Ingredients:
¼ cup Frescobaldi Laudemio extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ bunch fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade
½ bunch Italian parsley, chopped or chiffonade
½ cup toasted pine nuts
½ cup Parmiggiano Reggiano grated
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 lb. Rustichella d’Abruzzo Sagne a Pezze pasta

Procedure:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes).  Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the warm pot over moderately low heat.  Add the fresh herbs and olive oil.  Moisten with some of the reserved pasta water as needed.  Remove from the heat and toss with the cheese and pine nuts.  Serve, drizzling a generous amount of olive oil over each portion.

Serves 4-6.

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From the demo: A Big Bowl of Love
Recipe Courtesy of Cristina Ferrare

4 TO 6 SERVINGS

This is my mother’s favorite sauce, and I have to say without a doubt mine too. She would tell stories of how when she was little she would pick fresh ripe tomatoes every day, right off the vine in the garden. Her mother would make all kinds of wonderful dishes, but this slightly sweet, delicate sauce was her favorite. My mother is from the northern region of Italy, where the sauces are lighter than the heartier sauces from the south, which is where my dad’s family is from. Whenever I serve this sauce to someone for the first time, the reaction is always the same: one of pure discovery and Wow! The aroma is so sweet and fragrant, and the flavor of the sauce so delicate.

16 Roma (Italian plum) tomatoes, quartered
2 medium onions, one peeled, quartered. The other peeled, finely chopped, covered, and set aside in the refrigerator
2 small carrots, cut into four pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into four pieces
¹⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 scallions, chopped small
4 tablespoons butter
¹⁄3 cup white wine
3 teaspoons kosher salt
8 ounces of your favorite pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
5 to 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped coarsely

1.      In a large sauce pot, combine tomatoes, quartered onion, carrots, and celery, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, leaving the lid slightly open, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Remove from heat.

2.      Puree the vegetables in a blender until smooth.

3.      Over another pot, pass the pureed sauce through a chinois or tomato strainer  to remove the tomato skins and seeds. Do not use a strainer with tightly woven small mesh; the holes are too small and the resulting puree will be too liquid. Set aside.

4.      Heat a large saucepan on medium heat until warm but not hot. Add the olive oil, finely chopped onions, scallions, and butter. Cook until the onions are translucent (5 to 8 minutes). Add the white wine and continue to cook, reducing by more than half. Add the pureed vegetables and salt, and mix well. Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.

5.       Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and pour into a large warmed pasta serving bowl. Ladle 2 cups of sauce over the pasta, and mix. Ladle 1 more cup over the pasta, or more if you like, and sprinkle on freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil.

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Serves 4 – 6

2-3 yams, sliced in half lengthwise
Olive oil
1-2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Salt and White Pepper to taste
1/3 cup Goat Cheese
Shallots
1 bunch of fresh Sage
1 stick of Butter
1 Package of Wonton Wrappers
Cornstarch

1. Rub Yams with a little olive oil, and roast them, cut side down, in a 475-degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until they are very soft. (If they are still stringy when you try to scrape out the flesh, then they are not done enough.) If they’re done, the skin will almost separate on its own from the flesh. The cut side will be browned so scoop out the clean flesh in between.
2. When all the flesh is scooped out, mash the yams in a bowl until smooth and fluffy. You should have about 1 cup of yams.  Add about 1 tbsp of butter, 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, pinch of pumpkin pie spice, and mix until well blended. Then add about 1/3 cup of goat cheese (softened in microwave for about 13 seconds), mixing it all together until it is very creamy and fluffy. (The ratio should be 3:1 yam to goat cheese.) Add a dash of white pepper to taste.
3. Then open your package of wonton wrappers and put a lightly damp paper towel or cloth over them to keep them from drying out.
4. You’ll need a small dish with a little water and a pastry brush to assemble them.
5. Put a little mound of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper, brush the water around the edges, put a second wrapper on top and press the edges together well to seal. Push the bubbles out as you seal them. Be careful not to get water on the outside of the raviolis as your brushing the water on them.  A tight seal is very important. I usually makes 3 – 4 ravioli per person for an appetizer portion, 6-9 for an entree, so keep assembling as many as you would need.
6. As you finish each one, dusts both sides of it with a little bit of cornstarch so they don’t all stick together and they don’t stick to the paper. You can make them a day ahead. Line a sheet pan or foil bin with parchment and lay down a layer of raviolis (don’t overlap or they’ll stick) then put a layer of parchment over the top and continue.
7. To cook, boil some salted water in a large wide but shallow pot. When you are ready, turn down the water to a light simmer. If the water is boiling, the raviolis will burst. Cook the raviolis about 3-4 minutes, flipping them about 1/2 way through, and until they float to the top, remove them carefully and drizzle them with a little olive oil so that they don’t stick together at this point, either.
8. Meanwhile, for the sauce, finely mince 2-3 large shallots, and Chiffonade 1/3 cup of sage leaves into thin strips. Then pre-heat a sauté pan over medium high heat, and then adds about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the shallots until they are translucent, and slightly golden.
9. Add  a 1/2 stick of butter and cook until it melts and turns slightly browned. Add the sage leaves and cook for another minute or 2. Toss the cooked raviolis in the butter sauce to coat and place on plate.
10. Drizzle with sauce and top with shaved parmesan.   So elegant and so delicious!!

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Serves 4

Ingredients:
28oz 3 Cheese Ravioli
10oz Wild Boar Sausage 
1 tsp Minced Garlic
½ cup White Wine
1 tsp Fresh Thyme
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2oz Shallots thin Sliced
4 Giudia Artichoke
8 oz Pomodorina Sauce

In a large skillet over medium heat gently sweat the shallots with the olive oil for 1 minute, join the minced garlic then the wild boar sausage previously cleaned from the casing and crumbled.

Allow the fat to render, while waiting cut the stem off the artichokes, chop it and add to the sausage to slightly brown. Cut the remaining artichoke hearts in wedges and add it to the sausage. Drain off the fat in excess, baste with white wine and allow to evaporate, finish with the Pomodorina sauce and cook for 2 minute over low/medium heat.

Cook the 3 cheese ravioli pasta in hot salted water, when “al dente” drain and save little water where you cook the pasta. Join the ravioli to the sauce and if too dry add a little of water saved from pasta.

Serve sprinkled with fresh thyme and cheese if you wish.

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Recipe makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup butter
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup freshly shaved Pecorino cheese

 Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine pumpkin and butter; add flour, yolk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead into soft dough (if necessary, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time); divide into 4 sections. On floured surface, roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut into 3/4-inch pieces, rolling each piece against the tines of a fork to create ridges. Repeat with remaining dough.
2. In large pot, bring 6 cups salted water to boil. Cook gnocchi in 2 batches; dropping into water and cooking 2 minutes or until pieces float. Remove with slotted spoon to warmed bowl.
3. Meanwhile, in skillet, melt butter over medium heat, cooking until it just starts to deepen in color. Add hazelnuts, sage, salt and pepper, cook 1 minute more. Drizzle Sage and Hazelnut butter over gnocchi and top with shaved Pecorino.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Orecchiette
1.5 lbs of Rapini
4 Anchovies
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes to taste
1-2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
sea salt

Preparation:
Clean the rapini and remove some of the leaves and rough stems. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. (It is best to use coarse sea salt). Throw the pasta into the pot. After five minutes add the rapini vegetable to the pot of boiling pasta. (Save some water to add later if the pasta is dry.) Meanwhile, in a separate pan saute the garlic in the olive oil with the hot peppers and anchovies. Remove the garlic before it browns and take sauce off flame. When the pasta is done, drain the pasta and saute’ briefly together with the sauce in the pan. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

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Ingredients:

21-30 shrimp
1 package Pappardelle or Fettuccine
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pancetta, cubed or chopped
1 orange peel
1 teaspoon of hot pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
3-4 jars of prepared quality marinara sauce or 32 oz. of your favorite personal recipe
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of cream

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot. Sweat the shallots, garlic, hot pepper, and pancetta over medium heat until soft. Deglaze with wine for 1-2 minutes and add the tomato sauce while stirring. Cook over low heat stirring frequently until thick. Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in salted water while boiling rapidly for 8-10 minutes. Pasta should be al dente. Add cream to sauce and mix well. Sauce should have an orange-pink hue. Add the drained pasta to a saucepan with the sauce and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for about 1 minute over medium low heat.

For shrimp: Wash and peel, devein and toss with salt and pepper. Sear in hot olive oil over high heat. Finish with 1 tbsp zest of orange. Reserve and place over pasta.
Place the shrimp on top and garnish with leafy Italian parsley.

Serves 4

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Ingredients:

6 Strips Raw Bacon
½ lb. Dry Angel Hair Pasta
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (more as needed)
¼ cup Onion or Shallot, minced
½ cup Frozen Peas, thawed and rinsed
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese
Generous Freshly Ground Pepper

Preparation:

Cut the bacon into 1/8” pieces. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside on paper towel. Drain all but 2 tbsp. of the bacon fat.

Cook pasta according to directions on the box, less 1 minute. Drain pasta, then toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and set aside.

Heat the remaining bacon fat until shimmering. Ad the onions and cook over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and peas and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the bacon and cream until simmering. Add pasta, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute more.

Top with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup Paradiso extra virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
1 can Italian plum tomatoes, San Marzano if possible
1 can of anchovies, drained and rinsed, or anchovy paste
Capers – as many as you like
Pitted olives, dried or brined. If they’re big, chop coarsely. Otherwise, throw them in whole (1/8 cup = 6 olives)
Hot red pepper flakes or a shot of Tabasco or Sriricha
3/4 pound of pasta:  spaghetti, linguini – kamut, corn, whole wheat, egg, or spinach
Fresh Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped or ripped by hand

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan.  Let the garlic get some color, then throw it away.
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2. Lower the heat, wait a minute, and add everything but the parsley. Avert your face when you add the tomatoes in case the liquid splatters. Mash them with a fork to break them up.
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3. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the flavors are blended. Taste. Correct the seasoning.
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4. Pour it over the pasta, mix, and serve with the parsley on top.  Or just ladle it into a bowl and dip some good Italian bread into it until it’s all gone. It’s that easy. And that good.
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Buon appetito!

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Ingredients:

1/2 lb Farfalle Pasta                                                                                                  
1/2 Lb Fresh Shrimps peeled Head off tail off           �
1 Tsp Garlic Minced                   
1 Tbsp Evoo                   
Salt & Pepper To Taste
1/2 Tsp Fresh Dill                                                                                                       �
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream              
1 Cup Dry White Wine                                                                                                         
1 Pinch Fresh Marjoram                     �
4 Oz Artichoke Heart Sauce                                                                                                                                                                      

Preparation:

In a frypan with the evoo sauté shrimps and garlic, wet with white wine allow to evaporate, join the heavy cream.

Adjust the Salt & Pepper then add the herbs and the Menu Artichoke Heart Sauce, simmer for 1 min then add the pasta previously cooked “al Dente” in abundant hot salted water.

Dress all together and serve.

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