi, me, Graham, Riccardo
The back row: Enzo, Collin, Brandon

We spent Christmas Eve 2011 at the Lorenzo's home. Giusi is a fantastic cook! She served this Pumpkin Risotto as well as about 6 other delicious dishes.

Risotto is a very popular rice dish in Italy.  The rice is cooked in either meat or vegetable broth and usually includes butter, parmesan cheese, and onions.


According to the World Encyclopedia of Cooking Ingredients, the most popular variety of risotto is Arborio, Vialone Nano, and Carnaroli. Arborio is the best-known Italian risotto; Vialone has a plump grain and a firm inner starch, so that risottos made using this rice tend to have slightly more bite; Carnaroli is a premium rice and has a firm bite.

Risotto Rice

When cooking Risotto it must be constantly tended to and cannot be left to simmer like typical rice.  Broth is added gradually and must be stirred occasionally until absorbed. This is repeated until the rice is done. This is not a fix-it and forget-it dish, but the results are truly worth the effort.

The original recipe calls for sausage. I didn't add sausage. Instead I chopped one piece of bacon and added it to the onions for flavor. The results were awesome. I have included the original recipe with my changes in parentheses.

This Pumpkin Risotto is so flavorful and beautiful making it perfect for a special occasion or entertaining.

Buon Appetito!

Pumpkin Risotto

yields: 4 servings 

with sausage

calories: 781

fat: 41

without sausage

calories: 594

fat: 25.8

400 grams pumpkin 

300 grams risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)

3 Italian sausages (I used 1 piece of bacon instead)

1/2 onion

1/2 glass of white wine

About 1/4 cup olive oil 

1 liter chicken or veggie broth

1- 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese (I love the robust flavor of parmigiano reggiano, but it is quite expensive.)

1-2 Tbsp butter (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chives

1. Peel pumpkin and cut into small pieces (approximately 1/4 inch cubes).
2. Peel and cut onion into thin strips.
3. Saute onions in olive oil until browned. 
4. Remove casing from sausage and crush with fork and add to onion (I added the bacon instead).
5. Saute the meat and add the white wine and let it evaporate.
6. Add pumpkin letting it cook for about 10 minutes over low heat. 
7. Add the rice and let it toast.
8. Pour in broth gradually stirring often. 
9. You can mash the pumpkin with fork if it is not fully cooked and allow it to fully cook. 
10. When rice is cooked add butter if desired, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and chives to taste. 

After rice is cooked, taste test to determine how much butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and chives need to be added. 

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups

In my last post I mentioned that some ingredients are not easy to come by here in Italy. Case in point, the original version of this recipe calls for manicotti noodles. I couldn't find manicotti or even cannelloni noodles at the Commissary. I live in the pasta capital of the world, but really didn't feel like braving the Italian traffic to hunt down some manicotti. Recently, I have seen several recipes for lasagna roll-ups so I decided to try lasagna instead. I simply boiled 12 noodles, drained and blotted dry then spread the filling on each noodle and rolled them.

It was so much easier than trying to stuff cooked manicotti.  The recipe also calls for a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil of which I couldn't find.  Instead, I used a can of Rotel (for a little kick) and simply added some fresh basil, dried oregano and fresh garlic.  It can be frustrating to not be able to find needed ingredients, but there is usually a similar ingredient that can be substituted.

Many of you know that I often alter recipes to make them a little more figure friendly.  This recipe calls for Italian sausage which is very tasty, but also very fattening.  A healthier option is to use lean ground beef and add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds.  I calculated the calories and fat grams for each version and was amazed at the difference made by simply altering a few ingredients.

I was so pleased with how this recipe turned out using lasagna noodles and low fat ingredients that I will make it like this from now on.

These are generous serving sizes. I typically eat 1/2 of a serving (one lasagna roll-up) with a salad or side veggie and a slice of bread for a well-balanced delicious meal.

Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Manicotti ~ Original Version 

Southern Living

Yield: 6 servings

Calories 801 per serving

Fat grams 52

Ingredients 

• 1 (8-ounce) package uncooked manicotti noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil
• 1 pound Italian pork sausage
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Remove casings from sausage, and discard. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spoon into manicotti shells; arrange stuffed shells in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups ~ Figure Friendly

6 servings

adapted from Southern Living

Calories 587

Fat grams 23

Ingredients

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced Rotel added approximately 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. dried oregano, and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 pound 94% lean ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 (8-ounce) 1/3 less fat package cream cheese
• 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain and pat dry.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture on cooked shells and roll. Place in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Buon Appetito!

Copycat Olive Garden Salad

Typically when someone is called a copycat it is not meant to be a compliment, but I guess that depends on who or what you are accused of copying. If someone were to tell me that I was a Celin Dion copycat, I would definitely not consider that an insult, but since I can't sing very well I don't have to worry about that ever happening :)

I think it is best to be original. I don't like to copy others; instead I like to get "inspiration" from others. For instance, I am not a fashionista, but I can identify those who are and get inspiration on how to dress.

There are times however when something is so good you just need to flat out copy the original. This is definitely true with this salad recipe. I am sure that many of you have enjoyed the wonderful salad at Olive Garden Restaurants. Their unlimited soup, salad, and breadstick deal is awesome! I could just about eat my weight in the salad. I was so excited when I came across this recipe a few months ago at www.tammysrecipes.com. I filed it away in my recipe binder waiting for just the right occasion. About a month ago my neighbor had a girl's movie night/Wii dance party. It was loads of fun! I took this salad to the party and it was a hit! It really does tastes just like Olive Garden's salad. So in this case, being a copycat is a good thing.

Olive Garden Salad and Dressing

Yield: 8-12 servings

 Salad Ingredients:

1 bag American Blend Dole Mix
4-5 slices red onion
1 can Black Olives chopped or sliced (I prefer to use kalamata olives.)
2-4 Pepperoncini peppers
1/2 cup or more Croutons (for gluten free, don't add croutons)
1 Tomato, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup (I add a tad bit more since I like the dressing a little sweeter.) 
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Romano cheese
1/2 tsp Garlic salt or clove
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Combine salad ingredients and toss.

2. Whirl all dressing ingredients in the blender and pour over salad, coating well. Toss if desired. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top and serve.

Buon Appetito!

Easy Lasagna

This easy no-boil lasagna was a favorite family recipe when I was growing up and is now a favorite with my family. It is so delicious, and I can honestly say it is the best lasagna I have ever eaten. Even the lasagna in Italy doesn't compare to this dish. I have cooked this recipe many times over the years as you can tell by my well-worn cookbook.

Since I like a saucier lasagna, I typically make 1 1/2 times the amount of meat sauce the recipe calls for. I don't think you will be disappointed with this Italian family favorite.

Easy Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (I use canned spaghetti sauce. It is tasty and inexpensive.)

1/2 cup water

2 cups cottage cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Add sauce and water to meat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine next 7 ingredients.

Layer meat sauce

Layer noodles

 Layer cheese mixture

 repeat ending with meat sauce and cheese

Cover with foil.

Bake 45-60 minutes.
Remove foil the last 5 minutes to allow the top to lightly brown.

Buon Appetito!

Oven-Fried Eggplant

What is large, purple, and has a round bottom? No, it's not Grimace, the Ronald McDonald character, or Barney the dinosaur. It's an eggplant or melazana in Italian.

There are many different varieties of eggplant. Some are small ivory-white and plump; they may be pink or purple and flecked with white irregular stripes. In Asia, they are tubular and usually straight or slightly curved. In Thailand, the eggplants are not much bigger than peas. Colors range from black, to purple to orange, green and white. They have a tender, slightly sweet flesh.


The majority of eggplants found in most grocery stores are dark purple or almost black and can be long and slim or fat. All have a similar bland yet smoky flavor and the flesh is spongy to the touch when raw, but soft after cooking. When purchasing, eggplants should feel heavy and quite firm to the touch, and have a glossy, unblemished skin. They will keep well in the salad drawer of the refrigerator for up to two weeks. (Source: The World Encyclopedia of Cooking Ingredients)


When cooking eggplant it is best to “salt” them first. Cut eggplant into ½ inch slices and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and allow to stand for one hour. This will out draw the excess moisture. Rinse well patting with paper towel to dry. Eggplants will absorb large amounts of oil when cooking and removing the excess moisture helps to reduce this.


You may get tired of me writing things like, "before moving to Sicily I had never eaten _____ or before moving to Sicily I rarely ate _____, or before moving to Sicily I didn't know what ______ was". I have been exposed to many different foods the past two years so I apologize if it gets annoying. Forgive me for saying again, but eggplant is another food that I didn't eat very often before moving to Sicily. Eggplant is very popular in Italy. Some of the most popular eggplant dishes are Pasta al a Norma (which is spaghetti with red sauce, fried eggplant and grated salty ricotta cheese),  Eggplant Caponata, (my favorite Italian antipasta), and Eggplant Parmigiana. Eggplant is also delicious simply sautéed or fried and served as a side dish or even as a topping for sandwiches. You cannot live in Sicily without at least trying eggplant.


I typically fry eggplant when serving as a side dish. It is really tasty, but very fattening. So when I came across this recipe for baked eggplant I thought I would give it a try. Oh my goodness was it good! No lie; it was even better than fried. If you like eggplant you have to try this guiltless recipe!

Oven-Fried Eggplant
Source: The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook
Prep: 11 minutes
Cook: 24 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 slices)

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced fresh onion
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices unpeeled eggplant (about 1 pound)
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine mayonnaise and onion; spread evenly over both sides of eggplant slices. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl; dredge eggplant in breadcrumb mixture.
3. Place sliced eggplant on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Turn eggplant over; bake 12 minutes or until golden.

Calories: 121
Fat: 2.8g
Protein 5g
Carb 19.8g
Fiber 3g

Basil Pesto

If you are looking for a quick, simple, delicious dish pesto pasta is a great choice. The main ingredient in this dish is fresh basil, lots of fresh basil. Pesto is so versatile. It can be tossed with many different types of pasta (spaghetti, linguine, penne, bowtie etc.) and is also delicious as a spread for baguette style bread, sandwiches, or even meat. I love using it in eggs or omelets, too.

Believe it or not, I had never used fresh basil before moving to Italy. Dried basil was always more convenient and I never really thought about using fresh. The smell of fresh basil is wonderful, and I think I will always associate it with Sicily. Pasta, fresh baked bread, olive oil, wine and fresh basil will mentally bring me back to this beautiful island. 

I highly recommend using a food processor for making the pesto. If you don't have a food processor you can use a blender, but it doesn't chop the basil as well.

Last summer I purchased a basil plant, but it didn't grow very well so now I just buy basil whenever I need it. What are some of your favorite fresh herbs? Do you grow them inside or outside? I would love to hear your herb growing tips.

Pair this pesto pasta dish with bruschetta, and a green salad for a quick delicious Italian meal!

Basil Pesto and Pasta

 

Source: Southern Living Ultimate Cookbook

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Yield: 6 side dish servings

¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts

½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

¼ cup fresh parsley sprigs

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, halved

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ cup olive oil

 6 ounces pasta

·         Toast pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. If desired.

·         Process nuts, basil, and next 5 ingredients in container of a food processor or electric blender 2 minutes or until smooth. (If using a blender, coarsely chop herbs before processing.) Gradually pour oil through food chute with processor running until a paste forms.

·         Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Spoon pesto mixture over pasta; toss gently, and serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!

Pistachio Pasta

photo from www.wikipedia.com

The pistachio nut is not a food that I was very familiar with before moving to Italy.  My only experience with pistachio flavor was pudding from a box.  While growing up my mom would make a layered dessert with pistachio pudding for my dad on special occasions.  I couldn't stand that stuff. It really turned me off to anything pistachio. Soon after moving to Sicily I discovered pistachio gelato (ice cream). The gelato was super delicious and opened up a whole new world of green nutty goodness. Pistachio is one of Italy's most popular flavors and they pride themselves in the plethora of foods that contain the delectable nut.  In the voice of Bubba Gump, "Dey's uh pistachio gelato, pistachio pasta, pistachio cakes, pistachio candy (torrone), pistachio pesto, pistachio creme, pistachio crepes, pistachio cannoli, pistachio liquor, pistachio arancini (rice balls) pistachio salami. That, that's about it."  I am sure there is more that I am leaving out.

Italians dedicate entire festivals to particular foods including strawberry, artichoke, lemon, almond, gelato, ricotta, onion, wine, olives, and more. In October of every year, Bronte, Sicily hosts a pistachio festival. It is one of the largest food festivals in Sicily. In 2010 we enjoyed the festival with some of our Italian friends. This past October we attempted to go with my in-laws, but after sitting in traffic for about 3 hours we turned around and went home. Although we didn't make it to the festival, we enjoyed some quality family time in the car :)

Here are some pics from the 2010 festival.

Merchant making torrone which is similar to peanut brittle, but made with pistachios

Torrone before being cut

Torrone - This stuff is addictive!

Italians even have pistachio jeans ;)

Salami and Jello Pistachio

The white sign says, "eggplant with pistachio pesto". The yellow sign says, "horsemeat sandwich"!

 The recipe that I would like to share with you is for Pistachio Pasta. This recipe comes from the Italian cooking school I attended two years ago. It is super simple to make and so delicious. I cooked this for my in-laws when they were here in the fall and they really enjoyed it.

Pistachio Pasta

400 grams or about 1 pound penne pasta 

100 grams or 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

50 grams or 1/4 cup chopped onions

200 grams panna or about 7 ounces heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

30 grams or 2 tablespoons butter

20 grams or 1.5 tablespoons olive oil

Parmesan

Finely chop the onion and sauté in olive oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the chopped pistachios, salt and pepper, and cream. Heat, but do not allow to boil. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water, allow it to cook until it is al dente. Drain then mix with pistachio sauce. Stir in parmesan to taste.

As an option you can add some pancetta (Italian bacon).

photo from umamitopia.com

Fry it in the pan prior to sautéing onions. Remove pancetta and sauté onions in pancetta grease, oil, and butter then follow the recipe as written adding the pancetta back in with the pistachios. It adds a nice flavor and satisfies the carnivores in the family.

Buon Appetito! 

 

Timballo di Riso/Rice Timbale

This recipe comes from the Italian cooking school that I attended in the spring. When we arrived at the school each day we would go to a classroom where the head chef would brief us on the dishes that we were going to prepare. Sometimes between the briefing and walking to the kitchen the recipes would change, and we would make a totally different dish than we were told about. After "graduation" the school gave us a cd with all the recipes in Italian. This recipe was on the cd, but we never actually made it in class.

This was probably the most challenging Italian recipe I have cooked so far. It wasn't that the actual dish was difficult, but trying to translate the recipe was challenging. Since my Italian is not good, I rely on Google Translate to translate the recipes. It was also confusing since the recipe is for four rice timbales (english for timballo), but it has you prepare enough meatballs for about 20 timbales! But as the Italians say, "va bene" which loosely translates "all is well". My kids loved the meatballs (which are inside the rice) so they definitely were eaten. 

I had to do some research on timbale recipes since I had never heard of them and didn't have a clue what I was cooking. Then after making this dish a friend mentioned to me that her Italian neighbor had recently taught her how to make it, and I read about it in a book on Sicily.

Timballo is an Italian dish that consists of  baked pasta, rice, or potatoes stuffed with meat or vegetables. One popular Sicilan way to make it, is to line a bundt pan with fried eggplant and then layer with rice and vegetables. After baking, dump out the pan and you have a nicely molded eggplant timbale.


A timbale is a kettledrum and looks like this:

You can purchase molds in the shape of a kettledrum, so I assume that is why it is called Rice Timbale. I didn't have any timbale molds so I just used some ramekins that I already had.

I have not perfected this recipe. I just want you to see how this recipe translates and why it was so difficult for me. This dish was quite delicious so perhaps one day I will try it again, rewrite the recipe, and share it with you.

Rice Timbale

with Heart and Smooth Tomato Mozzarella

Carnaroli rice 200 gr
onion 80 gr
vegetable broth 50 gr
olive oil 50 cl
minced beef 200 gr.
eggs 2
grated parmesan 150 gr.
parsley bunch
bread-crumbs 150 gr.
peanut oil .300 lt
tomatoes .200 kg
mozzarella 100 gr.
garlic 1
aluminum cups 4

Chop half the onion fry it in a saucepan over low edge, add the rice, toast, sprinkle with white wine to evaporate off and let stand. Take the remaining clove of garlic, add onion and brown in a saucepan combine the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook. Apart from taking the chopped beef put in a bowl combine eggs, bread-crumbs, parsley, grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and knead, form small patties and fry in a pan. In a saucepan, prepare the vegetable broth. Turn the pan with wet rice with vegetable broth and bring to cooking the meatballs and add a ladle of tomato sauce with grated cheese mix into the molds lay at the center include a diced mozzarella, sprinkle with grated cheese and grill in the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

I love pesto! It is really easy to make and so nice to have on hand. It is great as a spread for bread or crackers for a quick appetizer, or tossed with pasta for a quick, simple, and delicious dish.

Pesto is typically made using fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. However, there are many variations. I tried this recipe for Sundried Tomato Pesto a few weeks ago and loved it!

It is helpful if you have a food processer when making pesto.  I don't have a food processor, so used the chopper blade on my blender.  It worked just fine.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Adapted from At Home with Magnolia by Sara at Imafoodblog.com

Yield: About 1 Cup

• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1 generous cup packed cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil

• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

• 1 cup olive oil

1. Drain your sun dried tomatoes, lightly rinse them, and then pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Toast your almonds in a dry shallow pan. They will take about 10 minutes, and you will smell when they are done.
3. In a large food processor, combine the basil, toasted almonds, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. Process until coarsely chopped.
4. Add the sun dried tomatoes and parmigianno cheese and process until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
5. Now stream in the olive oil slowly and process until the pesto comes together.

6. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

Buon Appetito!

Figure Friendly Chicken Parmesan

Parmigiana originated in Southern Italy. It is a baked dish made with fried eggplant layered with cheese. Variations, such as Chicken Parmigiana or Chicken Parmesan, were developed in other countries where there were large numbers of Italian immigrants.

This recipe is a healthy version of Chicken Parmesan. You don't have to feel guilty when you indulge in this delicious dish. To make this dish even more figure friendly, I use whole wheat noodles. They are a little darker than regular noodles, but I cannot tell a difference in the taste. I really like that each serving is baked in separate dishes. It makes for a nice presentation.

Chicken Parmesan

from: The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

 Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
4 (4 ounces) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tsp. olive oil
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
3 cups Ultimate Quick-and-Easy Pasta Sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh basil (optional)


Directions

1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

2. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 chicken breast half in flour. Dip chicken breast in egg whites;dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken, flour, egg whites, and breadcrumb mixture.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done

4. Preheat broiler.

5. Place 1 cup spaghetti in each of 4 gratin dishes. Spoon 1/2 cup Ultimate Quick-and Easy Pasta sauce over each serving. Top each with 1 chicken breast half. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce over each serving. Sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Place gratin dishes on baking sheet; broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts Garnish with basil, if desired.

CALORIES 614 (19% from fat); FAT 12.8g (sat 5g, mono 4.8g, poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 49.1g; CARB 74.8g; FIBER 5.4g; CHOL 86mg; IRON 6.1mg; SODIUM 937mg; CALC 375mg

Ultimate Quick-and- Easy Pasta Sauce

You can substitute crushed or whole tomatoes for the diced. Crushed will give you a smooth, thick sauce; whole add a nice chunkiness. Serve this sauce with your favorite pasta.

1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine or 2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 T. chopped fresh or 2 tsp. dried basil
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in a saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in wine and next 6 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Yield: 3 cups (serving size 1 cup).

calories 126
fat 2.3 grams

Tiramisu

You have heard the saying "have your cake and eat it too", but how about "have your coffee and eat it too"? Well, you can when you indulge in one of my favorite Italian desserts, Tiramisu. Tiramisu means "pick me up", because it contains espresso as well as a lot of sugar. Unlike many traditional Italian recipes, Tiramisu is a fairly new food. According to my research the earliest known written recipe of Tiramisu was dated 1981, but most likely was enjoyed several years before that. The simplicity of this recipe definitely qualifies it as an "everyday cooking" recipe.

Tiramisu





1 lb. Mascarpone Cheese (for my friends in MS this can be found at Schnucks in the deli)
5 Eggs
1 quart whipping cream
2/3 cup Sugar
Unsweetened cocoa
Pkg. Ladyfingers
1 cup espresso

1. Prepare espresso and let cool to room temperature.

     Most Italians do not own espresso machines. They make their espresso at home using a Moka Pot. They come is several sizes. We have a 1 cup, 3 cup, and a 6 cup Pot. The one pictured is a 6 cup pot.



Moka Pot

 To make the espresso, first unscrew the bottom section and add water up to the steam valve.

Next put on the filter and fill with espresso tapping gently so the coffee can settle. Once the filter is full, top it with a mound of espresso grounds and replace the top.

Place on the stove and heat. The water will boil and espresso will percolate to the top of the Moka Pot. The pot makes very good espresso.

2. While the espresso is cooling, separate the egg yolks and whites. With an electric mixer, mix the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the mascarpone cheese and egg whites to the whipped cream and mix until smooth.

3. Quickly dip the ladyfingers in espresso. Dipping too slowly will cause the ladyfingers to become very soggy. Layer a 9 x 13 inch dish with ladyfingers and half the cream. Layer again with ladyfingers turning them the opposite direction of the first layer. Spread with the rest of the cream. Top with a generous coating of cocoa powder. Refrigerate for about four hours prior to serving.

Buon Appetito!



Sarde a Beccafico

I am so excited to share this dish with you! I first learned of this dish while at the Italian cooking school. This dish is served as an antipasto and the main ingredient is sardines. Yes, I said sardines. I know you are probably turning your nose up about now. I did too, until I tasted it. It was surprisingly delicious! I always assumed sardines were disgusting since the only type I was familiar with were canned. This recipe uses fresh sardines which is nothing like canned sardines.

Sarde literally translates Sardinia. Sardines were named after the island of Sardinia, Italy, where they once lived in abundance. Sardines are a popular ingredient in Sicilian cooking.

Another very popular Sicilian recipe is Pasta con Sarde, Sardine Pasta.

Sarde a Beccafico

(with commentary)

2 pounds of sardines cleaned and open like a book -At the cooking school the chef demonstrated how to clean them. With his bare hands, he pinched of the head, and then with his finger split the fish open pulling out the backbone. I was totally disgusted!! I had never cleaned a fish in my life, and I was about to have to do it without any utensils! My saving grace was that they had some latex gloves that I wore. I don't think I would have been able to do it without the gloves and some deep yoga breathing! At first I was so creeped out, but it became easier with each fish. A couple of weeks ago I made this dish at home and went through the same emotions again, but by the time I finished cleaning the last fish it was no problem.

This is what the fish look like after being cleaned and opened.

5 ounce bread crumbs
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
3 T. grated Pecorino cheese- Pecorino cheese is a hard,strong tasting cheese made from sheep's milk. In South Italy it is very traditional to add black peppercorn to the cheese.

3.5 ounces anchovies in oil- I didn't use the anchovies. They smelled awful.
Parsley bunch
1 clove garlic
1 ounce pine nuts
2 ounces Raisins- soaked in warm water approximately 30 minutes, then squeeze out water
breadcrumbs for dipping
2 eggs
Extra virgin olive oil

Heat a little oil in a pan and then toast the breadcrumbs. Add the raisins, pine nuts, garlic, chopped parsley, pecorino cheese, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix in enough olive oil to make the mixture wet.

Wash and dry the sardines.

Place a small amount of the breadcrumb mixture onto half of the sardines. Place the rest of the sardines on top of each breadcrumb covered sardine. Next dip in egg and then dredge in plain breadcrumbs. Fry in oil (olive, peanut, or sunflower oil). Drain on paper towel.

There are other ways to make these. Another version is after placing the breadcrumb mixture on the filet, roll it and dip it according to the directions. Instead of frying, place them in a baking dish and bake until done.

Fresh sardines are hard to find in the states, but if you ever get a chance to try them I recommend you go for it!! Or better yet, make a trip to Italy and try some authentic Sicilian Sarde a Beccafico for yourself. Free lodging available!!

Buon Appetito!