Orecchiette Redo

We did this last night.. delicious. Even better than last time. I still did the orecchiette with sweet Italian sausage and jalapenos. This time we actually had the broccoli rabe and we did fresh parmesan instead of reggiano. Very yummy. So, we will be leaving to go abroad soon... and I will be taking pictures of some of the food we get... check back!

A Perfect Italian Meal

This is what I made tonight. Last night I had the place to myself so I made myself a spinach and feta calzone (I have the recipe on the blog already). You know how sometimes you make silly mistakes when you are cooking... and you are like, how could I possibly do this? (Like forgetting to add sugar to muffins.. not that I know anyone who has done that..). Well, I was making the calzone and I was thinking to myself that the dough was really easy to stretch out. Normally when I make calzones I have to use a rolling pin to get the dough in the shape I want, but this dough already was a square! So I made the calzone, put the egg wash on top, and stuck it in the oven. I checked on it a few times and couldn't help but notice how flaky the bread was. When I took it out, the whole top was flaky. How odd, I thought to myself. As I took it off the tin foil, I smelt the distinct smell of crescent rolls. You know, the ones you buy in the can....that's when it hit me. I had cooked my calzone in pastry puff! Not pizza dough! How stupid of me! Anyway, it is still completely delicious, I just felt silly though.

So for tonight I had most of the calzone leftover and I just heated that up and cooked up some spaghetti with tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes. Those tomatoes are so sweet. I was thinking... usually when I make my own sauce (which I didn't do tonight) I add some sugar... but if you buy cherry tomatoes and mash them up in your sauce you really shouldn't need sugar--they are so sweet.

Anyway, we had all this with some fresh bread and pesto. Yum. Makes me grateful for Italians.

Salmon and Asparagus

Gosh. This meal sure took forever. First, I had to walk up to Seventh Avenue to Union Market. Then I had to buy 2 pieces of cooked salmon and some cooked asparagus. Then I had to wait in line (or as they say in Brooklyn, "on" line) and walk home. Next, I microwaved the salmon and asparagus and simultaneously toasted some wheat bread. I also washed some fresh strawberries. Finally, I got to claim I was cooking for an hour. Go figure!

Stuffed Peppers

Soo... It was my turn to cook the other day (my life partner had cooked some delicious Italian the night before - shout out to Russo's on 7th Ave). I decided I should try something new and this is what happened as a side. Now, my recipe is purely vegetarian, but for more fullness and flavor I would recommend ground beef and rice being added. However, for pure health this was good.

Ingredients:
peppers
pinch of salt
dash of pepper
chopped onion
bread crumbs
grated cheese
celery
carrots

Directions:

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Using the food processor, chop carrots, fresh bread crumbs (had leftover bread from our Super Bowl loaf), onions and celery. Season to taste. Fill peppers. Top with grated cheese and sit upright in baking dish with water in bottom. Bake at 350degrees for 40 minutes.

Pizelle e Cannoli

Leave the gun...take the cannoli. Who doesn't like cannoli? Pizelle, if you don't know, are a delicious, paper thin cookie.

The filling for the cannoli was ricotta cheese and confectioner's sugar. Basically you keep mixing the two together until it tastes right.

The pizelle is also a very basic recipe. Nicole mixed the following together:

-3 eggs
-1/2 tsp anise
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 3/4 cup flour
-1/2 cup of butter or oil
-3/4 cup sugar

We have a pizelle press here. You just put a small dollop in the center of the press and let it cook for maybe 40 seconds (before browning). Remove quickly with a spatula and then roll them (quickly!) on a tube the width of your desired cannoli. We used the paper towel dowel for example. Some people have the special cannoli tubes, but, when in Rome! Let them cool completely before you slide them off the tube.

Right before you plan on eating them you can squeeze in the filling. We just cut the corner off a freezer bag to make a pastry bag (executed by Phil). We sprinkled the ends with miniature chocolate chips and they were amazing! Seriously better than anything you could buy.

Homemade Pasta with Sauce and Meatballs

Well... I know I haven't been good about blogging since I came back from vacation... but tonight I will make up for that.. and then some! I came back to the homestead and reunited with my Italian roots with la mama e mia sorella. We have this great pasta press to make our own homemade spaghetti. So fun and easy.

The pasta dough is just flour and eggs. We used 4 cups of flour and 4 eggs. That would serve about 6. So halve or double if needed.

Then we spent some TLC time with the pasta press until it eventually came out in smooth sheets (glad I didn't go to the gym yesterday!). Then you add the attachment that actually cuts the individual strands and go to town. It's definitely best to do this with two people. We used the thick one which is more like fettuccine but there is a thin one too.

The meatballs were made following the recipe I posted awhile back, but my mom uses the three types of meat mix (veal, beef, and turkey). It's probably a softer consistency... but... think of the baby cows!

Neglect

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I have been neglecting you. Night class combined with this week's quality review has left me squeezed for time. But that's no excuse. I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. I really do love you!

Thinking of you.. and anxiously awaiting our reunion...