Italian recipe thread

**whatevergirl** · #1 May 14, '09, 6:04 am

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post your most amazing Italian recipes here...I'm hoping to learn how to make homemade pasta from rpp! You'd think I know, well I kinda do...but, it always turns out too soft or something...

I will post a great veggie Italian recipe that I make often....eggplant rolatini. Yum!

Grazie in advance for your contributions.

**whatevergirl** · #2 May 14, '09, 5:32 pm

Eggplant rollatini:

2 medium to large eggplants (take skin off)
3 eggs
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 small jar pimento or roasted peppers
*optional -- 1 cup medium tofu
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (pricey kind, not kraft no!)
1 block of polly-o mozzarella cheese (grate it yourself, much better)
2 jars of good quality marinara...or make your own, even better!

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) On indoor grill if you have one, or on cookie sheet, slick up eggplants long-ways...about 1/2 thick...should get about 5 to 6 slices per eggplant
3) in another bowl, wisk eggs...with a little water or milk, put maybe 1 tsp or so of the parm cheese
4) brush that eggwash over the eggplants, then, cook on grill or bake, until flexible...about 10 to 12 minutes in oven...
5) let them cool...

Ricotta mixture:
1) In large bowl, put ricotta, parmesan, roasted peppers (chopped)(chopped tofu) and grated mozz. (about half the block) and salt and pepper, and basil, oregano...other spices you might like
2) Take eggplants after they have cooled and put the mixture--like a large dollop--off center of the eggplant, then roll it up
Put the seam of the eggplant with the 'stuffing' facing down

Put these in casserole dish...and cover with marinara sauce and sprinkle more mozz cheese, spices and drizzle olive oil over the top...just a drizzle.

Bake for about 35 minutes...and enjoy!

A nice chardonnay goes well with this dish, along with a delicious greek salad. Enjoy!

Lucania · #3 May 15, '09, 5:47 am

Italian Quesadillas

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, plus more if needed
3 Large Onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Teaspoons Sugar
8 Flour Tortillas (10-inch diameter)
4 Cups grated Fontina Cheese
1 Large jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained well & patted dry
3/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and sugar. Sautee until the onions are soft and carmelized. Set the onions aside. Sprinkle some fontina cheese over half of a tortilla. Arrange some peppers and onions on top of the fontina cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan and more fontina. Fold the clean half over the filling to cover and press gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, evenly dividing the ingredients. Spray a grill pan or skillet with cooking spray, or olive oil. Working in batches, cook the Quesadillas until the cheese melts and are golden brown. I usually spray the pan between batches. Cut in half, then fourths with a pizza cutter. Arrange on a platter and serve with marinara or my favorite is sour cream. They are best eaten right away, although I have set them in an oven at 250 to keep warm.
*This is a recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis that I have been making for about three years. It is always a hit because they are so delicious! I hope you give this recipe a try!
**Fontina cheese is very soft, and melts beautifully so I suggest putting it in the freezer to harden a bit so it will be easier to grate (that's DH's job

)

**whatevergirl** · #4 May 15, '09, 6:12 am

I think I'm gonna try that recipe this weekend, Luciana....Grazie! It sounds to die for.

**whatevergirl** · #5 May 15, '09, 6:13 am

I enjoy Giada's show...she makes dishes that even I can make.

**whatevergirl** · #6 May 15, '09, 8:26 am

Cristiano...thank you for the recipe book idea...I'm definitely going to check it out. My marinara sauce doesn't have that....special something my aunts' sauces had. I think it could be that they grew everything themselves, their herbs, tomatoes...they jarred the tomatoes often for months before using them. They were constantly cooking sauce. I remember going there at all hours of the day, and there would be my dad's sisters...stirring their large pots of spaghetti sauce. lol My Aunt Matilda died about 25 years ago, and I have since been back to visit NJ...Her husband (one of my dad's brothers) gave the house to one of his grandkids. I visited a few years ago, and you can STILL smell the sauce...as if the aroman seeped into the wall all those years ago...It felt like Aunt Matilda was still there. "They" say smell will bring back memories like no other sense.

sanctamaria17 · #7 May 16, '09, 2:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatevergirl

i enjoy giada's show...she makes dishes that even i can make.

i love giada!!!

**whatevergirl** · #8 May 16, '09, 4:49 pm

Me too..I watched a little of her show today...Giada at Home, I think is the name...she is just so girl next door, and I love her recipes...she seems to happy in her marriage too...nice to see that!

Mary Gail 36 · #9 May 16, '09, 5:14 pm

I like Giada too, she seems very nice. Her baby is really cute too.

Question for marinara sauce makers do you add sugar?

I don't, no one in my family does. But DH'S family all does.

**whatevergirl** · #10 May 16, '09, 5:33 pm

I don't add sugar...I have added wine and a pinch of cinammon and it adds a little twist to it. I also like fresh tomatoes cooked down...

I am getting hungry talking about all of this lol and I have nothing to make tonight. It is late now, though. We ate a late lunch, and it's pouring...I can't even run to the store right now!

**whatevergirl** · #11 May 17, '09, 11:01 am

I made something quick and easy for lunch today...

I took some hard rolls, sprinkled extra virgin olive oil on one side, and then took little slices of wet mozzarella and placed it on the rolls...and baked these...YUM!

Cristiano · #12 May 21, '09, 8:36 am

People,
don't you have the same problem that I do when cooking with wine? The other day I was cooking some totani con piselli (baby octopus with peas) and I had to use a glass of wine to soften the octopus. I opened a new bottle of white wine but by the time I as done cooking the bottle was missing three glasses of wine. I know that one went into the pot and I did not cook anything else with wine. Can you please help me with my math?

**whatevergirl** · #13 Jun 1, '09, 7:47 pm

Ciao people!

Anyone have any lo cal Italian dishes? Sorry, I haven't been in here much. I have had a lot going on, busy...but hope everyone is doing well.

godsgurl · #14 Aug 12, '09, 11:44 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatevergirl

I don't add sugar...I have added wine and a pinch of cinammon and it adds a little twist to it. I also like fresh tomatoes cooked down...

hmm thats a good idea i never thought of it
in my family we do add some sugar unless we have usually sweet tomatoes,....which is rare...those are italy-exclusive. and by the time they make it over to the US they just dont have the same taste anymore!

Lucania · #15 May 15, '09, 10:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatevergirl

I think I'm gonna try that recipe this weekend, Luciana....Grazie! It sounds to die for.

Prego! I think your whole family will like them. I find that most teenagers looove Quesadillas!