Primi
Mostaccioli al Ragù Toscano (Mostaccioli with Tuscan Sauce)
Ingredientsto taste extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
¼ cup dry red wine
1 to 2 sprigs rosemary
2 leaves sage
4 ounces ground beef
4 ounces ground pork
2 fresh tomatoes
2 cups water
to taste Tuscan pecorino cheese
to taste freshly ground black pepper
½ box (8 ounces) BARILLA Mostaccioli
HEAT olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, and sage. Sauté for 10 minutes over low heat.
ADD the ground meats and cook until the meat begins to stick on the bottom of pan, Deglaze with red wine and let mixture reduce well. Discard the rosemary, sage and garlic clove.
BLANCH tomatoes, peel and remove seeds. Cut pulp into small pieces and add the pulp to the meat sauce along with water.
SIMMER sauce mixture until water evaporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
BRING a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook pasta according to package directions.
DRAIN pasta, toss with sauce and sprinkle with pecorino cheese.
Secondi
Tagliata di Manzo con Salsa ai Funghi Porcini (Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Sauce)
Ingredients
1 lb beef tenderloin, cut in half .
1 clove garlic
½ lb porcini mushrooms, frozen*
¼ to ½ cup beef broth
2 sprigs, rosemary, divided (approx. 2 tbsp.)
to taste coarse salt
to taste extra virgin olive oil
to taste freshly ground black pepper
CLEAN and thinly slice the mushrooms.
HEAT Tuscan olive oil in a large skillet; add garlic and a rosemary sprig; sauté until garlic turns light yellow.
ADD mushrooms and stir fry until mushrooms stick to the bottom of pan. Deglaze with the broth. Adjust with salt and pepper.
BRUSH the meat with olive oil using a rosemary sprig as a brush.
BROIL the meat until medium rare; season with coarse salt.
SLICE the meat into 1/3 inch slices, being sure to cut against the grain. Place slices on a single plate and garnish with the porcini mushrooms sauce.
DRIZZLE with extra virgin olive oil and serve very hot.
*Note: May purchase frozen porcini mushrooms at Earthy Delights, Dewitt, MI 1-800-367-4700
Contorno
Cannellini con Salvia (Cannellini Beans with Sage)
Ingredients
to taste extra virgin Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
3 leaves sage
1 can (9 ounces) canellini beans
¼ cup water
2 fresh plum tomatoes
to taste salt & freshly ground black pepper
HEAT olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sage. Saute until garlic turn yellow. Add cannelloni beans and water, simmer for 5 minutes.
MEANWHILE blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute. Cool and remove skins. Remove seeds. Cut the pulp into ¼ inch cubes and add to beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes.
ADD hot water to thin as desired.
DISCARD sage and serve drizzled with an abundant amount of olive oil.
Dolce
Cantucci (Almond Cookies)
Ingredients
4 ½ cups flour
10 tbsp. butter
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
4 cups almonds, whole and unpeeled
2 cups Vin Santo wine, chilled
PREHEAT oven to 350º F.
CREAM butter and sugar together.
ADD remaining ingredients (except for the almonds) and mix together making sure to not over-mix.
ADD almonds and hand mix with a wooden spoon.
PLACE dough in a large zip lock bag. Cut tip of bag 1-1/2-inch wide.
SQUEEZE dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, making a rope, about 1 ½-inches wide. Makes about 8 ropes.
BAKE for 25 minutes. Remove from oven but leave the oven on.
COOL Cantucci on parchment paper lined baking sheet for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, approximately 10 minutes, cut into 3/8-inch diagonal slices on cutting board. Do not allow Cantucci to cool completely before you cut or else they will crumble.
PLACE Cantucci slices on their side onto the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden in color.
ALLOW to cool and become crisp before serving.
DIP Cantucci in additional chilled Vin Santo wine as the perfect ending to a fine meal.
