Prosciutto Basil Pasta Shells

These jumbo pasta shells look fancy, but are really very easy, and fairly quick to make.



* 12 jumbo pasta shells
* 1 Tbl olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3/4 cup sliced prosciutto (cooked ham may be substituted, by lessens the flavor)
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 tsp dried basil
* 1 egg
* 14 oz of your favorite homemade or purchased tomato sauce


# Heat oven to 375F.
# Spray 2 qt. square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
# Cook pasta according to package directions. (I find it easier to lessen the recommended cooking time by about 2 minutes - the shells are firmer, less likely to fall apart, and they will finish cooking in the oven) Drain pasta, and rinse with cold water to cool.
# Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and prosciutto and cook 2-3 minutes or until garlic is light golden brown.
# In medium bowl, combine 1/2 the prosciutto mixture with ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, and egg and mix well. Stir spaghetti sauce into prosciutto mixture remaining in skillet.
# Spoon ricotta mixture into pasta shells and place in baking dish. Spoon spaghetti sauce mixture over shells. Cover with foil.
# Bake for 35 -40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
# Serve immediately.

Italian Cheese Bars

It's the holiday season, and business is booming, as evidenced by my lack of recent blog posts. My apologies to my readers...

Here's a wonderful dessert recipe for the holidays - perfect for a holiday gift, or as party food!

Italian Cheese Bars



* * 1/2 cup butter or margarine
* * 1-1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 18)
* * 1 15-ounce container fat-free ricotta cheese
* * 1 egg
* * 1/4 cup sugar
* * 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* * 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
* * 1 teaspoon almond extract
* * 1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped hazelnuts
* * 1/3 cup chopped candied cherries
* * 1/3 cup golden raisins




1. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Melt butter or margarine in a 9x9x2-inch baking pan in the oven (about 6 minutes). Remove from oven. Stir crushed crackers into melted butter or margarine; press mixture firmly and evenly onto bottom of pan using a wooden spoon. Set aside.
2. Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, sugar, flour, orange peel, and almond extract in a blender container or food processor bowl; blend or process until smooth. Carefully spread cheese mixture over crumb mixture. Combine the almonds or hazelnuts, cherries, and raisins; sprinkle over cheese layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are puffed and golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour; cover and chill for 2 hours. Cut into bars. Makes 20.

Shepherd's Macaroni

It is said that this dish was created by the shepherds of the Calabria region of Italy. Very simple, and just as delicious!



* 1 lb short pasta, such as ziti or penne
* Salt
* 1/2 lb ricotta cheese
* 8 Tbl softened butter, cut in small pieces
* 2 tsp (or more) black pepper


# Cook pasta in 5 qts rapidly boiling salted water until al dente . (firm to the bite)
# While pasta is cooking, place ricotta in serving dish, and mix in softened butter. When pasta is almost done, remove 3 Tbl of the cooking water and stir into ricotta. Stir well to make a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper.
# Drain the cooked pasta, leaving a bit of cooking water clinging to the pasta to help it blend with the sauce. Add to ricotta and toss well. Serve immediately.

Cheese Stuffed Bread Round

This easy appetizer will make your guests think you're a gourmet cook!



* 1 round loaf of Italian bread, about 6 inches in diameter
* 1 cup coarsely shredded Mozzarella cheese
* 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
* 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
* 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp pepper


Directions

1. Place oven rack in middle position in oven, and place a second rack in next lowest position, preheat oven to 400F. Slice 1 inch off the top of the loaf, and set it aside. Scoop out the center of the bread, leaving a 1/2 inch shell, set aside. Cut the scooped out bread into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Combine Mozzarella and Ricotta cheeses, green and red peppers, Parmesan, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon the mixture into the bread shell and replace the top. Wrap bread snugly in foil, then place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 1 hour on middle oven rack.
3. Spread the bread cubes on an ungreased baking sheet, place on lower rack, and bake, uncovered, until crisp and golden - about 10 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the foil, lift off the top, and stir the cheese mixture until creamy. Replace top, tilting it slightly to the side, and place loaf on serving platter. Surround with bread cubes for dipping. Serve immediately.

Elbows with Four Cheeses

This cheesy main dish is quick and easy - the kids will love it, too!



* 4 Tbl butter
* 1 garlic clove
* 15 oz Ricotta cheese
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 Tbl freshly grated Romano cheese
* 2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
* 2 Tbl copped fresh basil
* 1/4 tsp nutmeg
* 2 cups elbow macaroni
* 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese


Directions

1. Heat butter in medium skillet, add garlic, saute 1 minute. Stir in Ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, parsley,basil, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, over low heat,, until heated through. Let stand on very low heat to keep warm. Cook elbows in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite), about 12 minutes. Drain.
2. In large serving bowl, fold elbows with Ricotta mixture and Mozzarella cheese until well blended. Serve immediately.

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Ricotta

This quick and easy sauce goes especially well served over Rigatoni, Penne, or ridged Ziti pastas.



* 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
* 1 garlic clove, crushed
* 1 and 1/2 cups chopped fresh ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb)
* 2 Tbl chopped fresh basil
* 1 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 tsp dried oregano
* 1/8 tsp dried thyme
* 1 cup Ricotta cheese
* salt and pepper to taste
* freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Directions

1. Heat oil in medium skillet over low heat, stir in garlic, saute ! minute. Add tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, until mixture boils and begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme; whisk in Ricotta cheese until blended well. Heat, stirring, about ! minute. Add salt and pepper to taste,. Toss with hot pasta, serve with Parmesan cheese.

Italian Soups

With the onset of cooler weather here, my mind has been on the wonderful, warming soups of my childhood. Here are a few of my favorites:

Creamy Italian Tomato Soup

• 2 Tbl butter


• 1 onion, thinly sliced


• 2-1/4 lbs plum tomatoes, peeled. seeded, and sliced


• 2 potatoes, diced


• scant 1/2 cup heavy cream


• salt and pepper to taste


• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve at table


• Croutons to serve at table

1. Melt butter in pan, add onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Add tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, pour in 3 cups water, add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for one hour. Transfer to a food processor or blender, and process to a puree, then return to pan. Reheat, then stir in cream. Pour into soup tureen, and serve with Parmesan and croutons.

Ricotta Dumplings in Broth

• For the Ricotta dumplings:


• generous 1 cup Ricotta cheese


• 1 egg


• 2-1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for coating


• pinch of nutmeg


• 4 cups Beef Stock (see below)


• 3 Tbl olive oil


• salt and pepper to taste


• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, to pass at table


• For the Beef Stock:


• 1-1/2 lbs lean beef, cut into cubes


• 1 lb, 5 oz. veal, cut into cubes


• 1 onion, coarsely chopped


• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped


• 1 leek, trimmed and coarsely chopped


• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped


• salt to taste

1. Directions for Beef Stock: Place meat in large pan, and add cold water to cover, bring to a boil slowly over medium low heat. Skim off any fat that comes to the surface, and add onion, carrot, leek, and celery - season with salt to taste. Lower heat and simmer for about 3-1/2 hours. Remove from heat, strain into a bowl, let cool, then chill in refrigerator. When fat has solidified on the surface, carefully remove and discard.


2. Directions for Ricotta Dumplings: Beat Ricotta with a wooden spoon until smooth, then stir in the egg, flour, and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Shape mixture into small dumplings the size of hazelnuts. Coat dumplings lightly in flour. Bring Beef Stock to a boil over low heat. Heat oil in skillet, add the dumplings, and cook until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Put dumplings in soup tureen and ladle the stock over them. Serve immediately, passing bowl of Parmesan at the table.

Chicken Passatelli (Chicken Soup with Italian Dumplings)

• 2 slices white bread, torn into rough chunks


• 2 large eggs


• I cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I highly recommend Parmigiano-Reggiano), plus more to pass at table


• Pinch of nutmeg


• Salt and pepper to taste


• 2 quarts prepared chicken stock


• 2 Tbl minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grind bread in food processor. Measure 1/2 cup bread crumbs onto a small baking sheet. Toast until lightly dried, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Combine bread crumbs, eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Refrigerate mixture until firm, about 15 minutes. With moistened hands, roll tespoonfuls of bread mixture into grape-sized balls. Bring the stock to a boil in a large stockpot over medium heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Drop the dumplings into the gently simmering stock and cook until they float to the surface, and are cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in parsley, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle soup and dumplings into bowls and serve immediately, passing extra cheese at the table.

Chicken Straciatella (Italian Chicken and Egg Soup)

• 2 quarts prepared chicken stock


• 4 large eggs


• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley leaves (your preference - either give wonderful flavor)


• pinch of nutmeg


• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the eggs, Parmesan cheese,basil or parsley, and nutmeg together with a fork in a medium bowl. Stir the stock with a FORK so it is moving in a circle. Be sure to use a fork, and no other utensil, so the egg 'rags' will be properly formed. Keep stirring as you pour the egg mixture into the stock in a slow, steady stream so that shreds of coagulated egg form, about 1 minute. Let the egg shreds stand in the stock without stirring until they set, less than one minute. Once they have set, break up the egg pieces with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Calzone

Calzone are best described as 'pizza turnovers'. This is just a basic Calzone recipe - you can adapt it to your taste, by using your favorite pizza toppings, or adding a little pizza sauce to the filling.

Calzone
Serves 2

Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 quantity Pizza Dough (see recipe below)
all-purpose flour, for dusting
2 oz. diced Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Cotto Salami, diced
3 Tbl Proscuitto, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbl Ricotta chesses, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425F. Brush a cookie sheet with oil. Knead the dough for 1 minute. Roll out on a lightly floured board into 2 rounds. Combine the mozzarella, salami, ham, and egg, then season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the ricotta. Sprinkle the mixture on one side of each dough round and fold the round in half. Crimp the edges to seal. Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

**Pizza Dough

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 oz fresh yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing


Sift the flour and salt into a mound on a counter and make a well in the center. Mash the yeast in the water with a fork until very smooth and pour into the well. Incorporate the flour with your fingers to make a soft dough. Knead well, pulling and stretching until it becomes smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cut a cross in the top, place in a bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 3 hours, or until double in size. Follow above directions for Calzone.

A Lesson on Cheeses

As many people know, cheeses are some of the most important ingredients in Italian recipes. In this post, we'll cover the characteristics of some of the most often used Italian cheeses.

**Before we begin, I must offer this tried-and-true advice: Please do not waste your time and money on the pre-processed, packaged 'supermarket' varieties of these cheeses. Always purchase your cheeses at Italian specialty stores if possible, as many specialty stores import their cheeses directly from Italy. If you can't find a specialty store in your area, there are several online Italian cheese sites. If nothing else, at least try to find Italian cheeses in the deli section of your supermarket, where they may be purchased by the pound, in block form. YOu will be amazed at the difference these fresh cheeses will make in your recipes, as opposed to the rubbery, bland, and over processed choices available in the dairy case. Not only will your recipes abound will flavor, your guests or family will thank you for the extra effort!

Now, on to our lesson...

Parmigiano - Reggiano
One of the most frequently used Italian cheeses, Parmigiano - Reggiano is produced under strict regulations in the provinces of Parma, Reggio, Modeno, Mantua, and Bologna. It is made with milk produced between the first of April and the elenth of November. Parmigiano - Reggiano is made by hand by artisan cheesemakers, following a tradition unchanged for seven centuries.
Parmigiano - Reggiano, served by the chunk and sliced, can begin or end a meal. Its gentle flavor enriches soups, pasta, and risotto. It is also a frequent ingredient in simple or complex salads. It is a low-fat, high-protien cheese, and is completly free of additives.
By law. Parmigian-Reggiano is aged at least one year. (aged 2 years, if you can find it, is even better!) Good Parmigiano has a straw yellow color, with a crumbly but moist texture.
Fresh Parmigiano is expensive, but a little goes a long way. It may be stored wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator, for up to three weeks without losing its freshness. If it begins to dry out, wrap it in a damp cloth and keep in refrigerator for a few hours, then remove the cloth and wrap in plastic wrap. Grate the cheese only as you need it.
Pre-grated domestic 'parmesan' (in the plastic bag) has absolutely no relation to Parmigiano - Reggiano, as you will see if you compare the taste of the two.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella is very popular in Southern Italian recipes. The most favored Mozzarella in Italy is made from the curd of water buffalo milk. Unfortunately, what we find most often today is prepared with a percentage of buffalo milk and a percentage of cow's milk, due to the lack of domesticated water buffalo. Again, visit your local Italian specialty store for the best selection of imported mozzarella. If you are lucky enough to find a good imported mozzarella, buy extra, and freeze that which you won't use immediately. Good mozzarella freezes well, and freezing is universally approved by the cheesemakers of Italy. Thaw overnight in refirgetor before using.
Smoked mozzarella is also available. When using smoked mozzarella in recipes, remember that it is quite salty.

Ricotta

Ricotta is a cheese byproduct made from whey, the watery part of the cow's milk. This soft cheese is used in the filling of many pasta preparations and desserts of southern Italy. Fresh ricotta is often not available imported from Italy, as it is very perishable. However, good fresh ricotta can be found in Italian specialty stores. Unlike most italian cheeses, the whole milk ricotta found in supermarkets is an acceptable substitute.

Fontina

Fontina is a wonderful table cheese. It is a tender, mild cow's milk chesse, produced in Val d'Aosta, dating back to the Middle Ages. Its soft, esy melting quality makes it a favorite for cooking also.

Pecorino

Pecorino cheese is made from sheep's milk. There are many varieties, but the most well-known in this country is pecorino romano, which is a sharp, stronlgy flavored hard cheese, mainly used as a grating cheese.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a double creamed cheese. Heavy cream is coaguated by the additon of citric acid, which gives this cheese its slightly sour taste. It is high in fat content, and somewhat resembles sour cream, which its thick, heavy consistency. it is used primarily in delicate pasta dishes and desserts, and is the essential ingredient in one of the most well known Italian desserts, Tiramisu. Please, please, do not substitute cream cheesse for this wonderful Italian cheese - you will be doing your recipes a great injustice!

There are many other, less well known Italian cheeses, wonderful in their own rite. This is just a list of those most commonly used in cooking. If you are fortunate enough to have an Italian specialty food store nearby, it's definitely worth a visit, if only to learn more about the fine cheeses that Italy has to offer.