Dougherty Family Recipe Box

Category: Italian

  • Balsamic Bruschetta

     Ingredients

    • 8 plum tomatoes, diced
    • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
    • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 1/2 head garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced

    Method

    1. Combine all ingredients except bread in a bowl. Stir.
    2. Serve on slices of bread.

          Source

        1. Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Focaccia

          Ingredients

          • 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
          • 1/4 cup olive oil
          • 1 cup sourdough starter
          • 4 cups all-purpose flour
          • 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
          • 2 garlic cloves, minced
          • 1 tablespoon salt
          • 1/3 cup olive oil
          • coarse salt

          Method

          1. Knead together water, 1/4 cup oil, sourdough starter, and flour until just mixed.
          2. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
          3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in salt, garlic, and rosemary.
          4. Continue kneading until dough is soft and stops sticking to hands.
          5. Lightly oil a large bowl, put the dough in to rise, and cover. Allow to rise until doubled (about 6 hours).
          6. Line a 12×17 inch baking pan (with at least 1 inch tall sides) with parchment paper and brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 
          7. Flatten the dough and place it on the oiled baking pan, then stretch and flatten the dough to fit the pan. Don’t tear the dough. 
          8. Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
          9. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature as the oven preheats
          10. Preheat oven to 450°F and hold at this temperature for 10-15 minutes before putting the bread in.
          11. Dimple the dough all over the surface using fingers. 
          12. Drizzle on the olive oil topping and spread it all over the top. Add a little more olive oil if needed so the dough is completely covered. 
          13. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
          14. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until lightly browned on top. If desired, broil on high for the last minute to brown the top.
          15. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

          Source

        2. Skillet Stuffed Shells

          Ingredients

          • 18 jumbo pasta shells 
          • 2 tablespoons olive oil
          • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
          • freshly ground black pepper
          • salt
          • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
          • 5 oz. frozen chopped spinach
          • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
          • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
          • 3 cups marinara sauce
          • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
          • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
          • 1 cup Italian hard cheese, finely grated
          • 3 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped

          Method

          1. Cook shells according to package directions until very al dente.
          2. Drain shells, rinse with cold water, drain again.
          3. Heat oil in a large skillet over high. 
          4. Add mushrooms and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).
          5. Season with pepper and salt. 
          6. Reduce heat to medium, add vinegar, and stir while cooking until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). 
          7. Add spinach, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. 
          8. Uncover and continue to cook until spinach is completely wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated (about 3-5 minutes). 
          9. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl.
          10. Return skillet to medium-high heat.
          11. Cook garlic and butter in skillet, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown (about 2–3 minutes). 
          12. Reduce heat to low.
          13. Add marinara sauce and red pepper and cook until warmed through (about 10 minutes).
          14. Stir into the mushroom mixture: add ricotta, hard cheese, oregano, and salt. 
          15. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be full but not overstuffed.
          16. Nestle stuffed shells into hot sauce in skillet. 
          17. Cover and cook over medium heat until shells are warmed through (about 4–6 minutes). 
          18. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

                Source

              1. Linguine with Chicken and Mushrooms

                Ingredients

                • fresh pasta, cut into linguine noodles, uncooked
                • 1 tablespoon butter
                • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into thin strips
                • 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
                • 1/2 cup heavy cream
                • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
                • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
                • 1/2 teaspoon salt
                • fresh ground black pepper

                Method

                1. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
                2. Add chicken and cook.
                3. Add mushrooms to chicken and cook.
                4. Add cream and reduce heat to low.
                5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta for 60 seconds.
                6. Stir a splash of pasta water into the sauce.
                7. Stir parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper into sauce.
                8. Serve sauce warm over pasta.

                Source

              2. Porchetta

                Ingredients

                • 5 pounds boneless skin-on pork belly
                • 3 pounds boneless pork loin roast
                • 10 cloves garlic, crushed
                • 2 tablespoons coarse salt
                • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
                • 1 tablespoon olive oil
                • 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
                • 3/4 cup white wine

                Method

                1. Combine seasoning ingredients into a smooth paste.
                2. Place the pork belly on a clean, flat surface, skin side down.
                3. Score the meat with a knife, then rub the seasoning paste in.
                4. Sit the loin long-side parallel to the shorter side of the belly, then roll up tightly.
                5. Tie up the roll tightly with butcher’s string every 2 inches.
                6. Put roast, uncovered, into the fridge for at least 8 hours.
                7. Remove roast from fridge and allow to warm up to room temperature.
                8. Preheat oven to 325°F.
                9. Pat the meat as dry as possible with paper towel.
                10. Put the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and then into the oven.
                11. Roast for 4 hours.
                12. Turn up the oven as high as it will go, then roast until the crackling is golden brown (about 30 minutes).
                13. Remove from oven and allow to rest uncovered for 30 minutes.
                14. Carve the roast and serve on soft white buns.

                Source