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  • Recipe For Penne All’ Arrabbiata

    Ingredients

    1 1/2 pounds penne pasta
    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, sliced
    4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
    3 tablespoons capers
    1/2 cup pitted and halved green olives
    1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
    3 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped
    6 leaves fresh basil
    1 pinch salt
    ground black pepper to taste
    2/3 cup red wine
    1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
    6 1/2 ounces pancetta bacon, finely chopped

    Directions

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

    Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion until transparent. Add garlic and saute until soft, then the pancetta and cook until bubbling and transparent.

    Add the capers, mushrooms, olives, hot red pepper, anchovies, salt (use only a pinch because of the anchovies), ground black pepper and wine.

    Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes longer, add the basil leaves, then toss in the cooked pasta and sprinkle generously with cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

  • How To Make Artichoke and Black Olive Baked Chicken

    Ingredients

    4 bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin
    6 chicken drumsticks
    2 (6.5 ounce) jars marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
    1 (15 ounce) can black olives, drained
    1/2 cup dry white wine
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
    salt and pepper to taste

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

    Place chicken breasts and drumsticks in a 9×13 inch baking dish, bone side down. Spread artichokes and olives around chicken, then mix wine and broth together in a small bowl and pour mixture all over chicken. Sprinkle with tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through (juices run clear) and browned.

  • How To Make Salmon and Prawn Spaghetti

    Ingredients

    2 (4 ounce) salmon fillets
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
    1 dash red wine
    4 tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
    1 (8 ounce) package uncooked spaghetti
    8 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 cup red wine
    1/4 cup whipping cream
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

    Directions

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the salmon into a baking dish, and season with the tarragon and a dash of red wine. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

    Bake the salmon for about 5 minutes, then remove the lid, and add the prawns to the dish. Cover, and return to the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork, and prawns are pink.

    Meanwhile bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender. After the first 2 minutes, add the asparagus spears they will be done at the same time.

    As you wait for the pasta, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms; cook and stir for a few minutes, then add the garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, then add the wine. Cook and stir to remove any bits stuck to the pan, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream.

    Drain the spaghetti and asparagus, and mix into the skillet with the cream sauce. Flake the salmon and mix it in too. Pour onto a serving dish, and place the prawns on top. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.

  • Italian Baked Cannelloni

    Ingredients

    1/2 cup olive oil
    1 pound lean ground beef
    1 onion, thinly sliced
    1/4 teaspoon dried sage
    1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
    salt to taste
    1/2 cup white wine
    12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
    2 egg yolks

    4 tablespoons butter
    4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    2 cups milk

    2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
    1 onion, thinly sliced
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/2 cup white wine
    salt and pepper to taste
    12 cannelloni pasta shells

    Directions

    To make the Cannelloni Filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute ground beef with the onion, sage and rosemary; cook until meat is evenly browned and crumbly. Add salt and 1/2 cup white wine; cook until wine is evaporated.

    To make the Bechamel sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Stir in milk and bring to a slow boil until mixture thickens. Stir into the meat mixture and mix well. Stir in the mozzarella and egg yolks; set aside.

    In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup white wine and let it cook down to evaporate; add tomato and salt. Mix well; simmer for 15 minutes.

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, a few at a time, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; using a slotted spoon, remove immediately to a pot filled with cold water. Lift pasta out with slotted spoon and arrange on a flat surface.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

    Spoon a line of filling into each shell, starting from one end and using your finger to push the filling inside of each shell. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, place cannelloni and cover with tomato mixture.

    Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until heated through; when finished baking, allow to stand for 5 minutes and serve.