• Original Creations

    Traditional Sunday Gravy

    December 31, 2018 /

    Arguably the biggest Italian staple of them all is the Traditional Sunday Gravy.

    Just about every household has their own version of this dish, and they will all make sure you know that theirs is the best because it came from their Great Italian Grandmother or however the story goes (we get it- yours is the best ever), but for anyone looking for a standard “go-to” recipe, this one is definitely a safe bet.

    There are several variations of a typical Sunday Gravy, which all come down to the type of tomatoes and which meats you are using.

    San Marzano tomatoes are from a specific region in Italy with rich volcanic soil and are known to be the best for good reason. With low seed counts, a sweet balanced flavor, and low acidity, these plum tomatoes are the perfect choice for a red sauce.

    Traditionally, meatballs and sausage- hot or sweet (or both) are used, but for the adventurous- often times short ribs or Braciole (stuffed and rolled flank steak) are added to heighten the appeal. For this particular recipe, I am using Beef meatballs and Sweet Italian Sausage, which to me, are really all you need for a successful dish.

    While most Italian cooks toss the pasta in a thin layer of red sauce prior to the official “saucing,” and top off with a dollop of fresh Ricotta before serving, I have recently had this served in an unconventional way at a nearby restaurant (Ariane Kitchen & Bar- Verona, NJ) who toss their pasta in Ricotta first and top off with the gravy after. I think it’s safe to say, there’s no going back! Simply remove the “al dente” pasta from the cooking water into a bowl of seasoned fresh Ricotta to lightly coat the pasta. Top off with the red sauce, sausage, & meatballs and serve hot immediately or make a day ahead and let the gravy settle for maximum results. Enjoy!

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    Traditional Sunday Gravy

    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 4 hours
    Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
    Servings 8
    Author Sarah Goodlow

    Ingredients

    • 3 28oz Cans Organic San Marzano Plum Tomatoes Hand crushed
    • 3 TBSP Butter
    • 1.5 Cups Chicken Stock
    • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Extra Virgin
    • 1 Yellow Onion
    • 10 Cloves Fresh Garlic Smashed & Chopped
    • 6 Links Sweet Italian Sausage Skin on
    • 12 Meatballs Beef
    • 1 TSP Sugar
    • 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
    • Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper, & Onion Powder To taste
    • Fresh Seasoned Ricotta For topping

    Beef Meatballs

    • 2 LB Ground Beef 80/20
    • 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minced
    • 2 Cups Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 Oz Olive Oil Extra Virgin
    • 5-7 Leaves Fresh Basil Chopped
    • 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
    • 1/4 Cup Half & Half
    • 1 TSP Garlic Salt
    • 1.5 TSP Onion Powder
    • 2 TSP Salt To taste
    • 1 TSP Black Pepper To taste

    Instructions

    1. FOR MEATBALLS: Combine all “dry” ingredients together (including garlic & herbs) until well blended. Incorporate mixture with ground beef and add in eggs, oil, and half & half until evenly combined- being careful not to overwork or over-handle the meatballs and form into golf-ball sized spheres. For best results, bring all of the ingredients to room temperature before forming the meatballs. Bake meatballs for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

    2. In a large silver or dutch oven pot over medium-high heat, drizzle with olive oil and brown sausage on all sides. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate and set aside.  

    3. Add onion, garlic, & 1 TBSP of butter to the same pot, keeping the remaining oil and stirring continuously to prevent burning. While the garlic and onions are cooking, hand crush the tomatoes and pour into the pot once the garlic and onions have begun to turn a light golden brown. Reduce heat to very low. 

    4. Once sauce has begun to warm through, add meatballs and sausage back in along with the onion powder, salt, pepper, sugar, chicken stock, and remaining butter. 

    5. For the remaining 3.5-4 hours, adjust seasoning as necessary. If gravy is too acidic, add butter, chicken stock, and/or sugar (carefully) as necessary until desired taste is achieved. Add fresh basil leaves in during the last half hour. 

    6. Serve over choice of pasta with fresh Ricotta and grated Parmesan cheese. 

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  • Original Creations

    Chicken Scarpiello

    July 20, 2018 /

    When I think of comfort food, one of the first dishes that comes to mind is Chicken Scarpiello. This has been a long time favorite since the first time I tried it a few years back.

    Anytime I eat something out that I enjoy, I always make it a point to come home and recreate my own variation.

    If you’re like me and enjoy food with a little bit of a kick, this is a recipe for you. With fall off the bone chicken pieces, Italian sausage, and a buttery white wine, garlic, and hot pepper broth, this dish is a winner every time.

    While this is certainly not one of my more simplistic “weeknight” meals, it is definitely one to keep in the recipe box for those days when you have a bit more time on your hands or are entertaining and want to serve a restaurant quality entree that’ll be sure to impress your guests (not to mention make the house smell ahhhmazinggg). Now all we need is a loaf of bread to sop up all of the delicious sauce- am I right?

    Chicken Scarpiello
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    Ingredients
    1. Chicken Drumsticks (6 Pieces)
    2. Chicken Thighs (4 Pieces)
    3. 1 Small Pack Sweet Italian Sausage (6 Links- Casings Removed)
    4. 4 Cloves of Garlic (Sliced)
    5. 1 Small Yellow Onion (Diced)
    6. 3/4 Cup White Wine
    7. 5 TBSP Butter
    8. 2 Cups Chicken Stock
    9. 1/4 Cup Hot Cherry Pepper Slices
    10. 1/4 Cup Hot Cherry Pepper Juice
    11. Salt & Pepper to Taste
    12. Olive Oil
    Instructions
    1. Rinse chicken pieces and dry (well) with a paper towel. This is important in making sure the chicken has a good crust on it to lock in moisture during the searing process to follow.
    2. Remove casings from sausage and pull apart into 3-4 pieces. Set aside.
    3. In a large frying pan over medium/high heat, add 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil and a TBSP of Butter- melt down. Once the pan is hot, add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook for approx. 3-4 minutes on each side or until the skin has become crisp and medium golden brown in color.
    4. Remove the par-cooked chicken from the frying pan onto a paper towel lined baking sheet (see notes).
    5. In a separate frying pan or dutch oven pot, add a TBSP of olive oil and the sausage and cook until caramelized on all sides. Transfer onto a paper towel to blot up any excess oil.
    6. In the same pot, add a fresh TBSP of Olive Oil and sauté fresh garlic and onions until light golden brown.
    7. Add white wine and reduce down for 2-3 minutes. Add 3 TBSP of butter and stir to combine. Add chicken stock, cherry pepper juice, and cherry pepper slices and bring to a boil. Add chicken pieces and sausage back into the pot, and reduce heat to low and cover with a lid.
    8. Simmer for 45 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked and chicken begins to pull away from the bone.
    9. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cover again and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
    10. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy hot over rice or potatoes.
    Notes
    1. **The searing of the chicken will likely need to be done in a few batches. DO NOT overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of fry and skin will never crisp up. This is an important step in making sure the chicken locks in moisture and will have the "fall off the bone" consistency you are looking for in the finished dish.
    2. **If you have a splatter screen on hand USE IT- this dish, especially during the searing off of the chicken and sausage will pop hot oil out of the pan so brace yourselves!
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/
     

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  • Original Creations

    Italian Style Sausage & Peppers

    May 14, 2018 /

    One Italian staple everyone should have a good recipe for is Sausage & Peppers. There are several ways to prepare this dish, but the typical differentiating factor is whether or not it’s being served in a tomato sauce. Most times, we tend to follow what has been prepared by family members over the years as a starting point.

    For me, this preparation has been one I always resort back to when having having company over because it is SO easy and always a crowd pleaser. The best part (arguably) of this dish is how simple it is to prepare over other Sausage & Pepper recipes you may come across. The reason being is that this recipe is made entirely in one pan at the same time. The fact that it goes for two hours in the oven, requiring only an occasional stir truly makes this a “one-pot wonder.”

    To put this together, you will simply only need a few bell peppers, onion, garlic, potatoes, sausage (casings removed), olive oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Toss together in a disposable aluminum pan and roast at 375 degrees for 2 hours (or until potatoes are fork-tender and sausage is a dark golden brown). Drain any excess oil from  the bottom of the pan then serve on its own or on a fresh hoagie roll. 

    Italian Style Sausage & Peppers
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    Ingredients
    1. 12 Pork Sausages- Hot or Sweet (casings removed)
    2. 2 Green Bell Peppers
    3. 2 Red Bell Peppers
    4. 2 Yellow Onions
    5. 4-5 Russet Potatoes (skins removed)
    6. 3 Cloves of Garlic (whole)
    7. 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    8. Garlic Powder, Salt & Course Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. Peel skin on potatoes and medium dice. Place into a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration while prepping the remaining ingredients.
    3. Slice bell peppers into strips (being careful to exclude any seeds and inner white membrane). Slice onions into evenly sized slices. Peel garlic, leaving whole and transfer all into a large mixing bowl.
    4. Remove casings on sausages and pull into 4 smaller pieces. Add to same mixing bowl with the vegetables.
    5. Coat with Olive Oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss mixture together until well- combined. Empty contents into a large aluminum (or whatever you have on hand) roasting pan and spread into an even layer.
    6. Stir every half hour for approximately two hours or until the sausage has become a deep golden brown and the potatoes are fully cooked.
    7. Drain any excess oil from the bottom of the pan.
    8. Serve on its own or with hoagie rolls.
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/

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  • Original Creations

    Campanelle with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

    April 8, 2018 /

    Its Sunday…so that means pasta, right?

    One of the staples in our house is Sausage with Broccoli Rabe. This is one of the most traditional Italian meals with several variations.

    I make this many ways, whether it be switching up the type of pasta, using spicy sausage instead of sweet, or even using Turkey Sausage for a leaner dish. Other times, I will substitute the pasta for Cannellini Beans.

    Overall, this preparation is one of the easiest and most delicious so it’s the one I’ve chosen to share with all of you!

    It can be adapted into several other forms, but once you have the basic technique down, it is always a crowd- pleaser. 

    What you’ll need: There seems to be hundreds of options in the grocery store as far as which brand, type of meat, or seasoning, but I tend to stick to a basic “Sweet (or Spicy) Italian Pork Sausage,” which has a nice bite to it, and great flavor. It also produces a decent amount of fat renderings, which is vital in getting a depth of flavor into the finished dish. 

    You will also need a fresh bunch of Broccoli Rabe, Chicken Stock, Fresh Garlic, and some type of short-cut pasta (I typically use either Campanelle, Mezze Rigatoni, or Orecchiette). 

    Once you have your basic ingredients in hand and ready to go, it’ll only be approximately 15-20 minutes before you have a dish your guests are sure to love. 

    Check out the recipe below:

    Campanelle with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
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    Ingredients
    1. Sweet (or Spicy) Italian Pork Sausage (one small pack, 6 links)
    2. Broccoli Rabe- 1 Bunch
    3. 1/2 LB Campanelle Pasta (or pasta of your choice)
    4. 1/2 Cup Starchy Cooking Water
    5. 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
    6. 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
    7. 1 TBSP Butter
    8. 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    9. Hot Pepper Flakes (optional)
    10. Salt & Pepper (to taste)
    Instructions
    1. Boil a small/medium pot of water. Rinse, and trim broccoli rabe (about 3-4 inches of thick stalk) and remove any outer leaves. Cut into approx. 1 inch segments, and blanch in boiling water for approximately 2 minutes. Remove and shock under cold water to discontinue the cooking process- set aside. Smash and chop fresh garlic. Set aside.
    2. Boil a second medium pot with salted water. Add pasta and cook until just under "al dente." Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy water.
    3. Remove casings from sausage and place into a (hot) frying pan- using a wooden spoon to break up into small, bite-sized pieces. Stir occasionally until sausage is cooked through, caramelized, and crispy on the outside. Once cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a paper towel lined plate/bowl.
    4. In the same pan (with the fat renderings from the sausage), add fresh olive oil and garlic. Stir for approximately one minute and add a few shakes of red pepper flakes. When garlic has begun to brown, add butter. After the butter melts down- add in the starchy water and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add back in the broccoli rabe, sausage, and pasta.
    5. Season with salt & pepper and continue cooking until the pasta and the broccoli rabe is "al dente," approximately 2 minutes.
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/

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