Shrimp Marinara for Feast of Seven Fishes

Just days away from Christmas Eve, I have been thinking about what seven fishes I should make for our traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner.  Being that both of my parents grew up near the Gulf of Naples in Italy (my dad from Monte di Procida on the mainland and my mom on the Island of … Read more

Shrimp Marinara

Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 jar of 825 MAIN Marinara Sauce1 ½  lb of 12/16 shrimp ( On the chart it would be either a jumbo shrimp or colossal) 5 shrimp per person¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil3 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced¼ cup of sherry wine¼ tsp of salt (optional)Pinch of red pepper … Read more

All My Firsts! ‘Chicken Scarpariello Recipe’

 As I reach this new phase of my life with the last of my kids planning her wedding, I wonder how I got here?  I think it all started with a bunch of firsts: I was the first born American in a huge Italian family. I was the first to go to school without knowing … Read more

Chicken Scarpariello

Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 Boneless Chicken breasts about a pound½ cup of flourSalt pepperCanola Oil for frying4 cloves of garlicExtra Virgin Olive Oil½ cup of white wine½ chicken stock½ cup of butter4 hot cherry peppers packed in vinegar (slivered with seeds removed)4 small Yukon potatoes (peeled and sliced in rounds boiled until tender) Procedure:

Spaghetti and Meatballs (American-style vs Italian-style)

One of our most popular dishes that we served in the restaurant was “Spaghetti and Meatballs”.  A big dish of spaghetti with 2 large meatballs doused with our delicious tomato sauce was a big seller.  Twice a week the chefs would be busy mixing the ground meat in a huge mixer and then rolling 500 meatballs … Read more

Nonna’s Neapolitan Meatballs

Ingredients: 4 slices bread (2 packed cups’ worth)2 pounds ground beef or you can use a mix of pork, veal. and beef3 cloves garlic, minced1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley1/4 cup grated Parmagiano Reggiano1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt15 turns white pepper4 large eggs1/2 cup dried … Read more

Gluten-Free Meatballs

Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds of meatloaf mix (veal, pork, and beef chopped meat)3 eggs¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley¼ cup of grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese1 clove of garlic grated on the microplane or minced½ cup of almond mealSalt and pepper to taste1 jar of 825 MAIN Marinara Sauce Procedure:

Vegetarian: Ricotta & Zucchini Balls

Ingredients: 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive oil4 zucchini1/2 cup ricotta drained2 eggsbread crumbs½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggianosaltblack pepper½ cup basil chopped Preparation:

Vegan Eggplant Balls

Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, diced1 garlic clove, peeled1 shallot, minced¼ + 1/8 teaspoon saltFreshly ground black pepper, to taste1-1 ½ tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil¾ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs (gluten-free if desired), divided½ teaspoon dried oregano¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley Procedure:

Chiacchiere al Forno – a Carnevale Neapolitan Cookie

I had a seminar this past weekend and I made an Italian cookie that is usually made to celebrate Carnevale (Mardi Gras, fat Tuesday).  The cookies are usually fried or baked and served with a cup of chocolate sauce to dip into.  For convenience of serving this as part of the cooking seminar I dipped … Read more