Great Chicago Italian
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PASTA IN YOUR FACE
What can be said about my favorite pasta recipes. An Italian tradition for hundreds of years, pasta can be used everyday for a year without repeating a dish. I love the taste! I love the texture! I love the flavor! I love the versatility! I love pasta!
From basic spaghetti to stuffed manicotti to fettuccini alfredo, the variety of recipes that include pasta will keep you discovering the entire country of Italy without ever leaving your kitchen.
Sundays are always the traditional day for pasta. But of course it can be enjoyed any day of the week.
Some of the greatest Italian pasta recipes have been redefined over and over by many of the best chefs in Chicago as well as the rest of the world. Cooks and diners alike may find the different shapes of pasta and recipes amusing and sometimes challenging to eat and prepare.
There should be no short cuts when cooking pasta dishes. Only the finest freshest ingredients should be used at all time. No jar sauce or powdered garlic could ever justify being used in an authentic Italian pasta dish. I shudder at the thought of such products being served to my guests let alone eaten by myself. Yes, I hate to admit it but I am a pasta snob.
FRESH PASTA VERSES DRY PASTA
Thank goodness pasta is a food that tastes just as good fresh or dry. Though fresh allows you to be a more creative by adding flavor and color, dry works just fine as long as you purchase the right pasta.
Everyone should own a pasta maker even if you only use it a couple of times a year. It's always fun to get the kids involved when making fresh pasta. Though time consuming, it is well worth the effort.
Pasta is basically made two ways. Classic pasta is traditionally made with flour moistened with eggs and sometimes oil or water mixed to form a dough to be rolled out and shaped by hand. The second type is made with just flour and water. Both types can be made by using a variety of different flours.
When buying dried pasta make sure that it is made with 100% semolina flour from durum wheat. This just makes for a better quality pasta than some you may find in the stores. Check the ingredients before buying. This hold true even if your buying fresh pasta from a store.
So within these pages, lets discover, enjoy and share the many pasta recipes that will create memories for the whole family.
I hope you bought enough garlic.
Pasta Making
Before we get to the really good stuff lets start with delicious fresh pasta.
Spaghetti Alla Maranara
This is one of the quickest Italian pasta dishes, yet one of the most delicious.
Angel Hair Pasta with Asparagus Sauce
Light and elegant, slightly creamy best describes my recipe for Capelli d'Angelo with Asparagus Sauce. Simply delicious.
Four Cheese Stuffed Shells
Stuffed with four cheeses and served with a wonderful hearty bolognese sauce.
Penne with Vodka Sauce
Enjoy this recipe straight from one of Chicago's favorite restaurants.
Mostaccioli with Cauliflower
Old family recipe I'm sure you will enjoy.
Lasagna con Cavolifiore
Creamy lasagna with cauliflower and ricotta.
Linguini Alla Bolognese
Creamy meat sauce made with four different meats.
Rotini with Red Peppers
Delicious Roasted red pepper sauce for pasta or seafood.
Chef Doug D'Avico's Risotto with Grilled Skirt Steak
A delicious dish from Trattoria No.10's Executive Chef.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Rich, creamy pasta to die for.
Pasta Primavera
Creamy pasta with fresh vegetables.
Chicken Tetrazzini with Broccoli
Excellent pasta dish.
Grilled Shrimp with Pasta and Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes and grilled shrimp make up this delicious pasta recipe.
Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Tomatoes Sauce
Fresh tomatoes top this delicious potato gnocchi.
Linguini with Clam Sauce
Light summer meal with fresh clams and tomatoes.
Tuna with Basil Cream Sauce
Tender tuna with bow tie pasta.
Potato Gnocchi with Broccoli, Portobello and Sage
A creamy sage sauce tops this gnocchi with broccoli and Portobello.
Cannelloni with Ricotta and Spinach
A spicy tomato sauce tops this delicious stuffed cannelloni.
Orecchietta with Escarole and Chickpeas
Little ear pasta with delicious escarole.
Baked Mostaccioli
Delicious mostaccioli mixed with parmesan and ricotta cheese and topped with melted mozzarella.
Shells with Ricotta Sauce
Medium sized shells topped with ricotta, tomatoes, capers, onions and mozzarella.
Potato Gnocchi with Lamb
Tender lamb ragu tops these delicious little gnocchi.
Orecchietta with Rapini and Sausage
Excellent rapini and sausage mixed with orecchietta pasta and red pepper flakes.
Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil
Fresh tomatoes and basil make up this delicious risotto dish.
Fettuccine with Gorgonzola Sauce
Homemade spinach fettuccine with a creamy Gorgonzola sauce.
Luciano Pavarotti's Linguine
One of Pavarotti's favorite pasta recipes.
Spaghetti Alla Caruso
Spaghetti with chicken livers, garlic, onions and San Marzano tomatoes.
Vegetable Lasagna
Fresh vegetable lasagna is a great alternative to traditional cheese lasagna.
Arancini di Riso
Traditional Sicilian rice balls.
Fettuccine with Artichokes and Prosciutto
Delicious pasta with tender baby artichokes and Italian cured ham.
Spicy Cauliflower with Pancetta
Cauliflower spiced with red pepper and sauteed with Italian bacon.
Taganu D'Aragona
Delicious baked pasta layered with meatballs, tuma cheese and gravy.
Stuffed Cannelloni
Excellent cannelloni made with fresh basil crepes and stuffed with ricotta and spinach.
Rigatoni with Sausage Cream Sauce
Nothing is better with rigatoni than a delicious sausage cream sauce.
Crab Carbonara
Pasta with crab meat, pancetta, peas and cream sauce.
Crawfish with Tortellini
A delicious combination of crawfish with Parmesan cheese filled tortellini.
Pasta with Pesto
Delicious basil based sauce made with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and cheese.
Cavetelli with Arugula
Excellent pasta dish with the peppery flavor of arugula.
Linguini with Red Clam Sauce
A favorite pasta dish with red clam sauce .
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