Tag: Sauce


Mar
2014

Panko Ricotta Eggplant Parmesan!! Plus, Learn How To Take The Bitterness Out Of Your Eggplant!!

categories: Dinner, Homemade Italian, Recipes, Shopping

They say the perfect eggplant is “tight-skinned” “fresh” and “young”…Yeah, yeah, yeah sounds like a mom in her 30s worst nightmare!!  Well, you will be happy to hear these “types” don’t exist in Western, PA!  The eggplants, that is. Ours are slightly older, a little looser, more bitter…

Since we don’t get the ripe, young eggplants, to get the best taste we need to degorge!!

Cut off the ends. Peel off skin. Thinly slice. Sprinkle with salt in a colander for 20 mins. Rinse and pay dry!!
Cut off the ends. Peel off skin. Thinly slice. Sprinkle with salt in a colander for 20 mins. Rinse and pat dry!!

Degorging takes out any bitter taste and really makes the dish delicious!

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, rinsed,peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups ricotta
1 tbsp. each thyme rosemary basil
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk

Directions:
Preheat oven 350!
Spoon 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of 9X13 baking dish. Spread around with spatula.
Prepare egg coating by beating with milk.
Dip eggplant rounds in egg and then cover in Panko breadcrumbs. Create a layer of these in the dish.

Use different sized eggplant rounds to cover as much of the pan as possible!
Use different sized eggplant rounds to cover as much of the pan as possible!

Next add a layer of ricotta topped with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Layer it up! Finish with sauce and cover with mozzarella cheese and parmesan
Layer it up! Finish with sauce and cover with mozzarella cheese and parmesan

Follow with a layer of sauce then another layer of eggplant.

Cover with foil.
Bake 45 mins at 350 covered.
Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 mins until cheese is melted and it is bubbling a bit.

Panko browns on the edges! I made a salad and serve a nice ciabatta!
Panko browns on the edges! I made a salad and served a nice ciabatta!

Let it sit for 15 mins before serving!
Always serve with additional freshly grated Parmesan! Enjoy!

Ciao!


Mar
2014

20 Minute Gourmet Pasta Tossed In A Pan Sauce! Open a bottle of wine…You Got This!

categories: 20 Minutes or Less, Homemade Italian, Recipes
This recipe is great! I never add more than 2 veggies! Peppers an spinach tonight!

Get home at 5 and have nothing prepared for dinner? We are all there multiple times per week! Relax, my 20 minute pasta dish is healthy, easy and quick!! Best part…It looks like you have cooked all day!

Yep...20 minutes!
Yep…20 minutes!

20 Min.Gourmet Pasta in Pan Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic presses
2 tbsp olive oil
1 35 oz. can LaValle whole tomatoes
Salt/pepper
Choose what you have in the fridge! If none – move on there is nothing wrong with a pan marinara sauce! Today, I have a pepper and a bag of spinach.
1 pepper chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
1 pack Mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup Italian olives sliced
1 zucchini sliced
1/2 cup Pepperoni
Etc.

1 lb. of your favorite pasta- farfalle for us today!
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Put hot water in a stock pot on the stove, add 3 pinches of salt and bring to a boil.
Heat your largest frying pan on medium/low heat.
Add olive oil
Add garlic
Stir with wooden spoon- remember no brown- if it is crackling it is too hot!

If garlic burns throw it out and start over! Start over med/low heat.
If garlic burns,  throw it out and start over! Start over med/low heat.

Add peppers (raw veggies) put a lid on and cook 5 mins.
Add can of tomatoes.
Salt and pepper
Put a lid on and let it cook. Totally fine to boil and bubble. You want to quickly cook the veggies and let the flavors mix together.

Chop up tomatoes as you stir . We like to have some chunks of tomato!
Chop up tomatoes as you stir . We like to have some chunks of tomato!

When water is at a rapid boil add pasta and follow directions and cook until al dente. Perfectly chewy!

Add some salt to the hot water. Wait for a rapid boil! Relax, you have time!
Add some salt to the hot water. Wait for a rapid boil! Relax, you have time!

Strain pasta in a strainer over the sink. Take advantage of the pore opening steam facial!!

I love it! Freshen up for dinner! Blot with a paper towel!
I love it! Freshen up for dinner! Blot with a paper towel!

Add a few spoonfuls of sauce in a serving bowl and coat pasta so it doesn’t stick. Mix in spinach last!

This recipe is great! I never add more than 2 veggies! Peppers an spinach tonight!
This recipe is great! I never add more than 2 veggies! Peppers and spinach tonight!

Serve with a nice ciabatta! I happened to have one in the freezer! OR Make a quick garlic toast in your toaster! Toast bread, butter it and sprinkle on garlic salt and Italian seasoning!

Always add freshly grated Parmesan !! Enjoy!
Always add freshly grated Parmesan !! Enjoy!

Feb
2014

A Must Have…Great Sauce!

categories: Homemade Italian, Recipes

Hello World!! All women need a great handbag, a great pair of pumps, and a phenomenal sauce! A delicious, super easy sauce is the key to happy stress- free entertaining! Start the sauce in the morning, boil some pasta, make a salad, pick up a loaf of fresh ciabatta and Voila! After realizing that my grandma’s sauce is impossible to replicate, I decided to make my own! I stripped it down and learned from countless episodes of “sauces gone wild.”

I realized I was burning my garlic! Pitch it and start over if this happens because it totally ruins the taste! No brown! I always use San Marzano tomatoes. Why? Their taste is absolutely incredible! The low acidity gives you a bold, rich flavor as opposed to a sour tasting sauce.  Red Pack will not cut it, the extra $2 is so worth it!!

image

www.pennmac.com

I love the selection of tomatoes at Pennsylvania Macaroni  (you will find I get all of my fresh ingredients here) located in Pittsburgh’s Strip District! Or online!

So here is the most basic (still totally delicious) recipe:

Ingredients:
2cloves of garlic chopped
2tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
2 cans of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can water
4-5 basil leaves chopped
Salt/pepper
 
Directions:
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat add onions and sauté
Add garlic and press with a wooden spoon to release flavors
Cover pan with basil, ground pepper and sprinkle with salt.
Add 2 cans of tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste and 1 can of water to a stock pot and stir well
Add contents from frying pan
Cook on low- medium heat covered with the lid slightly propped.
 

Cook a pound of pasta. Add one spoon of sauce to serving bowl and coat to avoid pasta sticking together!

Always top off with freshly grated Parmesan!! Enjoy!