Italian Recipes

Gnocchi is served hot in a rich and thick pasta sauce with some hints of Parmesan Cheese. This is what you really can consider as comfort food. However, the type of Gnocchi you serve depends on which part of Italy you are from. From this aspect, your ingredients to be used would vary. But what we have here is the traditional Potato Gnocchi or might as well be called as potato dumplings. This ingredient is good for two.

Ingredients:

1 pound of potatoes, peeled

.5 oz butter

Flour, 4 tbsp

Pepper and salt to taste

1 beaten egg

Butter for serving

Directions:

You must first boil the potatoes and drain them after. Crush them with a masher and allow it to totally cool and dry. Mix in the butter, flour, seasoning and the egg while preventing it from being sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes and form it into a ball before you divide it into tiny pieces. Turn each into a sausage size type and create some ridges. Cook them in salted water and bring them to a boil. Drain them, add some butter and sprinkle some lashings of cheese.

Photos via italiantraditionalfood.com

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Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 ¼ cups of lukewarm water
• 1 cup of polenta

Directions:

Set the oven in 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients in a huge bowl and combine it well. Place all the ingredients in a greased baking pan. Bake without cover for 50 minutes. With the use of a fork, stir it well and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove it out of the oven and sprinkle on top with cheese.

Photo via myrecipes.com

Try this homey recipe, it combines the Succulent. Juicy. Tender baked chicken and the fine taste of little pasta or pastina.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

(Photo via tasteofhome.com)

If you’re craving comfort food, and that means pasta in particular, creamy, delicious and satisfying with a few extra delectable ingredient then you might want to try this recipe, using spinach fettuccine instead of regular pasta for a vegetable boost and tender mussels to create a zesty flavor.

Here are the Ingredients:

•48 fresh mussels
•1 garlic clove
•1 cup dry white wine
•1 pound spinach fettuccini
•2 tablespoons butter
•1/3 cup olive oil
•1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
•3 Roma tomatoes

Preparation:

Blanch, peel, seed and chop tomatoes. Wash and cover mussels with water. Let stand for 3 to 4 hours, changing the water several times. Drain and put in a large, covered saucepan. Add garlic pieces and wine. Cover pan and steam mussels over low heat until the shells open. Discard any unopened ones. Remove mussels from shells, reserving juice. Discard shells.

Cook pasta until it is al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan. Add butter, olive oil, lemon juice and juice from steamed mussels. Add half of the mussels and half of fresh tomatoes, and toss pasta well. Empty mixture of pasta and sauce into a large bowl. Arrange remaining mussels and tomato pieces on top of pasta and serve.

Here is a classic romantic dish, so simple  and easy  to prepare with a little extra to make it luscious  and more appetizing, the Pasta Corta con Salmone e Noci: or Pasta with Salmon and Walnuts.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4-5 walnut meats, chopped
• 2-3 ounces (50-75 g) smoked salmon, shredded
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Salt & pepper
• Flour, for thickening (optional)
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1/2 pound (200 g) short pasta, along the lines of farfalle (bow ties).

Preparation:

Bring salted pasta water to a boil and while the pasta is cooking sauté the garlic in the oil in a skillet, discarding it when it has browned. Add the nutmeats, cook them for a few minutes, then add the salmon and season lightly. Add the cream and heat through, thickening the sauce with a little flour if you want. Drain the pasta and turn it into the skillet. Toss over a brisk flame for a minute, stir in the minced parsley, and serve.

You can also try salted smoked tuna which is as good as salmon.

Buon Appetito!

Valentine’s Day is a time to express how much you care for your special someone, and what’s more romantic than an elegant dinner for two? And choosing the perfect food resembling a traditional Italian recipe will surely set the mood.  The Ravioli Lasagna which combines the pasta and ricotta in one step, and uses a bottle of spaghetti sauce to save time.  It’s a pretty basic recipe, yet you can do variations, depending on what you like or what you have at hand. You can add ground beef to mix with the sauce, or use ground turkey or chicken instead, just to keep that personal touch.

Here are the Ingredients:

1 (25 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli

1 (26 1/2 ounce) bottle spaghetti sauce

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

In 9×13-inch dish spread a little bit of sauce at bottom (to prevent sticking).Put on ravioli, as many as will fit without being “tight”. Put on more sauce and then cheese. Repeat until all ravioli is gone. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.

Felice Festa di San Valentino !

Time:
preparation: 10 minutes
cooking: about 20 minutes Difficulty:
easy recipeNutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 423 (kCal) – 1769 (kJ)
Protein: 12.6 (g)
Total fat: 12.5 (g)
Total carbohydrate: 69.3 (g)
Sugars: 3.7 (g)

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers in vinegar, well drained
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or frozen), finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried chives
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
75 ml (3 fl oz – 1/2 C) dry white wine
1 hot red pepper, if you like
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
325 g (11 oz) spaghetti
Salt

This sauce is very easy and quick to do. You can make it while your spaghetti are boiling.
Add the olive oil, the anchovy fillets, the capers, the fresh and dried herbs, the wine and the hot pepper (if you like) in a frying pan. Season with salt and cook over a fierce heat for about 5-10 or until the anchovies are melt and wine is evaporated.
Meanwhile cook your spaghetti, drain them while still very much al dente and turn into the pan with the sauce. Sprinkle with some tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs, stir, return to a high heat, sauté them and serve very hot.

Time:
preparation: 15 minutes
cooking: about 20 minutes Difficulty:
easy recipe Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 427 (kCal) – 1784 (kJ)
Protein: 13.7 (g)
Total fat: 19.7 (g)
Total carbohydrate: 51.7 (g)
Sugars: 8.0 (g)

Ingredients:
350 g (12 oz) short pasta (fusilli or penne)
7 ripe but firm tomatoes, peeled and cubed
85 g (3 oz) black olives, stoned
4 fillets of anchovies, chopped
2 tablespoons dried or fresh chives
1 1/2 mozzarella cheese, cubed or 20 cherry mozzarella cheese
12 leaves of fresh basil
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Bring to the boil abundant salted water and cook pasta according to the instructions on the package.
Meanwhile prepare the dressing. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
Cook pasta “al dente”, drain it in the colander and run under cold water in order to stop the cooking. Add pasta to the mixture and stir well. Let chill at least 2 hours before serving but bring back to room temperature to serve.

Time:
preparation: 15 minutes
cooking: about 20 minutes Difficulty:
easy recipe Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 476 (kCal) – 1990 (kJ)
Protein: 12.3 (g)
Total fat: 17.5 (g)
Total carbohydrate: 70.8 (g)
Sugars: 6.1 (g)

Ingredients:
450 g (1 lb) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes and courgettes)
4 anchovy fillets, in oil, chopped
1 tablespoon capers in vinegar
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chilli olive oil
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
200 g (7 oz) Italian “spaghetti”
Salt

Cook the frozen vegetables in 4 tablespoons olive oil, in a frying pan, according to the instructions on the package.
Meanwhile bring to the boil the salted water, necessary for cooking Italian “spaghetti”.
Place the rest of olive oil, included sharp olive oil, anchovies, herbs and capers in a second frying pan.
Add the cooked vegetables, season with salt and simmer for some minutes.
Cook the pasta “al dente”, drain very well and turn into the pan with the vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs, sauté over a high heat for few minutes.
Serve very hot.

Thank you to those who invented frozen ravioli’s! How much did this make Italian easier! And who hates Ravioli? I love Ravioli specially that this has cheese in it. My son eats anything that has cheese so this is a really nice way to make him eat veggies!

Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart
1 package(s) (20-ounce) frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini
6 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 clove(s) garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1/8 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper
1 bag(s) (16-ounce) frozen chopped or whole-leaf spinach
1/2 cup(s) water
1/4 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil; cook ravioli (or tortellini) according to package directions.
2.Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, crushed red pepper to taste, spinach and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has thawed, wilted and heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls, top with the pasta and drizzle 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil over each portion. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Parmesan.