Pasta with Calabrese Meatballs

Calabrese Meatballs

½ - 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

¼ cup or more milk
1 pound ground beef  (or half pork, half beef)
5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 medium red onions, shaved and divided    
½ bunch fresh Italian parsley, minced
1 large Egg
½ cup grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, minced                                                           
1 celery stalk, minced                                                
1 (28 ounces can) tomato sauce
1 pound short pasta such as rigatoni, penne
12-14 large basil leaves, torn

Directions

In a bowl add the breadcrumb and milk. Mix well and strain any access milk thru your fingers. Transfer mixture to a larger bowl.  Add the meat, 2 garlic cloves, 1 onion, parsley, egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix well and shape meatballs any size you like. Set on a platter.

In a large sauté pan, add the oil, 1 onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, carrot, and celery and cook until golden.  Add the meatballs to the pan and sauté until golden on all sides. When ready, remove the meatballs for a moment. Next, add the tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes and return meatballs to pan. Cook until the meatballs are cooked thru and the sauce is well seasoned about 10-15 minutes depending on size of meatballs.

In a large 5-6 quart pan, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Strain and transfer to a large pasta bowl.  Add some sauce and mix well. Serve In individual plates, add meatballs and sauce on top.  Garnish with fresh basil, cracked pepper and grated cheese. Serves 4-6

penne

I made this dish in my June cooking class. The was a moment of silence while people were eating it. My grandfather would say that it is a sign that people are truly enjoying their food. It was a sucessfull recipe that I know many students will make for their family and friends.

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Fresh Lemons Cake

Fresh Lemons Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup whole milk

1 (6 oz) container lemon yogurt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

16 ounces (1 cup) softened butter

1 3/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9 X 12 baking pan.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl mix together milk, yogurt, vanilla, zest and lemon juice.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low-speed, add and beat flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 stages, alternating with milk mixture. Beat well after each addition. transfer to buttered pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick so that when the syrup is spooned on the cake, it will penetrate a little deeper.

  

Fresh Lemon

 

Frosting:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Juice ½ lemon

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup Limoncello

1-2 lemons cut in very thin slices (8-12 thin slices)

In a small saucepan, add the sugar, lemon, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil until sugar has melted.  Reduce to simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the syrup becomes glossy.  Remove the bay leaf, and add the Limoncello and lemon slices. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from stove.  When the cake is ready, drizzle the warm syrup with a spoon on the cake. Decorate with the lemon slices. Serve as is, or with fresh strawberries.

Bay leaves

If you like the taste of fresh lemons, this is the cake to make.  It's a refreshing taste from heavy icing cakes!

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Sicilian Pistachio Mint Pesto

Pistachio Mint Pesto

½ cup shelled pistachios

½ cup blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup mint leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 - 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and pulse a few times until everything is well blended. Next, add the oil and pulse twice. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if needed.  Makes about 2 cups.

When the pesto is ready, transfer to a glass jar.  Top with more olive oil to preserve the color and freshness of the pesto. If you do not cover it with oil, it will turn brown and spoil. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks covered with oil and in a closed glass container.   

When you are ready to use, boil pasta according to package directions.  Strain and transfer to a serving bowl, add a few tablespoons of pesto and enjoy. 

Pasta

This pesto can also be used on grilled, fish, chicken, pork and vegetables.  It can also be a delicious topping on a crostini with a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.

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Tunisian Brik a L'oeuf (Egg Brik)

Tunisian Brik

One of my favorite foods from Tunisiais a brik (breek).  It is made with malsouka dough which unfortunately cannot be found in stores. The malsouka dough has the consistency of phyllo and spring roll dough which can both be used to make brik.  My preference is to use phyllo dough because it is flaky and easy to find.  A Tunisian brik is usually shaped like a triangle and filled in the middle with a raw egg, or other fillings such as hard boiled eggs, canned tuna, boiled potatoes, capers and parsley. If you have all of the ingredients prepared ahead of time, a brik can be cooked in less than 2 minutes. 

12 phyllo sheets (3 sheets for each brik, Makes 4 brik)

4 whole eggs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil, for frying
1 lemon, cut in wedges
4-5 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

 Directions:

1.  Preparing the phyllo dough: Be sure to follow instructions on the phyllo dough box on how to keep the phyllo dough from drying out.  I usually put damptowels on my counter under and over my phyllo dough. Each time I remove 3 phyllo dough sheets to make a brik, I cover the other phyllo immediately.  In order for the process and the recipe to be successful, prepare all of the fillings and ingredients ahead.  Then you can stuff and fry the brik one at a time in hot oil. Next, have a platter or tray with lots of towel paper ready to place the hot brik, to absorb any excess oil on the brik.

2. Preparing the brik with the filling:You need to do 2 things simultaneously to make a good brik. One is to keep the oil hot and two is to fold the phyllo and add the filling very quickly to keep the dough from drying. 

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet, about ½ inch deep.

4. Take 3 phyllo dough sheets together and make a square.  Since the phyllo usually comes in rectangles, you may need to fold the ends on two sides to make the square.  Place the phyllo dough square on a plate and get close to the frying pan. Quickly crack an egg in the middle of the phyllo square , add cilantro, and season with salt and pepper.  Next, fold two ends of this phyllo square to make a triangle. Approach the skillet with the hot oil, and slide the brik a l’oeuf in gently to not splash the oil. Stay close to the skillet because it is going to take less than a minute for the bottom of the brik to turn golden. As soon as the bottom turns golden, turn it over gently with two large spatulas to cook the other side. The other side will also cook in less than a minute. When both sides are golden, gently lift the brik from the hot oil. Let the oil drain back in the skillet, and transfer the cooked brik to a platter with towel paper to drain any excess oil.  Let it rest about a minute, and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat process until all 4 briks are cooked. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and sprinkle cilantro on top of each brik.

 

5. How to eat a brik a l’oeuf:The trick is to hold the triangular brik over the plate with the point up and biting into it without letting the egg run down your chin. That’s why you have the plate.  If the egg runs on the plate, soak it up with the other parts of the brik.  Either way, you will enjoy this recipe.

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Focaccia Baby Tomatoes and O Blood Orange EVOO

3 to 4 tablespoons O extra-virgin blood orange olive oil, more for drizzling

1 pound ready-made pizza dough                                                       
1/2 cup baby red tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup baby yellow tomatoes, halved
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Freshly cracked pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Oil the entire bottom of a large baking sheet unless using parchment paper. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle like shape about 1/2-1/3 inch thick.  It will probably not cover the entire area of the pan.  It doesn’t need to. It should look rustic and not perfect.  Place it on a baking sheet.

Halve the tomatoes.  Sprinkle the dough with coarse salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes over the top of the dough pressing down firmly into dough.  Drizzle with of oil on top. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the dough. When the Focaccia is ready, top with a little more olive oil on top and fresh basil.

The sweetest of the baby tomatoes with the aromatic bold taste of the O BLOOD ORANGE OLIVE OIL makes this foccacia unforgettable to the palate.

O OLIVE OIL is the original maker of specialty organic citrus-crushed olive oils since 1995 and premium barrel-aged wine vinegars since 1997. It’s a group of committed foodies making products that taste as good as they look!

For more information about O OLIVE OILs or O PREMIUM BARREL-AGED WINE VINEGARS go to: http://www.ooliveoil.com/

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Ricotta Crostini & O Blood Orange EVOO

Since ancient times, olive trees and their oil were essential to the lives of the peoples of the Mediterranean. The olive trees provided a fruit and edible oil that was used for cooking, lighting, and purifying the skin. Pruning of the trees also provided wood for heat and cooking.

Today, olive oil is used to enhance and highlight the true taste of ingredients. When a recipe requires olive oil, how do you know which type to use? The best way is let your taste buds lead the way. As a general rule, use olive oil to cook with, and extra virgin olive oil in the raw, to drizzle and dress.

O BLOOD ORANGE OLIVE OIL has a fragrant, lovable, and persistent taste.  It welcomes particular palates who prefer and appreciate the fruity flavor of blood oranges. This oil evokes excellence from the time the bottle is opened, until the last thread of the drizzle. It is ideal to use in dishes where the taste of the oil is “felt” between the flavors of the other ingredients, where the oil is the star ingredient. O BLOOD ORANGE OLIVE OIL,  is perfect and unforgettable drizzled raw on crostini, grilled fish and steaks, salads, pasta, stews, pizza, foccacia, and cooked vegetables. 

 When an oil is so perfectly delicious to use, there’s endless opportunities to show it off.  Here’s an easy crostini recipe that shows who the star of this dish is.   

Ricotta Crostini and O Blood Orange EVOO

12 slices crusty bread, about 1/3 inch thick
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
8 ounces ricotta cheese, at room temperature
Freshly cracked mixed peppercorns
1/4 to 1/3 cup, California mission blood orange olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to broil. Lay the bread slices evenly on a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and broil about 1 to 2 minutes, or until just golden. Keep a close eye and stay close to the oven. Depending on your oven, you may need to move the baking sheet around once, to get even broiling on all slices.

When the bread is ready, remove from the oven. While still hot, rub each bread slice with the peeled garlic. Add a full teaspoon or more of ricotta on top.  Lastly, sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper on each slice, and a generous drizzle of the olive oil.

O OLIVE OIL is the original maker of specialty organic citrus-crushed olive oils since 1995 and premium barrel-aged wine vinegars since 1997. It’s a group of committed foodies making products that taste as good as they look!

For more information about O OLIVE OILs or O PREMIUM BARREL-AGED WINE VINEGARS go to: http://www.ooliveoil.com/

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Tunisian Grilled Pepper and Onion Salad (Meshwia)

3 large sweet peppers, green, red and yellow
1 large sweet onion

2 large tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
juice 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions:
Place the peppers on a hot grill with the unpeeled onion, tomatoes, and garlic cloves. Grill until charred. Place into a plastic bag until cool. When cool, remove the skin and seeds from the vegetables and slice finely. Finely mince the garlic.

Place in a salad bowl and add the juice of a whole lemon, olive oil, parsley,   Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, cumin and coriander.  Serve at room temperature or cold.  Serves 4-6.

This salad can be served cold with kebab or any barbecue meat or fish.

In Tunisia, this salad is served with canned tuna, hard boiled eggs and even capers on top. For a spicier version, add a little harissa sauce.

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Tunisian Spicy Hummus

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2/3 cup tahini
Juice and zest 1 lemon
¼ tsp. harissa sauce or ½ teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzle
½ cup warm water, use if needed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Parsley for decoration
 

Directions:

Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, harissa, cumin and coriander. Pulse until it becomes a paste. Add the olive oil, and pulse again.

If the hummus isn’t creamy enough for you, add a little warm water at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture flat onto a serving dish. Then run a fork in a circle motion around the top of the hummus, creating small ridges.  Add an extra drizzle of olive oil and garnish with ground paprika, cumin, coriander or any ground spice you like.  Serve with raw vegetables, pita bread, or use as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise.

Serves 6-8.

  

Italian version: Add fresh basil in the food processor. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some toasted pine nuts.

Greek version: Add a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves in the food processor. Garnish with crumbled feta.

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Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice Mint and Feta

Stuffed Tomatoes Rice Mint Feta

1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil                                             
6 large firm tomatoes                                                                         
Kosher salt                                                                           
2 1⁄2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice                  
1 1⁄2 cups roughly chopped Italian  parsley  

3⁄4 cup crumbled feta
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Preparing the tomatoes: Rub the inside of a 3-quart baking dish with 1 tbsp. of the oil and set aside. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top third of each tomato and discard the tops. Cut 1⁄8" off the bottom of each tomato so that they'll sit upright in the baking dish; discard bottoms. Using a small spoon, gently scoop out the seeds and pulp from each tomato and discard.  Do not scoop out the walls of the tomato or they will break. Sprinkle the insides of each tomato with a little salt. Place the tomatoes upside down on a plate layered with paper towels and let them sit for 30 minutes to remove any excess tomato juice, which could make the filling soggy.

Local tomatoes

Rice filling and baking: Stir together the remaining olive oil, rice, parsley, feta, mint, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish, cut sides up, and fill each with the rice mixture, mounding the tops slightly. Using a small brush, coat the tomatoes with some of the olive oil from the baking dish. Sprinkle each tomato with the parmesan cheese and bake until the filling begins to brown lightly and the tomatoes soften, about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the tomatoes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Be sure to use firm tomatoes, but notsoft ones or they will collapse during baking.

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