At Home Italian Cooking by JoElaine

Nanny's Potato Gnocchi by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

For The Gnocchi
1 lb potatoes, Yukon gold or russet are best
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 medium egg, room temperature
2 Tbsps of ricotta

Process,
1. In a large pot boil the unpeeled potatoes until tender, remove from the pot and let cool remove the skin. Then

pass through a potato ricer.
2. Mix together the flour and salt, place on a flat surface, make a well in the middle and add the potatoes, ricotta,

and egg, mix together with your fingers to form a soft dough, it should not stick to your fingers.
3. On a lightly floured surface, cut small amounts of dough to form ropes and cut into ¾ inch pieces, then slide

each piece on a fork and squeeze a little. Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and toss, so they don't stick together.

Let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes before cooking.
4. Immediately serve with Sunday Sauce (See Recipe)

           Enjoy!

Eggplant Lasagna by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
3 large eggplants, peeled, sliced lengthwise
Vegetable oil for frying
2 cups of Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup of flour
3 Eggs, beaten +1egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt + dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
36 ounces of homemade marinara sauce
1 container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmesan, divided
2 cups of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese + addition for topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 bag of steamed spinach (optional)

Process,
1. Position rack in the middle of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Peal the skin off the eggplants. Then trim off the eggplant outermost curvy portion so that the slices lay mostly flat. Evenly slice the eggplant into lengthwise slices. Fill a bowl with cold water and add your salt, then place your eggplant into the bowl making sure the water covers the eggplant. Let sit for 30 minutes. This process eliminates some of the acid in the eggplant. Drain, rinse, and blot dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
3. Place the oil in a skillet pan and heat on medium high till reaches temperature for frying.
4. In the meantime, place beaten eggs into a bowl and place Italian breadcrumbs and flour into another bowl, mix well.
5. Take a slice of the eggplant and coat with the beaten eggs and then place into the Italian bread crumb mixture making sure it's coated completely. Repeat steps till all pieces of eggplant are completed.
6. Place 5 eggplant slices into your oil and fry on one side till crunchy and light brown in color then turn to other side till crunchy and light brown color. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Repeat steps till all eggplant is completed.
7. In a large bowl add the ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, dash of salt, and dash pepper. Mix well, until the mixture is evenly combined. Stir in the spinach, (optional) using a fork to break it up and distribute it as evenly with the ricotta mixture as possible.
8. Spoon marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Lay 4 to 5 eggplant slices on top followed half of the ricotta mixture then topped with 1 cup of fresh mozzarella. Layer on another 4 to 5 slices of eggplant. Then add sauce, add remaining ricotta mixture and top with 1 cup of mozzarella. Finish with 4 to 5 eggplant slices then add remaining marinara sauce. Top with the mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot and bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Note: I made this dish without spinach. But I love it both ways.
 

            Enjoy!

Rigatoni Alla Vodka by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients;
3 Tbsps of butter
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb of rigatoni
1/4 cup of vodka
2 ounces grated parmigiano, plus more for serving

Process,
1.In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft but not browned, about 15 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until tomato paste is thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in canned tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring often and crushing the whole tomatoes roughly with a spoon, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
3. Add cream, and mix. Transfer sauce to a blender and give it a quick blend leaving some tomato dices. Then return blended sauce to your pan. Season lightly with salt.
4.In a medium pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until just to al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package directs. About 1 minute before you transfer pasta to sauce, add vodka to tomato sauce and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
5. Using slotted spoon, transfer pasta directly to sauce pot along with 1/2 cup pasta water then add to sauce and cook stirring constantly, until pasta is well coated in sauce and about 3 minutes. If sauce thickens too much

before pasta is ready, add more pasta water in 1/4 cup as needed.
6. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until thoroughly mix into a smooth and creamy sauce. Season if needed. Serve immediately.

               Enjoy!

Italian Braised Pork Chops by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
4 large pork chops with bone
Salt & pepper
1 large, sweet onion, chopped largely
4 Carrots, sliced on an angle 1 inch in size
3 Celery, sliced on an angle 1 inch in size
7 Garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsps of tomato paste
2 Tbsps of flour
1 cup of red wine
1 1/2 cups of homemade beef broth
3 large bay leaves
1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup of water

Process,
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
2. In a large Dutch oven pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat and brown the meat on all sides until a

golden in color. Then transfer the pork to a plate.
3. Then add to the pot onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes until caramelized. Sprinkle with the flour and cook another 2 minutes .
4. Stir in the wine and reduce it by half. Return the pork to the dutch oven pot then stir in the beef stock, parsley , and bay leaves. Add the water if liquid does not come up to the top of the pork. Note: Do not cover the pork with liquid.
5. Cover the pot and place it in the oven to braise until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.
 

            Enjoy!

Chicken Breast stuffed with Garlic Stuffing by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf of French bread, cubed
1/2 cup of butter
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 of cup of onions, minced
1 1/2 cup of celery, minced
2 tbsp of savory, fresh
2 cups of breadcrumbs
3 cups of chicken broth

Process,

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add onion, celery and savory. Cook until tender and add your garlic and cook until garlic has softened. Remove from heat and stir in French bread until well mixed. Stir in chicken broth. Stuffing should be moist enough to shape into 2 logs.
3. Put chicken breasts between layers of wax paper and pound to about ½ inch (1 cm) thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, smooth side down, on a cutting board.
4. Place 1 stuffing log down the middle of one chicken breast. Place a second chicken breast, smooth side up, on top of the stuffing. Tie breasts together securely with string so the stuffing is sandwiched in between. Repeat with the remaining two breasts. These chicken breast roasts serve two each.
5. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the roasts on all sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken (not the stuffing) reads 165 degrees
6. To serve, remove string and slice each roast. Serve with your favorite sides.
 

           Enjoy!

Homemade Beef Stew by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
2-4 pounds of beef cut into cubes
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup of flour
6 potatoes quartered
2 large onions, chopped large
4 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally cut 1 inch in size
4 carrots, sliced in half length wise then cut diagonally 1 inch in size
2 cups of frozen string 1 beans
4 cups of beef both
1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp of oil
Salt and pepper

Process,
1. Heat a large stock pot on medium high heat with 1 Tbsp of oil.
2. Season your filet mignon with salt and pepper, then coat with flour.
3. Place meat into your pot and brown on all sides. add your carrots, onions and celery and cook 3 To 5 mins till the onions are translucent, add your garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. add the remaining flour to you pot and mix well.
4.Then add your potatoes, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to low and cook 4

to 5 hours or till the meat is tender.
5, Place your frozen string beans into you pot with the stew and let it cook for 30 minutes longer.
Note: Can be done in a slow cooker. I prefer in a stock pot on the stove.
 

            Enjoy!