Chef Chuck's Homemade Ravioli with Butter Sage Sauce

Ravioli con salsa di burro e salvia


Homemade Ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, and served with butter sage sauce. A light and flavorful recipe, what a wonderful dinner. Picking the fresh young sage leafs from the garden made a flavorful impression to remember!


Pasta
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tablespoons water


Cheese Filling
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
salt and pepper


In a mixer combine all ingredients together to get a smooth dough. Roll into a ball on a floured board and wrap in plastic for 15 minutes. Cut dough in 4 sections and work with 1 section, keeping the other 3 sections wrapped. Roll out with rolling pin or use a pasta machine to make long pieces. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of cheese mixture every 1 1/2 inches, fold dough over and use a pastry cutter to seal and make decorative edges. Place on a board or baking pan and cover while making the rest of dough.
Makes 3 dozen


Sauce
12 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
parmigiano cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place ravioli in and simmer for 3 minutes. In a large frying pan melt butter, sage, parmigiano, salt and pepper. Drain ravioli and put into frying pan with the sauce. Top with cheese.

Chef Chuck's Stuffed Tomato with Orzo

Pomodori di Riso


Stuffed tomatoes is an excellent summer appetizer, stuffed with orzo and vegetables. Today we drove down the road to our local farmer, who grows wonderful produce. These are Sunshines tomatoes, and spinach. If no one is home, she has an honor system at her family farm, take what you want and leave cash in the box! Isn't the farm life great. Orzo is sometimes called Italian rice, but it is a pasta, also great for soups. I stuff the hot orzo mixture into the tomato which allows the inside of the tomato to cook.


Stuffed Tomato with Orzo
4 large tomatoes
1/4 pound orzo
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
8 Kalamata olives, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
6 large spinach leaves, cut up
salt and pepper
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
olive oil, drizzle


Cut off tops of tomato and use a teaspoon to hollow out. In a frying pan saute onions and olives in olive oil, add garlic, mushrooms, spinach, salt, pepper and parmigiano cheese. Gently stuff each tomato then drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Chef Chuck's Baked Orange Cod and Capers

Merluzzo Arancione al Forno


A perfect spring time cod recipe with oranges, capers and shallots. While baking this dish the aromas were delightful. The cod was moist and the orange flavors plus fresh herbs really came through. Any white fillet will work with this recipe.


Baked Orange Cod and Capers1 pound cod fillets, 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, diced
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and salt and pepper both sides of fish, set aside. In an oven proof frying pan heat olive oil and saute shallots for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh orange juice, capers then fish. Sprinkle herbs, orange zest, and drizzle olive oil over fish, cover, and bake for 12-15 minutes. If you don't have an oven proof pan a baking dish will work.

Chef Chuck's Chocolate Almond Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate almond blueberry muffins are so moist and full of flavors. The addition of almonds give these muffins a nutty texture. Great as a breakfast muffin with your coffee or tea.


Chocolate Almond Blueberry Muffins
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup chocolate
10 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 cup almonds, finely chopped
2/3 cup blueberries


Combine and sift sugar and flour, set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
Using a mixer beat eggs, slowly add melted chocolate, on low speed add sugar and flour and yeast. Mix in almonds then fold in blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Makes 15 muffins.

Chef Chuck's Mostaccioli and Artichokes

Pennette con i cariofi

Mostaccioli with red sauce, artichokes and kalamata olives is a fantastic weekend pasta dish. The artichokes add a nice texture and taste, as the olives add a special brightness. I used pecorino cheese to add yet another enticing flavor. This is an easy pasta recipe anyone can make it.

Pennette and Artichokes1 pound pennette
3 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large cans tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups artichoke hearts, sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
pecorino cheese, grated
red hot pepper flakes, optional

Heat olive oil add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds and pour in tomato sauce bring to a boil. Lower heat and add artichokes, olives, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat a large pot of salted water and cook pasta al dente. Combine pasta to sauce, add cheese and pepper flakes and enjoy. You will have left over sauce.

Chef Chuck's Roasted Vegetables

Verdure Arrosto


Roasted vegetables are a colorful dish packed with vitamins that are good for our bodies. Any variety of organic vegetables will do including eggplant, squash or asparagus. Use a quality olive oil and just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to make these veggies a wonderful spring time dish.


Roasted Vegetables
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 white onion, quartered
4 red potatoes, sliced
2 zucchini's, sliced
12 baby bella mushrooms
8 grape tomatoes
1/2 cup broccoli, florets
1/2 cup baby carrots
5 garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper


Cut vegetables and arrange on a baking sheet generously add olive oil, drizzle balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Let marinate for 1 hour, preheat oven to 425 degrees and broil for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Chef Chuck's Risotto Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto Milanese is a rich and creamy rice dish with lots of saffron. Making risotto is a very relaxing cooking experience, to make it properly, it will take up to half an hour. A great meal in itself or a delicious side dish.

1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup extra virgin
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
4 cups organic chicken broth
salt to taste


In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute onions for about 3 minutes. Add rice and coat with oil, toast for 2 minutes, slowly add wine. Place saffron threads in the warm chicken broth and ladle in a little at a time and allow the rice to absorb it before adding more. This will take about 25 minutes. Add grated cheese, salt and butter.