Grill-roasted Fennel and Italian Sausage Ravioli with Two Cheeses

Grill-roasted Fennel and Italian Sausage Ravioli with Two Cheeses

Fennel, mushrooms, sausage, and a variety of cheeses and spices from around the world... what's not to like? You and your friends and family will love this dish.

1 Small fennel bulb, trimmed, rinsed and cut in half

2 TBL Olive Oil

2-4 OZ Italian sausage (hot or mild), grilled and chopped fine

4 CLOVES Garlic, minced

1 Large shallot, minced

1 C Minced Italian brown mushrooms

1 TSP Fresh minced rosemary

1/2 C Ricotta cheese

1/4 C Grated Romano cheese

1/4 C Italian parsley, chopped fine

1 TBL Basil, chopped fine

1 TSP Greek oregano

1 TSP Crushed red chile

2 Egg whites

1/4 C Water

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the fennel in a covered baking dish that has been oiled with one TBS of olive oil. Season and grill-roast the fennel for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Over medium heat, sauté the garlic and shallots in the olive oil until just starting to brown, add the chopped mushrooms and rosemary. Continue to sauté until mushrooms turn golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.

2. Chop the fennel very fine. In a mixing bowl combine the fennel, sausage, mushroom mixture, both cheeses, parsley, basil, oregano, and red chile. Season to taste and stir well.

3. Using a ravioli press set two egg roll wrappers on press covering eight of the holes and allowing a space between the wrappers. Press the dimples in the wrappers with the press. Spoon one level tablespoon of the filling into each of the ravioli. Whisk together the egg whites and water and brush all the seams of the ravioli.

4. Place top sheets on ravioli, roll out top to cut the pasta. Excess dough should tear away easily. Separate ravioli. In lightly boiling water cook the ravioli for five minutes. Drain and serve.

5. Makes 32 21/2-inch ravioli.

Chipotle Cilantro Fettuccini

Chipotle Cilantro Fettuccini

Homemade pasta is easy and much better than deied.  With the convergence of cultures in Arizona we are constantly seeing wonderful new dishes like this. Latin meets Latinos!

1 canned chipotle chile

1/4 cup cilantro

1 clove garlic

10 oz. bread flour (2 cups)

1 Tbl. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)

2 large eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Chop the chipotle, cilantro and garlic as fine as you can and then chop some more. Using a dough blade of a food processor, combine the chopped ingredients together with the flour, adobo sauce, eggs and salt.  While machine is running, drizzle in the oil.  Dough will come together as a crumbly mixture.  Add water one tablespoon at a time until dough forms a ball.  Remove from food processor.  If dough sticks to your hands it may be necessary to work a little flour into the dough.  Roll into a ball and cut the ball into quarters.  Flatten one of the quarters with the palm of your hand.  Run the dough through the pasta machine four times on the #1 (or the largest) setting.  Each time, folding the dough into thirds.  It may be necessary to dust with flour as you go if the dough is sticky.  Now move the dial to #2 a run the pasta through, the #3, #4, and #5.  Move the handle to the fettuccini blade, dust the pasta with flour and run it through.  Sometimes it is necessary to pull a few strands of the pasta apart, depending on the texture of th dough.  Drop the pasta into boiling water for 30 – 45 seconds or to desired texture. Have fun, top with whatever you like; olive oil, chives and good Romano cheese are a great start.

Serves 4

Sweet Potato Risotto

Sweet Potato Risotto

If you've never tried Risotto, you're in for a real treat.  Risotto is delicious and easy once you get the hang of it!

¼ c. olive oil

½ c. fine-diced onion

1 T. garlic

1 c. shredded sweet potato

12 oz. Arborio rice

½ c. mashed sweet potato

6 c. chicken stock

1 T. fresh rosemary

1 ½ t. fresh thyme

4 T. butter

4 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. salt

¾ t. black pepper

Heat chicken broth. Heat olive oil, sauté onion and garlic. Squeeze out any extra moisture from the shredded sweet potato, then rough chop and add to onion mixture, sauté. Then add rice and sauté for 1 minute. Add chicken broth ½ c. at a time until completely absorbed, when you have one cup of broth left add of the mashed sweet potato. When the rice is al dente remove from heat and add cheese herbs, butter and salt and pepper

Variation:

1.     Add  1 ½ c. mashed sweet potato to the stock as the liquid, stir well.

2.      Sauté onion and garlic, add sweet potato, stirring until caramelized and then add to risotto once there is 1 cup stock left

Basic Italian Red Sauce

I came home tonight and made Kathy's favorite meal Spaghetti with meat sauce.  I added 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound of ground pork, browned and simmered with the basic red sauce recipe.

Authors note: Buy the DOP certified, San Marzano tomatoes, Yes they're $6 a can or more and it's the best $6 you can spend in your kitchen! 

Basic Italian Red Sauce

Use this wonderful sauce on pizza, pasta, or meat.

6 C San Marzano tomatoes DOP certified (not American tomatoes)

3 TBL Extra virgin olive oil

4 CLOVES Garlic, whole

3/4 C Finely chopped white onion

1/4 C Red table wine

1/4 C Italian parsley, chopped fine

1/4 C Fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

2 TSP Greek oregano, dried

1 TSP Italian seasoning

1 TSP Brown sugar

1 TSP Crushed red chile

1 TSP Salt

Garnish;

Italian parsley, chopped fine

Fresh, grated Romano cheese

1. Put the tomatoes and their juices in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

2. In a large saucepan, simmer the onions and garlic in the olive oil over a medium-high heat until onions get soft and start to brown; stir occasionally.

3. Add the tomatoes and wine, Raise heat to a light boil for 7 minutes. Hold the lid above the pan, to stop spattering with one hand and stir with the other.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add parsley, basil, spices, sugar, chili and salt and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Garnish with Italian parsley and fresh grated Romano cheese.

6. Makes about 8C sauce.

Grill Roasted Chicken Cacciatore

Grill Roasted Chicken Cacciatore

1 Whole fresh chicken, cut up

Sauce:

1/4 C Extra virgin olive oil

2 Medium white onions, peeled and chopped

6 CLOVES Garlic, peeled and minced

1 C Cabernet Sauvignon wine

3 C Plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

3 C Beef broth

1 8-OZ CAN Tomato sauce

1/4 LB Italian brown mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

1/4 C Green olives, medium, pitted

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3 TBL Sweet butter

1/4 C Fresh Italian parsley, minced fine

1 Bay leaf

1 TSP Rosemary leaf, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

1 TBL Fresh Italian parsley

1. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until outside is well browned, but do not fully cook. In a large sauté pan, over medium high heat, heat oil.

2. Cook onions until soft; add garlic and cook a minute or two more, to release flavor into the oil. Add chicken and stir. Add wine and simmer until liquid reduces to almost nothing (Be careful not to burn).

3. Add tomatoes, 2C beef broth, tomato sauce, lemon juice, butter, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, and then add mushrooms, and olives. Simmer for 10 minutes more. As sauce reduces, replace liquid with beef broth a little at a time. Garnish with parsley and Romano cheese.

4. Serve with boiled potatoes or orzo.

Basic Pizza

We heated up the big oven and made pizza for Katie and Isreal the other night!

Basic Pizza
The trick to great homemade pizza is 'Less is More.' A little sauce, a little cheese, on a thin crust!  You won't be disappointed. This recipe is a perfect balance of cheese, herbs and tomato.  Use it as a starting place on your road to being a great cook!

  The Dough:(enough for 2 - 12 inch pizzas)
1 PACK Dry active yeast
3-4 C All-purpose flour
2 TBL Extra virgin olive oil
1 C Water, at 100∞
1/2 TSP Sugar
1 TSP Salt
Toppings: per 12 inch pizza
1/2-3/4 C 1/2 - 3/4 cups basic pizza sauce (recipe below)
2 TSP 2 tsp. fresh Thyme
2 TSP 2 Tsp fresh Oregano
2 TSP 2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 TSP 1 tsp. kosher salt.
1/2 C 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C 1/2 cup grated Provolone cheese
1/2 C 1/2 cup grated Muenster cheese

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the yeast into the water and let dissolve. Add 1 cup flour to the olive oil and mix into a paste. Add 1 more cup flour, salt, and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little more flour and shape into a loose mound.  Set in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic and let rise for 30 minutes or until dough rises 2-3 times in size.
2. Pinch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Knead lightly for 1 minute into a ball. Cut the ball in half.  Flatten the halve out with palm of your hand. Roll dough out with rolling pin. Stretch and shape dough with fingers to approximate 12 inch round. Let dough relax and then reshape. Repeat this process at least 8- 10 times.
3. Dust your Pizza peel with cornmeal and place the dough on the peel. Pinch and lightly dress edges with olive oil.
4. Top with Basic Pizza Sauce, then fresh Thyme, Fresh Oregano crushed red pepper, salt and then the cheeses and bake in a 450f oven or grill on a pre-heated pizza stone for 4 to 6 minutes (depending on the thickness of your pizza) or until edges turn golden brown and dough puffs up.


Basic Pizza Sauce

This quick and easy sauce is also excellent over pasta!

1 TBL Extra virgin olive oil
2 CLOVES Garlic, minced
1/2 C Red wine
14 OZ Diced tomatoes
1 1/2 TSP Brown sugar
1 1/2 TSP Kosher salt
1 TSP Greek or Mediterranean oregano
1/2 TSP Crushed red chile
1 TSP Italian seasoning



1.Saute the garlic in the olive oil until soft but not browned in a medium sauce pan.
2. Add wine and stir, loosening any bits of garlic that stick, add all other ingredients and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Puree with a stick blender, taking care as hot liquids expand when blended!
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool down before using.
 I like it best after resting in the refrigerator over-night. Makes 2 cups.