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Recipes from La Cucina Famiglia

We are happy to share some of the recipes featured on our television show, La Cucina Famiglia.
Chi mangia bene, vive bene! Who eats well, lives well!

Click on an item to jump right to the recipe:

Episode #1: A Sauce for All Reasons

Top ↑Nona's Sauce

Ingredients
  • 3-4 large cloves garlic
  • 1 large white onion
  • Tomatoes: 3 29-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes
  • Tomatoes: 2 29-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry parsley
  • 1/4 cup dry oregano
  • 1/4 cup dry basil
  • 1 cup red wine
Preparation
  1. Chop garlic and onion (both rough chop)
  2. Put both cans of tomatoes in bowl; with your hands, break up the whole tomatoes
  3. At stove, sauté garlic and onion in regular (not extra virgin) olive oil
  4. When onion/garlic transparent, add dry spices (parsley, oregano, basil)
  5. When mixture gets a little bit sticky, add red wine (pour wine 3 or 4 times around the pot)
  6. Cook down sauce to about 1/2
  7. Add tomatoes
  8. Cook low and slow for a couple of hours

Top ↑Lentil Chili (made with Nona's Sauce)

Ingredients
  • 1 large red onion (chopped)
  • A large garlic clove (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
  • 1 large bell pepper
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 Jalapeño pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (nice bright red)
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup of red wine (whatever you have; if good enough to drink, good for chili)
  • 1 lb. brown lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 bunch fresh Cilantro
Preparation
  1. Peel carrots and give them rough chop
  2. Jalapeño pepper - fine chop (be sure to wear rubber gloves and use different knife)
  3. Bell pepper and onion - rough chop
  4. Sauté on high heat in regular olive oil: garlic, onion, carrots, bell pepper, Jalapeño pepper
  5. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano
  6. Mix well (flavors extract in the oil)
  7. Add touch of red wine
  8. Add lentil and water - Cook about 20-25 minutes (until lentils are soft)
  9. Add dry Cilantro
  10. Add 4 cups of Nona's Sauce

Top ↑Puttanesca (made with Nona's Sauce)

Ingredients
  • 1 cup olives (Calamata preferred)
  • 1/2 red onion – chopped
  • 3 or 4 cloves garlic – chopped
  • 3 or 4 anchovy filets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • white wine
  • 3 tablespoons capers
Preparation
  1. Put in pan
    1. 3 or 4 anchovies (with a little bit of anchovy juice)
    2. Chopped red onion
    3. 1 bottle capers
    4. Chopped olives (check to see there are no pits)
  2. Put pan over heat
    • Add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic
  3. With wooden spoon, mix ingredients; mush up/break down anchovies
  4. Add white wine (pour around pot)
  5. Add 4 cups Nonna's sauce

Top ↑Chicken Cacciatore (made with Nona's Sauce)

Ingredients
  • 1 large onion – chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic – minced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper – chopped
  • 1 colored (red, yellow, whatever you have) bell pepper – chopped
  • 8 large mushrooms – chopped
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 4 – 5 pounds of cooked chicken (picked and chopped)
Preparation
  1. Chop onions – rough cut (red/white – whatever you have on hand)
  2. Bell peppers – rough chop (chop from inside out)
  3. Mushrooms – chop (Do not get wet; clean dirt with tower)
  4. Chicken – Pull meat off bones – rough cut (save skin/bones to make chicken stock)
  5. Coat bottom of pan with regular olive oil
    • Add garlic, onions, bell pepper, salt, pepper – sauté
  6. Add pinch of basil, pinch of parsley, pinch of oregano
  7. Add red wine (a couple of times around the pot)
  8. Add mushrooms
  9. Add chicken
  10. Cook for about a minute – Coat chicken with red wine
  11. When chicken is “purple”, add 6 cups Nonna's sauce

Episode #2: Simple Summer Salads ~Insalate Miste Italiane~

Top ↑Cobb Salad with Lime Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

IngredientsIngredients for Lime Dijon Dressing
  • Boston lettuce (1 head)
  • Shrimp (5/person)
  • Bacon (thick cut – 3 to 4 slices)
  • Tomato (grape tomatoes – Roma)
  • Avocado (1/2)
  • Goat cheese
  • Zest of lime/juice of lime
  • Dijon mustard
  • Champagne vinegar
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Sugar
  • Extra virgin olive oil
Preparation: Salad
  1. Hard boil 3 eggs (Put eggs directly in cold water; bring to a boil; cover for 15 minutes).
  2. Fry 3 to 4 slices of thick cut bacon
  3. Clean shrimp; sprinkle w/salt & and a bit of olive oil. Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes (while building up the plate of other salad ingredients)
  4. Boston lettuce – clean; build up the lettuce in middle of plate and pile/shape to the sides
  5. Quarter the hard-boiled eggs; build around the lettuce
  6. Avocado – cut around edges and pop it open; scoop out/slide 1/2 avocado; fan out at edges
  7. Tomatoes – cut in 1/2 – build around edge of salad
  8. Bacon – rough chop – put around edge of salad
  9. Goat cheese – crumble – put around edge of salad
Preparation: Lime Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing
  1. Combine zest and juice of 1 lime with pinch of salt & pepper, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup of champagne vinegar
  2. Mix together, then whisk in extra virgin olive oil
Assembly
  1. Add shrimp to salad plate
  2. Drizzle dressing over everything on plate

Top ↑Grilled Vegetable Potato Salad with Roasted Garlic Aioli

IngredientsIngredients for Roasted Garlic Aioli
  • Baby red potatoes
  • Summer squash (2)
  • Zucchini (2)
  • Red onion (1)
  • Portabello mushrooms (2)
  • Roasted garlic
  • Egg yolk (2)
  • Dry mustard (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Juice from lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
Preparation: Salad
  1. Potatoes: Depending on size, cut in 1/2 (or leave whole) and boil
  2. Summer squash & zucchini: Cut ends off, then cut on bias (longer pieces)
  3. Portabello mushrooms: leave whole
  4. Red onion: take top/bottom off; cut into big thick slices
  5. Salt & pepper vegetables – be liberal with salt
  6. Sprinkle with olive oil; then grill vegetables
Preparation: Lime Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing
  1. Roast garlic in advance (Cut garlic cluster straight in 1/2. Put on tin foil; sprinkle with sale & pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap. Put in 400 degree oven).
  2. Crack 2 eggs and pull yolks (eggs should be at room temperature)
  3. Add dry mustard, Kosher salt and juice from lemon
  4. Whisk with a cup of olive oil; add extra virgin olive oil to taste
  5. Add roasted garlic (squeeze cloves into dressing)
  6. Whisk
Assembly
  1. In a bowl, put potatoes and grilled vegetables
  2. Cover with dressing
  3. Top with fresh herbs – parsley, basil and green onion (2) (rough chop)

Top ↑Grilled Chicken Caesar with Parmesan Crisps

IngredientsIngredients for Caesar Dressing
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Chicken breasts
  • Anchovies (1 filet – packed in olive oil)
  • Egg yolk (1)
  • Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon)
  • Lemon zest/Lemon juice (1)
  • Salt & pepper
  • Sugar
  • Extra virgin olive oil
Preparation: Salad
  1. Chicken breasts – season lightly wit salt & pepper and drizzle olive oil; grill with seasoned side down first, then season/grill other side
  2. When grilled, cut chicken breasts on bias into slices
  3. Romaine lettuce – remove outer leaves – rough chop – medium size – spin lettuce
Preparation: Parmesan Cheese Bowls
  1. On cookie sheet, put olive oil in middle and spread out oil with brush
  2. Spread out a couple of good handfuls of parmesan cheese (grated) – right up to the edge of cookie sheet
  3. Put I oven for 20 minutes – 1/2 hour
  4. Pull Parmesan from oven. With spatula, lift cheese into bowl; shape; let it cool
Preparation: Dressing
  1. Put 1 anchovy filet in bowl
  2. Add zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and pinch of salt & pepper and
  3. 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
  4. Whisk in extra virgin olive oil
Assembly
  1. Put lettuce into dressing, then onto the Parmesan cheese bowl
  2. Put chicken on top of lettuce
  3. Drizzle chicken with dressing
  4. Spring with Parmesan cheese

Episode #3: Dolce Finale

Top ↑Tiramisu with Limoncello and Blueberries (+3 other combinations)

Ingredients: ZabaglioneIngredients: Mascarpone
cheese mixture		Other Ingredients
  • 6 eggs (separated)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • Limoncello (4 oz.)
  • Mascarpone cheese
  • Zest & juice of 2 lemons
  • Lady fingers (Italian);
  • Limoncello;
  • Blueberries
Preparation: Zabaglione
  1. Mix 1/2 cup of sugar into 6 egg yolks
  2. Put on stove in double boiler and mix
  3. When mixture is slightly thick, add 4 oz. Limoncello; keep on mixing until thick consistency
  4. In the meantime, froth 6 egg whites in mixer (until you can turn the bowl upside down and the whites stay in place)
  5. When Zabaglione is cool, fold in frothed egg whites
Preparation: Mascarpone cheese mixture
  1. Add the zest and juice of 2 lemons to Mascarpone cheese
  2. When mixer is available, whip 2 cups of heavy cream (begin slowly, then turn up mixer)
  3. Gently fold in the whipped cream
Preparation: Tiramisu with Limoncello and Blueberries
  1. Put some Limoncello into a bowl
  2. Roll Lady fingers (one at a time) in Limoncello and place in bottom of pan (for 1st layer)
  3. Combine Zabaglione & Mascarpone – gently add cream mixture to egg mixture
  4. Put 1/2 of the combined mixture on top of lady fingers
  5. Then blueberries
  6. Then another layer of lady fingers (lay them opposite of first layer), then cream, then blueberries
Other possible combinations
  1. (Traditional Tiramisu) Use Marsala in Zabaglione and for dipping lady fingers; Use Espresso in Mascarpone cheese mixture (no berries)
  2. Use Godiva white chocolate in Zabaglione and for dipping lady fingers; Use Chambord in Mascarpone cheese mixture (also layer of raspberries)
  3. Use Grand Marnier in Zabaglione and for dipping lady fingers; Use orange zest in Mascarpone cheese mixture (also layer of strawberries)

Episode #4: Pasta with Kids

Top ↑Lemon Fettucini

Ingredients
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups of yellow, whole grain flour
  • 1 cup of white flour
  • Zest of 1 lemon
Preparation
  1. Crack 3 eggs
  2. Combine yellow and white flour on counter top; make well in middle of the flour
  3. Drop eggs in middle of well and whip eggs with a fork
  4. Mix zest of 1 lemon into flour and egg mixture; add a little water
  5. Put together and begin kneading (fold in and flatten with hands)
  6. When ready, cut strips of pasta (not all the way through), rip off little piece (thin enough to fit through pasta machine), flatten and fit through pasta machine – through flat part of machine first and then through the fettucini section of the attachment
  7. Gently drop into boiling water (pre-salted water); mix with tongs
  8. Cook for about 3 minutes
  9. In separate skillet, melt 1-1/2 sticks butter
  10. When pasta cooked, drain and put pasta in butter (add about 1 teaspoon of salt)
  11. Make certain pasta is covered with butter
  12. Put pasta on platter and top with Parmesan cheese

Top ↑Spinach Ravioli

Ingredients: PastaIngredients: Filling
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups of yellow, whole grain flour
  • 1 cup of white flour
  • 1/2 cup of cooked, drained spinach
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 lbs Ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup of parsley
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 pinches each of salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of garlic
  • 1 handful of Parmesan cheese
Preparation: Salad
  1. Crack 3 eggs
  2. Combine yellow and white flour in food processor
  3. Add eggs to flour; Add spinach to flour and eggs
  4. Give a little pulse; add touch of water, if needed
  5. Put a little flour on counter top and drop pasta on top
  6. Knead a little bit until tender dough (nice resistance)
  7. Rip off piece of pasta; feed through pasta maker (level #1); make 2 strips (bottom & top)
  8. Put flour on counter top; place flat piece of pasta on flour (bottom)
  9. Put a little dollop (less than 1 teaspoon) of filling on bottom – space dollops out
  10. Brush a little water around each mound of filling; then put 2nd strip of dough on top
  11. With pasta cutter, cut ravioli (may need to put pasta cutter in a little flour)
  12. Gently drop pasta into boiling water (rolling boil)
  13. 1-1/2 minutes to cook
  14. Drain pasta and put pasta on platter
  15. Top with Nona's sauce
  16. Sprinkle with cheese
Other possibilities
  1. Use sun-dried tomatoes OR roasted red peppers instead of spinach
  2. Instead of water for moisture, use lemon juice / lemon zest
  3. The same filling for this recipe may be used for lasagna