ITALIAN RECIPES

 

Italian Recipes

Cheese Manicotti

SAUCE:

1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups water

1 can (2 lb. 3 oz) Italian tomatoes, undrained

1 6-ounce tomato paste

MANICOTTI:

9 large eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1/3 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups water

 

FILLING:

2 pounds ricotta cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 8-ounce mozzarella cheese, grated

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Sauce:  In hot oil in 5-quart Dutch oven sauté onion and garlic 5 min.  Mix in rest of sauce ingredients and water.  Mash or cut up tomatoes.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 1 hours.

Manicotti:  Combine in electric mixing bowl and mix until smooth.  Let stand 1/2 hour or longer.  Slowly heat 8-inch skillet.  pour in 3 tablespoons of batter rotating skillet quickly to spread batter evenly over bottom.  Use low to med low heat.  Cook until top is dry but bottom is not brown.  Remove after about 2 min.  when edges start lifting up.  turn out on wire rack to cool.  As manicotti cool, stack them with waxed paper in between.  These can be done a day ahead.

Filling:  In large bowl, coming ricotta, mozzarella,  1/3 cup Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley.  spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each manicotti and roll up.  Spoon some of the sauce into each of two 12 x 8 x 2 baking dishes.  Place 8 rolled manicotti seam side down, in single layer.   Cover with about 2 cups sauce; sprinkle with parmesan.  Repeat in second dish.

Bake 1/2 hour covered with foil; remove foil and bake till hot and bubbly. 

To freeze: line a baking dish with foil; assemble as directed.  fold foil over to seal and freeze in dish.  When frozen, remove dish.  To serve: unwrap, place in dish; thaw 1 hour.  Bake, covered, 1 hour more in 350 ovens.

 

Lasagna   Better Homes

 

1-pound Italian sausage, browned and drained (I sometimes like to mix in some ground beef)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon whole basil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 (1-pound)  can tomatoes

2 6-ounce can tomato paste

10-ounces lasagna noodles

2 large eggs

3 cups Ricotta or  cottage cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced very thin 

Brown meat slowly, drain off excess fat.  ( I always use ground beef)   Add next 5 ingredients.  Simmer uncovered 30 minutes stirring occasionally.  Cook noodles in large amount of boiling salted water until tender drain and rinse.  (I don't cook the noodles.  Use them like they are.  Sauce can be a little more runny because noodles will absorb extra liquid)

Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients together, except mozzarella.

Layer half the noodles in 9 x 13 pan.  Spread with half of the Ricotta filling and half the mozzarella cheese and half the meat sauce.  Repeat. 

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Or assemble early and refrigerate and bake for 45 min.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

Pasta e Fagioli Soup {Olive Garden Copycat Recipe}

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

·         2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

·         1 lb. lean ground beef

·         1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

·         1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium)

·         1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)

·         3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)

·         3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

·         2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth

·         1/2 cup water, then more as desired

·         1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

·         2 tsp granulated sugar

·         1 1/2 tsp dried basil

·         1 tsp dried oregano

·         3/4 tsp dried thyme

·         1/2 tsp dried marjoram

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1 cup dry ditalini pasta

·         1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

·         Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese , for serving

·         3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1.                   Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through. 

2.                   Drain fat from beef then transfer beef to a plate, set aside. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in same pot. 

3.                   Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium-high heat until tender about 6 minutes, add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. 

4.                   Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram and cooked beef then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

5.                   Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes. 

6.                   Meanwhile prepare ditalani pasta according to directions on package, cooking to al dente.

7.                   Add cooked and drained pasta to soup* along with kidney beans and great northern beans. Thin with a little more broth or water if desired. 

8.                   Allow to cook 1 minute longer. Stir in parsley, serve warm with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Notes

*If you don't plan on eating all of the soup right away, I recommend adding the pasta to individual servings. Otherwise, pasta gets soggy and absorbs too much broth.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 pounds ground beef

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

30 ounces tomato sauce , 2 -15 oz. cans

24 ounces tomato paste, 2 -12 oz. cans

7 1/2 ounces olives, chopped

2 envelopes Italian style spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 oz.

3 cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 leaf bay leaf

Brown meat, onions, pepper until brown.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.

 

 

Spaghetti Sauce                   Better Homes  (My Favorite)

1 cup onion, chopped

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

2  1 pound 14 ounce can tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup parsley, snipped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed thyme

1 bay leaf

In Dutch oven, combine onion, meat, and garlic, cook until brown.  Drain off grease.  Add remaining ingredients.   (Recipe calls for adding 2 cups water.  I always use home canned tomatoes and I don't add water)simmer uncovered 3 hours or till sauce is thick.  Remove bay leaf and serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.

 

 

Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. Italian sausage (I like mild sausage)

2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4-inch slices

1 large Onion, chopped

1⁄4 cup bacon bits (optional)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups kale or 2 cups Swiss chard, chopped

2 (8 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 quart water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1.          Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces.

2.          Brown sausage in your soup pot.

3.          Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir.

4.          Place onions, potatoes, and garlic in the pot.

5.          Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

6.          Add bacon.

7.          Salt and pepper to taste.

8.          Simmer for another 10 minutes.

9.          Turn to low heat.

10.       Add kale and cream.

11.       Heat through and serve.

Servings 4 to 6