Italian Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

A light and healthy vegetarian dish filled with Mediterranean flavors

These rice-stuffed tomatoes are just perfect for these hot summer days

This dish is just perfect for the summer. You can buy fresh tomatoes all year long (at least around here). But most of the times, I'm sorry to say, they have very little, or no flavor at all. You can easily figure out if a tomato is any good: just pick one up and give it a sniff, right by the stem... Don't be shy! I say, you have the right to smell your tomatoes before buying them. I always do :)
You will see, most of the year - no smell at all! But now, in the middle of summer, it's the exception and you can get delicious tomatoes. Go to the farmers' market and find some ripe (but not mushy), deep red, big tomatoes. If they have an earthy, fresh aroma, maybe like the smell of dry grass and sunshine ... then, you have a winner!

Once you find some great tomatoes, here is what you do. Very simple: cut the top off and empty the inside. Crush the pulp and use it to make a delicious risotto. In the risotto, mix some shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley. Don't leave these out! The stuffing would be nothing without the cheese and the parsley.
Before baking, fill each tomato with some risotto and surprise, surpriiiise! Add one small, fresh mozzarella (ciliegine) right in the middle. It's a soft, moist and cheesy addition that will make this not just your average stuffed tomatoes, but a deliciously fun, fresh and light dinner that everyone will love.

Enjoy :) 

Ingredients: 4 servings as main dish, 8 as side dish                     PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 8 large tomatoes 
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• half onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 oz (225 gr) of rice 
• about 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley
• 1/3 cup (30 gr) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (100 gr) shredded mozzarella
• 8 "ciliegine" (small) fresh mozzarella cheese or one large ball cut in eight cubes
• salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 45 minutes in the oven
Directions:

1. Cut the top off the tomatoes (save this part), and remove the pulp and seeds (save them in a bowl) using a small pointy knife and a spoon. Let the tomatoes rest on a plate upside down to drain while you prepare the rest.

2. Puree' the tomato pulp with a blender.

3. Chop half  onion, and crush a garlic clove (or chop it if you like a stronger garlicky taste). In a large pan, saute' the onion, the crushed garlic clove with two tablespoon of olive oil.

4. Add the rice, stir and cook for one minute. Add some of the pureed tomatoes (about half). And save the rest if necessary. Salt to taste. Cook the rice over medium flame for about 12-14 minutes (based on the rice), stirring occasionally and adding more of the pureed tomatoes when dry.
 Note, we don't want to cook the rice fully. It will cook in the oven  with the tomatoes. It should be cooked about 5 minutes less that the time to fully cook it.

5.  Preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C ).
Add the chopped parsley and mix. Remove from the stove, and mix in the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Place the tomatoes in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with a bit of salt. Stuff the tomatoes half way with the rice mixture.

7. Add one mozzarellina, and stuff with the rest of the rice.

8. Drizzle with olive oil, cover with the top of the tomato.

9.Bake at 375º F (190º C ) for 45-50 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked through and the tops are golden brown and the rice fully cooked. Check the rice before removing from the oven. If by chance the rice is still not fully cooked or you like it softer, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and leave in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Buon appetito!

Veal Stew with Potatoes

Hearty, fork-tender veal stew with potatoes and other veggies.

Perfect one-dish dinner for these chilly and rainy fall days!

Here is an authentic Italian recipe for an unbelievably tender and savory veal stew with potatoes. It's a one-dish meal perfect for a cozy family dinner. You can serve it with a big green salad on the side, if you like. Or simply with a slice of your favorite bread.
This recipe is easy and approachable for everyone. It's made using few, simple, wholesome ingredients. No crazy ingredients or too many spices. Just the mouth-watering aroma of the rosemary makes this stew fragrant and delicious.

Ingredients: serving 4

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 4-5 sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1.5 lb (680 gr) of veal (2 shoulder chops)
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 qt (950 ml) vegetable broth (I used Trader Joe's organic, low sodium)
• 3 medium potatoes, about 1 lb (450 gr)
• salt

Preparation time: 10 minutes to prepare, about 90 minutes to cook
Directions:
1. In a large pan, saute' the chopped onion and carrot, with the olive oil over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and the sage.

2. Add the meat cut in pieces to the pan and cook for a few minutes, turning the meat around until most of the pink is gone.

3. Stir in the flour, and add the broth. As soon as the broth starts to boil, reduce the flame to medium-low, cover the pan and cook for about one hour. Check and stir once in a while.

4. Peel and cut the potatoes in cubes and add to the pan. Cook for about 30 minutes covered, or until the potatoes are soft. Add more broth or water if necessary. Salt to taste.

5. Serve hot with a few slices of French or Italian bread, and a green salad if you'd like.

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!!

Healthy and Fresh Pasta Salad with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese

Fresh and easy pasta salad, filled with healthy ingredients and Mediterranean flavors

Happy first day of fall!
Even if the temperature cooled down a little bit in the last couple of days, here in Southern California, it doesn't really feel like fall at all. No gray sky and chilly weather. No orange and red leaves (mostly), and no need to snuggle under a blanket around the fireplace... well, I could still do that anyways! Maybe I do miss a bit the change of seasons, as I was used to growing up in Italy. But the sunny and blue skies and perfect beach weather year around is what I love most about Southern California. Nowhere else I lived, I could play tennis and beach volleyball any day of the year!
Yesterday, it was another great day at the beach. The ocean water was still quite warm and boogie boarding was great. After the super hot days last week, I still felt like preparing a picnic lunch very fresh, easy, and requiring very little time around the stove. This dish is filled with healthy ingredients and Mediterranean flavors: organic spinach and tomatoes, fresh ricotta, and some delicious olives .
You can use your favorite olives in this recipe. Anything, like kalamata or Greek olives, with a strong taste that will complement the sweet flavor of the ricotta, tomatoes and spinach. You can also substitute the ricotta with feta cheese for a bolder flavor.
Looks amazing, right?


Ingredients: serving 4

• about 3 oz of organic fresh baby spinach
• 2 fresh, organic tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of pitted olives (Kalamata or Greek)
• 1 cup of fresh ricotta cheese (or feta cheese)
• salt and pepper to taste
• few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz farfalle pasta, or other short pasta, like penne or conchiglie

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Directions:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. As soon as the water boils, cook the pasta as directed in the box.
Step 2: Cut the spinach in thin strips, cut the tomatoes in small cubes, and slice the olives. Add all in a large bowl. Salt to taste and sprinkle with olive oil.

Step 3: Drain the pasta and run it under cold water to stop from overcooking. Toss in the bowl and mix with all the ingredients. Wait a couple of minutes and mix in the ricotta cheese (or feta) crumbled into pieces.

Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with Tuna Sauce

Great last minute dinner idea: easy and quick pasta with tuna sauce

No idea about what to cook for dinner? And no time to go to the grocery store?
Here is a great idea for you: Penne with tuna sauce.
This quick and super easy recipe is the perfect solution for tonight dinner. It only requires a few main ingredients that most likely you have in your pantry: canned tuna, (canned) crushed tomatoes and pasta.
This tasty and filling pasta will surely become one of your favorite for any last-minute family dinner!

Tip: I like to use fresh Italian parsley with many of my recipes containing fish. If you don't have a garden, like me, to grow parsley, you can always buy it and store it in the freezer.
Here is what I do: when I buy a bunch of parsley from the store or market I immediately wash it, dry it and store it in a sealed bag in the freezer. If you like, you can also mince it before storing it. It will be as good as fresh!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 can, 5 oz, of whole tuna in olive oil
• 1 small can, about 2 cups of crushed tomatoes, I like the TJ organic, and I crush it
• 1 tablespoon of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 12 oz of penne pasta

Preparation time: about 20 minutes

Directions:

Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta as soon as the water boils. In the meantime you can prepare the sauce.

Step 2: In a large skillet, saute' the chopped onion in the olive oil over medium heat.

Step 3: As soon as the onion is slightly golden, add the tuna, drained from the oil in the can.
Break the tuna with a wooden spoon and let saute' for one minute.

Step 4: Add the crushed tomatoes, and simmer aver medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is ready. Salt to taste.

Step 5: Drain the pasta, add to the skillet with the parsley. Mix well and serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!