Italian Cuisine 101: Tomato Sauce

Italian Cuisine wouldn't be the same without tomatoes...Tomatoes are widely used as the base for appetizers,main dishes, second dishes and side dishes. When an Italian goes shopping, tomatoes will most likely be at the top of the list.
Today I want to share with you my own tomato meat sauce which you can use daily as a dressing for your favorite pasta or to complement Lasagne Alla Bolognese, Cannelloni Ripieni and many other casserole dishes.

Ragù Di Carne 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove

1/2 lb (225 gr) ground meat

a pinch of salt 

2 - 3 cups (about 550-700 gr) tomato sauce (canned, see Italian Shopping List post)
1/2 teaspoon sugar

For a stronger flavor you can add also:

1 carrot, finely diced

1/2 stick celery, finely diced

Place Olive Oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Add onions and garlic (if you want add also carrots and celery at this point). Stir until the onions are soft, make sure the garlic doesn't burn ; ).
Add the ground meat, break it into small bits using a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to high.Cook until the meat is fully browned. Add the tomato sauce, then salt, and then sugar.
When the tomato sauce starts boiling, turn the heat to low. Simmer slowly for about an hour.

When used as a dressing for pasta, don't forget to top your tomato sauce with Parmigiano cheese...enjoy!

Buon Appetito!

Stefania

Bari

Italian Shopping List

When I moved the the USA going to the supermarket had become a nightmare...aisles and aisles of cereal, frozen goods, chips, cookies...I remember searching frantically for anything that would look familiar to me and that would allow me to make the dishes I had grown up with, but after few years of denial I had to face the truth. Cooking Italian style, especially in smaller towns, is no peace of cake and when the chance comes to buy something authentic, your groceries might get quite pricey. But if you look around carefully (and believe you me, I did for 6 years), the "Italian solution" is around the corner.
Let's see what are the must-haves to make an Italian dish as close as possible to the real thing:

 

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil :definitely more expensive than regular olive oil, but tastier and healthier. It's cheaper at Cotsco and Sam's Club, but you can also find it at Walmart, Target and Smith's. The bigger the bottle, the cheaper the price. 
• Tomato Sauce: pretty sure Italians couldn't live without it. Don't bother trying pre-made Italian tomato sauces...chances are they were made in Texas and they are terribly spicy. Tomato paste with pasta? Never! Go for canned tomato sauce, with no salt, no sugar, no spices added. You'll add what you need to the sauce to personalize your dish. Smith's and Albertsons carried my favorite! I'll post my recipe for tomato sauce soon.
• Parmigiano Cheese : also know as Parmesan. The real Parmigiano comes in slivers and it's recognizable by the traditional marking with the inscription in full "Parmigiano Reggiano" impressed along the side of the whole cheese and visible on small pieces too. Again, very pricey and difficult to find but I remember buying it at Target, Sam's Club and Cotsco . If you can't find the real thing, avoid cheese mixes for Italian recipes...whatever they contain doesn't taste Italian! Go for grated Parmesan mix without spices in it. 

• Mozzarella Cheese : real mozzarella cheese is soft and watery...nothing like mozzarella sticks, but for most recipes shredded mozzarella works. Sam's club and Cotsco have real mozzarella and sometimes Romano cheese.
• Basil ,Origano, Parsley: While origano is often used to prepare Italian specialties, Basil and Parsley are only used for the preparation of few dishes. Dry Basil and dry Parsley don't taste very good...when it's possible, use fresh herbs (Target).

As for other common ingredients...for Italians the general motto is "fresh is better". Frozen chopped onions and garlic powder might be convenient and might not smell as bed as the fresh version, but the taste you obtain with fresh vegetables and  herbs  it's worth the effort to peel and chop them : )
Yes, we have frozen goods and yes, we have microwaves (the Roman Empire existed loooooooong time ago ; ) ), but for most Italians slow cooked food is the key for a healthy, tasty meal.
Cooking time is also very important for your pasta dishes. Choose Barilla when it comes to choosing your favorite pasta and follow meticulously the recommended time to cook it. Not overcooked, not too firm...we like it "al dente" : )

I'll be anxiously waiting for your comments and questions about the recipes !

Stefania

Linguine con zucchine fritte

Today we eat in Sicily, the largest Island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the most beautiful Italian regions.

Linguine with fried zucchini

Ingredients: (4 to 6 people)

• 2lbs small zucchini
• 1/2 cup olive oil (better if extra virgin)
• 4garlic cloves (don't use garlic powder...frozen garlic is ok : ))
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1lb linguine
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (freshly grated tastes better)
• 8 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  

Preparation:

1 – Scrub zucchini and blot dry with paper towel. Trim both ends and cut into 2-inch lenghts. Slice again lengthwise into 1/2-inch widths. Put zucchini slices on a platter.

2 – In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until haze forms. Add garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until very lightly golden. With a spoon, remove garlic and reserve (this way the garlic won't burn). Fry zucchini until golden on both sides. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper( about 1teaspoon). Remove pan from heat and let oil cool a little; return garlic to pan. Set aside.

3 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt until "al dente". Drain pasta in colander and transfer to a bowl; very quickly toss with oil-garlic mixture. Toss pasta again with half of the fried zucchini and romano cheese. 
Add remaining fried zucchini and ricotta.Serve with additional grated Romano cheese.


You can add black olives, chopped tomatoes or shrimps to this recipe and personalize it ; )




Buon Appetito!

Sicilia