by MK Burnell

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I just LOVE cheese ravioli so when a friend invited me over for a ravioli dinner I happily accepted. She asked that I bring over some Parmesan cheese which turned out to be a good thing as I wanted to test my new Savora Rotary Cheese Grater.  I've experienced the sexy efficiency of rotary graters at Italian restaurants and always wanted this cool gadget for myself.  And after testing it... the Savora grater is stylish, sleek, ergonomically designed and extremely functional. It comes in an array of beautiful colors, is very easy to clean and best of all.... it is quite affordable at $29.99 - $37.94. This truly is the Rolls Royce of cheese graters. I love it! 

Goat Cheese Ravioli with Tomato Basil Sauce

Ingredients: 

• 1 bag of Goat Cheese Ravioli
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, reserving a few leaves for garnish
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. Boil water and cook ravioli per directions, cook al dente
2. In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, saute garlic until soft
3. Add tomatoes, sauté for about ten minutes until soft and a lot of liquid has released
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Add basil and let simmer for 10 minutes
6. Place four ravioli on a plate, pour sauce over the ravioli, 
7. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8. Garnish with basil leaves

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by MK Burnell

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by MK Burnell

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It is Meatless Monday time and here we have a wonderful treat - grilled baby artichokes! This dish calls for sauteing baby artichokes in a skillet with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon and white wine--cooked until tender, as only a baby artichoke can be. The sauce artichokes and lemon/wine sauce are then served over a bed of spaghetti. Serve with a glass of your favorite white wine. This recipe would pair perfectly as a side dish to grilled skewered shrimp.

Baby Artichokes in Garlic, Lemon Wine Sauce served over Spaghetti
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 baby artichokes, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
  
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  
• Grated fresh, Parmesan cheese
• Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Remove outer layers of artichoke leaves until the white inner leaves are reached. Trim stem to length of 1/4"
   
2. Trim the tip of the artichoke cutting about 1/4" from the top; cut the artichokes in half lengthwise
3. Place artichoke halves in a bowl and coat with the flour, salt and black pepper
4. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 3-4 minutes until garlic is softened.
5. Add the artichokes and sauté for about five (5) minutes. Stir in the rosemary and the lemon juice and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to medium, add wine, salt and fresh black pepper to taste and cover, simmering for 15 minutes.
7. While artichokes are simmering, cook pasta as per directions on box.
8. Test artichokes, they should be tender. You can still remove outer leaves that are not tender. Remove artichokes from pan and set aside, covered. 
   
9. Remove artichoke bits if any are left in the skillet. Add olive oil and garlic and a dash of salt and pepper, cooking until garlic is softened. (do not burn garlic)
10. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. coat with garlic olive oil.
    
11. Place pasta in a large serving bowl and mix well to evenly coat pasta. Top with artichokes, Add grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh parsley.
12. Option: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve with white wine. Enjoy! 

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I have always been a fan of Beef Stroganoff, but in honor of Meatless Mondays here is a vegetarian variation.  You can use your favorite mushroom mix: go for white button, crimini, portobello, shiitake, morel, chanterelles, morels, and/or oyster mushrooms. And as I like to spice things up a notch I top each dish with a pinch of red pepper flakes. For those meat lovers who insist...here is the link to a delicious Beef Stronganoff recipe. 

Mixed Mushroom Stroganoff

serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion or 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped and washed
• 1 leek, thoroughly cleaned, sliced into 1/4" rings
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine to deglaze the pan
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1/8 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• Pappardelle or Egg noodles
• Garnish Parsley

Directions:

1. Cook the egg noodles per the instructions (al dente)
2. In a hot skillet add butter, olive oil and shallot cooking until the shallot is translucent.
3. Add and saute the mushrooms. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes.
4. When the water from the mushrooms dissolves, add a dash more olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and add leeks. Cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all liquid dissolved and mushrooms are browned.
6. Note: If adding asparagus tips do so now
7. Add white wine to deglaze the skillet, scraping all bits to the center of the pan.
8. Add sour cream and slowly mix together, blending all ingredients.
9. Sprinkle flour over the sauce to slightly thicken
10. Add parsley and mix together.
11. Add cooked pasta and heat thoroughly.
12. Season with salt and pepper, if needed and serve with  your favorite red wine.

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If you love Italian food, why not try your hand at risotto for a romantic meal for two. A quintessential comfort food for many, risotto is a seductive meal with its warm creamy texture and tasteful flavors.  It is also a gluten-free favorite of those who can need to bypass wheat as a dining option. Here we have creamy risotto with bite size pieces of chicken and mushrooms with just the right hint of tarragon.  Serve with a light mixed green salad and your favorite bottle of white wine.  Also check out our recipe for Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Spicy Italian Sausage.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto with Tarragon
Recipe and photography by David Bonon and Marge Perry
4 servings

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound sliced botton mushrooms     
• 1/3 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
•  3/4 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
• 1/3 cup Madeira wine    
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-­‐Reggiano cheese   
  

Directions:          

1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 4-quart nonstick dutch oven.
3. Add the button and shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until just about browned, about 6-7 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken, salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
5. Transfer mixture t a bowl and reserve.
6. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
7. Stir in the shallots and garlic, stirring occasionally until starting to soften, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the rice and cook, stirring until opaque, about 1 minute
9. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring until absorbed.
10. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook, stirring often until it has been absorbed.
11. Continue cooking, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and cooking until it has been absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup, until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
12. Stir in the tarragon and cook 1 minute.
13. Add the reserved mushroom mixture, cheese and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, cook, stirring, until hot; about 2 minutes.
14. Serve immediately.  
    

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This recipe was sent to us by Forest in NYC. A seductive creamy mushroom risotto topped with spicy sausage. You can use sweet or hot sausage depending on how "hot" you want things to get.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Spicy Italian Sausage

Risotto Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sweet butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 12 oz mushrooms, quartered
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated or crumbled Asagio, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (or a mix)
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves

Sausage Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 lb Italian sweet or hot sausage
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise and remove seeds, diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil or 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
Prepare Risotto:

• In a deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes
• Add white pepper and 2 cup of arborio rice. Stir and saute for two minutes
• Add mushrooms, basil, chicken stock and wine. Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While simmering prepare sausage

Prepare Sausage:

• In a separate skillet add olive oil and onion, sauté for 2 minutes
• Add and brown sausage. Drain all fat but 1 tablespoon
• Add tomato paste, tomatoes and wine and stir together. Cook over medium heat until sauce reduces - about 10 minutes.

Finish Risotto:

• Add 1/2 cup of grated cheese and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the risotto, stir and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Transfer risotto to serving dish, top with sausage mixture
• Garnish with fresh basil and a touch of grated cheese

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Here is a very easy dish that packs a wonderful flavor -  thin chicken breasts are coated in seasoned flour, browned on both sides and set aside as you saute the mushrooms and then add Marsala wine, sherry, a bit of lemon juice. You want to make a Marsala reduction sauce by reducing the wine to nearly the consistency of a syrup. The sauce is what makes this dish shine! Chicken Marsala can be served with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.  And for Dessert, since you have Marsala wine on hand, why not try your hand at another Italian Classic: Zabaglione; in this case, Marsala wine Sabayon with wild berries. I found an easy recipe for this, see link below.

Chicken Marsala
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 large or 4 small skinless chicken breasts, pounded to flatten 1/4" thick
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 lb mushrooms - white button, sliced or go for an exotic blend: baby bella, oyster and shiitake, sliced
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 cup Marsala Wine
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• Garnish, fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix flour, salt, pepper and oregano
2. Coat each chicken breast
3. Heat up large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, when hot, add chicken breasts and lightly brown on both sides. remove and set aside.
4. In same skillet add olive oil and butter. When hot, add mushrooms and garlic and cook for about five minutes.
   
5. Add Marsala wine and cook for about ten minutes to reduce the wine. 
6. Add lemon and sherry and blend well. Add chicken pieces to the skillet.
7. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts, cooking until chicken is done.
8. Prepare the potatoes, rice or pasta - whichever you prefer (I opted for mashed potatoes)
   

Plating the Dish

1. Place a cup of mashed potatoes just off center of the plate. With a spoon, push down the center. Pour a bit of the Marsala wine sauce in the well.
   
2. Place 1-2 chicken breasts over 1/2 of the potatoes. Spoon a good portion of the mushrooms and saucer over the chicken and potatoes and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Zabaglione with Berries

Ingredients:

• 5 Egg yolks
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 basket of mixed wild berries, cleaned

Click HERE for the recipe (AG Ferrari Foods)

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Chicken Parmesan, is for many in America, the first Italian dish experienced outside of pasta. It tastes great and is very easy to prepare: breaded chicken cutlets, tomato sauce, mozzerella cheese and parmesan cheese. Serve with your favorite pasta, garlic bread, a mixed green salad, and a bottle of Tiziano Chianti.

This recipe calls for the "King of Italian Cheese", Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is a hard granular cheese that is cooked, not pressed. Parmigiano-Reggiano. is named after the producing areas near Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna (all in Emilia-Romagna), and Mantova (in Lombardia), Italy. Under Italian law only cheese produced in these provinces may be labelled "Parmigiano-Reggiano", while European law classifies the name as a protected designation of origin.The same cheese manufactured elsewhere is referred to as Parmesan. (wikipedia) .

Chicken Parmigiano
Serves Two

Ingredients

• Two boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 1/4 cup egg starter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 12-oz bag shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Directions

1. Place bread crumbs on a dinner plate
2. Whisk together egg and milk
3. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil on both sides until golden, about 3 - 4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in an 8 x 8 baking dish.
5. Place 3-4 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese on each chicken breast.
6. Pour marinara sauce overall. Sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a little more mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

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I am a huge fan of Mario Batali--I just LOVE his restaurants and recipes. Did you know that in addition to being able to buy his Cookbooks, he also shares an array of very seductive  recipes on his site?

Looking for an Italian starter to set the stage for your Italian Seduction Meal, here is an enticing dish by Mario Batali that combines the sweetness of pumpkin and honey combined with vinegar and a dash of heat from red pepper flakes served over thinly sliced salami. Serve with a glass of sparkling champagne or Prosecco. Delicious! The word scapece derives from the Spain and refers to any dish marinated in a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Coppa with Pumpkin In Scapece
Serves 4
Recipe by Mario Battali

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sugar pumpkin or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint
• 1 pound great coppa, such as one from Armadino's Salami, sliced thin

Directions:
1. In a 10 to 12 inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pumpkin and garlic and cook until the pumpkin is light golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, vinegar, and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze and the pumpkin is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat, and add the mint.

3. To plate, arrange 5 slices of coppa on a plate. Spoon about 3 pieces of pumpkin over top and drizzle with olive oil.

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I whipped up this recipe when experimenting with different ways to use Arrabiatta sauce (a spicy tomato sauce) for the Bertolli Private Cooking Session with Chef Sarah Page.  My experimentation evolved into this recipe: Spicy Tomato Shrimp with Risotto and Fresh Summer Peas. I placed the final results on a platter and served it to my two taste testers--it elegantly disappeared in minutes when I was asked for seconds. Love that!

Spicy Tomato Shrimp with Risotto and Peas

Ingredients

• 1 lb Large shrimp, deveined and peeled, leave tails on
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup of Arrabiatta Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup of dry red wine
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• Risotto:1 box of instant risotto (I used garlic basil risotto)
• 2 Tbsp butter
  
• 1 cup of fresh of frozen peas

Directions

1. In a large skillet, add olive oil and a pinch of salt, heating up over medium-high heat.
   
2. Add shallots and cook until translucent and soft--about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic cook for 2 minutes
   
3. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste. red pepper flakes and wine, cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. 
4. Make risotto according to directions on box.
5. Cook peas (fresh or frozen) in a skillet with butter. Cook over medium low and remove as soon as they are done. Add butter (if any is remaining) and peas to risotto.
   
6. Add shrimp to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes, shrimp will turn pink

Plating the Dish

1. Place the risotto in a small bowl or cup and firmly pack. Turn upside in the middle of the serving plate
2. Add shrimp in tomato sauce on both sides of the risotto
3. Garnish with flat leaf parsley and (optional) hot pesto sauce as small circular mounds on the plate
   

"Disclaimer: Ogilvy Public Relations extended an invitation to the Bertolli Cooking Session on behalf of their client Bertolli. I was not provided monetary compensation nor was I required to post about the event or products upon accepting the invitation. These opinions are my own."

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Polenta Medallions with Mushroom, Pancetta and Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup diced pancetta
  
• 1 jar of Bertolli Arrabiatta Sauce (spicy tomato sauce)
• 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 10 oz Button Mushrooms, cut into 1/4" slices
• 6 oz Portobello Mushrooms, cut into 1/4" slices
• 6 ox Shitake Mushrooms
• Polenta: Homemade or Pre-packaged roll (easily found in supermarkets)
  
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
• garnish with flat leaf parsley
  

Directions

1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When hot add onions and pancetta - cook until golden brown for abut 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
   
2. Add tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Lower heat to medium and let cook while preparing the rest of the recipe.
   
3. In a separate skillet, add butter and olive oil. When hot, add mushrooms and cook for 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove mushrooms and place in a covered bowl; set aside
4. Cook the Polenta as per directions--grilled, saute or bake. I used a prepared polenta roll.
   
5. Slice Polenta roll into 1-inch rounds. Saute or grill per directions

Plating the Dish

1. Place a spoonful of tomato sauce on each plate
2. Add 2-3 polenta rounds
   
3. Top with Mushrooms, julienned sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta cheese
4. Top with a touch of Tomato sauce. 
5. Add parsley. Serve immediately
   

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Seduction Meals was recently invited to participate in a private Cooking Session with Bertolli's Chef Sarah and three amazing bloggers: Friends Family and Food, No Recipes and Zen Can Cook. We were invited to come up with a recipe using a sauce from their new Famiglia Line. I chose to work with the Arrabiatta, or spicy red sauce. Here is the recipe I created for the  event--Lobster Fra Diablo.

This is a super easy recipe to whip up in less than an hour, and if you enjoy lobster, a spicy tomato sauce wiht a bit of a "kick",  and Italian cooking--this is the dish for you! Serve this with a nice bottle of dry red. Enjoy!

Lobster Fra Diablo
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb tagliatelle, linguine or spaghetti
  
• 4 Lobster Tails, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large or two small shallots, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 jar Bertolli Arrabiatta Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup clam juice
• 1/4 cup of clams from same jar
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• garnish: Fresh Basil leaves

Directions:

1. Heat up olive oil in deep large skillet over medium high heat
2. Add shallots and cook until translucent, lower heat to medium
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
4. Add red wine, parsley, clam juice and clams,- cook for five minutes
   
5. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Add salt & pepper to taste
6. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes
7. Cook pasta according to directions, al dente
8. While the pasta is cooking, take a pair of scissors and cut vertically from the belly (underside of the hard shell) of each lobster from the top center to the bottom tail, and loosen a bit to make it easier to pull out the lobster meat when you are ready to serve and it is too hot to easily handle
9. When sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, add the lobster tails, shell side down
10. Spoon generous amounts of sauce over each lobster and cover to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat
11. The pasta should be just about ready. Drain and set aside

Plating the Dish
Place a serving portion of pasta on  a plate, add one lobster over the pasta, or naturally curved along side the pasta and top with spicy tomato sauce. Add a pinch of chopped parsley and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately with your favorite glass of dry, red wine.

"Disclaimer: Ogilvy Public Relations extended an invitation to the Bertolli Cooking Session on behalf of their client Bertolli. I was not provided monetary compensation nor was I required to post about the event or products upon accepting the invitation. These opinions are my own."

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Another delicious Italian recipe from the cookbook: Ciao Italia: Five-Ingredient Favorites, where Mary Ann Esposito shows you how to turn just five ingredients into an easy, delicious dish bursting with Italian flavor.  Here we have an Italian classic--Coal Miner Style Spaghetti or Spaghetti alla Carbonara.

"Just about everyone I know has a recipe for spaghetti alla carbonara. This simple but heavenly dish is said to get its name from the coal miners who could easily make it with readily available ingredients: eggs, cheese, and guanciale, cured and salted, pig's jowl and cheeks. A likely story, but the fact is that this dish is superb when made correctly and a completely balanced meal. The eggs should be of the highest quality and at room temperature so they will mix well with the spaghetti. The cheese should be none other than true Parmigiano-Reggiano, or pecorino Romano. Today, the more readily available pancetta is used in place of guanciale. And a pepper mill is essential for the right grind of black pepper."

 Coal Miner Style Spaghetti: Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Recipe Courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounce chunk pancetta, diced
• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 3 large eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Good grinding coarse black pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and stir in the pancetta. Cook until crispy. Set aside and keep warm.
2. Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente, in 4 quarts of rapidly boiling, salted water. Al dente means still firm but no uncooked flour is visible when a strand of spaghetti is broken in half.
3. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, and save 6 tablespoons of the water. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved water to the sauté pan with the spaghetti and toss well for a few minutes over low heat to get the spaghetti really hot.  Remove the pan from the stove top and rapidly stir in the beaten eggs, 2 more tablespoons of the reserved water, and half the cheese.  Combine well.  If the spaghetti seems dry, add the last 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.
4. Add the reserved pancetta and any drippings. Stir well.  Add a good grinding of the pepper.  Add salt if needed. 
   
5. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Serve immediately.

This recipe is from  Ciao Italia : Five-Ingredient Favorites by Mary Ann Esposito. For another delicious treat, try her Cheesey Stuffed Meatballs.

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Authenticity, history, and tradition.  Those three words define Mary Ann Esposito and the signature cooking style that has made her one of America's best-known and most loved television chefs.  In her latest book, Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites, Esposito, best known for her authentic and inspired take on rustic Italian cooking, has taken a crack at the ubiquitous quick/easy genre offering 75 recipes that focus on five main ingredients.

Here we share one of Mary Ann's delicious recipes. Turn meatballs into a gourmet treat with very little extra effort, then sit back and enjoy the meal and the compliments!

Cheesy Stuffed Meatballs
Makes 8 Meatballs
Recipe Courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito

"Can you make a better tasting meatball? Absolutely! Just stuff them with a creamy, melting cheese like Fontina! This may be a little unconventional way to make them, but the taste elevates meatballs to elegant and they can be served alone or in tomato sauce. Achieve great flavor by using a combination of ground chuck and ground sirloin because the fat in ground chuck is essential for moistness, while the sirloin provides great texture" -- Chef Esposito

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup good quality bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup heavy cream or half/half
• 1/2 pound ground chuck
• 1/2 pound ground sirloin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• Grinding coarse black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound Fontina or mozzarella cheese cut into 8 small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Put the bread crumbs in a medium size bowl and pour the cream over them. Mix with a fork; the mixture will not be soupy.
3. Add the ground chuck, sirloin, and salt and pepper. Mix just to combine the ingredients. Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and roll each in the palm of your hand to make compact 2 1/2-inch balls.
4. Insert your thumb into the middle of each meatball and push in a piece of cheese. Close the meatball encasing the cheese and smooth the top.
5. Place the meatballs on a rimmed, nonstick baking sheet. Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are nicely browned. Serve hot as is or put them in tomato sauce and serve with pasta or as a second course.
   

Variation: make the meatballs miniature size and bake them for 10-12 minutes. Serve as an antipasto. Leftovers make great sandwich filling too!

Cook's Secret: If you wet your hands between making each meatball, the meat mixture will not stick to your hands.

Ciao Italia : Five Ingredient Favorites by Mary by Ann Esposito

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At a party I recently attended, someone mentioned a Sicilian recipe that intrigued me. The pure simplicity of the dish was appealing - spaghetti with breadcrumbs, garlic, and anchovies.  I typically do not like anchovies so I thought I would try Boquerrones, or white anchovies, that are supposed to have a mild, more subtle flavor than the dark salty, hairy anchovies typically found in Cesar salads or on pizza.  I used White Anchovy Fillets by La Conserviera di Burano, which I now refer to as "the one and only anchovy" for connoisseurs.

Spaghetti with Anchovies & Breadcrumbs
Spaghetti con Acciughe e Mollica

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup toasted fresh breadcrumbs (see below)
• 1lb spaghetti, reserve 1/4 cup of water from the spaghetti
• 1/2  cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons of EVO
• 6 cloves chopped garlic
• 8 white anchovy filets
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 1/8  cup capers
• sea salt
• Garnish with parsley and breadcrumbs
• (option) Grated Sicilian pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese per plate

INSTRUCTIONS
Bread Crumbs
To prepare the toasted breadcrumbs it is preferable to make them from stale, dry bread. Pulse the breadcrumbs in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs. Its best not to use pre-packaged breadcrumbs--they are too fine for this purpose.

1. Over medium heat, lightly coat a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and allow the pan to warm
   
2. Add the breadcrumbs, stirring constantly to prevent the breadcrumbs from sticking or burning. Cooking until evenly toasted to a nice golden brown color
3. Remove them from the pan setting aside 1/4 of the bread crumbs for garnish and the rest will be added to the sauce.
   

Spaghetti

1. Just before starting the Anchovy Sauce, bring a large pot of salted water to rapid boil. Add the spaghetti, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking. Cook per instructions, until tender to the bite, preferably al dente. 
2. When the spaghetti is done, drain and set aside.
   
3. But first, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water  - set aside. While the spaghetti is cooking, prepare the Anchovy sauce.
   

Anchovy Sauce

1. Chopped the garlic. Chop the parsley.  Rinse the capers - set all three aside
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add crushed garlic, and saute for a few minutes, stirring so they do not overcook.
3. Add anchovies and crushed red pepper flakes, mashing the anchovies in the pan with a wooden spoon.
4. Add capers and 1/8 cup of the pasta water to the pan and stir ingredients together. Remove from heat
5. When the spaghetti is done and drained, return the anchovy sauce to the burner and over moderate heat, add the spaghetti to the Anchovy sauce coating all strands.
6. Add breadcrumbs and parsley. Add more of the reserved pasta water if it seems too dry, tossing everything together.

Plate the dish
Add a serving size portion of the spaghetti to each dish. Top with some of the  reserved bread crumb and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Add cheese if using, and if you like to spice things up--a sprinkle of red hot pepper flakes. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

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Italian cuisine is a top choice for many first dates, special romantic meals for two, and just a favored comfort food of men and women, young and old. One of the first things that grabs your attention is the pleasing aromas that fill you home as you cook Italian style--onions, garlic, tomato sauce, wine, it all comes together to seduce the senses. And the best part--typically there are few ingredients and not many steps to make the perfect Italian dish. Here is our Italian Menu for Valentine's Day: Just click on the title of each recipe for ingredients and directions.


DESSERT
White Chocolate Parfait with Flambeed Cherries

Let's start backwards. I will share with you a gorgeous dessert that is a true show-stopper and a prefect end to your Seduction Meal. This dessert was created by a fellow food blogger - Scarlett of Desert.net.eu. Her creations are magnificent. This is one recipe that is not a simple Italian recipes -but one look at this phone and you should be seduced to give it a try. Click on the Title to be taken to Scarlett's recipe.


MAIN COURSE
Spaghetti Carbonara with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Parsley

The Main Course is a very easy dish to make, and is an Italian Classic, with a twist. Our Spaghetti Carbonara blends the sweet taste of sun dried tomatoes and salty pancetta with a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce   I like to serve this with a tomato basil bruschetta (see below) and a bottle of chilled white burgundy like Domaine Vocoret 2006 Chablis. I typically do not add salt to this dish as the pancetta is salty. Click on the title to be taken to the recipe.


STARTERS
Spicey Garllic Shrimp
Tomato Basil Bruschetta

I have selected two starters, another classic--tomato basil bruschetta, and Spicy Carlic Shrimp. Who can resist hot and spicy? This shrimp dish is a guaranteed hit and very easy to prepare. Serve this with fresh French  or Italian bread to soak up the garlic flavored olive oi. Serve your starters with chilled white wine or champagne.

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I am honored to present a truly seductive recipe straight from Italy, complements of Chef Simone, from Lucca.

He creatively combines courgettes, or zucchini as we call them in the US, and a Béchamel sauce for a twist on an all time favorite comfort food--lasagna. If zucchini isn't your thing, you can substitute this with a vegetable of your choice such as mushrooms, artichokes, eggplant, or asparagus. Chef Simone's vegetable lasagne is made with alternate layers of wide pasta, vegetables, cheese, and a bechamel sauce.

Remember lasagna is a dish that taste even better the next day so you have a very good reason to extend your date.

Lasagne di Zucchine
Recipe courtesy of Chef Simone, Tours of Italy
Check out the web site: Cooking Course in Tuscany for delicious cooking classes with Oliver!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of egg pasta
• 2.2 pounds Zucchini or Courgettes, cut into small pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 cups of fresh, grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce

• 3 cups of hot milk
• 3 parsley stalks
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp mace (or nutmeg)
  
• 1 slice onion, 1/4 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 oz plain flour
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 5 oz unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 oz all purpose flour
• salt & pepper to taste
  

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Bruschetta can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or a simple snack. Pronounced bru'shet'a in English, and brus ket'a in Italian, this dish dates to at least the 15th century from central Italy.

It is so easy to prepare; all you need is fresh, ripe ingredients and a very good extra virgin olive oil. Here's how easy it is: Cut a few slices of Italian or French bread and toast about 1 inch thick and toast it to a golden brown color. Take a piece of garlic and lightly rub it on one side of the toast. On this very side top each slice of toast with the tomato basil mixture (see recipe below) and top this with a dash of sea salt and cracked black pepper. That's it!

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A hearty meal for a cold balmy night, this recipes for Spaghetti Carbonara blends the sweet taste of sun dried tomatoes and salty pancetta with a creamy parmesan cheese sauce   I like to serve this with a tomato basil bruschetta and a bottle of chilled white burgundy like Domaine Vocoret 2006 Chablis. I typically do not add salt to this dish as the pancetta is salty. The best things about this delicious dish--including the wine and bruschetta, this Seduction Meal is less than $40 for two, and it can be made in less than 1/2 hour.

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For a luscious quickie that will satisfy all senses, this seduction meal will delight the eyes, tease the imagination and grab you with its divine taste. A sure winner that can be made in 1/2 hour.


crab ravioli in saffron cream sauce

saffron cream sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 good pinches saffron threads
2 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp of cayanne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chives

crab ravioli
1 dozen crab ravioli
I used all natural crab ravioli from The Ravioli Store

lobster
1/2 lb of fresh, cooked lobster meat, preferably with two small lobster tails
cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons of butter
1/8 cup of dry white wine

preparing the dish
     
saffron cream sauce
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add shallot and cook until translucent. De-glaze by ading wine; cooking and stirring until wine evaporates--about 3 minutes. Add cream and saffron. Lower heat and simmer, cooking until sauce has reduced to just about half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Finish with a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir. Set aside.

ravioli
Cook lobster ravioli per directions. Drain

lobster
While ravioli is cooking, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add lobster pieces and toss to coat with butter. Add wine. Cook until you have nice medium brown color on the white meat, carefully flipping the skillet, or stirring, to cook lobster on all sides--about 3 - 4 minutes. Set aside

plating the dish
Reheat the sauce, if necessary.  Add 3-4 tablespoons of sauce on each plate. Place 3-5 ravioli on top--depending upon whether you are serving this as an appetizer or a main course. Spoon the sauce over ravioli. Top with a few pieces of the lobster meat. Garnish with snipped chives and a strand of chives that you will a lay on top and across the entire dish. If you like a little kick, sprinkle with a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. Another great garnish would be caviar or tobiko--I'll have to try that next time.

Serve this with a chilled bottle of Chablis and wait for the praise and adoration to follow.

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For a truly seductive, lighter pasta meal try Linguine alle vongole; an Italian dish made with fresh clams, parsley, garlic, white wine and butter. To start, serve up a simple salad like the radicchio salad with thinly sliced parmesean cheese slices.. Next serve up this great linguine dish with a bottle of chilled white wine and hot crusty bread and the night is yours.




Salad
1/4 cup extra olive oil
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Medium size head of radicchio lettuce
Fresh Parmesean cheese, long thin slices

Tear the radicchio in separate leaves. Place in a salad spinner filled with ice cold water--add some ice cubes if your water isn't ice cold. Let stand for a 5-10 minutes. Drain. Set aside. Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar.

Plate the Dish
Place the salad on each plate.  Using a cheese slicer to get very thin slices, carve long thin slices from the brick of cheese. Arrange slices over the lettuce. Drizzle with salad dressing, salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Linguine alle Vongole
serves 4

4 Tbsp olive oil
1lb fresh minced clams
12 oz clam juice
2 dozen cockles
1 1/2 little neck clams
1 head of garlic, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
1/2 stick sweet butter
1 Tbsp finely chopped red jalapeno
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 box linguine
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation
Simmer the onions and garlic in olive oil in a skillet over low heat (you do not want to brown them, only soften). When soft, add minced clams. Continue to cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add remaining liquid (wine and clam juice), turn heat up to medium, cooking until liquid just begins to boil, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.

Cook pasta as per directions being sure to remove when al dente. Strain the pasta and place in a large bowl, add 1/2 stick of butter and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Steam cockles and little necks  clams until shells just open. Remove from heat, set aside

Plating the dish
Heat up the minced clam juice. Place linguine in large serving bowl. Arrange littlenecks and cockles over the pasta and add minced clam mixture over the pasta and make sure its hot. Sprinkle red jalapeno (to taste), salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with the minced parsley.. Serve with your favorite wine, and toss the pasta at the table for maximum effect.

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This recipe was submitted by Stefan of NYC, and a Seduction Meal it is!

For those who like it hot, and we know you do, this dish will have you both flush with desire as you devour this medley of calamari, shrimp, clams, garlic, and hot peppers slowly simmered in a hot diablo sauce, topped with a special garnish and a pinch of red hot pepper flakes.

Tomato Sauce
2 shallots finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 habanero pepper, finely chopped
1/4 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tbsp Grapeseed Oil

Gently simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. In a separate pot, over medium-high heat, mix together:

2 Cans of 28 oz crushed tomatoes with basil
1 jar of white clams in clam juice/ strained (reserve juice for later)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 16 oz can tomato paste

Cook for about 20 minutes. Mix all ingredients above together in one pot (the larger of the two), cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour.

Garnish
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
1/8 cup of fresh lemon juice
a pinch of finishing salt (Victoria Taylor's Australian Flake)

Use all fresh ingredients, mix together and set aside, letting all flavors blend together.

Calamari & Shrimp
1lb of fresh (or frozen) calamari and 1/2 lb of Shrimp (large)
1 Cup of white clam juice
1 large tomato, chopped

If using frozen calamari or shrimp- defrost. In a skillet, over medium heat, add 2 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil. When hot, add and saute all ingredients for 5 - 8 minutes

The Pasta
I used a bag of Gragnanese Liguine al Nero de Seppo (black squid ink linguine), you can use the pasta of your preference
Cook as per the directions, al dente

Plating the Dish

• Place pasta serving in the bowl/plate and top with a large spoonful of with Calamari/Shrimp, adding some of the broth it cooked in
• Drizzle 1 tbsp of the Garnish over the pasta
• Top with 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce
• Add a pinch of red pepper flake

Serve with crusty warmed bread and a glass of red wine. Amazing! I am sure you will enjoy this truly delicious, flavorful dish.

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Mediterranean fare is my absolute favorite. Lemons, figs, olives, almonds, eggplant, tomatoes, cheese and pomegranates--all wonderful tasty morsels and healthy food choices. Throw in lamb, seafood, pasta, a bottle of wine, and some fresh baked bread and I could live on this food forever.

If you love vegetables, you will LOVE this dish. Oven roasted eggplant, mushrooms, olives and tomatoes bring out an intense flavor for this Seduction Meal. This garlic infused vegetable medley can be served over polenta or pasta as in the recipe below.


Mediterranean Pasta

• 1lb of your favorite pasta, I used Gragnanese
• 5 baby eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch slices and cut in half
• 9 large button mushrooms, quartered
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic for the vegetables
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup of pitted Kalmata olives

________

• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed for the olive oil sauce
• red pepper flake
• ¼ cup of white wine
• ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
• freshly grated black pepper
• ¼ cup of fresh Parmesan cheese
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese over each dish

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Tradition. It stays with you your whole life. The rituals, memories, scents, tastes and sounds hopefully all conjure up feelings of love and comfort. My family tradition--every Sunday was Pasta Day. My entire family would gather at my grandfather's house in Brooklyn to share the day and feast on a 5 course meal.

We would start with a mix of artfully prepared appetizers such as stuffed artichokes, shrimp croquettes, and stuffed mushrooms. Coarse two: Pasta. This would be accompanied by a meat platter filled with hot and sweet Italian sausage, the best meatballs, and pork so succulent it would fall apart as you tried to fork a piece. This was followed by a light green salad. And the grand finale: A mix of Italian pastries and fresh fruit served with coffee and Sambucca. You can just imagine the aromas that filled this house every Sunday.

For my Seduction Meal of today, and in honor of my Italian heritage, I am preparing a simpler version of our Sunday Italian feasts.

The Menu

• Olive oil, bite-sized pieces of fresh Parmesan Cheese, and Ecci Panis European Baguette
• Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Salad
• Macaroni served with Mushroom Tomato Sauce and Succulent Pork
• Cannolis, coffee and Sambuca

 The macaroni is served with slow-cooked pork that simmers in a tomato sauce for about 3 hours. At the last hour of cooking I add sauteed Portabella mushrooms. This dish is served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and served with a nice red wine like Barolo or Chianti Classico Reserve. The recipe that follows serves four hungry Italians.

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