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 | 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.
