Special Linguine

1/2 cup )1 stick butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 (6 1/2 ounce) cans chopped clams, liquid reserved
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper
1 pound cooked linguine
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat butter in a large skillet.
Add garlic and cook until
golden.
Add clams and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add parsley.
Gradually add reserved clam juice until sauce is desired thickness.
Add walnuts.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook an additional 2
minutes.
Toss with hot cooked linguine.
Top with grated cheese and
serve immediately.

Strufoli

A favorite at Italian weddings.

12 servings

3 cups SIFTED all-purpose flour
5 medium eggs, slightly beaten
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup solid shortening, softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 quart oil for deep-fat frying
1 1/2 cups honey
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons colored sprinkles

Place 1 1/2 cups flour in a large mixing bowl.
Make a hollow in
the center and pour eggs into it.
Add egg yolk yolk, shortening,
sugar, salt, and lemon rind.
Work it with a wooden spoon until
dough forms (add remaining 1 1/2 cups flour as necessary).
Knead
dough on floured surface until smooth and no longer sticky.
Cut s
mall pieces of dough and roll into thin ropes.
Cut ropes into
1/4-inch pieces.
Roll each piece into a tiny ball.

Heat oil (at least 2 inches in a deep-fry pan) to about 370
degrees F.

Fry a handful of strufoli at a time, until golden brown.
Remove
with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towel.

Melt honey over medium heat and stir in orange rind.
Add
strufoli, stirring them in very gently with a wooden spoon.
Coat
them well with the honey, then remove from pan and “mound” them
pyramid-style on a decorative platter.
Sprinkle with colored
sprinkles and let them cool.

Cover with wax paper and store at room temperature.
They will
stay crisp for several days.

Sunday Night Lasagna

Sauce
2 medium-size onions, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 pound ground pork or spiced turkey sausage
1 (2 1/2 pound) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed
12 ounces tomato paste
1 tablespoon finely-grated orange zest
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cook onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil in a large pot over
medium-low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until wilted and
golden, stirring.
Add meat in small clumps and brown well over
medium heat, breaking it up with a fork.
Stir in remaining sauce
ingredients; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer
uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.

Béchamel Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, scalded
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan; whisk in flour.
Cook over low
heat, whisking, until fully blended, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add milk
in a slow stream, whisking constantly until smooth.
Cook, whisking
constantly until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add nutmeg, salt and
pepper.

3 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups (1/2 pound) grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parsley, oregano, nutmeg, salt
and pepper; stir well.
Place 2 cups of the Sauce in a 13 x 9-inch
baking dish.
Arrange 4 lasagna noodles on top of sauce.
Over the
noodles, spread half of the ricotta mixture, 2 cups Sauce and 1 cup
Béchamel Sauce, then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
Repeat with remaining noodles and ricotta, 2 cups Sauce, remaining
Béchamel sauce and mozzarella.
There will be some
Sauce left over.

Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet
and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted
and bubbly.
Remove dish from oven and allow to rest 10 to 15
minutes before serving.

Sweet Ravioli

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
About 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Sifted confectioners’ sugar

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer; gradually add
2/3 cup sugar, beating well.
Add egg, lemon rind, and extracts; mix
well.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture.
Divide dough in half.
Roll each portion of dough between 2 sheets
of wax paper to a 12-inch square.
Chill at least 1 hour.

Remove one portion of dough from refrigerator; remove top piece
of wax paper, and cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
Place 1/4
teaspoon raspberry preserves in center of half of squares; brush
edges of filled squares with water.
Place unfilled squares over
filled squares; press edges to seal.
Cut an X on top of each.
Repeat with remaining dough and preserves.
Place cookies on greased
cookie sheets, and bake at 350 degrees F for 9 to 11 minutes or
until edges are lightly browned.
Remove from oven, and cool on
baking sheets 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire racks, and
cool completely.
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes 4 dozen.

Tiramisu

This is a very old recipe from Venice, Italy.
It means
“pick-me-up.”

Mascarpone Zabaglione
5 egg yolks
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup Marsala
1/2 cup cream
1 pound mascarpone cheese, softened
to room temperature

Beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until pale and thick, about 1
minute.
Add Marsala and place bowl over a pan of simmering water,
beating constantly by hand or with an electric mixer on low, until
the mixture thickens and triples in volume, about 12 minutes.
The
yolks should be very fluffy and soft, like a whipped custard.
Be
careful not to overcook or the yolks will curdle.
Remove from heat,
stirring occasionally, to cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a clean
bowl, cover, and chill.

In a cold bowl and with cold beaters, whip cream to stiff peaks.
Fold a scoop of the cream into the mascarpone cheese to lighten the
cheese so it will blend easily..
Fold in remaining cream, then the
chilled zabaglione.

For assembly
1 cup strong black coffee
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 store-bought sponge cake
6 ounces grated semisweet chocolate

Make a dipping liquid of the coffee, sugar, rum and vanilla
extract.
Cut the sponge cake into 3 x 1 1/2-inch rectangular
strips.
Dunk pieces of cake into the coffee liquid, then arrange
them in a single layer in the bottom of an 8- to 10-cup baking dish
or shallow bowl.
When the bottom is covered with cake, spoon half
the mascarpone custard on top and smooth over.
Top with half the
grated chocolate.
Top with another layer of coffee-dunker cake,
then with remaining mascarpone custard.
Cover decoratively with
remaining grated chocolate.
Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
To
serve, cut into squares or wedges.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Tomato and Bread Salad (Panzanella)

This is best if you use very ripe tomatoes.

4 cups 1-inch pieces stale Italian or French bread
2 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Mix bread, tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, basil and
parsley.

Shake remaining ingredients in tightly covered container.
Pour
over bread mixture; toss.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1
hour.

Garnish with Kalamata or Greek olives if desired.