Cacio e Pepe

My kids grew up on this stuff and so did I. I add egg yolks like Cacio e Pepe’s cousin carbonara to make it creamier since parmigiana doesn’t tend to cream up as good as Percorino which is in a true Cacio e Pepe. It’s essentially Italian Mac n cheese and is perfect for a quick meal! 

Ingredients 

Spaghetti (enough for 4)

2 egg yolks

1 cup Grated Parmigiana Reggiani (if it’s not the real thing from Reggiani it won’t turn into a cream but will get gummy) plus more for topping 

Salt for pasta water

Cracked black pepper 

Olive oil 

Directions

Bring water to boil and salt when it boils  add spaghetti cooking for 11 minutes (package directions for Aldente)

While it comes to a boil grate cheese in a large bowl and add lots of fresh black pepper and egg yolks and beat.

Once you add the spaghetti scoop out the water only by the tablespoons and add water and beat quickly so the eggs won’t cook! Continue doing so until it is a creamy sauce.

Drain spaghetti and add to sauce and toss and toss with two forks or tongs.

Add fresh grated Parmesan and a little olive oil to top and serve with bread  🥖 to scoop up excess sauce called Scarpetta in Italian 😋 

Nonna Cornnaccio's Onion Whole Wheat Pizza

Ingredients
Dough: 2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1 1/4 cups warm water

 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

1 pound sweet onions

oregano

salt and pepper

1/4 - 1/3 cup white wine

2-3  cups mozzarella shredded 

Directions
In a kitchen  Aid  mix flour, salt, and yeast with the kneading hook on mix on 2 a few times.
Add  1 cup of the warm (not hot or cold) water and olive oil and mix until forms a ball. If its too dry add the 1/4 cup of water.  Once a ball forms knead for 10 minutes.
Add a bit more oil to coat ball and cover with plastic for 2- 3  hours.
Meanwhile, cut onions in to half rings kind of thickish. 
Heat up oil and butter and cook onions and oregano  (Do not add salt until end or else they won't brown) on medium high-high heat until caramelized.
Add wine and salt and pepper and cook down a few minutes until you no longer smell the wine in the steam coming off. Remove from heat and set aside until ready for use.

Place a stone on the middle rack. 
Preheat oven to highest setting.

 Press out 2 pizza doughs on 2 pieces of parchment on top of pizza pans or bottom side of sheet pans or a pizza paddle.

Place the onions on top and add mozzarella.

Slip the parchment with the pizza on to the stone . 

Bake 6 minutes and remove parchment.

Bake until golden brown maybe 2-4 more minutes.

White Beans and Tomatoes

 

Fresh Tomatoes

Tomato Sauce

This is one of those super fast and super simple meals from La Povera Cucina (The poor kitchen) that will blow your mind at just how good it is! In the first photo I used fresh small tomatoes in the second photo I used my tomato sauce recipe. We eat this when I don't want to cook but want something that feels like a homecooked meal.

Ingredients

Cannellini Beans 1 can rinsed/drained or 2 cups (canned or precooked)

1& 1/2 pounds fresh small-ish tomatoes (small plum, cherry, sweetie, gold nugget, grape etc..) ~OR~1 cup prepared tomato sauce 

fresh basil 

olive oil

salt & pepper

For Fresh Tomato Recipe:1 garlic clove minced and 1/4 cup white wine

Soft Melty White Cheese to serve on top (Feta, Burrata, Gorgonzola ,Fontina, etc...)

Fresh tomatoes: Heat olive oil in skillet add garlic and soften on medium low heat (don't burn or brown), as soon as it softens add wine cook 1 minute then add tomatoes and bring to a low simmer, cover and allow to cook down a few minutes. Once they are cooked down and very soft use a potato or meat masher to mash tomatoes. Cook a few minutes without the lid. You can remove any skins that are not attached to tomatoes using a tong if you like but this step is not necessary. Add beans salt and pepper to taste and cook for a few more minutes. 

Remove from heat add chopped basil & cheese. Stir to melt in.

Serve over toasted Italian Bread that was rubbed with garlic, salted and drizzled with olive oil yummy!

Tomato Sauce: Heat a little olive oil with sauce, then add beans and cook on low simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat add chopped basil & cheese. Stir to melt in.

Serve over toasted Italian Bread that was rubbed with garlic, salted and drizzled with olive oil yummy!

Neapolitan Stuffed Peppers (Nonna Flora's Recipe)

~My Nonna Flora with my Dad  in the front, he can probably smell the peppers cooking!

This is my family's recipe, the same peppers my Father's Mother, my Nonna Flora Casolaro, used to make for him when he was growing up in Naples, Italy. These stuffed peppers are quintessentially Italian: simple but  good and you find yourself asking, how can such simple ingredients taste so good? Well..... it is just that in fact.......sticking to simple but good ingredients--at their peak-- and then allowing the ingredients to sing for themselves. I would say these peppers are singing a scene from the Neapolitan Opera Buffa La Serva Padrona!

Ingredients
4 Yellow or Red Sweet Bell Peppers
1 egg beaten
4 thin slices of Prosciutto chopped into bits
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs for filling & a little more to sprinkle on top
4 whole basil leaves
olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Clean peppers, cut off tops, and scoop out seeds and ribs using a spoon leaving the peppers whole. Set tops aside.
Mix all the above ingredients (except the basil) adding enough oil to moisten. You want a light filling not mushy and compact.
Line the peppers up on a lightly olive oiled pan and drizzle some oil in each pepper.
Stuff each pepper without compacting tightly, add a whole basil leaf to each one pressing down inside the filling, sprinkle a few more crumbs on top and drizzle on more olive oil. Replace the lids.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Fig Pizza

Figs and cheese? Why yes its delizioso! This is recipe is based on one of my favorite summer time fruits combined with one of my favorite year-round pastimes....baking and eating pizza ; )
Ingredients
1 pizza dough
4-6 ounces goat cheese
1 large onion sliced and sauteed in olive oil until caramelized
olive oil
sea salt
about a dozen fresh figs
1 rosemary sprig
Directions
Preheat stone in oven on bottom or depending one oven on the next to bottom rack at 550.
Place parchment on a sheet pan or flat pizza pan.
Roll out dough on to parchment covered pan as large and thin as possible.
Drizzle olive oil all over, just a little : )
Add half of the rosemary sprig leaves chopped fine, just a little!
When adding toppings leave a large edge as we will fold it over slightly.
Add the goat cheese in chunks evenly all over.
Add the onions.
Cut the figs in half and add the figs  open side up.
Grind a little seas salt all over.
Fold the edges over slightly covering the toppings.
Bake7 minutes or until set enough to remove parchment , remove parchment.
Continue baking until starting to golden brown on cheese about 5-8 minutes more.
Add the other half of the sprig on top for looks and to release the oils and aroma!

Crockpot Meatballs and Red Sauce (Ragu)

This recipe is perfect for hot summer days when you don't want to heat up your cucina simmering, sauteing, and frying! This recipe will not be as thick as regular sauce and the meatballs won't have that crispy skin BUT the ease of making these and moisture you can only obtain from crock pot cooking will make up for it..... I promise. Plus I have a little trick for thickening up this sauce pretty well even in a crock pot : )

All my ingredients ready for the crock pot!

 Ingredients
Sauce: 
Three 28 ounce cans crushed Italian Plum tomatoes (Marzano) *see note below
4.6 ounces tomato paste (1 can or tube)
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/3 cup golden raisins soaked in 1/2 cup white or red dry wine (remove and reserve the raisins for the meatballs)
olive oil (enough to coat bottom of crockpot
1 teaspoon sea salt and a small amount of black pepper
a few fresh basil leaves
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Meatballs:

2 pounds ground meat (half pork half beef or half turkey etc...)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove minced
olive oil to moisten
1 teaspoon salt and a little black pepper
a pinch or more red pepper flakes (to your taste)

My secret for thickening sauce in crockpot

The reserved 1/3 cup golden raisins
1-2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 
1/4 - 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (Or for GF replace with same amount of finely grated Parmesan cheese)
1 egg beaten
Directions
Important!: Add oil, garlic, and onion to the crock pot and heat on high with the lid while you prepare the meatballs.
Meanwhile,heat up the wine in microwave for 1 minute, add raisins and allow to soak.
Mix meat, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs,minced garlic, chopped parsley, pine nuts, fennel seeds, redpepper, salt and pepper and stir well.
Add egg, olive oil, and raisins mixing well with hands.
Now add tomatoes (see note below), wine, tomato paste, basil, and oregano to crock pot and stir.

I usually make the meatballs as I add them to the sauce one at  time. I like them bigger for this recipe because they seem to hold together better.
Now very very gently push the meat balls down to cover with the sauce.
Cover turn down to low and cook for several hours.
* If the tomatoes are whole you can crush them in the cans with an immersion blender or add to crock pot and use an immersion blender in the crock pot before adding meatballs or blend in a blender for a quick few seconds or crush by hand but try not too not over blend.
  *You can also add the rind of the Parmesan you used to add more flavor.

Easy & Fast Roasted Pork Tenderloin!

 
This is so EASY and so Fast its ridiculous! You can easily double or even quadruple if you have a large enough pan. The hint is to use an oven proof pan so you only have 1 pan to clean in the end. And serving it Italian Style on top of a bed of greens it makes a complete meal La Buona Cucina!

Ingredients
No salt seasoning I used Costco brand (enough to rub in and cover both sides of the pork)
pork tenderloin
salt
olive oil
1 cup  or so of dry white wine
a fresh rosemary sprig if you have it
Directions


About a half hour before cooking (or you can do this literally just before cooking) rub the seasoning with some salt and olive oil all over the pork both sides right in the pan and allow to sir on counter top to come to room temp.
Preheat oven to 425
Heat up stove top to medium and place the pan on to brown both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, its ready to flip when it easily pulls away from pan. Do not have too high of heat you just want a seal to the meat.
Now add 1/2 cup wine and allow it to boil  just for a few seconds and place in oven.
Cook until it reaches a temp of 145 (medium rare) - 155 (well done) this takes about 10-15 minutes.
Allow it to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
 Note: take temp in middle and that will be the rarest section noting that the end pieces will be more well done. I always go for a temp of 145 so the middle is medium rare and the ends are well done, something for everyone.
Place the pork right on top of salad greens in a platter with the Rosemary sprig on top.
Easy Reduction Sauce: In the very same pan with all the good bits stuck to bottom (aka favor) add 1/2  wine and 1/2 cup water cooking on top of stove high heat scraping the bottom and whirling around until reduced. You can also add a tab of butter before the wine and this will make a more lush sauce. Note to self : ) Use oven mit for handle!
Serve Italian Style right on top of a plate greens using the sauce and the heat of the pork to both flavor and soften the greens underneath......Delizioso!

Pastiera (Neapolitan Easter Wheat Cheescake Pie)

This is a Neapolitan Easter Pie. It usually contains citron but I prefer to make it with lemon and orange zest. I used to make this for my daddy who was from Naples, Italy and he approved. Think of it as a  Mediterranean flavored Cheesecake! 

Ingredients/Tools

9 inch cake pan or cheesecake/springform pan

9 ounces Cooked Wheat Berries (cook 9 ounces raw wheat berries in water until soft 30-60 minutes covered)

1/4 cup half n half)

1 stip lemon peel

OR

One 14 ounce jar Grano Cotto  (Only use 3/4 of jar)

Pastry Dough

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

pinch salt

1/2 cup sugar

5 ounces butter

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

ice cold water (if too dry- adding 1 tablespoon at a time)

2 teaspoons lemon zest 

Filling

16 ounces ricotta whole milk (drained a few hours in paper towels in fridge)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

zest 1 large lemon

zest 1 large orange

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice or orange flower water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Dough: Mix dry ingredients then add chopped or grated butter until crumbly, add eggs and mix by hand until a dough forms adding ice water a little at a time until it sticks together when  mushed in hands. Place in plastic in fridge.

Filling: Beat ricotta and sugar, add cinnamon and zests and mix together. Add eggs and orange blossom or juice. Add in cooled off Wheat Berries Mixture and mix togther.

Crust & Pie: Butter the pan, Separate dough by setting 3/4 aside for crust and 1/4 aside to cut into strips for the lattice. Roll out Dough and place in pan bringing it up the sides and crimping  Pour in mixture. Add lattice dough strips on top. 

Bake: Bake 50-60 minutes at 375

Set in fridge covered over night.

Dust powdered sugar on top just before serving!

serving!

Chantilly Cream Cake

This cake is like having a little slice of heavenly bliss on your plate. I dream about this cake, it's that good.This is very similar to the Whole Foods Chantilly Cream Cake and was my inspiration. Enough said and on with the recipe!
 Cake (It's basically a yellow sponge cake)
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Layers
Apricot preserves
Seedless raspberry preserves
Frosting
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
16 ounces cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar
Topping
fresh berries

Directions (Cake)
Grease well two 8 inch round cake pans. I line mine with parchment as well.

Preheat oven 350.

 Cream the butter and sugar until creamy.
Add in egg yokes 1 at a time.
Mix flour, corn starch, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
With mixer on add milk and flour mixture alternately.
Pour in pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Cool on rack for 15 minutes.
Remove from pans and complete cooling.
Make frosting by whipping the cream until fluffy and soft peaks form, about 1 minute, and set aside.
Cream the cream cheese and sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy.
Fold the cream and cream cheese mixture together until blended.

Zucchini & Eggs

My Grandma Lucy Casolaro DeMaria, 

This is from Depression Era Italian American kitchens. In Italy they call these simple dishes Povera Cucina. This recipe is adapted from My Grandma Lucy's  Zucchini & Eggs with Pasta for my low carb lifestyle. My Grandma Lucy was a feisty fun lady who felt more like a fun aunt than a grandmother : ) She was my Mother's step Mom and my Dad's cousin....so I was double related to her!
My Grandma Lucy would have told you that the secret to this simple peasant dish is too keep the eggs slightly under-cooked and a bit liquidy so that when you add the Parmesan it becomes almost sauce like!
Ingredients
1 1/2 zucchini per person
1-2 eggs per person
1 garlic clove minced
 olive oil
fresh or dried thyme
salt & pepper
lots of freshly grated Parmesan!
Directions
Slice the zucchini
Heat olive oil and saute zucchini until soft, add sat and pepper
Beat eggs with salt to taste in a dish and pour over zucchini tossing until just cooked but still slightly liquidy!
Remove from heat immediately (eggs still being slightly under cooked) and add a lot of Parmesan and stir to form a sauce like consistency.
Serve with a good hearty bread if not eating low carb : )