by Deborah Perugi | Aug 7, 2022 | Appetizer, Main Dish, Party, Sauce
MAKE DOUGH
Dissolve 1 package yeast (or 1 T) by mixing into 1 C warm water. (tap water is ok)
Add 1 t salt and 1/4 C olive oil and mix.
Stir into 2 C flour (00 flour is best) I used King Arthur Pizza flour.
Knead on floured counter top about 1 minute. Place in bowl and cover with damp towel and place in oven (turned off) to rise for 1 hour. (1st proof)
Scrape out onto floured counter and knead for two or three minutes. Sprinkle flour to keep it from sticking. Put back in oven and let rise up to 3 hours. I only did 2. (2nd proof)
Remove and knead a little to shape and spread in oily shallow baking pan.
Turn oven on to 400 degrees F. While that was heating up, I put the dough pan on the bottom rack to bake a little.
MAKE SAUCE: (Can be made ahead.)
I used a small box of Cento chopped tomatoes. Heat on stove and add olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, marjoram and then mix. Add tomato paste and a little anchovy. Cook until thick enough for pie.
CHEESE:
After spreading sauce on dough, sprinkle almost a small package of shredded Italian cheese. (Stop and Shop brand) Then add sliced mozzerella, I used almost one fresh white ball. The whiter the better. Then lastly some grated parmesan cheese.
Bake 10 minutes in the middle rack and 8 minutes on the top rack.
molto bene!
by Deborah Perugi | Jul 16, 2017 | Main Dish, Vegetables
This Zucchini Torte is a variation of the original recipe due to the lack of some ingredients. It is still easy to make and delicious. I had day old garlic bread and used that cut up instead of the bread crumbs. I skipped the additional garlic. I had some homemade tomato sauce so I used that instead of the tomatoes. I was all out of boxed Pomi tomatoes and did not have carrots. So here is the result. It only took 45 minutes in the oven.
by Deborah Perugi | Dec 29, 2016 | Christmas, Main Dish, Soup
For Christmas this year, Pam Marraccini made a Lasagna Bolognese for her family and Nancy and Ed’s families made the traditional Cappelletti Soup. Deb made Polenta Verde this week, Minestrone soup for Christmas Eve and Ricotta Christmas Cookies, Eva’s favorite! Cookie pics and recipe to come!
by Deborah Perugi | Oct 16, 2012 | Main Dish, Recipes
From VP Slate to John Slate
Beef tripe 1 to 2 lb. Should be very white. Boil about 1-1/2 hours until medium soft.
After tripe has been parboiled, cut off all fat. Then cut into thin strips 2″ long. Wash well with cold water.
Saute in a small amount of olive oil:
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
Transfer sautéed vegetables to a large pot and add:<BR>
The cooked tripe cut into strips<BR>
1/2 can stewed tomatoes<BR>
chopped fresh parsley<BR>
small can of chicken broth<BR><BR>
Simmer 1/2 to 1 hour. Serve over rice. Serves 4<BR><BR>
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by Deborah Perugi | Oct 16, 2012 | Beans, Main Dish, Recipes, Sausage
From Archie Perugi
1 Cotechino sausage (can be found in NYC or even your local Italian market!)
2-1/2 C. large lentils, washed and dry
2 small onions or 1 large, diced
1/4 c chopped pancetta
1 tsp. chopped garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 can tomato sauce or 1 cup homemade sauce
Boil sausage in water for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
Remove from water and add lentils to water and boil.
Saute chopped onions in olive oil, then add pancetta,carrots, celery, and garlic.
Add partially cooked lentils to the carrots, etc. Then add the tomato sauce and sausage. Add some of the sausage water. Pierce the sausage to release the juices into the lentil mixture. Cook for 45 minutes over medium heat or until the lentils are soft.
Serve with sliced sausage on top.
by Deborah Perugi | Oct 16, 2012 | Fish, Fruit, Main Dish, Recipes, Vegetables
(In her own words)
Here is the basic batter used for frying zucchini, artichokes, shrimp, chicken, and eggplant.
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
Break the egg into a bowl, add the oil, water, and salt. Beat until nicely mixed and homogeneous. Slowly sprinkle in the flour, beating batter.
Let it sit for a couple of hours before using. When you use this batter to coat cut-up vegetables or anything else, drop in only a few pieces at a time, turn them slowly with a fork to coat all sides and, then take them out and immediately put them into frying oil.
Note: This batter is also good for frying apples. Cut apples no less than 1/4 inch across.
When mixing the batter, beat with a fork until nicely mixed and the consistency of a good pancake batter. It’s good also for fish. Cod is very good.
Cook at medium heat.
by Deborah Perugi | Oct 16, 2012 | Chicken, Main Dish, Polenta, Recipes
From Grandma via Archie
Take cut up chicken and saute in olive oil partway. Add chopped parsley, celery, minced garlic and chopped onion. Continue to saute until chicken is browned on all sides. Add fresh sage leaves, Del Monte tomato sauce*, salt and pepper to taste. You can add a little white wine) and simmer gently until chicken is done. Serve with Polenta.
*Alternatively, instead of Del Monte and tomato paste you can add 1 cup or more of Passata, which is a bottled tomato sauce from Italy. You can find it at Whole Foods, World Market or online. Pam and I used this June 2024 and I thought the sauce was better for it.
by Deborah Perugi | Sep 17, 2012 | Beef, Lasagna, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes, Sauce, Sausage
From N Krug:
Meat sauce:
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 Tblsp. butter
1 lb. Mild Italian sausage
1 lb. Ground round
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine (“or red” -D.P.)
2 cups chopped tomatoes peeled and seeded
3 Tblsp. tomato paste
2 cups beef bouillon
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Becciamella sauce:
5 Tblsp. butter
6 Tblsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
Dash nutmeg
Other:
1 lb. Lasagna noodles
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To prepare meat sauce:
Combine onion, garlic and celery and saute over low heat in 2 Tblsp. butter 8-10 minutes.
Remove to heavy 3-4 quart saucepan. In same frying pan, saut the sausage and ground round in olive oil until browned.
Remove excess grease. Add wine to meat and boil stirring constantly until wine is almost evaporated. Add meat to sauce pan with onion mixture and add the tomatoes, paste, stock and seasonings. Simmer for 1 hour.
To prepare the becciamella sauce:
Melt 3 Tblsp. butter into heavy 2-3 quart saucepan over low heat.
Stir in flour. Cook slowly 2-3 minutes. Pour in milk and cream slowly stirring with a whisk to obtain a smooth sauce. Heat to boiling stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. salt and nutmeg.
To build the lasagna:
Butter a 9 x 13 x 3 inch-baking dish. In a large 6-8 quart pot, cook the lasagna. When cooked, drain and cover lasagna with cold water.
Spread layer of meat sauce on bottom of baking dish. Over this, lay 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
