| Easter Recipes with an Italian Accent |
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Simple tomato sauce is the base for many traditional pasta dishes. (SHNS photo courtesy Food Network.)
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Food Network Italians are masters at transforming simple, everyday ingredients into dishes that are quick, healthy and soul satisfying. And what better way to celebrate Easter than with an Italian dinner of grilled lamb chops, pasta with a simple red sauce and almond cake? Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis shares updated versions of these homey recipes she grew up with in her Italian family.
Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe courtesy chef Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network. Ingredients: 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne pepper
Sea salt
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick Preparation: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt and olive oil, then pulse into a paste. Rub the paste on the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Heat a well-seasoned grill pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear on both sides about 2 minutes per side. Lower the heat to medium and cook the chops another 3 minutes for medium rare or 3-1/2 minutes for medium. Serves: 4
Simple Tomato Sauce and Pasta Recipe courtesy chef Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network. Ingredients: 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Two 32-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, optional
1 lb. fusilli pasta
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Preparation: In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is al dente. Toss cooked pasta with 1/4 of the tomato sauce and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months. Serves: 2 quarts sauce, 8 side dish servings
Almond Cake Recipe courtesy chef Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network. Ingredients: 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick (4-oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup almond paste, cut into half-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour and baking powder. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla extract and slowly pour in confectioners' sugar. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Raise speed to high and add the egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to medium, add the sour cream and dry ingredients, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool. Remove from pan and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serves: 6 to 8
(For more recipes visit www.foodtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
RESOURCES :
Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen
Model: 037541150X
Author: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
(2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Random House (Alfred A. Knopf Inc., Villard Books, Times Books, Shambhala Publications, Ballantine B
Westminster, MD 21157
Phone: 410-848-1900
Fax: 800-659-2436
Email: customerservice@randomhouse.com
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