Pasta Fagioli Recipe - Excellent on a cold winter day.

Pasta Fagioli

 
Pasta Fagioli is one of those recipes that is so very easy to make, yet tastes so delicious.     For those of you that don’t know, this is a tomato based soup with white Italian kidney beans and pasta that is so wonderful, especially on a cold winter’s day.  It is funny when some folks say Pasta Fazool!  Hey Prince, got any more of that Pasta Fazool?   Well, Pasta Fagioli may be fun to say, but it tastes good any way you say it.

Doesn't this look good!   Pasta Fagioli - Yum!

This Pasta Fagioli soup is so easy to make, I hope you give it a try.

Ingredients

• 1 large can (29 oz)  of tomato sauce
• 1 can of water (use tomato sauce can to measure water)
• 1 large can (19 oz) of Cannellini beans, drained
• ½ Yellow Onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 Tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tsp dried basil
• 1 Tsp dried thyme
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Ditalini Pasta
• Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top of the soup.

Directions for Pasta Fagioli

• In a large saucepan, sauté the diced onions in the olive oil until translucent.
• Add garlic to the saucepan and continue to sauté for about 3 more minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pour the tomato sauce and Cannellini beans into the sauce pan with the onion and garlic.  
• Fill the empty sauce can with water and add it to the sauce pan.
• Add the spices, salt and pepper to the soup and stir well.
• Cover the sauce pot and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In another pot, cook the Ditalini pasta according to the directions on the box.
• Drain the pasta.
• In a serving bowl, place a serving of pasta.   Then, ladle some of the soup from the saucepan on top of the pasta.  

You may wish to sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of the Pasta Fagioli soup.

Enjoy this Italian Pasta Fagioli soup with a piece of Italian bread on the side.    Pasta Fagioli is a favorite among many Italian folks around the world.   You too, will fall in love with this incredibly simple Italian recipe.

Antipasto Platter - This Italian Appetizer is Great for Parties!

Antipasto Recipe

Super Bowl time is coming.  What could be better than Italian appetizers. The next few posts will be ideas for a Super Bowl party.  What can be better for any Super Bowl party then Antipasto?  

Antipasto is an Italian word that translates to “Before Pasta”, but I translate it to Before Dinner.   A more common term is hors d'oeuvres, in French, or appetizers.  

Antipasto Platter!   Excellent for your Super Bowl Party.

Antipasto is served at most Italian family get togethers!   Many cultures have similar style appetizers.   You can choose whatever ingredients you desire…   All of your favorites.   What I present here is guidelines.   Please feel free to adapt any way you wish.

I am not going to specify amounts of each item.   Use your best judgment, based off of the amount of people you wish to feed.



Ingredients For Antipasto Recipe

• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Pancetta, very thin sliced
• Prosciutto, very thin sliced
• Provolone cheese, cubed
• Fresh Mozzarella Balls
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts 
• Marinated Mushrooms
• Assorted Olives that have been pitted
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Lettuces ( Romaine,  Red Leaf, Ice Berg )
• Grape Tomatoes
• Broccoli Flowerets and other similar veggies
• Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Instructions For Antipasto Recipe

• Wash vegetables well and allow them to dry completely.
• Cover a large serving platter with a layer of Lettuce Leaves.
• Place a bowl in the middle and place the Marinated Mushrooms, Artichokes Hearts, Roasted Peppers and Olives, separated from each other in the bowl.
• Around the bowl, place the cheeses, each in their own section.
• Around the cheeses, place the sliced meats, each in their own section.   I roll all of the meats.
• Place broccoli, grape tomatoes and any other veggies each in their own section.
• Chop up the lettuce and place in a large serving bowl next to the platter.
• Some folks drizzle a little dressing all over everything on the platter.   I prefer to place it on the side so that guests can control how much dressing is used….   Use your best judgment.
• Stand back and admire the wonderful platter you created.

There you have it, a really nice antipasto platter that you made yourself.   Adapt it any way you want…. Do you like Roast Beef?  Do you like hot peppers? No problem!  This is YOUR antipasto!    Any way you want it, that’s the way to make it.

I hope you enjoyed this Antipasto platter.  Please check back for more italian appetizers recipes!   I will be posting several Super Bowl friendly Italian specialties in the very near future.    I hope these authentic Italian Recipes make your Super Bowl part a night to remember!

Shrimp Scampi - Doesn't everyone love this dish?

This shrimp scampi recipe is excellent, served as a main dish, or appetizer. It is delicious, especially when served hot, immediately after making. As such, great care should be employed as to timing, so that the Shrimp Scampi is ready when you wish to serve it.

As with all seafood, be sure to get the freshest and best quality you can buy. This makes a huge difference in the outcome of your culinary masterpiece.

Shrimp Scampi over Pasta.  Doesn't everyone love this?

Ingredients

• 21 Large Shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 5 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3-4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Juice of ½ Lemon, squeezed
• Lemon Wedges
• Salt to taste

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet using medium -low heat.

Add the olive oil and garlic. Stir while the garlic sautés in the butter and olive oil. Sauté the garlic until it is golden, but not browned.

Add the wine to the garlic.

Raise the heat and add the shrimp. You can always add more. It should take about 3 minutes to fully cook the shrimp, but make sure you flip the shrimp mid way in the cooking process. The shrimp will turn pink.

Add salt to your tastes. If you used unsalted butter, you may want to add a little more, but remember, you can easily add salt… You can’t easily take too much salt away.

Add the lemon juice and parsley. Stir and cook for an additional minute or two

Serve with the lemon wedges.

Shrimp Scampi is usually served with some linguini or rice. Add a side salad and a glass of wine! You’ll have an excellent meal that will melt in your mouth.

I hope you enjoyed this Italian recipe. As you are starting to see, following my blog, that I prefer to do things simply. Most of the time, less is more.

Thanks for reading! Stay posted for more Italian Recipes!

Sesame Biscotti - Italian Sesame Seed Cookies

Italian Sesame Cookies

These are an Italian Classic!   Sesame Seed Biscotti

These Italian Sesame Seed Biscotti cookies are very popular not only in bakeries in Sicily, but also among Sicilian families in New York.  My mom used to make these Italian Sesame Seed cookies all the time, but they were especially made for the holidays, birthdays or other larger family gatherings.  They were softer than the hard biscotti, and easier for a kid to eat.   

I used to love these Italian Sesame Cookies as a child.    The toasted sesame seeds and real butter her are essential to making this cookie as good as it could be.   Don’t use Crisco.   Many folks use shortening, but in my opinion, that totally ruins it.   I make these Italian sesame cookies with organic butter, and I swear I can tell the difference blind folded. 

Ingredients For Italian Sesame Cookies

•    4 cups flour
•    2 sticks butter, softened
•    1 cup sugar
•    2 eggs
•    ½ cup of Milk
•    2 cups sesame seeds
•    3 ½ tsp baking powder
•    ½ tsp salt
•    1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
•    1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions For Italian Sesame Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat.   They will start to darken a little in color, but the taste will dramatically improve.    When toasted, place the seeds in a shallow plate to cool.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder sugar and salt. Set aside
• In a mixer cream the butter.   Then, mix in the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix in the mixer until a well blended cookie dough is formed.
• Separate the dough into 1 ½ inch balls.    Take each ball and shape it into a log like cookie, about 2 ½ inch long.
• Pour the milk into a shallow bowl.    Dip each cookie first in the milk. Then, roll it in the toasted sesame seeds.
• Place each Italian sesame cookie on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, about an inch or so apart.   Slightly flatten each cookie when placing it on the cookie sheet.
• Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the cookies to be.   The cookies should be well browned.
• Remove from oven and let sit on pan about 5 minutes.   Then, transfer each sesame cookie to a rack to completely cool.

I hope you have enjoyed this recipe for the very classic these Italian sesame cookies!   Desserts are fun, aren’t they!  Please feel free to subscribe to my blog for more amazing Italian home cooking.