by Deborah Perugi | Dec 19, 2025 | Fish, Pasta, Recipes
I just made this for friends and unfortunately forgot to take a picture… But I updated the recipe. Enjoy!
Archie’s friend Cinque made his Linguini with Clam Sauce every Christmas. Many years ago (circa 1980), I was there for his Christmas party. You can see me being served in the doorway. Back then I could eat plenty of pasta! Recipe follows.
Updated 12/19/2025
For 4:
Add one bottle clam juice to a pot of water. Add one package linguini and cook until al dente.
Chop 4 cloves garlic, 1/4+ C parsley and grate 1 C of parmesan.
In a large pan, cook chopped garlic in 2T butter and 3T olive oil and stir or 1 minute. Add @2 C chopped clams with their juice and cook a few minutes, then add pepper (and salt to taste.)
While the pasta is cooking, steam about 12 Little Neck clams in their own pan with 1 C water.
Drop undrained cooked pasta along with some water into the clam saucepan and stir. Add chopped parsley (squeeze of lemon?) and transfer directly to a large bowl. Sprinkle plenty of parmesan and freshly ground pepper.
Place in large bowl. Add opened clams and their shells around the side and sprinkle parmesan on top. Serve reserved cheese for table.
by Deborah Perugi | Feb 26, 2025 | Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes, Soup
I decided to try something different than the artichoke torte I usually make with eggs. I’m sure there is a similar greek recipe for this but here is my version. It’s perfect for a week night.
3/4 bag frozen artichoke hearts from Whole Foods. Defrosted in microwave 1-2 minutes.
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T butter
squeeze half lemon
pinch of oregano
Melt butter and add oilve oil to a deep fry pan
Add onions and artichokes and stir
Add garlic and salt and pepper
Add chicken broth and stir, Heat for five minutes
Add orzo and stir, cook until done.
Add juice lemon
Add parsley, more salt to taste
Serve with parmesan and crusty bread
(Recipe can be converted to soup with less orzo and more broth.)
by Deborah Perugi | Aug 5, 2023 | Lasagna, Pasta, Recipes, Sauce
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes with juice. (Find authentic San Marzano at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Wegman’s and World Market.)
1/4 c olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 T tomato paste
fresh basil leaves
Bottle of Passata (purchase at Whole Foods or World Market)
Pour olive oil into saucepan and add roughly sliced garlic clove, brown lightly and remove. Add tomatoes. Break up as they cook into smaller pieces. Add tomato paste to thicken. Crushed red pepper if desired. Cook to reduce sauce. Add basil leaves and continue to cook until done..
Use as a base sauce for eggplant parmesan, Sasage Ragu, Pasta Puttanesca, Cattiatore, pizza, etc.
(Photo to come)
by Deborah Perugi | Nov 8, 2012 | Pasta, Pork, Recipes, Sauce, Sausage
(large pot as made 12/9/1979) – from A Perugi
1 lb+ Italian Salamini Sausage – boiled 20 minutes, cooled and crumbled
1 1/4 lb. pork loin with bone
1/2 lb. pancetta, diced
2 1/2 lb. beef stew meat (chuck?) cut into 1/2″ cubes
3 or 4 tbsp. parsley (remove stems)
1/2 lb. carrots diced
1 1/2 lb. onion diced (3 – 4 medium large)
6 or 7 garlic large cloves, pressed
2-3 stalks celery (1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup Madre Sicilia Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. dried margoram, 2/3 tsp. thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 generous dashes cinnamon, 4 dashes cayenne
35 oz. can imported peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
29 oz. can Heavy tomato puree (Contadina)
6 oz. can Progresso Tomato paste
29 oz. can Hunts tomato sauce
15 oz. can Del Monte tomato sauce
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and diced.
Melt butter in oil with pieces of pancetta. Cook onion , carrots, celery, parsley in oil
mixture until soft. Take out most of this “suffrito”, and add some garlic and put aside.
Add rest of garlic and pork to pot and brown, then add beef and brown. Return soffrito, cook
awhile, add everything else and simmer 1 hour. Add mushrooms and cook 1/2 hour more. Serve
by Deborah Perugi | Sep 17, 2012 | Pasta, Recipes, Soup
Dough:
5 C. flour
4 eggs
ground nutmeg
salt
1/2 eggshell water per egg
Knead well and let stand one hour. The more you knead the better.
Filling:
2 Chicken breasts browned in butter and put through meat grinder.
1/4 lb. prosciutto
1/4 lb. mortadella (with nuts, optional)
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese
Stir. Add two eggs.
Add to homemade chicken broth or use canned Old Colony Chicken Broth. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
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.
