Hasanpasa Meatballs

I love this meatball recipe. It is an authentic Turkish recipe where meat and potatoes are used to make a complete meal that looks and tastes yummy!

It does take some time to prepare, but it isn't difficult and it's well worth it.

In Turkey we use a cheese called Kashkaval which is the tastiest cheeses around and you can find it in Middle Eastern markets. I use the Greek version which is a little bit sharper, although not as sharp as you would find it in Turkey. If you don't have it, you can use Parmesan, or even Mozzarella depending on how strong you want the cheese taste to be. Parmesan would be quite sharp which is what I like, but Mozzarella would melt wonderfully. Try and see which one you like best.

Enjoy:)

HASANPASA MEATBALLS

Ingredients:
For Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
2 slices of stale bread, discard outer ring OR 1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil

For mashed potatoes:
5-6 potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons of Kashkaval, or Parmesan cheese
Salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup water

Directions:
For Meatballs:
In a large bowl add meat, onion, eggs and breadcrumbs and remaining salt/pepper and blend with your hands until just combined well (do not overmix). Form mixture into walnut-size balls and push the center with thumb to make a depression. You will be adding mashed potatoes to the depressed hollow space. Arrange on large baking sheets.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook in 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook as it will dry the meatballs.

For mashed potatoes:
Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 5-quart pot, then simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 18 minutes.

Drain potatoes well in a colander, then return to pot along with egg, butter, salt, and pepper and mash with a potato masher until combined well.

Add milk slowly and blend well forming the mashed potatoes. Add desired cheese.

After the meatballs and the mashed potatoes are ready prepare tomato sauce by blending the tomato paste in the cup of water.

Add mashed potatoes to the hollows of the meatballs. Pour prepared tomato paste mixture over the tomatoes lightly and return to oven. Bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Bucatini Carbonara with Zucchini

I had copied this recipe from Bon Appetit a long time ago. It's rich and delicious, and not heavy at all. And very easy to make.

You can add cooked chicken breast pieces or shrimp to make it a more complete meal.

If you like your pasta with a lot of sauce you need to to use twice the cream and cheese. For me the recipe is enough, which barely coats the pasta.

You can also add a bit of white wine to the cream sauce which gives it a nice bite.

BUCATINI CARBONARA WITH ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
6 ounces sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced

1 pound bucatini or spaghetti

3 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pancetta in medium skillet over medium heat until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels; drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add cream, garlic, and crushed pepper to drippings in skillet; bring to boil. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pancetta, cream mixture, and zucchini can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, place eggs in their shell in small bowl. Add enough hot water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Crack eggs into large bowl and whisk to blend. Bring cream mixture to boil in skillet. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into eggs. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Add sauce to pasta and toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta (do not boil). Add pancetta and zucchini and toss to heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Biba's Ricotta Squash Gnocchi

I found this wonderful gnocchi recipe which I love at Martha Stewart. I don't know who she is but according to Martha Stewart this recipe was passed down to chef Biba Caggiano from her mother. Thank God for that:)

It's a little time consuming, but you can prepare it a day ahead and cook it later on.

I love the fact that this is a gnocchi that uses a vegetable instead of traditional potatoes or just flour. It is really delicious.

There is really nothing to change or add to this recipe. Just grab a glass of white wine and enjoy:)

BIBA'S RICOTTA SQUASH GNOCCHI

Ingredients:
For the gnocchi:
2 pounds butternut squash
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/3 to 1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the sauce:
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves, torn
Coarse salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side down. Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly; remove and discard the seeds, and scrape the pulp from the skin. Place the pulp in a large kitchen towel (not terrycloth), wrap it around the squash, and squeeze out approximately 3/4 cup of the juices.

In a large bowl, combine the squash pulp, egg, ricotta, Parmigiano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until thoroughly blended together. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured wooden board, and, with your hands, work gently into a dough, gradually adding a little more flour if the dough sticks too much to your hands and to the board. Dust the dough lightly with flour, and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

To form the gnocchi, cut off a piece of dough about the size of an orange. Flour your hands lightly. Using both hands, roll out the piece of dough with a light back-and-forth motion into a rope about the thickness of your index finger. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Hold a fork with the tines against the work surface, the curved part of the fork facing away. Starting from the bottom of the tines of the fork, press each piece of dough with your index finger firmly upward along the length of the tines, then let the gnocchi fall back onto the work surface. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the gnocchi have been formed. Transfer gnocchi to a lightly floured platter or baking sheet. The gnocchi can be cooked immediately or refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add remaining tablespoon salt and gnocchi. Cover pot, and cook until water returns to a boil. Uncover, and cook until the gnocchi rise to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cook for just 20 to 30 seconds more.

While the gnocchi are cooking, make the sauce: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add sage, and stir a few times.

Remove the gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon or a skimmer, draining the excess water back into the pot, and place in the skillet. Season lightly with salt, and add a small handful of the Parmigiano. Stir over medium heat until the gnocchi are well coated with butter. Taste, adjust for seasoning, and serve immediately with a sprinkling of Parmigiano.

Makes 4 servings

Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce

This is the easiest and fastest creamy tomato sauce that you can use with any pasta. I don't remember where I got the recipe from, but it's very versatile, and you can make a lot of changes to it. Such as adding leftover roasted vegetables.

If you want, you can add some white or red wine to the sauce while simmering, I always add a little bit.

You don't necessarily have to use cheese tortellini, try different fillings. This is a great weeknight meal, with great leftovers. Enjoy:)

CHEESE TORTELLINI & CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup minced onion
2 Large garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Large pinch dried oregano and chili pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. each salt and sugar
1 Cup (8 ounces) whipping cream
1 Pound cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a 10-inch skillet saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Add tomatoes, rinsing can with 2 tablespoons water.

Stir in oregano, chili pepper flakes, salt and sugar. Simmer, bubbling gently for 10 minutes.

Whisk in cream.

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

Serve sauce over tortellini.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin

I love gratins, simply because I love cheese:) I had never thought of putting squash together with spinach until I saw this recipe at Gourmet.

I used a regular knife to cut the squash, you don't really have to have a mandolin. You can roast the squash slices for 20 min. in a 450 oven to bring out the sweetness. And you can probably find bagged spinach ready to go at your local market. Trader Joes has bags, and they are better than frozen ones. Make sure you get rid of juices as much as possible from the spinach, otherwise the dish will become soggy.

And because I like cheese, I actually used more Parmesan cheese between layers. I'm glad I did:) You can also add ricotta for texture.

Cooking time was a little bit longer than the recipe. I had to keep it in the oven an extra 10 minutes.

If you don't like heavy cream use a classic bechamel and stir the onion/spinach mixture into the bechamel. Then layer the butternut with the bechamel to make a "lasagna" type structure.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CREAMED-SPINACH GRATIN

Ingredients:
3 lb fresh spinach, stems discarded, or 3 (10-oz) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
4 lb butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded
1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup)
Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Directions:
If using fresh spinach, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot over high heat. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Thoroughly squeeze cooked fresh or thawed frozen spinach in small handfuls to remove excess moisture, then coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches; not glass).

Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer.

Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.

Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes.

Note: Gratin can be assembled, but not baked, 1 day ahead and kept, surface covered with parchment or wax paper and then covered with plastic wrap, chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before baking.

Tomato Ricotta Tart

This one is such an easy recipe from Martha Stewart, and such a great representation for something so basic.

I love this tart because it has all the ingredients I love and when put together like in this recipe, it is yummy:)

To me it tastes better warm, but it also makes a great leftover for breakfast. Enjoy:)

TOMATO-RICOTTA TART

Ingredients:
2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing over tart
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced beefsteak tomatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.

In a 9-inch springform pan, toss breadcrumbs with olive oil; press evenly into bottom.

In a bowl, whisk ricotta with Parmesan, eggs, and basil; season generously with salt and pepper. Spread over crust; arrange tomatoes on top. Brush with olive oil.

Bake until tomatoes are almost dry, 35 to 45 minutes; let cool. Unmold. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fried Ravioli and Basic Marinara Sauce

Who even can think about frying Ravioli. Giada De Laurentiis is who:) And it is delicious.

And although her recipe has a store bought marinara sauce, it's easy to make, so I've added the basic recipe below also. It has 1 hour as simmering, which will bring the sauce together, but you don't have to simmer that long.

These make great appetizers if you don't burn the raviolis, which you need to pay attention to. If the oil is too hot, they will burn, and they will burn fast. So don't heat the oil up too much and watch them closely.

You should also try it with different fillings than just cheese, or even different sauces. Enjoy:)

FRIED RAVIOLI

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated, for dipping (OR see recipe below)

Directions:
Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely.

Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

BASIC MARINARA SAUCE

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the diced tomatoes with juice, the tomato puree, and parsley. Stir to blend and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto

This recipe makes a great breakfast or a lunch sandwich, from Giada De Laurentiis who always makes these easy but ultimately very very tasty dishes.

Try not to switch the prosciutto which gives this egg dish a nice twist. But of course you can use ham or any other lunch meat that you like. This recipe is quite versatile, and will handle most any changes you make to it. Such as changing the meat or the cheeses. Or you can add more ingredients, such as mushrooms, green peppers etc.

If you wanted to you could skip the bread, and serve the frittata with some salad on the side and some red wine and you'd have a complete meal:)

FRITTATA WITH POTATO AND PROSCIUTTO

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (7-ounce) potato, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 baguette, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter

Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy 9 1/2-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, onion, and garlic. Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.

Saute over medium-low heat until the potato is golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, and basil in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet.

Cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still loose, about 3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Cut the frittata into 12 wedges.

Split open each bread piece. Toast the bread on a grill pan until golden. You can also broil the bread cut side up until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a careful watch on the bread since they can easily burn.

Butter the cut sides of the toasted bread. Arrange a frittata wedge on each bottom piece of bread. Cover with the bread tops and serve.

Chickpea Fritters - Panelle

Panelle or chickpea fritters is supposed to be the street food in Sicily and is served between two pieces of country bread. Gourmet has given the recipe, and although it is a little bit different than the original, it still tastes great.

The recipe has Sicilian sea salt which you can find at Italian markets. It tastes a little bit different than regular table salt. It's harvested from the Mediterranean and dried under the sun. So it isn't refined, and usually is used as cooking salt rather than a table salt. If your sea salt is very granular and pebble like, crush it using the flat side of a large heavy knife or the bottom of a heavy skillet.

And you can also find chickpea flour at Italian or specialty markets.

Although the recipe has Parmesan which I love, provolone worked better for me. See which one you like better.

CHICKPEA FRITTERS - Panelle

Ingredients:
3 cups water
2 cups chickpea flour
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (preferably Sicilian)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Special equipment: parchment paper; a deep-fat thermometer

Directions:
Lightly oil an 8- by 4-inch loaf pan (6-cup capacity) and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each end.

Whisk together water, chickpea flour, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan until smooth, then cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (to prevent lumps from forming), until very thick and mixture pulls away from side of pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer mixture to loaf pan, smoothing top. Cool, uncovered, then chill, surface of mixture covered with plastic wrap, until firm, at least 3 hours.

Lift chickpea block out of pan using parchment and transfer to a work surface.

Gently flip over block and discard parchment, then pat dry. Cut block crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices for panelle.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Heat 1/2 inch oil (about 2 cups) in a deep 10-inch heavy skillet until it registers 375°F on thermometer, then fry panelle in 5 batches, carefully turning occasionally with tongs, until golden and puffed, 3 to 5 minutes per batch, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm on a baking sheet in oven while frying remaining batches.

Arrange panelle on a platter and sprinkle with parsley and cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes:
• To take the temperature of a shallow amount of oil, put bulb in skillet and turn thermometer facedown, resting other end against rim of skillet. Check temperature frequently.
• Chickpea mixture can be chilled in loaf pan up to 1 day.
• Panelle can be fried 4 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 10 servings (as part of antipasti).

Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes

These overstuffed potatoes are not just tasty, but they are very easy to prepare. I've copied the recipe from Food and Wine, and being a potato lover tried it right away.

I like bacon with this type of potatoes, so I skipped the mushroom, and used bacon instead. They are just wonderful.

And if you have it white pepper works better than black pepper.

I added some fresh green onions to the mixture just because I have seen them served before, and it adds to the taste.

I also sprinkle with some red pepper, which gives it a happier appearance. Enjoy:)

CHEDDAR STUFFED POTATOES

Ingredients:
6 medium baking potatoes (3 3/4 pounds), scrubbed
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup snipped chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°.

Place the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the olive oil. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown around the edges and tender, about 4 minutes. Season generously with salt and black pepper and transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl.

Cut off the top fourth of each potato. Scoop the flesh from the tops of the potatoes into the bowl with the sautéed mushrooms; discard the skins. Scoop the flesh from the potatoes into the bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch of shell. Place the potato shells on the baking sheet.

While the potato flesh is still warm, add the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the sour cream and 3 tablespoons of the snipped chives to the bowl. Using a potato masher, whisk or pastry blender, mash the filling until the potatoes are almost smooth, the cheese is incorporated and the butter has melted. Season the potato filling with salt and black pepper.

Mound the mushroom-and-cheese filling into the empty potato skins and top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake the stuffed potatoes for 30 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the cheese on top is lightly golden. Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of snipped chives and serve immediately.

The stuffed potatoes can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Makes 6 servings

Ratatouille and Goat Cheese Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

This is an old Gourmet recipe and it's a great one if you like ratatouille. And it's made into a salad type of recipe and the textures work wonderfully.

If you don't have pastry rings just use a can to mold and push out the ingredients. It's a bit messy, but it still works. Or you can use individual ramekins and then just turn them over really fast:)

If you prefer you can just roast all the vegetables in the oven at around 375 degrees, for about half an hour. Then just follow the recipe as is.

If you want, you can add or omit vegetables according to what you have on hand, the dish comes out different but it's still great. And healthy too:)

RATATOUILLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PESTO VINAIGRETTE
In this recipe a 3- by 1 1/2-inch stainless-steel pastry ring is called for. It is available at some specialty cookware shops.

Ingredients:
For pesto vinaigrette:
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted golden
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

For ratatouille:
1 long narrow Japanese eggplant
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 small red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped fine
1 medium vine-ripened tomato, seeded and puréed (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

12 ounces soft mild goat cheese at room temperature
8 ounces mesclun (mixed baby greens)

Garnish:
red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
Make vinaigrette:
In a blender or small food processor blend all vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Vinaigrette may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Bring vinaigrette to room temperature before using on salads.

Make ratatouille:
Cut eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers into 1/4-inch dice.

In a large heavy skillet cook eggplant in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until tender and transfer to a bowl. In skillet cook zucchini, yellow squash, and onion with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, and transfer to bowl. Cook bell peppers in remaining teaspoon oil in same manner and transfer to bowl. Stir in tomato purée, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool ratatouille completely.

Preheat oven to 375°F. and cut a large sheet of parchment paper into eight 5- to 6- inch squares.

On a work surface put a 3-inch metal pastry ring (at least 1 1/2 high) in middle of 1 parchment square and fill it with 1/3 cup ratatouille, pressing evenly and tightly into bottom.

Cut goat cheese into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece to form a 3-inch disk.

Top ratatouille in ring with goat cheese disk, pressing lightly at edges to cover ratatouille completely. Transfer round on parchment square to a large baking sheet and remove ring. Make 7 more rounds in same manner with remaining parchment squares, ratatouille, and goat cheese. Bake rounds in middle of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.

While rounds are baking, in a large bowl toss mesclun with 1/4 cup vinaigrette and divide among 8 plates.

With a spatula transfer a round to center of each salad.

Drizzle each salad with about 1 teaspoon vinaigrette and garnish with tomatoes.

Bring vinaigrette to room temperature before using on salads.

Makes 8 Servings.

Grilled New Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs

Wonderful potatoes if you are barbecuing:) This is a very old recipe from Bon Appetit, and I love the mixture of grilled potatoes with fresh herbs.

Don't put the potatoes in foil, they are great if they grill directly on the heat. If they happen to be too small and keep falling off, then make a tray from foil and add the potatoes. And if you want to cook faster, you can also microwave the potatoes before grilling.

If you want to prepare them without a barbecue, you can just roast them in a 350-400 degree oven. Boil or microwave before putting in the oven to bring cooking time down. It works just as well.

Make sure to put the potatoes in the onion/herb mix when they are still hot so the cheese will melt.

The garlic amount is too much for me, I use only one clove. Adjust to how you would like it.

GRILLED NEW POTATOES WITH PARMESAN AND HERBS

Ingredients:
3 pounds small red-skinned potatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes; cool.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Cut potatoes in half; transfer to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil; toss to coat.

Grill potatoes until golden, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Tomato Eggplant Spread and Parmesan Toasts

Great appetizer recipe from Bon Appetit. Especially if you have company coming. You don't necessarily have to prepare the Parmesan toasts, and use melba toast or crackers, but if you have the time go for it. They are very tasty:)

The only change I have made to this recipe was to put the spread into the blender so that it was more like a spread than a salsa.

If you like, you can also add some cumin to the spread which enriches the flavor.

TOMATO EGGPLANT SPREAD AND PARMESAN TOASTS

Ingredients:
For Parmesan toasts:
1 baguette (about 15 inches long), cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 ounce)

1/4 cup pine nuts
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 firm eggplant (about 11/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, 1 chopped and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 minced

3 vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3/4 pound total), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
1/3 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
Make Parmesan toasts:
Preheat oven to 325° F.
On a large baking sheet arrange bread slices in one layer and lightly brush both sides of each slice with oil. Toast slices in middle of oven 15 minutes and turn over. Sprinkle slices with Parmesan and toast 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer toasts to a rack and cool. Toasts may be made 2 days ahead and kept in a sealable plastic bag at room temperature.

In a large heavy skillet toast pine nuts in 3 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until golden and with a slotted spoon transfer to a small bowl. In oil remaining in skillet sauté eggplant, onion, minced garlic, and salt to taste over moderately high heat, stirring, until eggplant begins to brown. Cook mixture, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes, and transfer to a bowl. Cool mixture.

Into eggplant mixture stir garlic paste, tomatoes, basil, parsley, lemon juice, sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Keep toasted pine nuts in a sealable plastic bag at room temperature. Bring spread to room temperature before serving.

Just before serving, stir pine nuts into spread. Serve spread with toasts.

Makes about 3 cups spread and about 45 toasts.

Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes

I had found this recipe from Gourmet and of course I make some changes to it while preparing it:)

Brush a whisked mix of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, & black ground pepper over the tomatoes before roasting.

For a more melted taste use mozzarella cheese at the top of the dish before putting it into the oven. Cover the dish with foil when you put it in the oven to prevent dryness, you can take it off during the last five minutes to have the mozzarella brown a bit.

If you can't find mascarpone, you can also try ricotta cheese. It actually is better for me as mascarpone become watery when melted and then the dish is too soggy. When you use mascarpone you might want to skip adding the pasta water.

Or you can use penne if you don't have castellane handy.

CASTELLANE WITH MASCARPONE AND ROASTED GRAPE TOMATOES

Ingredients:
2 pints grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 lb castellane pasta or medium (regular) shells
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese (from a 1-lb container)
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Directions:
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large shallow baking pan with foil and butter foil.

Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in pan and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast until slightly plumped, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl.

Add mascarpone and stir until melted. Add reserved cooking water, tomatoes, half of Parmesan, 3 tablespoons chives, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss well, then cool to warm.

Butter a 3-quart (13- by 9-inch) gratin or other shallow baking dish. Toss pasta mixture again, then spoon into gratin dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top. Bake pasta until golden and bubbly, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon chives.

Makes 6 main-course servings.

Garlic Knots and Basic Pizza Dough

These are fun appetizers from Gourmet. And very easy to make.

It's a good idea to let the dough rise before baking it. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes.

Pecorino cheese also works great. You can use both cheeses to hava a variety.

They are also fun as small bite size pieces. Instead of making knots just cut them into small pieces and wait for them to rise a bit.

Watch them after 15 minutes. 25 minutes would be too long. The more they stay in the oven the crunchier they become.

Just in case you prefer to prepare the pizza dough at home, I'm adding the recipe, which is from Emeril, below. I used store bought ready dough. Enjoy:)

GARLIC KNOTS

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for greasing pan
2 lb frozen pizza dough, thawed
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (1/2 cup)

Directions:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil 2 large (17- by 13-inch) baking sheets.

Divide dough in half. Keep half of dough covered with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Gently roll out other half into a 10-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. (Use your hands to pull corners. If dough is very elastic, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest about 3 minutes.)

Cut square in half with a pizza wheel or a sharp heavy knife, then cut each half crosswise into 15 strips (about 2/3 inch wide). Cover strips with a clean kitchen towel.

Keeping remaining strips covered, gently tie each strip into a knot, pulling ends slightly to secure (if dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour) and arranging knots 1 inch apart in staggered rows on 1 baking sheet. Keep knots covered with clean kitchen towels.

Roll out and cut remaining dough, then form into knots, arranging 1 inch apart in staggered rows on second baking sheet. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 20 to 25 minutes total.

While knots bake, mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt, then stir together with oil in a very large bowl. Immediately after baking, toss knots in garlic oil, then sprinkle with parsley and cheese and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Knots can be baked, but not coated, 2 hours ahead. Reheat knots on a large baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven until hot, 3 to 5 minutes, then toss with garlic oil and sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

Makes about 5 dozen knots.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Yellow cornmeal, for sprinkling the baking sheet

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 1 tablespoon oil, stirring to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. You may not need all of the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl with remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Yield: dough for 1 (15-inch) pizza

Variations:

Parmesan Pizza Dough:
Substitute 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese for 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour. Use a pinch of salt instead of 1 teaspoon. Proceed as directed above.

Oregano Pizza Dough:
Stir 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano in with the flour and proceed as directed above.

Spotted Pig's Ricotta Gnudi

A friend of mine has visited the Spotted Pig in New York, and could not stop raving about the ricotta gnudi. When I checked into it, I found out that people wait over an hour to be able to eat these delicious gnocchi.

She says she looked for the recipe and found it and tried it right away. She even sent me a picture of the dish that she cooked, and it just looks luscious, so tonight I'm trying it:)

I'm adding the recipe below, and I think there isn't much that you can do to this recipe but enjoy it:) Bon Appetit!

SPOTTED PIG'S RICOTTA GNUDI

Ingredients:
1 egg
340 gr fresh ricotta cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
113 gr freshly grated parmigiano reggiano (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup semolina flour
1 tbls all purpose flour

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, one tablespoon chopped tarragon, egg, Parmigiano, half of the flour and the tbls of all-purpose flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix until the ingredients are well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place the remaining flour in a shallow bowl. Using floured hands, pinch about a tablespoon worth of mixture and form into a little football shape. Dredge each through the flour in the bowl and onto a baking sheet. Continue this until you've made as many gnocchi shaped pieces as you can. You can either immediately poach them or cover with foil and refrigerate for up to a few hours.

While the gnudi are boiling, melt the butter in a saucepan until it has foamed and the foam has subsided and the butter starts to turn a honeyed sort of brown. Add sage leaves and sauté until super fragrant and a bit crisp. Once gnudi is cooked, divide among bowls and then top with browned sage butter and a serious grating of Parmesan.

Baked Garden Tomatoes with Cheese

This basic tomato recipe is from Bon Appetit which you can use as a base dish. It's great as a side dish. But it's so versatile that you can use it just about wherever you want. It's very tasty, and very easy to make.

But here are some tips that you must pay attention to, otherwise you will end up with a soupy dish with cheese:)

You have to take the seeds out of the tomatoes, take out as much as you can. And be careful with the salt, as it also will draw out the juice from the tomatoes.

I have tried these with green, red and yellow tomatoes, and have changed the cheeses according to what I have at home, and it always comes out good. Have fun:)

BAKED GARDEN TOMATOES WITH CHEESE

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 3/4 pounds fresh vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (packed) freshly grated Romano cheese

Two more ways to go:
Add chopped fresh basil leaves and/or small cubes of mozzarella cheese. Or use yellow and green tomatoes with the red ones to add summer color.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil 11x7-inch baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.

Mix in chives; season with salt and pepper. Transfer tomato mixture to prepared baking dish; sprinkle grated cheeses over. Bake until cheese melts and begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Veal Cutlets with Arugula and Tomato Salad

After you taste this recipe from Gourmet, you wonder why you didn't think to put these ingredients together. They are sooo good together.

Although the recipe is for veal, you can substitute chicken or turkey breast, and it is still very tasty.

The recipe doesn't list flour, but use it. Before you dip the veal or whatever you are using in the egg. Otherwise the breadcrumbs don't really stick to the meat. And you can easily use store bought breadcrumbs, they work just as well.

Let the salad marinade for a while, it infuses the tastes together and it's so much better. I usually prepare the salad first and then get going with the veal.

Watch your cooking time, 6 minutes is really to long to cook the veal. Make sure the oil is not too hot, and if you are cooking in two batches, bring the heat down a little bit, and then add the second batch so that you have a nice looking golden veal instead of a dark brown one:) Enjoy:)

VEAL CUTLETS WITH ARUGULA AND TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients:
3 cups fine fresh bread crumbs (from 6 slices firm white sandwich bread)
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes (1/8 lb total), cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (1/2 cup)
4 veal cutlets (1 1/4 lb total)
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 oz arugula (5 cups), leaves torn if large
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into bite-size pieces

Directions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan and toast 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F.

Whisk together oil, juice, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until combined, then stir in tomatoes and onion.

Gently pound cutlets to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin. Sprinkle veal all over with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper.

Stir together bread crumbs and cheese in a large shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in another large shallow bowl. Dip veal, 1 piece at a time, in egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge in bread crumbs, coating completely, and arrange in 1 layer on a sheet of wax paper.

Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 cutlets, turning over once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to baking pan and keep warm in oven. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and fry remaining cutlets.

Add arugula and basil to tomato mixture and toss, then season with salt and pepper. Serve veal topped with salad.

Makes 4 servings.

Cheese Souffle

As soon as someone says souffle the first word that comes to mind is difficult. But it's not difficult at all if you follow the directions below, from Alton Brown. He does such a good job of explaining every step that you can almost not go wrong. And once you can make a souffle, you will feel like you have taken over the world:))

The only thing that I saw that is missing in this recipe is an explanation for tempering eggs. It is a method which is the slow addition of a hot liquid to a cold one. Tempering gradually brings the temperature of the two mixtures together and is used when a scalding hot liquid, such as cream or milk, is added to eggs. To temper, add a large spoonful of the hot cream to the egg-sugar mixture, whisking all the while. Add another spoonful, and then another, and continue until all the cream is mixed in.

Once you can temper, and you can beat the yolks to creamy consistency, you can't really go wrong.

The only thing I changed in this recipe was the Cheddar cheese. I prefer using Gruyere.

And keep in mind that it's a good idea to separate your eggs one by one in a separate dish, so that you don't get any yolks in the white part by mistake. It will ruin the souffle. Or you will have to throw what you have and start all over again.

CHEESE SOUFFLE

Ingredients:
Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cups milk, hot
4 large egg yolks (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar
5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water (5 1/2 ounces by weight plus 1/2 ounce water)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:
Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt.
Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes.

Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.

Pour the mixture into the souffle. Fill the souffle to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Parmesan Popovers

Being a Parmesan lover, when I read this recipe, I had to try it. These are so good that they should be outlawed:) Seriously though, definitely add more Parmesan than the recipe.

The recipe below is the original recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, and it really is way too easy to make, just mix everything and pop it in the oven.

They are good with salads, with soups, by themselves, any which way you can think of; they are just good:) Have fun with them...

PARMESAN POPOVERS

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 cups whole milk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.