Italian Wedding Casserole Recipes

ITALIAN-INSPIRED CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage, beef, onion and green pepper until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add corn and olives. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in noodles. , Pour into two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Top with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add half of the garlic and 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water and the parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, the remaining garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
• Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
• To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

ITALIAN WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 inch pans. Combine the buttermilk, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour, mixing just until incorporated. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Stir in pineapple, coconut and 1 cup pecans.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• To make the frosting: Cream together the butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until blended. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 cup pecans. If frosting is too stiff to spread, stir in milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

ITALIAN WEDDING PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan or line with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, use hands to mix chicken, bread crumbs, parsley, pepper, salt, garlic, egg, and 1/4 C of the cheese until blended. Shape into about 36 1-inch meatballs. Place on pan and bake about 18 minutes or until done. Leave oven on for end of recipe.
• Meanwhile, heat large pot of water to boiling. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package directs. Drain pasta and return it to the pot.
• Whisk cornstarch into milk. Add milk mixture and broth to pasta in pot. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute to thicken sauce slightly.
• Remove from heat and stir in spinach, 1/2 C grated Romano, and some freshly ground pepper. Once cheese is melted and spinach is well wilted, gently stir in meatballs.
• Transfer pasta to 3-quart glass, stoneware, or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C grated Romano. Bake 20 minutes or until hot in the center and turning golden brown.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP SUPPER

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink; remove and keep warm., In the same skillet, saute the onion, carrot and celery in remaining oil until tender. Add the meatballs, soup, spinach, broth, thyme, salt, pepper and reserved chicken; cover and cook until heated through, 4-6 minutes., Drain pasta; stir into skillet. Sprinkle with cheese.