Italian Cuisine

1. Italian Cuisine • Authors: • Whitney R. • Karissa B. • Kevin B. • Tyler C. A cookbook full of Italian recipes that you can try at home and enjoy!

2. Table of Contents Breakfast_______________________________________________________Slides 3-4 -Casserole -Sandwich Pastas___________________________________________________________Slides 5-6 -Lasagna -Pasta Salad Meats___________________________________________________________Slides 7-8 -Meatballs - Sweets_______________________________________________________Slides 9-10 -Cookies -Pie Holiday______________________________________________________Slides 11-12 -Appetizer -Stew

3. Breakfast Egg and Sausage Casserole Steps: 1) Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. 2) Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9x13- inch baking pan. 3) Line the bottom of the prepared dish with crescent dough, and sprinkle with crumbled sausage. In a large bowl, mixed beaten eggs, mozzarella, and cheddar. Season the mixture with oregano, and pour over the sausage and crescent rolls. 4) Bake 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes clean. Ingredients: 1 pound pork sausage 1 8 oz. package of refrigerated dough 8 eggs beaten 2 c. shredded mozzarella 2 c. shredded cheddar 1 tsp. dried oregano

4. Breakfast Italian Breakfast Sandwich Ingredients: 4-6 thin slices sopressata or dry-cured Italian salami 1 egg 2 thick slices sourdough bread 2 slices prosciutto 2 thin slices fresh mozzarella 2 paper-thin slices red onion, soaked in ice water for 2 min. 4 large basil leaves Steps: 1) In a skillet over low heat, fry salami until lightly crisp and fat is rendered, about 2 min. per side. Remove and set aside. 2) In the same skillet, fry the egg sunny-side up. Remove and set aside. 3) On one piece of bread, layer salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, and drained red onion; close with remaining slice. 4) Place in same skillet, pressing down on the sandwich with the palm of your hand, and lightly toast on both sides. Remove, open sandwich, and layer egg and basil on bottom half. Close, slice on the diagonal, and serve.

5. Pasta Three-Cheese Sausage Lasagna • Ingredients: • 1 Tbsp. olive oil • 1 c. chopped onion • 3/4 c. finely chopped peeled carrots • 2 Tbsp. minced garlic • 8 oz. lean ground beef • 6 oz. spicy Italian sausages, • casings removed • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes • with added puree • 1/4 c. tomato paste • 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil • 1 Tbsp. golden brown • sugar • 1 Tbsp. dried oregano • 1 bay leaf • ½ tsp. dried crushed red pepper 15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces) 2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry 2 large eggs 4 ¾ c. grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds) Steps: FOR SAUCE:Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool. FOR LASAGNA:Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water. Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs. Drain pasta and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

6. Pasta Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients: -1 pound rotini pasta, cooked and drained-2 cups cubed pepperoni or salami-2 cups cubed provolone or mozzarella cheese-2 cups black olives-2 cups garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved if large-1 teaspoon dried parsley-1 teaspoon dried basil For the Dressing:-¼ cup red wine vinegar-1½ tablespoons lemon juice-½ teaspoon honey-1 teaspoon coarse salt-½ cup olive oil Steps: 1. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, pepperoni, cheese, olives, beans, tomatoes, parsley and basil. 2. To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, honey and salt (or blend in a blender). While whisking vigorously (or while the blender is still running), slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Once combined, pour over pasta mixture to coat and toss. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Note #1: You can make this ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a day before serving. Note #2: You can use fresh herbs in place of the dried parsley and basil.

7. Meat Italian Meatballs Meatballs: 1 pound ground beef (at least 16 percent fat) 1 pound ground pork 2/3 cup milk (whole or 2 percent) 3 slices of white bread, crusts removed (about 3 ounces) 1/4 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese 2 eggs 2 teaspoons Kosher salt 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram 2-3 garlic cloves, minced About 1 cup of flour for dusting 1/3 cup olive oil 2 1/2 cups (24 ounces) of tomato sauce Tomato Sauce: 2 Tbsp olive oil 3/4 cup finely chopped onions 3/4 cup finely chopped carrots 3/4 cup finely chopped celery 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1 28 oz. can crushed or whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon tomato paste Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste This recipe is extremely long and most likely unable to fit it a text box. For the steps, please go to the following link: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/italian_meatballs/

8. Meat Italian Meatloaf 1 pound ground chuck beef 1 pound ground pork 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1/2 cup minced sweet onion 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (sweet capsicum) 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 ounces (about 1/4 cup) tomato paste (half of a 3-ounce can - freeze remainder for other uses) Place ground beef and pork in a large bowl. Top with eggs, breadcrumbs, sweet onions, Parmesan cheese, bell peppers, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Use a large carving fork to mix the meatloaf, folding the ingredients and pulling the fork tines through the mixture as you turn the bowl. Do not over mix or meatloaf will become tough.Scrape the mixture into a loaf pan and smooth the top, but do not pack it tightly. Spread the tomato paste (may substitute ketchup) to cover the top of the meatloaf. Place the loaf pan on a baking tray to catch any drips that may bubble over. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

9. Sweets Italian Lemon Cookies Steps: 1) Sift flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. 2) In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until lemon colored. Add the softened butter and lemon zest slowly and beat in the flour and baking powder. Gradually add milk and vanilla until dough is soft. 3) Divide dough into 6 sections and oll out each section into a rope ½ inch wide. Cut into 3-inch pieces and twist each piece to form a loop. 4) Place on a parchment lined baking sheet 5) Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and cool for 15 min. 6) Combine the powered sugar and orange juice to form a thin icing. Brush on top of cookies and top with colored sprinkles. Ingredients: 3 ½ c. flour 2 ½ tsp. baking powder 3 large eggs ½ c. sugar ½ c. whole milk 4 oz. butter, softened 1 lemon, zest of, grated 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 c. powdered sugar 1 Tbsp. orange juice colored sprinkles

10. Sweets Ricotta Pie Ingredients (crust): 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 Tbs. sugar 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt ½ c. cold vegetable shortening, bits 1 large egg, beaten lightly 2-3 Tbsp. ice water Steps: In a bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and blend until resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and toss to combine, adding more water, if necessary, to form a dough. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, until firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle 1/8-inch thick and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp the edge, prick the bottom, and chill while making the filling. Filling- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the ricotta with the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in the candied fruit and chocolate chips. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until just set. Let cool and chill. Ingredients (filling): 1 ½ pounds ricotta, drained well ¾ c. sugar 5 large eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ c. diced candied fruit ½ c. semisweet chocolate chips

11. Holiday Bruschetta Steps: 1) Preheat oven to 400°F. 2) Chop tomatoes and remove as many seeds as possible. 3) Combine all ingredients except bread with the tomatoes and set aside. 4) Place bread slices on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes. Turn slices over about 5 minutes. Turn slices over with a spatula and toast for another 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place slices on a serving plate. 5) Spoon tomato mixture over toasted bread and serve immediately. Ingredients: 3 ripe tomatoes 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/3 c. chopped fresh basil 1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 c. tsp. salt 1/2 c. tsp. pepper 1/3 c. olive oil 8 ½-inch-thick slices of crusty Italian or French bread

12. Holiday Rice and Pea Risotto Steps: 1) Heat 4 Tbsp. of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it is sizzling, stir in onion, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. 2) Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is no longer see-through. 3) Add ½ c. of the broth and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. 4) Add peas, 2 c. of broth, salt, and pepper. Cover, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until all of the broth is absorbed. 5) Add 1 c. of broth. When this absorbed, add the last of the broth and cook until the rice and peas are tender (probably about 15 to 20 minutes). 6) Add parsley, Parmesan cheese, and the remaining butter. Mix lightly and serve immediately in soup bowls. Ingredients: 2 c. fresh peas or 1 10 oz. package frozen peas, thawed 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter ¾ c. finely chopped onion 1 ½ c. rice, uncooked 4 ½ c. chicken broth, heated salt and pepper (to taste) 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

13. Credits • "Ricotta Pie." Recipe : : Recipes : Food Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. • "Italian Cookies - Italian Lemon Cookies." Italian Cookies - Italian Lemon Cookies. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. • "Esquire's Recipes for Men." Esquirecom Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. • Bisignano, Alphonse. Cooking the Italian Way: Revised and Expanded to Include New Low-fat and Vegetarian Recipes. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 2002. Print. • "Three-Cheese Lasagna with Italian Sausage." Epicurious. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. • "Italian Pasta Salad." Brown Eyed Baker RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. • "Simply Recipes Food and Cooking Blog." Simply Recipes. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. • "Italian Meat Loaf Recipe." About.com Home Cooking. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.