Butternut Squash Tortelli con la Coda

Pasta ingredients:
1/2 cooked butter nut squash
3 room temp eggs
2 cups 00 flour
splash of olive oil

5 Cheese Filling Ingredients:
1 fresh mozzarella ball a splash of the water
1 slice provolone
1/8 cup ricotta
3 tbls goat cheese
1/8 cup parmesean

Variations:
Pesto
Fresh basil
Italian Sausage

Directions:

1) Cook butternut squash in oven at 250 for about an hour

2) In blender or food processor create filling
3) Once squash is done, cool and scoop out 1/2 of the squash (see this recipe for what you can make with your other half of your squash; Squashcakes)

4) Use squash to create your pasta, No bowl needed, Lay flour on cutting board, create a indent in center of flour to crack your eggs into, mix ingredients on board and mix in squash. Roll out with pasta press or to 1/8 inch thick with rolling pin.

5) Learn to make Tortelli con la Coda or use ravioli press if you choose ("Tortellini with a tail" see this video)

6) Make your little pasta's and boil for 5-7 mins

Top with your homemade marinara sauce and side with a salad and some good friends.

Bon Apitete

Italian Chicken Caccitore- Gluten Free Options

Serves 4
Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 40 mins or longer

Ingredients:
Approx 4 pack of chicken thighs
2 large chicken breasts
1 egg
Flour (make this dish gluten free by using gluten free flour or just simply fry chicken in oil and skin)

Sauce:
2 Jars of marinara (I can my own tomatoes every summer)
2 tbsp. capers
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 cup red wine/ or dry white
1/2 medium white onion diced
1 sliced red bell pepper
2-4 cloves fresh diced garlic
oregeno, basil, thyme

Pasta of choice, use polenta or other gluten free pasta (watch for gluten free pasta recipe, soon to come)


Directions:

1) Start marinara, seasonings, wine broth, and capers into crockpot* or larger pot on medium-low.


2) Start skillet with olive oil coat at medium-high and saute onion, bell, and garlic til onion begins to brown. Add to marinara and stir  in, taste, and add more seasonings if needed




*if using a crockpot I suggest starting the sauce earlier, so you assure its hot enough so when you add chicken it won't sit at a dangerous temp.





3) Use same hot skillet on medium-high with light coat of olive oil. In small mixing bowl, crack egg and whip. Dip chicken in egg batter then coat with bread crumbs (or alt.) and place into hot skillet.

4) Once chicken is cooked throughout add to bubbling marinara, let cook at least 40 mins, you want the chicken to just fall off of the bone when you eat it.



5) Test chicken with a fork to see if it is falling apart, Start pasta noodles, once pasta is done to your liking, you can dish up. I like au dente which means its still a little hard in the very center, but just slightly.

Enjoy this savory Italian dish over your pasta of choice and plenty of Parm!

Spaghetti and Meatballs- Vegetarian Option

Serves: 4-6    Prep time: 45 mins

Ingredients:
2 cans marinara of choice
Spaghetti noodles of choice

Meatballs:
2 cups prepared Textured vegetable protien
1/2 package of tempeh diced
or
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 lb Organic Angus Beef
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion diced
Salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings



Directions:
1) Start marinara in large saucepan on medium-low, I like to add a 1/2 cup of wine so it takes longer to cook down.
2) (skip to step 4) Start your meatballs! Preheat medium sized saute pan to medium high. In bowl mix all ingredients with hands and form mid-sized meatballs, as you make them place them on the hot pan, saute shifting sides often to avoid burning.

3) Test meatball, if middle is only slightly pink you can add them in, if you want you can skip the pan frying of he meatballs and place right into hot marinara. This way takes several hours so I suggest sauteing to save time for a quick dinner.

4) After middle is only slightly pink add to your marinara. Cook sauce and meatballs for about 20 mins and prep noodles and sides in the meantime.







* While visiting Italy (read about my Italian inspiration) I enjoyed sauces made from fresh tomatoes, therefore watery and very unlike any store bought sauce I've ever had. I now insist on making my own sauce from garden tomatoes and canning them to eat throughout the year. Summer 2012, look forward to canning and creating your own amazing Italian marinara.

Chicken Parmesan or Vegetarian Tempeh Version

Breaded Chicken Parm, topped with marinara and mozzarella, on a bed of orzo

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins or longer

Dry ingredients:
1 cup of herbed bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan
Dry basil


Wet Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup of milk
2 tsp olive oil
1 lbs chicken breasts or de-boned thighs or 1 pkg of tempeh

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a 8x8 baking pan and prep chicken.
2.  Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, mix wet in another bowl. Dip chicken into batter then coat with            breadcrumbs and parmesan and lay in baking pan.
3.  Bake for approx  mins or until done. Start prepping for sauce as soon as chicken is in.

Sauce:
2 cups stewed diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp parmesan
2 tbsp capers
salt and pepper

Directions continued...
4.  Combine ingredients for sauce and stew at medium heat.
5.  Prepare pasta of choice
6.  Lay pasta, top with sauce if you like, top with baked chicken or tempeh, layer with sauce, garnish with cheese and basil sprig if you like and more parmesan of course ;)

Garnish 
Fresh Basil
Mozzerella slice