Antipasto Tenor

By Maria Filice • March 2, 2010

Antipasto Tenor

Mixing up your favorite of your antipasto ingredients can produce a tenor of flavors! It held it’s own at one of my dinner parties and it will have you singing for more! Adding a little of this and that makes it your signature!
Ingredients:
1 can of artichoke hearts (in water), halved (8 1/2 oz can)
1 cup of green olives (monzanilla or your favorite)
1 cup of black cured olives (or your favorite)
1 cup sundried tomatoes (in oil)
2 cups fresh mozzarella balls
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of red chili flakes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. dry oregano
salt, to taste
Easy preparation: mix everything in a bowl and serve. How difficult was that? Serve as a buffet. If this is a sit down dinner, serve this in “fun” martini glasses and crostini’s!
A few leftover tips:
Toss over spaghetti and add a drizzle of olive oil.

or….

Grill some chicken breasts and then place the breasts in a baking dish. Top the antipasto and bake for 10 minutes (400 F) and serve.
or add the tenor to boiled potatoes and you made a tasty potatoe salad!
buon appetito!
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It’s OK to Wing It!

By Maria Filice • March 1, 2010

wings and potatoes 2-11

It’s ok to wing it from time to time…I’m referring to my wings and potatoes. A perfect anytime dinner served with a leafy green salad!
1 lb. chicken wings (approx. 8, depending on the size can range)
1 lb small new potatoes (approx. 10-12)
½ cup brown mustard
10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil.
Preheat the oven at 375 F
In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, red chili flakes, olive oil and set aside.
Take a sharp knife or kitchen scissors and cup off the wing tip. Here’s a quick tip (no pun intended) for the wing tips…. “Take these broken wings” and make a chicken stock, never throw them out.
Place the wings and the potatoes in a baking dish and add the salt , pepper and garlic. Add the mustard sauce to the wings and potatoes. Mix with your hands (or large spoon) to make sure the mixture coats the wings and potatoes.
Cook for approximately 45-50 minutes or until the wings are golden brown. Make sure you stir them occassionally until they are evenly cooked.
Tip: I love the roasted garlic – spread it over the bit side potatoes!
Serve immediately.
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Gnocchi and Peas with Pesto

By Maria Filice • February 28, 2010

peas and gnocchi

I opened my freezer this morning and saw peas, some left over uncooked gnocchi and a small container of pesto. Let me show you a little of this and that and take note……..
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2 lb. of gnocchi (that’s all I had)
3 tbsp. pesto (fresh pesto leftover from a few months ago)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of red chili flakes
reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
/2 cup Parmigiano cheese
Bring a medium pot of cold water to a boil and add 2 tbsp. of salt. Add the gnocchi and cook for three minutes. Add the frozen peas in the same pot and cook together in the same pot.
The gnocchi will be ready when they begin to float to the surface (approx. 5-7 minutes). Drain the gnocchi and peas and put them back in the pot. Add the pesto, 2 tbsp. of olive oil , red chili flakes, pasta water and toss.
Add a handful of parmigiano cheese (in this example, I am not measuring but it should yield about 1/2 cup. Toss and serve immediately.
Buon Appetito!
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Roast/Poach: Salmon with Mustard

By Maria Filice • February 27, 2010

salmon and mustard

This is great at a dinner party or anytime. I get more compliments from this salmon dish and it’s so simple to prepare. Here’s my secret……
Ingredients
2-3 lb. Salmon Fillet
1 cup of your favorite mustard (my combo. 1/3 Dijon and 2/3 brown mustard)
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven at 400 degrees F
Salmon Paste: Mix in a small bowl, mustard, oil oil and pepper. Stir and set aside.
Cut two sheets of foil paper, (enough to fold over). Spray the foil with vegetable spray and place salmon on the bed of foil wrap.
Spread the mustard paste evenly and cover the on top. Poach/Roast for approximately 20 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Place the salmon on a platter and remove the foil paper. Garnish with my barets of cucumber, lemons, limes.
Ps – I usually garnish with dill (my first choice) but since I forgot to buy it (it happens), and was too lazy to go back to the market (that happens too), I got a little creative.
Tip: leftovers are perfect for salads, salmon cakes, sandwiches or pasta. I also like to serve this with broccoli sautéed with garlic and hot chili flakes and crusty Italian bread….
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Pene alla Tuna Puttanesca

By Maria Filice • February 26, 2010

putanesca

One of my favorite pasta sauce’s is Puttanesca sauce. I love the combination of olives, capers, anchovies and garlic to the tomatoe sauce. I always keep these ingredients in my pantry and a great way to have variety when you don’t know what to make. In this sauce, I added tuna and it was fantastic. This is simple, quick and a classic!
1 can chopped plum tomotoes (16 oz)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
4 anchovy filets, chopped
1 can of tuna (5 oz in oil)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cured black olives, sliced
2 tbsp capers, soaked and drained
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (of course i add a little more to my plate!)
pinch of dry oregano
salt to taste
1 lb pene rigati or your favorite pasta
1/2 cup of pasta water
Using a large pot, cook the pasta according to the pasta instructions until it is al dente.
While the pasta water is boiling…….begin the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovy for a minute. Stir occasionally. Add the tomatoes, tuna (with oil), capers, olives, oregano, chili flakes and lower the heat to low.
Drain the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and add it to the sauce.
Add the pasta to the sauce pan and stir for a minute letting the sauce mix well. Before serving, add the fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Tip: Serve with a fresh salad of romaine lettuce, drizzle olive oil, add some black olives and shavings of Parmigiano.

Buon Appetito!
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