The Menu
Pasta with Sausage, Eggplant and Basil (Pasta con Salsiccia, Melanzane e Basilico)
Spinach and Mushroom Salad (Insalata con Spinaci e Funghi)
warm, crusty bread
Almond Crumble Cake (Torta Sbrisolona)
The Recipes
Pasta with Sausage, Eggplant and Basil
(Pasta con Salsiccia, Melanzane e Basilico)
serves 8
http://www.co okiesfromitaly.com/recipes/pasta_salsiccia.htm
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon salt
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 3/4 lbs spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, meat shaped into 1 and 1/4-inch meatballs (about 46)
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 Serrano chilies, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 and 1/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 lb cavatelli or Penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Additional grated Parmigiano cheese
Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, add eggplant; saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet over medium-high heat.
Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until 'al dente'. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmigiano cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmigiano cheese separately.
Spinach and Mushroom Salad
(Insalata con Spinaci e Funghi)
serves 8
http://www.c ookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/insalata_spinaci.htm
8 thick slices pancetta
8 cups baby spinach, cleaned
16 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place the pancetta on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes, or until it's golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large salad bowl, and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.
In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil and vinegar until emulsified.
Season with salt and pepper, add it to the salad, and toss.
Remove the pancetta from the oven, and cut it into large pieces. Serve the salad topped with the warm pancetta.
Serve with warm, crusty bread.
Almond Crumble Cake
(Torta Sbrisolona)
Serves 10-12.
http://ww w.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/almond_crumble_cake.htm
11 oz (300 grams) plain white, or Italian type '00' flour
4 oz (100 grams) medium cornmeal
8 oz (225 grams) unsalted butter
7 oz (200 grams) chopped blanched almonds
7 oz (200 grams) superfine sugar
2 egg yolks
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
A few drops of vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF) (Gas Mark 3). Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake tin.
Put the flour and cornmeal in a bowl, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the almonds and sugar, then add the egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Knead to form a smooth, stiff dough. Put the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until firm to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
Pasta with Sausage, Eggplant and Basil (Pasta con Salsiccia, Melanzane e Basilico)
Spinach and Mushroom Salad (Insalata con Spinaci e Funghi)
warm, crusty bread
Almond Crumble Cake (Torta Sbrisolona)
The Recipes
Pasta with Sausage, Eggplant and Basil
(Pasta con Salsiccia, Melanzane e Basilico)
serves 8
http://www.co okiesfromitaly.com/recipes/pasta_salsiccia.htm
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon salt
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 3/4 lbs spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, meat shaped into 1 and 1/4-inch meatballs (about 46)
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 Serrano chilies, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 and 1/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 lb cavatelli or Penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Additional grated Parmigiano cheese
Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, add eggplant; saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet over medium-high heat.
Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until 'al dente'. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmigiano cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmigiano cheese separately.
Spinach and Mushroom Salad
(Insalata con Spinaci e Funghi)
serves 8
http://www.c ookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/insalata_spinaci.htm
8 thick slices pancetta
8 cups baby spinach, cleaned
16 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place the pancetta on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes, or until it's golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large salad bowl, and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.
In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil and vinegar until emulsified.
Season with salt and pepper, add it to the salad, and toss.
Remove the pancetta from the oven, and cut it into large pieces. Serve the salad topped with the warm pancetta.
Serve with warm, crusty bread.
Almond Crumble Cake
(Torta Sbrisolona)
Serves 10-12.
http://ww w.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/almond_crumble_cake.htm
11 oz (300 grams) plain white, or Italian type '00' flour
4 oz (100 grams) medium cornmeal
8 oz (225 grams) unsalted butter
7 oz (200 grams) chopped blanched almonds
7 oz (200 grams) superfine sugar
2 egg yolks
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
A few drops of vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF) (Gas Mark 3). Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake tin.
Put the flour and cornmeal in a bowl, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the almonds and sugar, then add the egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Knead to form a smooth, stiff dough. Put the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until firm to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
