Archive for the ‘: ITALIAN’ Category
Pasta Fagioli Kidney Bean
May 30, 2018 Lee
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Pasta Fagioli Kidney Bean

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Another Italian recipe, and I like the use of the kidney beans, and I will prepare those from dry beans in my pressure cooker. I will adjust the prep and cook times after I make this. On my to cook list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 90 grams pancetta, chopped, or bacon, (3 oz)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 5¾ cups chicken broth, Shortcut
  • 2 cans kidney beans, drained, rinsed, or 4 cups cooked, Shortcut
  • 1 cup dry macaroni
  • black pepper, as desired and to taste
  • pinch red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Instructions
 

  • First, prepare the beans, you can certainly use canned beans or make from dry. I will use my pressure cooker for these.
  • Place the fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a a herb bag, or just use some cheesecloth tied with some kitchen twine. Set aside.
  • In a thick walled pot, heat the oil on medium heat. When hot, add the onion, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is softened, then add the broth, beans, and herb bag. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove and discard the herb bag.
  • Remove 1 cup of beans and let cool for about 5 minutes, then mash with a potato masher or place in a blender and puree them. Set aside. These are used to thicken the soup.
  • Add the dry pasta to the soup and bring to a boil and place the lid on, cook for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Add the mashed beans back to the pot and stir in, season the soup with black pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if desired. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Serve with grated Parmesan for individuals to sprinkle on their own bowls. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker), Red Kidney Beans (Pressure Cooker).
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: ITALIAN,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Focaccia
May 16, 2018 Lee
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Focaccia

Patti Ann, United States.
This is an Italian flat bread and comes to me from a very good friend in the US, and she got this recipe (and makes it often) from her lifetime friends who are in fact Italian, and direct from Italy, so I would say this recipe is very authentic. This is a no knead bread and is baked in a 9x13 pan. I made this on 15 May 2018, the very day I received this recipe. For the term I use, proofing, that is the same as rising.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Cuisine Italian
Servings 0

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

  • 1¾ cups lukewarm water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • butter, cubed, as needed
  • salt, as needed
  • butter, melted, as needed

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the water, salt, sugar, and yeast, stir together then let sit on the counter for 5 minutes. While that is siting, measure out the 4 cups of flour into another large mixing bowl.
  • To the yeast mixture, add 1 cup of flour (from the bowl with flour) and mix that in, a sturdy spoon can be used for this whole process.
  • Then add another cup of flour from the bowl and mix, then another, then the last of the flour. The mixture will be a big sticky flour ball.
  • Take the bowl the flour was in, wipe that out, then lightly spray with olive oil or lightly coat with butter. Roll out the sticky dough from the first mixing bowl to the lightly oiled/greased bowl.
  • Cover the bowl with a dry towel and let rise for 3 hours. This photo is after 3 hours.
  • Lightly flour your hands and punch down the dough.
  • Roll out the dough into a 9x13 inch well buttered baking dish, and spread it out on bottom of the dish.
  • Poke holes in the dough. In each hole, place a chunk of butter. Lightly salt the top.
  • Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until it has doubled. Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Photo is after proofing.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, remove and smear softened butter all over the top. Then place back in the oven until golden brown. Remove the dish and place on a rack to cool.
: ITALIAN,BREAD & PASTRY
Italian Wedding Soup
April 15, 2018 Lee
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Italian Wedding Soup

Brown Eye Baker, Michelle, United States.
This sounds very good! Pasta, chicken, beef meatballs, cheese, spinach, yep, sounds really good! On my to cook list for sure. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Passive Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Beef Meatballs

  • 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
  • 1 small onion, grated
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs, Shortcut
  • 1½ teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 egg whites

For the Chicken

  • 500 grams chicken breasts, (1 lb)

For the Soup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1-2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
  • 12 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder, (3 quarts)
  • ¾ cup dry spaghetti, broken into ½ inch pieces
  • 250 grams frozen spinach, thawed, water squeezed out , chopped, (8 oz)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • First thing we need to do is make the meatballs. Add all the Beef Meatball ingredients to a mixing and mix with your hands to combine. Shape into ½ to ¾ inch meatballs, Place meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.
  • For the chicken, place in a large pot and cover with water to an inch over the chicken. If you want to make the chicken broth, use skin on chicken breasts, add a sliced carrot, onion, celery, and some peppercorn, these are additional ingredients needed and NOT listed in the ingredients list. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a low boil and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp, this will provide you juicy chicken and a nice broth.
  • When the chicken is cooled to room temp, remove from the pot and shred, then set the chicken aside. Pour the broth through a strainer and set aside, discarding the contents of the strainer.
  • Now onto the soup preparation. Melt the butter in a large pot, add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until the veggies are softened.
  • Add the broth you just made and additional broth to make it 12 cups total, or just add 12 cups of broth you made from powder. Bring to a boil and taste, reduce heat to low, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
  • Carefully add the meatballs and continue simmering for about 7-8 minutes, then add the pasta and cook for another 5 minutes, then add the spinach, then add the shredded chicken.
  • Simmer for another 30 minutes to heat the chicken through. If you simmer longer the flavors will blend more. Serve.

Notes

I will price this when I make the beef meatballs. I will say fair cost for now.
Variant: 1. Add a handful or two of mushrooms, halved Straw mushrooms comes to mind, or sliced or chopped mushrooms of your choice.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,: ITALIAN,MEATBALLS,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara
December 21, 2017 Lee
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Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I made this last night for dinner, 20 Dec 2017, but not worthy of a photo since the eggs did scramble. The flavor was excellent, just not a nice presentation so I will certainly be making this again, one to get the technique mastered to mix in the egg and cheese, and two, to get photos.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry spaghetti, (1 lb)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1½ cups Parmesan cheese rind, grated. plus more for garnish
  • coarsely ground black pepper, as needed
  • 250 grams bacon, cut into ½ inch slices, (8 oz)
  • 500 grams fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, (1 lb)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then cook the spaghetti until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, leave the spaghetti in the pot and set aside.
  • While the water is getting hot for the spaghetti, in a mixing bowl mix together the cheese, eggs, and yolks with a fork or whisk. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Set this aside and finish up cooking spaghetti.
  • Heat a large non stick skillet on medium heat and when hot, add the bacon and cook until crispy then remove to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. and add ¼ cup of the pasta water you reserved.
  • Add the shrimp to the pan and season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook until the shrimp are all pink, turn often.
  • Now drain the pasta and add to the pan with the shrimp, use tongs to combine the shrimp and pasta. Once mixed well, toss the parsley into the pasta.
  • Working quickly, now stir in the egg and cheese mixture and use tongs to quickly toss to coat the spaghetti, use two sets of tongs if needed, work fast to prevent the egg from scrambling. Add additional pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Just before serving, toss the bacon in. (If the eggs scramble, the taste will still be excellent, just not very photogenic.)
  • Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with additional parsley, cheese, and pepper.

Notes

Large white shrimp from Tesco will cost about 150 Baht/500 grams. The cheese about 170 Baht. Bacon prices vary greatly, on average, figure about 150 Baht/250 grams. For 4 servings, this is about $3.46 per serving.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,: ITALIAN,PASTA,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Shrimp/Prawn
Red Wine Risotto
September 19, 2017 Lee
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Red Wine Risotto

Darhl Thomason, United States.
Sounds good, I have never eaten risotto so I must try this. This recipe is written as I found it. I have advice from a good friend to reverse the stock and wine, using the wine first and finishing with the stock. When I try this, I will make as listed first then will try the other approach. Sounds like a great side dish for sure.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings as a side

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup dry white rice, arborio would be great if you have that
  • 2 cups red wine
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve
  • salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep it warm at the side of the stove. Melt half the butter in a shallow saucepan, add the onion and season with salt and pepper to your liking, cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, but not browned. Stir in the rice, stirring constantly, until it absorbs the butter, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in about half the wine with a little salt and pepper and simmer, stirring, until the rice starts to dry, 5-7 minutes. Add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock and continue simmering, stirring gently but constantly. When the rice dries again and needs more liquid, add the remaining wine.
  • Continue cooking, stirring all the time and adding more stock in batches. At the end of cooking, the rice should be tender, still slightly al dente (chewy) and creamy from the starch that has begun to leach from the grains. This will take 25 to 35 minutes and don't hesitate to use plenty of stock.
  • Take the risotto off the heat, add the remaining butter in pieces, and stir it into the rice as it melts. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
  • Serve immediately as a side dish topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Low cost.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: ITALIAN,SIDES
Homemade Ravioli
August 27, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Homemade Ravioli

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I love ravioli, when we lived in Phuket, we bought fresh made ravioli from an Italian producer, excellent ravioli. Where I live now, no ravioli, so I decided to make some yesterday, 26 Aug 2017. No servings are given, the only items with measurements is the egg pasta dough. Feel free to use any filling you like, and any sauce you like, this is what I prepared.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 0

Equipment

  • Dumpling Press

Ingredients
  

For the Egg Pasta Dough

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar

For the Filling (this is what I used)

  • 500 grams bulk Italian sausage, (1 lb), Shortcut
  • fresh mushrooms, as desired
  • Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, as desired

For the Sauce (this is what I used)

  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 2 cans water
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
  • meat and mushroom filling, optional

Instructions
 

For the Egg Pasta Dough

  • In a large bowl, add the flour and mix in the salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and crack in the eggs. Use your fingers to slowly mix the eggs and flour together until it forms a ball, it will come together. Knead the dough for just a few minutes, adding flour if it starts to get sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you prep the filling.

For the Filling

  • Heat a skillet and crumble in the sausage and cook through, pour the meat into a strainer to thoroughly drain any fat.
  • While the sausage is cooking, prep the mushrooms, can be any mushrooms you like, just rinse, and chop. I used two handfuls of small Shiitake mushrooms, stems and caps, chopped.
  • After you remove the sausage from the pan, use the same pan, heat a splash of olive oil then add the mushrooms. cook until browned.
  • Add the mushrooms to the strainer with the sausage to let that drain a bit, then add a handful or so shredded Mozzarella.
  • Once the sausage and mushrooms are drained, pour that into a mixing bowl and stir together and let cool.

To Assemble

  • Take your dough from fridge and cut into quarters. Using 1 piece of dough, flour a a work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin, get it as thin as you can.
  • I used a dumpling press (3 inch size), you can use any method you prefer. When the dough is rolled out, cut circles just a bit larger than the press.
  • Take a circle and flip it over and place on the press, push down in the center to fit the press, then press along the edges to make sure dough it tight on the press.
  • Take about a teaspoon of filling and place in the center of the press. Use a brush and brush one side of the edge of the press with water.
  • Fold the press in half and squeeze to crimp the edge, any of the dough that comes out from the press, just scrape off with a knife. Open the press and remove the ravioli and place on a lightly floured plate.
  • Take the leftover dough, form into a ball, roll out and repeat the steps. I used 2 pieces of dough from the original ball and made 15 ravioli.
  • For the sauce, just whisk together the paste and water. The ratio for sauce is 2 cans of water to 1 can of paste, I used a 220 gram can. Whisk in the Italian seasoning and put on stove on low heat to simmer while you cook the ravioli. (I also added several large spoonful's of leftover filling to the sauce.)
  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling. Add some ravioli using a slotted spoon without over crowding the pot, I cooked 15 ravioli in two batches. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until they float, then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
  • Serve with sauce over the ravioli, enjoy.

Notes

Ground pork if using the shortcut is about 50 Baht/kilo. This is actually a low cost meal.
Shortcuts: Italian Sausage, Italian Seasoning.
Dough recipe adapted from an internet recipe. The filling I just made since that combination sounded good, and I have been making pasta sauce using paste for years.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: ITALIAN,PASTA