Chicken and Gnocchi with Creamy sauce

This is a really delicious and unusual  dish that is low calorie, and is a complete meal. It is something between a stew and a chunky soup. The gnocchi have a light dumpling texture.

4 boneless skinless thick style chicken breast

2 cups snipped fresh green beans

4 cups raw snipped dark greens (we like red dandelion or spinach)

1 cup peas  (frozen or fresh)

2 sliced carrots

Sauce for 4 portions

1 small minced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup of reserved cooking liquid

1 cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons of crumbled Bleu cheese

2 ounces of smoked Gouda or other smoked cheese

Dash of nutmeg

1 cup of Greek low/no fat yogurt

Gnocchi for 4

4 medium potatoes

12 tablespoons flour

1 large egg

Dash of allspice

Dash of salt

Peel and cut potatoes. Cover with water, cover  and  cook until done. Reserve water. Mash and cool. Incorporate flour into potatoes making sure mixture is smooth. Add egg, salt,  and allspice. Mixture should be fairly firm, if not add a little more flour. Press mixture onto a grease cookie sheet , cover and chill.

Cut chicken into chunky bites and saute in olive oil until lightly colored Set aside.

Cover green beans and carrots with reserved potato water water and cook until just done. Reserve liquid.

In a dutch oven or large deep skillet.

Heat chicken broth and reserved liquid to low boil. Depending on the moisture level of your potatoes, either cut gnocchi dough into strips and cut bite sized pieces into the broth, or if you prefer, you can drop then from a teaspoon. When they float, remove with a slotted spoon to drain.

Reserve broth from gnocchi. In the same pan, saute onion until softened. Add garlic and cook until light gold. Return the broth to the pot and and add green beans and chicken. Cook on low for about 5 minutes. Add peas and cook a until done. Add the cheese stirring until melted. Sauce will thicken in seconds. Add yogurt, greens and nutmeg. Cook down to desired consistency , if necessary. Mixture should be stew like. Coarse ground black pepper is a good addition .

Tuna Antipasto Salad

This antipasto salad is a great alternative to traditional fatty , salty appetizers. You will love it and use it as a go-to for light meals. The ingredients are available year round, though it is a fantastic summer meal.
It can also be lunch or light supper by adding some bread and maybe a light soup. Or, you can just serve a larger portion with some garlic toast for a meal. Ricotta salata is a cheese similar to feta, but less salty and more solid. If you can locate balsamic fig vinegar,use it. We prepare these in individual bowls. If you must use a chain grocer, these products are available at Shoprite and Fairway. Recipe follows for Bellarturo’s version of tomato jam.


Romaine lettuce or other crisp leaf salad, 2 cups per person
Tomato jam or sun-dried tomato, 4 tablespoons per person
Roasted peppers ½ pepper per person
Red onion ⅛ of an onion per person
Imported cured olives 4 -5 per person
Ricotta Salata 1-2 ounces per person
Imported Italian tuna packed in olive oil ½ can per person
Italian parsley leaves, chopped fine 1-2 tablespoons per person
Chick peas , drained ¼ can per person
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil as needed
Red crushed pepper or black if you prefer less heat


Using salad scissors, snip the salad into short slender ribbons. Cut the onion into thin slices and place in 2 tablespoons of balsamic fig vinegar set aside. Chopped the olives and roasted peppers and mix with the parsley. Add the crushed pepper to the canned tuna and set aside. Cut the cheese into small cubes.
To assemble: Place salad in bowl and gently mix in onion, olives, tomato , and peppers.
Next add tuna, dividing the canning oil equally among the individual salads. Add chick peas and toss. Top with parsley and cheese. Pass extra oil and vinegar at the table.Serve with garlic toast.

Homemade Sicilian Manicotti

These are delicious and easy to prepare; nowhere near the work involved with rolling pasta dough. And, for my taste, they create a superior dish that is authentic. There are a few things necessary for success. The batter must be the right consistency, although a little thicker will not kill the finished product, but make them thinner and they won't set right. The pan must be hot and brushed with olive oil for each crepe. You must prepare a platter for cooling and wax paper squares to place in between each crepe. After the first one or two, it becomes really easy. Once the batter is all cooked, refrigerate or use immediately. They can also be frozen once cooled. You can use any tomato sauce you like, but I have included a Sicilian styled sauce we frequently use ` with these.

For the crepes

4 eggs

1 cup flour

salt ( I use about 1/4 tsp  as  the finished dish contains salt)
olive oil

Blend egg and water in a processor or by hand. Add flour and salt .
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Batter should be thickened and of pouring consistency.
Bring the batter  to room temperature. You will need a shallow skillet. Many use crepe pan, but it's not necessary at all. When these recipes were originally created , no one in knew what a crepe pan was ! Plus, I personally like to do things in the tried, true, and authentic way. Begin by brushing the pan with olive oil. Heat the pan very well and drop a teaspoon of batter to see if it's ready. Here's how to test :  The batter must be thin enough to spread  evenly and quickly before it cooks. Use a scant 1/4 cup per crepe. Once you get the wrist movement to quickly tilt the pan and let the batter cover the surface, they practically make themselves. They take less than a minute to cook. You will see the edges dry and starting to color. Do not brown. When cooked on one side, grab an edge, I use fingers, but it's not for the faint of heart, and turn it over for about 30 seconds. Remove the crepe to the prepared dish. You don't want this side to cook too much as it will bake in the oven once stuffed. Once you have completed cooling the crepes , either refrigerate or freeze for later use.

For the filling

2 pounds of ricotta cheese, any kind works 

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or 3/4 cup Parmiggiano

1 bunch of parsley leaves, chopped fine

1 tsp of black pepper, we like coarse

1 egg

1 cups mozzarella, shredded

A couple of dashes of nutmeg 

Mix all ingredients very well and keep chilled until ready to fill crepes.

Sicilian Sauce

1 large can of Italian style tomatoes ; we prefer diced packed in puree if possible

1 medium onion , chopped  fine

6 cloves of garlic , minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup of chopped Italian or Greek olives, pitted. We use Kalamata.

1/4  chopped  basil

Heat oil and add onion, stirring until golden in color. Add garlic and continue stirring until golden. Do not allow to burn. Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Cook for 30-35 minutes on low heat, covered. Add basil and olives . Cook 5 minutes more. 

 

Assembly

Place one crepe on a board or plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of filling across , about 2 inches from the edge nearest you. Fold crepe to cover filling . Continue folding and place seam side down . Manicotti should be about 2 inches in width, though you can make them larger or smaller. Place 1 1/2 cups of sauce in a baking dish, covering the bottom of the pan completely . Place the manicotti in the pan and cover with sauce. Sprinkle additional grated cheese on top and bakes in a slow oven for about 20  minutes covered. Add shredded mozzarella and bake 20 minutes more uncovered.

Italian Wedding Veggie Soup

This soup is a hearty and filling dinner. It is delicious as well as nutritious. Kids like it too. They get so excited over the mini-meatballs they hardly notice all the vegetables. It is a combination of classic Italian Wedding soup and minestrone, the best of both worlds. It adapts well to variations as long as a few rules are kept. You must have very good stock, extra lean beef, fresh veggies and a few fresh herbs. The last rule is patience which is relatively easy because you get to breathe in the tantalizing aromas through each stage of the preparation. It is a large recipe that can be easily doubled for even more leftovers for the freezer that come in handy for a quick dinner. Or, freeze in portions for a healthy take-along lunch. All that is needed here is some thick slices of good  Italian bread, toasted if you like.

Stock

2 quarts of bones. For this recipe you can use a mixture of chicken and beef.  Never discard leftover bones . They are indispensable for good stock.

8-10 chicken necks, wings and feet or a combo

1 onion sliced

Leftover veggie scraps

Dash or 2 of browning sauce
4 bay leaves

Salt

Lightly oil a roasting pan or large cookie sheet . Toss the ingredients to mix and slow roast until they turn a rich dark brown. Do not scorch. When done, place in a stock pot with 3-4 bay leaves and a couple of sprigs of parsley. Add a tablespoon , or less if need be , of whole black peppercorns, if desired. Add water to reach 3 inches above the ingredients and add hot water if needed to maintain that level throughout the simmering. 

HINT : We l use a 6 quart Crock pot . We set it on low and let it cook all night. By morning, it's ready to go. Minimum cooking time on the stove is 4 hours , but longer cooking will yield tastier results.

Soup Base
3 quarts of strained stock, you can add commercial stock if needed
3 stalks of celery, sliced
3 stalks of carrots, lightly scraped or scrubbed and sliced
1 medium white or yellow turnip, peeled
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
2-3 plum tomatoes ,  chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of greens such as spinach, radish greens, Swiss chard, kale, dandelion, or a mixture of whatever you have. We have tried all and they all work well. We like to use up all our small amount of greens for this soup.
4 cloves of pressed garlic
1/4 cup each of fresh parsley and basil leaves processed with 1/4 cup of olive oil into a pesto

Place all the ingredients except greens, garlic  and pesto into a large pot. Add the stock making sure the veggies are covered completely. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Add the greens and garlic, cook 10 minutes more. While that's cooking, prepare the beef.

Meatballs

1 1/2 cups of very lean ground beef

1 medium egg

6 tablespoons of plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons of minced onion

1 tablespoon of pressed garlic

1/2 cup of Parmesan or 1/4 cup Romano

1/2 teaspoon of oregano , or more if you like
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
Dash  of nutmeg and a couple of drops of Worcestershire for the cooking broth

Mix thoroughly. Using wet hands, shape into bite sized balls and drop into 4 cups of simmering water to which the Worcestershire and nutmeg has been added. Poach gently for 15 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and add to the soup. Add 1/2 cup very small soup pasta such as acini di pepe to the meatball broth.
Alternatively you may add cracked barley, whole wheat or other grain of your choice, but  these must be soaked in advance to avoid soaking up all the soup. Broth level should be kept at 4 cups.

Final Assembly

Add the meatball broth and pasta to the soup along with the peas. Cook for about 10 minutes or until serving temperature. Add 1 tablespoon of pesto and stir. Serve with  grated cheese and pesto at the table along with the bread.

WHOLE GRAIN POTATO PIZZA

This is  really delicious and healthier than the regular version. There are many variations you can try with different flours and seeds. I will share some that we have tried in another post. It is moist and doughy with a heavier  texture. It is not a light and airy crust but rather substantial in nature.

The Dough
1 cup of homemade mashed potatoes, cooled seasoned with salt taste
31/2 cups of whole wheat flour, may need more depending on absorption rate of potatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil, more for the pan
Coarse black pepper, optional but good
2 tablespoons finely snipped parsley, optional but good
1 1/2 packets of yeast, preferably  for whole grains
Warm Water as needed
1 teaspoon of salt



Stole a bite !

Place 3 cups of flour in a bowl or on a board or counter. Add the yeast that has been dissolved in about 1/4 cup warm water. Stir until well blended. Add olive oil , salt,  and optional ingredients. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the rest of the flour and knead until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of additional  flour as needed.The dough tends to be sticky because of the potato. Oil a a large bowl and place dough, turning it once to oil the top. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise, covering with a towel if necessary. Let rise about 11/2 hours or until doubled. Punch down and place on floured board. Knead briefly checking to make sure dough is nice and dry. If not you may add a little more flour at this point. Oil a large rectangular pan and sprinkle with coarse corn meal. Roll, press. and stretch the dough to fit your pan evenly Cover and let rest . Meanwhile heat the oven to at least 450, or higher if you can. Check the dough by pressing the edge . It is ready to bake when your finger leaves a dent, a slight; a slight additional rise is what we're looking for here. Add your toppings gently so as not to disturb the dough. Bake in the center until the bottom is browned to your liking and the top is melted and golden brown. If the bottom should  get browned and the top needs more time, just move the pie to the top rack.

Topping
This is one of our favorites, but use whatever  you like best.

Sausage, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms and Tomato Topping

4 sausage links, pork or chicken, spicy or hot, removed from casing
1 1/2 cups of thick tomatoes. We use diced diced drained or crushed, Italian
2 garlic cloves , pressed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup peppers, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
Brown sausage while crumbling in a frying pan. When brown , remove with slotted spoon , discarding most of the fat. Add sliced mixed color (or green only if you like) peppers and thinly sliced onion. Stirring and cooking until softened. Add garlic,  mushrooms and tomatoes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
When cool , spoon topping evenly over the crust. Add cheese topping, your choice. Mozzarella is traditional, but you can try some others or combos as we do. Fontina, Provolone, Asiago are all good and can be combined as a half and half\ mix with the Mozzarella.