Spinach Pasta (pasta verde)

Ingredients 

4 ounces fresh spinach

3 and 1/4 cup a.p. Flour

1 egg and 3 egg yolks

Water

Directions 

Add spinach to boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes, remove and squeeze out all water

Add to food processor and purée

Add flour, egg, egg yolks and enough water to form a ball, once it’s not sticking to sides and forms ball it’s ready, only takes a few seconds.

Set in baggie on counter to rest 30 minutes.

Cut into 8 pieces and use a pasta machine to roll out as follows: 

#1 roll through 3 times forming a rectangle by folding in between each time

Continue 1 time each setting until you get to setting #6

Cut into desired lengths 

Place on lightly floured counter to dry out 30 minutes

Set up a pot of salty boiling water,  an ice bath in large bowl and lots of paper towels next to each other 

Parboil 2 sheets at a time 20 seconds then ice bath then on paper towels 

Once dried off with towels place between sheets of parchment and seal place  in fridge over night or freeze

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Lasagna alla Bolognese

 This is the big Daddy of all lasagnas usually served around the holidays and is usually made with fresh spinach pasta ( pasta verde) I like to make my bolognese sauce days ahead and freeze it. Then I make the pasta the day ahead and parboil and keep in the fridge. The day of all I have to do is make the bechamel, grate the parmigiana and assemble to bake! Of course you can use regular pasta or even regular fresh pasta but I can’t promise you won’t be haunted by all the Nonni rolling over in their graves😂

Ingredients

1 large pot bolognese 

1 pot bechamel 

1 recipe spinach pasta

2 cups parmigiana grated

Directions

Make bolognese a few days or even weeks ahead (freeze it if doing way ahead)

Make pasta sheets a day ahead no more than 24 hours

Grate cheese

Make bechamel right before cooking

In a 9 by 13 pan spread sauce to cover

Cover with lasagna sheets over lapping 

Add more sauce, then bechamel and sprinkle cheese

Repeat until almost no more sauce is left (you’ll need some for the topping)

Finish top layer with pasta, sauce and Parmesan

Cover with foil and bake 350 for 35-40 minutes until bubbly, remove foil and cook u see broiler to brown but keep the oven door open to watch very carefully!

Rest the lasagna for 10-15 minutes before cutting!

Thanksgiving 2013 Paella Feast!

~The tavola all set with a nice Spanish wine~

~The Paella!~

~Our amica Jessica!~

~Our son Ryan takes his Paella very seriously.~

Proof that the food was good : )

My Big Fat Italian Family Reunion!

Big Italian Family Dinner!
Here is the menu my sisters and I have worked out for our Casolaro Sisters Family Reunion Weekend being held at my home!

Friday: This will be very casual as different people will be arriving at different times. I am making a huge bowl of Pasta Aglia Olio, some Italian Bread, and salad.

Saturday: This will be our sit down dinner in the evening. We are having this meal in courses:
Primo: Antipasto consisting of an assortment of cheeses, meats, olives, and preserved vegetables and with this we will also have a big green salad with a simple vinaigrette.
Secondo: Neapolitan Meatballs, Gnocchi, and Italian Bread.
Dolci: Nona Cornacchio's Biscotti, Cannoli, and  Espresso
Digestivo: Limoncello & Amaretto
Wine: Bolla Valpolicella
Other Beverages: San Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water

Sunday: This will be on 4th of July so we will be having a casual barbecue Italian/American Style!
Sausage & Peppers on Hoagie Buns, Pesto Macaroni Salad, and for dessert Chocolate Nutella 4 layer cake with ice-cream! And for our drinks I found San Pellegrino Italian Sodas at Costco!