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Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup

January 18, 2018 by Marisa 38 Comments

Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup is an Italian classic and a family pleasing dish. Packed with shreds of eggs, cheese and parsley mixture and mini veal meatballs for a soul satisfying meal.

Stracciatella soup is basically an egg drop soup, referencing the shreds of egg mixture which is poured into a simmering broth and then stirred to form soft pillowy morsels.

A comfort food at best and one that was quite prominent during my childhood years, traditionally served at the start of our Christmas or Easter meal.

Of course growing up Italian, this type of soup was only a prelude to a more lavish 5 or even 6 course meal and generally mamma would serve it in very small portions.

Did you get your flu shot this year? Well…I kind of missed mine this year and so the nasty flu paid me a visit on Christmas Eve, showering me not with beautifully wrapped presents waiting to be opened. Rather, it sneaked upon me pretty quickly with its aches and chills and also spiking fever.

Not to mention the sleepless nights with a hacking cough that left my sides feeling soccer punched and weak for days! My voice was hoarse and non-existent. I could swear I saw the floor and the walls competing to switch places simply by walking from my bed to the couch.

All I can say is thank goodness for Netflix which helped to while away the hours! By the way I highly recommend “Stranger Things” if you have not yet seen it. Do watch it and then let me know what you think!

Enough rambling, lets get back to this yummy soup with these cute little meatballs that make a simple chicken broth so much happier!

Its pretty easy to make, packed with some delicious flavors and one of my all time favorites.

If you’re up to making your own chicken broth do so, otherwise use a good quality store bought brand.

I have a preference for tiny meatballs in my soups but you can also shape them bigger if you like. Just remember to let them simmer a little longer to compensate for the larger size.

Soups are always a saving grace during cold and flu season, providing enough sustenance to get us through the worst!

But there’s really only one other thing better then this Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup when your feeling under the weather and that would be when someone else graciously makes for you!

So here it is dear Readers, from my kitchen to yours. Lets beat this nasty bug…and you’re most welcome!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup

Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup is an Italian classic and a family pleasing dish. Packed with shreds of eggs, cheese and parsley mixture and mini veal meatballs for a soul satisfying meal.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

FOR THE MINI MEATBALL SOUP
12 cups chicken broth I used store bought no added salt, fat free and gluten free
1 pound minced veal
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt I use fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons gluten free flour
2 tablespoons chopped parsley plus 1 tablespoon more for garnish
FOR THE STRACCIATELLA
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Crispy prosciutto pieces for garnish optional (see note)

Instructions

In a large bowl combine together the minced veal, beaten eggs, salt and pepper, Parmesan cheese, flour and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
Mix well by hand and shape into tiny meatballs about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and slowly add in the meatballs.
Let the meatballs simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile whisk the stracciatella ingredients in a small bowl.
When the meatballs are cooked through, slowly pour the stracciatella into the soup and then give it a gentle stir.
Let simmer for one minute.
To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese and crispy prosciutto pieces.

Notes

For the crispy prosciutto layer 2 slices of prosciutto between paper towels and cook on high heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Break into pieces and use for garnishing the soup or simply to munch on! Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

October 27, 2017 by Marisa 28 Comments

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take centre stage at your next family gathering or celebratory meal. A comforting and eye pleasing pasta dish made with oven roasted butternut squash, baby arugula and a creamy cheese sauce with a hint of rosemary.

We celebrated hubby’s birthday last weekend and I say weekend because Saturday was reserved for chocolate profiterole cake…yum! And Sunday, this stunning Butternut Squash pasta cake!

This was a special request from hubby after returning home one evening with the latest “Bon Appétit” magazine. It featured a baked pasta dish made with peas and mint which largely resembled a cake.

I’ve made a few changes to the recipe. Mainly I replaced the peas with some seasonal, sweet oven roasted butternut squash which I then tossed with the cooked pasta. I also substituted the mint with some chopped rosemary however sage would work wonderfully as well.

Since I couldn’t come across Fontina cheese in my area, I replaced it with freshly grated Asiago cheese. It’s a wonderful cow’s milk cheese and it melted beautifully in the silky smooth sauce. The aromas where simply wonderful!

Prepping Pan for Baked Pasta

I was almost tempted to line my springform pan with parchment paper for easier release of this baked pasta dish. But I’m so glad I didn’t because buttering the pan and then sprinkling it all around with Parmesan cheese will give you that beautiful crusty exterior we all love so much.

There won’t be any fighting for the crusty end pieces with this dish for sure!

You’ll also want to save some roasted butternut squash for garnishing the pasta cake!

So, if you have a birthday coming up soon and you LOVE pasta then this smashing pasta dish is definitely for you!

But why wait for your birthday! Make it this weekend, take a photo and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Happy cooking!

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Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take center stage at your next family gathering celebrations. Its creamy, cheesy and so easy to make.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -8 servings

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

4 cups diced butternut squash
olive oil for drizzling over butternut squash
1/4 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
fine sea salt or kosher salt to your taste
freshly ground pepper to your taste
500 grams paccheri pasta or rigatoni
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the chopped butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Set the cooked butternut squash aside while continuing with the rest of the recipe.
Butter a 9 inch springform pan with softened butter.
Sprinkle the pan all over with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 of the butter over medium heat.
Add the all purpose flour to the melted butter and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let he sauce simmer while whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, for about 20 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the saucepan and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just until al dente or firm to the bite.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the cooked butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary to the pasta bowl.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the prepared springform pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and lemon zest then spoon half over the pasta.
Transfer the remaining pasta into the pan and spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let the baked pasta rest for about 1/2 hour before releasing from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

May 6, 2017 by Marisa 20 Comments

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives, a quick and tasty dish utilizing a few pantry staples such as canned sardines and dried pasta. Fresh bread crumbs are toasted til golden brown and then tossed with some snipped chives lending a delicate and subtle onion taste which doesn’t overpower but rather enhances this simple pasta dish.

Pasta con le sardine or rather Pasta with sardines is a classic Sicilian pasta dish. Most notably made with wild fennel, raisins and also anchovies. Sometimes pine nuts are also thrown in the mix.

My version here is a little spin-off from the more traditional one and inspired from Food Bloggers of Canada recipe round-up featuring chives.

I put this rather delicate herb to work by snipping off a few strands and tossing it with my homemade toasted breadcrumbs which I then used in my Sardine Spaghetti with Chives recipe.

It imparted such freshness and flavour to this simple pasta dish and was devoured in no time at all!

Being a convenient source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and vitamin D are really great reasons to include canned sardines in our diet. And, also not to mention how fairly inexpensive the canned variety really is and so versatile!

Although they aren’t extremely bony, you may want to remove the fish bones if you’re squeamish about them. Parting the underside of the sardines to open them up and gently removing the fish bones with a small fork or knife will quickly do the trick.

Under 30 Minute Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

Coupled with the fact that sardines are so nutritious, they’re readily available year round making mealtime a breeze.

Start with a large stock pot filled with cold water. While the water comes to a roaring boil prep your ingredients both for the bread crumbs and quick sauce with sardines.

With this in mind you should basically have your meal ready in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta.

Then simply plate and serve with a light drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil, topped with the reserved bread crumbs and garnished with fresh chives.

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives is an exceptionally easy dish with minimum preparation!

If you love this recipe you may also enjoy my Penne Rigate With Tomato Tuna Sauce featuring canned tuna.

Buon Appetito!

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Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives, a quick and tasty dish utilizing a few pantry staples such as canned sardines and dried pasta.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

Servings: to 6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

FRESH BREAD CRUMBS
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
PASTA
454 grams spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 generous pinches of red chili flakes
3 cans of sardines packed in oil 120 grams each I cut the under side to open them and removed the fish bones
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil,
Salt the water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
Meanwhile prepare the bread crumbs by heating 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat.
Add in the bread crumbs, salt and pepper and toast the crumbs, while stirring often, til they have browned.
Once browned, remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh chives.
Transfer the toasted bread crumbs to a plate and set aside.
Using the same skillet (wiped clean), heat the 1/3 cup of oil over medium low heat.
Add in the minced garlic with the chili flakes, salt and pepper and heat till fragrant for 1 minute.
Stir in the sardines and sautè for 2 minutes, taking care not to break up the sardines over much.
Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
Add the cooked pasta to the sardine mixture with a little of the pasta water and toss well.
If pasta seems a little dry, go ahead and add a little more pasta water.
Toss with 1 cup of the toasted bread crumb and chive mixture.
Plate the pasta and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumb and chive mixture.

Penne Rigate With Tomato Tuna Sauce

January 20, 2017 by Marisa 32 Comments

Penne Rigate With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a typical Italian pasta dish that I grew up with.

It’s made with just a few good quality staple ingredients and packed full of wonderful flavours. This recipe is one you will turn to again and again.

As is common in most cultures and at a time when food was scarce, families made do with the very few ingredients they had on hand.

With so little they created simple comfort foods we now crave and love. In Italian this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor kitchen” and truly born out of necessity.

This concept is far easier to embrace during summertime when gardens are lush with fruits and vegetables. However in wintertime we need not look any further then our own kitchen pantries.

Canned tuna is one of those staple items I always keep in my pantry. It’s ready at a moments notice for quick sandwiches as my son can attest…he just adored tuna sandwiches for his school lunches!

They are also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.

However, canned tuna also makes a rather enticing sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate its simplicity!

A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful then the water packed variety and will elevate this simple sauce.

Also, don’t be too concerned about the oil which you will be draining out anyhow but if this is still an issue for you then by all means go for the water packed.

You can just about choose any pasta you like.

My preference and absolute favourite are pennette rigate or the larger penne rigate. I love this pasta shape for its crevices and hallow centre making them the perfect vehicle to hold a chunky tomato and tuna sauce.

Impress your family or friends and make Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce tonight!

Or try another delicious pasta dish using canned sardines, Sardine Spaghetti with Chives.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Buon Appetito!

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Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce

A delicious and easy tomato sauce with canned tuna and kalamata olives served with penne rigate.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: to 6 servings

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
pinch of crushed chili pepper
24 ounce jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
2 sprigs of basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna drained
1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
chopped parsley for garnish
450 grams Penne Rigate or other pasta of your choice

Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat and saute the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chili pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
While the sauce is slowly simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the water and cook the pasta according to directions on package.
At this point,while the pasta cooks add the drained tuna and chopped kalamata olives to the tomato sauce and allow to simmer till the pasta is cooked.
When ready, drain the pasta and toss with some of the tomato sauce.
Plate the pasta and top with more sauce and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Serve while still warm.

Easy Roasted Turkey Roulade

November 18, 2016 by Marisa 22 Comments

Easy Roasted Turkey Roulade with butternut squash, kale and spicy Italian sausage makes a crowd-pleasing elegant meal for Thanksgiving or any special occasion.

I have a confession to make! I’ve never cooked a whole turkey and I really don’t know why, except maybe to say that I find it a little bit intimidating to cook a whole bird. I know…crazy right!

Mostly though, my family prefers white meat and if you do as well then you’ll appreciate how easy it actually is to make a turkey roulade such as this one.

Aside from being far easier to prepare, it’s also much healthier and made even more so by omitting the skin. But, I’ll have you know that there is no skimping on flavor here. This delicious turkey roulade is packed full of nutrient dense vegetables such as kale and butternut squash and livened up with some spicy Italian sausage.

For some aromatic allure I’ve added fragrant rosemary and sage to both the stuffing and the organic chicken broth.

My intent was to make this recipe more of a step by step tutorial for beginners. However, daylight savings time had other plans for me. I was quickly losing some valuable natural lighting here. But at least I get to show you how a butterflied turkey breast looks like.

Purchasing a deboned, skinless and butterflied turkey breast really simplifies the whole process. All I did was lay it out between two sheets of saran wrap and pounded the meat with a meat mallet to about 1/2 inch thickness. I then spread the stuffing onto the turkey breast to about 1 inch from the borders. Rolled it up…tied it up…and voila!

Here you have a succulent rolled up Easy Roasted Turkey Roulade!

The key to having a moist and tender meat is to baste the turkey every 15 minutes with the chicken broth.

You will be rewarded with a delicious, mouthwatering meal and will make you wish that you had doubled the recipe!

Buon Appetito!

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Easy Roasted Turkey Roulade

Easy Roasted Turkey Roulade with butternut squash, kale and spicy Italian sausage makes an elegant meal just perfect for any special occasion.

Course: supper

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove minced
1 cup diced butternut squash
2 cups chopped kale
1 teaspoon fresh sage chopped (plus a few whole sprigs for pan)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme plus a few whole sprigs for pan
salt and pepper to your taste
8 ounces spicy Italian sausage casing removed (about 1 cup measure)
1 2 1/2 pounds skinless turkey breast, bones removed and butterflied
2 cups sodium reduced, organic chicken broth

Instructions

LETS MAKE THE STUFFING
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
Add in the garlic, butternut quash, kale, the fresh sage, thyme and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Stir the vegetable mixture and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes or till the butternut squash is soft and the kale has wilted.
Set aside while you prepare the turkey breast.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the butterflied turkey breast between 2 sheets of saran wrap and pound the meat with a meat mallet to about a half inch thickness.
Add the sausage to the vegetable mixture and stir very well until evenly combined, then spread this over the turkey breast to about one inch off the border.
Starting at the shorter end, roll the turkey breast tightly together and tie with 4 equal pieces of butcher's twine at one inch intervals and one longer piece along the length of the stuffed turkey.
Sprinkle the turkey breast lightly with salt and pepper.
Place the stuffed turkey in a shallow oven proof pan (I used the same skillet in which I cooked the vegetables.)
Pour in 3/4 cup of chicken broth into the pan with a few springs of fresh sage and thyme.
Cook the turkey breast for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until an instant-read digital thermometer reaches 155 degrees F.
Baste the stuffed turkey every 15 minutes with the remaining chicken broth so that the meat does not dry out and retains moisture.
When ready, transfer the stuffed turkey breast onto a cutting board and slice into 3/4 inch slices.
(mine yielded 12 slices)
Place the slices onto a serving platter.
Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve and pour the juices over the sliced turkey breast.
Serve while still warm.

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