Gravy Recipe Ingredients

2 cups turkey juice
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp beef boullion
pepper and salt

Directions

• in your pot add approximately 2 cups of turkey juice. Stir in about 1/2 cup flour until there are no lumps.
• remove the gravy fat
• add potato or carrot water until gravy consistency is met
• add 1 tbsp beef boullion powder
• pepper and salt to taste

I know what you are thinking…Italians cannot make gravy. Mamma’s gravy recipe is a keeper, which she perfected during the 30 plus years experience running a commercial kitchen !  Mangiare!

Directions

Cut ribs in smaller bite size pieces or about two inches wide
Boil ribs for 15-20 minutes and then remove from water

Add black pepper, seasoning salt, sprinkle with oregano and garlic

Bake in 350 degree F oven for about 1/2 hour
Remove and add your favorite BBQ sauce
Place again in oven at about 200 – 250 degree F for another 30 minutes

Keep in oven on low heat until ready to serve. Mangiare !

There are many types of Italian breads, Ciabatta, Pane carasau, Pane casareccio, Panino, Focaccia, Pane toscano (without salt), Michetta, Rosetta, Ciriola, Pane pugliese, Pane di Altamura, Pane Fritto,  Grissini torinesi, Tigella, Crescentina, Piadina, Pita to name a few. The following is an authentic age old Italian recipe for fried bread Mamma style.

Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water
2 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp salt
2 cups of flour

Vegetable oil (for frying pan)

Directions:

• Wait for yeast to float on top of the water then add flour
• Mix till no lumps (not like pancake dough)
• The dough should stick to your hands and fingers for the consistency to be correct
• Leave until ready to fry do not touch it!!
• If the house is hot/warm the dough will rise faster
• Fill the frying pan ¾ full with vegetable oil and set burner or stove up as high as 8.
• On the side fill a little bowl with some oil to dip your fingers in so the dough does not stick too badly to your fingers. Remember to frequently oil your fingers and hands to prevent dough from sticking.
• Pinch a bit of dough, quickly spread it or stretch it then carefully place it into the oil in the pan (see photo).
• Can cook quickly so do not leave unattended.
• Flip when underside is golden brown.

Let cool and enjoy! Mangia!

This pasta recipe takes a bit of work but if you are having a dinner party and you are wanting to WOW the crowd this Italian recipe will suffice.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Fresh Spinach or 2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 green onions finely chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
36 each Jumbo shells
3 cups Marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage (this item can be left out if wish to have without meat)

Directions:

• Place fresh spinach in large saucepan, cover and cook over moderate heat until wilted. About 4-5 minutes. Drain and cool. When cool squeeze dry and chop fine.
• With a large skillet on moderate heat cook the 8 ounces of Italian sausage (remove casings first), until brown or about 5 minutes. To reduce grease use a slotted spoon to place the meat onto a plate with paper towel. Cool and chop fine.
• Using same skillet saute 1 small finely chopped onion, 1 clove garlic (minced). Stir frequently for about 5 minutes.
• Using a large bowl combine onion mixture, sausage, spinach, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1 tbsp minced parsley, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp black pepper.
• Cook pasta as per package instructions…do not overcook. Drain off about half of the water and refill the pot with cold water. Remove shells and place on kitchen towel.
• Preheat oven 375 deg F.
• Spread tomato sauce over bottom of shallow 2 quart casserole dish. Stuff pasta shells with sausage and spinach mixture and place them on the sauce. Spoon remaining (2 cups) of sauce overall and sprinkle with rest of parmesan cheese (1/2 cup).
• Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated and bubbling

Serves 4

Let Mamma Feed you … Mangia

4 tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 cups green beans (fresh and washed)
1/2 cup potatoes
1/2 cup kidney beans (if using fresh beans soak them overnight first)
1 tbsp basil
salt
pepper
celery leaves only
zucchini flower tops

Directions:

• Add 1/4 cup olive oil and garlic to cooking pot.
• remove tomato core and blend in mixer, add blended tomatoes to cooking pot and Saute.
• add vegetables (beans, celery leaves, zucchini flower tops, potatoes) to pot and mix.
• Add 1 tbsp basil. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover with lid and simmer. Do not touch for about 20 minutes.

Serves 6

Optional: add 1/2 cup spaghetti noodles (Mamma breaks them in half).

Mangia … enjoy.

Makes 5 jars

Ingredients:

20 pounds of green beans
3 cups of water
1 cup of white vinegar
5 tbsp table salt

Olive oil, oregano, garlic

Directions:

• Boil beans until semi soft, drain water and let sit until they are cool to the touch.
• Pack cooked beans into jars.
• Add 1 Tbsp. of table salt into each jar.
• Pour boiling water and vinegar solution into jars.
• Seal jars and steam for 4 minutes.

When ready to serve:

Remove green beans from jar, rinse with cold water and place into serving dish. Add 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 clove grated garlic and drizzle with oil. Mangiare!

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 cups (500 ml) bread crumbs (soak in water for few minutes)
2 cloves garlic (crushed or grated)
1/4 cup parsley
3 eggs
3/4 cup romano or parmesan cheese
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt

Directions:

• In large mixing bowl add the meat, bread crumbs (after squeezing out the excess water) add eggs. Mix
• Add grated or pressed garlic, parsley, cheese, salt
• Mix well and shape into meatballs.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F and cook meatballs for 15-20 minutes or until brown… Mangiare and Let Mamma Feed You!

Looking for a classic Italian recipe for homemade pasta sauce or tomato sauce from scratch?

Ingredients:

10 lbs tomatoes
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
Salt to taste

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup of olive oil and clove of garlic to cooking pot. Start simmer on low temperature. Add tomatoes.

To prepare tomatoes we will give you two options:

Option 1 – Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 1/2 minute or 30 seconds. Remove and peel skin. Place the peeled tomatoes into your cooking pot and crush.

Option 2 – If you have a blender or bullet mixer you do not need to peel or boil the tomatoes. Remove core, cut the tomatoes in half and blend. Add the mixture to your cooking pot.

Add basil, oregano and salt. Simmer for 3-4 hours. Mangia!!

For meat sauce add cooked lean ground beef.

Another specialty which is easy to make and worth the effort is roasted peppers Mamma style.

Ingredients:

3 peppers (1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow or whatever you have)
4-5 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp salt
olive oil

Directions:

• roast peppers on baking sheet in oven at 350 deg F for approximately 25 minutes
• after they have cooled peel and slice peppers and place in bowl
• add garlic
• add oregano, salt
• add olive oil prior to serving

Stir and they are ready to eat or freeze.

Ingredients:

12 cups of water
1 cup of coarse salt
Large Green Olives purchased by the box (seasonal)

Directions:

• Crush firm green olives, removing the pit.

• Soak crushed olives in water for 4 days, remember to change water every day.
• Place olives into canning jars.
• Boil salt and water mixture, pour hot solution into the jars.
• Seal jars and store.

Preparation: Pour contents of sealed jar into a bowl and soak the olives in fresh water for at least one day (over night is better, squeezing olives occasionally and refreshing the water). Squeeze as much excess water out of olives  as you can and place into serving bowl, let air dry, add fresh garlic, oregano, salt, anise seed and olive oil to taste.

Stir frequently and after they have been dressed allow them to sit for a few hours before serving. If you are a true olive lover this Italian recipe will become a keeper.