Tagliatelle with Mortadella

To serve 6:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 pounds (600 g) freshly made tagliatelle or fettuccine (dried will work if you must)
• An 8-ounce (200 g) slice of Mortadella di Bologna
• 1 pound (400 g) blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped plum tomatoes (you can if need be use plain canned tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (if the tomatoes are tart)
• 2/3 cup milk
• Unsalted butter
• Freshly grated Parmigiano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION:

Dice the mortadella and brown it in a pot with a tablespoon or two of butter, stirring gently to expose all sides of the cubes to the pan. Add the tomatoes and the sugar if necessary, and cook for about 20 minutes.

When the sauce has thickened gently stir in the milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue simmering over a low flame.

In the meantime bring pasta water to a boil, lightly salt it, and cook the tagliatelle. If they're fresh they should only require about three minutes. Drain them, season them with another pat of butter, the sauce, and serve, with grated cheese

Runza

• 2 loaves bread dough

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 4 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1.     Thaw two loaves of frozen bread dough or make the equivalent amount using your favorite bread recipe.

2.     While dough thaws, make the filling.

3.     Brown the hamburger and drain, then return to pan.

4.     Add cabbage and onion and cook down.

5.     Salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp pepper recommended).

6.     Let dough rise, then punch down and roll a portion to 1/4" thickness.

7.     Cut into 4" x 8" pieces and add about 1/2 cup meat mixture to each.

8.     Fold dough pieces over and seal the edges, then place seam-side-down on a greased cookie sheet.  

9.     Let rise 20-30 minutes, then bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown.

Mini Greek Lamb Burgers

Serves 4. FOR TZATZIKI 1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated (3/4 cup) 1/2 cup plain yogurt, preferably whole milk yogurt 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint 1 small garlic clove, minced Salt and pepper FOR LAMB BURGERS 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb 1/2 small onion, minced (1/4 cup) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried Salt and pepper 4 pieces pita bread (6 inches each) Iceberg lettuce, for serving 2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, sliced, for serving

Directions

1.     Heat grill or grill pan to high. Make tzatziki: In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

2.     Make burgers: In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine lamb, onion, parsley, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into 16 small patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Grill until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

3.     To serve, warm pitas on the grill or directly over a gas burner, turning occasionally. Halve pitas, and fill with lettuce, burgers, tomato, and tzatziki.

Great with Greek Pasta Salad

Ham and Bean Soup

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

·         8 cups water

·         1 pound Great Northern beans or navy beans

·         2 cups cubed ham

·         1 ham bone or ham hock, optional

·         1/2 cup chopped onion

·         1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste

·         1 bay leaf

·         3 carrots, chopped

·         3 ribs celery, chopped or sliced thinly

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Bring water and beans to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

Stir in ham, ham bone or hock, pepper, bay leaf, carrot and celery. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender (skim foam from top), about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If soup is too thick, add a little water.

Remove ham bone or ham hock (if used) and trim meat from bone. Return meat to soup with tomato sauce and salt; simmer for about 15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf.
Ham and bean soup serves 6.

Mini Chicken Tikka Burgers with Mint Chutney

For the Burgers:

1 tbs tikka paste or ½ tbs curry powder

1 tbs. plain yogurt

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp ground cardamom

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

¾ “ piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 crushed garlic clove

14 oz ground chicken (I use 1 pkg which is 18 oz)

For the Mint Chutney:

1 small bunch fresh mint

¾ “ piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 small green chili-chopped

Juice of half a lime

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1/3 c. plain yogurt

S/P- to taste

To assemble: Cooking oil, 4 small Naan (Indian Flatbread) toothpicks

In a large bowl, combine the burger ingredients. Mix well. With wet hands, mold the mixture into 12 small patties. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate for 1 hr. Make the chutney. In a blender, combine the chutney ingredients. Pulse to produce a thick sauce. Season to taste with S/P. Set aside. Heat a grill or grill pan over med-hi. Brush the burgers with cooking oil, and then grill for 5 min/per side until cooked through. Set aside. Cut each Naan bread into 3 wedges and toast or grill until crisp. Top each wedge with a burger, then spear with a skewer. Spoon a bit of chutney on each burger.

Served with curried chick peas or curried vegetables.

Lemon Turkey Soup with Fresh Spinach and Farfalle

Makes 4-6 servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
8 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
2 cups dried mini-farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2 cups diced cooked turkey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 10-ounce package ready-to-use spinach leaves (about 6 cups)

Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and stir 1 minute. Add celery, carrots and red bell pepper and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 8 cups broth and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes. Add pasta and simmer until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Mix turkey, lemon juice and lemon peel into soup.

Add spinach. Simmer until spinach wilts but is still bright green, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Thin soup with additional chicken broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Lasagna Soup

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper                                                                                      2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not overcook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8