Pork Liver Sausages (Salsicce di Fegato di Maiale)

Pork liver sausages are for those who truly can appreciate the taste of old dishes, strong, tough, but absolutely delicious.

It's an Abruzzese tradition that goes back in time.  They consist of a combination of pork flavors - pork belly and liver together with minced garlic, minced orange peel, bay leaf, hot pepper powder, salt and pepper.

Ingredients

2 lb. of pork meat (pork belly)

2 lb. of pork liver

Salt

Black pepper

2 Orange peel

1 chopped garlic

4 tablespoons of hot pepper powder

3 or 4 bay leaves

Pork casings

Preparation

The liver is finely chopped by hand with a knife.  The pork belly fat is ground using a meat grinder. Add the fat to the pork liver. Add orange peel, garlic hot pepper and bay leaves, salt and pepper.

The meat mixture is left to flavor overnight and then stuffed in pork casings.

They are hung to dry for 3 to 5 days.  At this point, they are ready to be grilled or cooked in the oven.

  

PORK LIVER IN "VEIL" - Fegato di maiale nel velo

Pork liver wrapped in veil is a dish of great tradition and exceptional flavor. It is a dish rich in taste consisting of slices of pork liver wrapped in a delicate veil and scented with bay leaves.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

1 lb. pork liver

1/2 lb. pork veil or caul
Bay leaves
salt and pepper

Cut the liver into strips about 3” in length; wrap (together with a bay leaf) in a piece of veil, add salt and pepper, and secure with a large toothpick.  Then grill over hot coals for a few minutes on each side.  

No fireplace, no grill, not a problem.  You can cook them in a frying pan with a thread of olive oil.

Enjoy your meal!

EASTER MENU (PRANZO DI PASQUA)

• I start preparing holiday meals a few days in advance to save time on the day of celebration.

I consider making these dishes ahead of time to streamline the meal prep process.

Appetizers:

Shrimp and clams ready to be baked for few minutes before dinner.

Stuffed and fried different mushrooms and fried peppers also ready to be baked minutes before dinner.

MAIN DINNER:

Make sauce the day before

Stuffed pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and cheese.  Baked for an hour or so before dinner.

Cut lamb chops.  To be marinated with a mix of olive oil, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice.  To be grilled few minutes before dinner.

Potatoes and onions to be baked

Salad

Leg of Lamb ready to be baked

WISHING YOU ALL AN ENJOYABLE EASTER DINNER!

FOOD TO EAT DURING LENT

From the ashes of Ash Wednesday to the light of Easter, the Church encourages spiritual growth, and practice self-discipline with allowances for fish and other non-flesh foods to maintain nourishment while observing penance.

"Eating lean" does not mean eating too little, nor does it mean eating poorly. It means making a choice. Red meats, poultry, and their by-products are excluded, while foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruit remain permissible. 

Here are some Italian dishes during Lent.

FISH DISHES

Baked baccala' with escarole

Baked salmon with risotto

Stuffed calamari over peas

Risotto with shrimp and spinach

Baccala' and potatoes

Baked fresh cod with potatoes

Whiting over rice

PASTA DISHES 

Linguini with clams

Fettuccini with shrimp

Tagliatelle with mushrooms

Rigatoni with eggplant

VEGETABLE DISHES

Stuffed artichokes

Broccoli di rape

Fava beans and artichokes

EGG DISHES

Eggs with cipollata

Eggs with broccoli

and many, many more!

CAVATELLI MURGIANI AL FORNO (BAKED)

  Came across these Cavatelli Murgiani at the local Farmers Market.  Purchased them for the first time and decided to bake them with ricotta and mozzarella.

INGREDIENTS

  

1/2 lb. Cavatelli Murgiani
1/4 cup of olive oil
• 
  

1/2 onion chopped

2 cups of crushed tomatoes

Fresh parsley

Couple of basil leaves

Salt and pepper

1 cup of ricotta

1 egg

4 oz. mozzarella (grated)

1/4 cup of grated cheese

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
• In a large skillet add olive oil and onion.  Cook onion until golden, add tomatoes, parsley, basil leaves and salt and pepper.  Cook sauce for half hour.
• Beat the egg slightly, add ricotta and mozzarella.  Mix slightly.
• In a baking casserole, add a little sauce.  Add the cooked pasta.  Then add the ricotta and mozzarella mixture.  Stir gently to combine. Add the remaining sauce.
• Bake covered in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with grated cheese. 
• Bake for 5 more minutes.

PINTO BEANS WITH CAVATELLI PASTA

 Cavatelli with beans is a truly delicious first course, and this particular pasta shape is perfect for accompanying beans, making everything creamier and more inviting.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of pinto beans (already boiled)

1/2 lb. of cavatelli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1 cup tomato puree

Salt and black pepper

PREPERATION:

Chop cloves of garlic and sauté it in oil for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree, salt, and cooked beans. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, boil the cavatelli and drain them when very al dente, reserving a ladle of the cooking water. Then, add them to the pot with the bean sauce and toss to combine. Add the reserved cooking water and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.

This dish is going to warm you up in a most delicious and comforting way during the cold season.

Enjoy!

Blue Tuna with Basil Tomato Sauce and Capers (Tonno fresco con pomodorini e capperi).

Fresh tuna with tomatoes and capers is a simple, quick and tasty recipe for a Mediterranean-flavored main course.

The fresh tuna steaks are accompanied by a delicious sauce of cherry tomatoes, onions and capers.

 Ingredients

3 tuna steaks about 1-inch thick

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, cut

One red onion, cut

Few leaves of basil

1 lb. cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons of capers

Tuna steaks

Cherry tomatoes in pan

directions

Heat 3 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions and sauté about 5 minutes until soft.

Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes, basil and capers, stirring well to combine.

Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In another pan heat the remaining 3 tbs. of oil over medium heat.

Salt and pepper fish to taste, then place in the pan when oil is hot.

Cook fish about 3 minutes per side (fish should be light brown at edges but still pink inside).

Place the fish in the pan with sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately!