Orecchiette Al Sugo Di Carne
“Little Ears” in a Slow Braised Meat Sauce
Courtesy of Chef Todd English
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spicy or sweet Italian sausage removed from the casing
- 2 – 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onions – chopped finely
- 1 lb fresh tomatoes – chopped or 12 ounces can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 small potatoes peeled, boiled, and cubed (optional)
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
- 2 cups chicken or meat broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1 cup grated Parmigaino Reggiano
Instructions
- In a casserole or saucepan, over medium heat pour the olive oil and let heat up to just before smoking point. Add the garlic, then the sausage, and brown. Make sure you break the sausage up so that it will evenly distribute in the sauce. Let this cook for 4 to 5 minutes then add the onions and the basil and cook for another for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and the broth. Let this simmer for about 20 minutes. To finish the sauce, which should be more ragu like, stir in the heavy cream and the butter.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the Orecchiette. Cooking time will vary depending on the dryness of the pasta. They are done when soft to the bite but still have a firm texture. Remove from the water and toss with the meat sauce. Generously grate Parmesan over the top and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Mamma Celeste’s Easter Pastiera
Ingredients
- 1kg flour
- 8 eggs
- 400g lard or butter
- 400g sugar
- Cinnamon, as desired
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Filling:
- 1 kg grain or Italian Arborio, soaked over night until opened
- 200g milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 700g-1kg sugar, to taste
- 1kg fresh whole milk ricotta
- 10 eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Splash of liquor- limoncello, cognac or whatever you have on had
- Organic orange peels, soaked in limoncello for several days, then blended (this is for those who do not like canditi)
Instructions
- To make the crust, add flour, eggs, lard, cinnamon and lemon zest to a large bowl and mix together until uniform. Form into a ball, trying to handle it as little as possible. Do not knead it. Cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze until ready to use.
- To make the filling, first prepare the grain. (If you find the already canned soaked grain, add 200g milk, a pat of butter, sugar, and vanilla and mix together over low heat to combine flavors. Set aside and allow to cool before using.) If starting from dry grain. First, soak it overnight in water until grains open up. In a large pot, over low heat, mix grain, milk and vanilla. Stir together until absorbed. Allow to cool. Blend part of the grain in a food processor and add back to the mixture. Add blended orange peels and stir.
- In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and cinnamon together with an electric mixer until they form a smooth cream. Add to the grain mixture and stir until well combined, making sure to continually reach to the bottom of the bowl. If needed, use your hands to break down clumps that may have formed in the grain. Add a splash or two of liquor of your choice, limoncello, cognac, Kirsch or whatever you have on hand and mix until combined.
- Roll out the dough with a generously floured rolling pin on wax paper, and carefully place into pie plate, using a knife to cut away any extra dough above the rim. Add the filling until about 1 cm below the rim of the pie plate, and fold the rim of the dough down onto the filling. Make long strips of dough about 1cm wide to make the lattice on top of the pastiera, usually 4 to 6 strips is enough.
- Bake at 400 degrees F until the pastiera is golden, about 1 to 1½ hours. Allow to cool completely. Served with a dusting of powedered sugar over the top.
The Kid’s Kitchen
Chloe & Siena’s Recipes
Banana Split
Well folks, Spring has sprung! And something to make you spring even higher is this yummy banana split. Here’s how to make it! We use organic fruits!
Ingredients
- 1 banana peeled
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 10 strawberries
- 1 cup of whipped cream
- Hot fudge
- 1 cherry
- 1 oval shaped dish
Instructions
- Place the banana in your dish. Sprinlke on the blueberries. Place the strawberries in random spots. Add the whipped cream. Drizzle on the hot fudge and place your cherry on top.