Artichoke Cranberry Risotto with Bacon

Ingredients:
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1/2 C Artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1/2 C Craisins
1 1/2 C Arborio Rice
1/4 C Dry cocktail sherry or cooking sherry
6 C Chicken Stock, hot
1/4 Lb Cooked bacon chopped
1/2 C Grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream (optional)
1/4 C Chopped Basil
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Prepare
In a non stick frying pan or cast iron skillet
Heat garlic and onion in oil over medium heat till onion is tender
Add artichoke hearts and Craisins and cook about 2 minutes
Add rice and toss until rice is coated with oil and heat until warm but not cooked. Stir frequently so rice does not stick
Add Sherry and cook over med heat about 2 minutes stirring frequently
Ladle in stock till rice is just covered stirring frequently.
As rice absorbs liquid, ladle in stock keeping rice barely covered with stock.
Continue adding stock one ladle at a time till rice is tender to your satisfaction.
Stir in bacon
Stir in Parmesan till mixture is creamy
If more creaminess is desired add a couple Tbsp of heavy cream and stir till warm.
remove from heat and stir in basil and black pepper.
Serve
makes 6 to 8 servings.

Autumn Risotto

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

About 6 cups of HOT chicken stock

1 butternut squash: one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and sauteed in a Tblsp. oil and a Tblsp. butter until tender

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

salt

freshly ground pepper

shaved parmesan (for garnish/topping)

Directions:

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil. Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Season with salt & fresh ground pepper. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated shallow serving bowls & garnish the top with shaved parmesan.

Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients
1/2 Lb Sweet Italian Sausage, Bulk (casing removed) crumbled
2Tbsp Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1/2C Onion, diced
1/4C Sweet Pepper, finely diced
1C Mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Basil, chopped
1 1/2C Arborio Rice
4C Beef stock
1/2C Heavy Cream
1/2C Parmesan, grated
salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet brown sausage
Drain
Add Oil,Garlic, Onion, Pepper, Mushrooms and Basil.
Toss well and cook over medium heat till veggies begin to tender.
Add rice and mix well till rice is coated with oil.
Heat about one minute and add with a ladle enough of the beef stock to just cover rice mixture.
Bring to boil stirring often.
As stock is absorbed add stock one ladle at a time to keep rice just covered in liquid for about 15 to 20 minutes until rice is tender to your taste.
Lower heat, add cream and cheese and stir until creamy.
Remove from heat, season and serve.

Makes 4 full meal servings.

Pasta Pot Pie

Pasta Pot Pie
2 Prepared pie crust circles
1/2 lb Cooked pasta (ziti or mostacolli)
Sauce
1/2 lb Ground beef
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1/4 c Onion, chopped
1 14 oz can. diced tomatoes
2 Basil leaves (or 1 tsp dried basil)
salt and pepper to taste Cheese filling
1 c Ricotta cheese
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Parsley flakes
1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Layers
1/4 c Parmesan, shredded or grated
1/2 c Mozzarella, shredded

Prepare Sauce
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic,
Drain fat and add tomatoes and basil
salt and pepper to taste, add a pinch of crushed red pepper is desired
Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 15 minutes

Prepare Cheese filling
In a small bowl whisk with fork, ricotta, egg, parsley, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper and 1 Tbsp grated parmesan till well mixed
Cook pasta in salted water to aldente according to directions on pkg
Drain pasta and mix with sauce and set aside

Assemble Pie
Grease a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray
Lay 1 prepared pie crust circle in pie pan and form to bottom of pan letting it overlap evenly all around the top of the pan.
Spoon in about 1/2 - 3/4 inch of prepared pasta
Spread entire ricotta mixture over bottom layer of pasta
Sprinkle layer of Parmesan over ricotta
Spoon another layer of pasta over Parmesan all the way to top of pan. Use enough pasta so that top center is higher than edges, like a mound Spread a layer of mozzarella evenly over top pasta layer
Lay top pie crust loosely over entire pie pinching two crusts together all around.
Make a few punctures with a fork in top of crust.
Bake in preheated 450f oven for 30 to 40 minutes till medium brown
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting
Serve
Makes six generous servings

Gnocchi alla Romana

Quite different from the well known potato gnocchi we serve with pasta sauce, these gnocchi are made from semolina and cut in circles then baked.

Gnocchi-
3 Tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
1/3 C Grated Parmesan
3 Egg Yolks
4 C Milk
Pinch Nutmeg
1 2/3 C Semolina flour

Prepare Gnocchi
Line a 12 X 10 inch cookie sheet with baking paper or parchment
In a small bowl beat together butter, egg yolks and grated parmesan
Season Lightly with salt and pepper and set aside
In a large saucepan heat milk, add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
When milk is just beginning to boil lower heat and add semolina in a steady stream stirring as you pour.
Over low heat continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until all milk has been absorbed and mixture pulls away from side of pan in one mass.

Remove pan from heat
Beat in egg yolk mixture till smooth.
Spoon mixture quickly onto lined cookie sheet
Smooth with knive dipped in cold water to achieve
an even thickness.
Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 f and grease a 7 X 10 shallow baking pan (lasagne pan)

After cooled enough to handle lift semolina slab from cookie sheet
Peel off parchment and cut into circles using a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter dipped in cold water.
Arrange Circles slightly overlapping in lasagne pan.

Topping:
3 Tbsp Butter, melted
1/3 C Heavy Cream
1/3 C Parmesan, grated

Blend butter and heavy cream.
Pour over Gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmesan

Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown

Serves 4
Can be prepared up to 2 days previous and stored in refrigerator in either slab form or ready cut circles.

Chicken Cacciatora

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Lg onion, chopped fine
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Stick Celery, chopped fine
1/4 Lb Pancetta (or Bacon) chopped
1/4 Lb Mushrooms,sliced. (or one small can)
1 Fryer, cut up
1/3 cup Dry white wine, or dry vermouth
1 28oz can Tomatoes, Diced
1 pinch Brown sugar
1 sprig Rosemary
5 sprigs Oregano, 1 for cooking 4 for garnish
1 Bay leaf
1/3 cup Cold water

Preparation:
Heat half the oil in a med to large stock pot.
Add onion, garlic and celery and cook 6-8 minutes over medium low heat stirring occasionally till onion is golden.
Add Pancetta (or bacon) and mushrooms.
Increase heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring from time to time.
Spoon pancetta mixture onto a plate and set aside.
Add remaining oil and to pot
A few pieces at a time lightly brown chicken pieces season them as they brown and remove from pot till all chicken is browned
Skim off any excess fat and return all the chicken to pot.
Add wine and increase heat
Cook till almost all liquid has been evaporated.
Add tomatoes, sugar, rosemary, one of the oregano sprigs, bay leaf and 1/3 cup cold water.
Bring to boil then stir in pancetta mixture.
Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is tender but not falling off bone.
Uncover and remove oregano and rosemary sprigs.
Taste for Salt and pepper, add accordingly to taste.
Toss in oregano sprigs and serve.

Sausage, pepper & cheese strata

Grease a 9x12" pan. Tear up 6- 1" slices of Italian bread and scatter the pieces onto the bottom of the pan.

In a pan over med. heat, saute 1 lb. of Italian sausage (bulk - or just remove casing) along with 2-3 bell peppers (I used yellow ones, but any colors work fine), breaking up the sausage as it cooks. When it's nearly done (total time of 5-7 minutes, tops), lower the heat & cover the pan to let everything steam.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix well & set aside:

6 large eggs

2 Cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 small chopped onion

1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

1 Tblsp. fresh chopped (or 1 teasp. dried) oregano

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper

Pour half the egg/milk mixture over the torn up bread in the pan. Scatter 1 cup freshly grated Asiago (or fontina - I use Asiago) cheese over the bread. Spoon the cooked sausage and peppers evenly over the cheese. Pour the rest of the egg/milk mixture over the top. Sprinkle another cup of grated Asiago (or fontina) cheese evenly over the top.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the strata is set.

My favorite dough recipe for Pizza Crust and Italian Bread

My favorite dough recipe for Pizza Crust and Italian Bread

6 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups of tepid water
1 pkg Quick Rise Yeast
2 Tbspns Vegetable Oil

Mix 4 cups of flour with salt... two minutes
Dissolve yeast in 2 cups of tepid water - around 95 - 105 degrees
(if water is too hot or too cold yeast will not dissolve)

Add yeast mixture to salted flour, Knead. if using mixer use hook and mix on slow speed till consistent.
Once dough is mixed slowly add the rest of the water and flour until you have a consistent soft dough.
(if too soft add a little flour till you have what you like if too hard, add water)

Place soft dough in a large bowl with room for dough to double.
Keep loosely covered in a warm place for one hour.
Remove dough from bowl onto a well floured work surface.
Knead dough till smooth.

Cover loosely and let it proof for 1/2 hour.
Shape into bread or roll into pizza.
Bake bread @ 475 F for 20 minutes.
Pizza @ 475 F for 15 minutes

For A Crispy Pizza Crust, do not proof dough, separate into amount you will use. and place immediately in fridge. When ready to roll out dough, just remove from refrigerator and roll it out and construct your pizza.
half the recipe makes a nice thick 16 inch pizza. for thin pizza divide by four.
For bread, half the recipe makes about a one pound loaf of Crispy Italian Bread.
divide accordingly

To use refrigerated dough for bread. Remove from fridge let dough warm about a half hour then knead and let proof for another half hour. Shape into bread and bake @ 475 F for 20 minutes.
Enjoy