tomato sauce

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.

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

September 14, 2016 by Marisa 42 Comments

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy. Gnocchi are simply the Italian version of dumplings and can be prepared in limitless ways. Just about any sauce will compliment this potato dumpling.

Today, there is such an extensive variety of gnocchi! Some are made with ricotta or squash while others are flavoured with beets. There are also gnocchi where different flours are utilized, such as chestnut, buckwheat and also wholewheat flour.

Another version is made with semolina flour, milk, cheese and known as Gnocchi alla Romana. I’ll leave this one for another post perhaps, because it deserves a special space here on my blog.

These Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, however, is the type of dish I grew up with. They were my number one request each time my mamma would ask me what I wanted to eat for my birthday celebration and she never failed to remind me of the countless times I would help her twirl the gnocchi with my chubby little fingers!

A potato ricer does an excellent job of mashing the potatoes. If you don’t have one, a fork will do just fine.

How To Shape Gnocchi

I’ve had this gnocchi board for many years now but very rarely used it. You can find them in any kitchen supply store at under 5 dollars.

Mamma taught me to twirl the gnocchi using my index finger and middle finger by pressing both down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards me. Alternately you can use the back of a fork to make the pretty indentations. The little ridges that form are a perfect entrapment for all that delicious sauce.

These exquisite potato gnocchi are very filling and therefore often served in moderate portions as a first course meal.

Furthermore you will want to savour every bite, enjoying the melt-in-your mouth sensation and never rush a good thing!

How To Make Potato Gnocchi For Beginners:

Always start with less amount of flour than the recipe calls for. The moisture of your potatoes and the amount of eggs used will determine how much flour is needed.

Do not knead more than a few minutes as this would result in too much flour adsorption which yields heavier gnocchi.

It goes without saying to always use a big sauce pot when cooking any form of pasta. Drop a few at a time into the boiling water to avoid the gnocchi from sticking together.

The potatoes can also be boiled instead of baking them. Just make sure to not pierce or cut through the potato when boiling them, otherwise they will absorb too much water.

Ideally you will want to make and cook the gnocchi within a few hours. Simply transfer the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly dusted cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel till ready to use.

Gnocchi can also be frozen. Transfer them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place the tray in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag.

In conclusion, have fun and don’t be too hard on yourself. Enjoy the process after all practice makes perfect!

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2 from 1 vote

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy sure to dazzle family and friends.

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

For the gnocchi
4 large russet potatoes about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon beaten egg
1 1/2 to 2 cups all purpose flour
Simple Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
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
1/2 cup diced mozzarella
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For The Gnocchi
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash the potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
Use a large knife and make a deep incision length-wise into each potato.
Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake until they are tender, for about 1 hour.
Let potatoes cool a little but do peel them while they are still a bit warm.
Put them through a potato ricer. Alternately you can use a potato masher or a fork.
Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl.
Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon of beaten egg and 1 and 1/2 cups of flour.
Using your hands, mix well just until the flour and potatoes stick together forming a rough looking dough.
Transfer the dough to a wooden board or work surface.
Knead the dough lightly, gradually adding a little bit of the remaining flour if the dough is sticking too heavily on your work surface. (I did not need all of the remaining 1/2 cup more of flour)
Knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
The dough should be smooth, pliable and just a little bit sticky.
Cut off a section of dough at a time.
Roll the piece of dough with a back and forth motion until you get the thickness of your index finger.
Cut the roll into 1 inch pieces.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
To shape the gnocchi, I used my little wooden gnocchi board with ridges.
Alternately, you can use the back of a fork .
Hold the fork at 45 degree angle, with the tines down on the work surface with its' inside curve towards you.
Take a gnocchi role and press it with your index finger against the tip end of the fork while quickly sliding it up along the length of the fork tins.
Or simply use your index and middle fingers by pressing both fingers down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards you. The gnocchi will flip over and have a pretty indentation.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the gnocchi on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
Tomato Basil Sauce
Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot over medium low heat and saute the garlic with the crushed chili pepper just until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. (should take less then a minute).
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 simmers, fill a large sauce pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
Add salt to the boiling water and then the gnocchi.
Once the gnocchi come to surface they are pretty much ready. Leave them floating for about 10 seconds. (If they stay in the water too long, they will become mushy).
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place them on a serving platter.
Pour a little of the sauce over the gnocchi, stir to combine then mix in the diced mozzarella.
The heat of the tomato sauce will slowly melt the mozzarella.
Divide the gnocchi onto four plates. Top with more sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Serve while still hot.

Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce

August 23, 2016 by Marisa 33 Comments

These Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce are truly remarkable! If you are a seafood lover then you will certainly adore this recipe!

For one, it’s really rather simple to put together and can easily be made on any week night. Yet, so impressive and elegant enough to serve on weekends for that special person in your life. They do say that mussels are an aphrodisiac after all!

My hubby is not a finicky eater except when it comes to mussels and linguine with this spicy tomato fennel sauce. Then he can get quite specific as he prefers the sauce thick and chunky allowing the mussels to cradle all that delicious goodness in its’ shell.

Tomatoes and fennel pair wonderfully together in this dish. Also, the crushed pepper flakes lends a lovely contrast to the sweet fennel and might I add, a splash of white wine makes the whole dish livelier.

Being more affordable then other shellfish, mussels are very rich in protein and contain a lot of mineral nutrients. They also have far less fat and a 1/4 of the calories of beef making them a healthier choice.

Mussels prepared this way are really quite tasty on their own, especially when served with fresh crusty bread to mop up all the juices. I love to compliment them by serving them up with Linguine. They are so delicious and I know you will love them too!

Buon Appetito Amici!

*Tips on Buying and Cleaning Mussels:

When buying mussels, look for bright undamaged and closed shells. Stay clear of mussels that have dry shells as that is an indication of a dying mussel.

Mussels are fairly easy to clean. Simply place mussels in a bowl and fill with cold water.
Let them soak for 20 minutes. Soaking them helps the mussels to release the nitty gritty sand stuck inside the shell.
Clean the outer shell by scrubbing with a firm brush.
Pull out the beards by holding the mussel in one hand while using the other (with a small cloth) to pull the beard down towards the hinge part of the shell. Alternately, you may also use scissors to cut off the beards.

When cleaning mussels discard any that have broken or cracked shells or any mussels that do not close when tapped on a hard surface.

Also as a general rule, if any mussels do not open once cooked, I discard those as well.

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Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce

Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce.The mussels are smothered in a spicy, chunky tomato fennel sauce. Easy and delicious for any day of the week.

Course: Pasta, Seafood

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 pounds mussels scrubbed clean *(see tips)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced fennel 1/2 half medium sized fennel bulb
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced carrots 1 medium sized carrot
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper
1/2 cup white wine
24 ounce jar Passata strained, crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large sprigs of fresh basil or a handful of chopped basil
454 grams Linguine

Instructions

Tomato Fennel Sauce
In a sauce pot, heat the olive oil over medium low heat.
Add in the fennel, onions, carrots, minced garlic and crushed chili pepper.
Sauté for about 6 minutes or just until the fennel and onions are translucent and soft.
Stir often taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the white wine and passata (strained, crushed tomato) with 2 cups of cold water to the vegetable mixture. Stir well.
Add in the salt, pepper and basil. stirring well.
Bring to a boil then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer till thickened for about 40 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
When the water has reached a roaring boil, salt the water and toss in the linguine, stirring well.
Cook according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, add the cleaned mussels to the tomato fennel sauce. Cover and let simmer for about 7 minutes. By this time your pasta should be ready. (Time it so that the linguine and sauce are ready at the same time.)
When the pasta is cooked, drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Top the linguine with the mussel, tomato fennel sauce.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Serve while still warm.

Lasagna

March 9, 2015 by Marisa 11 Comments

My mother was a kind and gentle soul. On Sunday afternoons she would happily look forward to the arrival of her daughters and grand-kids, greeting everyone at the door and after the initial “buon giorno” she would turn to her grand-kids and proclaim “mi sembra dimagrito”, you look like you’ve lost some weight. Come, come nonna will feed you! And so the Sunday feast would begin!!!

My Italian meals are often based on my own mother’s recipes. She truly made the absolute best Lasagna but maybe I’m just biased that way! It certainly was not a recipe that can be thrown together after a busy day at work. It was one reserved for special occasions like Christmas, Easter or even a birthday celebration. It was one she would take great care and time to create, making most of the prep work the day before and she would assemble and bake it the same day it was served. I will share her recipe with a special secret ingredient in a later post to truly do it justice!

This lasagna recipe I’ve adapted better suits a busy mom. It is one I have made over and over again for my own family. While you can use any canned tomatoes of your choice I highly recommend San Marzano. They are much sweeter and have low acidity and seed count and are by far the most famous tomatoes to come out of Italy.

This recipe serves 12 people. You will need a pan about 15 by 10 1/2 by 2 1/2, approximately.

My daughter and her friends are eagerly waiting for the recipe so here it is girls! Buon Appetito!!!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb minced Veal
1 lb mild Italian Sausage, casings removed
2 28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 5.5 ounces tomato paste (small can)
1 tbls dried basil
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water, approximately
375g lasagna noodles, oven ready (no boil)
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a large skillet or saucepan, add the olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, veal and Italian sausage. Cook on medium-high heat until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent using a wooden spoon to break down the meat as it cooks. Drain off the fat.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and both dried and fresh basil. Rinse out the tomato cans with the water and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat, cover and bring the sauce up to a boil, stirring and checking it frequently. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Taste for salt at the end of cooking and add more if needed.

Preheat oven to 375*

Assembling the Lasagna

Coat the bottom of your lasagna pan with some meat sauce. Layer the lasagna noodles side by side in a single layer.You may need to snap off the ends on a couple of noodles to fit the pan. Spread meat sauce over the noodles to cover. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat, layering the noodles, meat sauce and cheeses two more times. If you are running low on meat sauce for the last layer, just add some water to your sauce.

Cover loosely with aluminum and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Let stand 1/2 hour before serving.

Serve and enjoy!!!