Zucchini Lasagna

This is a perfect recipe for using up all of those zucchini in  your summer garden! And no need to make a beschamel, you just mix the flour and milk into the veggies on the stove top!

2.5 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons flour

1.5 cups parmesan

1 cup cheddar cheese (white or regular or some other cheese you prefer)

salt and pepper to taste

1 box no boil lasagna noodle 

3-4 zucchini shredded

1 leek chopped

2 carrots shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup white wine

Saute the veggies in olive oil and butter until soft.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Add wine and cook out alcohol for a few minutes.

Mix milk with flour and whisk.

Add to veggies and cook until thickens up a bit. Taste for more salt and pepper. Make sure it’s not too thick like regular bechamel as the dry noodles need some extra moisture.

Layers: Sauce-noodle-cheese I rotate the cheeses between layers. Continue until last layer adding sauce and a little bit of cheese to top.

Bake uncovered 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brow. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

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 : )

Neapolitan Ragù (Ragù alla Napoletana)

Ragù means meat sauce in Italian and the Neapolitan Ragù is one of the most famous in all of Italy! The other is the Bolognese Sauce with the main difference being that the Neapolitans use whole chunks of meat rather than ground up and then they remove the meat and serve it on the side or as another part of the meal separate from the pasta. Neapolitans also use olive oil instead of butter, white wine instead of red, and a lot of fresh basil. They usefully serve this sauce with ziti but any thick pasta will work fine.

~My Mom and Dad early in their marriage w/ my Grandma Lucy~

Both of my parents are Neapolitan and each made their Ragù a bit different: My Mom used pork ribs, beef neck bones, and pig's feet while my Dad used meatballs and/or sausage. Still to this day I really can't decide which I prefer : )
Ingredients
Two 28 ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes crushed (Must be San Marzano to be Neapolitan)
1/2 large onion chopped very fine
4 garlic cloves minced
olive oil: enough to cover bottom of pot
1 cup dry white wine
fresh basil leaves: 1 handful torn into small pieces (divide in half)
salt & pepper to taste
Meat: Now here is where you can make it personal. Generally speaking you want about 2-3  pounds of meat for a sauce this size and here is a list of the typical meats used in this sauce. You can use any one or a combination of any:
Meatballs
Pork Ribs
Pigs Feet (Don't knock em till you tried em!)
Pork Butt: trimmed and cut into chunks
Italian sausage links: whole
Boneless Chuck Roast: trimmed and cut into small chunks
Directions
Cover the bottom of a heavy bottomed pot with the oil and heat up a bit on medium heat.
Add onions and cook until translucent but not brown.
Add garlic and cook stirring constantly until soft but not brown.
Turn up heat to medium high.Add meat and brown on all sides.
 Add wine, cook until steam subsides, 3 minutes or so.
Add tomatoes, salt/ pepper, and half the basil.
Bring to boil, turn down to a slow steady simmer, cover and cook 2-3 hours. Meat will be very soft at the point it is ready.
Remove lid and allow it to simmer cooking down a bit for about 15 minutes.
Add the other half of basil and taste for salt.
Just before serving remove the meat carefully-- it will be tender-- and place on a platter. Serve this rich delicious sauce over a thick pasta with Parmigiano Reggiano and bread for sopping up!

Big Braciole!

Braciole,  also known as involtini "little bundles",  is a common main meat dish in many southern Italian homes and was always added to our Neapolitan Sunday sauce, also known as Suca or Sugo!  In the past I have always made individual braciole but I was recently having a large dinner party and decided to do 2 large large ones and it was so much easier. Not only that but it cut into perfect pinwheels for the serving platter! I'm not saying I will  never make small ones again but this may be by new "go to" braciole recipe.
Ingredients
a large flat iron, skirt, flank, hanger etc.... or any big flat steak (4 people) I get a 2 pack at Costco
a lot of fresh herbs (I like a combo of parsley, basil, oregano, and sage sometimes I use a mixture of dried and fresh)
1 egg per steak
salt and lots of black pepper
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan per steak

1/2 cup breadcrumbs per steak
1 garlic clove minced per steak
olive oil
dry wine and a cup of water for deglazing
 a pot of sauce
large toothpicks or cooking twine
Directions
First pound out your meat on both sides until very flat and tender (you'll get an arm workout for sure!)
Mix the chopped herbs with the beaten egg bread crumbs and salt and pepper if its not thick enough to hold its shape on the steak without running add more cheese.
Spread this mixture on the steak and roll up with the grain (roll with the grain so that when you cut its against the grain or else it may be tough, this is so important) very tight.
Now tie up tightly or add toothpicks making it very secure.
Heat up pan and coat your meat in olive oil, this works better than adding it to the pan. Now brown on both sides. Use a, little wine and or water to release the meat from pan so you don't tear it!
Add meat to sauce and cook at a very low simmer for at least 3 hours or more!
Remove and allow to rest 15 minutes. Remove twine or toothpicks. Slice into pinwheels, it should now be cutting against the grain since you rolled with the grain.
Serve on platter with sauce on the bottom and more on the side!

My Neapolitan Lasagna

Pasta, Meat, and Cheese...and a bottle of fine red Italian vino!

Pasta, Meat, and Cheese? I mean come on. Need I say more?
Note: you can also just use marinara and make this vegetarian! 
Ingredients
Homemade meat sauce (Ragu)  I use  meatballs and I  make them bite size or cut them up to bite size pieces 
1 pound whole milk mozzarella grated
1 cup parmesan grated plus more for topping 
15 ounce container whole milk ricotta
bread crumbs for dusting top 
olive oil
1 pound lasagna noodles
Directions
Preheat oven to 375
Olive oil the bottom of a lasagna pan 
Add a layer of sauce.
Boil the noodles and drain or use the non boiling type.
Mix Ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella, and a teaspoon of salt. 
Add 1 layer of noodles to the pan and note that they will get bigger so need to cover every inch 
Add enough sauce to cover entire area of noodles.
Add 1/3 the cheese mixture spreading evenly, I find my wet hands work best at this task.
Add another layer of noodles, sauce and cheese
Add another layer of noodles, sauce, and the rest of the cheese mixture.
Add another layer of noodles, sauce, and add a dusting of bread crumbs and the extra Parmesan cheese then  drizzle with oil all over the top.
Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
Note: Allow the lasagna to set at least 10- 15 before cutting or else you will have
a deconstructed lasagna on your plate.

La Pizzaiola Panino (Steak Pizzaiola Sandwich)

La Pizzaiola translates as meat cooked in the style of pizza and is the Neapolitan's delightful way of turning lesser quality cuts of meat in to something spectacular! You take a cheaper cut of beef and cook it for hours with some tomatoes, onions, peppers, olive oil, oregano, basil, and garlic yumm! What you end up with is tender beef that is reminiscent of a pizza. My favorite way to eat this is in between 2 slices of good Italian bread for a tasty Pizzaiola Panino!
 Ingredients (For
1 1/2 -2  pounds or so of chuck, blade, skirt, or other cheap cut of steak which requires long slow cooking.
1 twenty eight ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 bell peppers red yellow or green
1/3 cup red wine
1 onion
2-3 garlic cloves
oregano
basil
olive oil
Directions
Brown the steak on both sides in a little olive oil.Remove and set aside for a minute.
Add the peppers, onions, and saute until soft. Add garlic and cook until soft, not brown.
Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of ingredients and salt and pepper as well, taste for saltiness.
Add back the steak and nestle under the sauce making sure it is covered,bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook at low simmer for several hours or until very tender but still whole about 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours.
Remove steak and allow it to rest for 5 minutes covered.
Slice at the diagonal into individual slices.
 Serve on platter with the sauce all around along with some Italian bread slices for each person to make their own Panino and don't forget the bottle of chianti!
Optional: You can also serve the steak as first course and use the sauce for a thick fat pasta like rigatoni or penne for a second course.

Polpette di Melanzane (Eggplant Meatballs)

Bad photo but Good meatballs!

This is an Italian recipe I saw in Silver Spoon where it was made in the traditional way with lamb and cooked mashed eggplant but I decided to use ground turkey instead and I also added some bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Knowing that this was a meatball that would not cook long or have a sauce to serve it with I cooked it in the oven with olive oil and red wine which made a nice sauce or gravy to serve on top of the meatballs.I was surprised at how tender these were for cooking for such a short time I am sure it had something to do with the eggplant.These were very delicious and a nice change from the typical meatballs I make.Warning: The photo does not do this recipe justice : )
Ingredients
1 small- medium-ish eggplant
1 pound ground turkey
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
For Gravy: 1/2 cup olive oil & 1/2cup red or white  wine
Directions
Cut the eggplant in half length ways and rub each inside with olive oil and salt, bake it at 350 for 30 minutes.
Scoop the inside out and add to ground turkey along with the egg and egg yolk, parsley, oregano, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix togther.
Place the olive oil and wine in to a large lasagna pan with sides.
Shape medium large meat balls and place in the pan.
Bake until you get an internal temp of 160, about 20 minutes or more turning the meatballs once half way. Remove from oven and cover with foil and rest for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with the gravy from the pan.
*I served these on the side with some Red Wine Risotto (to match the red wine in my meatballs)

Eggplant meatballs with red wine gravy and red wine risotto.

Tuscan Beans & Sausage

This is my version of a classic Tuscan dish and in my recipe there are no tomatoes just a little white wine. This is mainly because my Nonna Flora didn't put tomatoes in her cannellini beans which by the way are my all time favorite bean with their delicate buttery taste and tender texture. People who aren't usually lovers of the  bean usually like this dish because of the hearty sausage and tender almost meaty cannellini beans and this dish is an almost under 30 minute meal if you buy the beans in a can!
Ingredients (serves 6-8)
2 large cans cannellini beans (28 ounces)
2/3 cup white wine olive oil: just enough to coat bottom of pan
1 garlic clove minced
sage leaves (3-6)
8-12 Italian sausages hot or sweet
Direction In a large shallow pot that has a lid heat oil and saute garlic and sage leaves.
Remove the sage and set aside.
 Pierce sausage all over and add to the pot browning on each side.This part is soooo important if you don't pierce and really brown the sausage it will be rubbery!
Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Rinse and drain beans then add them to the pot adding sage back in bringing to a simmer cover with lid and cook on low/medium simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove lid and continue cooking until it thickens up a bit.
Serve with bread.

Simmering away....

Yumm!

Mom's Italian American Bolognese Sauce (Ragu alla Bolognese)

 

This is my version of my Mom's recipe that I have tweaked a bit over the years and it is always what I use in baked pasta dishes. There is nothing like a big pot of this ragu from Bologna simmering on the stove top all day to bring comfort to your home and heart! The carrots sweeten it up and the cream helps mellow it out. You can use any ground meat or any combo of ground meat you choose.I like part ground lean beef part ground pork part ground turkey.
Ingredients
2-3 pounds ground meat ( combo beef veal pork)
2 ounces chopped bacon or pancetta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 grated, chopped, or minced carrots
2-3 stalks  minced celery
1large yellow onion chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
32 ounces pureed Italian tomatoes

4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine 

1 cup beef broth 
1/4 cup milk (This helps tenderize the meat and protect it from the acids of the tomatoes!)
Serve with lots of grated Romano cheese or Parmigiana 
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
Directions
In heavy saucepan saute the bacon or pancetta until crispy.
Add the oil/butter and allow it to melt.
Add the onion along with the salt and saute until translucent. Add carrots and celery and saute for a few minutes or until soft.
Add the wine and cook for about 3 minutes cooking out the alcohol.
Add the meat and brown and breaking it up. Stir often. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes till the meat is well cooked and no longer pink.
Add the tomatoes and their juice and broth along with the optional Parmesan rind. Let cook at a slow bubble , about 20-30 minutes.

Add more wine and cook another 20-30 minutes simmering and stirring. 
After it has thickened a little you cover it and at a very low simmer cook for 5 hours. 
Add the cream and cook an additional 3 minutes just before serving.
Serve with  cheese

Pasta: traditionally this is served with tagliatelle, which is a thick pasta able to hold up to the sauce.

Pork Tenderloins w/ Marinade of Rosemary and Garlic

  This recipe is reminiscent of a Tuscan Slow Roasted Pork only it is cooked in minutes. It has always been a family favorite in our house.

Ingredients
2 pork tenderloins (they usually come in a pack of 2 and this will feed 4-6)Fresh sprigs of Rosemary or Thyme
3-4 Garlic cloves crushed not minced
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
pepper
 olive oil
white wine
a pat of butter
Tools
1 large oven proof skillet OR a regular skillet and an oven proof roasting pan
Meat thermometer
Directions
Marinade your pork about 2 hours ahead of time: First trim silver skin off pork.
Then mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic in the pan you will use in the oven.
Place the pork in the pan and coat well .
Lay the rosemary or thyme down making a bed for the pork.Cover with plastic and place in fridge.
Heat oven to 425. Place the pork loins out to come to room temp about 10-15 minutes before cooking.
Remove the pork (set aside) and herbs and garlic (set aside) and heat up your pan real hot.
Place the pork in the pan, it should be hot enough to hear a sizzle, this means you are locking in juice and flavor. Brown the pork loins on all sides, this will take about 3 turns.
Place the whole pan into the oven (return the garlic and Rosemary)  and cook for 10-15 minutes or until they read 145 (pinkish) - 155 (well done) in the center on the meat thermometer, they will continue to after you remove them from the oven.
When they are done remove them from the pan and place them on a plate and cover them with foil but do not cut into them yet, wait 10 minutes.
Meanwhile return the pan along with the juices (no garlic or rosemary) to the stove top and bring up to high heat again. Add the butter and the white wine to the pan and allow it to cook until it is reduced by about half.
Pour this over the pork loins and slice the pork into one inch slices.
You should get about 20 slices between the 2 tenderloins.

Scallopini...and Milanese....and Piccata....oh my!

Chicken Piccata

My Father used to make a meat dish every Saturday, saving the red sauce for a Sunday, and one of my favorites was Veal or Chicken Milanese served simply with a lemon wedge but sometimes he would turn the pan drippings into a sauce and then it was called Scallopini. Scallopini is basically a piece of meat that is sliced thin and breaded and sauteed just like Milanese. But what differentiates it from Milanese is the sauce, you simply add some white wine and or lemon and reduce, adding some butter at the end. If you would like to make it Piccata style then add some capers to the sauce. So there you go: 3 recipes in 1....and that's why the Italian kitchen is so called La Buona Cucina : )
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts or veal cutlets or pork loin fillets
salt & pepper
1 cup bread crumbs (I like Panko) in a shallow bowl or pie plate
2-3 eggs beaten with a tablespoon of water in  shallow bowl or pie pan
1/2 cup all purpose flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate
olive oil
lemons
butter (If making Scallopini or Piccata)
white wine (If making Scallopini or Piccata)
capers (If making Piccata)
optional: fresh parsley chopped
Directions
If using chicken breasts or pork loin fillets cut in half along it's width or butterfly.

Set up a pan in a warm oven (lowest setting)
Heat up olive oil over med high heat in a pan.
Pound your meat into thin slices. I do this in between wax paper or plastic wrap or inside a large plastic bread baggie.
Dry off and season each piece with salt and pepper.
Now set up your plates in this order: flour, eggs, bread crumbs. Do this near your pan.
Now dip one fillet at a time in flour shaking off excess, then egg dripping off excess, then bread crumbs shaking off excess as well.
Now saute for 2-3 minutes on each side, cut the first one to see if it is cooked and then do that same time for all the other. If they are the same size and thickness it will be correct time, I promise : )
Once they are all in the pan in the warm oven squirt lemon juice all over.
For Milanese: Serve with more lemon wedges.
For Scallopini: add some white wine and lemon juice to the pan r and cook until thickened up into a sauce, add butter and mix together until melted and incorporated, add salt to taste. Pour over cutlets and serve.
For Piccata: Do same as scallopini but also add some capers along with a small amount of their juice to the pan when you add the wine and lemon. Pour over cutlets and serve.
Note: You can also add some fresh chopped parsley at the end of either dish : )

Grille Pork Sirloin Tip w/ Liliana's Spice Rub

I saw some Pork Sirloin Tip, 3 pound each-packs of 4, at Costco for around $13 so I thought I would give them a try. The first time I made a Ragu with them and although they were tender after cooking for several hours they were not that tasty. So then we decided to grill the 2 we had left and they were absolutely delicious! The Spice Rub recipe is from my son-in-law's Mother, Liliana, she is from Peru and an excellent cook! I have used this rub on chicken, potatoes, pork tenderloin, and now pork sirloin tip.
 Ingredients for Liliana's Spice Rub:
1 teaspoon garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon and I also use the zest
2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon:Chicken or Chicken Bouillon Powder
Plus
2 Pork Sirloin Tip Roasts around 3 pounds each
Meat Thermometer
Grill
Directions
Remove any silver skin from the roasts and pat dry, this helps the rub to stick.
Make your rub, you will use all of it.
Now rub it all over both roast and cover and set in fridge for at least 20 minutes or up to several hours.
Heat up the Grill and then brown each roast on both sides.
Now turn the heat off on only 1 side and set the roasts on this side and close the lid to the Grill This is called indirect Grilling.Check the internal temp of the meat after about 20 minutes. You want a reading of 150.
It may take up to 35-40 minutes so just keep checking after the first 20 minutes.One of ours took 25 minutes and the other took 35, so you never know.
Remove from grill and cover with foil for 10 minutes, allowing it to rest. The temp will raise up to 160 while it rests and the juices will re distribute.
Slice and serve!

Me thinks the left overs would make great Cuban Sandwiches!!

Simple Eggplant Parmesan (like my Neapolitan Zia makes)

This eggplant Parmesan is a bit different from the one we see here in the states, note how I said "different" not "better" and I really mean that. I have to admit that I am a sucker for eggplant coated in bread crumbs, deep fried, and topped with mozzarella cheese which is Italian/American in origin.  But this method is just as good and is what my Zia in Naples, Italy makes, it's much simpler and lighter tasting with fewer ingredients which allows the eggplant to stand out.It does however require fresh in season eggplant, homemade tomato sauce, and real Parmesan cheese since there are, after all, so few ingredients.
Ingredients
1 medium/large fresh eggplant *see note below
olive oil
marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese grated (about 1/2 cup)

Flour for dusting 
Directions
Cut eggplant as thin as you can in to discs, I used my food processor but this not necessary.
Set the eggplant discs on a kitchen towel or paper towels and sprinkle salt all over. Place more towels on top and place something heavy on top to press water out. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.Wipe salt off each piece.

Gently place each piece one at a time in the flour, pat and shake off flour for each piece. (You can skip this part and do it without flour as well)
Heat up olive oil in a large saute pan and saute eggplant pieces until lightly golden.
Place on paper towels to drain oil off.
Heat oven to 420
Place some sauce in a pan, add eggplant and then some Parmesan cheese. Repeat 2 more times: sauce, eggplant, cheese, ending with sauce and Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until starting to turn golden and crisp on top.
Wait at least 10 minutes before cutting into.
Leftovers:The leftovers are great used as a pasta sauce the next day, simply chop the mixture up and heat up then stir in with the hot spaghetti. My husband prefers this over the eggplant Parmesan by it self.


*How to tell eggplant is fresh:

Make sure that the green cap looks green is not dried out You want smooth skin free of bruises or soft spots.

Now press the eggplant with your finger, if it goes in but then bounces back, it is ripe. If your fingerprint remains, it is overripe and will be mushy. If it does not go in at all the eggplant was picked too early and is under ripe.

Beef Braised In Red Wine (Brasato al Vino Rosso)

This is my own version of a recipe based on a famous dish from the Piemontese region of Italy which produces some of the best  Italian wine, Barolo and it is Italy's version of Beef Bourguignon! I like Brasato al Vino Rosso a little better then Beef Bourguignon because first of all it's Italian : ) but also because it has those yummy Italian flavors my family enjoys like garlic, pancetta, and rosemary mmmmmm. I have taken the traditional recipe and used a more economical cut of beef  and a cheaper wine bot don't worry  it produces similar results as it is high in tannins like a Barolo.
 Ingredients
3 1/2 - 4 lb. boneless chuck roast (I get a twin pack at Costco and use 1 for this and freeze 1 for a Ragu)
1 bottle (750) of Cabernet Sauvignon (Charles Shaw or Oak Leaf are both under $3, pick up two bottles one for the beef and one to drink with the dinner!)
*optional 2 ounces pancetta or bacon chopped into small pieces
1 large onion peeled and cut into slices
2-3 stalks celery cut into 1-2 inch chunks
2-3  carrots cut into 1-2 inch chunks (or use baby carrots)
*optional 1/2 cup dried mushrooms
2-3 garlic cloves still whole but w/ skin removed
1 rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon peppercorns (You can wrap these in a cheesecloth with the bay-leaf and rosemary if you don't want to be fishing them out)
sea salt & ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
Tools
butchers twine (not a must at all but very helpful in making a nice presentation and easier cutting)
dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid
Directions

Slice the onion, celery, and carrot ~The Holy trinity of Italian cooking~and put them in a large bowl with the meat, mushrooms, bay leaf, garlic cloves, rosemary, and peppercorns, as well as the whole bottle of wine-- I love the sound of a whole bottle of wine chug-a-lugging into the bowl it makes me  feel so extravagant-- cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge and allow to marinate for a few hours or over night.
Remove the meat and reserve the marinade.
Pat the meat dry and remove any hard pieces of fat leaving behind all soft fat pieces.
Rub some olive oil, salt, and ground pepper liberally all over.
Tie the meat with string so it keeps its shape.

Heat up the pot and fry the pancetta or skip the pancetta and move on, add your butter and olive oil and melt/heat-up.

Add your beef and brown it on all sides. 

Add the marinating liquid along with all the veggies and seasonings, bring to a simmer and cover.

Simmer over a med/low heat (just simmering) until the meat is done, right around 3 1/2- 4 hours, turn the meat every 1/2 hour or so. The meat is done it will cut with a spoon!
Remove it to a platter and take off the string. Cover with foil until ready to cut, 10-15 minutes.

Strain the liquid over a bowl, discard the bay leaf, rosemary stem, and peppercorns, place the veggies around the roast or in a separate serving bowl, and pour the liquid back in the pot.
Reduce the cooking liquid over medium heat into a saucy consistency. Mine took a good 10-12 minutes! Remove from the heat and add two tablespoons of whole butter, stir smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In Italy this is served with a side of light fluffy Soft Polenta , Risotto,or homemade buttered Tagliatelle 

my favorite is polenta!

Buy this book HERE!

And of course another bottle of the same vino you cooked the beef in : )

Upon cooking this I couldn't help but think of this book I read while back. It is called Barolo by Matthew Gavin Frank.  Here is a description of the book:

"After a childhood of microwaved meat and saturated fat, Matthew Gavin Frank got serious about food. His “research” ultimately led him to Barolo, Italy (pop. 646), where, living out of a tent in the garden of a local farmhouse, he resolved to learn about Italian food from the ground up. Barolo is Frank’s account of those six months.

At once an intimate travelogue and a memoir of a culinary education, the book details the adventures of a not-so-innocent abroad in Barolo, a region known for its food and wine (also called Barolo). Upon arrival, Frank began picking wine grapes for famed vintner Luciano Sandrone. He tells how, between lessons in the art of the grape harvest, he discovered, explored, and savored the gustatory riches of Piemontese Italy. Along the way we meet the region’s families and the many eccentric vintners, butchers, bakers, and restaurateurs who call Barolo home. Rich with details of real Italian small-town life, local foodstuffs, strange markets, and a circus like atmosphere, Frank’s story also offers a wealth of historical and culinary information, moments of flamboyance, and musings on foreign travel (and its many alien seductions), all filtered through food and wine."

*OPTIONALS: These are my additions you can use them or leave them out. Some people also like frozen peas in this as well.

My Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

I really love homemade chicken pot pie and to me the best part is the flaky pie crust that has just started to soak up the rich white sauce! And since I am going to all the trouble of making a homemade crust why use frozen veggies? I like to use fresh veggies which I play around with according to what's in season--or in my fridge-- like maybe some fresh corn in summer or a few potatoes diced in winter.  If you need a pie crust recipe I have one here: Pie Crust Recipe 
Ingredients
2 pie crusts (homemade or frozen puff pastry)
4 chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 large onion
2 carrots diced
2 celery ribs diced tops included
several thyme sprigs (remove the greens from the twigs)
1/4 cup dried mushrooms that have soaked in boiling hot water for 15 minutes with liquid reserved!
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour all purpose
1 cup milk
Directions 
Preheat oven to 375.
Prepare your pie crust atleast an hour before using and have it resting in fridge. Or use a pre-made pie crust or puff pastry!
Wipe chicken dry and rub a liberal amount of salt and pepper on both sides. Fry chicken in the olive oil until just cooked through. Remove and set aside to rest. Once it is cooled chop into small pieces or tear.
Drain the mushrooms from the water but reserve the liquid, chop the mushrooms into small pieces.
In the same pan you fried the chicken in add some more olive oil and then the carrots, thyme, celery, mushrooms, onions, and garlic and a little salt and then fry until soft.
In a separate pan over medium heat melt the butter and add the flour, cook for for about 5 minutes stirring constantly.
Add the milk and stir until thickened, add the mushroom liquid and do the same. You want a sauce about the thickness of heavy cream before it's whipped. Taste for salt and add some if needed.
Add the chicken and sauce to the veggie mix and stir, set aside to cool slightly as you prepare the crust.
Roll out your first crust and place in pan making sure to bring the sides up to top then poke a few holes with a fork to prevent bubbling up. Place in fridge to cool. I always roll my pie crusts between 2 pieces of parchment!
Roll out the second crust and place in fridge to cool as well. The parchment keeps it from drying out as well.
Pour the mix into the pan with the bottom crust and add the top crust pinching to seal and then make a few slits.You can add some egg wash on top if you want a more golden crust.
Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes.
Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

Shepherds Pie (Cottage Pie)

I crave a Shepherds Pie in the winter and it's no wonder since this recipe is from Britain where they have very cold winters. What better way to flee the frigid cold than in your own cozy kitchen with a plateful of steaming hot potatoes, meat, and melted cheese! The key to a good simple dish like this is to use very good quality ingredients and since you do have so few ingredients this is do-able. The addition of mushrooms and red wine make this simple meal something you can serve to guests.
This recipe will feed 6 hungry people!
Ingredients
Filling
1 pound ground beef (Since such a small amount feeds a large amount of people I try to buy the best ground beef possible like organically grown or natural hormone free beef.)
olive oil
1 large onion (Chopped fine.)

2 carrots (Chopped into bite size pieces.)
2 stalks of celery (Chopped into bite size pieces)
2 garlic cloves (Crushed and minced fine.)
*Optional: 1 cup mushrooms  (Wiped clean, stems removed, and chopped bite size .)
2/3 cup cup red or white wine
1 teaspoon salt
plenty of black pepper
1 tablespoon flour
a few sprigs of fresh thyme or1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Crust
2 pounds potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated (Again use a good quality cheese like Vermont Cheddar.)
Directions
Butter a large baking dish and set aside. Peel and chop potatoes (You can do this in the morning or night before and keep fresh by covering in water and placing in fridge.) and boil until tender when poked with a fork, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat up a skillet and coat with oil. Add onion, garlic, and all of the veggies and saute until soft.
Add wine and allow to reduce a bit. Add meat cooking until just done. If you use a good lean meat you won't have to drain off the fat but if is too fat for you just use some paper towels straight in the pan to soak them up, I usually do this with a pair of tongs.
Add the flour and all of the herbs and spices including salt & pepper and spice mixture if you choose to use it.
Cook for a few minutes stirring to make sure and scrape up the yummy bits from the bottom to mix in. Remove from heat and set aside. Taste and see if it needs more slat.
Mash the still warm potatoes and add butter, salt, and pepper mixing together.
Add 1 of the cups of cheese and mix in. Taste for salt.
Lay the meat mixture into a buttered baking dish and then plop the potatoes on top spreading out with the back of a spoon.
Add the other cup of cheese on top and bake at 400 for 45 minutes or until the top is crusty and golden delicious!

Chicken Milanese

My Dad used to prepare Veal, Pork, Chicken, and Beef this way-- Milanese style--and it's my family's favorite now. Milanese Style simply means that it is a pounded, breaded, and sauteed cutlet of meat very similar to Wiener Schnitzel. Unlike  Veal or Pork Milanese I like to add some lemon zest to my chicken fillets along with the salt and pepper for added lemony goodness : )
You really can't go wrong in preparing meat in this manner just as long as you follow these 2 simple but important rules: pound them thin and don't over cook!
Ingredients & Tools
3 pie pans
skillet
cookie sheet lined with wax paper for easy clean up
Italian style bread crumbs: 2 cups
2 eggs beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
salt & pepper
6 chicken fillets boneless: pounded thin between 2 plastic wrap sheets to 1/3 inch thickness
olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges  (you can use the already zested lemon, no one will care : )
Directions
Pound the chicken  (This is the secret to great Milanese style meat: pounding it very thin and if it doesn't want to get thin enough it may be too cold so just let them sit out a bit to warm up.
Pat  them dry with a paper towel.
Now rub the salt, pepper, and lemon zest on each side generously.
In the 3 pie pans: place the flour in one, the eggs in the other, and the bread crumbs in the final one. Line them up in this order.
Also set up a cookie sheet with wax paper (this just makes for easy clean up) to set the raw breaded meat on.
Dip the chicken one at a time in the flour, then egg, and lastly in the bread crumbs and set on cookie sheet.
Heat up a skillet with about an inch of olive oil on medium/high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once, until it's no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, you can make a slit into the center to check. You can fry more than one at a time just make sure to not overcrowd the pan.
Transfer to a plate with paper towels  to drain.
Serve with lemon wedges!

Grandma Lucy's Pasta E Patata (Pasta & Potatoes)

This recipe is from my Grandma Lucy (Lucia Casolaro DeMaria) she was my father’s second cousin and my Mom’s step Mom. She was the original Jersey girl with big bleach blond hair, bright red lips, big sparkly earrings. Everything about her was excessive and exaggerated but in a very pleasant way. She always smelled of Oscar De La Renta's Ruffles Dusting Powder and strong Espresso. I miss her but especially around Christmas time because she absolutely lived for the Holidays. She would place hundreds of flashing lights on her tiny Christmas tree and then  turn out all the lights in the house to give the effect of a Disco Tek. One year she asked  for a whip for Christmas-- a leather whip to be exact-- and then she walked around all morning smacking it hard against the floor.This was a favorite recipe of hers and you may be thinking, "Pasta & potatoes, carb overload!" but that is just what makes this dish so Grandma Lucy: Ridiculously Excessively Good!

Ingredients
(Feeds 8-10)

one pound potatoes peeled & cut to a medium dice (2 large, or 4 medium, or 6 small)

 Red Sauce (6 cups) 
1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Fresh basil leaves

pinch of red pepper flakes
16 oz. pasta (orecchiette, cavatelli, ditali etc..)
Optional: 2-3 left over cooked and sliced Italian Sausages (See variation below)
Directions

Put the potatoes, red pepper flakes, oregano, and olive oil, in a large pot and saute for a few minutes until golden brown. Add a pinch of salt and stir. Add tomato sauce and if needed enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and lower to simmer. Let it simmer uncovered for about 35 minutes, very tender. If it starts to become too dry add a little water, a ladle spoonful at a time. In another pot boil some pasta in well salted water, (orecchiette, cavatelli, elbow, or ditali) until aldente and reserve 1 cup of the water. Drain well and add the pasta to the pot with the sauce mixture. Add some of the reserved water if it is too dry. Add some torn fresh basil leaves and let cook another minute. Cover and turn off the heat. Let rest for 10 minutes turning twice with a wooden spoon. Serve with plenty of grated cheese.

Pasta e Patata e Salsiccia (Sausage)

For this I add  left over Italian Sausage to the mix. All you do is prepare the above recipe adding about 2-3 links of cooked and sliced Italian Sausage. Do this at the same time you add the pasta to the sauce allowing it to cook until heated through.. This makes this a more hearty dish and is especially good for those who need to have a little ~CARNE~ at each meal.

Nonna Flora's White Beans & Bruschetta

My Nonna Flora: A master of La Cucina Povera!

My Dad, Andrea Casolaro, grew up on Cucina Povera or Cooking of the Poor. He is from Naples, Italy which was the most bombed city of Italy during WWII. Many of the air raids were in the daylight and caused massive killings of  many civilians.I grew up with him telling me stories of how he and his family had to hide in the underground cellar during the many air raids that lasted several years. I finally got to see the very cellar when I was visiting my family in Naples a few years back, it was surreal. I remember this one story he told over and over about a bomb that barely missed his building. He remembers coming up from the cellar and seeing nothing but smoke and feathers falling from the sky, the bomb had hit a chicken coop! My poor Dad --Povera Papa-- couldn't eat chicken for years after that, and still to this day is not a huge fan of chicken.

~My Daddy as a small child in Ischia~

Ingredients
1 pound dried white (Cannelloni, Navy, or Great Northern) beans soaked overnight ~Or~ Quick Soak Method
1 teaspoon dry oregano or 1 T fresh oregano chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine (My addition, Nonna Flora used water)
zest and juice 1 lemon and more wedges for serving
black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese for serving
Bruschetta , Crostini, or Toasted Italian Bread slices, or in Cucina Povera fashion: day old bread slices

Directions 

Drain the beans and put in a large pot adding enough water to cover by 1-2 inches.

Heat up to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/4 hours for Cannellini or 50-60 minutes for Navy  or Great Northern Beans. They need to be very tender but not quite mushy.

Note: do not add any salt until they are fully cooked or else they will never become soft and tender. 

Drain this liquid and set the beans aside in colander.

In a pot (I use the same dutch oven I cooked the beans in) add the oil and heat up, add the garlic, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt, and oregano and simmer over medium low until soft but not brown.

Add the wine, turn up the heat and cook for about 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Add the drained beans, black pepper, and lemon juice and stir to combine and heat up the beans. Taste for salt.

Serve: with the bread slices, lemon wedges, Parmesan, black pepper, and olive oil at the table.You eat by scooping the beans on top of the bread and drizzling on the oil then you add the lemon and Parmesan!

Chicken Saltimbocca (Hop In The Mouth!)

Saltimbocca are so adorable!

Saltimbocca or  --hop in the mouth-- are so perfectly named because these little bundles of meat make you wish they could just hop into your mouth!!!!!!!!!! Saltimbocca is a Roman dish I heard of on Kyle Philips blog and ever since then I have been dreaming of this dish. The only problem was the Roman dish called for veal cutlets which are a bit pricier and harder to come by where I live so I used chicken cutlets. I want to try the veal one day when my family is smaller but for now these are divine and I can afford to feed my whole family! But truly.... how could they not be with ingredients such as prosciutto, capers, herbs, white wine and butter...hop...hop..hop!
Ingredients
 8 chicken cutlets or 4  slices chicken breasts
 Salt and freshly ground pepper
 8 fresh sage leaves (You need fresh for this recipe, Trader Joes & Publix has sage in the produce section) OR you can use a few fresh thyme or tarragon leaves or any combo of fresh herbs!
 8 thin slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons butter
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 extra tablespoon butter
*Optional: 2 tablespoons capers
Directions
Chicken Breast: 
Place your hand on top of breast and with the other hand cut horizontally through the center all the way to form 2 thin pieces. Now pound thin. I do this between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and with a meat pounder/mallet.

Chicken Cutlets:

These are already cut in half so all you have to do is pound thin. I do this between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and with a meat pounder/mallet.
Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper on both sides rubbing the seasoning  in with your hands.

Place a piece of sage and then a piece of prosciutto on each cutlet.
Roll up into a tube and secure with 2 toothpicks going  in the same direction, this will help with the browning.
Heat the 3 tablespoon butter and 1 Tb oil on medium high heat in a large heavy pan that has a lid (enough to fit all 8 rolls at the end) and saute each roll until brown on each side (2 minutes per side) *see note
Add the wine and stock, cover, cook low simmer 8-10 minutes.
Remove chicken, remove toothpicks, and set on a tray, cover with foil.
Turn the heat up, add the 1 tablespoon butter and scrape up bottom now cook stirring until it thickens into a thinnish sauce, 5-6  minutes.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and add a few capers to each piece and then hop it in your mouth!
*Note: In order to ensure good browning I browned half removed and then did the other half then returned them all to the pan for the simmering part of cooking. After they are all browned it is okay if they fit snug.