Spaghetti & Meatballs

There's really not too much to say about this dish. Spaghetti, tomato sauce and meatballs. What's not to like?

Prep. Time: 30 mins.
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 15 mins.
Servings: 6-8


Ingredients:

Meatballs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp oregano
1 + 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lbs ground beef
3/4 lbs ground pork

Spaghetti Sauce
2 x 32 oz cans. of diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
3/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb spaghetti noodles


Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the minced garlic, egg, milk, Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, oregano, Worcestershire, beef and pork.

Mold into individual meatballs, about the size of a golf-ball, and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic for approximately 5-10 mins.

Add in the tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper and meatballs and bring to a boil. If you're making the dish vegetarian, the meatballs can be pan fried for 10 mins. on the side instead of added directly into the sauce.

Cover and let simmer for 1 hr.

Serve over spaghetti.

Lentil and "Peppercorn" Soup

The "peppercorns" here are actually tiny pieces of pasta called acini di pepe. It's a hearty Italian style soup similar to minestrone, but with a different texture. Shredded parmesian can be added in for extra flavor, as well as pancetta (as pictured below) for the meat eaters.

Prep. Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 100 mins.
Servings: 6-8


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 chopped Onion
2 cups Carrots, diced into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup chopped Celery
1 clove Garlic
8 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1 1/2 cups Lentils
14.5 oz. can of diced Tomatoes
1/4 cup Italian Parsley
1/3 cup Acini di Pepe

Optional:
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/4 lb Pancetta


Directions:

Saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in large pot with the olive oil.

Add the broth, lentils, tomatoes, acini di pepe and parsley and bring to a boil.

Simmer on low heat for 90 mins.

Serve with shredded parmesan and/or pancetta.

Minestrone

A hearty vegetable soup for when it starts to get cold outside. You can make it completely vegan, or add in a little Parmesian or Pancetta, depending on your preferences.

Prep. Time: 30 mins.
Cooking Time: 45 mins.


Ingredients:

1 Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Large Carrots, Chopped
28 oz. Tomatoes
8 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
15 oz. Kidney Beans
1 1/2 Cups Celery, Chopped
1 Cup Cabbage, Chopped
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/2 lb Pancetta (optional)
1 lb. Elbow Macaroni


Directions:

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil and red pepper flakes for 5-10 mins., until the onions become translucent.

Add in the chopped vegetables, stock, tomatoes, kidney beans and remaining spices.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 mins.

Serve over elbow macaroni with shredded parmesian and pancetta (optional).

Cannelloni

We basically split the sauce between two different dishes for this one. Half went to a more traditional cannelloni with a pork filling. The other half went to one with a ricotta cheese filling. Both were really good though...

Prep. Time: 1 hr.
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Servings: 8-10


Ingredients:

Tomato Sauce
2 x 28 oz. Cans of Tomatoes
1 Onion - Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Meat Filling
1 Tbsp Butter
1 lb Ground Pork
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1/4 tsp Sage
1/4 tsp Rosemary
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Cheese Filling
3 cups Mozzerella
2 cups Ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 Tbsp Basil
1 Egg

Besciamella
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

24 oz. Cannelloni Noodles
1/2 cup additional Parmesan


Directions:

Tomato Sauce
Saute the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil until the onion becomes translucent (approximately 10 mins.)

Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil and thyme and bring to a boil.

Simmer on low heat for 60 mins.

Pork Filling
While the tomato sauce is simmering, saute the ground pork in the butter until browned.

Add the Parmesan, flour and milk and cook for 10 mins. on low heat, just under a boil, stirring frequently.

Add the egg, sage, rosemary and nutmeg.

Mix well and set aside.

Cheese Filling
In a large mixing bowl, mix the Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmesan, Basil and Egg and set aside.

Besciamella
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan.

Add the flour until smooth.

Continue cooking for 6 to 7 mins. until light brown.

Add the milk to butter mixture.

Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 10 mins.

Add the nutmeg and milk and set aside.

Cannelloni
Cook the cannelloni noodles for 10 to 12 mins. in boiling water.

Remove from heat and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Spread approximately 1/2 of the pasta sauces across the bottom of two rectangular baking pans (1/4 to each pan) one will be used for the meat filled noodles and the other for the cheese.

Individually slice each of the cannelloni noodles open length-wise and fill with either meat filling or cheese filling. After stuffing each noodle, place in either the meat or the cheese baking pan, seam side down.

Divide the remaining tomato sauce evenly between the two dishes.

Divide the besciamella sauce evenly, pouring half over each of the dishes.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan on each dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 mins. and serve immediately.

Lasagna

This one takes a long time to make, but it's really good once its done...

Prep. Time: 30 mins.
Cooking Time: 2 hrs.
Servings: 6-8
Wine Recommendation: Chianti


Ingredients:

2 x 32 oz. cans Tomatoes
6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Red Wine

4 cloves Garlic
1 Onion
1 Bunch Italian Parsley
2 Eggs
32 oz. Ricotta
2 lbs Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp White Pepper


Directions:

Saute the onions and garlic with the salt and red pepper for 5-10 mins.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red wine, black pepper, white pepper and fennel seeds.

Simmer for 60 mins.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the lasagna noodles and preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, egg and chopped Italian parsley.

When the sauce is done, put a thin layer on the bottom of a 13" x 9" pan.

Add a layer of noodles.

Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce.

Cover with approximately 2/3 cup of Mozarella.

Repeat again starting with another layer of noodles until all ingredients have been used, finishing with remaining Mozzarella.

Bake covered for 30 mins.

Uncover and cook for 45 mins. longer to brown top layer.

Cioppino

Cioppino is a fish stew derived from various Italian fish soups. There are many different variations of this dish, but the version below is one of my favorites seafood recipes.

Prep. Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 60 mins.
Serves: 6-8


Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Fennel Bulb thinly sliced
1 Onion chopped
3 Large Shallots chopped
3 Garlic Cloves
3/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 oz. Tomato Paste
28 oz. Diced Tomatoes
1 1/2 cups Dry White Wine
4 cups Fish Stock
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tbsp Basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 lb. Clams
1 lb. Mussels
1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. Cod cut into bite size pieces
1/2 lb. Lump Crab Meat


Directions:

Saute the onions, shallots, fennel, garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil for 5-10 mins. until the onions become translucent.

Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, fish stock, bay leaf, basil, thyme and oregano and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer about 30 mins.

Add the clams and mussels and  cook for 5 mins.

Add the shrimp, cod and crab and cook for 5-10 mins. longer until the shrimp turn pink.

Discard any clams or mussels that don't open and serve.

White Clam Sauce

Simple and easy to make. When we don't have quite as much time to cook, this is one of our standbys.

Prep. Time: 5 mins.
Cooking Time: 15 mins.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic
1 bunch Italian Parsley
2 x 6 oz Can of Clams
8 oz. Bottle Clam Juice
2 Tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp Red Pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Dash of Salt and Pepper


Directions:

Mince the garlic and saute with the red pepper in the butter and olive oil for 5-10 mins.

Add in the clams, clam juice and Italian parsley and bring to a boil.

Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.

Puttanesca

Puttanesca is a spicy and salty Italian spaghetti dish. It's relatively easy to make and is one of my favorites. We usually double the recipe below so that it makes about 6 servings.

Prep. Time: 10 mins.
Cooking Time: 30 mins.
Servings: 3-4
Wine Recommendation:  Sangiovese


Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
2 oz. can of Anchovies
28 oz can of Tomatoes
1/4 cup halved and pitted Kalamata Olives
2 tsp Capers
1 tsp Red Pepper
1/2 tsp Oregano
Dash of Black Pepper


Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot.

Saute the garlic and red pepper flakes for 2-3 mins. on medium heat.

Add in the remaining ingredients.

Simmer for 60 mins.

Serve over spaghetti.