Roasted Tomato Sauce

In my humble opinion, this is the best tomato-based pasta sauce ever to grace a plate. I hope you agree. It's great on it's own, or as a base for vodka sauce.

Accept my apologies for the vague measurements in some places. This is one of those dishes I've never had the patience to take the time and measure out as I make it. Quite frankly, measuring here would take all the fun out of it.

Ingredients:

* Tomatoes (enough to fill a cookie sheet when cut in half)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 medium white onion (diced)
7 cloves garlic (minced)
4 oz fresh basil (minced)
4 oz fresh oregano (minced)
4 oz fresh thyme (minced)
Course sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
** tomato puree

* What type of tomatoes, you ask? If all else is equal, I'll choose the romas. But, truth be told, I don't think variety is nearly as important as quality. Go with the variety that is fresh and ripe. The ones pictured are fresh-picked from my father-in-law's garden, which beats an under-ripe grocery store variety any time.

** Optional. See below.

Method:

Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and steps, and lay them out on a cookie sheet covered in foil. Season them with salt and pepper.

Spread the oregano and thyme evenly over the tomatoes, followed by the garlic then the onions. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 2 hours at 350.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes, then put them into a food processor and liquify them.

Add the blended tomato mixture to a pan and bring to a boil. Add the wine and basil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

** If you're after a saucier, more Americanized texture, try adding 1/2 cup to a full cup of tomato puree to the food processor while blending.  If you do this, you may need to bump up the herbs and seasoning to account for the diluted mixture. For best results, make your own tomato puree from a can of San Marzano tomatoes.

Variation:

While the tomatoes are roasting, fry up a pan of hot Italian sausage. Then, use the wine to deglaze the pan and then add the tomat mixture and basil.

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Pepperoni Rolls

A super-fast, simple appetizer using off-the-shelf crescent rolls.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube of 8 crescent rolls
• 32 slices of pepperoni
• 5 tablespoons garlic butter

Method:

While the oven is preheating to to 375˚, unroll and layout all the crescent rolls. Spread garlic butter on them...

...and then top each roll with 4 slices of pepperoni...

Roll them up...

...and bake as directed (12 minutes was perfect in my oven).

Serve as a starter with pizza sauce for dipping.

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Pizziti

This little gem is a combination of baked ziti and pepperoni pizza.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ziti (boiled to al dente)
• 1-2 quarts tomato sauce (I like the Sunday Gravy recipe)
• 5 cups grated mozzarella
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage
• 5 oz sliced pepperoni

Method:

Roll the sausage in 3/4” balls and brown thoroughly.

Stir sausage, ziti, tomato sauce (adjust amount based on how saucy you like it), and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese into a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350˚ for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil. Add the remaining 3 cups of cheese and top with pepperoni. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

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Sunday Gravy

This traditional Sicilian tomato sauce is great with pasta or used in baked dishes like lasagna and baked ziti.

Ingredients:

• 84 ounces San Marzano tomatoes.
• 1 lb spare ribs (on the bone)
• 1 lb beef stew meat (cubed)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 6 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Method:

Brown the spare ribs on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Then brown the stew meat for 6 minutes. Remove and set aside. While the meat is cooking, run the tomatoes through a food processor. How chunky you leave it is up to you. I like mine smooth.

Turn the heat down and cook the garlic for a minute or two. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Turn the heat up enough to allow you to deglaze the pan with about half the water. Put the meat back in, and add the rest of the water and the tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer, cover loosely, and let it cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove what’s left of the spare ribs (not much) and serve.

Note: For a truly authentic experience, use veal instead of beef and pork neck bones instead of spare ribs. Also, many traditionalists prefer to remove the garlic after cooking it.

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Lasagne with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ pound Lasagne pasta
• 2 pounds Hot Italian sausage
• 84 ounces San Marzano Tomatoes
• 1 Yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon Fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme
• 1 pound Mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 pound Ricotta cheese

Method

Brown the sausage. Just before it's done, add the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, herbs and salt. Simmer for about 1.5 hours.

15 minutes before the sauce is done simmering, put the pasta in the casserole dish with some hot tap water and pre-heat the oven to 350.

Remove the pasta from the dish, drain and dry the dish.

Start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of pasta, then a layer of ricotta, then a layer of mozzarella. Add another layer of pasta, then sauce, then the two cheeses.

Cook, tented in foil, for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

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Penne Vodka

My all-time favorite Italian dish. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Penne pasta
• 28 ounces San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed
• 3 ounces Pancetta
• 1⁄4 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 1⁄2 Shallot, minced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 shot Vodka, Absolut Peppar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Fresh basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Fresh oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Fresh thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Black pepper, fresh ground
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Dice and sear pancetta.

Add a little olive oil to the pan, and add shallots and garlic. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook for about a minute.

Deglaze pan with the vodka, then immediately add the tomatoes. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Put the pasta in boiling salted water. Add cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve over hot penne pasta. Top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Variations: Like it spicy? Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and/or use capacola instead of pancetta.

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Impromptu Italian Pasta Collage

My apologies for failing (for the first time) to provide you with exact measurements, but I was in a hurry and measuring things out would completely fly in the face of the spirit of this dish. This is just an idea for what you can do with whatever you have laying around the house.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 lb shrimp (peeled & deveined)
• 1 lb can San Marzano tomatoes
• Spaghetti
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red wine
• Random herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, etc.)
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method

Combine tomatoes, red wine and herbs in a saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce to about 1/3.

As your reduction is nearing the end, put the spaghetti in a pot with salted water to cook.

Heat up a cast iron skillet, and cook sliced sausage. Once it's about done, add a little olive oil and cook onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Shove that stuff to one side of the pan, and add shrimp and salt (as well as more olive oil, if needed).

Once everything is done, mix it all together in a big pot and serve with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.

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Off-Season Tomato Sauce

I have a confession to make: I'm not a big fan of authentic Italian cuisine. Having sampled authentic Italian cooking in Rome and Florence, I've realized that my Americanized taste buds just need something more. I'm conditioned to over-seasoning, rather than appreciating the natural flavors that come from fine ingredients.

With that said, I also feel obligated to know something about authentic Italian cooking. Primarily for 2 reasons:

1. Most of our favorite Americanized dishes have roots in other cultures. In order to come up with my own spins on these dishes, it's important to me that I start from a traditional base.
2. Some traditional dishes (such as this tomato sauce) can serve as a strong base for other creations. While this may not be the world's most exciting tomato sauce, what happens when I turn it into Arrabiata? Stay tuned, and you'll see!

With that said, I give unto you, a reasonably authentic version of a Northern Italian tomato sauce. One that should serve you well when fresh tomatoes are not in season.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta
• 1 lb canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon carrot (minced)
• 1 tablespoon celery (minced)
• 3 tablespoons Italian parsley (minced)
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil (minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Parmigiano reggiano

Method:

You should be able to prepare the entire dish in the time it takes the pasta to cook.

While the salted pasta water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a pan. Once it’s warmed up, add the mirepoix (onion, celery and carrots). Sauté until onions are translucent. Add parsley and garlic, and continue to sauté for another minute.

When the water starts boiling, add the pasta (I like linguini).

Crush the tomatoes (by hand) as you add them to the mix. Include the juice that the tomatoes are packed in. Add the basil. Bring to a boil, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the pasta and the sauce are finished to your liking, mix the two together and top with fresh grated parmigiano reggiano.

To learn more about authentic Northern Italian cooking, check out The Splendid Table.

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Pizza Napoletana Margherita

A nice compromise between uber-authentic, and actually being able to find ingredients in your home town. Other than the dough, this is about as authentic as you’ll find anywhere on this side of the pond.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 4 cups sifted flour
• 1 package dry quick-rise yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soft shortening
• 1 1/2 cups + 1/4 cup of warm water

For the Pie:

• 1 can San Marzano tomatoes
• 8-15 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella
• Extra virgin olive oil (high quality)
• Sea salt

Mix the yeast with 1/4 cup of water and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add shortening, water and yeast mixture. Mix, then knead for a minute or two. Set it in a bowl, and set that bowl in the sink with some warm water. Cover with a towel, and let it rise for 30 minutes. This should make 3-4 pies, depending on how thick you like them.

While the dough is rising, place a pizza stone in the oven, and preheat 500. When the dough is done rising, break off a chunk about the size of two handfuls, and put it on a piece of wax paper that is covered with a little bit of flour and cornmeal. Spread it out to make a shape that somewhat resembles a circle. Transfer that dough to the crust, and mbake the crust for 6 minutes.

Pull it out, and start topping! Using your hands, crush 3-4 tomatoes onto the dough. Season with sea salt. Top lightly with mozzarella, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the cheese is melted (another 3-4 minutes). Serve.

Variation: Try it with lightly smoked provelone cheese instead of mozzarella (as pictured above).

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Fettucini Alfredo

I’ve never been a fan of alfredo sauce. To me, it’s just plain boring. But, add a little chicken bullion and this otherwise authentic Italian pasta dish turns into a mountain of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chicken bullion granules
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb fresh Fettucini

While your pasta is cooking...

Melt the butter in a non-reactive pot. Add minced garlic, salt and chicken bullion, and cook for about a minute.

Gradually add milk and stir. Gradually add parmesan cheese, and stir to melt.

Add to pasta and top with fresh ground pepper and/or Italian parsley.

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Angel Hair Pasta with Butter Garlic and Parmesan

This is quite possibly the easiest authentic Italian pasta dish known to man. If you’re in the mood for a quick Italian fix, it doesn’t get much faster than this.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz angel hair pasta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
• 3 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

While your pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and salt, and cook for about a minute. Turn the heat completely off and add the cooked pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano. Toss to coat. If it gets too gloopy, add a little pasta water to smooth it out.

Garnish with fresh-ground black pepper and fresh-chopped basil.

Serve with salt and additional Parmigiano Reggiano.

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Garlic Butter

A very tasty spread for garlic bread, corn on the cob, or sautéed veggies, such as asparagus or mushrooms.

• 4 sticks butter (room temp)
• 2 bulbs roasted garlic
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon (fine) sea salt
• 3 heaping Tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer and blend until the butter is light and fluffy.

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Ghetto Sketti

This is it folks... Heavy Doody's original recipe! This is the dish that (mis)lead me into thinking I could cook.

This ain't no authentic Italian (pronounced EYE-talian) cuisine. This is down-home, po' folks, good ol' fashioned 'Merican Sketti. The ingredients may be ghetto, but anyone who has tasted it can tell you how bitchin' it is.


For starters, let's get all our ingredients laid out and ready to go...

• 4 Packets of McCormick Think & Zesty Spaghetti Sauce Mix
• 7 cups water
• 4 6 oz cans tomato paste
  
• 2 lbs hot Italian sausage
• 5 oz pepperoni (diced)
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toppings:

• Grated sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese
• Parmesan cheese (canned)
  

Step 1: Brown the Italian sausage. While that's cooking up, dice your pepperoni and measure out all your ingredients. Once the sausage is browned, dump it in a colander to drain the excess fat.


In a good-sized pot, combine the water, tomato paste, McCormick's packets, and all the other seasonings. It's a good idea to whisk it up, just in case you're McCormick's packets have been sitting in the pantry for 10 years, like mine have.


Once that's all blended, add the sausage and pepperoni. Bring it to a boil. Stir frequently enough to keep it from burning to the bottom fo the pan.


Reduce to a simmer and add the mushrooms. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally). While the sauce is doing its thing, get your noodles ready and grate the cheese.


You're pretty much done. Slop some noodles into a bowl, add the grated cheese.


Pour some sauce over the cheese, then shake on some parmesan cheese.


Serve with a fine beverage of your choice.

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