The Complete Arms of Grace Series
Page 59
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons capers
Instructions
Flatten chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. In a shallow dish, combine eggs, 2 tablespoons wine or broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and garlic.
In another shallow dish, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt. Coat chicken with flour mixture, dip in egg substitute mixture, then coat again with flour mixture.
In a large nonstick skillet, brown four chicken breast halves in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. Drain drippings. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, melt butter. Add the remaining wine or broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until sauce is reduced by a fourth. Drizzle over chicken.
Beef Braciole with Rigatoni
This recipe is slightly more challenging to prepare but is an excellent dish for special occasions. Alec prepared this for Adam the first time she cooked for him. He was duly impressed!
Ingredients
2 pounds flank steak (butterfly if thick)
12 cloves garlic, 4 minced and 8 sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
1 cup shredded Romano cheese, plus more for serving if desired
2 tablespoons seasoned dry breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 thin slices prosciutto
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 box dry rigatoni, cooked.
Instructions
Lay flank steak flat on a cutting board and make cross-cuts every few inches in the meat. Cover with wax paper and pound to ¼ inch thickness.
Combine minced garlic, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
Place the prosciutto slices over the steak, then spread with the breadcrumb mixture leaving one long edge uncovered. Roll the steak toward the end with no filling and place seam side down. Cut beef into six equal rolls. Tie ends with butcher’s twine.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Place the beef rolls, seam side down in the pot and brown seam side first to seal it. Cook, turning the meat occasionally until each roll is nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Add the wine and the sliced garlic to the pot. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add beef broth, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Place beef rolls back in the pot and bring back to a simmer.
Cover and cook on low heat, occasionally turning until beef is tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours. (Alternate method: cook covered in a 325-degree oven for 1½ -2 hours or in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high, 5-6 hours on medium or 7-8 hours on low.
To thicken sauce, place pot back on the stove if cooked in the oven. Remove some of the hot cooking liquid into a bowl. Add the flour and stir until smooth to create a slurry. Slowly add it to the hot cooking liquid, bring to a slow simmer and cook until thickened.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rigatoni or other favorite pasta. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese if desired.
Traditional Margherita Pizza
Alec doesn’t prepare this recipe often as she prefers to order from Luciano’s Pizzeria in town, but sometimes a homemade slice hits the spot on a rainy Saturday. Grace prefers Alec’s pizza to Luciano’s by a mile!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 sprig parsley, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1-1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
3 ounces fresh mozzarella (in liquid), thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper and salt
Pizza Crust (see Homemade Pizza Crust recipe)
Instructions
In a 10-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Sauté onion and parsley to golden, then stir in garlic and oregano for a few seconds. Add tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pan (do not substitute crushed tomatoes). Boil, stirring, 5 minutes or until thick.
Spread sauce over rolled out the crust, sprinkle with basil, mozzarella, and finally the oil. Finish with generous black pepper and a little salt.
Preheat oven to 500̊ F, setting rack as low as possible in the oven. Lightly oil a 14-16 inch pizza pan. Roll out dough as thin as possible to about a 16-inch round (no more than 1/16-inch thick). Dust the pan with cornmeal and spread the dough over the pan, rolling in edges to form a rim. Let rest 10 minutes. Top as desired or suggested below and bake 10 minutes. After ten minutes, slide the pizza off the pan with a pizza peel (large pizza spatula) and directly onto the oven rack. Bake an additional 2 minutes. When the pizza is done, slide it back onto the pan with the pizza peel to remove from the oven. Cut and serve.
Variation: In Naples, fresh or canned tomatoes often replace tomato sauce on pizza. Make sure tomatoes have big, rich flavor and use them judiciously.
Additional Toppings (Optional): Sliced red onion, pitted olives, pepperoni, anchovy, sliced mushrooms, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, salami, prosciutto, roasted peppers, shrimp, cooked Italian sausage, hot pepper, fresh herbs such as marjoram, oregano, mint, garlic, rosemary, or sage.
Part IV
Contorno (Side Dishes)
Braised Spinach
This is a quick and tasty side to add to any meal. Alec likes to pair this with Eggplant Parmesan.
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1 carrot, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (Optional or cooked and crumbled bacon may be substituted)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add 1/3 of the spinach and sauté until it begins to wilt (about 1 to 2 minutes.) Continue adding the spinach 1 handful at a time, sautéing just until it begins to wilt before adding more. Add the anchovies or bacon (optional). Sauté over high heat until spinach wilts. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Great paired with meatballs. Divide the spinach mixture evenly among 6 shallow soup bowls and top each with 2 or 3 meatballs.
Sautéed Green Peppers and Green Beans
Grace provides the vegetables from her garden for this dish. Alec served this the night Grace and Adam first discussed Johnny’s prognosis in Alec’s apartment.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh green beans
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 banana peppers
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
Sea salt to taste
Zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
Trim the beans on each end
and cut in half. Core the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes, and slice thinly.
Heat the olive oil on medium high in a cast-iron skillet. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook just until sizzling. Add the beans and peppers and sauté until just soft. Add the lemon zest and fresh thyme and toss to mix well. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Parmesan Roasted New Red-skin Potatoes
This is hearty but simple recipe is great for cold winter days or holidays. Grace replaced her Thanksgiving mashed potatoes with this dish.
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing the pan
2 pounds new red-skin potatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed between fingertips
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Generously butter an 8x10-inch casserole dish.
Cut and slice the potatoes into ½-inch thick half-moons.
Place the potatoes in a big mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil. Toss with the seasoning, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and half the Parmesan.
Pour into the casserole dish and scoop out any spices or garlic left in the bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan over the top and drizzle with a tablespoon of oil.
Bake 30 minutes then remove from the oven and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top and drizzle with the remaining oil.
Bake 25 more minutes. Toss well and season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
Place potatoes in a serving dish and pour any remaining oil at the bottom of the pan over them and garnish with fresh parsley.
Mushroom Risotto
Few recipes are as delicious as a perfect risotto. This delicate and flavorful recipe is no exception. This recipe is listed here as a side dish, but Italians eat it alone as a main dish. Ryan and Grace included this dish on their wedding reception menu.
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, constantly stirring until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Part V
Salse (Sauces)
Spicy Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
This traditional sauce comes from Angela and is as fiery as she is! This is one of Alec’s favorite recipes to prepare. She cheats and adds jalapeños for a little extra bite.
Ingredients
2 pounds spicy Italian pork sausage
4 slices cooked pancetta, chopped (bacon may be substituted)
1 large white onion, diced
2 large bell peppers, diced
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup water
1 teaspoon fennel seed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped to taste (cilantro may be substituted)
3 bay leaves
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large cast iron skillet, crumble and brown Italian sausage with garlic, mushrooms and bell peppers.
Drain excess fat. Return meat to the pan and add pancetta (or bacon) with remaining ingredients. Simmer for 3-4 hours. Check during the last hour to ensure the sauce isn’t too dry. Add a small amount of water if necessary. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Serve over pasta. May be used with lasagna or any other pasta. Meatballs may be added as well.
Fresh Basil Pesto Genovese
Pesto first appeared in northern Italy around the 16th century and is a common addition to tables throughout Italy. Pesto is delicious tossed with pasta or potatoes, spread or baked into breads, or as a pizza sauce.
Alec enjoys experimenting with pesto and has come up with numerous uses for this aromatic and flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup baby spinach
2/3 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, more to taste1/8 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
Instructions
Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times. Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Slowly add the olive oil and continue processing. Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Pesto darkens when exposed to air. Stores best in a plastic zipper-type baggie with air removed or in a glass jar with the pesto covered in plastic wrap.
Sugo di Pomodoro (Italian Tomato Sauce)
This sauce is similar to what Americans know as marinara sauce. Sugo di Pomodoro works well with any type of pasta.
Alec always has a container of this sauce ready in her refrigerator for any occasion or unexpected guest.
Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 head of garlic cloves, crushed
1 large red onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup dry white wine
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 fresh basil sprig
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
Kosher salt
Instructions
Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into the can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add garlic. As soon as garlic is sizzling add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt. Stir.
Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on the surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. Taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed. Discard basil sprig and bay leaves.
Part VI
Pane e Pasta Fresca (Breads & Fresh Pastas)
Crusty Country Italian Bread
This recipe has few ingredients, but the smell of it baking will transport you to the Tuscan countryside. This bread is delicious spread with pesto sauce or used to make Bruschetta.
Alec bakes at least one l
oaf of this bread for Grace and Ryan every weekend.
Ingredients
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110° to 115° F)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.