Spaghetti con Salsiccia

Spaghetti con Salsiccie
Sausage figures widely in Italian cooking. It is grilled, marinated and baked, sautéed and crumbled into sauces. This dish uses it as the base for a pasta sauce. You can vary the spices to make it sweeter-tasting or more piccante, as you prefer.

½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot Italian sausage link
1 sweet Italian sausage link
4-5 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
a splash of red wine
1 tsp. thyme
a good dash of red chile flakes
salt and black pepper to taste

In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil. When they are soft and translucent, add the sausage (removed from the casings) and use a fork to break it up while you brown it. When it is browned, add the tomatoes, wine, and spices. Stir well; cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Serve on spaghetti or any other pasta shape, cooked al dente.

copyright 2006 Valerie Schneider

Easter Lasagne

Since childhood Easter has always meant spring dresses (usually with parkas over them), a forsythia branch decorated with egg ornaments, and lasagna. I knew nothing else; my Italian-descended family always made lasagna, and my friends in the strongly-Italian town I grew up in also had the same tradition. When I first got married, Bryan asked what we were doing for our first Easter together. I responded that I thought I'd make the traditional Easter meal. "Great," he responded, "I love ham!" Ham?! What? Who on earth has ham on Easter, I sputtered. "No, lasagna is the traditional Easter dish." Now it was Bryan who was dumbfounded. "Lasagna?" Clearly he had no idea of real traditions. We looked at each other quizzically. We explained our respective holiday menus and activities with amusement and settled on the lasagna. I was cooking, after all. I continued to shake my head; "Ham. That will never catch on," I said.

My Easter lasagna goes something like this:

about 2 pounds of the freshest ricotta cheese you can find
a couple good-sized, fresh balls of mozzarella, chopped
about a cup of freshly grated parmigiano cheese
an egg
salt and pepper
a clove or two of minced garlic
Mix it all together.

about 3-4 cups of marinara sauce (I make my own, of course)
1-2 boxes lasagna pasta (don't even bother with the no-boil variety; I've tried them and they turn to to mush when they bake.)

Cook the lasagna noodles just until they're bendable. Don't cook them to al dente or they'll be mushy after the baking time. Layer marinara sauce, pasta, and cheese, ending with sauce on top of a pasta layer. You can add a layer of ground meat (mixture of sausage and ground beef is best) if you desire, but I usually forgo it on Easter as we serve a meat course. Cover and bake at 400 for about an hour, uncovering about half-way through. Remove from the oven and let set about 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving.

copyright 2006 Valerie Schneider

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is found on many menus in America. Lemony sauce with capers is the trademark of this simple dish.

Boneless chicken breast cutlets
1 clove garlic
white wine (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup)
lemon juice (2 lemons)
chicken broth (about 1/3 cup)
capers

Lightly dust the cutles in flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute in hot olive oil. When they are browned on both sides, add the chopped garlic and saute lightly until soft, then splash in a bit of dry white wine. When it's evaporated some, add the lemon juice and chicken broth. Keep on a high simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Sprinkle on a couple teaspoons of capers and a light dusting of fresh, chopped parsley and serve.

c 2006 Valerie Schneider

Polpettine (Meatballs!)

Homey and comfort food at its best, the aroma of meatballs on the stove brings back feel-good memories. Italians do not serve them atop a bed of spaghetti, as Americans do, however. Pasta is one course, meat is another, so polpettine are served either as an appetizer (when made in bite sized balls) or as a main course. Cooking them in broth keeps them so moist and give them a rich flavor not masked by heavy tomato sauce. I like to pair them with a green vegetable and a bean side dish, such as the beans with radicchio (in the May, 2005 archives).

1 pound ground beef, turkey or combination
1 Italian sausage link
a handful of parsley, chopped
lemon zest of half a lemon
2 handfuls of dry breadcrumbs
1 to 2 eggs
Broth and/or wine

Combine everything except the broth or wine. Mix well and form into balls.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Fry the meatballs til browned on all sides. Add a splash of wine or broth, let it steam and evaporate, then add more to come up about halfway on the meatballs. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the liquid thickens and the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with a drizzle of the pan juices over top.

c 2006 Valerie Schneider


Combine all

Pesto and Parmesan Salmon

This simple (and simply delicious) dish combines the sweetness of basil pesto and the nutty, melty goodness of parmigiano cheese. Oh-so-easy but nice enough for guests. Done in 20 minutes!

4 salmon fillets
1/2 cup basil pesto (I usually make my own, but you can use store-bought if you prefer)
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Oven 425.

Put the pesto in a dish and coat each salmon fillet on both sides. Lay in a baking dish. Top each fillet with a generous helping of parmesan, patting it onto the fillet to help it stick, covering the top.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the fish is cooked through.

YUMMY.

Insalata Grigliata

Grilled Salad. I've made this several times this winter when entertaining and it always receives rave reviews. You can use just use the chopped-up veggies, or toss them all in a bed of leafy greens. It's good with a little gorgonzola sprinkled on top, too.

2 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise
1 small onion, peeled, cut off core and slice lengthwise
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise

Rub all the above with olive oil. Grill until tender but not charred or mushy. Let cool.

Cut the peel and all the white pith from an orange, then slice across into rounds. Place on top of bed of lettuce greens (if using lettuce). Add sliced celery and shredded carrot if desired.

Roughly chop the grilled veggies and add to the salad bowl.

Drizzle on balsamic vinegar and olive oil, toss and serve.

2006 Valerie Schneider

Feta-baked Shrimp

As previously noted I love feta cheese! For a special occasion dinner, like tonight's New Year's Eve feast, this seems decadent and novel but is oh-so-simple to prepare that you'll not spend the whole celebration in the kitchen.

1 pound peeled shrimp (raw)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
a sprig of thyme
2 tsp. minced oregano
2 tbsp. minced parsley
white wine
1/4 c. cream or evaporated milk
1/3 c. feta cheese (or to taste)

Oven 400`.

Arrange the shrimp in a casserole dish or oven-proof baking/serving dish. Zest the lemon and set aside. Squeeze half the lemon over top of the shrimp and let it marinate while you mince up the herbs, garlic and shallot.

In a small saucepan, heat some extra virgin olive oil, add the garlic and shallot and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the herbs, then splash on a little wine (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup). Add the cream and the lemon zest. Stir, bring to a boil, then pour over the shrimp.

Use a fork to break thin chunks off the feta block and sprinkle them all over the top of the shrimp. Bake for 10 minute until the cheese is melty and the shrimp is cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges and a dusting of finely minced parsley.

I like to serve this with couscous or orzo, both of which I cook in chicken broth for richer flavor.

Happy New Year!~

copyright 2005 Valerie Schneider

Antipasti Semplice

With the holiday season upon us, we've been entertaining friends and have been invited to potluck-type parties. With limited time there's always the dilemma of what to take, what to put out for nibbles while I finish cooking. I've concocted a couple simple antipasti that go over extremely well and take only minutes to prepare. Both involve prosciutto, a satisfying "decadence" that gives an upscale feel to your antispasto plate. Ready?

1) Prosciutto wrapped breadsticks
This one's real tough...take a rosemary-sea salt crunchy breadstick (available in your regular grocery store, often at the deli area) and take a strip of prosciutto and - yep, wrap it around the top of the breadstick. Repeat. Lay them on a plate or stick them upright in a water glass. Done.

2) Gamberi con pesto e prosciutto
Buy large precooked, peeled shrimp. Dip them in pesto (either a jar of store-bought or homemade, whichever you prefer), then wrap a strip of prosciutto around it. Arrange them on a plate. Done.

You can also purchase extra shrimp and put them out with a little bowl of pesto for dipping. Makes a nice change from tomatoey cocktail sauce.

Semplice. Soooo simple but they never fail to impress our guests.
Buon natale!

copyright 2005 Valerie Schneider

Spaghetti alla Giorgio (al' limone)

On my last visit to Italy, friends Giorgio and Francesca took us to their seaside home for lunch. After a mixed grill feast that left me ready for a three-day nap, Giorgio took me by the arm, led back to the table, handed me a pen and paper and said, "Write down this recipe. It's spaghetti al'limone, but you can call it Spaghetti all'Giorgio!". He proceeded to dictate the simple concoction to me in Italian and I've made it several times when I'm in a pinch for time for ingredients. Simplicity! Here's the translation:

grated lemon peel (one lemon for a dish that serves four people)
a couple handfuls of grated pecorino cheese (or you may use parmeggiano)
salt and pepper
an egg
a little bit of milk
spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti. Mix the other ingredients together in a bowl. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and put it while still wet into a large bowl. Pour the other ingredients over the top, toss it well. The hot pasta will cook the egg while creating a silky sauce. Top with a little bit of chopped fresh parsley.

"And now, mangiarla!"

copyright 2005 Valerie Schneider

Limoncello

Smooth, sweet-tart, and bursting with sunshine, Limoncello is a liqueur from the Amalfi Coast region of Italy. It's a great finale to a meal, delicious year-round, and makes a wonderful gift, too. It's easy to make. You just need lemons, alcohol and sugar.

Carefully peel the yellow skin from about a dozen organic lemons. Because you're infusing the skins, the lemons do need to be organic; you don't want any chemicals leeching out into your drink. You want the yellow part only, not the white pith.

Put the peels into a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour on a bottle of alcohol (you can use grain alcohol or a good-quality vodka.) Seal and put in a cool, dark place for 40 days and 40 nights. Give it a shake every now and again.

Strain out the peels.

Make a sugar syrup of 1 1/2 Cups sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then turn off. When it's cool, add it to the lemon alcohol.

Decant into bottles. Enjoy! It's best when served very well-chilled.

2005 Valerie Schneider

Chicken Pot Roast

With cooler weather, a pot roast has been sounding good. Something that slow-cooks and gives up a hearty, warming aroma and taste is perfect in cooler weather. This is sort of like a classic pot roast but with chicken for a lighter touch.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half across
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
1 onion
5 potatoes
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/3 c. dry red wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
half a can of chopped tomatoes

Roughly chop all the veggies into large-chop pieces.

Brown the chicken in a roasting pan in a little olive oil. Add the veggies and stir, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Add bay leaf, then red wine. Let evaporate a minute then add the broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, cover and put in oven at 400. Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add more broth if necessary to keep from drying out.

I usually make a pan gravy after. Transfer all the meat and veggies to a platter, pour the pan juices into a bowl, then heat a tablespoon of butter in the bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon of flour and stir well, cooking about a minute. Add the juices (and a little more broth if necessary) back to the pan, stir well to avoid lumps, heat until slightly thickened and pour into a gravy boat.

Enjoy!

Two Feta Dips

I adore feta cheese! Salty and crumbly, it adds taste and texture to many dishes. As a dip for crisped pitas and veggies, it can't be beat. These two spreads are simple to prepare, too. I buy "bricks" of feta, either in a package or in whey, then break off a good-sized chunk.

1) Feta and Walnut Dip/Spread
In a blender or food processor combine:
1/2 brick feta
1 clove garlic
a handful of toasted walnuts (but it works nicely with toasted pistachios, too)
a handful of fresh parsley
a sprig of thyme, strip off the leaves
2 TBSP water
Pulse to chop. Then add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and blend well.

2) Pesto-Feta Dip
1/2 Cup pesto (homemade or from a jar, whatever you prefer)
a chunk of feta
Blend or pulse. Voila...done!

Could it be any simpler than that? And the great thing is, your guests will be duly impressed!

2005 Valerie Schneider

Gorgonzola Vinaigrette

This recipe is for you, Cara, my blue cheese-lovin' sister!

1/2 a shallot, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig fresh thyme, strip the leaves off the stem
aobut 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

In a small bowl combine all the above.

Whisk in:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. mayonnaise

Then add:
a good handful of crumbled gorgonzola

Great on salad, obviously, but also good on steamed green beans or broccoli or mixed into pasta salad, too.

2005 Valerie Schneider

Penne con Zucca Gialla

It's that time of year again...autumn means squash are in the stores again. I like the little delicata squash, mainly because one is the perfect size for a meal for two, and because they are the easiest squash to peel. I just use a regular veggie peeler on them then cut off the ends, scoop out the seeds and you're ready to go!

This is a fantastic autumn and winter dish, and of course, super easy. I first tasted this dish in a Roman osteria and, when I came home I set to work to replicate it. I think it tastes pretty close.

1 delicata or small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
white wine
chicken or vegetable broth
pinch thyme, salt, pepper
3 tbsp. cream (optional)

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the squash and stir-fry a couple minutes. Add a splash of wine (about 1/4 cup) and when it's stopped sizzling and steaming, add about 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup broth. Cover and cook until the squash are tender, adding more broth if needed to keep from drying out. Add the thyme, salt and pepper, along with the cream if desired. Toss with freshly cooked penne pasta and top with a grating of parmigiano reggiano cheese.

copyright 2005 Valerie Schneider

Hummus

I love the flavors and textures of Middle Eastern foods. The aromas of the exotic spices are intoxicating. Probably the easiest of dishes to prepare is hummus. I just throw all the ingredients in the food processor or blender and call it done!

Hummus
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 to 3 tbsp. tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of red chile flakes
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
dash each of salt and pepper
small handful of fresh parsley leaves
Olive oil

In a blender or food processor grind all ingredients except olive oil. Add that in a thin stream until the mixture reaches a creamy (but not too thin) consistency. Serve with pita chips, fresh pita, and/or crudites.

Limoncello Lamb

I admit that I have a liking for lamb. Bryan, on the other hand, has an obsession for it. I always tell people that "he never met a lamb he didn't like". If lamb is on a menu, he's sure to order it. My step-father, too, loves it, as is evidenced by the fact that we've had to hear about his Croatian "lamb cooked under a bell" at least ten times. I like it, but I haven't made it too often at home...when I can afford the pricey meat, that is. I recently spurged, though, and bought some beautiful lamb chops. These lemony, tender chops will be sure to please.

Limoncello Lamb
8 lamb chops (or more)
In a pan large enough to hold your chops combine:
1/2 C. limoncello liqueur
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
4 juniper berries, crushed
1 clove garlic, crushed
a few good grindings of fresh pepper
1 bay leaf
1 lemon - zest about half of it and then cut it into wedges

Marinade the meat in the mixture for a couple hours.

Grill, laying a lemon wedge atop each chop. This keeps it nice and moist. Depending on thickness it will take about 15 minutes to grill the chops.

Delicious with a side of couscous!

Granola Fudgies

This is an adaptation of one of my grandma's recipes. These no-bake cookies are perfect for the hot weather, when you want to pack some sweets for a picnic but don't want to heat up the kitchen!

1/4. cup cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sucanat*
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cups granola
1/4 cup sliced almonds or chopped nuts
1/4 cup peanut butter

Place the cocoa in a saucepan and gradually add the milk, stirring well. Stir in the sweetener and the butter and bring to a boil for one minute, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, the granola and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm.

*Sucanat is a whole-cane sugar product, not refining out the essential vitamins and minerals like white sugar does. It's easier on blood sugar level and has a richer taste. Rapadura is another similar sugar product. You can use regular sugar if you prefer, but if you can find Sucanat or Rapadura you should give them a try. They are a "whole food" rather than a refined, naked "food".

White Sangria

The heat of summer is very conducive to a nice cool, light wine drink. Sangria traditionally is red, sangre being Spanish for "blood", but I like it also with a nice dry fruity white in the warmer weather. I made a pitcher of this for the Fourth of July and it tasted very refreshing.

1 bottle dry white wine, chilled (I used Pinot Grigio)
1 lemon, lime or orange, sliced thin
juice of 1 lemon
1 can Knudsen Orange Passionfruit Spritzer (fruit juice spritzers), chilled

Combine all in a pitcher. Stir well and serve.
The Knudsen spritzers are ideal to use as they provide the fruit juice and the fizz in one, and they're only fruit juice-sweetened (no corn syrup or other yucky stuff). If you can't find Knudsen spritzers, use orange juice and sparkling water or club soda instead.

Penne con Zucchini e Gorgonzola

In the impossibly beautiful hilltown of Trevi, located in Umbria, we enjoyed a quiet day and night strolling the narrow streets, gawking at Roman and medievel architecture, and dining on fabulously fresh foods. Okay, that could describe just about any day in any hilltown in Italy. But this one...we felt such a sense of place and comfort here. Dinner was at Osteria Posta Vecchia, at the top of the town in the piazza, a little place full of ambiance and kindly people. The waiter seemed very pleased by our thoughtful choices of the courses, saying they would compliment each other beautifully. The primo was a dish of penne with tender zucchini and gorgonzola. Fabulous. And -as I discovered when I returned home and recreated the dish - easy, too!


1 shallot, minced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
white wine
lemon zest
thyme, minced
gorgonzola

Cook the penne. You'll need about a pound for 4 to 5 people.

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil, then saute the shallot and garlic until tender and fragrant but not colored. Toss in the zucchini and saute about a minute. Splash in some wine (about 1/3 cup). Toss the skillet to distribute. Add a little bit of minced fresh thyme and lemon zest (about 1/2 tsp. each). They impart subtle background flavors. Add about 1/2 cup gorgonzola (Italian gorgonzola dolce if possible). Stir until it starts to melt and toss in the hot, freshly cooked and still-dripping penne. Toss and serve.

Rosemary

I have a gigantic rosemary bush in my back courtyard. It has been hacked at several times but always grows out of control again. It provides a nice vibrant green next to the house, and a gives off its fragrant aroma whenever we brush past it.

But what to do with the overgrowing herb other than using bits of it at a time to flavor dishes? I cut branches and put them in a vase as greenery with my cut roses. But for cooking, I like to use it in several ways. I often cut three or four branches and use them together to baste roasting chicken. It imparts a subtle flavor. I also use branches, stripped of all the needles, as skewers. They're perfect for grilling sausages. So if you find yourself with an abundance of rosemary, fire up the grill and give it a try.