Mark's Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Italian sausage & 1 lb. beef ground together
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 lb. cut ziti pasta
• 1 lb. mozzarella (sliced)
• 1 qt. marinara sauce
• 4 oz. grated Romano cheese
• 1 lb. ricotta cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the 2 eggs with the ricotta cheese, 2 tbsp. of chopped parsley and 1 oz. Romano cheese. In a skillet, brown the sausage/beef mixture. Add 4 oz of the marinara sauce to the brown sausage/beef mixture in the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes then let cool. In a large pot, boil the pasta for 7 minutes and then strain and rinse with cold water. Add the ground meat mixture to the ziti in a large bowl. Take a baking dish and add a layer of marinara sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Then, add a layer the ziti and ground meat mixture. With a table spoon, add about 12 spoon fulls of the egg/ricotta mixture on top (it does not need to spread out, it may look as though 12 dollops are scattered on top). Add a layer of the sliced mozzarella and repeat this process 3 times. Finally top the dish off with marinara sauce and bake for 45 minutes.

*Serves approx 8 people

Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 2 large or 3 medium eggplants
• 1 qt. marinara sauce
• 4 oz. Romano cheese
• 1 lb. mozzarella (sliced)
• Flour
• Italian bread crumbs
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 lb. ricotta cheese
• Cooking oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the eggplant and slice long ways about 1/8 inch thick. Add salt to the slices and wait to see water seep out of the eggplant. Cover with flour and then transfer the slices to a dish/bowl that contains the 6 eggs whisked together. Transfer the eggplant from the eggs to the bread crumbs so that all the slices are completely breaded. Fry the slices in a skillet at medium/high heat until both sides are golden brown. In a baking pan (lasagna pan) add a layer of marinara sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Then, add a layer of the eggplant slices, sprinkle Romano cheese and then add a layer of mozzarella. Top another layer of marinara sauce, eggplant, mozzarella and now the ricotta. Then, add the layer of eggplant, sprinkle of Romano cheese, mozzarella and sauce. Add the remaining eggplant slices if any left then make sure it is covered with marinara sauce and a sprinkle of Romano cheese. Bake for 45 minutes uncovered.

*Serves apprx 8 people

Capellini Pasta, Ricotta & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Capellini Pasta (Angel Hair)
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 lb. Ricotta cheese
• Salt/Pepper
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 4 oz. Romano cheese

Directions:

Place the broccoli into a large pot of salted boiling water. Let blanch for 3 minutes. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and garlic on low/medium heat so as to not burn the garlic. Add the blanched broccoli to the skillet. Boil the pasta in the same pot that the broccoli was previously blanched in. When the pasta is al dente, strain and add the pasta to the skillet with the broccoli and mix. Stir in the Ricotta and Romano cheese.

Cacciatore's Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts (cut into 4 oz. medallions & pounded lightly)
• Flour
• Italian bread crumbs
• 3 eggs
• Salt/Pepper
• 1 qt. plain marinara sauce
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp. grated Romano cheese
• Vegetable/Pure olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each of the chicken medallions then cover with flour. Take the floured chicken and place them into the dish with the whisked eggs and then move the chicken from the eggs to the Italian bread crumbs so that the chicken is completely breaded. Heat a skillet to medium/high heat with your veg/pure olive oil. Cook the chicken medallions until they are golden brown on both sides. Place the chicken on a plate with paper towel so that the chicken may cool for a moment and the paper towel can absorb the excess oil. In a baking dish, put a layer of marinara sauce (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan). Place all 4 pieces of chicken into the dish and place a slice of mozzarella on each piece. Sprinkle Romano cheese over the chicken and then add extra marinara sauce. Bake for 35 minutes.

*Serves 4 people

Cooking Italian Sausage

Cut in 4 to 5 inch pieces. Saute in a skillet using olive oil. Brown sausge on medium high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Lower to simmer and add 2oz white wine and cover. Cook until the wine evaporates, about 25 minutes total cooking time. You can also add peppers and onions if desired.

Family Meatball Recipe

• 2 lbs. lean ground sirloin
• 1 lb. pork and veal Italian sausage
• 1 med. Onion diced
• 1 tsp. garlic puree
• 4 oz. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 oz. Italian style bread cumbs
• 6 eggs
• 3 oz. milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black or white pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Form meatball to desired size. Bake at 350° for 35 min. Add your sause and cook 1 hour.

Boliche [eye round]

• 1 3lb. boliche stuffed with ham and chorizo
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp. Vigo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 beef bouillon
• water, sufficient to cover 3/4 of the boliche

Place boliche in a large dutch oven or roasting pan. Add onions, green pepper, garlic and olive oil. Brown vegetables and boliche in pan.When boliche is browned on all sides, add water. Using a spatula, scrape crust from bottom of pan. Add bouillon, bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, cook on stove or in the oven (at 350°) for about 1 hour, turn boliche, continue cooking another 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until done. Remove from pan, let cool about 10 minutes, slice with electric knife. Place slices in serving dish and pour gravy over boliche.

*Serves 6 to 8 people