Tagliarini With Abruzzese Chocolate Ragù Recipes

TAGLIARINI PICCHI PACCHIU (NOW "LINGUINE TOSCANA")

Steps:

• Heat the oil and garlic together in a small skillet over medium-low heat just until the oil is warm and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Remove skillet from the heat and let set to infuse the oil, about 30 minutes.
• Pour fresh tomatoes and their juices into a bowl.
• Squeeze the tomatoes through your fingers until the are coarsely crushed.
• Stir in the garlic in its oil and the basil.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Let stand for 1 to 2 hours for the flavors to marry.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add the pasta and stir well, separating the strands.
• Cook according to the manufacturer's directions until al dente.
• Drain well.
• Return the tagliarini to its cooking pot.
• Add the sauce and mix well.
• Cover and let rest for a minute.
• Serve hot.

ABRUZZESE BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1 Cut or tear the bread into tiny bits or grind the bread in a food processor into coarse crumbs. Soak the bread in the water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the bread to remove the excess water. 2 In a large bowl, beat the eggs, cheese, parsley, and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the crumbled bread and mix very well. If the mixture seems dry, stir in another egg. Mix well. Shape the mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball. 3 Pour enough oil to reach a depth of 1/2 inch into a large heavy skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat until a drop of the bread mixture sizzles when it is placed in the oil. 4 Add the balls to the skillet and cook, turning carefully, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Drain the balls on paper towels. 5 To make the sauce, in a large saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add the tomatoes, peperoncino, and salt to taste. Simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. 6 Add the bread balls and baste them with the sauce. Simmer 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with the basil. Serve with additional cheese. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

RIGATONI RIGOLETTO

Steps:

• 1 Remove the casings from the sausages and finely chop the meat. 2 Pour the oil into a saucepan large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add the onion, sausage meat, and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and the sausage is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. 3 Add the tomato paste and water. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. 4 Add the beans and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 10 minutes, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon to make the sauce creamy. 5 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Set aside some of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. 6 Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce, toss together, and cook 1 minute, adding a little of the water if needed. Stir in the butter and basil. Add the cheese and toss again. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CAPRI-STYLE SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• 1 In a skillet large enough to hold the cooked pasta, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomato juices have evaporated. Turn off the heat. 2 Stir the chopped ingredients into the tomato sauce. Add pepper to taste. 3 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well, gently pushing the pasta down until it is completely covered with water. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. 4 Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss well 1 minute over medium heat. Add a little water if the pasta seems dry. Add the mozzarella and toss again. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ABRUZZESE CREPE AND MUSHROOM TIMBALE

Steps:

• 1 Prepare the tomato sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the crepe ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or more. 2 Heat a 6-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan over medium heat. Brush the pan lightly with oil. Holding the pan in one hand, spoon in about 1/3 cup of the crepe batter. Immediately lift and rotate the pan to completely cover the base with a thin layer of batter. Pour off any excess batter. Cook 1 minute, or until the edge of the crepe turns brown and begins to lift away from the pan. With your fingers, flip the crepe over and brown lightly on the other side. Cook 30 seconds more or until spotted with brown. 3 Slide the cooked crepe onto a dinner plate. Repeat making crepes with the remaining batter, stacking them one on top of the other. 4 To make the filling, soak the dried mushrooms in the water for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to removing any grit, paying special attention to the ends of the stems where soil collects. Chop the mushrooms coarsely. Strain the mushroom liquid through a paper coffee filter into a bowl. 5 In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are browned, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the dried mushrooms and their liquid. Cook 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. 6 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking dish, spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce. Make a layer of crepes, overlapping them slightly. Follow with a layer of mushrooms, mozzarella, sauce, and cheese. Repeat the layering, ending with the crepes, sauce, and grated cheese. 7 Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve hot. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TAGLIARINI

Steps:

• 1. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil, add beef cook until beef is lightly browned. Add all ingredients except cheese. cook until noodles are done then add cheese, stir until cheese is mixed in. This can also be baked like a casserole.

RIGATONI WITH FOUR CHEESES

Steps:

• 1 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. 2 In a large heated serving bowl, toss the pasta with the butter. Add the cheeses and a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water. Toss until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TAGLIARINI WITH ABRUZZESE CHOCOLATE RAGù

Steps:

• 1 In a medium saucepan, cook the onion in the oil over medium heat until the onion is tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the pork and cook, crumbling the meat with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 2 Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated. 3 Stir in the tomato puree, tomato paste, and water. Turn the heat to low and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. 4 Stir in the chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon until the chocolate is melted. Taste for seasoning. 5 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. 6 In a large warm serving bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce. Add a little of the reserved cooking water if needed. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.