Primo ( Pasta, Soup or Rice Dishes)

For the pasta:

• To prepare the chard, pull the leaves from the ribs. Roughly chop the leaves and set aside. Cut off and discard the very ends of the ribs and slice the ribs 1/4 inch thick.

  Heat the olive oil in a large sauté  pan over medium- high heat until it is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chard ribs, season with salt, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until barely translucent. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles, and season with salt. Sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes, adding water to the pan (as much as 1 cup total), stirring often to prevent the vegetables browning. (You add water to the pan so you can sauté and sweat the onion without browning it, but you never want the onion swimming in water—just enough so the pan isn’t dry.) Add the chard leaves, season with salt, and fold the leaves in with the onion for 1 or 2 minutes to wilt them slightly. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the chard leaves are very dark green and the onion, leaves, and stems are one soft, homogenous mixture. Turn the vegetables out onto a cutting board and chop, cutting first in one direction and then perpendicular to the first direction, until the vegetables are finely chopped to the point of being almost pureed. Measure out a heaping 1/4 cup of the vegetables for the pasta dish. Use the rest as an excuse to prepare this dish again in the very near future, or spoon a heaping spoonful under a piece of grilled fish, topped with a spoonful of Salsa Verde. 

For the sauce:

• To make the sauce, heat a sauté  pan over high heat for about 2 minutes until it’s very hot. Add the sausage to the pan and cook it undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the meat is seared. Stir the meat and cook for another 4 minutes, breaking it into pea- size pieces, until it is cooked through. Add the chopped chard and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to warm it through, stirring the chard into the sausage as it cooks. Sprinkle the pepper over the chard and sausage, add the chicken stock, and cook the sauce for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to bring the ingredients together. Add the butter, stir until it melts, and turn off the heat while you cook the pasta. 

  Fill a pasta pot or large stockpot with 6 quarts of water, add 6 tablespoons of salt, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. If you are not using a pasta pot, place a colander in the sink or have a large wire strainer handy to lift the pasta out of the pot.

  Remove the orecchiette from the refrigerator or the freezer and drop them into the boiling water. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together, partially cover the pot so the water returns to a boil quickly and continues boiling, and cook the pasta until it’s al dente, about 2 minutes. About 1 minute before the pasta is done, place the sauce over high heat. Lift the pasta out of the cooking water or drain it and immediately add it to the pan with the sauce. Cook the pasta with the sauce together for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the sauce is thick, adding fresh water to the pan if the pasta looks dry or sticky instead of slippery and glistening. Turn off the heat and add the finishing-quality olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fennel pollen, stirring vigorously and shaking the pan to emulsify the sauce. Pile the orecchiette in the center of each of eight plates, dividing it evenly, and spoon any sauce left in the pan over the pasta. Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of bread crumbs over each serving, and serve with the remaining bread crumbs on the side.

• In a large soup pot over medium / low heat, melt Butter.

  Add Rosemary sprigs, Crushed Red Pepper, Shallots,Carrots and Celery. Cook until Veggies are softened.

  Add Garlic and a generous pinch of Salt. Stir and let cook about 5-7 minutes.

  Fish out sprigs of Rosemary & discard.

  Add Cannellini Beans, Lemon Juice, Chicken Stock & another pinch of Salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Let simmer about 20-25 minutes.

  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.

  Add Great Norther Beans & Kale. Stir.

  Let simmer uncovered about 15 minutes until liquid has cooked down a bit & soup has thickened slightly.

  Add another pinch of Salt and freshly Ground Black Pepper.

   

   

  Serve with warm crusty bread!

   

   

   

  Enjoy!!!

   

   

  Buon Appetito e Mangia Bene!

• * Boil Orzo Pasta – ( do not throw out Pasta water ) 

   

  In a skillet over medium / low heat, melt 1 Tbsp Butter and add Pancetta.

  Cook Pancetta until brown and crispy, remove and set aside.

  In same Skillet,  add 2 more tbsp Butter, Shallots and Sage, stir and let soften.

  Add Garlic, a pinch of Salt & let cook until fragrant.

  Add Spinach, stir & let cook down.

  Lower heat to lowest setting.

  Using a hand-held strainer, remove Pasta from boiling water and add straight into to the skillet.

  Stir in Mascarpone Cheese & Pasta Water. 

  Toss with Pancetta & Fresh Parsley…serve!

   Enjoy!!!

  Buon Appetito e Mangia Bene!

• Prepare your Ingredients:

   

  In a bowl, empty can of Tomatoes. 

  Add only a small pinch of Salt – but not too much. ( Capers and Anchovies are already very salty )

  Add a generous pinch of Black Pepper or as much as you like!

  Using a potato masher or your hands, crush Tomatoes inside bowl -to create a sauce.

  Set aside.

   

  Capers: Rinse Capers under cold water to remove some of their saltiness. Set side.

   

  Kalamata Olives: Crushed with hands / fingers. Set aside.

   

   

   

   For Sauce:

   

   In a skillet over low heat, add Olive oil.

  Stir in Anchovy Paste and cook on low until paste has melted into the oil.

  Add Garlic, stir and let saute’ until fragrant.

  Add Capers, stir and let saute’ about 2-3 minutes

  Using your hands, crush Kalamata Olives and add to the skillet.Let saute’ another 2-3 minutes.

  Add 1 Tbsp fresh Parsley

  Add Crushed Tomatoes and Crushed Red pepper flakes ( to taste ) to skillet, stir and let simmer on low about 10 -12 minutes, stirring often.

  Remove Spaghetti noodles from pot using a hand-held strainer &add straight into the skillet with the sauce. Toss with tongs until well combined and let cook about another 2-3 minutes. Sauce will thicken upon standing.

  Garnish with fresh Parsley and more Crushed Red Pepper &serve. 

• DIRECTIONS:

   

  1. Cut Ciabatta Rolls in half, and spray insides with Cooking Oil Spray.

   

  2. In skillet over medium heat, add all halves of Ciabatta Bread,face down, and toast until warm, slightly golden in color, but still soft.Remove and set aside.

   

  3. In the same skillet over medium heat, add Butter & saute’Onions, Bell Peppers, Herbs,  a generous pinch of Salt & Black Pepper. Let cook until veggies are soft. Remove and layer on top half of Ciabatta Roll.

   

  4. In the same skillet over medium heat, add 4 whisked Eggs, pinch of Salt & Black Pepper & let cook.

  *Try to keep the Eggs together -in one large piece while cooking& flipping. This will make the Sandwich easier to eat.

   

  5. Once Eggs are cooked, using a spatula, divide the large scramble in half.

   

  6. Layer half of the Eggs on the bottom half of one Ciabatta Roll& repeat for the other roll.

   

  7. Carefully combine your Sandwich halves together & Serve!

   

   

   

   Enjoy!!!

   

   

   

  Buon Appetito e Mangia Bene!

Roasted Garlic

• Take a full bulb with the shell on and cut the top off exposing the garlic tops

  Place in foil and place a generous amount of olive oil over and in the garlic bulb

  Wrap the foil nice and tight and place in a oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 min

  Unwrap foil and de construct the garlic to get the brown garlic out of its shell

Alfredo Sauce

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

  In a big saucepan melt the butter, heavy cream, cream cheese, roasted garlic, salt and pepper over low heat.

  Then stir in both cheeses until melted; this will thicken the sauce. Add little amounts at a time.

  Turn heat off and using an immersion blender to mix the sauce thoroughly for 1-2 minutes

  In a separate serving bowl place a small amount of sauce to the bowl and add in small amounts of pasta then more sauce at a time to mix it all together

• Boil Gemelli Pasta in salted water until al dente. Do Not Drain 

   

  In a large pan over medium / low heat, add Olive Oil and Oil from Tomatoes.

  Add Thyme, 1 Tbsp. Parsley and Onions, cook until onions begin to soften.

  Add Garlic and Pinch of Salt. Stir and allow to cook about 5 -6 minutes.

  Add Sun-dried Tomatoes, stir and let cook another 2-3 minutes.

  Add White Wine, stir and allow to simmer until the smell of alcohol has diminished.

  Stir in Tomato Paste, Pinch of Salt & Black Pepper

  Allow to simmer on low heat about 6-8 minutes, stirring often.

  Using a strainer ladle, remove Pasta from water and add into pan with Sauce.

  Add 1/2 Cup Pasta Water to sauce, stir to coat all Pasta noodles.

   Remove from heat and mix in Asiago Cheese & 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley.

   

   

  Serve & Enjoy!!!!

• For the Meatballs:

   

  In a bowl, combine Ground Turkey, Garlic Powder, Parsley,  Egg White,Bread Crumbs, 1 Tsp Salt & 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper.

  Using your hands, mash and mix up all ingredients until well combined.

  Taking very small portions of the mixture, roll between hands to form balls.

  Balls should be about 1.5 Tbsp in size

  Set Aside

   

   

   

   

   

  For the Soup:

   

  In a large pot over medium heat, add Olive oil.

  Add Meat balls in hot oil to quickly brown all sides.

  Once all Meatballs are browned, remove from pot and set aside.

  Add another 1 Tbsp to the same pot the meat was browned in.

  Add Crushed Red Pepper, Onions, Celery, Dill & 1 Tbsp Parsley.Stir and let cook until softened.

  Add Garlic & Carrots  and cook about 5- 7 minutes 

  Add Chicken Stock, few pinches of Salt & Black Pepper &bring to a boil.

  Carefully add Meatballs back into pot of Stock, Tubetti Pasta and stir in Spinach.

  Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer about 30 minutes.

   

  Serve and top with shaved Parmesan Cheese

   

   

   Enjoy!!!

   

   

   

  Buon Appetito e Mangia Bene!

• Directions:

  Boil Pasta in salted Water.

  Remove with a strainer ladle and place in large serving bowl /dish.

  Add all remaining ingredients to hot pasta & toss.

   

   

   

   

  ENJOY!!

  Buon Appetito e Mangia Bene!