Emi's SIMPLE Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Last night, I was running late at work, my wife was sick and my kids hungry. My darling 12 year old daughter calls and asks if she can make dinner. No problem, so she made a spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce. I tell you it was so good that there were no leftovers for lunch today! To anybody who tells me that they can't cook I say you don't want to. If my 12 year old can make a pasta that would cost $20 in any restaurant so can you. Oh, by the way, she also made a homemade Caesarish type salad dressing that I will post after this. She has not cooked by herself before but she watches when we cook and sometimes she helps out, but on her own like this was prety impressive.


Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic crushed and finely chopped
1 Can GOOD QUALITY Italian Tomatoes (don't skimp and buy noname, pay the extra $1)
Good pinch of Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Italian Spices

THAT'S IT! - Good olive oil (and don't be shy and try to use only a tablespoon) and good canned tomatoes. That is the only secret to a good tomato sauce. You will be surprised.

Preparation:
I a large saucepan, medium heat, add olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft and golden. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Don't let the garlic burn. Add the can of tomatoes and their juice. Let cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. With a large fork, crush the tomatoes down to a pulp until smooth and no chunks. Add salt and spices stir and let cook for as long as you can on medium-low heat. The longer it cooks the better, thickens and flavors meld but after a 1/2 hour it's ready to eat.

Serve on spaghetti or your favorite pasta, top with some grated parmigiana and tell me its not great! If the 12 year old can do it so can anyone!

Easy Homemade Mac & Cheese

1 lb macaroni pasta
1 table spoon butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 sausages (we use the German veal weiners)
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper

In a pot of salted boiling water cook weiners and macaroni. When done(5-7 minutes), drain water well. Remove weiners, add all other ingredients to pot and mix until cheese is melted. Cut up weiners into 1/2" slices and mix into macaroni.

Ready to serve!

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 can San Marzano whole tomatoes
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 taplespoons olive oil
salt, pepper
2 tablespoons dried italian spices
1 teaspood dried chilli flakes

To Prepare
In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat, cook onions until soft and golden (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, salt, pepper and spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. When tomatoes are softened crush with fork. This can continue to simmer over low heat for another hour, but if you are rushed, like I usually am, you can serve right away.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Osso Buco and Homemade Strozzapreti with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

This is always one of my all time favorites and most people are scared to make it themselves. It is really not hard and it is worth it! The pasta can easily replaced with any store bought rolled pasta like gemelli, but if you have the time and desire, alot of fun to make your own.

Osso Buco
4 veal shanks, cut 2-3 inches thick (about 1 lb each)
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper
Flour to coat shanks
1 can Tomato Sauce
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano)

To prepare
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season the shanks with flour, salt and pepper. In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil at medium-high heat. Place the shanks in the pan and brown both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the shanks and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, add onions, carrots, celery and herbs, stirring regularly, until golden brown , another 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Place shanks back into roasting dish, and pour over mixture making sure they are 2/3 covered. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Cook in in oven for about 3 hours until meat is nearly falling off the bone.


Strozzapreti with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce
Homemade Pasta
2 cups flour
3 eggs
pinch salt

To Perpare - On a large cutting board, place flour in mound with the middle hollowed out. Put eggs and salt in middle and beat with fork. With floured hands knead the dough until it is a soft smooth ball. You might need to add a touch of water or more flour to get the right consitency. Place ball in bowl and cover with platic wrap in fridge for at least 1/2 an hour.

When ready roll out until about 1/6th" thick (1-1/2-2mm). This rolled out to me to be about the size of my cutting board - 1-1/2' X 2'. Slice into slices about 1/2" thick and 1-1/2" long. Fold each piece in 1/2 then roll with you fingers.

Add to saled, boiling water. When pasta floats to top it is ready (about 5 to 7 minutes).

Cherry Tomato Sauce
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 head garlic crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 package , 16oz , cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2.

To Prepare
Heat olive oil in large sauce pan at medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add pasta to pan, toss and serve.

Chicken Cacciatore

Feed's 4 with leftovers

3 Chicken Breasts Boneless (or use 4 chicken legs with thigh bone-in/skin-on)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsley chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
3/4 cup white wine (if open)
1 can whole tomatoes (san marzano if possible)
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano an or italian seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Pour oil in to medium high saucepan
Cut breasts, lengthwise and sprinkle some of the spices on the both sides.
Brown both sides (approx 5 minutes)
Add onions, garlic and veggies until softened (2-3 minutes)
Add wine, if using and reduce to 1/2
Add tomatoes and sauce and rest of spices.
Cook on medium low for 1/2 an hour
Crush tomatoes with fork.

Works well with most pastas, we usually use spaghetti, linguini, fusilli or gemelli.

Michele's Grandmothers Italian Braised Beef Pasta

So easy, so good. Can be a touch pricey on the budget (whenever I see blade roast on sale, I buy a couple and freeze them), but we have to treat ourselves on Sunday. Very little work, you just need alot of time to let it slow roast. We usually put it on timer and go out skiing in the winter. Come back and the house smells great!

This one is so good and easy that I hate to give it away but here it goes...

You need a big, deep roasting pan - We use the one that we would roast a turkey in.
3-5 lb - Beef or Veal Blade Roast
2 onions - coarsly chopped
1 head of garlic -(Yes a whole head)- crushed
2 each - Carrots and Celery - coarsly chopped
1 Cup -Red Wine
1 Can (16 oz) - Whole tomatoes - San Marzano if possible I find these are just so much better tastewise and are less watery than normal - but if they are too expensive ie. $2.00 a can - I use regular canned tomatoes and add an extra can of tomato sauce.
1 Can (8 oz) - tomato sauce.
Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Italian spices to taste

Put everything in the roasting pan, beef on top, add the spices.
Cook in oven for 4-5 hours at 175-200 degrees max.

When almost done cook 2 packages egg noodles - about 700 grams.

When finished - remove beef and let sit for 10 minutes - crush all ingredients in pan with fork. Add noodles to pan and mix thoroughly. Slice beef (it should be falling apart) and put on top.

Ready to serve.

You will have enough for left overs during the week.