Everydayguy » italian

Just a Man in His Kitchen: Tomato Sauce

Frank — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 02:07:46 +0000

When it came time to decide which recipe I would share first, I strained my brain for days. Where would I begin this culinary voyage? So many options… so many possibilities… In the end, I decided to lean toward my Italian roots (and when it comes to cooking I seem to lean toward my Italian side a lot). Any Italian dish can live or die by the sauce that blankets it, so I figured why not start with this basic, yet essential, element: the tomato sauce. My tomato sauce has not let me down yet, so let us begin here. Here’s what you’ll need to make your tomato sauce, or gravy as they like to call it:

1 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
3 cloves minced garlic
1o Roma tomatoes
1 12-oz can tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp sugar
olive oil
salt
pepper

The dish starts with a simple “stewing” of tomatoes. Fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 10 Roma tomatoes to the boiling water. Slice an X in the bottom of each tomato before adding it to the water (not too deep now, just a nice shallow X to get that skin wanting to jump off the tomato). Boil for about 10 minutes. You will see the skin begin to peel off. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place them immediately into a bowl of cold ice water. Let them rest for about 10 more minutes and the skins should finish peeling off. Remove the tomatoes from the water and peel any skin remnants. Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and slice them. They’re gonna be very juicy and that tomato juice is going to want to run everywhere so be careful slicing them so as not to lose all that juice; you’re gonna want that in your sauce! Place the tomato slices and juices into a bowl. Add one tablespoon each of salt and sugar. Stir, and then place into the refrigerator for an hour or so until you are ready to use them.

In a large stock pot add olive oil and then one cup each of diced red onion, diced carrot and diced celery (this is the French mirepoix, the base for many Mediterranean sauces and dishes – See! You learned a little French too!). Also add about 3 cloves of garlic, minced. Allow to cook down for about 5 minutes or so until softened. Add in one tablespoon each of dried oregano and dried thyme leaves. Add a little salt and pepper. Stir regularly until softened. Add in the tomatoes from the refrigerator along with one cup of chicken stock (or broth). Stir and cook down for about 5 minutes or so. Use an immersion blender to break down the tomato and vegetables, then add one large can of tomato paste. Stir to incorporate the paste into the vegetables and stock. Add one cup of water and one cup of red wine (I recommend Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah). Lastly add in about ½ cup of diced fresh basil. Stir all the ingredients together and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or longer, stirring regularly.

Voila! You have a tasty, basic tomato sauce that you can use as a base for a lot of different Italian dishes!

Wall’s Kitchen "Lasagna a Bolognesa w/ Spinach"

wally — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:52:00 +0000

Hello Guys…ready for some more dishes….this one is very good as well.

Ingredients:

- Pre Made Lasagna Mass;
- Ground Meat;
- White Sauce (home made);
- Parmesan Cheese (a lot);
- Spinach;
- Onions;
- Garlic;
- Olive Oil;
- Salt and Pepper (as you like)

How to make the white sauce:

- 1 Liter of Milk;
- 2 Table spoons of Flour (Full)
- 2 Table Spoons of Butter;
- Salt;
- Nutmeg.

Get a pan and the butter, keep stirring till butter is melted and add the flour little by little and them add the milk as well little by little, but must be warm the milk and keep stirring till you see the sauce is thick.

Preparation:

Ok..let’s go…on one pan you get the spinach and braise with little salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic and onions, them on other pan you will add the ground meat let it fry add salt, pepper, onions, garlic, olive oil and keep frying till gets cooked well and the water is dry.
Now get a glass or aluminum pan “broiler” use what you have and we will start the layers but thin;
First layer – White Sauce;
Second layer – Lasagna Mass;
Third Layer – White Sauce;
Fouth Layer – Ground Meat;
Fifth Layer – Parmesan Cheese;
Sixth Layer – Lasagna Mass;
Seventh Layer – White Sauce;
Eighth Layer – Spinach;
Nineth Layer – Parmesan Cheese;
Tenth Layer – Lasagna Mass
Eleventh Layer – Ground Meat; White Sauce and a lot of Cheese.

Put in the over far about 35 to 45 minutes on medium heat and it’s done!!!!

LET’S EAT!!!!!!!
ENJOY IT!!!

Wall’s Kitchen "Angnolini’s Soup" or "Sopa de Anholini"

wally — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:23:00 +0000

Hello Guys…..this is a great soup for a nice cold night. Don’t forget the red wine ok!!!! (lol)

Ingredients:

- One whole Chicken;
- Garlic;
- 1/2 Onion;
- Salt;
- Fresh Parsley;
- Angnolini.
- Table spoon of flour.
- Olive Oil.

Preparation:

Get a nice sized pan or pot…..get the chicken, cut in pieces throw inside the pan with the olive oil, garlic let it fry, add salt as you like…..let it fry till the pieces are getting golden….add water to help cook the chicken…..then when the chicken is ready nice cooked and fried add water till get full….let it boil for few minutes…..then add the Angnolini let it cook add the fresh parsley…and a gup of water with a table spoon of flour to get that water a lilttle thicker. Let it cook a little bit more…and it’s ready to serve!!!!

For addtional taste add on you dish some parmesan cheese.