Tomato and Mascarpone Shrimp for Pasta
5 shallots.
½ onion, finely diced.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Red, orange and green pepper, finely died.
1 giant or 2 regular tomatoes, chopped finely.
1 tbsp dried basil.
3 tbsp red wine.
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
3 tbsp good olive oil.
3-4 tbsp mascarpone cheese.
2 cloves minced garlic.
10-15 medium shrimp, (butterflied is prettiest).
Sweat shallots, onions, salt, pepper in olive oil until caramelized, add garlic and sweat another 1-2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, wine, basil, balsamic and let gently boil until a smooth sauce forms.
Remove from heat, blend in mascarpone, add shrimp and serve immediately the shrimp are cooked over, fresh is best, cooked pasta.
Serves 2-4
2 cups Arborio rice
1 duck breast (diced)
20 gr dried porcini (roughly chopped after reconstituting in 1 cup boiling water)
1 rasher pancetta (diced)
1/2 red, yellow or green pepper (diced)
1 large onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic
1 cup while wine
1-3 cups chicken stock
olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
fresh oregano (several sprigs)
fresh basil (several springs)
salt, pepper (to taste)
Remove skin from duck and render on med-high heat in large stock pot (about 5-10 minutes)
Cube duck breast and pancetta and add to pot, sauté until just cooked through and remove to dish (remove the skin and discard)
Add olive to cover bottom of pot, add onions and sauté 5 minutes until translucent. Add finely chopped garlic and diced peppers and sauté another 2 minutes
Add rice and stir constantly until rice just begins to "toast," about 3-5 minutes
Add 1 cup white wine and stir until liquid is absorbed
Remove porcini from reconstituting liquid and chop roughly (set aside) add reconstituting liquid, salt and pepper to taste to pot and stir until liquid is absorbed
Add cooked duck and pancetta mixture, chopped porcini, grated Parmesan and then add hot stock in 1/2-1 cup increments, stirring until all liquid is absorbed before adding the next increment.
Taste for salt and pepper, doneness -- risotto should be creamy and still firm when fully cooked. Add more stock if needed and, just before serving, stir in roughly chopped oregano and basil.
Serve immediately with more grated Parmesan on the side
Serves 3-4, depending on amount of rice
Ravioli with Pancetta-Red Pepper Sauce
Sauce
1 100 gr slice of pancetta
6-7 minced shallots
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3-4 tbsp red wine
3-4 tbsp Sambucca
1-2 tbsp dried basil
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
Olive oil
Fry pancetta (whole) on low heat until it just begins to render, about 5 min.
Remove pancetta, add 1-3 tbsp olive oil, shallots and onions and sweat until medium caramel color, add peppers and fry another 2-3 min.
Add tomato, basil, balsamic, wine and simmer for 15 min. Add more wine is becomes too dry.
Dice pancetta and add to pan. Add Sambucca and cook until most of the liquid is gone.
Serve over homemade ravioli.
Serves 2-3
Pasta
375 gr Durum semolina
4 large eggs
1 tbsp BEST olive oil
1 tsp salt
To make good pasta, put semolina in center of pastry board and make a well.
Add salt, oil and 1 egg into well and mix into semolina with a fork. As the egg is absorbed, add next egg, until all 4 are used. Knead for about 10 minutes and set aside to rest before rolling into sheets for the ravioli.
I use a ravioli form for make the ravioli more quickly, but can be done by hand too.
Fillings
Sundried tomato paste
Olive paste (black and/or green)
Pesto paste
Prosciutto crudo chopped fine and mixed with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.
Salami, chopped fine and mixed with Parmesan and pepper.
To make ravioli, place on sheet of pasta dough over the form and add fillings (not too much) to each square. Cover with second pasta sheet and roll to cut into individual ravioli pieces.
The pesto, olive and sundried tomato fillings are great for vegetarian guests.
To cook, bring salted water to full rolling boil and add ravioli. When they rise to the surface, they are usually done - check with a taste test.
Serves 4
Cream Sauce with Pancetta (pasta, ravioli)
50 gr pancetta diced finely
½ red pepper
½ red onion
Olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Mushrooms
250 ml 35% cream
Sauté pancetta, peppers, onion, mushrooms (choose your type).
Remove from heat, add the fresh cream and serve over ravioli or other pasta.
Serves 2
1/3 large onion, finely chopped.
Red pepper, sliced.
Italian seasoning mix, to taste.
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped.
3 thinly sliced basil flavored sausages (available from several companies, Gotemba is nice).
3 chopped tomatoes.
Olive oil (about 5-6 tbsp).
Generous amount of sliced green olives.
1 can of anchovies, including oil
Generous squirt of harissa (Moroccan hot sauce), very generous squirt of tomato paste.
About ¼ cup water.
Fresh basil leaves.
Add peppers and onion to hot frying pan in which enough oil to cover has been added.
Fry until soft and yellow, add garlic and continue cooking until soft.
Add sausage slices, chopped tomatoes, more olive oil if needed, green olive slices, anchovies, harissa, tomato paste, water and basil leaves.
Simmer until cooked soft and consistency to your liking.
Serve over freshly made or regular linguini.
Good with a strong Italian wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco.
Serves 2-3