Italian Recipes

Fivenations

Pasta Fagioli - Pasta with beans Southern Italian comfort food!

I always make this fresh but If I were to freeze it I would do so before adding the pasta as it becomes too soggy for my taste when frozen.

Fivenations

I'm sure that I've posted these before but cannot find them to link to, so here they are again. The number one rule in Italian cuisine is to use good quality ingredients. These are not always the most expensive so you need to be canny shopper rather than an rich one. The latest batch of Tesco value tomatoes are quite good for the price, other not so good. Also avoid the ready grated parmesan. Not only is it expensive but I am convinced it is derived from old socks, or at least the bits of cheese they cannot sell.

Also dont be afraid to experiment or make changes. This is a peasant based cuisine where people had to make do with whatever they had to hand so there are no hard and fast rules, apart from using good ingredients and maybe not overloading the pasta with sauce. I'm convinced that TV chefs make it seem more difficult than it is.

Quick Pasta Sauce
This simple but classic sauce will be ready by the time the pasta is cooked. Make sure you use have everything to hand as you don’t want to burn the oregano.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 can top quality chopped tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper
• 450g (1lb) spaghetti

METHOD
Heat some olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the finely chopped garlic clove. As it changes colour add the oregano, stir briefly and quickly add the chopped tomatoes. Season to taste and let it simmer while you boil up the water for the pasta. This does not need any Parmesan cheese.

Variation:
This sauce goes well with seafood. You can add prawns or mussels and a handful of fresh parsley. Chilli also works well.
Add chopped olives and flaked tuna just before serving.
Fry chopped bacon with the garlic

Spare rib sauce
This is especially good with homemade orrechietti – the little pasta discs that look like ears! Serve the ribs as second course with plenty of crusty bread and a crisp salad.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ -1 kg (1-2lb) of pork spare ribs. You could also use any cut of pork – belly pork works well.
• 1 jar of sieved tomatoes or 2 cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• teaspoon of oregano and a handful of basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• parmesan - freshly grated.

METHOD
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy casserole. Then add the spare ribs, cut into manageable pieces. You can also use ordinary pork chops or Italian sausage or a mixture of both. Turn until lightly browned all over. Add 1 chopped clove of garlic and fry gently until golden brown. Cover with chopped tomatoes or passata and if necessary add a dollop of puree, depending on the quality of your tomatoes. Add salt, pepper and a teaspoon of oregano and some basil leaves to taste. Put lid on and simmer gently until ribs are tender - 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check it does not dry out, adding a little water if it does. If there too much fat then just scoop it off before serving.
Any left over meat and sauce can be added to cooked pasta with grated mozzarella, thawed peas and Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven.

Sweet Tomato sauce
My grandmother was a terrible cook but even she could cope with this recipe. It goes best with gnocchi and thick pasta shapes.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 jar sieved tomatoes
• 110g (4oz) butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled but left whole
• 1 stock celery
• salt
• ¼ teaspoon or more of sugar, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes.

METHOD
Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over a low heat for 45 minutes. Rremove the vegetable before serving.

Brasciola
Serve the sauce with your favourite pasta and then serve the sliced meat with vegetables as a second course. Any leftovers can be used to make a pasta bake.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 or 2 large pieces of braising steak
• I jar of sieved tomatoes or 2 cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon of oregano and few basil leaves
• String

METHOD
For this you need to find a large slice of braising steak. If you can get hold of a very thick slice and slice it almost all the way through horizontally then open out like a book and flatten a little with a mallet to make one large piece. Sprinkle with the minced garlic chopped parsley, salt and pepper and a generous handful of Parmesan cheese (there is no need to go right to the edges of the steak), then carefully roll the meat up like a Swiss roll and fasten with string as if it were salami.
Heat some olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the meat then gently brown the roll on all sides as best you can. Try not to burn it. Then add the tomatoes, a teaspoon of oregano and basil to taste and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked. You may also need to add some tomato puree.

Bolognese Sauce
This classic sauce is well worth mastering as it can be used in so many ways. It is essential in meat lasagne and cannelloni and heaven with fresh tagliatelli (silent g), ravioli and any shape pasta with holes that collect the sauce. Italians never serve it with spaghetti, except for tourists, as it just falls of the strands! This is just one version as even the Bolognese argue over the best way to make it!

A traditional Bolognese needs to simmer for at least three hours but is otherwise easy to put together as once in the pot it just nedes the occasional stir. I've tried it in a slowcooker and while it was OK, it had some off flavours that we did not like. Better to stick it in the oven if you cant stay around to stir it.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 of butter
• 2 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons carrot, finely chopped
• 450g (1lb) lean minced steak – use the best you can get
• salt
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 600g or 1 ½ tins tomatoes, chopped

METHOD
Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan and sauté the onion, carrot and celery until they start to change colour. Add the beef, separating it with a fork, and cook it quickly until it is no longer red – DO NOT BROWN THE MEAT. (Some cooks now add a few tablespoons of milk and a glass of white wine and cook it until the liquid evaporates.)
Add the tomatoes, salt and nutmeg and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat, cover and simmer as gently as possible for at least 3 hours, stirring now and again.
Serve 6-8 people.

HINTS AND TIPS
It freezes quite well so treble the recipe and freeze the extra portions.

Fivenations

daysieblue wrote: »

This minestrone looks delicious - is it possible to do it in the slow cooker?

Porbably, though not sure if you can cook pasta in a slow cooker. It's not something I have ever done. I'm sure someone can advise.

Fivenations

Risotto

Risotto has become very trendy but is really an everyday dish that can be made with all kinds of added ingredients. Just remember to keep stirring and you can’t go wrong which should please anyone who claims they cannot cook rice! I tried cooking it in the oven a la Delia but it didn't work, at least not for us.

INGREDIENTS
• 320g (11oz) Italian Arborio rice - Pudding rice at a pinch.
• 1 litre (1 ¾ pints) hot chicken or vegetable stock either home made or made from good stock cubes.
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 50g (2oz) butter (A good olive oil works well too but is not traditional)
• 30g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD
Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the onions until they turn a golden brown.
Add the rice and stir well for a minute or two, until well coated and transparent.

Add a ladle full of the hot broth - be careful as the first ladle may splutter - and simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When the stock has almost evaporated add more stock.

Continue doing this for about 20 minutes until the rice is soft and tender and creamy but still firm in the centre. It’s hard to describe but obvious when you test it. Keep a kettle of hot water ready in case you need to add more liquid. The consistency of a risotto varies from region to region - Venetians like it sloppy while other regions prefer it a little drier- so don't worry about the final texture too much. Do whatever pleases you ( very Italian!)

Stir in the Parmesan and, if you are feeling naughty, an extra knob of butter. Serve straight away.

HINTS AND TIPS
You can use left over risotto to make a sort of pie. Add extra grated cheese, cubes of mozzarella, Gruyere or any other melting cheese, bits of bacon or ham and enough beaten eggs to bind it. Pour into a greased flan dish and bake in a medium oven until it all sets.

livalot

What a great thread! :T :T I would love to join in too, as I am Italian and was brought up in a very frugal Italian home. I will get round to posting a couple of my fav recipes as soon as I have a spare moment. Thanks again for starting this!

Livalot xx

Stephen_Leak

Starter - Mozarella, onion, tomato & basil salad.

Slice cheese, onion & tomato and arrange slices artistically on small plates. Chop basil and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with olive oil, Serve with foccaccia bread. Omit onion for "romantic" meals!

Main course - Tortellini & ragu sauce

Spinach & ricotta tortellini (the green and "white" one), onion, garlic, tinned chopped tomatoes, herbs (dried or the basil from above starter). Chop onion & garlic and fry off in olive oil. Add tomatoes. Add dried herbs now. Simmer until reduced to a saucy consistency. Boil tortellini (Tip: a little oil in the water stops pasta sticking). If using fresh herbs add these just before serving. Serve with more foccaccia bread.

Dessert - 3 scoops of ice cream - strawberry, vanilla & mint.

NB. The more observant amongst you may have noticed that all three courses are red, white & green, the colours of the Italian flag - dropping this into the conversation never fails to impress!

anniewoo

Thank you,Fivenations for starting this thread,I love Italian food.

I have never been to Italy,but Venice and Florence are top of my wish list of places to visit.

tirednurse_2

There are quite a few Italian recipe videos on here: http://www.videojug.com/

Quasar

Well, I'm here for a very short while now, so can't do much at the moment, but hopefully over the weekend I shall be able to post some recipes too..:)

Fivenations

Having a quick internet break at work so just got time to add some links.
There are many bread based recipes as in the past Italians revered bread and would not waste any. It is served with every meal even today and the price of bread is or used to be fixed by law. There is even alaw that ensure a baker is open in every city suburb during August when Italy tends to shut down for the summer. And you know that the word Company is derived from the latin for "with bread". So a companion is someone you share bread with, very important in Med countries.

A perfect recipe for anyone grwho grows or loves spinach
Strangolapretti Or in english Priest Strangler - So called because a greedy priest choked on them! If you can read ITalian this web site has many other recipes.