Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce is an easy and quick white butter and cheese sauce that is most commonly associated with Northern Italian pasta sauce recipes.

• 1 stick unsalted butter1 pint heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese
• Ground pepper
• Dash of nutmeg
• Fresh parsley
  

Heat the cream over low heat in a deep sauté pan. Add the butter and stir until melted stir in the cheese until the batter is completely dissolved.

Add freshly drained fettuccine or gnocchi to the mix toss gently until the pasta is well coated. Add a pinch of ground pepper and nutmeg to taste. Sprinkle in chopped fresh parsley to add color to the dish. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Baccala alla Marinara

Baccala is a traditional Italian dish made during the Christmas holidays. Cod is one of the most common type of fish used to make this dish and is usually marinated with some sort of tomato based sauce

• 2 pounds Cod steak about 1 inch thick
  
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 onion chopped
  
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes canned or fresh
  
• ¼ cup green olives pitted and chopped
  
• 2 Tablespoons capers
  
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  

Coat 1½-quart casserole with oil place cod in and then set aside.

Sauté onion in olive oil and add tomatoes olives capers parsley salt pepper and oregano and bring to a boil.

Pour over cod and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until fish flakes when pierced with fork or is tender. Garnish with parsley

Contributed by Angie Allegrini

Porchetta

Porchetta Porchetta Porchetta: Three words that are music to an Italian cook’s ear. Porketta a seasoned boneless Pork Butt Roast that is a favorite traditional Italian Christmas and Holiday dish.

• 1/2 pound raw boneless pork for each adult serving
• 5 pounds is a popular size
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• Garlic cloves 15-20 chopped and 5 whole bulbs or as many as your heart desires
• 1 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Rosemary,
• Olive oil
• 10 new potatoes halved
• 6 carrots cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
• 2 to 3 Onions quartered or chunked

Set your oven to 350 degrees for the first half hour and then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees for the remainder of the time. Bake a small roast for one hour per pound and a larger Roast for 30 to 40 minutes per pound. Figure about 3 hours for a 5 lb. roast.

Begin by cutting the fresh garlic in slivers and slide into slits around the top and sides and/or cut the roast in half lengthwise and also season the center. We’re talking spice people; so don’t be shy with the seasoning. Rub the surfaces to be seasoned with olive oil and coat with the spice mixture. If you cut the roast make sure you tie it back together with string. It’s that easy. Place the Porketta in a large roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil.

Cut a few slits in the aluminum. About 45 minutes before the roast is done remove the aluminum foil and place the potatoes carrots onions and whole garlic bulbs around the pork. Remove the loose outer skin from the garlic bulbs and coat the tops with olive oil. Remember to occasionally stir the vegetables so that they may cook evenly. The roasted Garlic can be used to make toasted Italian bread seasoned with garlic olive oil and grated cheese. The pork will be done when you can pull it apart with a fork.

Remove the Porketta from the oven and let in stand for about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not slice it; simply pull it apart with a fork. Serve with the roasted vegetables and good old fashion Italian dinner rolls. Then have yourself a Merry Porketta Christmas.

Pizza Sauce

• 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
  
• 1 large can of diced Roma tomatoes
  
• 3 to 5 cloves of thinly sliced or minced garlic
  
• 1 Tablespoon of Rosemary
  
• 1 large onion minced very fine
  
• 1 Tablespoon oregano
  
• Olive oil- enough to cover sauce pan
  

Sauté onion garlic rosemary and oregano in olive oil until transparent add tomatoes and simmer. Stir occasionally

Gnocchi

Gnocchis are a traditional Italian meal consisting of flour eggs and potatoes. Due to the varying moisture content of potatoes many modern Italian cooks use instant potato flakes. They no longer have to peel boil and mash fresh potatoes before combining with the flour.

• 2 cups instant potato flakes
  
• 2 cups white flour
  
• 2 medium eggs room temperature
  
• 2 cups warm water
  
• Pinch of salt
  

Combine potato flakes flour eggs and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the warm water. Mix with your hands or a large mixing spoon but not a machine. Knead dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. Pull off a large handful of dough and place it on a flat surface that is dusted with flour. Hand roll dough down to about one inch thick and then cut into pieces slightly over one inch long.

To freeze the Gnocchi place on a flat pan. Once frozen store them in a sealed plastic bag or any airtight container suitable for freezing.

To cook the Gnocchi whether fresh or frozen place in a large pan of boiling water. Stir gently. When the Gnocchis float to the top they are done. Remove from water and drain well. Then serve on a large platter and top with red sauce and freshly grated cheese of your choice.

Contributed by Gemma Macchioni

Pasta Dough, Hand Made

• 2 cups flour
  
• 3 eggs room temperature and
  slightly beaten
  
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• ½ cup warm water as needed
  
• Pinch of salt
  

Mixing dough

Combine flour salt oil and eggs. Gently hand mix in water as needed. Knead dough to desired constancy. Add flour if the dough sticks to your hands.

For Egg Noodles add two more egg yolks to the mix.

For Tomato Basil add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil. Reduce to 2 eggs.

For Spinach Pasta add ½ lb. fresh steamed drained and finely chopped spinach or half a 10 oz. package frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed dry. Reduce to one egg.

For Whole Wheat substitute 1 cup of whole wheat flour to the mix.

Cover kneaded dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preparing dough with hand crank pasta machine.

Divide dough into hand size pieces and begin hand cranking. Coat the dough with flour if the dough is too sticky. Start thick and gradually crank to desired thickness. Cut and place on either a flat surface or hang on a pasta drying rack. Fresh pasta may also be frozen instead of air drying. If frozen store in an airtight container.

Cooking Hand Made Pasta

Drop into salted boiling water and simmer until tender or al dente about two minutes.
Drain well and serve.

Chocolate Pizelles

(Makes 60 to 100 cookies)

• 6 Eggs
  
• 3 ½ cups Flour
  
• 1 ½ cups Sugar
  
• 1 cup Butter (½ lb.)
  
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
  
• 2 tablespoons real Vanilla extract
  
  

  Chocolate ingredients

• ½ cup Hershey's Cocoa
  
• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Baking   Powder
  
  Mix all dry ingredients together first then slowly mix in eggs melted butter and extract. Let batter set before baking

Contributed  by Dale Lalli  

Anise Pizzelles

Anise Pizzelles

(Makes75-80 cookies)

10 Minute Pasta Salad

Anise Pizzelles

(Makes 60 thin cookies)

• 3 Eggs.
  
• 1 7/8 cups Flour.
  
• 1 cup Sugar.
  
• ¼ lb. or 1 stick of "I Can't Believe Its Not Butter".
  
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder.
  
• 2 tablespoons Anise extract.
  
• 2 tablespoons Anise seeds.
  
• ½ cup water
  

Beat eggs; slowly add sugar; add cooled melted margarine extract seeds and water; slowly mix in flour and baking powder mix; set for 15 to 30 minutes before baking. Use one tablespoon of batch per cookie.

Contributed by Gemma Macchioni

Italian War Soup

This hearty, meatless soup was popular in Italy during World War II because of the scarcity of meat.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of diced potatoes
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• chicken boullion to taste
• 1 large can of white beans
• 1 gallon of water
• 1 pound of Ditalini pasta
• 1 large onion (diced)

Bring water to boil, add potatoes and onions, cook potatoes until done; add buillion, beans and tomato paste; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh Italian bread.

Contributed by America Vincenzi

Hearty Italian Bean Soup

Hearty Italian Bean Soup great for a cold Winter day and takes only minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 2 small onions
• 2 stalks of celery
• 2 small carrotts
• 1 small diced zucchini
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of basil
• ground black pepper to taste
• chicken broth
• 1 package of frozen, chopped spinach
• 2 small cans of white beans

Sautee onion, celery and carrots in olive oil until nearly tender. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and basil. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Add zucchini just before serving.

Contributed by Gemma Macchioni