Authentic Italian

This is an easy and delicious panino/sandwich to have for a perfect lunch or light dinner. The beauty of making panini is that you can follow the basic instructions of preparing one, but you can put whatever toppings you like on it. It's a great dish for customization. This recipe is a classic take on a margherita style sandwich, adding sauteed chicken and prosciutto. Recipe Ingredients 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 6 inch piece baguette 3 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced 3 slices ripe tomato 3 slices prosciutto 5 basil leaves or lettuce Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Instructions 1. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken breast until it's about 1/4 inch thick. 2. Heat cast-iron skillet or a grill to medium-high. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. Cook cut sides of bread until nicely charred, then flip bread and cook a minute or two more to warm through. Place on a plate. 3. Pour one tablespo...

Penne Alla Vodka is an American Italian dish that can be found on many restaurant menus across America. It is a creamy, red sauce, that is actually more pink in color. It's rich and delicious and can be eaten as a course or full meal. Recipe Ingredients 8 oz. uncooked penne pasta 1 tbs. olive oil 2 tbs. butter 1/2 small onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup vodka 1/4 cup tomato paste 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream Salt and pepper Fresh basil, sliced thin Grated parmesan cheese Instructions 1. Boil a generously salted pot of water for the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about five minutes or until translucent. 2. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and let the sauce bubble for 30 seconds or so.  3. Stir in the tomato paste until you've got a smooth mixture. Stir in the cream and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the sauce warm through. It shoul...

This savory and tangy dish is simple and full of flavor. Especially popular in Southern Italy and Sicily, it contains very minimal ingredients, including the main ingredient of fresh lemons, that provide an intense and fresh flavor. This is the ultimate warm weather dish where you can still enjoy pasta, but it is a pasta dish that's on the lighter side. Ingredients 1 Ib. of spaghetti 3 tbs. olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbs. fresh parsley Juice and zest of one lemon 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Freshley cracked black pepper Instructions 1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water. 2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the pasta water and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer. 3. Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the pasta sauce and toss until well coated. Serve with extra parsley and parmesan ...

This is a classic, Italian favorite eaten for breakfast or as a snack in many different regions of Italy. It is a sweet, ring shape cake (bundt) with emphasis on its fresh Lemon flavor and contrasting fennel flavor, which gives it a lot of complexity. Eat it in the morning or any time of day you prefer! Recipe Ingredients 3 eggs 1 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 1 cup whole milk 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 3 cups flour 1 tbs. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp ground anise or fennel seed Powdered sugar Instructions 1. In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat together eggs and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Add olive oil, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on medium speed.  2. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and fennel seed to the liquid ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. 3. Pour batter into the prepa...

This is an American-Italian favorite! With its basic pizza roots from Naples, this kind of pizza can be found in many New York Italian Pizza restaurants. It is a savory and delicious snack or it can be a full meal. Follow my Pizza Dough instructions in my earlier posts for an easy crust recipe as well as my quick Marinara sauce. Gather your toppings and you've got a great pizza slice! Recipe Ingredients 1 tbs. unsalted butter 1/2 Ib. mild, Italian sausage, not links 1/2 recipe homemade pizza dough or store bought 1/2 cup Marinara sauce (see my recipe) 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. 2. Roll out pizza dough to a 14 to 16" round (depending on baking sheet or stone), and place on baking sheet or stone. Use flour if needed. 3. Bake dough for 5 minutes. Carefully remove crust from oven. 4. Top with a thin ...

Born in the town of Castelfranco Emilia, Tortellini is a classic, Northern Italian dish. This is savory and tasty with complex flavors of butter and sage. It's perfect as a small pasta course or as a meal in itself. It only takes minimal ingredients and can be used with whatever you have on hand. Enjoy this as a quick meal after a long day of work or even as a lunch. Recipe Ingredients 1 20 oz. package of fresh cheese tortellini 6 oz. butter 6 leaves of fresh sage 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Instructions 1. Cook tortellini according to the package instructions. While it cooks, place butter into a large sauté pan and add sage. Allow the butter to melt and the sage to cook, roughly 5 minutes. 2. When the tortellini finishes cooking, add to the sauté pan and toss in the butter and sage until tortellini is completely covered. 3. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve warm. Check out this 11 inch, Nonstick, Cast Iron skillet from Zakarian by Dash. Zakarian by Dash Cast Iron Skillet

Tripe, also known as "trippa," is a Roman dish consisting of the lining of a pig's stomach. Although that might seem distasteful to some people, it is a classic and rather tasty dish in many Italian family homes and regions of Italy. Combined with a zesty tomato sauce, it is the perfect course to a meal. Recipe Ingredients 1 Ib. of beef tripe 2 Ibs. fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 tbs. basil 1/2 tsp. black pepper 4 tbs. oyster sauce 4 cloves, garlic 1/2 piece of onion 2 tsp. olive oil 0.88 oz. ginger, sliced Instructions 1. Boil the beef for one hour with the ginger to remove any unwanted smell. 2. Once the tripe is soft, heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot and sauté the onions and garlic. 3. Add the meat, basil, fresh tomatoes, black pepper, oyster sauce, and bring to a boil until tomatoes are cooked. Serve hot. Check out this 11 inch, Nonstick, Cast Iron skillet from Zakarian by Dash Zakarian by Dash 11 Inch Skillet