RADICCHIO TORTELLONI with PARMIGIANO CREAM

Tonight I thought I would make some homemade ravioli. With Lent in full swing I found this ravioli recipe. I made the basic pasta recipe for the ravioli. It had been awhile since I've made pasta, but it actually was like riding a bike!! You never forget how. The recipe called for making tortelloni, but I decided to make ravioli!!

Our neighbor Francie, popped over for a visit. Francie and Karen thought the ravioli was excellent!!!!!

Radicchio and red onion sauteing in the pan!!

The filling for the ravioli consisted of red onion, radicchio, ricotta cheese, parsley, balsamic vinegar, parmigiano cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

The pasta dough after it's been kneaded and resting for 20 minutes.

The ravioli waiting to go in the water!

This is the Parmigiano Cream Sauce ( Fonduto di Parmingiano)

This was spooned over the ravioli just before serving.

Ravioli boiling in the pan.

Radicchio Tortelloni (Ravioli)

After you boiled the ravioli, you add it to your saute pan with butter and more radicchio!

TOSSING PIZZA

Teaser video from my production manager. I also have Mario's book, Molto Gusto. It's a great book, especially if you want to learn how to make your own pizza. I've gone from the rolling pin, to now tossing my own dough! I know it sounds kind of ###############.

CHICKPEA AND PASTA SOUP (MINESTRA DI CECI E PASTA)

Olive oil, rosemary and saffron in the pot smelling good!!

With Lent in full swing I was paging through my cookbook and found this soup, which is perfect for lent. It was easy to make and was pretty darn good. The recipe required the "basic tomato sauce", which I can make with my eyes closed, and I never get tired of making it because it makes the house smell so good. It also required saffron, which is becoming one of my favorite ingredients. The other ingredients for the soup included olive oil, garlic, rosemary (from my garden), chickpeas, water and fettuccine.

Tomato sauce and water added to pot!!

Boiling away, but I think the picture is upside down!!

Where is my production manager??



The soup is a definite do-over. The saffron gives the soup a fantastic taste and color.

FRIED CELERY (SEDANI FRITTI)

Sarah and her friend Alex came to visit on Sunday. We hand plenty of the Pork Spareribs leftover from the night before, so I decided to make an antipasto. I had plenty of celery in the fridge to make this little dish. I boiled the celery in salted water, then after they cooled a bit I dredged them in flour, egg wash and cornstarch.

I fried the celery in olive oil.

Fried celery seasoned with salt and pepper.

Karen, Sarah and Alex enjoying the Pork Spareribs and Fried Celery.

PORK SPARERIBS WITH RED WINE

With lent just around the corner I decided I better make something with meat. We always give up meat for lent, so I decided I would make some Pork Spareribs.

The sauce consisted of red onions, celery, carrots, red wine, chicken stock and the basic tomato sauce. It also called for anchovies, but my production manager wouldn't let me add them to the pot! I tried to sneak them in but I got caught!! I placed the ribs in a pot of boiling water and simmered them for 30 minutes then removed them and made the sauce and then placed them back in the pot to simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Pork Spareribs simmering in the pot!!!

Same picture. Are you ready for your close-up!!

The ribs just fell of the bone!! This was an easy dish to make. The ribs were delicious!! This is a definite do-over!

WEEDS WITH SAUSAGE

The "weeds" are a curly twisted pasta. I used penne pasta because that is what I had in the pantry. The sauce for this dish consisted of olive oil, unsalted butter, onion, tomato paste, white wine and milk. Sauce with the sausage. I like making sauces with tomato paste and milk. It just gives it a great color and texture.

Penne back in the pan with the sauce.

Nick, Kirin and Becca thought the penne was perfect. This dish was easy to make and it is a definite do-over!! I also like Becca's T-shirt!!

DUCK (CHICKEN) SCALOPPINE WITH GREEN OLIVES AND MALVASIA. MARINATED EGGPLANT

I used chicken for this dish in place of the duck. I've made scaloppine a couple of times now and really enjoy making it. The chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper and then lightly dredged in flour. Then they were sauteed in olive oil and removed from the pan and then the apples were added to the pan. After the apples were cooked the wine and chicken stock were added to the pan and brought to a boil. Then the chicken was added back to pan and brought to a simmer.

The green apples gave a sweetness to the dish that I really enjoyed!

Chicken with Green Apples



The Unknown liked the chicken but he thought it was a little on the sweet side. I disagreed!

Marinated Eggplant

Very easy to make. The marinade consisted of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, mint leaves, orange zest and black pepper. My production manager needs to do a better job plating the food.

Kirin and Becca thought the chicken was A-OK!

THE DEVIL'S CHICKEN (POLLO AL DIAVOLO) AND SAFFRON RISOTTO

TONIGHT I WENT DEEP. THIS WAS A THREE DINGER. I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MAKE THIS DISH SINCE THE END OF SUMMER. I COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME COOKING A WHOLE CHICKEN. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE COOKING A TURKEY BUT ONE HUNDRED TIMES EASIER. WHAT MADE THIS DISH SO GOOD WAS THE MUSTARD MIXTURE THAT YOU COATED ON THE CHICKEN AFTER IT WAS HALF-COOKED. THE FINISHING TOUCH WAS THE SPICY OIL (OLIO PICCANTE) THAT YOU DRIZZLED ON THE CHICKEN BEFORE SERVING. THE SPICY OIL CONSISTED OF 8 JALAPENOS DICED AND SEEDED, RED PEPPER FLAKES, SPANISH SMOKED PAPRIKA AND 2 CUPS OF OLIVE OIL.
CHICKY ALL TIED UP AND READY FOR THE OVEN.

SAFFRON RISOTTO

THE RISOTTO WAS PHENOMENAL!

CHICKEN OUT OF THE OVEN LOOKING GOOD!

CHICKEN WITH TOMATO AND ONION SALAD.
THIS ONE GOES IN THE DO-OVER FILE!!

PANETTONE

I KNOW THE HOLIDAYS WERE HERE AND GONE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THIS PANETTONE FOR CHRISTMAS. I'M A FEW WEEKS LATE. THE RECIPE CALLED FOR THE USE OF A PANETTONE PAN OR CHARLOTTE PAN. I COULDN'T FIND EITHER AND DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT AND ORDER ONE ONLINE, SO I USED A PANETTONE PAPER MOLD.PANETTONE COOLING WAITING FOR ME TO TAKE A PIECE!

READY TO BITE!!!


THE RECIPE WAS VERY TRADITIONAL AND IT WAS MORE OF A CAKE THAN A BREAD. I USED DRIED CRANBERRIES INSTEAD OF CURRANTS. I ALSO SPLIT THE RECIPE IN HALF AND ADDED CHOCOLATE CHIPS TO ONE OF THEM. THIS GOES IN THE DO-OVER FILE!

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SAFFRON, GREEN OLIVES AND MINT. RISOTTO WITH BAROLO.

IT'S THE NEW YEAR AND WE'RE READY TO GO. I'VE STILL BEEN COOKING, JUST A LITTLE SLOW POSTING MY BLOGS. HERE IS "POLLO ALLO ZAFFERANO".

CHICKEN THIGHS BEING BROWNED IN OLIVE OIL. I DREDGED THEM IN FLOUR WITH SALT AND PEPPER.
AFTER BROWNING THE CHICKEN IT WAS REMOVED AND THE ONIONS AND SAFFRON WERE ADDED TO THE POT.

YOU THEN ADDED THE OLIVES, CARROTS AND CHICKEN STOCK. BRING IT TO A BOIL AND ADD THE CHICKEN BACK TO THE POT. COVER AND SIMMER.

MY SOUS CHEF (KAREN) MADE THE RISOTTO. IT CONSISTED OF ARBORIO RICE, ONIONS, RED WINE, CHICKEN STOCK, BUTTER AND PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO CHEESE. VERY EASY TO MAKE AND THE TASTE WAS FANTASTIC!!

"POLLO ALLO ZAFFERANO"

BRAISED VEAL ROLLS IN TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

WE ARE GOING TO START AT THE END ON THIS BLOG. WE INVITED NICK AND PATTY OVER FOR DINNER. PATTY MADE HER INFAMOUS HARVEY WALLBANBER BUNDT CAKE. IT WAS MOIST AND DELICIOUS!!!PATTY'S HARVEY WALLBANGER

YOU ALWAYS WORRY WHEN YOU MAKE SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER MADE BEFORE WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS COMING OVER FOR DINNER. THIS RECIPE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF WORK , BUT IT TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD. THE RECIPE INCLUDED FENNEL SEEDS AND FRESHLY GRATED NUTMEG, WHICH I LIKE VERY MUCH.
RICOTTA GNOCCHI


I'VE DECIDED THAT I LOVE VEAL. I NEVER ATE VEAL UNTIL I STARTED ON MY ADVENTURE. THIS RECIPE HAD ALOT OF INGREDIENTS, HOWEVER IT WAS EASY TO MAKE. THE RECIPE INCLUDED DRIED CURRANTS, PINE NUTS, PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, PANCETTA AND PARSLEY. WHEN YOU TASTED IT , IT MELTED IN YOUR MOUTH. A DEFINITE DO-OVER!!!!!!

BRAISED VEAL ROLLS

BRAISED VEAL ROLLS BROWNING IN OLIVE OIL

BAKED ZITI (ZITI AL TELEFONO)

I MADE THIS FOR THE KIDS ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THIS RECIPE HAD THE BASIC TOMATO SAUCE, (ON PAGE 71 OF MARIO'S BOOK) AND THE BESCIAMELLA SAUCE, (ON PAGE 65). I CAN DO BOTH OF THESE SAUCES WITH MY EYES CLOSED. THE KIDS LOVED IT. BAKED ZITI

STUFFED RICE BALLS ROMAN-STYLE

THESE WERE FANTASTIC! I MADE THESE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. KAREN AND BECCA WERE IN L.A. FOR THE DAY NICK AND HIS BAND WERE PRACTICING AT OUR HOUSE. I HAD TO MAKE MAKE SOMETHING. I HAD ALL THE INGREDIENTS THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE THESE LITTLE BABIES. THE MAIN INGREDIENTS WERE MUSHROOMS, ONION, PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, ARBORIO RICE, EGGS, ITALIAN PARSLEY FROM OUR GARDEN, MOZZARELLA AND BREAD CRUMBS. I ALWAYS USE FRESH OR DAY OLD BREAD FOR MY BREAD CRUMBS. NEVER USE THEM OUT OF THE BOX AT THE STORE. STUFFED RICE BALLS

CHOCOLATE CAKE FROM ABRUZZO

I KNOW IT'S BEEN AWHILE AGAIN. I'VE BEEN COOKING LIKE A MADMAN, BUT I'VE BEEN A LITTLE LAZY POSTING. I MADE THIS CAKE IN JULY FOR MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY. IT WAS EASY TO MAKE BUT IT WAS MORE OF A CAKE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE WITH COFFEE THAN YOU WOULD ON YOUR MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY. I WOULD MAKE IT AGAIN FOR CHRISTMAS OR A RAINY AFTERNOON.

LASAGNA ALLA BOLOGNESE AL FORNO

I haven't posted in awhile, but I'm still cooking. Here we go. Karen was having her girlfriends over for "American Idol". I told her I would be happy to make something for the "Event". I've been waiting for an opportunity to make lasagne. So, the day before I made the bolognese sauce for the lasagne.

The bolognese sauce was easy to make, but it takes a little time. The ingredients consisted of onions, celery, carrots, garlic, ground veal, ground pork, ground pancetta, tomato paste, milk, wine and thyme leaves.


To assemble the lasagne, you spread a layer of ragu bolognese sauce on the bottom of your casserole and sprinkle it with parmigiano cheese, then a layer of pasta, a layer of besciamella sauce, another layer of ragu sauce, then parmigiano, then pasta and repeat it until your ingredients are used up. The besciamella sauce consisted of unsalted butter, flour, warm milk, freshly grated nutmeg and salt.

Side view of lasagne!!!!!!!!!

Just out of the oven! Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving

Chuck, Bill and Steve had the basketball game to watch.

Where's the other Steve?

Christy, Lori, Debbie, Suzette and Karen getting ready to cheer Lee to victory!

Looks Yummy!!!!!!!!!