Italian Recipe: Homemade Bolognese Sauce

Perhaps one of our favorite pasta sauces is the Beef Bolognese. It's a good, hearty ragù sauce that fills you up with some protein to balance out the carb-loaded pasta. Bolognese sauce comes from the vibrant, northern Italian city of Bologna, though exactly what constitutes an authentic sauce & pasta combination is hard to say.

Historians and foodies bicker over the type of pasta to use: purists argue for tagliatelle, while others even opt for macaroni noodles. Some say tomatoes and tomato paste should be kept to a minimum. One thing is for sure: a good bolognese has a soffrito base of aromatic and flavorful veggies. Our recipe incorporates sautéed onion, carrots and celery.  It makes for a sauce with rich flavor and wonderful texture. Read on for the full recipe... 

Bolognese Ragù Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 3/4 lb ground beef chuck
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, finely chopped, juice reserved

1. Cook the bacon in a pan until crispy. Pat with paper towels, then crumble.

2. Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and celery. Sautè until softened but now browned (about 6 minutes).

3. Add ground meat, bacon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use the edge of a wooden spoon to crumble meats with the edge of a wooden spoon so no clumps remain. Cook the meat until it loses its raw color, but has not yet browned (about 3 minutes).

4. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the milk evaporates and only clear fat remains.

5. Add wine and bring to a simmer until the wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and their juice to bring to a simmer.

6. Reduce the head to low so the sauce just barely continues to simmer until the liquid has evaporated (about 3 hours.)

7. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste and serve. 

8. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Grilled Caprese Panini

Insalata Caprese is a fresh, healthful salad that makes great use of fresh garden tomatoes. But what if you're craving something a little heartier?

You can use almost identical ingredients and throw everything into a sandwich. A panini filled with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil makes for a wholesome lunch. Time to grab those tomatoes and head to the kitchen!

Grilled Caprese Panini

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

8 slices Italian bread, sliced 3/4-inch thick
8 slices fresh whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

 

1. On four slices of thick bread of your choice, layer the mozzerella cheese and tomatoes.
2. Sprinkle with chopped basil leaves, vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Top with remaining slices of bread.
4. In a small bowl combine oil, parmesan cheese and garlic powder.
5. Brush over both sides of each sandwich and either place on a grill over medium heat, or cook in a skillet until golden brown.

Italian Recipe: Perfect Pumpkin Ravioli

There are so many great ways to cook pumpkin, from baking it in a pie, to toasting up some seeds, or to turning it into a soup or puree. One of our favorite meals involves loading ravioli with fresh pumpkin. 

The stuffed pasta, ravioli, has its roots all the way back to 14th century Venice. It was originally stuffed with a mixture of herbs, egg, and cheese, and that basic recipe has stuck around to modern days. But somewhere along the way, pumpkin became a popular filling in northern Italy, particularly in and around the region of Emilia-Romagna in the north. They're still eaten year-round, made fresh in bakeries, and celebrated as a key component of local culinary history.

Now you can make these legendary ravioli right at home. This recipe offers up a spectacular combo of sweet and savory, mixing together pumpkin puree with shallots, herbs, and some heavy cream. 

Perfect Pumpkin Ravioli

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

PASTA

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

FILLING

• 1 small pie pumpkin (about 2 1/2lbs) peeled, hollowed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 5 teaspoons chopped shallot
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 egg beaten

SAUCE

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

Directions

1. Place the flour in a large bowl, then make a well in the center.
2. Beat together 5 eggs and oil, then pour into the well in the flour. Stir together, forming a ball.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
4. Cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. In a large skillet, saute pumpkin and shallot in butter until tender.
6. Transfer to a food processor, then add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and process until blended.
7. Return the mixture to the pan, stir in the cream and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
8. Reduce heat, and summer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Discard the bay leaf.
9. Divide the pasta dough into fourths. Roll one portion to 1/16" thickness. Quickly place rounded spoonfulls of filling 1" apart over half of the sheet of pasta.
10. Brush around the filling with the beaten egg. Fold the sheet of pasta in half, and press down to seal. Cut into squares wit ha pastry wheel.
11. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
12. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli, and simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until ravioli floats. Drain.
13. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Let cook uncovered until reduced by half. Stir in butter and sage. Serve over Ravioli. Optionally, also add grated Parmesan cheese.
14. Enjoy!

Rustic Italian Recipe: Osso Buco

For a prime example of rustic Italian cooking, look no further than osso buco. These braised shanks of veal originated in the 19th century as a farmhouse dish in Italy, and has since become a staple at many Italian restaurants. The flavor in this dish comes not only from what you braise the meat in, but from the marrow in the bone that slowly extracts itself into the sauce.

When crafting the recipe, we wanted to really fill the dish with as many complex flavors as possible. While many recipes called for using olive oil, we instead found one that called for an interesting substitution: pancetta. This substitution added a wonderful extra dimension to the osso buco while still maintaining its Italian roots. Another important note is to make sure the meat and the bone stay attached curing the simmering and browning process. To assure this, tie a piece of twine around the thickest portion of each shank before it's browned. If cooking with veal doesn't sound appetizing to you, substitute the veal shanks with two whole, skinless turkey legs cut at the joints into drumsticks and thighs. Keep reading below for this delicious recipe...

Osso Buco

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

VEAL

• 1/4lb pancetta, diced into 1/4" cubes (don't substitute bacon. Stick with pancetta, or instead use 2 tablespoons vegetable oil)
• 3lbs veal shanks (about 6 pieces 2-3" thick)
• flour for dredging the meat
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, drained

GREMOLATA

• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Set a Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat for about 5 minutes with nothing inside.
2. Add the pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally. Once the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered (about 5 minutes), remove the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and let drain. Set aside. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of fat from the Dutch oven and set aside, leaving the rest in the  pot.
3. Pat the shanks dry, then season the well with salt and pepper. Dredge the veal in flour, shake off any excess, then add the meat to the hot Dutch Oven. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until each side is well browned (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the shanks to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add 1/2 cup of wine to the Dutch oven, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Pour the liquid into a bowl with the shanks. Add the reserved pancetta fat back into the Dutch oven and set back over the heat.
5. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the dutch oven. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes) and toss in the garlic and thyme. Continue cooking until the vegetables just begin to brown (about 10 minutes).
6. Add the shanks (with the liquid from the bowl) and the pancetta back into the pan. Add the bay leaves, diced tomatoes, and wine. Add enough chicken broth so the liquid only just covers the shanks. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer with the lid slightly ajar. Once at a simmer, place the pot in the oven and cook until the meat is easily pierced with a fork, but not falling off the bone (about 2 hours).
7. Just before the veal has finished cooking, prepared the gremolata. Combine the garlic, lemon zest, and parley in a small bowl. Once the veal is done, stir half of the fremolata into the Dutch oven, reserving the rest for garnish. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then let the osso buco stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Make sure to cut off and discard the twine before serving.
8. Enjoy!

Pasta Recipe: Potato Gnocchi

There's something fantastic about gnocchi. It manages to bring together two very heavy ingredients to create a nice, light, delicate pasta. How, though, do we get the pasta to fit that perfect mix of light without being too mushy, and flavorful without being too heavy or rich.

Before boiling the whole batch, test out one or two pieces first to make sure it's the right consistency. If the gnocchi is too mushy, add about another tablespoon of flour to the batch and try again (though be careful to not overknead the dough). To serve, simply toss with your favorite sauce (I've always been a fan of a vodka sauce) or pesto. Keep reading below for our gnocchi recipe...

Potato Gnocchi

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2lbs russet potatoes, washed
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Poke each potato 8 times with a paring knife over the surface. Microwave the potatoes until the ends are softened (10 minutes, flipping halfway through) Bake the potatoes in the oven until tender (a metal skewer should slide easily through them) about 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Hold the potato with a pot holder or kitchen towel, and peel it. Use a potato ricer, food mill, or if all else fails use a masher or blender (though that is not recommended for the best texture) to rice the potatoes into a large bowl. Cool until potatoes are no longer hot (about 15 minutes)
3. Bring 4 quarts of water to a low boil in a large pot with 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir egg into the potato with a fork until just combined. Sprinkle3/4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt over the warm potatoes, then use your hands to work the mixture into a soft, smooth dough. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if the flour is too sticky.
4. Roll about 1/4 of the dough into a long 3/4" thick rope/log. Cut two pieces from the rope about 3/4" long and drop them into the water. Cook until the pieces float then taste to make sure they're at the right consistency. If they are too mushy, add the rope back to the rest of the potatoes and add a little bit more flour. If they are just right, continue cutting the rope into 3/4" pieces and pres each cut piece of dough against the back of a fork to create ridges. 
5. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. Add one third of the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Make sure the water is only a low, gentle boil. Use a slotted spoon to retrieve the gnocchi and transfer to a shallow serving bowl or platter. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.
7. Toss with your favorite sauce or pesto before serving.
8. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Risotto alla Milanese

Milan's signature dish is a creamy, saffron-infused risotto that's been a staple in Italian kitchens for centuries. The recipe's origins are mysterious. During the Middle Ages, the Arabs introduced rice to Italy. Italian cuisine was never the same again. At first, it was a luxury that only the rich could afford, but gradually prices leveled out, and even common families came to embrace the versatility of rice.  

The use of saffron together with short-grained rice traces back to a Venetian dish popular among the Jewish population during the Middle Ages: Riso Sabbath col zafran. Going forward, similar dishes were cited in texts originating from Milan. It's then no surprise that "risotto alla milanese" was the name given to the dish that eventually evolved from the saffron-rice combination. Though plenty of variations on the recipe exist, its core ingredients remain the same: rice, chicken broth, wine, butter, onions, saffron and Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Served with ossobuco (another milanese favorite) or on its own, its a real palate pleaser. 

Risotto alla Milanese

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 8 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. (2 cups) medium- or short-grain Italian rice (arborio or vialone nano are ideal)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups hot homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions: 

 1. Cook chopped onion in two tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Let onions heat for about five minutes, until they give off a strong fragrance and are almost see-through. Then add rice and cook for three more minutes, keeping heat on medium. 

2. Next, add wine, saffron, and two cups of the chicken broth. Turn up heat to high until mixtures begins to simmer; then lower as needed to maintain a steady simmer. 

3. Continue cooking until almost all liquid is absorbed. Stir every two minutes or so. Add remaining broth, one cup at a time, waiting until one cup is mostly absorbed to add another. Keep adding broth (more than six cups total if needed) until rice is al dente but not raw. Stir in parmesan cheese. 

4. Once mixture has reached the consistency you prefer (anything from tight to soupy, depending on your tastes!), take it off the heat. Then stir in six tablespoons of butter and season with salt & pepper. 

5. Buon appetito!

Italian Street Fare: Sicilian Arancini

You’ll find arancini sold as street food throughout the Italian peninsula, but they truly belong to Sicily. These decadent balls of fried rice are known as ‘little oranges’ thanks to their remarkable resemblance to one of the island’s other specialities. Arancini are savory treats that shine as elegant appetizers on the dining room table or as an afternoon snack fresh off a food cart. They’re just plain delicious.

If you want to make your own arancini from scratch, you’ve got to put yourself in a Sicilian mindset. In other words, slow down. Cooking up a batch of these goodies takes patience. This sort of recipe wasn’t made for rushing—you’ll want to dedicate a full afternoon to ensure the arancini meet Sicilian standards. In a way, making arancini is like making two recipes! The first step is to make a risotto. While risotto is a typical northern Italian dish, it’s the base for this southern staple.

Arancini come stuffed with all manner of yummy ingredients: cheese, meat sauce and cheese, ham and cheese, even chocolate! The scrumptious recipe we’re sharing with you today is a meat/cheese combination. You can choose your meat filling to suit your own tastes: we recommend prosciutto, salami, or chopped ham.

Sicilian Arancini
Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter 
3/4 cup finely chopped onion 
1 cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish 
1/3 cup heavy cream 
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (basil, thyme, parsley or chives)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3 eggs 
1/3 cup cubed mozzarella, cheddar, muenster or Swiss cheese 
1/3 cup fully-cooked meat filling (pepperoni, prosciutto, chopped ham, salami, sausage, etc.)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying 
1/2 cup flour 
1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs 
Tomato sauce, as accompaniment

Directions:

1. First make your risotto! In a saucepan bring chicken stock to a simmer. Cover and set aside to keep hot.
2. In another large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is opaque and fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. While continually stirring, begin adding the stock in 1/2 cup increments, allowing the liquid to become completely absorbed between additions. Cook until the rice is just tender and the risotto is creamy, about 20 minutes.
4. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, heavy cream, herbs and salt and pepper and stir to combine well. Transfer to a mixing bowl or baking dish and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (at least one hour!).
5. Once the risotto is cold, remove it from the fridge and stir in 1 of the eggs. Using a large spoon, divide the risotto into approximately 3 tablespoon portions. With your hands, form the portions into balls.
6. Press a hole into the center of each risotto ball and stuff the center with some of the cheese and the meat filling. Press the opening closed and roll the ball between your hands until it is smooth. Set aside while you prepare the other arancini.
7. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry thermometer reads 360 degrees F. Place the flour, remaining 2 eggs and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs. One by one, lightly coat each risotto ball in the flour, then the beaten egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, so that each ball is completely covered.
8. Transfer to a plate or baking sheet until you are ready to fry the arancini. Fry the balls in batches, a few at a time, turning once during cooking so that they are evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper-lined plates to drain briefly, then serve while they’re still hot and gooey. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan on top and add tomato sauce on the side.
9. Buon appetito!

Makes 16 arancini.

Italian Recipe: Caprese Salad

For a wonderful, fresh appetizer, look no further than a simple caprese salad. The salad consists of only a few ingredients including tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Because this recipe is so simple, you are going to want to choose the freshest ingredients possible. To enhance the flavor of the salad, we marinated the mozzarella in a combination of oil, basil, salt and pepper before finally assembling the salad. Keep reading below for this great, simple recipe.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
• 1lb fresh mozzarella sliced thick
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 whole ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Fresh whole basil leaves

Directions

1. Combine the oil and chopped basil in a bowl. Add the mozzarella and season to taste with salt an pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Slice the tomatoes into thick slices and add the tomatoes  to the mozarella. Toss to combine. Transfer the tomatoes and mozzarella to the serving plates. Add whole basil leaves. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Top with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Enjoy!

Spicy Sauce Recipe: Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Pasta

Shrimp fra diavolo is a spicy dish aided with a little sweetness from the shrimp. Ideally it should be a lively, piquant sauce with all the flavors complimenting each other. It absolutely shouldn't be too spicy. The shrimp should also be cooked to perfection, and far too often the process of cooking the shrimp for this dish leaves it too chewy.

To make this dish perfect, we started by browning the shrimp shells, then using them to make a stock. The shrimp itself is then poached in the stock instead of seared on a pan. This made the shrimp nice and plump and delicious. To add heat to the dish, we used pepperocini peppers. To round it off, we flavored the dish with fresh parsley and basil. Keep reading below for this fantastic, devilishly good recipe. 

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Pasta

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 3/4lb large shrimp, peeled, and deveined. Shells reserved
• Salt
• 1 14oz can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want it)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 anchovy fillet, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon minced pepperocini plus 1/2 teaspoon brine from the jar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1lb linguine or thin linguine

Directions

1. Toss the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside. Pour the tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl. Pierce the tomatoes with the edge of a rubber spatula and stir briefly to release the juice. Transfer the drained tomatoes to a small bowl and reserve the juice. Do not wash out the colander. Set a large pot of water on the stove and start boiling for the pasta.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a 10" skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn spotty brown and the skillet starts to brown (1 to 2 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully add the sherry. When the bubbling subsides, return the pan to the heat and simmer until the sherry is reduced to about 2 tablespoons (1 to 2 minutes). Add the reserved tomato juice and lemon juice and simmer to meld the flavors (2 1/2 minutes). Pour the contents of the skillet into the colander set over a bowl. Discard the shells and reserve the liquid. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano in the now-empty skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is straw-colored and fragrant (30 seconds to a minute). Add the anchovy and stir until fragrant (about 15 seconds). Remove from the heat.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water. Add the drained tomatoes and mash with a potato masher until coarsely pureed. Return to the heat and stir in the reserved tomato juice mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the mixture has thickened (about 2 1/2 minutes).
5. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl when the pasta is cooked to al dente. Add the shrimp to the skillet and simmer gently, stirring and turning the shrimp frequently until they are just cooked through (2 to 2 1/2 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the basil, parsley, and pepperocini and brine. Season with salt to taste. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to coat. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
6. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

If you're looking for a great way to serve spaghetti you might not have tried yet, look for Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. Spaghetti alla puttanesca originates in Italy and is a surprisingly recent dish, growing popular in the 1960's. Sugo alla puttanesca is typically a hotter and saltier sauce combined with olives, chilli peppers, and capers. 

For our puttanesca, we started off by cooking our onions, then stirring in the anchovies. From there, we simply added in our spices, some crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, and some red pepper flakes. Cooking was just as simple as letting the sauce reduce down, then we served it over spaghetti al dente. This dish also taste great with a bitter side salad with a vinaigrette. Keep reading below for our favorite recipe...

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 canned anchovies, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons small capers
• 3/4 cup pitted olives, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Dill for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute until soft and translucent (about 4-5 minutes). While the onions are cooking, stir in the anchovies along with some of the oil from the can. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
2. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed tomato, wine or broth, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, and olives. turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti to the water, then add the capers to the sauce. Cook the pasta according to the package to al dente.
4. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle a little oil over the pasta and mix. Stir the parsley into the pasta sauce. Mix the pasta with the sauce, then serve garnished with dill.
5. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Homemade Eggplant Parmesan

Honest-to-goodness Italian comfort food comes in all different varieties, but typically pasta or meat are part of the equation. If you're looking for something lighter-- or you're a vegetarian-- eggplant parmesan is a real winner. All the key components of a hearty & delicious Italian meal are here: parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, basil, olive oil, and tomato sauce. Basing the ingredients around eggplant rather than pasta or meat gives you an extra serving of veggies and leaves you feeling just a little bit less stuffed.

This recipe was a classic in our Italian-American household. My Italian-born Great-Grandmother always had a steaming plate of melanzane alla parmigiana waiting for us on the kitchen table. Make this your go-to recipe when it's Italian comfort food you're after!  

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup grated parmesan
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup packed, fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt. Continue layering and salting all eggplant slices.
Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Dip each eggplant slice in beaten egg, and dredge with breadcrumbs.

2. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. Over medium high heat fry eggplant in 1/4 cup hot oil about 2 minutes per side until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

3. Prepare tomato sauce: Combine tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a 10x15 inch, lightly greased glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.

5. Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

7. Buon appetito!

Makes 4 servings.

Italian Recipe: Panzerotti

Of the many delightful appetizers that hail from the boot, panzerotto is one of our favorites. A mouthful of gooey Italian goodness, these fried pockets of dough are stuffed with all range of ingredients, sweet to savory. Classic fillings include salumi, ham and ricotta, and chopped meat with mozzarella. The options are truly limitless, though. Chocolate, caramel, honey-filled panzerotti? Yes, please. Gruyère and prosciutto? Don't mind if we do. What stays the same is that light, flaky pastry crust. 

Panzerotti are the speciality in Bari, a southern Italian city located on Puglia's coast. If you don't have plans to visit Puglia anytime soon, time to get creative in the kitchen and make your own panzerotti from scratch! With a traditional filling of mozzarella and tomatoes, the following recipe is a real crowd-pleaser: 

Tomato & Mozzarella Stuffed Panzerotti

(makes about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ lb all-purpose flour
• ½ oz fresh yeast
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb whole peeled tomatoes
• ⅝ lb fresh mozzarella cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt and water to create dough. Allow to rise for about 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, cut the peeled tomatoes, squeeze them and leave to drain in a colander. Dice mozzarella; once the tomatoes have drained, add the diced mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Roll out the dough into disks of about 8 inches in diameter and 0.2 inch thick.

3. Fill each disk with the tomato-mozzarella mixture, then fold into half-moon shaped pouches. Folding together the edges to seal the panzerotti.

4. Deep-fry in abundant olive oil. Flip the panzerotti often to prevent them to avoid burning on either side. Wait until the pouches are golden-brown in color. Then transfer to a plate for serving. 

5. Buon appetito! 

Classic Italian Recipe: Pizza Margherita

The draw of the pizza margherita is its simplicity-- the most basic of ingredients, mixed together in just the right proportions, served on an airy, crispy crust. The key is making sure those few ingredients are the freshest and highest quality available. Garden fresh basil and the milkiest mozzarella you can find. If you really want to step things up, go for mozzarella di bufala!  

What's the story behind the name of this classic pizza of neapolitan origin? Back in 1889, Queen Margherita of Savoy paid a visit to Naples, and the pizza-makers at Pizzeria Brandi decided to whip up a patriotic pizza in her honor. Calling on the colors of the Italian flag-- red, green and white-- the pizza was based on the trio of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. While traditional pizzaioli in Italy bake themargherita in wood-brick ovens, you can get away with the ordinary one in your kitchen. You will, however, need a pizza stone in order to really perfect this recipe! If you don't have one, you can actually make your own really simply for just $3! 

Pizza Margherita 

Ingredients:

Dough

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup warm water, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Topping

• 15 ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 basil leaves,  plus more for sprinkling
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella or mozzarella di bufala, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions:

1. Stir together yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. Make sure mixture has creamy appearance before proceeding with other steps. If necessary, start over with new yeast until the right consistency develops.

2. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil. Stir until smooth. Stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour, enough to make the dough a bit slippery and sticky so that it  pulls away from sides of bowl. 

3. On a floured surface, knead the dough until  it reaches a smooth and elastic consistency, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours. Alternatively, you can allow dough to rise in the fridge for a day. Just make sure you bring it back to room temp before you try to shape it. 

4. While dough is rising, pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender until you've created a chunky sauce. 

5. Next, cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly golden. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup. This should take about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.

6. Preheat oven to 500°F at least 45 minutes before you're ready to cook the pizza, and place your pizza stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven).

7. Once dough has risen, shape it without punching it down. Dust it with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch it so it's about 14 inches round, reflouring fingers if necessary.

8. Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.

9. Place the baking sheet (with pizza on it) onto pizza stone in oven. Bake about 15 minutes, until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is bubbling.  Transfer pizza to a cutting board and cool for at least 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves before serving.

10. Buon appetito!

Vegetarian Recipe: Panzanella Salad

We’ve got the perfect recipe for a potluck, barbecue, or picnic: panzanella salad. It’s simple to make, is served at room temperature, and covers a lot of dietary restrictions (it’s vegetarian and dairy-free).

This delicious dish originated in Tuscany, where it has been a staple since the 1600s. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that the dish was tomato-based – it used to be all about the onions! This recipe still calls on onions a bit, but there’s no question that fresh, juicy tomatoes are the star here.

And don't forget -- the bread is key in this salad. Fresh bread might be too fragile for the salad, which is why day-old, stale bread that is nice and crunchy is perfect for soaking up the vinaigrette. 

Panzanella Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cups yellow grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 4 cups day-old crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned (fresh or roasted)
• 1 hothouse cucumber, skinned and seeded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn into little pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle them with about 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss everything together until the bread is evenly coated.
3. Lightly grease a baking sheet and put the cubes onto the sheet. Bake them for about 7-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Then, set them aside to cool. 
4. In a large bowl, add the bread, tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and basil. In a smaller, separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. Then, add this oil mixture to the large bowl and toss evenly. Salt and pepper again to taste.
5. Let everything marinate, covered, for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
6. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Saltimbocca alla Romana

For a fantastic, simple Italian dish, look no further than a great saltimbocca alla romana. Saltimbocca mean "jump in the mouth" in Itallian, and considering the flavor packed into the dish, it's no wonder. Saltimbocca is a veal cutlet with prosciutto and sage and cooked in white wine and butter. The combination of flavors results in a slightly salty, slightly woodsy dish with a note-perfect sauce to serve next to it.

There are two methods for saltimbocca: rolling it up like a rouladen, or cooking it flat. The result of cooking it flat is a slightly dryer prosciutto that we loved. We added two sage leaves under the prosciutto to flavor both pieces of meat while it cooked. After cooking the meat, we move the veal to the side and added butter and wine to the pan, scraping up the fond and letting the liquid simmer into a nice, sweet, glossy sauce. Keep reading below for this excellent recipe...

Saltimbocca alla Romana

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 5oz sliced veal cutlets (scallopini)
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 slices prosciutto
• flour for dredging
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock

Directions

1. Place the veal cutlets side by side on a sheet of plastic wrap. Lay two sage leaves on top of each cutlet, then lay a piece of prosciutto on top of each cutlet. Gently flatten the cutlets with a mallet or rolling pin until the pieces are about 1/4" thick and the prosciutto adheres to the veal.
2. Remove the plastic wrap and weave a toothpick in and out of the veal, making sure to secure the prosciutto and sage.  Place flour in a shallow platter and season with salt and pepper. Mix with a fork to combine. Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Put the veal in the pan, prosciutto-side down. Cook for 3 minutes to crisp it up, then flip and saute the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the saltimbocca to a serving platter, remove the toothpicks, and keep warm.
4. Add the wine to the pan, stirring and scraping off the fond from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook down for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken broth and remaining tablespoon of butter. Swirl the pan around, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half (about 3 minutes). Return the meat to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly (about 1 to 2 minutes). Serve.
5. Enjoy!