Insalata Caprese

4 large fresh tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup packed whole leaf fresh basil
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup imported olives

On a large platter, arrange tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves, alternating and overlapping each. Drizzle salad with olive oil; Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with imported olives.

Cavatelli Sausage With Broccoli

1/2 lb. or 2 cups dried Cavatelli or other small
shell−shaped Italian pasta
1/2 lb. or 3 links sweet Italian Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch broccoli
1 1/4 cup low−salt chicken broth
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbls. unsalted butter
Parmesan cheese

Squeeze sausage from casings and saute in a heavy skillet or cast iron frying pan. Stir until no longer pink and sausage has broken down into small chunks. Remove sausage with slotted spoon leaving juices in pan. Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces and saute in juices or drippings from the sausage. Stir gently til it begins to brown. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add broth and raisins and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes. Do not over cook. Finally, add butter and stir to melt. Add, with
sausage, to cooked pasta and serve with parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Roasted Peppers

4 − 7 oz. cans roasted peppers
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
8 oz. shredded fontina cheese
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup imported grated romano cheese
A few sprigs of fresh
parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
Flour and beaten eggs (enough to dredge peppers in)
Olive oil to fry peppers in

Drain peppers and rinse with water. Open peppers, splitting in one side, so that they lay flat on counter. Sprinkle with small amount of breadcrumbs, reserving most to coat peppers with. Add minced garlic, shredded fontina cheese, parsley, and grated romano cheese. Roll up peppers, keeping as much filling inside as possible, then dredge in flour, egg, then seasoned bread crumbs and set aside. Heat olive oil on medium−high heat in frypan. When hot, fry peppers until golden, turning once to brown evenly. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper and serve.

Spumone Di Zabaglione

6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup marsala
3 tbsp. dark rum
1−1/2 cup heavy cream

Separate the eggs and place the yolks in the top part of a double boiler.
Place the whites in a stainless steel bowl at room temperature. Add sugar and nutmeg to eggs and beat, off the heat, until it forms ribbons. Add marsala and rum and place over double boiler. Beat until frothy and foamy and quite firm, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to ice bath and cool while whisking. Beat the cream to soft peaks and fold egg mixture into whites. Place into ice cream machine and chill according to manufacturer's instructions. Place in freezer, well covered. When ready to serve, scoop into balls and garnish with crushed amaretti cookies.

Angel Hair With Balsamic Tomatoes

1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 to 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped, (28−ounce. can plum tomatoes)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 Pound angel hair pasta, (uncooked)

Saute the garlic in olive oil until lightly browned. Do this in a skillet large enough to hold the tomatoes later. Leave garlic in skillet. Place tomatoes, salt & pepper, basil and balsamic vinegar in a non−reactive bowl and set aside for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally. Boil water for pasta.
Just before you put the pasta in the water, drain tomatoes and reserve the juice that runs off. (I usually set my colander on a dinner plate). Put the angel hair pasta in the water to cook for the recommended amount of time. Heat your garlic skillet and toss drained tomatoes briefly JUST to heat. They should retain their shape. The pasta should finish cooking (usually no more than 5 minutes for angel hair) at the same time the tomatoes are ready. Toss the pasta and tomato mixture together and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.