Minestrone Soup

2 carrots (1 minced, 1 sliced)
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/4 head cauliflower, broken
1/4 bunch escarole
1/4 bunch spinach
1/4 bunch endive
3/4 onion (< minced, 1/2 slivered)
1/4 head cabbage
1 cup peas
2 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 can peeled tomatoes
3 potatoes (2 chopped, 1 thinly sliced)
1/2 cup canned chick peas
1/2 cup canned kidney beans
1/4 teaspoon sage
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt pork, minced
ditalini
salt 2 quarts. water

Fry minced carrot, minced onion, and salt pork in olive oil until onions are clear. Add sage and canned tomatoes. Let cook for a few minutes and then add water. Salt to taste. Add 2 potatoes, sliced carrot and celery, and cauliflower. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add thinly sliced potato. Add spinach, escarole, onion, endive, peas, zucchini, and cabbage. Let cook for 15 minutes. Add beans and ditalini. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Penne Alla Napolitana

12 oz. penne or other small tubular pasta
4 Tbsp. virgin olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp. bottled red pepper flakes
2 cups Tomato sauce 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Drop penne into kettle of boiling water, return to boil and boil gently for 8 - 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, return to pan and keep warm.

Sauté garlic slowly in 3 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet until softened but not browned. Add olives, basil, red pepper and tomato sauce. Heat. Stir in cheeses and heat, stirring, until chunks begin to melt. Pour over pasta. Pass additional grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over if desired.

Pennetini in White Sauce

1 pound pennetini (little unribbed penne)
6 ounces brandy
6 ounces heavy cream
6 ounces porcini (or 1 ounce porcini + 5 ounces. shitake)
3 1/2 cups hot chicken stock
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian flatleaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup reserved porcini juice
cracked black pepper to taste

Saute pennetini in 3 ounces of olive oil for 7-8 minutes in broad pan until browned (o.k. if unevenly browned, but not burned). Meanwhile, soak porcini (but not shitake, if used) in enough water to cover (but at least 1/2 cup) for at least 3 minutes. Remove porcini, squeezing mushroom juice into soaking water. Reserve juice and chop mushrooms. After pennetini is sauteed, add brandy to pennetini pan and saute further until brandy has evaporated. Set aside. Begin to saute mushrooms in remaining olive oil in another pan with parsley. Add cracked black pepper. Return pennetini to heat and add hot chicken stock. Reduce while mushrooms cook. When mushrooms are lightly browned, add 1/2 cup reserved porcini juice and reduce. Pennetini should end up somewhat crisp from the sauteing, but some chicken broth should remain. As last step, add cream and then cheese to mushroom mixture. Heat and stir to evenness. Blend the pennetini mixture with the mushroom mixture and serve, with fresh parsley garnee.

Sausage and Polenta Casserole

1 tablespoon Fruity olive oil
1 onion; chopped
2 garlic cloves; minced
1 sweet red pepper; seeded and chopped
1/2 lb Mild Italian sausage; casing removed
1/2 lb Fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
3/4 c Yellow cornmeal or polenta mix
1 tb Chopped fresh sage
1 tb Chopped Italian parsley
1/4 ts Ground cayenne pepper
1 c Ricotta cheese
1/2 c Shredded gruyere cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tb Butter or margarine; melted
4 tb Grated parmesan cheese
Fresh Tomato Sauce (see below

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet; saute onion, garlic, and sweet pepper until hot through. Add crumbled sausage and continue cooking just until meat changes color. Stir in mushrooms and cook until hot through. Drain excess fat and set mixture aside. Place milk or other liquid in a large,
heavy saucepan over moderately high heat; slowly add cornmeal, stirring briskly with a wire whisk to prevent lumping. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, or until mixture is very thick and smooth; stir constantly to prevent scorching. Remove pan from heat and stir in herbs, cayenne pepper,
and ricotta and gruyere cheeses. Add sausage and sweet pepper mixture, combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into two 9-inch pie plates lined with plastic wrap. Cool on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate at least an hour, or as long as three days. When ready to serve dish, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut polenta in wedges
and place on an oiled shallow baking pan large enough to hold polenta in one layer without crowding. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until polenta is lightly browned and very hot when tested with a small knife in center of wedge. Serve with Fresh Tomato Sauce, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and
sprigs of herbs.

Sausage and Polenta Casserole

1 tablespoon Fruity olive oil
1 onion; chopped
2 garlic cloves; minced
1 sweet red pepper; seeded and chopped
1/2 lb Mild Italian sausage; casing removed
1/2 lb Fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
3/4 c Yellow cornmeal or polenta mix
1 tb Chopped fresh sage
1 tb Chopped Italian parsley
1/4 ts Ground cayenne pepper
1 c Ricotta cheese
1/2 c Shredded gruyere cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tb Butter or margarine; melted
4 tb Grated parmesan cheese
Fresh Tomato Sauce (see below

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet; saute onion, garlic, and sweet pepper until hot through. Add crumbled sausage and continue cooking just until meat changes color. Stir in mushrooms and cook until hot through. Drain excess fat and set mixture aside. Place milk or other liquid in a large,
heavy saucepan over moderately high heat; slowly add cornmeal, stirring briskly with a wire whisk to prevent lumping. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, or until mixture is very thick and smooth; stir constantly to prevent scorching. Remove pan from heat and stir in herbs, cayenne pepper,
and ricotta and gruyere cheeses. Add sausage and sweet pepper mixture, combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into two 9-inch pie plates lined with plastic wrap. Cool on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate at least an hour, or as long as three days. When ready to serve dish, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut polenta in wedges
and place on an oiled shallow baking pan large enough to hold polenta in one layer without crowding. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until polenta is lightly browned and very hot when tested with a small knife in center of wedge. Serve with Fresh Tomato Sauce, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and
sprigs of herbs.

Tiramisu

1 Package of Lady Fingers
4 egg yolks
½ cup of sugar
1 lb of Marscapone cheese
1 cup of heavy cream
½ cup freshly made espresso coffe
¼ cup cocoa powder

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until the mixture is thickened and light lemon color. Mix in the Marscapone cheese until thoroughly mixed. In a medium-size bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold into the cheese mixture. Dip the Savoiardi in espresso and line a 9 by 13 inch pan with them. 5. Pour in half the cheese mixture and smooth. Add another layer of the Savoiardi dipped in espresso. Pour the remaining cheese mixture on top and smooth. Chill for 2 hours and dust with cocoa powder before serving.