Tagliolini Gratineed With Prosciutto And Parmesan Cheese

According to The Harry's Bar Cookbook (Bantam, 1991)—in which a version of this recipe appears—this dish is "one of the few combinations of French and Italian cuisines on our menu … The pasta and the ham are Italian; the sauce and the cooking method are French." The recipe may also be made with dried pasta, which takes longer to cook.

Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

7 tbsp. butter

1⁄4 cup flour

2 cups hot milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 oz. 1⁄4"-thick sliced prosciutto, diced

3⁄4 lb. fresh spinach or egg tagliolini or linguine

1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano


Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, make a béchamel sauce by melting 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and gradually whisk in milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper, return pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and smooth, 5–7 minutes. Remove pan from heat, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of sauce (to keep a skin from forming), and set aside.

2. Preheat broiler and set rack about 4" from the heat. Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and crispy, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking very slowly while pasta cooks.

3. Season boiling water generously with salt, add pasta, and cook, stirring, until just tender, 1 1⁄2–2 minutes. Drain pasta, then add to skillet containing prosciutto. Add 1 tbsp. of the butter and 1⁄4 cup of the parmigiano-reggiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to mix well.

4. Spoon pasta into a 2-quart baking dish and tamp it down lightly with the back of a spoon so that its surface is even. Spoon béchamel over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1⁄4 cup parmigiano-reggiano. Cut remaining 1 tbsp. butter into small pieces and scatter over top. Place dish in oven and broil until golden and bubbling, 2–3 minutes. Serve with additional parmigiano-reggiano at the table, if you like.


Photo Christopher Hirscheimer, Saveur

Brasato Al Chianti...Beef Braised in Red Wine

 

 

This comes from La Cucina Italiana, one of my favorite cooking magazines and one which I recommend you subscribe too.  Perfect to make ahead as this tastes better a day or two afterwards.

Best served with polenta.

 

Ingredients

• 1 (3- to 3½- pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 4 juniper berries (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups red wine, preferably chianti
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cubed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup water
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste, preferably double concentrated

Instructions

Place meat, anise seeds, juniper berries and bay leaf in a large bowl; pour wine over the top. Marinate, refrigerated, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Remove meat from marinade; pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Strain marinade into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve; discard solids.

Heat oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown meat on all sides, about 10 minutes total, reducing heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Transfer meat to a plate and drain excess oil from pot.

Return pot to medium-high heat. Add guanciale, onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add reserved marinade, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.

Stir in vegetable broth, water and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, then return meat and any accumulated juices to pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until meat is very tender, about 3 hours.

Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes, then cut across the grain into
½-inch pieces.

Purée half of sauce, then return to pot. Return meat to sauce. Gently reheat before serving.

Note: Beef improves in flavor if made 3 days ahead. Cool completely in sauce, uncovered, then chill in sauce, covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350° oven until hot, 25 to 30 minutes, then slice meat.



Recipe Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

Leftovers...Lasagna Rolls Stuffed with Mushrooms, Scallions And Prosciutto

Several years ago I saw the recipe below on the Food Channel and it looked so good I got in the car and went to the store for the ingredients I was missing.  I don't think I made it more than once or twice after that until today.

Now, I'm not one to throw away anything so I already had  plans for some beatiful reconstituted French mushrooms that were left over from last night's stuffed tomatoes. I also found some leftover prosciutto in the freezer from another meal and 3 scallions in the vegetable compartment of my refrigerator.  That, my friends, was going to be dinner tonight.

For some reason these rolls came to mind except I did not have regular lasagna noodles in my pantry but I did have the no bake lasagna I sometimes use in a pinch. So here's what I did:

I placed 6 strips of lasagna noodles (Barilla) in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften.  Rinse and dry in paper towels.

Finely chop the mushrooms ( about 1/2 Cup) the prosciutto (1/4 cup) the 3 scallions and 3 cloves garlic.   Melt 2 TB butter in a skillet and add first the garlic and then the rest of the ingredients.  If you have parsley, be my guest.  Sauteed for 5 mins. and set aside to cool.  In another pan I make a cup of bechamel (you can follow the procedure below) and add 2 TB to cooled mushrooms mixture to bind.

Place about 1 TB mushroom mix in lasagna strip and roll up.  Make 6 of these.

In 2 gratin dishes, spread about 1 TB of the bechamel and then lay 3 lasagna rolls on each.   Cover with the rest of the bechamel and sprinkled Parmesan cheese (a lot!).

Set oven to 375 degrees,  cook them covered in tinfoil for about 20 minutes, uncover and cook until the cheese is bubbly and they are golden on top.

I did not put any marinara sauce over the bechamel (even though I had some also frozen), because I really just wanted a white sauce on mine; but you can certainly do so if you want.

Serves 2

Here's the original recipe:

LASAGNA ROLLS
Giada de Laurentiis courtesy of Food Network

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour (I used 2 TB for my recipe)
1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Here’s How:

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle.

Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.

Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Enjoy!


Photocredit top photo
 Olive Latestrecipe.net

Sunday Family Dinner - Roman Style Meatballs

Made with ground beef, pork and bits of prosciutto, these hearty Roman meatballs are simmered in a tomato sauce and paired with Gnocchi alla Romana (see recipe in Lindaraxa). They go well also with spaghetti or served on their own with crusty bread and a green salad.

To ensure tender meatballs, don’t overwork the ingredients; mix them gently until just combined.

The original recipe for the meatballs comes from Williams Sonoma. If you want to use their recipe for the gnocchi go here.  The one on my blog has been adapted from Marcella Hazan.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

4 oz. finely chopped prosciutto

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano

6 Tbs. finely chopped fresh basil

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste

5 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with juices (I use Pomi brand)

Gnocchi alla Romana for serving (see Lindaraxa)) or spaghetti

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and let stand for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the prosciutto, ground beef, pork, eggs, cheese, parsley, oregano, 3 Tbs. of the basil, 3 of the minced garlic cloves, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the soaked bread crumbs and mix gently until combined. Divide the meat mixture into 1/4-cup portions and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working in 2 batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. basil.

Add the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the sauce, until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately with the gnocchi alla Romana alongside.  You can also serve with spaghetti. 


Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

The best breakfast after a hangover...or...the best late snack to avoid a hangover!

Spahetti alla carbonara is one of those quintessential Roman dishes.  If you have a well stocked pantry with pancetta or bacon in the freezer you can pull this quick meal in a jiffy.  Use Pecorino Romano in this recipe. It is saltier and more robust than Parmaggiano Reggiano. Or at least use half and half.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz (115 gr) pancetta, diced (or substitute with un-smoked bacon)

2 eggs

salt

1 lb (450 gr) spaghetti

2 oz (60 gr) pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, pour the olive oil in a frying pan, and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is light brown, but still soft. In a pasta bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. When the water comes to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta following manufacturer’s instructions, testing for readiness from time to time, until al dente (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Drain the pasta and drop it immediately into the bowl over the beaten eggs. Mix vigorously. The heat of the boiling pasta will cook the eggs, making them resemble a light cream. Add the bacon with its frying fat, the grated cheese, and abundant black pepper. Toss thoroughly. Serve at once.

Tomato Sauce With Onions And Butter

This recipe blew the mind of some of blogdom's top food bloggers last year.  This simple recipe! You can make it with ingredients most of you will probably have in your pantry, although you must use San Marzano tomatoes.  Don't skimp, most grocery stores have them.  You will find it doesn't even need Parmesan Cheese,  Try it without, then if you must add some, and don't be tempted to add anything else. The flavor of the sauce is so delicate, fresh and sweet that it needs nothing at all.

Serves 4 as a main course; makes enough sauce to lightly coat most of a pound of spaghetti

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

28 ounces (800 grams) whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)*

5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter

1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved

Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

Adapted from Marcela Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking
Via Smitten Kitchen (Photos)

Sunday Dinners...Tagliatelle With Ragu Bolognese II

When my brother and his family came down for the Labor Day weekend, I was surprised that he requested a Ragu Bolognese for Sunday dinner.  I was all ready for beans and ribs or something else on the grill, but no, this is what he wanted.  I had my Marcella Hazan cookbook on hand and decided to make her sauce, rather than the one I usually make which is posted on Lindaraxa's Garden.  After the accolades I received, I may just have to switch recipes.

In order to be successful with this reipe, you must follow the guidelines below and it is essential that the sauce simmer very lightly for at least 3 hours.  By very lightly I mean, a bubble here a bubble there, usually on simmer or below.  Otherwise the sauce will be too dry at the end. 

Marcella Hazan
Bolognese Meat Sauce

Printable Recipe

Yield 2 heaping cups, for about 6 servings and 1 1/2 pounds pasta

Time At least 4 hours


Summary

-The meat should not be from too lean a cut; the more marbled it is, the sweeter the ragu will be. The most desirable cut of beef is the neck portion of the chuck.

-Add salt immediately when sauteeing the meat to extract its juices for the subsequent benefit of the sauce.

-Cook the meat in milk before adding wine and tomatoes to protect from the acidic bite of the latter.

-Do not use demiglace or other concentrates that tip the balance of flavors toward harshness

-Use a pot that retains heat. Earthenware is preferred in Bologna and by most cooks in Emilia Romagna, but enameled cast-iron pans or a pot whose heavy bottom is composed of layers of steel alloys are fully satisfactory.

-Cook, uncovered, at the merest simmer for a long, long time; no less than three hours is necessary, more is better.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta

1/2 cup chopped onion

2/3 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped carrot

3/4 pound ground beef chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

1 cup whole milk

Whole nutmeg

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta,  preferably tagliattele

Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table


Method

1. Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.

2. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.

3. Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. (this will take awhile) Add a tiny grating -- about 1/8 teaspoon -- of nutmeg, and stir.

4. Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add 1/2 cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.

5. Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

Cooks Note:  I doubled the recipe but kept the milk at one cup as well as the wine.  I also added the entire can of Cento San Marzano which i think is 28 ozs.

Source: "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" (Knopf)

Basic Italian...Eggplant Parmesan

I agree with my friend Joe of DetroitEats who prefers his Eggplant Parmesan breaded and fried. The crunchy texture, along with the Marinara sauce and Mozzarella cheese melted on top is my idea of this classic dish.

I remember growing up in the NYC area and ordering this when I went to an Italian restaurant.  Now, it's nowhere to be found.  Most Italian restaurants you find these days serve more "elegant or "refined" Italian dishes, what you might call Northern Italian.  If you find eggplant it is usually roasted or grilled, hardly ever fried, unless you order eggplant fritters and that is usually served as an appetizer.

Well, no more, now that Joe has refreshed my memory, this recipe will be reappearing quite often on my dinner table!


Ingredients

1 medium Eggplant peeled and slice into rounds

1 cup flour

1 egg + 1/2 cup milk

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)

Mozzarella Cheese


Procedure

Using what is called “Standard Breading Procedure” bread your Eggplant by dredging it first in the flour, then in the egg and milk mixture and finally in the breadcrumb. It is important to make sure your hand is dry when dredging the eggplant in the breadcrumb or you risk the breading coming off due to wet hands.

Fry your eggplant in vegetable oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and keep warm in the oven until all the Eggplant has been fried.

To assemble top a fried Eggplant round with a dollop of marinara sauce and some shredded Mozzarella cheese. Place another round on top and repeat until you have 3 layers. Place in a hot oven until the cheese has melted and the Eggplant is hot throughout.


Marinara Sauce

1 can ground tomato (28 oz)

1 table spoon sugar

1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

fresh basil

Lemon juice


Procedure

Place the first 5 ingredients into a sauce pan and simmer (low) for 45 minutes.

Add some fresh basil. I don’t chop or tear it. I just throw it in stem and all ( I pick them out later). The basil will steep in and flavor your sauce like you couldn't’t imagine. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Pick out the basil and give your sauce a squeeze of lemon. Your done!

Recipe reprinted from Detroiteats.com

Savoiardi...Le Cordon Bleu Ladyfinger Recipe

Savoiardi are a sponge-like cookie originally from the Aosta Valley of Italy in the Alps, once known as the Duchy of Savoy (whence its name is derived). This Piemontese biscotti resembles lady fingers, though they're about twice as thick. Savoiardi also figure prominently in several desserts, including puddings, charlottes and tiramisu, as they absorb liquids excellently. The French call them biscuits à la cuillère and are a common ingredient also in many French desserts.

I have a hard time finding ladyfingers, particularly here at the lake.  I can never rely on the ones I occasionally find at the stores for their shelf life is limited and they often taste stale.  Making them from scratch is an option as they are fairly easy to make and will last in an airtight container 2-3 weeks.

The recipe below is from The Cordon Bleu At Home and makes a delicate and perfect accompaniment to your coffee or tea. They are light (but not too fragile), crispy and slightly sweet.

By the way, I also make my own amaretti cookies for the same reason. You can get the recipe in Lindaraxa's Garden by clicking here.


Makes 24-34 ladyfingers, depending on size


Ingredients:

Eggs, 3 separated

Granulated Sugar, 6 tbs

Cake Flour, sifted, 3/4 c

Confectioner's Sugar, 6 tbs


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then brush 2 baking sheets with softened butter and line with parchment paper.

2. Beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

3. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form again; the meringue will be glossy and smooth..

4. Lightly beat the egg yolks with a fork, and fold into the meringue with a wooden spoon.  Don't overfold or the batter will deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.

5. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

6. Pipe the ladyfingers: Fit the pastry bag with the large plain tip and fill with the ladyfinger batter.

7. Pipe strips of batter 5 in. long and 3/4 in. wide diagonally onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 to 2 in. between each strip.

8. Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers; wait 5 minutes and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.

9. Holding the parchment paper in place with your thumb, lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess confectioner's sugar.

10. Bake without opening the oven door for 10 min.

11. Then, rotate the baking sheet so the ladyfingers color evenly.

12. Cook until lightly golden, about 5 more minutes.

13. Remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and let cool on a rack.

Photo Credit La Tartine Gourmande
http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/06/29/la-necessite-des-biscuits-a-la-cuillere-a-necessity-for-ladyfingers/

Baked Orzo With Fontina And Peas

Great with a ribeye steak!

Serves 6-8


Ingredients


4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.


Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentis

Smoked Mozzarella & Ricotta Fritters

Serves 4-6

Ingredients


Fritters:

1 1/2 cups fresh whole milk ricotta

1 1/2 cups shredded smoked mozzarella

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

3 large eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves


Balsamic Dipping Sauce:

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the Fritters: In a small bowl combine the ricotta, smoked mozzarella, salt, and pepper. In another bowl pour the panko. In a third bowl lightly beat the eggs. Put the flour in a fourth bowl. Line a tray with parchment paper.

Scoop a 1 1/2 tablespoon ball of the cheese mixture into the flour and roll to coat. Transfer the ball to the eggs and roll to coat. Transfer the cheese ball to the panko and again roll to coat. Transfer the ball to the parchment-lined tray. Continue with the remaining cheese mixture.

Meanwhile heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees F. Fry fritters in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with thyme. Serve warm with Balsamic Dipping Sauce.

For the Balsamic Dipping Sauce: Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and honey in a blender. Blend until combined. Add the oil in a steady stream while the machine is running. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve in a small bowl alongside the fritters

Recipe Courtesy of Giada de Laurentis

Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana

This easy recipe for veal comes from Tyler Florence


Yield: serves 4
Time: 35 minutes


Ingredients
4 (5-ounce) thinly sliced veal cutlets (scallopini)

4 slices thinly sliced prosciutto

8 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth

Lemon wedges, for serving


Directions

Put the veal cutlets side by side on a sheet of plastic wrap. Lay a piece of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal and cover with another piece of plastic. Gently flatten the cutlets with a rolling pin or meat mallet, until the pieces are about 1/4-inch thick and the prosciutto has adhered to the veal. Remove the plastic wrap and lay a couple of sage leaves in the center of each cutlet. Weave a toothpick in and out of the veal to secure the prosciutto and sage. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to combine. Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and in a large skillet over medium flame. Put the veal in the pan, prosciutto-side down first. Cook for 3 minutes to crisp it up and then flip the veal over and saute the other side for 2 minutes, until golden. Transfer the saltimbocca to a serving platter, remove the toothpicks, and keep warm.

Add the wine to the pan, stirring to bring up all the delicious flavor in the bottom; let the wine cook down for a minute to burn off some of the alcohol. Add the chicken broth and remaining tablespoon of butter, swirl the pan around. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the saltimbocca, garnish with sage leaves and lemon wedges; serve immediately.

Pasta With Marinara Sauce

This is my go to meal when I haven't planned ahead and need something quick. It's all made from the staples I keep around in my pantry. What makes it special is the Marinara Sauce, which is quick, authentic and delicious...what you get in Italy and in only 20 minutes. The recipe is adapted from Lidia Bastianich, co-owner of three New York restaurants, several cookbooks and the celebrated PBS show, Lidia's Italy. I used to stay up until 1:00 a.m. to catch her show on PBS. Use what you need and freeze the rest for a million other things like Bruschetta, Eggplant Parmeggiana or another quick meal of pasta. It is also a good base for Penne alla Vodka. That's why I keep a bottle handy in the freezer! Use the best and freshest ingredients, after all that's what makes this simple sauce great.

This recipe was originally posted in my main recipe blog, Lindaraxa's Garden in March 2009. I use it in so many of my Italian recipes that I decided to post it again in this blog. Keep it handy, you will need it!

Marinara Sauce

1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic peeled
1 box Pomi Crushed tomatoes(or one 35 oz San Marzano tomatoes seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid
Salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Crushed hot red pepper (go easy!unless you like it hot)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Black Olives for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, add it to the oil, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Carefully slide the tomatoes and their liquid into the oil. Bring to a boil and season lightly with the salt, sugar and red pepper. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and cook, breaking the tomatoes with a whisk or a spoon (if you got the can of whole tomatoes) until the sauce is chunky and thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil* about 5 minutes before the sauce is finished. Taste the sauce and season with salt and red pepper, if necessary. Set aside.

You can bring to a boil and cook the spaghetti while the sauce is cooking if you are pressed for time. I prefer to cook my sauce first and let it settle. It will get thick but I thin it with water from the spaghetti just before I pour it off the saucepan.

*Do use fresh basil and do not chop until right before you add it. Herbs release their best aroma when they are just cut and you want this released into the sauce, not the counter.

Spaghetti

Boil the spaghetti for about 10 minutes in a big pot with lots of water and a dash of salt. Don't skimp on the water! This prevents it from sticking in the pot. When the spaghetti is almost done and before you drain, take one or two laddlefulls of water and add it to marinara sauce to thin. If you want to eat it like a real Italian add the spaghetti to the sauce, not the other way around, and cook it in the saucepan for a couple of minutes. This and the water helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Add freshly grated Parmeggiano-Regianno and enjoy. I serve mine with a baguette and a tossed salad.

Wine suggestions: Peppoli from Antinori, if you can afford it, or Santa Cristina, the least expensive of the Antinori wines. Monte Anticho, found sometimes in the supermarket and fairly inexpensive, is also good. But stick with Italian wines, preferrably from Toscana-- remember terroir! P.S. You can find Peppoli sometimes at Costco, at great savings. It is one of my daughter's favorites.