Quick pickles

Quick Pickles:

Be sure to choose the freshest, firmest pickling cucumbers available, for guaranteed crunch. These pickles cannot be processed for long-term storage.

3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
8 ounces quartered cucumbers
Your favorite spicesl

1. Bring vinegar, water, garlic, spices to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, place one 1‑pint jar under hot running water until heated through, about 1 minute; dry thoroughly. Pack cucumbers into hot jar. Using funnel and ladle, pour hot brine over cucumbers to cover. Let jar cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3. Cover jar with lid and refrigerate for at least 2 1/2 hours before serving. (Pickles can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks; pickles will soften significantly after 3 weeks.)

Mafalde

Mafalde pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 - can spinach
• 1/2 - 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 to 1 cup of peanuts
• Handful of raisins
• Handful of Parmesan cheese.
• 1/2 to 1 pound of  fettucine
• Salt
• Pepper
• Basil
• Garlic powder.

Method:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
When the water is boiling, start on the sauce.
Finely grind up some peanuts with some cooking oil.
Put the mixture in a saute pan.
Let it heat for a minute or two.
Add the spinach.
Once the spinach is mixed in, then add the ricotta cheese.
Let the cheese melt and mix in.
Add the spices.
Add a little water if needed.
Add  the raisans.
Keep stirring to make a cohesive mix.
Top with the Parmesan cheese.
Add the pasta and serve warm.



Another variation:

Ingredients

kosher salt
3 cups crushed tomatoes
1 cup condensed milk
1 pound fettuccine
1 - can green beans
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Garlic powder.

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Bring the red sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the condensed milk, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Slip the fettuccine into boiling water. When the pasta is to the tooth and sauce is ready, drop the pasta directly into the sauce. Add the green beans with the other spices,  then toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese, and serve immediately.

serves: 6

I had this dish at Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo, on Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, the local restaurant that caters to the neighborhood crowd, not too far from our restaurant, Lidia’s, on Smallman Street. This velvety combination of tomato and cream sauce is good on any pasta. The day we were there, it was offered with shells. But I think it is even better served with fettuccine.

kosher salt
3 cups Marinara sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound fettuccine
10 large fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

To make the marinara sauce, Lidia's recipe for Salsa Marinara is available on her website and in Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Bring the marinara to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Slip the fettuccine into boiling water. When the pasta is al dente and sauce is ready, drop the pasta directly into the sauce. Add the shredded basil, then toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese, and serve immediately.

- See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/1060#sthash.QqI1GsjE.dpuf

serves: 6

I had this dish at Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo, on Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, the local restaurant that caters to the neighborhood crowd, not too far from our restaurant, Lidia’s, on Smallman Street. This velvety combination of tomato and cream sauce is good on any pasta. The day we were there, it was offered with shells. But I think it is even better served with fettuccine.

kosher salt
3 cups Marinara sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound fettuccine
10 large fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

To make the marinara sauce, Lidia's recipe for Salsa Marinara is available on her website and in Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Bring the marinara to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Slip the fettuccine into boiling water. When the pasta is al dente and sauce is ready, drop the pasta directly into the sauce. Add the shredded basil, then toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese, and serve immediately.

- See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/1060#sthash.QqI1GsjE.dpuf

serves: 6

I had this dish at Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo, on Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, the local restaurant that caters to the neighborhood crowd, not too far from our restaurant, Lidia’s, on Smallman Street. This velvety combination of tomato and cream sauce is good on any pasta. The day we were there, it was offered with shells. But I think it is even better served with fettuccine.

kosher salt
3 cups Marinara sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound fettuccine
10 large fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

To make the marinara sauce, Lidia's recipe for Salsa Marinara is available on her website and in Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Bring the marinara to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Slip the fettuccine into boiling water. When the pasta is al dente and sauce is ready, drop the pasta directly into the sauce. Add the shredded basil, then toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese, and serve immediately.

- See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/1060#sthash.QqI1GsjE.dpuf

Tomato sauce replacement

Need a sauce for our faux orzo pasta. So we can a can of mixed vegetables and went from there.

Then we added a bit of oil and our favorite spices.  Of course the grinding came next.

To make the pasta, we made the noodle dough as usual, but used a cheese grater to make the rice like noodles.

  Then cooked and drained the noodles.

Add the sauce and the Parmesan cheese to the noodles and you are in heaven.