Cuisine: Italian
Mushroom Risotto with Peas & Spinach
I often make Mushroom Risotto, but this time, I added peas and spinach at the very end. I actually made it in the Instant Pot, which is super easy and doesn't involve all the stirring. I included both instructions if you want to make it on the stovetop.
By - Prep: 10 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Sicilian Meat Roll
My mother gave me a handwritten recipe book in 1981 with family favorites. I opened it the other day and saw this recipe for Sicilian Meat Roll. It's basically Italian meatloaf. Personally, I am not a fan of meatloaf, but I made it for my father. It turned out really delicious. It definitely needs to be served with some marinara sauce. It's ground beef rolled up with ham, though I used prosciutto, and mozzarella.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 1 hrs 15 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Nonna’s Farfalle alla Frank Sinatra
In the March issue of LA CUCCINA ITALIANA there was a feature of recipes that were inspired by the grandmother's of the staff. This recipe for Farfalle alla Frank Sinatra belongs to the mother-in-law of one of the food stylists. There is no explanation about why Frank Sinatra is involved! Anyway, I was intrigued by the technique of stewing green onions, which is a revelation. I will definitely be doing that again.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Ravioli Casserole
This Ravioli Casserole is my "lazy" lasagna. It's a combination of ground beef, cheese, pasta sauce and cheese ravioli. I have also made Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Casserole, which is also quick and easy to make. This is perfect for a family weeknight meal.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Tuscan-Style Roasted Asparagus
As we are approaching asparagus season, I made this Tuscan-Style Roasted Asparagus, which has pinenuts, lemon, finished off with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Asparagus is low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Eating asparagus can potentially help with weight loss, improved digestion, healthy pregnancy outcomes and lower blood pressure.
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie
My brother David made this Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie for dinner and said it was awesome and ridiculously easy to make. It's a recipe by MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, Salon, that is Inspired by David Leibovitz and Food & Wine. I know, it's a lot of tags, but if you are interested, read on!
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 40 mins
- Yields: 6 - 8 Servings
Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
My friends Jennifer and Heather reminded me of Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter recipe. It’s one of the simplest, sweetest most delicious tomato sauces. It takes only 5 minutes to prep and then simmers on the stovetop. She recommends using it on gnocchi, spaghetti, penne or rigatoni.
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 55 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Arancini
I have never been a fan of leftovers. However, I do like to turn leftovers into a completely new dish. These Arancini are a perfect example.
Arancini are the epitome of southern Italian street food. They are stuffed with mozzarella, dredged in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. They are great as hors d'oeuvres dipped or served on a bed of lettuce as a light lunch.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: Makes about 12 balls
Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style
Marcella Hazan's cookbooks are wonderful and are credited with introducing the traditional techniques of Italian Cooking to the US and the UK. I stumbled upon this recipe for Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style. I love risotto and have made it over the years using the traditional endless stirring technique, the oven method, and actually in an Instant Pot. If you want to hang out in the kitchen while drinking wine and do it the traditional way (that is, when my husband does the stirring!), it can be quite cathartic. Typically, I make mushroom or butternut squash, but this risotto has a small amount of ground beef. It's really delicious. The red wine/beef combination marries surprisingly well with the creamy Arborio rice. The sage and rosemary really deliver on the flavor front and take the whole thing to a new level. Alba in Italy is known around the world for its Barolo and Barbaresco wines and is situated in the northern Piedmont region.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 1 hrs
- Yields: 6 Servings
Muffuletta Sandwich
moof-fuh-LEHT-tuh or moo-foo-LE-ta
There is this place called Roma’s Market in Pasadena, California owned by Rosario Mazzeo. He is famous for The Sandwich. This wonderful sandwich is wrapped in pink butcher paper, and is simple:
crusty bread made by a Sicilian baker, a drizzle of good olive oil, a couple of slices each of capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone. It’s very plain, but utter perfection in its simplicity. We often pick them up for lunch.
The other day my husband bought a jar of Muffuletta Italian Mix. We came home and I suddenly had an epiphany - why not convert The Sandwich to a Muffuletta!? I have included a recipe from scratch, though you could go to your local Italian deli/market and buy a similar sandwich...
Napoleon House is where my aunt Marjorie and Uncle Bob, who was a political science professor at Tulane, took me for my first Muffuletta. The Napoleon House muffuletta is considered by many to be the "other" definitive version, different from most others in that it's heated. I personally prefer my muffulettas cold, but that said, they do an excellent sandwich here. Don't forget to order their signature drink, the Pimm's Cup, while you're waiting for your muff to arrive.
The Story...
Muffuletta sandwiches can be found all over New Orleans. It is a Sicilian sandwich that consists of a round loaf of bread (about 10 inches across) filled with Italian salami, olive salad, cheese, Italian ham, and freshly minced garlic. The key ingredient is the olive salad. A true Muffuletta Sandwich must always be served at room temperature, never toasted; it is considered blasphemy to heat the sandwich.
The Italian Market, the Central Grocery on Decatur Street, claims to have invented this sandwich in 1906. Italian immigrant, Signor Lupo Salvatore, owner of the Central Grocery, started making the sandwiches for the men who worked the nearby wharves and produce stalls of the French Market. Most of the farmers who sold their produce there were Sicilian. Every day they used to come to my father's grocery for lunch. They would order some salami, some ham, a piece of cheese, a little olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or round muffuletta bread. In typical Sicilian fashion, they ate everything separately. The farmers used to sit on crates or barrels and try to eat while precariously balancing their small trays covered with food on their knees. My father suggested that it would be easier for the farmers if he cut the bread and put everything on it like a sandwich; even if it was not typical Sicilian fashion.
