Sausage Cavatelli

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Recipe Ingredients
1/2 lb. or 3 links sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 lb. or 2 cups dried Cavatelli or other small
shell-shaped Italian pasta

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch broccoli

1 1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

1/4 cup raisins

1 tbls. unsalted butter

Parmesan cheese
Cooking Sausage

To cook sausage, squeeze from casings and saute in a heavy skillet or cast iron frying pan. Stir until no longer pink and sausage has broken down into small chunks. Remove with slotted spoon leaving juices in pan.

Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces and saute in juices or drippings. Stir gently til it begins to brown. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add broth and raisins and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes. Do not over cook.

Finally, add butter and stir to melt. Add, with sausage, to cooked cavatelli pasta and serve with parmesan cheese.


This recipe can also be used as a spaghetti sauce.

Prosciutto Lasagna

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Recipe Ingredients
8 oz. Lasagna pasta noodles, cooked

8 oz. Italian Prosciutto, chopped

16 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 cup. cottage cheese, lg. curd

1 cup. grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

1 medium onion, chopped

1 lb. lean ground beef

4 tbs. fresh basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced

1/4 tsp. oregano

ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white
wine *(optional)
2 tbs. olive oil

fresh Basil sprigs for garnish
Cooking Lasagna Sauce
1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.


2.To make the lasagna sauce, in a large saucepan or cast iron skillet, over medium-high high heat, saute the garlic, onion and prosciutto in the olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the lean beef, oregano, a touch of black pepper and saute 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add tomatoes and basil, reduce heat and simmer sauce 35 to 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.


3. Grease a 9" x 12" or larger, baking pan. Arrange a first layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of the beef and prosciutto tomato sauce, cottage cheese, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Add a second alternating layer of noodles, sauce and other ingredients. Repeat until pan is full ending up with a top layer of sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil

Tip: When layering the pasta, place bottom layer in pan so the ends lay over the sides of the pan. For the final layer lay the ends from the first layer back-over the top.

*Note* If you prepare this recipe with wine be sure to mention it before you serve it to guests.

Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe

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Pesto Sauce Ingredients
3 cups Italian Pasta (rotini, mostaccioli, rigatoni or fettucine)
1/4 to 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil (basilica)(can substitute 4 or 5 teaspoons crushed dry basil but not recommended)
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced (adjust quantity to taste)
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (do not substitute with other cooking oils)
4 oz cream cheese (low fat or reduced fat)
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Cooking Pesto
1. Cook pasta according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.


2. Meanwhile, to prepare pesto sauce, saute basil and garlic in hot olive oil for 30 to 60 seconds, stir frequently. Garlic will begin to turn light brown. Reduce heat and add cottage cheese, cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Heat and stir until nearly smooth. Add parsley and 1/3 to 1/2 cup water (or milk). Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. You can add more or less water (or milk) to reach desired consistency. Pour sauce over pasta and serve with french bread and extra parmesan cheese at the table. Makes 2 to 4 servings depending on appetite.

Giacomina's Authentic Italian Pasta Asciutta Recip

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Recipe Ingredients
1 pound fettucine, tagliatelle or trenette pasta noodles

3/4 cup virgin olive oil

12 cloves fresh garlic

1 medium white onion
6 medium Idaho potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly
ground black pepper

1 cube butter or margarine

1 pound fresh string beans

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese(good quality)
Cooking Pasta Asciutta

Peel potatoes and cube(cut to 3/4 to 1 inch pieces). Boil potatoes in salted water till tender. Do not over-cook. Meanwhile, steam string beans till tender but still crisp and set aside with potatoes.

In a heavy skillet or cast iron frying pan, heat oil and add halved cloves of garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute till golden crisp. Meanwhile, cook pasta noodles in salted water. Cook aldente (cooked just right). Drain, add potatoes, string beans and toss gently. Add butter to heated garlic and onion sauce to melt. Pour sauce over pasta mixture, add pepper, parmesan cheese and work through very gently. Serve this pasta dish with extra parmesan cheese and french bread.

Options: To add a Pesto flavor, sprinkle with 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (basilica) and toss gently to coat.

This pasta recipe serves 6 to 8

Italian Chicken Ravioli Pasta

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Recipe Ingredients
1 1/2 pkgs.(8oz.) fresh Chicken Ravioli
3 tbls. butter
2 tbls. fresh Basil
3 tbls. shallots, minced
2 1/2 cups hot chicken broth
3 tbls. fresh sage, chopped
1/3 cup whole milk or half-and-half
4 tbls. flour, all-purpose
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Ravioli Sauce


1. Cook the chicken ravioli according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.


2.In a heavy frying pan or cast iron skillet, saute the shallots in butter over medium heat till golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, stir in the flour for 1 minute then the sage and basil. Add the chicken broth and whisk till the sauce is thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the milk bringing the sauce back to a simmer. Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over hot ravioli and toss to coat. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and garnish with an additional teaspoon of fresh chopped basil.
Serve chicken ravioli hot.

Italian Baked Lasagna

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Recipe Ingredients
1 lb. Lasagna pasta noodles, cooked

2-16 oz. jars meatless sauce

1 lb. Ricotta cheese

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

3/4 C. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten
2 lbs. ground beef

1 tsp. Italian seasoning
How To Cook Lasagna
1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.


2. Meanwhile, saute the ground beef, garlic and onion is a large heavy skillet or saucepan until beef is done. Add sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning and mix well. Simmer on low heat 12 to 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and ricotta cheese.


3. Grease a 9" x 12" or larger, baking pan. Arrange a first layer of noodles so the ends hang over the sides of the pan. (The ends will be laid back-over the top for the final layer) Then add a layer of the cooked beef lasagna sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. Add a second alternating layer of pasta, the meat sauce and cheese mixture. Repeat until pan is almost full then fold over the ends of the first layer of noodles and top with more lasagna sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or till cheese is bubbly.

Allow to set for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. This recipe can be modified to suit individual preferences.

Asparagus Pasta with Pesto

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One-pot pasta pesto with asparagus

Recipe Ingredients
8 oz pasta noodles of your choice

1 cup chopped or sliced asparagus (use only the tender half or tips)
3 cloves garlic, squished and chopped, or minced

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil(do not substitute)

1/8 cup chopped onion (red or yellow)

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

grated Parmesan cheese
How to make pasta sauce

Quick Pesto: Saute garlic, and onion in olive oil until the garlic and onion turns light brown. Do not over cook. Set aside and keep warm.

Prepare the pasta of your choice according to package directions except for the following:

Add 1 to 2 cups additional water

Just before water begins to boil, add the asparagus or the vegetables of your choice. When the water begins to boil add the pasta and cook according to directions
Drain the pasta and vegetable mixture and pour the saute mixture and basil over the top, tossing lightly to coat. Top with parmesan cheese and serve with French bread. This pesto recipe makes 2 to 4 servings depending on appetite.

Asparagus in this recipe can be substituted with broccoli, string beans or zucchini.

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

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Recipe Ingredients
1 to 1 1/4 lbs. fresh asparagus
2 egg yokes

3 tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

lemon wedges or slices

Cooking Asparagus

Spears
To cook asparagus spears, heat 1 inch salted water to boiling in deep narrow pan or coffee pot. Place upright in pan and boil for approximately 5 minutes. Cover and cook 7 to 10 minutes longer or until stalks are crisp-tender. Drain.

Pieces
For cooking pieces of asparagus, cook lower stalk cuts in 1 inch of boiling salted water for approximately 5 minutes. Add tips, cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Hollandaise Sauce

To make the hollandaise sauce:
Using a wooden spoon, stir 2 slightly beaten egg yokes and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a one quart saucepan. Stir vigorously. Add the butter or margarine and heat over very low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sauce begins to thicken. Pour Hollandaise Sauce over top of cooked Asparagus and garnish with lemon wedges.

Italian Spinach Recipe

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Recipe Ingredients

10 oz. spinach, blanched 1 minute, drained, dried and chopped

2 cups all purpose flour, extra for kneading dough

1/2 cup unsalted butter(4oz.)

1 egg yoke plus 3 whole eggs, beaten

3 tbs milk

1/4 cup golden raisins, soak 30 minutes in water, drain

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and ground pepper

2 1/2 tbs (1oz) Pine nuts
Cooking Spinach Torta

To make dough for this recipe by hand:
Pour flour into a bowl, add salt and the butter. Using fingertips, work the butter into flour until a crumbly dough forms. Add the egg yoke and milk, incorporate, and knead dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Food processor dough:
Combine flour and salt in the work bowl and using metal blades process briefly to mix. Add butter and process until the ingredients resemble course meal. Next add egg yoke and milk and process until dough forms a ball around the blades. Remove dough, shape to ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Using 1 tbs. butter, grease a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom and then dust with flour. Using a lightly floured board, roll out the dough into a round shape, making it 1 inch larger than the diameter of the pan. Line the prepared pan with the pastry dough and trim.

In a bowl, combine the blanched, chopped spinach, raisins, whole eggs, cream and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the pastry-lined tart pan and top with the pine nuts. Bake in oven until it is golden, about 40 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly and then transfer to a serving dish. Serve this spinach recipe luke warm or cool.

Italian Grilled Shrimp Scampi

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Recipe Ingredients
2 pounds raw jumbo shrimp / prawns

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

fresh ground black pepper
juice of 1 or 2 limes

Garlic Butter
Grilling Scampi

Split each shrimp on underside down to tail, try to avoid cutting meat (use sharp knife or scissors). Put shrimp in bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Push onto skewers and grill shrimp 6 inches from heat over a low charcoal fire. Turn frequently. takes about 15 minutes. Serve skewered shrimp scampi with garlic butter (see recipe below).

In Venice these are called Scampi.

Garlic Butter
1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

2 cloves garlic, mashed

salt to taste
Mix all ingredients well and serve
in saucers as a dip for grilled scampi.