Search Results for: marinara

Sausage, Ricotta, Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells…and a 2019 recap

12/28/2019 by Laura Leave a Comment

Well here I am, a little over a year since my last post! I’m sure many of you are as shocked as I am that we are days away from a new year and a new decade. For those of you that have asked, yes I am still cooking, creating recipes and taking a photo of the results now and again. However, the routine of food blogging has been severely impacted by my other passion: fiber arts. I had the opportunity, this year, to take many classes, learn new skills and sharpen old ones. I currently have 3-4 knitting projects, 2 macrame projects and 1 very large weaving project underway! Next up, I want to learn to spin my own yarn. Thankfully, I am surrounded by like minded crafters, teachers and fiber options! I hope to add a Fiber Art page to this blog. I may even post a few things for sale.

Getting settled in a new community and a new home has been extremely rewarding, yet extremely time consuming. September marked the one year anniversary of our exit from the “big city” to our rural, peaceful, serene home. We completed many projects our first year: raised garden beds, a railing for the deck, lots of landscaping including over 25 trees, dozens of hydrangeas, lilacs, and rhodies, as well as new lawn. Those raised garden beds were stuffed full of veggies all summer. Some are still producing in spite of winter temperatures. We no longer have 5 stores within a mile of us, so our garden and our giant freezer are very important to daily life. I am looking forward to a slower paced spring and summer, with only one or two construction projects and a lot more time on the beach.

We routinely cook the recipes here on the blog. Sometimes I’m surprised by the ones that have not been posted, like these Stuffed Shells. They are really a fun, basic little pasta recipe that can be customized to your specific taste and diet. Easily converted to be vegetarian and/or gluten free with substitutions for the pasta, sausage and cheeses.

For the Stuffed Shells

1 box (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells

4 cups marinara sauce, home made or store bought

16 ounces bulk Italian sausage: chicken, pork, or vegetarian

2 tablespoons olive oil

16 ounces frozen chopped baby spinach, cooked 3-4 minutes in the microwave (or steamed) and well drained

10 large mushrooms, stems removed, tops diced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

12 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

12 ounces shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Cook the pasta shells according to directions. Do not overcook, as they will be baked after being stuffed. Drain, cool, and lay out on a sheet pan lined with towels to make sure they are good and dry.

While the pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a skillet, over medium heat. Move the sausage to a mixing bowl. Return the skillet to the heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic to the pan and saute until veggies are soft. Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Move the veggies to the large mixing bowl.

Place the cooked, drained spinach on a towel, roll it up, and squeeze it well to ensure all liquid has been removed and spinach is dry. Add the spinach to the big mixing bowl.

In a smaller, separate bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Mixture should be light and fluffy.

Add the cheese mixture to the rest of the ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. I find my hands work best. Make sure to break up the sausage well so there are not any big clumps.

Cover the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Gently fill the shells with the sausage, veggie and cheese mixture, one by one, using a small spoon. Be careful not to tear the pasta.

Cover the pasta with the marinara sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the pan with a sheet of foil. Bake 45 minutes at 350′. remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Thank you for following my blog. Stay tuned for updated photos and a few new recipes in the coming year.

Wishing you all the best in 2020 and beyond.

Have a great evening,

Laura

The Best EVER Spaghetti and Meatballs

12/17/2016 by Laura 3 Comments

I have never been a big of a fan of spaghetti and meatballs, UNTIL NOW! I’ve made many meatballs in my time… all coming close to what I imagined, but never really “nailing it”. That all changed with this recipe. Inspired by a recent meal at our neighborhood Italian restaurant, we decided we must learn to make fabulous spaghetti and meatballs at home. Don’t get me wrong, the meatballs at the restaurant in the ‘hood were great… but, a plate of spaghetti and 2 meatballs for $16 is not sustainable! I set about researching recipes, and there it was on my own bookshelf! I found Frank Pellogrino’s, of the Rao’s family, recipe in my Fine Cooking – Italian cookbook! Since getting a table at Rao’s is virtually impossible…it’s great to have this recipe at hand.

For the meatballs:

We tripled the recipe…plenty for the freezer!

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 lb. ground veal

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup finely grated imported Locatelli Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano (or half and half); more for serving

1-1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, (I used fresh breadcrumbs made from a baguette)

1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil; more as needed

1 lb. dried spaghetti

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Break up the ground meat into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, minced garlic, eggs, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, 1-1/2 cups water, and parsley. Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed, but don’t over mix. Shape into meatballs by gently scooping up a handful of meat and rolling it into a nice even ball; each meatball should weigh about 4 oz. and be about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Gently set six of the meatballs in the oil and fry until they’re lightly browned on the bottom half, 5 to 6 min. Carefully turn them over using a slotted spatula and brown the other side. You are not cooking them all the way through. They will finish cooking in the sauce. This was a big lesson for me….I had always overcooked them, resulting in a dry, tough meatball!

Drain the meatballs on a few paper towels to soak up excess oil. Fry the remaining meatballs the same way.

For the marinara:

I changed this a bit, as we always have #10 cans of Italian tomatoes on hand…yes, seriously

1 #10 can, or 4 28 ounce cans, authentic San Marzano Italian tomatoes (I use Strianese Brand)

1/2 cup good quality, Italian olive oil (I use Partanna Brand)

10 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

2 Tbs. kosher salt; more as needed

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

optional – 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes – if you like a little heat

In a very large stockpot or heavy dutch oven, sauté the garlic in the olive oil, over low heat. Break up the tomatoes with your hands, while in the can. Add them to the stock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer 2-3 hours while you make the meatballs. Add the chopped fresh herbs during the last hour of cooking. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if using. Add the meatballs during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Simmer very gently.

for the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the meatballs and sauce have been simmering for about 20 min., add the spaghetti to the boiling water and boil until it’s just about al dente, undercooked a bit.

The next step is called the segreto method, and is key to the success of the entire dish. I had never done this before and it made a huge difference!

When the spaghetti is done, drain it and return it to the pot it was cooked in. (DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA) Add a couple of ladlefuls of the marinara sauce to the spaghetti. Put the pot over high heat and, with a wooden spoon or tongs, constantly toss the pasta until each piece is coated with sauce, about 1 min. Transfer to serving bowls and ladle more sauce over the spaghetti, along with two to three meatballs. Serve with grated cheese.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Dave did…5 meals in a row!

Buona serata,

Laura

Manicotti with Three Sauces

08/03/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

We were watching the food channel the other night; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I think. As we tuned in at the end of an episode, we caught a glimpse of a cannelloni with three sauces. Dave, my nephew and I all commented that it looked really good. The three sauces pesto, béchamel and marinara were layered on the cannelloni to represent the Italian flag. So when the daily conversation turned to “what shall we make for dinner” I decided we would give it a whirl. I had homemade pesto and marinara in the freezer and béchamel sauce only takes a couple of minutes. We took a quick survey of the pantry and only needed a few things. I usually use spinach and mushrooms in my filling, but since it is August and there are zucchini piled high in the veggie drawer, I decided that would be the “green” in the filling. I think my nephew went home one day too soon!

For the Manicotti

1 – 1 lb. chub of Italian Chicken Sausage

3/4 cup finely diced onion

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

3/4 cup of small dice zucchini

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped basil

salt and pepper

olive oil for sautéing

1/2 cup dry white wine, to deglaze the pan

1 1 lb. container whole milk ricotta

2 eggs

3/4 cup of mozzarella, finely diced

(I like diced over shredded as you get little gooey cheese puddles in the filling!)

1/4 cup grated parmesan

12-16 manicotti tubes, boiled according to package directions

For assembly and serving

2/3 cup of prepared pesto

2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1 cup béchamel sauce

Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add the sausage and break up the chunks while cooking. Add in the zuchinni, onion and garlic and continue to cook until the vegetable are soft and the meat is browned. Add the white wine, stir and let simmer about 5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from stove, pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool.

While the meat and vegetable mixture cools, prepare the manicotti. Boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside until ready to stuff.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, diced mozzarella and parmesan. Add to the cooled meat and vegetable mixture and mix well. Prepare a baking dish by lightly oiling it.

Fill the pasta tubes. I used a very small spoon to stuff them. When we finished Dave said “we should have used a pastry bag”! Of course we should have used a pastry bag….what was I thinking?

Lay the filled tubes into the baking pan. Heat the oven to 350′. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of water to the baking pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake about 20 minutes and remove from oven.

While the pasta is baking, warm the marinara sauce in a small pan on the stove, prepare the béchamel sauce and pesto.

Basic Béchamel Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves finely minced garlic

1/3 cup Wondra flour

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft. Whisk in the flour to make a light roux. Slowly add the milk and continue to simmer until thickened. Add the cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix about two tablespoons of béchamel into the 2/3 cup of pesto.

Remove the pasta from the oven. Layer the sauces on to the pasta in the desired fashion. My choice was three separate “sections”. You certainly could layer marinara, then béchamel and then pesto, one on top of the other. Return the pasta to the oven, uncovered and bake another 10 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese and freshly chopped Italian parsley, and touch up the sauces, if needed.

Buono appetiteo!

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Italian Style Turkey Meatballs and Spinach Pappardelle

08/26/2013 by Laura 1 Comment

One of my friends asked if I was using the same tomato pictures over and over and over again. The truth is, the tomatoes are all ripening at once and I have been picking a colander full about every other day! I processed 4 quarts, gave many away and still have more than two people can eat! Sunday’s basket full led to a fabulous batch of fresh Marinara sauce. I am sure there will be additional batches to freeze and enjoy this coming winter.

I am certain every cook who has a patch of tomatoes has a fresh tomato sauce recipe. I think it is something that must be customized to your own taste. I “winged” it this time, but I will repeat this process, as it was absolutely delicious. (The green tomatoes are “Green Zebra” heirloom tomatoes. They are not unripe tomatoes. The yellow-orange tomato is Jaune Flamme – a new variety to us, that is really yummy.)

Laura’s Fresh Tomato Marinara

6 cloves Garlic

1 large diced onion

1 large diced Carrot

1 stalk diced Celery

Olive oil

Handful of fresh chopped Basil – about 1/2 cup

Fresh chopped Oregano – about 1/4 cup

Red Pepper flakes – about 1 teaspoon

Tomato paste – I used 3 small cans – you will need to judge this based on the desired thickness of your sauce and the water content of your tomatoes.

1 large can whole San Marzano tomatoes (I thought I needed additional color and depth, so I threw in the canned tomatoes.)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh tomatoes – about 8 pounds, blanched, cooled, peeled and chopped*

In a very large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery in about 1/3 cup of olive oil, until softened. Always add the garlic last, to avoid burning it.

Add in the peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes.

Bring to a slow simmer, breaking down the tomatoes with a spoon. Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings. Cover and simmer about 2 hours. I used the immersion blender near the end of the cooking time, to ensure all tomatoes were broken down.

Italian Style Turkey Meatballs

Inspired by Katie Workman’s recipe in Food and Wine Magazine

4 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 cups panko bread crumbs (use panko – they produce a lighter, fluffier meatball)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon olive oil (ground turkey can be a little dry)

Kosher salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 pounds ground turkey

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Stir in the breadcrumbs, garlic, parley, oregano, basil, olive oil and cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Add the ground turkey and mix well until all ingredients are combined.

Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Form the meat mixture into 1 1/2 – 2 inch balls and place in the sauté pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 15 minutes at 350′. Wipe the oil from the sauté pan, return the meatballs and smother in marinara sauce. Serve over your favorite pasta. We used our local La Pasta’s spinach pappardelle.

This was our first time making these meatballs. They are absolutely delicious and will become a staple around here. Next time, I will double the recipe so I can freeze extras for future use!

*I am sure you know the easiest way to peel a tomato is to blanch it in boiling water for about 30 seconds, and then drop it into an ice water bath. The skin will slide right off! Cut an “X” in the bottom of the tomato before dropping it in the simmering water.

Dave didn’t know I had onions in the garden! Walla Walla sweets of course. You should have seen his face when I reached into the ground and yanked them up! The basil is also growing like crazy. Pesto is forthcoming.

Mozarella Stuffed Meatballs with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Pappardelle

04/20/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

There are so many great recipes in Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home”, it is hard to choose which one to make next! With the deluge of “April Showers” here in Seattle, we are still into winter style, comfort food. As Dave and I flipped through the book, we decided to give the Stuffed Meatballs a try. That decision led to also making the delicious oven roasted tomato sauce. As always, we added in a few of our own modifications, to make this to our taste.

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cup minced leeks

1 1/2 cup finely chopped fennel

3 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

3 28 oz cans imported Italian tomatoes

1 Sachet made up of:

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

10 black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Preheat the oven to 350′

Combine the oil, onion, fennel, leeks and garlic in large oven-proof baking dish or skillet. Sprinkle with salt. Place in oven and bake for about an hour, or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize.

Stir in the red wine vinegar and the brown sugar and return to oven to another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain the canned tomatoes. Coarsely chop half of them, and process the other half in a blender or food processor. Add the chopped tomatoes, the pureed tomatoes, and the sachet to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven for another 1 1/2 -2 hours. Stir the sauce every 1/2 hour.

We ended up adding a jar of marinara sauce to this mixture at the end of 90 minutes, as I thought the sauce was more like tomato stew, than sauce. We also ran an immersion blender through the sauce, as it was really chunky. When we make this again, we will not drain the tomatoes as extra liquid was needed. The flavor is fabulous and roasting in the oven is a great technique.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

1 pound ground chuck

8 oz ground veal

8 oz ground pork

8 oz ground sirloin

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

3 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley

1 large egg

4 oz fresh mozzarella cut in cubes

Warm the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 20 minutes to soften the vegetables. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, egg, parsley and cooled onions in a large bowl. Mix gently by hand until just evenly mixed.

Shape the meatballs into large round balls, about 3 ounces each. Stuff a cube of cheese into the center of each meatball.

Place the meatballs on a cooling rack set into a baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes at 425′. Let the meatballs rest about 10 minutes. We added them to the sauce and kept warm on the stove while the pasta cooked.