Ingredients

1 can (48 oz) Crushed Tomatoes
1 can (48 oz) Tomato Sauce
1-1/2 tbsp oregano
1-1/2 tbsp basil
Salt to taste.

Mamma’s pizza sauce is the best. For those of us that try to make it we need to make several attempts to ensure we get it right.  She has the benefit of adding this sauce to her own home-made pizza dough and this only increases the challenge of trying to make it on our own hoping to replicate that unique traditional taste.

This recipe is simple so give it a try by adding it to your favorite pizza dough.

Directions

Combine in pot and let simmer for at least 1 hour.  Remember to sample your Italian Pizza Sauce as it simmers…grab a spoon and taste it and this will help you determine how much salt etc to add.

This one is for Sandie H.   Mangiare!

This is harvest season and many gardeners are picking their vegetables. If you planted green peppers now is the time to try this simple but tasty recipe.

Ingredients
3 cups bread cubes
2 eggs
6 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Parsley
Garlic

Directions

• Remove core of pepper. Some like to keep the core for the filling (less the stem of course).

• In a mixing bowl combine 3 cups of bread cubes, chopped parsley and the grated garlic. Both the parsley and garlic is to your desired taste.

• Add the 2 eggs and mix ingredients together

• Add the 6 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese Read more…

Ingredients

6 Eggplants
Salt
White Vinegar
Garlic
Olive oil
Oregano

Directions

1. Peel the eggplant skin.
2. Slice the eggplant into thin strips by cutting in slabs then cutting into strips
3. Put into a large bowl and add salt.  Mix well
4. Squeeze with your hands until the eggplant gets soft
5. Place the contents into a ceramic bowl or something similar.  Put a plate over and then add some weight to put pressure on the contents.
6. Wait 24 hours…remove weight
7. Squeeze eggplant and dispose of all excess liquid
8. Clean your ceramic bowl, add the squeezed eggplant and cover with white vinegar. Place the cover or plate and apply weight onto the product again for an additional 24 hours.
9. After the second 24 hours has passed, squeeze and dispose of liquid
10. Add olive oil, oregano and garlic….Mix Well.  Mamma uses about 3 cloves of grated garlic per jar.
11. Pack the eggplant into glass jars, cover with olive oil and seal.

They will be ready to eat in a few days and should be consumed within 6 months.

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 !

Most traditional Italian recipes will vary from one region to another. There are twenty (20) different regions in all and there are provinces within each region which adds up to many different styles and flavors of cooking. This regional variation is what Italy is famous for; it is the local ingredients that give each unique flavor – the spice of life.

Pesto is a great example of how a basic recipe is modified by each region. The basic most famous green pesto comes from the Liguria (northern) area where the fresh basil is crushed into a paste and mixed with olive oil, Parmigiano (cheese) and pine nuts. More currently introduced, the red pesto has sun-dried tomatoes added to the traditional mix in the Cinque Terre area, while the spicy Sicilian variation can contain chilies, cappers, raisins, anchovies, fennel and mint.

The Northern regions’ recipes also tend to use less olive oil, pasta and tomato sauce in favor of more rice, polenta and cheeses for cream sauces. The local recipes seem to express a pride of the unspoiled countryside with the inclusion of local game or wild fowl like rabbit or quail. If it grows well in the area it will likely end up on your plate.

Italian cuisine has two sides, tradition and innovation. Most regional variations take a traditional Italian recipe and add local flavor or develop a new use to create a taste unique to that region. Unlike typical Italian restaurant food found in North America traditional Italian dishes offer much more variety. While you can find the well known offerings of pizza and spaghetti you will find that taking time to sample local recipes worthwhile as it enhances the enjoyment and memories of your experience.

So when considering replicating or creating a traditional Italian recipes in your own kitchen you must take into account the region of Italy that the recipe was developed in and where the ingredients originated. It will still be good but the taste may vary slightly as a result of the chef and the key ingredients.

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 do just that.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Fresh Spinach or 2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 green onions finely chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
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, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, 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!