My Italian Recipes - BBQ Rando
Our Story
I am so happy you decided to try my recipes and see how easy and delicious these are! Welcome to my family’s 100-year-old recipes. My grandparents, my parents, my family, and now you and your family will make these wonderful recipes.
As you may or may not know, many Italian recipes are created out of need. What do I mean by need? Well, in hard times, many Italian women cooked with only what ingredients they had. Believe me, there were plenty of hard times in my family and we ate what our mothers would cook. Some of these recipes will seem unique and other may not. I also know you will appreciate the way I write the recipes steps. It is almost like you are cooking with me.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Tortellini in Pana
Full of calories, but very delicious:
- What you’ll need:
- 1 16-ounce package of your favorite tortellini
- 1 16 ounce of heavy whipping cream (or two 8 ounce containers)
- 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 1 stick of real butter, salted
- 1. Cook Tortellini as directed on package. (See Note below)
- 2. Drain and put Tortellini back into the pot add butter and stir it in gently till it melts.
3. Add heavy cream in a separate pan and bring to a simmer.
4. Add heavy cream to the Tortellini and put pot on simmer…it will thicken and add one or two handfuls of grated cheese.
Note: I hold back on some of the cooking of the pasta and finish it when I
put the heavy cream in the pot. You don't want to overcook the pasta.
Also you can use ziti or another shaped macaroni.
I know you will enjoy this dish.
Panna: means heavy cream.
Garlic and Oil
For a day you don't feel like cooking or don't have time.
This is easy and one of my Dad’s favorites.
What you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 5-6 cloves of garlic sliced
- One pound of spaghetti, vermicelli, or angel hair pasta
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1. Add about 1/2 cup of oil in a pre-heated pan, with garlic, little salt and pepper, and parsley (can be dried). Do not let garlic brown.
2. When spaghetti is cooked, just toss it with the oil and garlic in the same pan, and then put grated Parmesan cheese on it.
I like to add some red pepper in the oil. Not every one enjoys it. I also like to melt anchovies in the oil.
The better the olive oil, the better it tastes. Also when you have left over meat this is a good dish to have with it.
Shram Sauce
What you’ll need:
- 8-10 large shrimp – fresh
- 1 dozen fresh clams (if not in season by you, use canned clams)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves of garlic - diced
1 bottle of clam juice - 16 ounce of linguini
- 1. Start pasta water first. Get close to a boil.
- 2. Preheat pan on medium heat.
- 3. If shrimp are large, cut in half or size you want. Clams also cut up.
4. Cook shrimp and clams in olive oil, garlic, (little salt) pepper, and parsley. Takes only a few minutes. - 5. Add some clam juice and add a little touch of red pepper.
6. When linguini is ready, pour on pasta. Love with garlic bread.
Note: if you don't want to use clam juice then use more olive oil. You have to judge.
Baked Stuffed Clams
What you’ll need:
1 Can minced clams
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 Tsp. power garlic or (2 cloves garlic chopped)
1/8 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. parsley
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried onion (can use chopped fresh onion)
Small amount of oregano
Bread crumbs and grated Italian cheese
1. Sauté garlic, onion, parsley, oregano and bread crumbs in olive oil (low flame) for about 2 minutes. (don't burn) mixing well.
2. When onion, garlic start to brown, removes mixture from frying pan and mix with clams, the juice and salt.
3. Spoon into shells, sprinkle lightly with some breadcrumbs and cheese. Put shells on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until crusty on top.
Need fresh lemons to sprinkle on when serving.
Ask seafood department to save clamshells for you and wash and rinse good. Can be used over and over again. Enjoy.
Turkey Soup from Skeleton
OK, it is the day after Thanksgiving and you really do not want to eat any more turkey. What can you do with the leftover caucus? Make soup! Remember, Italians cook with what we have and waste nothing. I love my mother’s turkey meals.
What you’ll need:
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion
1 peeled potato
1 bay leaf
salt/pepper
½ cup white rice (optional)
1 cup of elbow macaroni (optional)
- 1. Put enough cold water in the pot to cover the skeleton.
2. Add one bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste.
3. When it starts to boil, skim foam off and continue till all is removed.
4. After about 30 minutes or so add, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 onion and 1
peeled potato.
5. Cook for another 30 minutes or so. Remove bones (put bones in colander and save the broth) and veggies and keep separate. Strain the broth in another pot.
6. Put the veggies in a blender with some broth, (do 1/3 at a time) and blend till smooth. Add to broth.
7. When ready to add pasta or rice or whatever you like, bring to a boil, taste for seasonings, and 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked add a handful of grated parmesan cheese and keep stirring till cooked.
Cheese will lump if you don't keep stirring.
- By putting the veggies in the blender it makes the broth thick and creamy after it blends with the broth.
If you prefer a broth type soup then after straining the broth you could add the cut up veggies in the broth and cook half way through before adding the pasta and cheese.
Beef Soup
- What you’ll need:
1. Piece of Soup meat – ask your butcher, tell him/her you are making beef soup. A bone should come with it. Figure about 7 inches long and 4 inches wide.
2. Brown in pot on both sides.
3. Take meat out and wipe out any fat.
4. Put meat in a pot with water.... (if you use a lot of water, the soup will be weak...so fill about five inches above the meat, you can figure it out when you do it often).
5. When meat is almost tender, add cubed potatoes, carrots and whatever other
veggie you like. Check the veggies for your desired doneness.
6. I added some tomato paste the last 20 minutes to thicken.
When finished, take meat out and slice into cubes and put back into the pot. My family served the meat with pivera and veggies).
Go to the next recipe below to use the bone marrow bones!
Please do not toss in the trash.
Pivera
What you’ll need:
- 1 can of beef broth 14.5 oz
- 5-6 soup bones
- 1 cup of bread crumbs (seasoned if you like)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons of black pepper (To taste of course)
- A bone may come with the meat, you can ask your butcher for more bones. For pivera, chip out the bone marrow into a bowl. You may do this with a few extra bones. They are pretty cheap and you’ll find them in the meat section of your grocery store.
- Next, preheat your pan on medium high and add the extra virgin olive oil. Add the bone marrow. Sauté for a few minutes and you will begin to see the marrow melt. Pick out any hard pieces. Once the marrow is completely melted, add some breadcrumbs and some beef broth. Then stir it all together. Keep adding some more breadcrumbs and then more beef broth until you get a thick sauce. If you add too much broth it will become soupy.
- Now add black pepper and some salt for taste.
- How did we eat this? My mother would have soup in the bowl and leave out some meat for us to dip it into the pivera. Also have some good Italian bread for dipping.
I call it Italian horseradish. You will not find this one in any cookbooks.
More to Come Soon
We're always cooking up new ideas here at Italian Recipes, and we're busy adding more delicious dishes to our collection. So, if you're looking for fresh inspiration for your next Italian meal, come back soon for more exciting recipe ideas!