Italian Recipes

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: 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.

Dairy products are hard to resist especially by your growing kids. By preparing fast and nutritious meal, their food requirements are easily met. You just need few ingredients for this one:
• 1 lb. of Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh milk
• 10 oz. Macaroni Noodles
• 1 quart of water

Directions:
On a pot, boil water in high heat and place the noodles. Cook noodles for about 10-12 minutes and drain the water off. Mix the noodles with cheese and milk. Better to serve hot.