Archive for the ‘Italian’ Category

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Zuppa Toscana


2010
03.15

Posted in Chili/Soups/Stews, Italian | No Comments »

A great and easy soup that will definitely have repeat performances. C’mon potatoes, sausage…how could one go wrong?

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • about 6 cups chicken broth
  • 6 potatos, cubed
  • 1/4 – 1/2 bunch fresh spinach(depending on desired Popeye factor), stems removed

Directions:

  1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Cook the bacon in the same skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Inspiration/Stolen from:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Super-Delicious-Zuppa-Toscana/Detail.aspx

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Italian Sausage Meatloaf With Blue Cheese, Fresh Herbs and Potato Gravy


2010
01.19

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Beef, Italian | No Comments »

Wow that title is quite a mouthful but it is kind of hard to quantify this dish with a short one.

Italian Sausage Metloaf with Potato Gravy, originally uploaded by balyho0o.

So I was totally craving something  hearty like meatloaf and mashed potatoes so I surfed around the web and took my inspiration from a couple of different recipes which use Italian Sausage to help bring things to life. This one from allrecipes.com had some good ratings and some helpful comments and this one was the catalyst for the blue cheese, which was fantastic.

Sadly the potatoes were meant to be something like this but because I used baby reds, which don’t quite stand up the way a Russet or Gold might, what I ended up with was more of a potato gravy. ..and it was so damn good! I just love it when accidents turn in to amazing discoveries. It was a bit “gluey” but was oh so rich and yummy. Really hit the spot.

Meatloaf Ingredients:

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Pizza Crust


2009
12.14

Posted in Breads, Italian | No Comments »

This recipe is adapted and passed along from the original which comes from George Germain and JoAnn Kileen who own Al Forno, a pizza place favorite in Providence Road Island.

  • 1 tbsp yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt

    • (more…)

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Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel


2007
11.20

Posted in Casseroles, Italian, Pasta | No Comments »

I have to say that fresh fennel is one of my favorite things to add to a sauce. It adds such a distinct flavor that is more complex than a typical tomato+basil+etc sauce. This is a great dish to throw together ahead of time and drop in the oven just before you are ready to eat. You will need to increase the cooking time of course if the dish has been refrigerated.  The fresh basil and fennel really makes this sauce delicious. Leftovers are in high demand for this one. Yummy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage links (hot Italian Turkey sausage can be used for a lighter meal)
  • 1 (12 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce or your favorite homemade sauce
  • 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
  2. Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds.
  3. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red bell peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
  4. Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.
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Spaghetti Sauce – Loaded


2006
12.03

Posted in Ethnic, Italian, Salsa Sauces & Marinades | 1 Comment »

This sauce is wonderful served over your favorite pasta or chicken breast! We like to use zucchini, yellow squash, marinated mushrooms and hot Italian sausage in ours. Sometimes we’ll do meatballs rolled in fresh oregano and basil. Ricotta is a must! It can be served as a dollop on top or mixed in the sauce. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!! Freezes well too, so make extra!!!

Spaghetti Sauce Served with Rigatoni

Ingredients:

  • 2 chopped bell peppers
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 bulb fennel, diced
  • 1/2 head of garlic, diced
  • 1-2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Optional:

  • Hot Italian Sausage (we always use Hot Italian Turkey Sausage).
  • Rolled basil and oregano meatballs
  • Marinated mushrooms (we like the jarred marinated mushrooms from Costco)
  • Splash of red wine
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Zucchini and Yellow Squash
  • Dallop of Ricotta Cheese

Directions

Fry fennel and peppers in olive oil on high until softened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Add 60% of chopped garlic and all of chopped onions to 2 tbsp. of olive oil and cook on high until they begin to caramelize (do not over cook). In a large pot, crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add the rest of the ingredients (including onions, fennel and peppers) and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour to thicken. Stir occasionally.