The Tuscan Affair

Directions

In a 12-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes, until onion is translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and their juices and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 5 minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, add the stale bread chunks and water. Continue simmering until all the bread has absorbed as much liquid as possible, yielding a baby food-like consistency. Add the garlic and stir in the basil. Season, to taste, with pepper. Let the soup continue simmering for 10 more minutes, then serve immediately in warmed soup bowls. Garnish, to taste, with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

HFor the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

HIn a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

HRead more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/panzanella-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, sugar and walnuts. Add 1/2 cup milk and slowly add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly to avoid forming lumps in the batter.

Grease the cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil and pour in the batter. Drizzle the top of the batter with the remaining olive oil and distribute the rosemary evenly over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes out clean.

While the castagnaccio is cooking, in a small saucepan, combine the lemons, sugar, and 1 cup water over medium heat. Cook until quite soft and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove the castagnaccio and serve either warm or cool with lemon sauce.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drain beans in a colander and gently rinse under cold water.

With 3 tablespoons of the oil saute the ham hocks, when brown turn over and add 1 clove chopped garlic. Add 3 cups cold water and beans, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs.

In a soup pot add 1/4 cup oil, and remaining chopped garlic. Cook until light brown and add leek, onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Saute for 8 minutes over medium heat until slightly soft. Add the cabbages and saute for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups water and the tomato puree. Cook for 20 minutes. Add to beans and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Remove ham hock. When cool chop the meat, and add back to the soup discarding the hock bones.

Place bread in oven until lightly browned. Remove from oven and rub with a clove of garlic. Brush with remaining olive oil.

When ready to eat bring the soup back to a simmer and add bread. Stir until well broken up. Serve with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and fresh grated Parmesan.

Directions

Combine all ingredients (except the freshly toasted Fettunata) into a food processor

Run for only a few seconds. Repeat a second at a time until you get a chunky puree

Taste, add more salt or pepper to taste

Spoon on the Fettunata,

Serve room temperature and ENJOY!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drain beans in a colander and gently rinse under cold water.

With 3 tablespoons of the oil saute the ham hocks, when brown turn over and add 1 clove chopped garlic. Add 3 cups cold water and beans, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs.

In a soup pot add 1/4 cup oil, and remaining chopped garlic. Cook until light brown and add leek, onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Saute for 8 minutes over medium heat until slightly soft. Add the cabbages and saute for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups water and the tomato puree. Cook for 20 minutes. Add to beans and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Remove ham hock. When cool chop the meat, and add back to the soup discarding the hock bones.

Place bread in oven until lightly browned. Remove from oven and rub with a clove of garlic. Brush with remaining olive oil.

When ready to eat bring the soup back to a simmer and add bread. Stir until well broken up. Serve with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and fresh grated Parmesan.

Directions

Combine all ingredients (except the freshly toasted Fettunata) into a food processor

Run for only a few seconds. Repeat a second at a time until you get a chunky puree

Taste, add more salt or pepper to taste

Spoon on the Fettunata,

Serve room temperature and ENJOY!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drain beans in a colander and gently rinse under cold water.

With 3 tablespoons of the oil saute the ham hocks, when brown turn over and add 1 clove chopped garlic. Add 3 cups cold water and beans, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs.

In a soup pot add 1/4 cup oil, and remaining chopped garlic. Cook until light brown and add leek, onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Saute for 8 minutes over medium heat until slightly soft. Add the cabbages and saute for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups water and the tomato puree. Cook for 20 minutes. Add to beans and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Remove ham hock. When cool chop the meat, and add back to the soup discarding the hock bones.

Place bread in oven until lightly browned. Remove from oven and rub with a clove of garlic. Brush with remaining olive oil.

When ready to eat bring the soup back to a simmer and add bread. Stir until well broken up. Serve with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and fresh grated Parmesan.

Directions

Boil potatoes for about 40 minutes. Drain and peel.

In a mixing bowl, crush the potatoes with a masher until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup chives, eggs, and nutmeg, and mix well.

Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

Using a pasta roller, roll out the pasta to thinnest setting and cut into 4-inch squares. Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture in center of each square. Fold opposite corners of each square together and press firmly to seal and form a triangle. Bring the opposite points of the triangle together and press firmly to meld. Continue until all the pasta is stuffed and formed into tortelli. Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until you begin to see hints of a golden brown color (noisette), appearing in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add the sage leaves and remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and set aside. Drain the tortelli well, gently pour into saute pan and return to heat. Add the remaining chives and cheese, toss to coat and serve immediately.

Basic pasta dough:
Mound 3 cups of flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you incorporate the eggs, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape (do not worry if it looks messy). The dough will come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. Add more flour, in 1/2-cup increments, if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.

Yield: 1 pound of pasta, about 4 servings