Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook (20 page)

Calabrian Pork Chops with Peppers and Potatoes

Makes 4 servings

The Calabria region of Italy is known for spicy dishes. I’ll leave it up to you how hot you want to make this dish. You can use sweet peppers, half sweet and half hot, or go all out.

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (6-ounce) boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1-inch pieces

1¼ pounds medium red potatoes, cut lengthwise into sixths

6 hot or sweet fresh cherry peppers, tops removed, seeded and quartered

1.
In a medium glass or ceramic mixing bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons of the oil with the vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes for the ingredients to get to know one another. Add the pork and mix to let it join the party for another 15 minutes.

2.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bowl. In batches, add the pork to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until the pork is browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the browned pork to a plate. Leave any remaining fat in the skillet.

3.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the potatoes and peppers and stir well. Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup of water and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the potatoes are almost tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Return the pork to the skillet; cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Stuffed Eggplant with Sausage

Makes 4 servings

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes! I could eat this every single day! It’s a bit of work, and—I’m not gonna lie—it’s not the prettiest dish, but it’s soooo good!

2 medium eggplants (1 to 1 ¼ pounds each)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (process slightly stale bread with the crusts removed in the blender or food processor)

½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

4 ounces dry Italian sausage or hard salami, chopped into small pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 large egg, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 ½ cups The Quickie Tomato Sauce (
page 22
)

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.

2.
Trim the eggplants, and slice each one in half lengthwise. Using a paring knife, cut out and discard the visible clusters of seeds (a few seeds left behind in the eggplants won’t hurt). Scoop out or cut enough flesh from each half to make a ¼- to ½-inch-thick shell. Preserve the shells, and chop the eggplant flesh into a small dice.

3.
Add the eggplant shells to the pot of boiling water and cook, turning occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Carefully drain the eggplants in a colander, rinse under cold water, and let cool.

4.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced eggplant and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Move the eggplant to one side of the skillet. Add the onion and garlic to the empty side of the skillet. Cook until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir the eggplant, onion, and garlic together and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Add the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, sausage, parsley, egg, salt, and red pepper flakes to the eggplant mixture and stir to combine.

5.
Pat the eggplant shells dry with paper towels. Season the insides of the shells with salt. Fill each eggplant shell with the eggplant-sausage mixture. Place each eggplant shell on a 12-inch square of aluminum foil, and top with ¼ cup of the tomato sauce. Bring up the edges of the foil and crimp closed. Place the wrapped eggplants on a baking sheet. Bake until the eggplant shells are tender and the filling is heated through, about 30 minutes.

6.
Meanwhile, reheat the remaining 2½ cups tomato sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Unwrap the eggplants and transfer to dinner plates. Serve the eggplants hot, with the tomato sauce passed on the side.

B
y now, you’ve totally rocked a few main courses and are bitchin’ in the kitchen. But I don’t want you to have to serve Rice-a-Roni or mashed potatoes as a side dish because you didn’t have any other recipes. So here is a full chapter of Italian veggie side dishes that are all picky-eater approved.

Me and Joe when we were dating, 1997.

Fontina Potato Torta

Makes 6 servings

This is my Italian twist on scalloped potatoes, and it’s not only the most delicious potato dish you’ll ever have, it’s the prettiest. The trick is to cut the potatoes super thin (a mandoline slicer or plastic V-slicer works much better than just a knife for this) and to pack the potatoes in a small baking dish. After it’s cooked, let it sit and settle so it’s not watery. To serve, you can scoop sloppy spoonfuls, or cut it into rectangular slices, like lasagna.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds

1 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish.

2.
Heat the oil in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and stir well. Add the broth, cream, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender and the cream has thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3.
Carefully pour the mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Place the dish on a baking sheet. Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve hot.