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ITALIAN RECIPES

Some Sausagy Delights

Cannelloni with Ricotta and Sausages

Ingredients:

2/3 pound (300 g) commercially prepared cannelloni shells
1 egg
Salt
1 1/4 pounds (500 g) fresh ricotta
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
3 mild pork sausages, about 1/2 pound (225 g)
2 tablespoons lard, butter, or prosciutto fat
1/4 of a small onion, equivalent volumes celery and carrot, and 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in water
Butter

Preparation:

Put the ricotta through a strainer and into a bowl, seasoning it with a good pinch of salt, the grated Parmigiano, and a beaten egg. Mix well.
Prick the sausages well and set them to cook in water to cover; once the water has evaporated brown them in the grease that they'll have given off, then peel them, crumble them, and stir them into the ricotta mixture.

Finally, sauté the minced herbs in the lard or butter until the onion is lightly browned, stir in the tomato paste diluted in water, season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper, and simmer it for 5 minutes or so, adding a little more water if it begins to dry out.
While the sauce is simmering roll out the dough if you're starting from scratch, and cut it into 3 by 4-inch rectangles.

Once the pasta is cut cook it a few pieces at a time in abundant lightly salted water (if you're using commercially prepared shells follow the directions on the package).
Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon while it's still rather al dente, and lay the pieces on a damp cloth taking care lest they be touching and stick.

In the meantime, preheat your oven to 250 F (170 C).
You are now ready to fill your cannelloni: lay some of the filling along the long edge of the first sheet, roll it up to make the cannelone, and place it in a well buttered, elegant baking dish.

Repeat the procedure until pasta and filling are all used up. Pour the sauce over the cannelloni, dust them with more grated Parmigiano and dot them with butter, and heat them through for about 20 minutes.
The wine? I'd go with a light zesty red, for example a Chianti d'annata or a Bardolino.
Serves 4-6.

Risotto with Sausages

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (300 g) risotto rice, for example Arborio or Vialone Nano
1/3 pound (150 g) fresh sweet Italian sausages, peeled and crumbled
1/4 cup (50 g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
A small white onion, minced
5 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 quart (1 liter) simmering beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine, warmed
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Begin by peeling and mincing the onion. Set it to sauté with all but a tablespoon of the butter in a casserole, and when it has browned lightly remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the butter as possible, and set it aside.

Next sauté the rice in the pot, stirring briskly, for 5-7 minutes, then return the onions to the pot and stir in the warmed wine. Once the wine has evaporated begin adding broth a ladle at a time.

When the rice is about half done stir in the minced sausage and the tomato.
Continue stirring in broth until the rice reaches the al dente stage, then stir in the remaining butter, and the cheese. Turn off the flame and let the risotto sit covered for a couple of minutes, then serve.
Serves 4-6.

Savoy Cabbage and Sausages

Ingredients:

3 1/3 pounds (1.5 k) Savoy cabbage (a head)
3 ounces (80 g) cured lard, or 1/2 cup olive oil
A ladle of broth (bouillon will work if need be)
1 pound (450 g) fresh Luganega sausage, casings removed and meat crumbled
2 cups dry white wine
Freshly made polenta
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash the cabbage, quarter it, discarding the outermost leaves if they are damaged, and remove the tough inner core. Coarsely shred the leaves.
If you are using cured lard or pancetta fat, grind it in a mortar or chop it, and heat it in a pot large enough to contain the cabbage leaves.

If you are instead using the oil, which will give a slightly more delicate result, simply heat it in the pot; in either case add the cabbage when the oil is hot, sprinkle the broth over it, cover it, and simmer it for an hour.

At this point add the crumbled sausage (mild link sausage will be fine if you cannot find Luganega) and the wine, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue simmering for another three hours, adding a little more liquid if you think it necessary.
Serves 4.

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms and Sausages

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
cloves garlic, one crushed and the other minced
A bunch of parsley, minced
1 1/3 pounds (600 g) fresh or frozen mushrooms
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large sausages, casings removed and meat crumbled
1 pound (450 g) tagliatelle or similar pasta
Salt

Preparation:

If the mushrooms are fresh, brush away any dirt, washing them as little as possible, and drain them well. Thaw them if frozen. In either case, chop them fairly finely so that they will mix well with the pasta.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil with the crushed clove of garlic, and when it begins to brown remove it and discard it. Stir the mushrooms into the hot oil and cook them over a moderate flame, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Stir in the minced garlic and most of the parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, adding a little water if need be, to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Heat the remaining oil in another pan and sauté the onions, salting them lightly and cooking them for 15 minutes or so, adding a little water if they begin to dry out and stick. Should they look like they're going to brown beyond golden, turn down the heat some.
After 15 minutes stir the crumbled sausage into the onions and continue cooking, stirring, until the sausage meat has browned. Stir the mushrooms into the sausage mixture (together with the tomatoes if you're adding them), cover, and simmer for 20 minutes more.

In the meantime bring pasta water to a boil, salt it, and cook the tagliatelle. Drain them, return them to their pot, and stir half the sauce into them, together with a little more olive oil.
Turn them out into a serving bowl, spoon the remaining sauce over them, dust them with the remaining minced parsley, and serve at once.
A good robust white will work nicely here, for example an unoaked Chardonnay
Serves 4.

Buon appetito!

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