Shop New Cooking Aids Meat Entrees 1. Lasagna with Tiny Meatballs 2. Pasta with Large Spicy Meatballs 3. Spidini 4. Osso Boco 5. Veal Marsalla 6. Broiled Chicken Au Poivre   Return to Sicilian Recipe Main Menu   Great Wine Compliment for these Meals Torciano Baldassarre The wine laws of certain wine regions, such as Italy's Tuscany, were usually established in previous eras, protecting and describing the classical wine of that time. But as we know, time moves on. Advanced winemakers in Italy do not want to be constrained by laws, such as those in Tuscany that prescribe the percentages of grape varieties allowed in Chianti or Brunello. They are experimenting with blends involving Cabernet, one of the world's great red varietals, but not permitted in the great Tuscan wines. So they have created an upside down world where the 'lowest' quality category, Vino da Tavola, is now the most precious wine made in the region. Try this superb example of Cabernet/Sangiovese from Tenuta Torciano, aged patiently in oak and chestnut barrique. Rich, 'sweet' fruit with profound depth.   Lasagna with Tiny Meatballs Serves 8-10 Tomato Sauce 3 tbs.. olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cans Italian Tomatoes, 1 lb. 12 oz. each 1 bay leaf ½ tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt Meatballs 1 pound mixed ground veal, pork & beef 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (3 slices of white bread, pulsed in food processor) ½ cup Parmesan cheese 1 egg, lightly mixed 1 tbs.. parsley, chopped 1 tsp. garlic, minced Spinach Sauce 1 tbs.. butter 2 tbs.. shallots, chopped 1 10 oz. box whole leaf spinach, defrosted, drained & chopped 1 cup whole milk ricotta 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated ¼ cup milk 15 sheets no-boil lasagna, (2 boxes of Barilla) in case of breakage ½ lb. Fontina cheese, shredded Butter a 9 x 12 x 2 baking dish. Heat a saucepan and cook onions with oil until softened. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf cooking for 15 minutes. Cool then puree. In a bowl combine ground meats with bread crumbs, grated cheese, egg, parsley and garlic. Form into tiny meatballs, about the size of your thumb. Add meatballs to pureed tomato sauce and cook for 8 minutes, set aside. Heat a skillet with 1-tablespoon of butter and sauté shallots till softened. Add spinach, ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, milk and heat through. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400°. Have a pan of boiling water ready. Parboil 3 sheets of pasta at a time. Cover the bottom of the prepared pan crosswise with the pasta. Using a rubber spatula spread some ricotta mixture on top of noodles and spoon a ladle full of tomato sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle grated Fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese over the tomato sauce. Continue for 4 layers. Your final layer will be just tomato sauce and grated cheeses. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Rest lasagna for at least 15 minutes and serve with the remaining tomato and meatball sauce. © Diana Albanese top Pasta with Large Spicy Meatballs Serves 8- 10 Tomato Sauce 5 tbs.. olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 3 cans Italian Tomatoes, 1 lb. 12 oz. each 1 small can tomato paste 2 bay leaves 2 Tbs.. Italian oregano 3 Tbs.. Parsley 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Combine Olive oil, onion and garlic in a preheated pan on medium heat. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Meat Balls 2 lb. lean ground beef 1/2 lbs. ground veal 1/2 hot or mild Italian sausage, as to your taste [if you can't find ground, buy the links and peel off the casing. 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 eggs 8 slices white bread 3/4 parmesan or romano cheese finely grated 1/2 cup parsley 3 tbs.. sweet basil finely chopped 1 tsp. pepper The trick to great meat balls aside from the ingredients is in the preparation. Sauté the onion and garlic in a medium heat, preheated pan with a covering of olive oil until translucent. Cut the crust from the bread and dice into cubes. Wet the diced bread with water and maintain enough moisture to hold a ball shape. Place the bread in a large bowl. Add eggs and mix until most of the bread is not lumpy. Add cheese, parsley, basil, and pepper. Mix well. Add the meat and prepare to get messy. Mix the meat with the rest of the ingredients (Use your clean hands to mix). Mix until the result is consistent. Now roll enough meat mix to make an 1 oval ball about the size of 2 golf balls. Continue until all the balls are rolled. Makes about 30 meatballs. Preheat a frying pan or skillet on medium heat, and cover the pan with olive oil. Once the pan is at max heat add the meat balls. Brown each side almost to a dark brown color. Don't burn. Turn and repeat the browning. Set aside. If you want to add some or all to the sauce. Wait until the last 1/2 hour that the sauce is cooking before adding the meat balls. Use your favorite pasta and follow the directions, about a 1/4 lb. per person. Cooks in about 10 min from a boil. Less if the pasta is fresh. © Robert Paratore top Skewered Veal with Grilled Onion & Bay Leaves Serves 6 1 pound veal cutlet, pounded thin ¼ cup onion, chopped ½ cup parsley ¾ cup plain bread crumbs ¼ cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp. Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 small onion, quartered 12 whole dry bay leaves 6 metal skewers Preheat oven to broil at 475°. Set a rack on the highest level. Cut veal into 3 x 3 inch squares. In a shallow pan combine chopped onions, parsley, breadcrumbs, and ¼ cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. On a work surface lay out the veal squares. Spread 1 teaspoon of mixture on each veal piece and roll up. Use two skewers to hold the veal rolls securely. Alternate with bay leaves, veal rolls and onions quarters. When finished press the veal rolls into the remaining bread crumb mixture. Oil a baking sheet and place the skewered veal rolls in it. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. © Diana Albanesetop Osso Buco with Jerusalem Artichokes Serves 6 2 tbsp. olive oil ½ cup Wondra Salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 two-inch thick veal shanks, ½-¾ lbs. each 3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into ½ inch dice 1 medium onion, cut into ½ inch dice 1 celery rib, cut into ½ inch dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 anchovy fillets, mashed 1 cup dry white wine 1½ cups chicken broth 1 cup drained Italian plum tomatoes, chopped coarsely 1 bouquet garni 2 fresh sage 2 fresh thyme 1 bay leaf wrapped with leek & tied 2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes, peeled & cut into 1 inch pieces Preheat oven to 350° In a shallow dish combine the Wondra with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole. Tie the shanks with string. Dredge the shanks on all sides with the Wondra and cook over medium high heat until browned about 10 minutes on each side. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside in a dish. Put the vegetables in the casserole and cook for 8 minutes until soften. Add the anchovies and cook for another minute. Add the wine reducing it, scraping loose the brown residues stuck to the bottom and sides of the pot. Return the veal shanks to the casserole and add the broth, tomatoes and the bouquet garni. The liquids should come up to two thirds of the way up to the shanks. If it does not, add more broth. Brings the liquids to a simmer and cover tightly. Place in the lower third of the oven. Cook for one hour. Turn and baste the shanks and add the Jerusalem artichokes. Cook for another hour. When the osso buco is done, transfer to a serving platter. If the liquids in the pot are too thin place the pot over a burner on high heat and reduce the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the shanks and serve. © Diana Albanese 1999 top   Veal Marsalla 8 veal cutlets pounded thin 1 lb. mushrooms 1 large clove of garlic peeled and crushed 1 can chicken soup (broth) 1 can marsalla wine. ( use broth can) 1 egg Directions: Scramble the egg in a small bowl Dip cutlets in egg then into Italian bread crumbs on both sides Saute veal cutlets in a lightly olive oil coated frying pan and set aside Saute mushrooms and garlic in a lightly olive oil coated frying pan. Add broth and wine and bring to a boil. Prepare the veal in an oven pan to fit the veal side by side. Pour the musrroom and broth/wine mixture over the veal. This should marinate over night in the refrig. for best results. Bake the veal for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees uncovered. © Frances Paratore 2000 top   Broiled Chicken Au Poivre Serves 4 1 tbsp. black peppercorns ½ tbsp. white peppercorns 3 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup grapeseed or canola oil 4 split chicken breasts with ribs, weighing total of 3 lbs. 4 tbsp. butter 2½ tbsp. shallots, finely minced 1 tbsp. green peppercorns packed in brine, drained and rinsed 4 tbsp. heavy cream Squeeze of fresh lemon juice to taste Salt to taste Crush black and white peppercorns with a rolling pin. Place in a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken. Add one tablespoon of mustard, Worcestershire and oil and mix to combine. Place chicken in the bowl and turn in marinade. Marinate for 10 minutes. Adjust oven shelf so chicken is 5 inches from broiler. Preheat oven to broil. Place chicken skin side up on a rack in a broiler pan. Broil for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. After 15 minutes chicken skin will start to burn, shut off broiler and finishing cooking in 400° oven. Cook for a total of 30 minutes. When juices run clear chicken is done. Transfer to a platter. Discard rack and drain pan of cooking fat. Set pan on stovetop. Turn the heat to medium and add the butter. When melted add shallots, stirring often until lightly browned. Add green peppercorns and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining mustard and the heavy cream stirring until blended and heated through. Transfer sauce to a small bowl. Adjust seasonings with salt and lemon juice. Whisk until sauce is well incorporated. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve. © Diana Albanese 1999 top