Pizza Napolitana

Ingredients that we need 

350 grams (12 oz.) pizza dough,
6 ounce grilled (or cured) Italian sausage, sliced,
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms,
1/2 green pepper, sliced,
1/2 cup pizza sauce,
1 tablespoon semolina,
1 tablespoon flour,
2 teaspoon olive oil,
1 1/2 cup grated mozzarella,
1 teaspoon dried oregano,
salt and pepper to taste.  

Make it 

Roll the pizza dough with a rolling pin over the semolina-flour mixture to about 14 inches in diameter.

Grease an aluminum pizza tray with the olive oil and place the pizza dough over it. 

Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza dough, leaving 1/2 inch of the edge without a sauce. 

Apply the pizza toppings evenly over the pizza and put it in a preheated oven at 450 F. 

Cook for about 15 minutes of until the edge of the pizza turns golden and the cheese is bubbling. 

If necessary, remove the pizza pan from under the pizza halfway through the cooking, to crispen the bottom, if you are not using a perforated pan that is.

Thin Crust Dough

Ingredients that we need 

1 envelope of dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
3/4 cup of lukewarm water
1 3/4 cups of unbleached plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Make it

1. Combine 1 envelope of dry yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 3/4 cups of lukewarm water. Mix a little and let sit for 6-8 minutes.
2. Combine 1 3/4 cups of unbleached plain flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl or food processor.
3. Pour the water combination into the bowl (or food processor) and mix until ready to knead (around 30 second in a food processor). If using a bowl, mix with a spoon until you have a neat ball.
4. Prepare a lightly spinkled surface with flour. Turn out dough and knead for around 2-3 minutes. Lightly cover your finger tips with flour if the mixture is a little sticky.
5. Roll out by hand for a 12'' base.
6. Place in 12'' lighly oiled oven pan. Press out dough to form a slight lip.
7. Prepare and apply your sauce and topping or choice.
8. Cook in a pre-heated over (500F) for 8-12 minutes (times may vary based on different ovens. Fan assited oven will be quicker!).
9. Remove from oven, slice and share with your favourite friends and/or family members :

Sicilian Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni

Ingredients that we need 

 

1 lb. turkey Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 large  green peppers, cut into strips

3 cups rigatoni, uncooked

1 jar  (24 oz.) chunky spaghetti sauce

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Italian* Mozzarella-Parmesan Cheese Blend 

 

Make it 

HEAT oven to 375°F.

PLACE sausage and peppers in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until sausage is done. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package.

DRAIN pasta. Add to baking dish with spaghetti sauce; stir. Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through. Top with cheese; bake 2 to 3 min. or until melted.

Italian Kitchen Tips 

Substitute

Substitute 2 cups zucchini chunks for the sliced green peppers.

 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients that we need 

 

1 cup of Cooked White Rice
2 cups of Cremini Mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of chopped Zucchini
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped
3 Tbsp of Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups of Basic Tomato and Basil Marinara Sauce (see my other recipe)
2 Large Red Bell Peppers
Fresh grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

 

Make it 

 

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2) Cut the tops off the peppers and remove all the white veins and seeds. Slice a very small amount off the bottom to give the peppers “feet” so they stand up nicely without falling. Set aside.
3) In a large non stick skillet over medium high heat, cook the onions and mushroom in the 1 tbsp of oil for about 7 minutes or until the veggies are nicely cooked down and brown around the edges. Add the zucchini, garlic and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the chopped olives, basil, cooked rice, half a cup of the marinara sauce and about ¼ cup of freshly grated parmiggiano reggiano. Spoon the rice mixture in the peppers and put the peppers in a small baking dish and pour the remaining marinara sauce around them.
4) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, remove foil and sprinkle over some more parmiggiano reggiano and bake uncovered for 15 or 20 more minutes.
5) Carefully place the peppers on a serving dish and spoon the sauce around them. Serve with a little more fresh basil if you like and enjoy!

How to make  Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

 

Spaghetti Pizza

 

Ingredients that we need 

 

 8 Large Eggs
½ cup Whole Milk
½ cup Freshly Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 lb of Spaghetti, cooked, drained and cooled
4 oz of Hard Salami, preferably soppressata, chopped
4 oz of Provolone Cheese, chopped
2 to 3 Tbsp of Olive Oil

 

Make it 

1) In a large bowl mix together the eggs, milk, parmiggiano reggiano and black pepper. You will not need salt because all the cheeses and salami are very salty. Add the spaghetti and salami and toss really well.

2) Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Pour half of the spaghetti mixture into the pan and scatter the provolone over the top. Pour on the remaining spaghetti mixture.

3) Turn the heat on to medium low. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Slide a spatula under the pie and gently lift it around the edges to allow some of the uncooked eggs to run underneath. Cover and cook10 minutes or until the eggs are almost set and the bottom is golden brown.

4) Meanwhile, preheat your broiler.

5) Place the skillet under the broiler to brown the topand finish cooking the eggs on top. About 7 to 10 minutes. (keep an eye on it because it can burn very quickly)

6) Run a spatula under the spaghetti pizza to loosen it. Lift the pan and slip the pizza out onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and dig in.

7) This pizza is perfect eaten hot, room temperature or cold straight out of the fridge. I cant tell you how many times I have made this pizza and please be creative, use any leftover veggies or lunch meat and cheeses that you have hanging around in your fridge. Every time I cook spaghetti I always cook an extra pound just so that I can have left over spaghetti to make this pizza.

8) Serve it with a side salad for a great lunch or light dinner, or eat it as a delicious and filling snack in the middle of the day when you might not know when you might be getting around to make dinner.

How to make  Spaghetti Pizza

Three Color Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients that we need 

 

1 large head of green leaf lettuce, trimmed, washed and cut
1 large head of radicchio, trimmed, washed and cut
2 Belgian endive, trimmed, washed and cut
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Make it 

 

1) In a large salad bowl, toss together all the lettuces and set aside.
2) In a small bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard , balsamic vinegar and olive oil, whisk all together to combine, and season with salt and pepper.
3) When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over the salad greens and toss to coat.

How to make  Three Color Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients that we need 

4 Large Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed and dried
2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
5 Cloves of Garlic, whole in their skin
2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Make it 

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a large non stick baking sheet into the oven to get extremely hot (this is so that potatoes wont stick and they get very crispy)
2) Place all the ingredients except potatoes into a large zip lock bag and toss to mix.
3) Cut each potato into 8 wedges and place them on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 5 minutes.
4) Once the potatoes come out of the microwave place them in the zip lock bag with the rosemary mixture and let stand for 10 minutes so that the warm potatoes can absorb all the flavor of the garlic, rosemary and olive oil.
5) Roast potatoes for 30 minutes or until crispy golden brown, turning them
once after 15 minutes so that both sides get crispy golden brown.

How to make Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Potatoes