Cauliflower Cake with Pecorino and Basil is one fabulous side dish recipe. I found it while browsing one of my favorite Italian food blogs, Ciao Chow Bambina from ANNIE SAGEER. Annie’s blog is an excellent source for classic and new Italian recipes, and her photography makes my mouth water. I always leave inspired after I’ve “window shopped” her blog. If you want to learn to make homemade pasta, her tutorial is excellent. Annie makes it look so easy! I’ve tried her Simple Barilotti with Peas, Ham and Cream to rave reviews – it’s a simple, quick, that falls into the “comfort food” category. Lemon Zeppole with Homemade Whipped Cream, a sweet little Italian doughnut, is definitely on my bucket list.
The other night, Richard and I decided to grill a steak for dinner. Any kind of potatoes and salad are always excellent side choices, but I wanted to serve something different. A new side for us to try. We loved it! The cauliflower cake comes together quickly. And it truly has the density of a cake! It slices into wedges like a dream. Because it’s just me and Richard, I heated some up in the microwave the next day for lunch – out of this world!
And it’s SO pretty! I followed Anne’s instructions to butter the inside of a springform pan and sprinkle a mixture of black and white sesame seeds along the inside of the pan. I’m not sure the sesame seeds added much to the taste, but they added a nice visual. Pecorino Romano cheese is the perfect ingredient for the cauliflower cake – it compliments the vegetable and eggs so nicely. Pecorino has a stronger flavor than parmesan, or you might use a combination of both kinds of cheese if you like that idea. Save some extra grated cheese to sprinkle on top of each slice when you serve.
Here’s a little tip. If you have frozen packages of cauliflower, you can use those instead – you’ll probably need two to substitute for the medium-sized head called for in the recipe. Or you might use cauliflower rice or packaged raw florets from your grocery store’s produce section. I also used an 8″ high-sided springform pan. This cake has a nice rise.
Yield: 6-8
Cauliflower Cake with Pecorino and Basil
This is a fabulous, quick and easy side dish. Serve Cauliflower Cake with Pecorino and Basil as a side dish with any protein or on it's own with a salad. Slices are fabulous warmed in the microwave the next day for lunch.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour15 minutes
Ingredients
I medium cauliflower, outer leaves removed and broken into florets
1 medium red onion, 1/3 into thin slices, the rest diced
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
6 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
2-3 teaspoons dried sweet basil OR 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds
Salt & Ground Pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Brush the sides and bottom of an 8" springform pan with melted butter. Place an 8" circle of parchment paper in the bottom and sprinkle the sides with the white & black sesame seed mixture. Set aside.
Place cauliflower in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover with a lid. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the florets are soft. Drain in a colander. Set aside.
In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and chopped red onion. Add rosemary. Reduce heat, stir and saute for 15 minutes until the onion is soft but not burned. Set aside to cool.
Add the cooled onion mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Add eggs and whisk well until combined. Add 1 1/4 cups of grated cheese, flour, baking powder, basil, salt and pepper to the egg mixture. Stir to combine.
Slightly mash the cooked and cooled cauliflower florets. Add to the egg mixture along with the basil.. Gently stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into prepared pan. Top with sliced red onions.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve sprinkled with grated Pecorino Romano.
YUM!
Notes
Cauliflower Cake with Pecorino and Basil is a fantastic leftover warmed in the microwave. Served with a big salad and some crusty bread for another meal. It's a great dish to take for lunch the next day.
Feel free to substitute frozen cauliflower florets - you'll need 2-12oz packages - follow package directions to prepare for the recipe. Or sub fresh florets or cauliflower rice from the produce department.
It’s that time of year! Cold, rainy, and windy here in Indiana. We’re expecting snow in a few days – Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella is the perfect yummy bite. You’ll be all warm and cozy in no time, guaranteed. And it’s a very quick dish – 35-40 minutes.
Serve with a green salad and a warm loaf of crusty Italian bread. Heavenly!
I just love to eat gnocchi. The first time I ate them was in eastern Pennsylvania just outside Philadelphia in the 1980’s. The Philly area is populated with lots of Italian Americans, and you can find very good Italian restaurants everywhere. The corporation I worked for at the time had their eastern headquarters there. Every time I attended a meeting or training session, I had to have gnocchi. Pillowy soft warm little dumplings served in a divine tomato sauce – just wonderful. I don’t know if the gnocchi were homemade or not, but they sure tasted like they were. So light, and delicious with the satisfying mouth feel of a lovely petite dumpling. Who could resist? Not me.
Gnocchi was not available in Indianapolis in restaurants or groceries when I returned home. But over the next few years, packaged ones began to pop up at places like World Market, where they sell a nice variety of international foods. Now, you can find premade gnocchi anywhere. The potato gnocchi I used here I found at Trader Joe’s. And they were perfect for my casserole. Probably not as light as homemade, but not gummy either like other brands I’ve tried.
Homemade gnocchi is on my Foodie Bucket List. Anne Burrell has a nice recipe on Food Network from her series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Here’s a link to her instructional video about how and why of basic potato gnocchi. Obviously, this dish is a quick dish with premade gnocchi. But I wouldn’t discourage anyone from making their own. It will take a little longer though. Anne Burrell suggests making a double batch, cooking half and freezing the rest for another use. Brilliant!
What do I love about this recipe? I found Baked Gnocchi at Simply Delicious Food through Pinterest. When I decided to bring my little dumplings to life, it was late in the evening. But I had all the ingredients in my larder – potato gnocchi from TJ’s, canned tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes, bacon, and everything else including crusty bread and salad. Lucky me! I like the addition of halved fresh cherry tomatoes in the sauce. They lend fresh texture and just look pretty in the finished dish. And a little fresh or dried basil in the sauce as it’s cooking wouldn’t be a bad idea – I adore basil in any tomato dish, but it’s not essential. Bacon, how interesting? It adds a hint of deep smoky flavor. I would not have thought of that.
Let’s whip up a warm and tasty casserole, shall we? You will be well loved.
First on the list is to heat your oven to 400F degrees. Fill a 4-5 quart pot 2/3 full of water. Bring to a full boil. This will take a while as you know. Don’t watch it – make the delicious tomato-based sauce for the casserole in the meantime. It can sit at the ready after cooking is finished to receive your lovely gnocchi when they’re done.
Heat a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and the chopped bacon and cook until the bacon browns and releases most of its fat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off most of the remaining liquefied bacon fat, and return the skillet to the stovetop. Add the minced garlic, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes – cook for 30 seconds – don’t let the garlic brown or burn – this all goes very quickly. Add the canned and fresh tomatoes and the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Throw in the crispy bacon and dried basil (if using). Stir and remove from heat.
Add heavy cream or yogurt. Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Check seasoning. Set aside off the heat while you boil your gnocchi.
As they’re cooking, the gnocchi will float to the top. That’s when they’re finished. Using a slotted spoon, gently lift your gnocchi out of the boiling water and directly into the skillet with your sauce.
Gently mix everything and pour into a 3-quart ovenproof baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Pop the casserole into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown like this:
Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Let your casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
And there you have it! Sprinkle with extra grated Parm and/or fresh chopped parsley and serve! Theoretically, you’ll end up with 2-3 plentiful servings. Richard and I ate half the first night for dinner and reheated the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Mamma Mia! This is sooooo delicious!
Yield: 2-3 servings
Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomato & Mozzarella
It's that time of year! Cold, rainy, and windy here in Indiana. We're expecting snow in a few days - Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella is the perfect yummy bite. You'll be all warm and cozy in no time, guaranteed. And it's a very quick dish - 35 minutes. Serve with a green salad and a warm loaf of crusty Italian bread. Heavenly!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound potato gnocchi
4-6 strips bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 - 150z can petite diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
12-16 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or yogurt
Salt & Pepper
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
While you're waiting for the water to boil for the gnocchi, make the sauce. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Pour off the bacon grease. Return the skillet to the heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Be sure not to let the garlic burn.
Add all tomatoes and sugar. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat. Add heavy cream or yogurt, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions.
When they're done, use a slotted spoon to lift dumplings from the water and directly into the skillet with your sauce. Mix it all together. transfer to an ovenproof casserole lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely browned.
Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve with a warm crusty loaf of bread and a green salad. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley &/or grated Parmesan cheese. You could use fresh, sliced mozzarella in place of shredded, if desired.
Pollo Contadino is an outstanding casserole of Italian comfort food. I’ve made this dish several times over many years. Each time I lift a forkful to my mouth, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. Such an arousing smell of tender, juicy chicken thighs roasted with onions, carrots, sweet red bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, capers, and rosemary served with its juices over a fluffy bed of hot rice.
Yep, Pollo Contadino is a perfect meal for cozy cold weather days. You know those rainy cold days that make you want to curl up under a blanket to get all snuggly and warm? And if you want to smell the casserole cooking all day, put the ingredients in a crockpot and let it simmer until you can’t stand it anymore.
This recipe was published in “The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian” in 1993. I bought Jeff Smith’s cookbook a few weeks ago just for this recipe. ($6 used from Amazon). Money well spent. I can’t wait to sift through the pages for other Italian treats.
Here’s how it works
Pollo Contadino takes a little time to put together but is well worth the effort. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because we like dark meat and skin helps to keep the meat moist. Drumsticks would be a good substitute. But it can also be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts if that’s what you prefer. There’s no hard and fast rule.
Don’t leave out any of the vegetables. They all play well together. And be sure to add the capers that add a nice vinegary taste and smell to the finished dish. I can’t imagine the casserole without capers!
The last time I made Pollo Contadino, I didn’t have rosemary in my spice pantry. So, I used a few shakes of pasta sprinkle which is a combination of rosemary, basil, parsley. It worked just fine!
Let’s make some, shall we?
Pollo Contadino, Italian Roasted Chicken Farmer Style
Tender and juicy chicken roasted with onions, carrots, tomatoes, and capers served over a bed of hot fluffy rice. Cibo di comodità - true Italian comfort food.
Author: The Frugal Gourmet, Jeff Smith
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 large chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in 1-1/2 pounds OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned OR use 1 cup of julienned carrots from the store
1 - 2 large sweet red bell peppers, julienned
1 large yellow onion, peeled and julienned
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 large baby portobello mushrooms, cut into thick slices OR 1-8oz package of sliced mushrooms from the store
1-2 teaspoons capers
6 ripe plum tomatoes, diced, OR 1-15oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ cup dry white wine
Instructions
Heat oven to 400F degrees.
Remove chicken pieces to paper towels and pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Put flour in a medium-sized bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces one-at-a-time, shake off any excess flour and place in the oil in the skillet.
Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove to a 2-3 quart roasting pan, like Pyrex, a cast iron skillet, or an enameled cast iron pan or pot
Drain off the oil in the frying pan. Return to the stove. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots and sautee for 3 minutes.
Add the red pepper and onion. Sautee until the onions are barely translucent.
Add the garlic, stir. Sautee just until you can smell garlic. Be sure not to let it burn.
Place the vegetables over the chicken in the roasting pan.
Return the frying pan to the stove. Over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms, capers and tomatoes, rosemary and wine. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken and vegetables in the roasting pan.
Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and return to oven for 15 minutes.
Serve over fluffy hot cooked rice or spaghetti.
Notes
Pollo Contadino is a comfort food best served on colder days. You can also put ingredients, in order on the recipe, in a crockpot on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or drumsticks or any combination of chicken pieces.
Jeff Smith included 12 medium black Italian or Greek olives, and one green pepper and one red pepper to compliment the colors of the Italian flag. I changed it up just a wee bit.
3.5.3251
Here’s an image to PIN!
Copyright, At Mimi’s Table 2013-2018, All Rights Reserved
It doesn’t get any easier than this. Lemon Pasta is inexpensive to make, easy and quick to prepare, and is a delicious lemony, cheesy pasta delight. Lemon Pasta is a perfect main dish or as a side dish served alongside any lightly grilled protein.
I discovered this recipe watching Hoda and Kathie Lee while I was getting a mani/pedi. Devine intervention. I love lemon, in whatever form it comes. Lemon has such a pleasing and uplifting scent. Any lemon carcasses are put through the garbage disposal for a lingering, fresh-smelling aroma. Take a look at a lemon-sour cherry coffee cake I love to bake: Macrina Bakery Lemon Sour Cherry Coffee Cake. Seriously delicious.
The ladies were cooking up dishes made with lemons and the Alberti twins, John & Tony. While downing shots of Limoncello between bites of pasta and Limoncello cake. Looked like a very happy show! Then, Huda and Kathie Lee always have a happy show.
Anyway, I can’t take credit for Lemon Pasta. John Alberti gets all the credit. (As well as the photo.) It’s such an easy and basic recipe. I’m certain every Italian nonna around the world has made something very similar, if not the exact recipe. Don’t leave out the fresh basil. In addition to lemon, I love the flavor and smell of basil – a refreshing and sensory herb. A girlfriend of mine sent me home with a hunk from her garden that I used here. Thanks, Cindy!
I prepared half the recipe for us served with a leftover salmon filet and a big green salad. No garlic bread, unless you love your carbs. There are plenty of carbs in the pasta. (I love carbs, but we need to watch our dietary intake. Garlic bread is now on our “I have to have now it or I’ll die” list.) Or it can be made with low-carb pasta or pasta made from quinoa or whole wheat. There are so many options available now.
Get out the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, basil, and linguine. Buon appetito!
It doesn't get any easier than this. Lemon Pasta is inexpensive to make, easy and quick to prepare, and is a delicious lemony, cheesy pasta delight. Lemon Pasta is a perfect main dish with a big green salad, or as a side dish served alongside any lightly grilled protein.
Author: John Alberti
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound linguini
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Salt & Pepper as needed
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguini according to package directions to slightly less than "al dente."
While the pasta is cooking, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and basil in a large saute pan. Heat over medium heat.
With tongs, lift the cooked pasta out of the pot and into the saute pan with the lemon sauce. Use tongs to integrate the sauce and pasta. Remove the saute pan from the heat.
Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Lift with tongs until incorporated. Add the fresh basil, and toss again to incorporate.
Serve with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil.
Notes
Lemon Pasta may be served as a main dish with a big green salad, or as a side dish for lightly grilled fish or meat. Substitute any pasta alternative for linguine: quinoa, bean, gluten-free, whole wheat. Cook according to package directions.
3.5.3251
Copyright, At Mimi’s Table 2013-2018, All Rights Reserved
Who is Uncle Vito? I have no idea. A close friend of mine who grew up in a culture rich in Italian cooking traditions near Buffalo, New York, made this lasagna for my family many moons ago. It was the first lasagna I ever ate made with ricotta cheese – a culinary epiphany. It was also the first lasagna I ever ate stuffed with pieces of sweet and spicy Italian sausage, in addition to using a traditional meat sauce. As I took the first bite of hot, bubbly, cheesy, creamy goodness, the noodles perfectly al denté unmistakably flavored with fennel, my eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I swore to never buy another carton of cottage cheese. Cindy named her dish Uncle Vito’s Stuffed Lasagna. Whether or not Uncle Vito ever existed, I’m not sure, but I have no doubt there is a candle lit for him at the basilica in Buffalo.
While well made homemade lasagna isn’t difficult to prepare, it is a labor of love. So, I made a pan last night to have ready for my son, who arrives from Florida Thursday, because I love him and he needs to be fattened up. Really, I’m hoping he is so overwhelmed with dinner that he forgets he left 80° temperatures to visit his mother in 30° Billings, and comes to visit again.
I’ve got lots of pictures, but don’t let the steps fool you. This is easy – so very yummy!
Simple Italian Meat Sauce cooks up quickly for a pasta dinner or to save as the base for a nice pan of lasagna. This sauce uses butter and a little milk, so it’s sort of like a bolognese, but only takes 45-60 minutes.
Tomatoes, lovely tomatoes! My poor little garden pumped out some amazing tomatoes this summer. In fact, there are still some on the vine. It’s getting cooler here in Billings, but I’m hoping the lovely red fruits will survive another few weeks.
I managed to pick about five pounds of tomatoes a few days ago, and turned them into the most luscious marinara. I found several recipes, and combined little bits of them that appealed to me. And I used fresh herbs harvested from the garden as well. It doesn’t get any better than that.
There weren’t enough of the tomatoes I picked to can large batches of sauce, which is the way I planned it. I didn’t want the job to be so overwhelming that I wouldn’t look forward to the same thing next year. Also, I didn’t blanch the tomatoes to peel off the tomato skins. I just used a paring knife and skinned them that way. Wouldn’t recommend this method for a large canning batch, but it was easier than waiting for a large pot of water to boil, finding a large bowl for ice water, and all of that. For the amount of tomatoes I used, probably took me as long as blanching.
I’m in love with Italian food. Isn’t everyone? So many dishes are creamy, rich and very satisfying. They’re easy to prepare and fun to make, unpretentious – something to please everyone. And Italian food is inexpensive and serves plenty. Besides, I have two tomato plants in my garden with lots of ripening fruit. So, I made a couple of batches of marinara sauce Saturday. And I made the sauce expressly with this recipe in mind.
Richard and I ate this for dinner last night. It’s not the first time I’ve prepared scampi, but it is so flavorful, heightened by fresh garlic, lemon, olive oil and butter. If you’re a garlic fan, this is the dish for you! We’re huge garlic fans – this is very popular with my family. Scampi is a very quick recipe. It’s perfect for diner, to be served as an appetizer rather than shrimp cocktail, or as a late night supper.
Let’s compare three different scampi recipes from unique sources: Lidia’s Italy, Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti, and Shrimp Scampi from The Sopranos Family Cookbook. Lidia Bastianich is a well-known Italian chef and restaurateur in New York. I lost touch with her programming, but a couple of months ago happily found her again on PBS Lidia’s Italy,
I like watching Lidia cook. Sometimes she will invite her mother in for a taste of dessert and a cup of coffee at the end of her show. She reminds me of my Polish grandmother. The recipe from the Soprano cookbook is very straight forward. You can’t go wrong with any of these dishes.
I can’t imagine anything that appeals to all age groups more than a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Pasta, the ultimate comfort food, paired with tender, garlicky meatballs, crunchy bread, and a glass of a nice red is heavenly fare. If there are any meatballs left over, it’s always good to slap them between two pieces of crunchy bread topped with sauce and some melted mozzarella cheese for a delicious sandwich. I really love good meatballs, and I love to make them. And save yourself some time by baking the meatballs, rather than frying them in batches – you’ll also have a cleaner stove top.
After we switched over from satellite television to cable here in the Billings, I very much enjoyed watching “Bitchin’ Kitchen,” a theme based cooking show with none other than Canadian chef and comedian Nadia G. Not to be confused with June Cleaver, Nadia saunters around her kitchen wearing sweet ruffled aprons and stiletto heels. She’s an awesome chef with an offbeat sense of humor, which I very much enjoy. Her series aired on the Cooking Channel, a different network than Food Network Television, and my cable company doesn’t carry Cooking. (In fact, the Cooking Channel has many more interesting shows than Food Network, which is running rampant with lots of repeats and one cooking challenge show after another. I’m not as big a fan as I used to be.)
Garlic bread is now on our “I have to have now it or I’ll die” list.) Or it can be made with low-carb pasta or pasta made from quinoa or whole wheat. There are so many options available now.
Who is Uncle Vito? I have no idea. A close friend of mine who grew up in a culture rich in Italian cooking traditions near Buffalo, New York, made this lasagna for my family many moons ago. It was the first lasagna I ever ate made with ricotta cheese – a culinary epiphany. It was also the first lasagna I ever ate stuffed with pieces of sweet and spicy Italian sausage, in addition to using a traditional meat sauce. As I took the first bite of hot, bubbly, cheesy, creamy goodness, the noodles perfectly al denté unmistakably flavored with fennel, my eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I swore to never buy another carton of cottage cheese. Cindy named her dish Uncle Vito’s Stuffed Lasagna. Whether or not Uncle Vito ever existed, I’m not sure, but I have no doubt there is a candle lit for him at the basilica in Buffalo.
Simple Italian Meat Sauce cooks up quickly for a pasta dinner or to save as the base for a nice pan of lasagna. This sauce uses butter and a little milk, so it’s sort of like a bolognese, but only takes 45-60 minutes.
Tomatoes, lovely tomatoes! My poor little garden pumped out some amazing tomatoes this summer. In fact, there are still some on the vine. It’s getting cooler here in Billings, but I’m hoping the lovely red fruits will survive another few weeks.
There weren’t enough of the tomatoes I picked to can large batches of sauce, which is the way I planned it. I didn’t want the job to be so overwhelming that I wouldn’t look forward to the same thing next year. Also, I didn’t blanch the tomatoes to peel off the tomato skins. I just used a paring knife and skinned them that way. Wouldn’t recommend this method for a large canning batch, but it was easier than waiting for a large pot of water to boil, finding a large bowl for ice water, and all of that. For the amount of tomatoes I used, probably took me as long as blanching.
I’m in love with Italian food. Isn’t everyone? So many dishes are creamy, rich and very satisfying. They’re easy to prepare and fun to make, unpretentious – something to please everyone. And Italian food is inexpensive and serves plenty. Besides, I have two tomato plants in my garden with lots of ripening fruit. So, I made a couple of batches of marinara sauce Saturday. And I made the sauce expressly with this recipe in mind.
