Classic Italian Penne all'Arrabbiata Recipe

 A spicy and garlicky tomato sauce with a sprinkle of Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese

So easy, yet so delicious!

This a traditional Italian pasta that could not miss from my list of recipes.
The penne all'arrabbiata, which means the "angry pasta," is a very traditional Italian primo piatto. I'm not sure where this pasta get its bad temper, but to make my penne really raving mad I use spicy dried peperoncini.
Peperoncino is an Italian variety of hot chilly peppers. The key word here is HOT! And the seeds inside the peperoncino are what gives its burning effect. So I normally break the peppers in half when I put them in the pan, and I get a mouth-numbing, tongue-tingling super hot sauce.
These are the same hot peppers I use in my pasta alla vodka, spaghetti all'amatriciana and few other sauces. If you don't have peperoncini, you can always substitute with hot pepper flakes or the hottest red chili pepper you can find.
You will be surprised by how easy and quick is to make this pasta. Hot and spicy, that's what there is to love about it. A simple and bold tomato sauce with garlic, peperoncino, some parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.


Ingredients: serving 4

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 hot dried peperoncini , crushed
• 2 cups, about 14 oz of fresh or canned tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 12 oz of penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of Parmesan or pecorino cheese, freshly  grated

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large saucepan, saute' the garlic and the hot peperoncini in the olive oil, for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper if you like. Let simmer for 15 minutes or so. Crush the tomato pieces with a fork. Remove the garlic and hot peppers, if you prefer.

3. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta al dente. Drain and add to the sauce. Toss the pasta, adding in the chopped parsley.

Serve immediately, sprinkling with Parmesan or pecorino cheese

Buon appetito!

Vegetarian Eggplants Parmesan Rolls

Delicious grilled eggplant rolls filled with melted mozzarella cheese, 

served hot and bubbly with garlicky tomato sauce

Today I prepared another variation of the traditional Italian Melanzane alla Parmigiana. These eggplant Parmesan rolls are perfect for a special and inviting appetizer, or also for a light vegetarian dinner, maybe next to a few slices of toasted bread. The deliciously Mediterranean flavor of this dish is similar to the eggplant Parmesan, but the look is different. The eggplants are thinly sliced and grilled (not fried!), and rolled around lots of melted mozzarella cheese. The rolls are served hot and bubbly with a garlicky tomato sauce, and complemented with the bold aroma of the oregano. Here is the recipe!

Ingredients: to make about 15 rolls (based on the size of the eggplant) - appetizer for about 4 people

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• 1.5 cups of crushed tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• some fresh basil leaves
• oregano
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Cut the eggplant in thin slices lengthwise - to obtain the largest  possible slices. I got 15 slices. In one (or two to make it faster) large grilling pan, grill the eggplants over medium-high heat. I like to brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Step 2: In a saucepan, saute' the crushed garlic cloves with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt to taste and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the basil in the last couple of minutes.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Over each eggplant slice place about 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella. Roll the slice and place in an oven pan, seam side down.

Step 4: Sprinkle with oregano, the Parmesan cheese and a little bit of olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese are melted and bubbly.

Serve warm with the tomato sauce. Buon Appetito!

Traditional Italian Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

In this traditional Italian lasagna, the savory bolognese sauce and the creamy besciamella come together in a perfectly cheesy, meaty  and saucy dish. So yummy!

Now that you have learned from my last post how to make the Italian ragu' alla bolognese, here is the next recipe you will want to know For sure! Traditional lasagna with bolognese sauce.
This classic Italian oven-baked pasta is unmatchable. Don't get scared by the long list of ingredients. It is not hard to prepare! But it can be a bit time consuming. No worries though, all the time spent on this is well worth your while!
You will need to prepare the bolognese sauce first,which takes at least an hour, and then the besciamella (white) sauce, which is much faster. When these sauces are ready, you will just juggle all the ingredients, add some cheese and pasta at the right time, and end up with the perfect lasagna. The creamy and soft besciamella together with the flavorful and savory bolognese sauce will make this lasagna to die for. No ricotta cheese is needed, only lots of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Here is a step-by-step recipe:


Ingredients: to make 13 x 9 inch lasagna.
For the Bolognese sauce: to make about 6 cups (1.5 quart)

• half onion
• 1 small carrot (or 6 baby carrots)
• 1 small celery stalk
• 1 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 lb of ground pork
• 1 can  of 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 3/4 cup of white wine
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1 whole clove (optional)
• salt

For the besciamella sauce: 

• 6 cups of milk
• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter 
• 1.25 cup of all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• 1/3 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

Additional ingredients:

• about 16 oz mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 box of oven-ready lasagna pasta - I ended up needing 2 extra lasagna sheets from another box.. I use Barilla

Preparation time: about 2 hours
Directions:
Step 1: Start by preparing the bolognese sauce following this recipe, using the quantities listed above.You can always prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate (or freeze).
Step 2: When there are about 15 minutes left before the bolognese sauce is ready, prepare the besciamella sauce following this recipe. using the quantities listed above.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and start assembling the lasagna. In an oven pan, add a couple of tablespoons of besciamella for the bottom, add a layer of pasta, topped with  some bolognese sauce (about 1.5 cups), about one forth of the mozzarella, and some besciamella.

Step 4: Repeat the same layers three more times (if you can!): pasta, bolognese sauce, besciamella and mozzarella. Then on top (the last layer): only pasta, besciamella and all the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with small pieces of butter.

Step 5: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Move the pan to the higher part of the oven, so that the Parmesan cheese melts and forms a nice golden layer.

Step 6: Let cool down for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This will allow the besciamella sauce to set a little, and not run off the plate making the lasagne too soft. You can also prepare the lasagna ahead of time, and warm it up (really hot!!) before serving. In this case you don't need to wait before cutting and serving.

Buon Appetito!

Traditional Italian Bolognese Sauce - Ragu' alla Bolognese

Try this hearty and traditional Italian bolognese sauce over your favorite pasta. 

You will love its deep and rich flavor!

This is a must-know recipe for any Italian cook. The ragu' alla bolognese is a meat based sauce originating from the Italian town of Bologna. It's very versatile: used in lasagna, over gnocchi or over pasta (pappardelle, linguine, spaghetti or any of your favorite!).
It starts with sauteing some vegetables (carrots, onions and celery), adding ground meat and slowly cooking with crushed tomatoes and white wine for about an hour. I like to use both ground beef and ground pork, which I find gives the sauce its deep and rich flavor. If you prefer, you could also only use ground beef and add a bit of pancetta or bacon for added aroma.
When I make bolognese sauce, I generally make a lot of it! Enough for a large lasagna and a couple of pasta dinners. It's probably the only sauce that I store in the freezer. It's easy: place enough for a family dinner in a freezer bag, remove as much air as you can, and seal tightly. It's very quick to defrost and the flavor keeps very well. Enjoy!

Ingredients: to make about 3 quartz (12 cups) of sauce

• 1 medium onion
• 1 carrot (I used 12 baby carrots)
• 1 large celery stalk
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 lb of ground pork
• 2 cans of 28 oz (total 56 oz) crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 1.5 cups of white wine
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 2 whole cloves (optional)
• salt

Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare, at least 1 hour to cook

Directions:
Step 1: Chop the onion, carrots and celery in small pieces. Saute' the vegetables in a large sauce pan, over medium heat with two tablespoons of olive oil, for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Mix in the ground pork and beef. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until all the meat is brown.

Step 3: Add the crushed tomatoes, white wine, rosemary sprig and whole cloves (if you use them). Cover the pan, and simmer the sauce for about 50-60 minutes over medium heat. Check and stir once in a while.

Step 4: If the sauce is too watery, uncover the pan and cook uncovered for the last 5-10 minutes. Remove (if you can or if you like) the rosemary and whole cloves. 

Cook your pasta following the direction on the package. Mix the pasta with some bolognese sauce and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Buon Appetito!!

Oven-Baked Pasta with Eggplants and Mozzarella

This pasta is the perfect combination of Mediterranean ingredients: the spicy flavor of eggplants, together with the delicate taste of the mozzarella and the bold aroma of the oregano.

Here is the perfect recipe for your meatless Monday dinner. An healthy, tasty, nutritious, all-in-one pasta dish that is quick and simple.
This recipe can be prepared in advance, if you like. Just bake it in the oven before serving. It also makes great leftovers! Just make some extra and your kids' lunch is all ready for tomorrow.
This pasta will surprise you with its delicious Mediterranean ingredients: the spicy flavor of the eggplants, the delicate taste of the mozzarella, and the bold, pizza-like aroma of the oregano... and yes, cannot miss the garlic!
And here is something new that I'm trying out: a nutrition label for this recipe!


Great huh?! Please note: the actual calories and specific nutritional values can vary based on the brand or specific ingredient you use. For example, I was looking at the Trader Joe's fresh mozzarella I used: the sodium level on this is very low. But many other brands or non-fresh mozzarella is much higher. This label should anyways give you a good idea of calories and nutrients in this pasta.
So, what do you think?!? This is something I could possible add to all my recipes. Any feedback is greatly appreciate it.
And here is the recipe for you:
Ingredients: serving 4 people

• one medium eggplant
• 2 cups of crushed tomatoes (I used the San Marzano canned crushed tomatoes)
• 6 oz (170 gr) of fresh mozzarella
• extra virgin olive oil
• one garlic clove
• 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• salt to taste
• oregano... as much as you like!
• 12 oz of short pasta, like cellentani (the one I used), penne, fusilli...

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Cut the eggplant in small cubes. In a large skillet, with 4 tablespoons of olive oil cook the eggplant cubes over medium-high heat, until soft and golden. It should take no more than 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Step 2: While the eggplants are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta when the water boils. To avoid overcooking it, please remove it at least 1 or 2 minutes before the time indicated on the box.
Step 3: In a separate saucepan, saute' the garlic crushed or minced, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3: Drain the pasta and quickly mix it with the tomato sauce, the eggplants, the mozzarella cut in small cubes, and the oregano.

Step 4: Place the pasta in an oven pan. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Bake for about 10 minutes, so that the mozzarella will melt, and the top will get slightly golden and crunchy.

Buon Appetito!