Jersey Style Marinara Sauce.

In the pot, just bubbling along.

Italian cooking, which is my favorite by far, is also one of the the richest in variety of flavor, despite the same basic components in many dishes. A line like this can be drawn in the various sauces that are used to complement pastas and such.

One particular distinction, and if you've ever lived in New York or New Jersey, you've heard it - sauce vs. gravy. Most of us think, gravy? Isn't that what they put on turkey or mashed potatoes? Nah. Not this time.

From the way it was explained to me, the difference is that gravy is what most would consider to be a meat sauce, with things like pork and veal as the base and cooked with tomatoes and other traditional ingredients all day. So in a way, it kind of is a gravy. A tradition. (I have my own take on that - another day.)

Another tradition is the tomato based marinara. They all pretty much start with the same base: tomato, olive oil, and basil. There are many incarnations of it, as each region, each family  has their own way of doing things. This is mine. I like to use as many fresh tomatoes as possible, even if they're a little overripe. All the better. This marinara is good for a simple pasta, or as a component of things like lasagna or stuffed shells.

For my version, you'll need:

1 large or 2 medium chopped onions
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
4-6 tbsp fresh basil
2-3 lbs. of  chopped fresh tomatoes,
or 1 can each stewed or crushed tomatoes
or a combination of both
1 cup port wine
olive oil
1 tbsp sea or kosher salt
1 bay leaf

(optional: 1 tbsp each fresh chopped oregano and/or parsley)
Also, keep a box of chicken or vegetable broth on hand.

Heat some olive oil (about 2-3 tbsp.) in a stockpot. Add garlic and onions, saute until onions are slightly opaque. Add tomatoes and  wine, cook at low-medium heat until bubbling slightly and tomatoes cook down a bit. Take an immersion blender and blend intermittently, only enough to break the tomatoes down further. Add the bay leaf, salt, and basil. If you're using the optional ingredients, add them now as well.

Simmer for an hour or two, stirring regularly. Let the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce. If it renders too much, add an occasional splash of broth. Don't waste your time with water. If you like, you can also add another tbsp. or two of basil in the last few minutes for additional fragrance and flavor.

My home made stuffed shells with the marinara. Bellissimo!

Make up your favorite pasta dish and add your marinara ( as you can see, I used it in my own take on stuffed shells. Absolutely delicious! )

Rustic Potato Soup

Rustic potato soup - borrowed image.

One of my favorite dishes from an unnamed Italian restaurant is this very soup. It's hearty, simple, and most of all, delicious. I've seen other versions of this recipe, but I assure you - once you make this, you will never pay the restaurant for their version again.

You'll need:

1 lb.ground hot Italian sausage - if unavailable, 5 links (skinned) will do
1/2 lb. cooked bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 minced cloves of garlic
1 tsp. or so sea salt
6-8 medium potatoes, skin on, thinly sliced (I use a mandolin.)

6 cups (about 4 liters) chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup cream
small bunch of kale, finely chopped

Also: olive oil

Heat some oil in a deep pot. Add sausage, Brown sausage, chopping it into small chunks as it cooks. Remove sausage from pot with a slotted spoon and set aside; leave drippings in pot. Add onion and garlic, saute at low - medium heat until slightly translucent, then add the wine and stir to finish deglazing pot.

Pour chicken stock into pot and add potatoes. Add the salt and cook until potatoes are nearly cooked though. Toss in bacon, wait ten minutes. Add sausage back and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Taste and season as you go, this soup works well that way. Drop heat to low, add cream and kale. Stir it in thoroughly and serve.

Serves 6 to 8 well.

Chicken Arrabiata Penne.

Chicken Arrabiata Penne. Nom.

This is an easy recipe for chicken breasts. It's a garlic lover's treat, and is ready in about an hour!

You'll need:

4 chicken breast cutlets, pounded flat

6-7 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bunch of chopped basil

1 tsp of hot sauce

3tbsp chopped cooked bacon

10 sliced grape tomatoes (I use Marzano)

1 can (28 oz) garlic and olive oil diced tomatoes

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine

olive oil

for the coating:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

3 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp pepper

1tsp salt

12 oz package of penne

Heat some olive oil in a deep pan, but not to smoking. Toss in garlic and sautee until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Add bacon and stir, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Let simmer a few minutes and add sliced tomatoes, hot sauce, wine, and basil. Let simmer for a while, adding a little chicken stock if it reduces too much.

Mix the egg and milk together in a shallow bowl and set aside. In a large freezer bag, mix garlic powder, pepper, salt, and flour thoroughly.

Put on a pot of water to boil for the penne (add a generous pinch of salt.) Cook penne, Drain.

In a second pan, heat more oil. Put each cutlet in eggwash and dredge in flour mixture, then brown for 3-5 minutes at medium heat. Remove and place on cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes, slice, then put into sauce. Remove from heat let sit for a few minutes, then mix with penne in pot.

Garnish with a couple of spinach leaves and enjoy!

Total time: approx. 1hr

Chicken Saltimbocca... my way.

Chicken Saltimbocca with tomato cream sauce on a bed of linguine.

Been awhile... up till now, I haven't posted much in the way of Italian cooking, mostly because I kinda keep the recipes close to the vest. But this one is a new one - and I absolutely love it. You will too.
Saltimbocca literally means "jumps in the mouth." The complex combination of flavors guarantees that.

You'll need:
6 chicken breasts, pounded even and flat (about 1/4 to 1/2")
6 slices smoked prosciutto
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
6 large sage leaves
15 small sage leaves
2-3 Roma (plum) tomatoes
1/2 cup crushed tomato
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
5 roasted garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
1tbsp garlic butter (available at most grocery stores)
1 pkg thawed frozen spinach or bag of baby spinach leaves, stems cut off (I prefer leaves  - layers better)
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream
sea salt
coarse ground black pepper

Also - Linguine.

In a small pan, heat olive oil. Once hot (but not to smoking) drop in all of the small sage leaves. They will flip on their own - don't fry them for longer than 1 minute. Remove leaves and place on a paper towel to drain.
Lay out the chicken breasts - one at a time or altogether, if you have the space. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper. On each breast place a slice of prosciutto. Place one large sage leaf on the prosciutto. Lay out a thin layer of spinach over the prosciutto, followed by the parmigiano. Roll each breast from the narrow end forward, jelly roll style, and secure with a toothpick.
Start a pot to boil for the pasta - remember to add salt.
Heat a large pan and add the olive oil (that you fried the sage leaves in) and the butter. Once hot, place the breasts in the pan, browning for 2-4 minutes on each side.
During this, take the bowl with the chopped tomatoes and press the roasted garlic cloves into them. Add the lemon juice as well and set it aside.
Add pasta to pot - cook to al dente - store in a colander over hot water in a covered pot.
After the chicken has browned, remove and set aside. Add wine to pan to deglaze. Once deglazed, add chicken broth, tomato mixture, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, reducing mixture. Add cream, simmer for another ten minutes. add chicken and cook through - about another eight to ten minutes. While it cooks, constantly spoon sauce over chicken.
Place a bed of the linguine in a shallow pasta bowl. Place the saltimbocca on top, ladle on sauce, and garnish with fried sage leaves.

Salad... Antipasto.

Just some of the ingredients you can use.

One of the many foods that were common in almost any pizza place, sub shop, or Italian restaurant in New Jersey was antipasto. Every place made it a little different, and as with most any salad, you have flexibility in how it's made. The great thing is that it's easy to make, takes little to no cooking, and can be eaten as an appetizer or a meal. My recipe uses just the ingredients listed, but you can include almost anything, including pasta.

3 cups asparagus, blanched and cut into approx. 2"pieces
1lb. mushrooms, quartered
3/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup cubed ham
1 1/2 cups cubed mozzarella
1 cup sliced black olives
1 large can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup salami (Genoa or Calabrese) - sliced, diced

Marinade:
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
5 cloves crushed garlic

Mix all marinade ingredients. Combine all the other ingredients, add marinade, and if so desired, grate in some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix well, cover, and place in refrigerator for at least two hours. Hint: the longer it sits, the better the flavor melds. Mangia!