Proper Pesto

Proper Pesto

Appetizer Italian Cuisine Pasta Pizza Sauces

There are lots of recipes people claim taste better if made by hand, but there’s no easier case to prove than pesto. That the name means, “to crush,” should tell you something, and while this method does take considerably more physical effort, when you taste this you’ll forget every pestle-pounding minute.

The intensity of the flavors is beyond compare, and as if by some kind of magic, this gorgeous spread develops an addictive spiciness. You can taste each ingredient, and yet when smashed together, new and wonderful flavors are released. If you’re in the market, I recommend the marble mortar seen herein, as long as the inside has some texture to it. If it seems smooth and glassy, keep looking.

Of course, you can play around with the ratios of the five ingredients, and easily adjust this to your tastes, but no matter how they’re combined, taking the time to crush them by hand is well worth the effort. I hope you give this fresh basil pesto a try soon. Enjoy!

4 cloves garlic peeled

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large bunch basil (about 4-5 ounces)

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated on microplace (about 1 1/2 cups unpacked)

1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil

Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Italian Cuisine Pasta Sauces Spicy

Calamari is affordable, delicious, and sustainable, yet many cooks shy away from it, since it has a reputation for being tricky to work with. I should’ve said “unfair reputation,” because while it’s true calamari can end up with a rubbery texture if overcooked, there’s a very simple way to avoid this… by really overcooking it.

When it comes to calamari, it needs to be cooked in either 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, and nothing in between. If you sear it in a pan, or poach it in a sauce for a very brief time, you should get something nice and tender. However, after just a few extra minutes, the squid gets chewy.

Unfortunately, this is how most calamari is served, since it is easy to overcook, even for a professional. But, if we gently simmer for about 45-minutes total, something amazing happens. The calamari loses that rubbery texture, and becomes tender once again.

I also think it takes on more a meaty flavor, which I love, especially when using this to sauce pasta. So, if you’ve wanted to try cooking calamari, but were afraid of over-cooking it, I really hope you give this easy sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1  yellow onion, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 anchovy fillet

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Serrano chili pepper sliced thin

1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed

1/2 cup drinkable white wine

1 cup clam juice

6 cups crushed or puréed Italian plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 pounds frozen calamari tubes and tentacles, thawed, sliced into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

1 pound dry pasta

Roman-Style Gnocchi – No Potatoes Were Harmed During the Making of This Video

Roman-Style Gnocchi – No Potatoes Were Harmed During the Making of This Video

Cheese Grains Italian Cuisine Pasta

Gnocchi alla Romana are as delicious, as they are virtually unknown. I feel like I’ve eaten a fair amount of Italian food, and I’ve been to Rome, but it wasn’t until late in life that I discovered these wonderful, baked semolina dumplings.

Above and beyond their exquisite texture, and great taste, I love their versatility. They’re a world-class side dish as is, but can be paired with your favorite pasta sauce, and served as an appetizer, or entrée. Rave reviews should come your way; along with lots of “But, why are these called gnocchi, again?”

For a great winter twist, you can place some sage leaves in between the gnocchi before baking them, and they’d be perfect at any holiday feast. In fact, now I’m upset I didn’t do that this time. I’m going to have to make another batch. Anyway, I really do hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 16 Roman-Style Gnocchi:

Note: I used a 2.75-inch cutter

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/4 cup semolina

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (only about 1.25 ounces by weight, but if you grate it on a microplane, it will easily fill a cup)

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 tablespoons melted butter for the top

more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

Basil Ricotta Gnocchi – The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

Basil Ricotta Gnocchi – The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

Cheese Italian Cuisine Pasta

One of these days, I’ll do a proper potato-based gnocchi video, but it’s hard for me, since I enjoy this style so much more. Sure, once in a while, with the help of perfectly cooked potatoes, and trusty ricer, you’ll nail the classic technique, and achieve beautifully light, tender dumplings; but, that’s how these come out every time. Besides, I’m pretty sure since these don’t use potato, or as much flour, we get to call these “low-carb,” which is nice. 

Anyway, the point is these are easy to pull off, and great for a dinner party, since you can shape/boil your gnocchi ahead of time, and then simply brown them up in some butter when you’re ready to serve.

I tend to keep the plating fairly basic for these, but any of your favorite pasta sauces should work. They're great as a main course, especially if you accessorize with some seasonal vegetables, but "as is," they also make for a stellar side dish, or first course. I really hope you give this basil ricotta gnocchi recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Basil Ricotta Gnocchi:

12-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese (1 1/2 cups), *drained well

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, blanched in boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 not-packed cup)

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 unsalted butter for optional browning

Note: Cook a test piece of dough in salted water, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed

*My fancy basket ricotta tends to be low-moisture, so if you’re using the much wetter supermarket brands, be sure to drain in a strainer in the fridge for a few

hours to allow the excess water to drip out.

Rigatoni alla Genovese – Maybe the Best Meat Sauce You’ve Never Heard Of

Rigatoni alla Genovese – Maybe the Best Meat Sauce You’ve Never Heard Of

Beef Pasta Sauces

I have no idea why this amazingly flavorful Genovese-style meat sauce isn’t way more popular than it is. It’s quite simply one of the best pasta sauces you’ll ever taste, thanks to a very slow cooking process, and massive amounts of onions.

So, I just thought of two really good reasons why this isn’t way more popular. The recipe takes you a good 10 hours to make. In case you haven’t heard, this is roughly 9.9 hours longer than your typical Millennial is willing to spend doing something.

Also, slicing six pounds of raw onions by hand is no one’s idea of a great time. And no, you can’t use a food processor, or veggie cutting gizmo you bought at 2AM. These machines will crush and bruise the onions, releasing harsh compounds that negatively alter the taste. Cut your onions by hand, with a sharp knife, or not at all.

As I suggest in the video, cut them one or two at a time, near a breezy window, while you brown the meat, and you’ll be done in no time. Once everything is prepped, the recipe couldn’t be easier. Simmer until the meat and onions melt into each other, and serve. I really hope you give this very old, virtually unknown, but very tasty meat sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for enough sauce for 2 pounds of dry rigatoni (8 servings):

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 ounces pancetta or salt pork, diced

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, seasoned with 2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced carrot

1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

2/3 cup white wine

4 pounds yellow onions, sliced

2 pounds red onions, sliced

water or broth as needed to adjust liquid level during simmering

salt to taste

-- To serve, simmer finished sauce with al dente pasta for a few minutes until pasta is cooked through. Finish with fresh marjoram, cayenne, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Oxtail Ragu – Worth the Wait

Oxtail Ragu – Worth the Wait

Beef Pasta Stews

Other than a completely unnecessary braising step right in the middle of the video, this oxtail ragu came out amazingly well. My thought was to roast the oxtails in the sauce, in a slow oven to see if I could achieve the tender-sticky meat I know and love, while slowly reducing the sauce at the same time. I couldn’t. 

Well, actually, it would have eventually gotten tender, but I wasn’t prepared to find out how long that was going to be. Like I said several times during the video, I want you to roast your oxtail and onion until nicely browned, but then transfer everything into a pot, add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer until the meat comes off the bones with minimal effort.

The only way to screw up this incredibly succulent cut of beef is to not cook it long enough, which is why I better not read any 3-star recipe reviews that say, “Good flavor, but wasn’t as tender as I wanted.” Just remember to not braise, and keep simmering until it yields completely to your fork. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

(Pro tip: since this does take so many hours to simmer, it's almost always best to make this the day before you serve it)

3-4 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections, rubbed with olive oil, and seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

-- Roast at 425 F. for 45-60 minutes until browned

-- Transfer into a sauce pot, and add the following

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

4 cups tomato sauce or puree, or more if desired

2 cups chicken broth, or enough to cover the oxtails

* You can add as much sauce and/or stock as you want, as long as you have at least enough to cover

1 sprig rosemary

2 springs thyme

2 springs oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

- Simmer on low, many hours, until tender

- Should be enough sauce and meat for 1 pound of pasta

Spaghetti Al Tonno – Nothing Fishy About This “Meat” Sauce

Spaghetti Al Tonno – Nothing Fishy About This “Meat” Sauce

Pasta Sauces Seafood Spicy

Spaghetti al tonno is one of my all-time favorite "go to" pasta dishes, and I hope this re-make of an old video helps make it one of yours. I did a very similar spaghetti with spicy tuna sauce for About.com a long time ago, but never got around to doing an official Food Wishes version.

Having said that, there really is no “official” recipe, as this is the type of dish that gets made a little differently every time. Not different on purpose, mind you, but different since that’s what happens when you cook without written recipes, which by the way, is the recommended method. 

I love a classic meat sauce as much as the next half-Italian, but when I want something quick and easy for a weeknight meal, I reach for the tuna. By the time you bring a pot of water to a boil, choose a wine, and cook your pasta, the sauce should be done. What if all that sounds great, but you don’t like fish? Then, this is perfect.

As I say in the video, the taste and texture is really closer to a veal sauce, than one made with fish. Above and beyond the non-fishy flavor, this is also lower in fat and calories, in case you’re into that kind of thing. So, the next time you’re in the mood for a quick spaghetti with “meat” sauce, I hope you give this delicious pasta sauce a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Spaghetti Al Tonno:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 anchovy filet

2 tablespoons capers

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup white wine (Note: if you can’t use wine, don’t. Use a splash of stock)

3 cups crushed San Marzano tomatoes

red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 tsp dried oregano

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

7 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained (reserve and use oil!)

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

12 ounces dry spaghetti

Parmigiano-Reggiano for top