Recipes
Pizza Night
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 23rd, 2010
Who doesn’t love pizza? Well I am sure the Atkins diet doesn’t, but that is just silly. Being from New York, I was born to eat pizza, being Italian, I was born to make it. Every Friday night at my parents house, there is bound to be a pizza in the oven. If there isn’t a pizza in the oven, then we are in the car on our way to Vermont, and stopped for pizza along the way. Everyone has their comfort food, be it fried chicken, cupcakes, taffy…mine is pizza.
Now that I am on my own, I need to keep the tradition alive and make pizza every Friday night. On the Menu tonight: Cheese Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Sausage & Green Olive Pizza and last but not least mushroom & goat cheese pizza.
Once you see how easy it is to make your own pizza, you will think twice about ordering in delivery. Now you can certainly make your own dough and I have several times, but I would rather focus my attention on the toppings and let the dough be made by the pros. Believe it or not, a pizzeria will sell you plain dough. The prices can range anywhere from $2.00 to $4.00 for a large dough, it depends how much they want to rip us off. I purchased 4 large dough’s and then cut 2 of them in half to create 4 small ones.
This Friday I cooked 2 large pizza’s in the oven and 4 small pizza’s on the grill. You can go either way here, but I would suggest trying to grill your own pizza sometime. It tastes like it was cooked in a brick over, without the investment of Italian bricks. I will show you the basics of both methods and then you can get as creative you would like with the toppings.
Ingredients
PLAIN CHEESE PIZZA
- 1 large dough
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1-2 cups tomato sauce (home made or store bought)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh Basil – torn into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
For this pizza, I decided to bake it in the oven, just like my mother would do every Friday. Using a rimmed baking sheet, whether it be round or square, drizzle the pan with oil. Then you need to stretch the dough to fit the pan. There is no need to throw the pizza in the air, you can certainly try. I grab the edges and hold it up so the dough naturally starts to stretch. You can also make fists and put the dough over it and slowly expand it.
Since I am using a rectangular baking sheet, I need to stretch it a little more one side then the other. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to fit inside the pan. The imperfections are what makes this pizza yours.
Now that the dough is in the pan, I spread the sauce onto the dough with a spoon. I leave about an inch or so of the edge un-sauced, so there is a crust.
Once the sauce is on the pizza, you can place is in the pre-heated oven and bake until the bottom is golden brown. It takes 10-15 mins to get the bottom golden. Depending on your oven, the time can vary. The easiest way to know, is to take a fork and lift the dough up to see the bottom. Once it’s golden brown. Take it out of the oven, sprinkle it with the grated parmesan cheese and then sprinkle with the torn basil. Then evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the pizza. Place back into the oven until it reaches the desired crispiness. I like my pizza well done, so I leave it in a little longer.
BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 large dough
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded smoked gouda
- sliced red onion
- 2 TBLS chopped cilantro
For the BBQ chicken pizza, I do the same as I did for the Plain Cheese Pizza, but instead of spreading the tomato sauce onto the dough, I spread a 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Dice the chicken up and sauté in a sauté pan until fully cooked through, add the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and cook until the chicken is coated well with the BBQ sauce.
Place the dough w/ the BBQ sauce into the oven and bake until the bottom is golden brown
Remove the dough from the oven. Sprinkle the prepared chicken evenly onto the dough, sprinkle with the fresh chopped cilantro, sprinkle the shredded cheeses evenly over the pizza and top with the red onion circles. Bake until cheese is melted.
SAUSAGE & GREEN OLIVE PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 large pizza dough (cut in half and formed into 2 rounds)
- Package of sweet or spicy Italian sausage
- Jar of Green Spanish Olives, sliced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup tomato sauce
This can be done in the same fashion as the above pizza’s, however I decided to grill these ones. Shape the dough’s into round circles, rub both sides with olive oil and place directly on a hot grill. I have a pizza grate that I bought from Crate & Barrel specifically for this purpose, but I have done it directly on the grill before I knew about the pan, so either way is fine. Grill one side until golden brown, and slightly burnt, then slip over with thongs and grill the other side. You are looking for the grill marks on both sides.
Meanwhile, remove the sausage links from their casings and sauté in a medium skillet.
Break up the pieces with a wooden spoon, the smaller the better. Once cooked completely, I drain off some of the grease and set aside.
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce onto the grilled dough and top with half the sausage and a handful of sliced olives. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and bring back to the grill to finish until cheese is melted.
Slice and enjoy.
MUSHROOM & GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 large dough (cut in half and formed into 2 rounds)
- 2 Packages of cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 oz goat cheese
- balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced in half)
Follow the same instructions above for grilled the dough. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a pan with a little oil and garlic.
Remove from the sauté pan and drain off the liquid. Spread the mushrooms on the grilled dough’s and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. 
Place back on the grill until goat cheese starts to brown, remove from the grill and lightly drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Huevos rancheros
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 14th, 2010
Do you speak Spanish? Well I don’t, but this translates to “eggs ranch-style” or “eggs country-style.” You’ve got to love Mexican food. Here is breakfast with eggs, beans, tortillas and cheese. It doesn’t even have to be limited to breakfast, it can be eaten anytime. I woke up this morning and decided that I needed to eat this. I’ve ordered it out at restaurants several times and it’s really hit or miss. It’s either really good, or should never be served to humans. I decided to step it up and make it myself.
Ingredients
- 1 TBLS vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 TBLS minced jalapeno
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes and their juice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 TBLS chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 4 large corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup warm refried beans
- 2 TBLS unsalted butter
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack
RANCHERO SAUCE:
in a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cumin, salt, cayenne, jalapeno, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the broth and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and cover to keep warm.
In a large skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tortilla and cook until warmed through and just starting to brown about 30 seconds. Turn and cook on the second side. Remove, cover to keep warm, and repeat with the remaining oil and tortillas.
In 2 medium skillets, melt 1 tablespoon of butter each, over medium-high heat. Break 4 eggs into each skillet and fry until beginning to set, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the eggs with the cheese and cover to finish cooking, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Place 1 warm tortilla on each of 4 plates and spread each with 2 tablespoons of warm refried beans. Place 2 eggs on top of each tortilla and top with the warm Ranchero Sauce. Serve immediately.
Enjoy.
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
Crab Salad Wontons
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 10th, 2010
This is the perfect appetizer for the spring. Its so refreshing and somewhat healthy. The crab salad is so good on its own, that you will find yourself dipping anything you can into it. I woke up at 8:00am on Mother’s Day to prepare these and ended up eating a few. Yep, crab for breakfast, why not?
The hardest part about this recipe was finding the wonton wrappers. Most supermarkets carry them in the freezer section and I have seen them before, but never needed them. Of course, the day I need them, they are no where to be found. I went from Whole Foods to Stop & Shop to Beijing, China to get these. Ok not literally China, but close enough. I googled Asian Supermarkets in White Plains, NY and came across Kam Sen Foods. Little did I know that this was the largest Asian supermarket in Westchester and had everything from Chinese herbs to Peking Duck. It was amazing, but I was on a mission and didn’t have time to explore. Grab the wontons and run.
Ingredients
FOR THE WONTON CUPS
- Cooking spray
- 18 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
- 2 tsp canola oil
- kosher salt or sea salt
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 TBLS fresh lime juice
- 2 TBLS olive oil
- 1 tsp grated lime zest
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
FOR THE SALAD
- 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup peeled and finely diced ripe mango
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white & green parts)
- 2 TBLS chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 2 mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
MAKE THE WONTON CUPS
Brush both sides of the wonton wrappers with canola oil and place each wrapper into a section of a mini muffin tin. Gently press each wrapper into the tin and form it into a cup shape. Sprinkle with salt.
The trick is to make sure you crease the edges a bit inside the cups, you need to press them together, or else they will fold into each other during baking. I am speaking from experience, because my first batch got messed up and I had to eat half the wontons….yes, I had to eat them all. Don’t judge me…haha.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned and crisp.
MAKE THE DRESSING
In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice and zest, salt, and red pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk until combined.
MAKE THE SALAD
In a medium bowl, gently toss the crabmeat, celery, mango, scallions, and cilantro, trying not to break up the crab too much. Add the dressing and gently toss to combine.
Both the salad and the wonton cups can be made up to a day ahead of time. Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and the wontons at room temperature in an airtight container. To serve, fill each cup with the crab salad and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Finecooking.com
corn souffle
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 6th, 2010
When I hear the word “soufflé,” I think of chocolate and the French. Here we are bringing the French word down South, This is similar to cornbread, but moist, fluffy and full of corn. I wouldn’t skip the gym the day you’re going to eat this because it’s got Paula Deen written all over it. I don’t know where this recipe originated from, but it’s very similar to Paula Deen’s on the Food Network. If you’ve ever watched her show, she loves her some butter. Regardless of where this recipe came from, I received it from a family friend and have been making it every Thanksgiving since. I decided that I couldn’t wait till November for this, and it should be eaten year round.
It’s a delicious side for BBQ this summer, so try it out and add it to your menu.
Ingredients
- 1 (8oz) box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 can of corn (drained)
- 1 can of cream of corn
- 8oz sour cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
Spray a corning-ware or pyrex dish with Pam cooking spray and pour the mixture into the dish. Smooth over with the fork, so its even on the top.
Place in oven for 40-50 mins, just until the top starts to brown.
Enjoy, you may want to double the recipe for large groups because this always seems to be the first thing to go when I make it.
Old Bay Grilled Chicken
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 2nd, 2010
Who would have thought that the word Old Bay and Chicken would be in the same sentence. It is typically associated with eating crabs, since that’s where it had originated. It was created by a German immigrant in the 1940’s as a seasoning to be used on crabs. Similar to how you can find peanuts up for grabs at most bars, at those times in Maryland, they would offer free crabs to encourage people to drink.
If you’ve never tried it, then you need to pick it up next time your at the store. The little yellow can is a unique blend of: mustard, paprika, celery seed, bay leaves, both black and red pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, salt and ginger. It’s full of flavor and I am sure you will find many more uses for it.
On the back of the can they have a few recipes suggestions, this chicken being one of them (I adjusted it slightly).
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Lemon
- 1 TBLS of Old Bay Seasoning
- Handful of fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
In a glass dish or plastic zip lock bag, combine all ingredients. Add some fresh cracked pepper and salt to your preference. I personally don’t add any pepper, I add a pinch of sea salt. Give the lemon a good roll on the counter to get the most juice out of it. Squeeze the whole thing in, don’t worry about the pits.
Now, seal up the zip lock bag and work all the ingredients together to make sure the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate this 20-30 mins and then grill on a medium-high grill. You can also broil in the oven until no longer pink inside
Grill 5-10 mins a side, until fully cooked through.
Serve with some veggies and rice. I grilled some corn for this meal and made some brown rice. For only marinating 20 minutes, this chicken has a ton of flavor.
Grilled Salsa
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on May 2nd, 2010
What is the most popular condiment in the United States? You would first assume its ketchup or mustard, but apparently over the last few years, salsa has been taking over the pantry. I heard this fact a few years ago and I can’t seem to find any current statistics that prove it, but for our purposes, lets assume its #1.
I enjoy the taste of jarred salsa, but nothing compares to fresh. It reminds me of going to a Mexican restaurant, sitting down and instead of bread at the table, there are chips & salsa. It’s their own unique blend, its their signature. Here is a chance to make your own. You can easily do this in the oven, but the grill creates a great charred flavor that the oven lacks.
Ingredients
- 3lbs Roma tomatoes
- 8 peeled garlic cloves
- 1-2 peppers (serrano chile peppers or jalapenos)
- 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 TBLS white vinegar
- Kosher salt to taste
Preheat the grill to high or your oven to high broil. If you are grilling these, then place the garlic cloves in aluminum foil and wrap tight. If you are using the oven, line a rimed baking sheet with foil and place tomatoes, peppers and garlic directly on the pan. For broiling, you are going to broil them for 5-10 minutes on 1 side, making sure to brown them slightly. Flip everything over and then continue broiling for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven to let cool.
For the people that are grilling, place the tomatoes, peppers & garlic (wrapped in foil), directly on the grill.
Close the grill and grill for 5-10 minutes until charred black. You will start to notice the skin is peeling off the tomatoes. Flip them over to continue grilling the other side. They should look like below.
Remove them from the grill and let cool completely. Once cooled, peel the tomatoes. Cut off the tomato top to remove the core and make peeling easier. These tomatoes are juicy and will make a mess, I do them on a cutting board and make sure there are plenty of paper towels to soak up the juice. Sometimes I do these in a strainer to drain some of the juice, but its up to you. Peel the peppers and cut off the stem.
Next, place the garlic, cilantro, peppers (seeds & all), sugar & white vinegar into a food processor. Finely chop everything up.
If you don’t have a food processor you can just mince up everything finely and you will have a chunkier salsa then one made with a food processor. Once these base ingredients are finely chopped, add the peeled tomatoes and few handfuls of kosher salt and pulse everything together. I like to just pulse a few times, so that its chunky. You can mix it as much as you want if you prefer something more liquid.
Make sure to taste for flavor and add salt as needed. Place the salsa in a container and then store in the fridge until ready to serve. You can serve immediately or store for up to 5 days.
After you taste this salsa, you may see why American’s voted salsa #1.
Alane’s “Nearly” famous Blueberry tart
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on April 29th, 2010
This has to be the most sought after recipe I have ever come in contact with. There isn’t a week that goes by that someone doesn’t mention it or ask me for it. It’s become a staple in my arsenal and I have made it more than anything else in the last five years.
I can only trace it back to my Aunt Patty’s sister-in-law, Alane. I don’t need to know any more than that. It’s been titled “Alane’s Blueberry Tart” in my folder for years now and it needs to be known as that. The ingredients are simple and can be easily stored in your pantry. This is the perfect dessert in a pinch and tastes like it was made professionally. You can use any fruit filling, cherry, apple and of course blueberry. I venture into the cherry realm every now and then, but for me, blueberry is the winner. The problem with canned blueberry is that you need to take out a mortgage to buy it, no but really it is rather expensive when compared to other canned fruits. It retails anywhere from $5.00 a can, all the way to $7.00. If you ever see it on sale, go nuts and fill your cart, call me while your at it, because I need some. I must warn you that when this starts baking, your kitchen is going to fill with the most amazing smell that reminds me of shortbread. You will be making this frequently, so get used to it.
I must thank Alane for sharing this with us years ago and now I am able to share it with everyone here. In the words of my Aunt Patty, “I frickin love her for that.”
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 sticks of butter (softened)
- 1 egg, add milk in a liquid measuring cup, till it makes 1/3 cup
- 1 can of Blueberry fruit filling (or any fruit)
- confectioners sugar, for dusting
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Work all dry ingredients and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork.
When mixed together, lightly beat the egg in the measuring cup and then add to the mixture
Continue working together with a fork, then use your hands to bring it all together
Grease a 10” spring-foam pan. spread half the dough on the bottom and slightly up the sides
Pour filling over the dough and spread out evenly with a spatula or butter knife, then break the rest of the dough into pieces and sprinkle on top
Bake for 35-45 mins @ 400 degrees F. I have noticed that my oven browns it up nicely within 35 mins. You want it to be golden brown, so keep your eye on it..
Let cool for 1 hour and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
I couldn’t wait the whole hour, so I just started eating this piece I cut for the picture.
Continue to pass this recipe on, so that one day it could really be famous…because it should be.
tortilla soup
by NICHOLAS AMMATURO on April 27th 2010
Anytime I see “Tortilla Soup” on a menu it immediately catches my attention and I must order it. I have never had one that taste like the other, everyone has their own unique twist. I first tasted it at California Pizza Kitchen in the King of Prussia Mall when I was going to college in the area. Since then, I have been making it myself, testing out recipes, altering it into something that I feel it much better than the original I tasted 8 years ago.
I had a few go-to-recipes that I was mix and matching and I omitted most of what was overpowering the soup itself. Now what I make, is more of a bath for the salted tortilla strips,avocados and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s very basic and can be thrown together in 20-30 mins. This is certainly a week night, come home from work late soup, but it taste likes it been cooking for hours. I typically use chicken for this, but have been known to use the leftovers from my 6 hr slow roasted pork pernil. Sometimes I bake a couple of chicken breasts in the oven, then shred them with a fork and other times, I boil the chicken right in the broth, then remove and shred.
Tonight, I am running home from work and just feel like eating, so I purchased a store roasted whole chicken. I think every grocery store is equipped with their own rotisseries now and while I am diligently working all day, these little guys are slow rotating on a spit, waiting for me to eat them. The great thing is they only cost $5 to $7 dollars.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and embrace is at one of your own and adapt it to your likings.
This recipe will make 4 dinner servings and approx 6 if this is just an appetizer or a side to a main course.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken or pork
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 48oz can of chicken broth (6 cups)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) with the juice
- handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 TBLS Vegetable Oil – 2 TBLS for the soup and 2 TBLS for the tortilla strips
- 3/4 cup corn (fresh/frozen/canned) (optional)
- coarse salt (sea salt or kosher)
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
Toppings
- 16-8 oz Package Soft Corn Tortillas (just grab like 10 of them out of the package) – follow cooking instructions below
- 2 Ripe Avocados, diced
- shredded Monterey jack Cheese
- Lime
- Sour Cream (optional)
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Meanwhile place 10 or so corn tortillas on a cutting board, cut in half and then cut into strips.
Scatter the strips onto the baking sheet, drizzle with 2 TBLS of the vegetable oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Work everything together with your hands, to make sure the oil and salt get on as many strips as possible.
Place these in the oven and bake for approx 20 minutes, keep an eye on them and move them around a few times, because the outside edges tend to cook quicker. You just want to get the strips golden brown and crispy. I usually place these in the oven first and then continue on with making the soup, by the time the strips are done, your soup will be ready as well.
Here is what they should look like when they are done.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 TBLS Vegetable oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a min or so.
Next, add the can of diced tomatoes with their juice, corn, the can of chicken broth and the shredded chicken or pork.
Raise the heat and bring to a boil, cover partially and reduce the heat to medium, cooking for 10 mins. Stir in a palmful (approx 3 TBLS of fresh chopped cilantro). Continue cooking for another minute or so. Here is where you can taste it and add salt as needed. I rarely add salt because of the salt on the tortilla strips. Remove the soup from the heat and ladle into bowls.
Add a spoonful of diced avocado, a handful of the freshly baked tortilla strips and sprinkle with some Monterey jack cheese. You can add a scoop of sour cream on top as well. Serve with Lime.
Gnocchi di Ricotta
by NICK AMMATURO on April 26th 2010
Imagine having a few too many drinks at your uncle’s 50th birthday party and then your mother invites you over the next day to learn how to make gnocchi. I woke up and don’t remember the night, but I do remember the promise of fresh pasta. I don’t think I’ve ever had “Gnocchi di Ricotta,” prior to this past Sunday. If I’ve crossed paths with these little nuggets of cheese and flour before, it was unsuspectingly at a restaurant. These will certainly not be forgotten.
I wanted to share the experience I had while watching my mother take just flour and ricotta and turn them into something that sauce perfectly adhered to and melted in your mouth, all while not leaving you stuffed.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of Ricotta (we used Poly-O original)
- 6-8 cups of All-purpose flour
Tools (optional) – certainly makes it easier
- Bench Scrapper – knife can be used
- Gnocchi Board – fork will work just fine
Makes approx 2 lbs (extra to freeze)
Make sure you have a clean stable work surface. My mom has a special board she had made for pasta and struffoli’s (honey balls). This is not required, but makes for an easy, low hassle working surface. Scoop out the ricotta into a pile and make a well in the center by taking a spoon and going in a circular motion.
Then you just need to add the flour in increments, mixing with your hands, until the right consistency in formed. Very similar to other pasta dough’s, it can’t be too sticky. If it continues to stick to your fingers, keep adding flour. The reason you add the flour in increments, is that you don’t want it to become too dry.
You’ll notice the dough is sticky, but not forming together. Keep adding flour and kneading it with your hands.
The dough is finally starting to come together and resemble a log. With an unfloured finger, try poking the dough and it you don’t stick, then the dough will be ready for rolling out.
Now comes the fun part. Place the dough in the corner of your workspace, since you are going to need plenty of room for rolling out and cutting. Cover the dough with a clean towel and using your bench scrapper or a knife, cut a 2 inch piece off at a time. Roll this into a 1/2” thick log, you can make them as big or small as you would like.
Next, using the bench scrapper or a knife, cut them into 3/4” pieces.
You can cook them if you wanted to now, but traditional gnocchi have ridges. To create the ridges, press each piece of dough against the front of a fork then gently roll up and around the back of the fork. If you the dough is sticking to the fork, dust the fork lightly with flour. If you happen to have a wooden gnocchi board, then you just press the dough at the top and roll it down.
After each rope is cut and formed into gnocchi, using your bench scrapper or a spatula, place them onto a lightly floured baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. This makes it easier to transport them to the water, once you’re ready to cook them.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and gently add the gnocchi, they will cook very fast. Approx 5-6 minutes and they will start floating to the top. Make sure you have an official pasta tester who has agreed to judge the doneness. That would be my dad. He’s the most picky eater and he loves his pasta, so were not done until he says so.
Once Big John says the pasta is done, then drain them and toss with your favorite sauce. We’ve got mom’s homemade sauce of course.
Enjoy…not only is the pasta delicious, its fun to make and brings everyone together. That has to be the most rewarding thing about food.
Thank you Mom…
Love,
your Son
Fresh Dill Pickles
by NICK AMMATURO on April 24th 2010
Recipe courtesy of, “Quick Pickles” by Chris Schlesinger
This book was introduced to me by one of my co-workers whose into cooking even more than I am. He makes batches of pickles and distributes them to everyone in his team. Just as soon as he hands them out, people are already asking for more. It’s always nice to learn more about the people you work with everyday, it adds a whole new depth to them and I have a new found respect for someone I am just getting to know. I would have never thought that I would be making my own pickles, it was a realm that I never thought of exploring. Now that I have started, I can’t stop. I am having the best time learning about what spices to use, what herbs to experiment with and how something can be so tasty from just a few ingredients.
I am introducing you to the first pickle that I tried from the book, the Fresh Dill Cucumber Pickle, its been one of my favorites so far. I will make sure to share as I go through and try some others out.
Ingredients
-
5-6 pounds of pickling cucumbers (less than 5” long)
-
1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced
-
Bunch of Fresh Dill
-
1/4 Cup pickling spices (see note below)
-
3 cups red wine vinegar
-
6 cups water
-
1/2 cup kosher or other coarse salt
-
3 small chilies (optional), slit in half
-
2/3 cup peeled, finely grated horseradish (optional)
-
Grape Leaves (optional)
Pickling Spices*:
-
1 TBLS coriander seed
-
1 TBLS mustard seed
-
2 tsp celery seed
-
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
-
2 whole cloves
-
4 crumbled bay leaves
*For the pickling spices, I would place these all in a dry sauté pan over medium heat and toast. Moving frequently, just a few minutes until you start to smell them. Remove from heat, to avoid burning them.
Time to tickle your….
First trim and discard the ends of the cucumbers. This is to speed up the absorption of the brine into the cucumbers. You can keep them whole, halve them, quarter them, or slice them into 1/4” rounds. I have made them everyway and I prefer to quarter some and to slice them into 1/4” rounds (I use a simple mandolin that literally cost me $11.00 at a hardware store).
Next, you’re going to pack all the ingredients into the jar, crock, or bowl. I start with some dill, garlic and a grape leaf on the bottom. Then I start adding the cucumbers, savings the smaller ones for the top. I divide the pickling spice among how many jars I have and I begin to sprinkle it in as I am filling it with the cucumbers.
In a nonreactive pot, bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt. Pour the hot mixture over the cucumbers, covering as much as you can. Allow to cool at room temperature, then cover, refrigerate, and in just a day or 2, the pickles will be ready to eat.
These pickles will keep, covered and refrigerated for at least 2 months.
