The Way Life Should Be (29 page)

¾ to 1 pound tubatini pasta, depending on how thick you want the soup

3 tablespoons fresh basil, shredded

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot until golden. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up with a fork. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Add the beans, pasta, 2 tablespoons basil, and Parmesan, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook until the pasta is al dente, or firm to the bite. Serve with grated Parmesan and basil on top. This soup is even better the next day!

Veal Meatballs

1 pound ground veal

¼ cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for several hours, to combine the flavors. Then roll into 1-inch balls. Either fry in olive oil (not extra-virgin) or bake at 375° F for 15 minutes. Serve with marinara and pasta, or add to soup.

Chicken Marsala

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, for coating

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

¾ cup Marsala wine

½ cup chicken broth

¼ cup heavy cream (optional)

Pound the chicken breasts until they are ¼ inch thick. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow bowl or resealable bag. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour mixture.

In a large pan, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic and chicken pieces; lightly brown and turn over. Add the mushrooms, wine, and chicken broth. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, turning once. If a creamier sauce is desired, stir in the heavy cream.

Potato-Crusted Sole

2 white potatoes, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup flour

6 (6-ounce) sole filets

Salt

4 tablespoons sweet butter

Toss the grated potatoes in boiling water, and add the lemon juice (to avoid discoloration). Boil 3 minutes or until soft, then drain and set aside. Combine the eggs, parsley, cheese, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place the flour in another bowl. Dredge each piece of sole in flour, then dunk in the egg mixture until coated, then coat in flour again. This will form a gluey paste over the sole. Pat the shredded, cooked potato over the sole. Add salt and pepper. Sauté the sole on high heat quickly in butter, turning once. Then finish in a very hot oven—450° F—for 5 minutes.

Simple Baked Ziti

16 ounces ricotta cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 pound ziti, cooked al dente

2 to 3 cups basil marinara (see recipe)

2 to 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Combine the ricotta, eggs, parsley, and Pecorino Romano. Add ziti and mix well. Fold in marinara. Pour half of ziti mixture into baking dish; sprinkle with mozzarella. Add rest of ziti. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly, then remove from oven and sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Return to oven until cheese is melted, 10 minutes or so.

Torta al Limone (Lemon Tart)

For the dough

1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

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teaspoon salt

½ cup sweet butter, chilled and cut into slices

1 egg yolk, beaten

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

For the filling

2 cups whole milk

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cup fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon, minced

4 eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

To make the dough:
Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter with your fingers or with an electric mixer until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk and milk; add to the flour mixture and shape into a ball of dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375° F and butter and flour an 8-inch pie pan. After an hour, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Line the pie pan with the dough and cut off any excess. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool.

To make the filling:
Combine the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a pot and cook on medium heat until almost boiling. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar until creamy. Pour the warm milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time, then pour the entire mixture back into the pot. Cook over medium heat until thick, whisking often. Spoon the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies

1 cup sweet butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease 2 cookie sheets.

Cream the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the oatmeal until crumbly. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are firm and the centers are soft. Cool on a wire rack.

Nonna’s Banana Bread

½ cup sweet butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mashed bananas

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour and baking soda and add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the nuts, if desired. Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemony Pound Cake

1½ cups sweet butter

2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300° F. Grease a Bundt pan with butter; sprinkle with flour to coat. Shake out excess.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Bake for 1¼ hours or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Maine Blueberry Muffins

1 cup sweet butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk

1 egg

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for the blueberries

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the milk and egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the creamed mixture, mixing until moist. Add the cinnamon and lemon zest. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, and fold them into the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until springy to touch.

Pasta with White Bolognese

Good quality olive oil

1 cup sweet onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

2 carrots, peeled and minced

1 celery stalk, minced

½ cup wild mushrooms (any combination), chopped fine

Salt and freshly ground pepper