Category: Italy

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Zeppole

Epicurious  | January 2011

by Chef Melissa Kelly

Primo, Orlando, Florida

Yield: Makes 36 zeppole

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons table salt
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 7 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Canola oil, for frying

Preparation

In a large saucepan over moderate heat, combine 2 cups water with the butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt. Cook until the butter and sugar are melted, about 2 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. Stir in the flour then place over low heat, and using a wooden spoon, beat constantly until the dough is stiff, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 4 minutes.

Transfer the batter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and let the dough sit for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs, one at a time, until the batter is thick and ribbonlike (the dough should be the temperature of lukewarm water). Cover with plastic wrap and let the batter cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels.

Using a deep-fat fryer (or a heavy large pot and a deep-fat thermometer), heat the oil until it reaches 350°F. Working in 3 batches, carefully scoop 12 individual tablespoons of batter into the hot oil. Fry the zeppoles until golden brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as done to the prepared baking sheet and return oil to 350°F between batches.

Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture and serve immediately.

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Turkey & Pesto Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) 93% lean ground turkey
1½ cups (375 mL) loosely packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup (125 mL) loosely packed fresh parsley
5 garlic cloves, peeled, divided
3 shallots, divided
1½ cups (375 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL)
unsalted chicken stock, divided
½ oz (15 mL) Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup (50 mL) mascarpone cheese, divided
½ tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper, divided
24 round wonton wrappers
½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups (500 mL) grape tomatoes
2 tsp (10 mL) sugar
Shaved Parmesan cheese and thinly sliced fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. For ravioli, place turkey in Classic Batter Bowl; microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 3–4 minutes or until no longer pink. Break up turkey using Mix ‘N Chop. Drain well and return to batter bowl. Place basil, parsley, two of the garlic cloves, one of the shallots and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the stock in Manual Food Processor; cover and pump handle until finely chopped. Add herb mixture,
Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the mascarpone cheese and ¼ tsp (1 mL) of the black pepper to turkey; mix well.
2. Place 12 wonton wrappers on flat side of Large Grooved Cutting Board. Using level Medium Scoop, scoop turkey mixture onto centers of wrappers; lightly brush edges with water. Place remaining wrappers over filling, pressing around filling. Using rounded edge of (2 ½-in./6-cm) Biscuit Cutter, press around filling to seal firmly.
3. Finely chop remaining shallots using Food Chopper. Spray (12-in./30-cm) Skillet with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Add remaining shallots and remaining garlic pressed with Garlic Press; cook and stir over medium heat 60–90 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute. Add
remaining 1½ cups (375 mL) stock, tomatoes and sugar; cook, covered, 3–4 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst. Crush tomatoes with Mix ‘N Chop. Stir in remaining mascarpone and black pepper. Add ravioli to Skillet; cook, covered, 3–4 minutes or until tender, gently swirling Skillet to coat ravioli with sauce. Garnish with additional Parmesan and basil, if desired. Serve  immediately.
Yield: 4 servings

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Spinach & Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

Ingredients:
2 medium carrots, peeled (2/3 cup finely chopped)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning Mix
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 jar (24-28 oz) spaghetti or marinara sauce
2 can (14.5 oz) Italian-seasoned petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
12 uncooked manicotti noodles
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1.  Finely chop carrots using Food Chopper. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine carrots, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, spinach, seasoning mix and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; mix well. Spoon cheese mixture into a large resealable plastic bag; trim ¾ in. off corner with Professional Shears.
2.  Combine spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and water in Stainless (2-qt.) Mixing Bowl; stir. Spread ¼ cup of the sauce over bottom of Deep Covered Baker. Pipe filling into uncooked manicotti noodles. Arrange eight manicotti in bottom of baker. Top with half of the remaining sauce. Layer remaining manicotti in baker. Pour remaining sauce over top.
3.  Microwave, covered, on HIGH 27-30 minutes or until noodles are tender. Remove from microwave; let stand 10 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 6 servings

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Spaghetti alla Carbonara Recipe

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes

This recipe uses raw eggs, which are essentially cooked by tossing with hot pasta. They are not cooked to the point of scrambled though, just enough to thicken the eggs into a sauce. The garlic is optional. It is not traditionally included in spaghetti alla carbonara, but I like the addition of it, so it’s in my version.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
  • 1/2 pound pancetta or thick cut bacon, diced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 teaspoon (optional)
  • 3-4 whole eggs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
  • 1 pound spaghetti pasta (or bucatini or fettuccine)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1 Put a large pot of salted water on to boil (1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water.)

2 While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon or pancetta and cook slowly until crispy. Add the garlic (if using) and cook another minute, then turn off the heat and put the pancetta and garlic into a large bowl.

3 In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix in about half of the cheese.

4 Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the pasta, and cook, uncovered, at a rolling boil. When the pasta is al dente (still a little firm, not mushy), use tongs to move it to the bowl with the bacon and garlic. Move the pasta from the pot to the bowl quickly, as you want the pasta to be hot. It’s the heat of the pasta that will heat the eggs sufficiently to create a creamy sauce. Toss everything to combine, then add the beaten eggs with cheese and toss quickly to combine once more. Add salt to taste.

Serve at once with the rest of the parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

If you want, sprinkle with a little fresh chopped parsley.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

 

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Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved, tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end
  • 1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt

Meatballs:

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Preparation

For sauce:
Combine tomatoes with juice, butter, onions, and salt in large wide pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard onions. Using immersion blender, process sauce briefly to break up any large pieces of tomato (texture should be even but not completely smooth). Season sauce with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

For meatballs:
Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl; stir until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in large bowl and break up into small chunks. Add 1 cup ground Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

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Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce

  • Cook Time:  5 min
  • Level:   Easy
  • Yield:   6 servings
  • Close Times:
  • Prep 15 min, Inactive Prep
  • Cook 5 min
  • Total:  20 min

 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds spinach ravioli or tortelloni
  • 1 cup purchased marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

 

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil to the water to help prevent pasta from sticking. Add the ravioli and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the ravioli with the remaining oil to coat.

Meanwhile, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking often. Whisk in the ricotta and enough reserved cooking water to thin the sauce to desired consistency. For a thicker sauce, use less pasta water; for a thinner sauce, add more water. Return the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce over the bottom of each of 6 bowls. Arrange the ravioli over the sauce. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and the basil, and serve.

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Ravioli with Butter and Parmesan Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 packages (11 oz) ravioli
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 6 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 1 whole nutmeg or ½ tsp grated nutmeg
  • ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water for approximately 5 – 6 minutes. Drain well and transfer it to a platter. Take a medium sized fry pan, heat butter at medium high flame and add basil leaves. Cook until lightly fried, for 2 – 3 minutes. Put pine nuts and pour the ravioli butter sauce over the cooked ravioli. Sprinkle nutmeg and cheese over it and serve hot. Read more on lobster ravioli recipes.

These were easy to prepare ravioli sauce recipes that will surely satiate your taste buds. I hope the aforementioned ravioli sauce ideas and recipes prove to be helpful in preparing a delicious and yummy dinner meal for your party tonight. Enjoy!

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Ravioli Sauce

Ingredients

How to make it

  • Using a medium sized, heavy based pot, fill the base with olive oil to the depth of approximately halfway up your index fingertip. Peel and dice the garlic lengthways. You can add 2 extra cloves if you wish, it only intensifies the flavour (in a good way). Add the diced garlic to the pot with oil and gently fry the garlic at a low heat being careful not to burn them.
  • Fill a separate small pot with water and bring it to the boil. Add the tomatoes and boil for approximately 3 minutes, until you begin to see the skin peeling away from the flesh. Remove from the boiling water, discard water and then peel tomatoes.
  • Add the tomatoes to the pot with oil and garlic and chop them into small pieces with sharp knife. Simmer at a low heat and stir continually as the sauce begins to thicken and reduce. Gradually add a few drops of water, then add the stock cube and the bay leaves. Stir and simmer for a further 10 minutes then add the tomato paste, sugar and salt and pepper. Keep on a low simmer for a further ten minutes for the sauce to reduce and flavours intensify. Remove bay leaves before serving.
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Porchetta-Style Roast Pork

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1 5 1/2- to 6-pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), excess fat trimmed with thin layer left intact
  • 6 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

 

Preparation

Stir fennel seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until slightly darker in color and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to spice mill and cool. Add kosher salt, peppercorns, and dried crushed red pepper. Grind to medium-fine consistency (not powder).

Place pork in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Rub garlic all over pork, then coat with spice mixture. Loosely cover pork with waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place roast, fat side up and coating intact, in center of sheet. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast pork 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Roast pork until very tender and thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 190°F, about 3 hours 15 minutes longer. Transfer pork to cutting board; reserve baking sheet. Let pork rest 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour all pan juices into 2-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat that rises to top. Place reserved baking sheet across 2 burners. Pour wine and broth onto baking sheet and bring to boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until wine mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 4 minutes. Add degreased pan juices and whisk to blend. Pour pan sauce into small bowl (sauce will be thin).

Thinly slice roast. Serve with sauce.

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Pork Loin with Prosciutto, Fontina, and Sage

  • 2 1/2 pound New York (top loin) pork roast, boneless
  • 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs, (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1/3 cup Fontina cheese, shredded (about 1 ounce)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • To taste salt and pepper
  • 4 thin slices prosciutto

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine panko, fontina, and sage. Stand roast on end and insert thin-bladed knife down center of loin to make 2-inch opening all the way through. Use your fingers to force the slit into a long 1-inch-diameter hole. Pack panko mixture into hole, working from both ends of roast. Season roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Place roast, fat side up, on work surface. Arrange prosciutto slices across top of roast. Tie with kitchen twine at 1- to 1 1/2-inch intervals. Place in shallow roasting pan, prosciutto side up, and roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

Remove roast from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Remove twine. Slice roast and arrange on serving platter. Serve drizzled with any pan juices.

 

Yield: 8 to 10 servings