Mangia Vita

Tag: Italian Food

  • Red Sauce

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This is our family’s Sunday Sauce, Red Sauce, or just Sauce (if you are in the know). All of the women in my family do it slightly differently, but the basic ingredients and method are pretty much the same. Tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasonings, pork meat, onion and garlic. This sauce is a project (take…

  • Harlot Sauce

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    Another gem from Diana Koeth, we’ve been making it for years! Cut the bread onto cubes and sauté the cubes in 3 tbsp of olive oil until browned, set aside. Then sauté the onion and garlic in 4 tbsp olive oil on low until softened. Add the tomato paste, water and mix until the consistency…

  • Gram D’s Lasagna

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    Prepare the ricotta mixture by whisking in the eggs, salt and dry parsley. Par cook the lasagna noodles just shy of al dente. Rinse with cool water and coat with olive oil. Add a layer of sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Lay out pasta sheets to cover the bottom of the…

  • Lentil Soup

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This a lovely and easy soup to make and is vegan without the cheese garnish. Put the lentils on a baking sheet and sort through the beans carefully to pull out any stones or anything that doesn’t look nice. Rinse the beans well through a strainer. Add to a pot and cover with 3 inches…

  • Dead Bones

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    These are a traditional Italian cookie that have a unique taste and texture. They are left out to create a shell and when they are baked the inside seeps out and there is a sticky base and a crunchy shell. I typically make a half batch of these. Sift together the dry ingredients, add the…

  • Sausages and Peppers

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    A very quick and easy Italian dinner is Sausage and Peppers: Remove the sausage from the casing, or slice and fry up in a large frying pan. Cut up the bell peppers and onions into bite-sized pieces. Remove the cooked sausage and put in the vegetables (you can remove some of the grease from the…

  • Aunt Jean’s Pizzelles

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    Other options: you can add cocoa (a couple of table spoons to ¼ cup) add to taste, if you like chocolate Pizzelles. Add and beat in the order given. Place 1 tsp of batter in the center of each pizzelle iron section, cook for 45-60 seconds. Remove with fork, let cool.

  • Stuffed Artichokes

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    When I was in high school, I found out that most people do not eat artichokes the way my family does. One of my classmates said something about steaming them and dipping the leaves in mayonnaise… First you prep the artichokes: rinse them off, cut off the stems, cut the very tops off, and cut…

  • Pasta Havarti

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    My family has been making this simple dish for the last 15 years or so, thanks to Diana Koeth. Basically, you make a “marinade” of the following ingredients and toss it with the cooked pasta. I know I didn’t give any measurements. The recipe does have them, but I find that this one can be…

  • Spicy Sausage Pasta

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    Brown the sausage in the pan until cooked through. Remove excess fat if needed, but a little helps coat the pasta. Make a little “hot spot” and brown the tomato paste a little on the bottom of the pan, then mix into the meat. Let the meat start to caramelize. Add in the garlic clove…