Tuscan Meat Sauce

2 lbs of ground beef

Olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1/3rd cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3rd cup water
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot, diced
Red pepper flakes
1/4 - 1/3rd cup Half & half

In a large skillet, brown beef in some olive oil. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste, sauce and water. Stir to combine. Add the garlic; add the carrots. Add the red pepper flakes. Add more water or tomato sauce if too thick. At the end, stir in a little half and half .

Cook pasta until Al dente. Drain and add some of the meat sauce to coat the pasta. Serve pasta and top with more of the meat sauce and parmesan cheese.

(Note: measurements are approximate).

Vietnamese Noodles with Pork

Monica J. Pileggi

February 2004

There are many recipes for this wonderful dish. This is my version:

Ingredients for the pork and marinade:

25 oz. boneless pork sirloin, trimmed of fat, sliced into thin strips
4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
3 shallots, peeled, minced
1 Tbs. Rice vinegar
1 Tbs. White wine
1 Tbs. sugar
1 T. drid lemongrass, chopped
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 t. vegetable oil

In a blender, add all ingredients and blend to a paste. Place pork in a shallow dish and cover with the mixture. Divide the pork into 4-1/4 ounce servings in small ziplock bags and freeze for future meals.

Ingredients for 1 serving:

4-1/4 oz. marinated pork
2 oz rice stick noodles
3 lettuce leafs, thinly sliced
A handful of shredded carrots
1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced thin
A handful of bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 T. coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Nouc cham sauce

Preparation:

Cook the noodles according to the package (approx 7-9 minutes); then rinse well under cold water and let drain in a colander for 30 minutes.

In a non-stick pan, spray some pan and fry the meat until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

To serve:

In a large bowl, add the lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and beans sprouts. Top with the noodles, pork, and peanuts. Pour on the Nouc cham sauce.

Nuoc cham sauce:

1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup fish sauce
Pinch of chili peppers, crushed
1/2 t. hot sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water

Combine the garlic, chili flakes and sugar in a mortar and make into a paste. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Store in a container. Will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Garbanzos with Chorizo

Monica Pileggi

October 2003

3 chorizos links
2 T. Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of tomato sauce (or a little more)
Dash of pepper flakes
3 cans Garbanzo beans
liquid from one can of beans
Fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a pan, cook the chorizos until done. Drain very well and cut into slices. Set aside (I place them on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil).

In a large pot, add the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the garbanzos, liquid, and tomato sauce. Stir and cook on low heat for five minutes. Add the chorizo and parsley. Cook, on low heat, for another 15 minutes.

Serves 8-12

*I used leftover pasta sauce, which had been spiced up with red pepper flakes.

You can also serve this dish on top of rice.

Arroz con Pollo

This is the recipe in my Puerto Rican cookbook Titled: Cocine Conmigo. The first publication was in 1970. It was reissued in San Juan in 1980. The book contains authentic, traditional, Puerto Rican recipes. I like to add chorizo for my distinct taste. Felix Rosario (my father).


1 3-lb Chicken
3 Tbls of salt to rub on chicken
4 Tbls of oil
1 Ounce bacon
2 ounces chopped ham
8 Olives
1 Envelope of Sabor or 1 tomato, 1 green pepper, and one onion
1 Tbsp cappers
1/3 Tbsp oregano
1/2 Cup tomato sauce
Garlic
4 Cups of water
3 1/2 Cups of rice
3 Tbls salt for the rice

Cut the chicken, wash it, and salt it.

Heat the oil and the add ham, bacon. Add the sabor or the veggies, garlic, cappers, oregano, tomato sauce, and 1 cup of water. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes stirring it. Increase the heat and add the remainder of the water. Lower the heat, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.

Stir the rice and cook for another 15 minutes.

To serve: Adorn with pimientos Morrones. These are the cooked marinated red peppers that come in a jar.

Prawns Amourense

Friends of mine made this wonderful and elegant shrimp dish for dinner one evening.


1 Lb. large Tiger Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1 cup sliced mushroooms
1/2 stick butter
Olive oil
1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or a little more)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup heavy cream
1 can chicken stock
chopped parsley
1 shot Brandy
1 shot Pernod or Anisette
Salt and coarse ground pepper
1 Lb. Linguini

Prepare the linguini.

Saute vegetables in butter and olive oil. Add the shrimp and saute. Add the capers, tomatoes, cayenne, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the Brandy and Pernot (flame for effect, if desired). Add the cream and stock, stir. Remove the shrimp and vegetables and reduce the stock. Place the shrimp and vegetables back and add the parsley. Serve over linguini.

4 servings.

Porcini Crepes

I don’t make crepes to often, but when I do I use the following recipes from two cookbooks that I have.

Porcini Crepes
(Frugal Gourmet)

Basic White Sauce:
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Salt to taste

Combine, cook, set aside.

1/4 oz. dried porcini, soaked, chopped, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Lb. Crimi, Portabello, or Porcini mushrooms
Parsley
Pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Crepes

Saute porcini's in oil. Add garlic and other mushrooms. Add a little salt, parsley and pepper. Combine half of the white sauce to the mushroom mixture. Cool a little to handle. Place a few tablespoons of the mushroom mixture onto the crepes and roll. Place them in a buttered baking pan. Add the parmesan cheese to the remaining sauce and pour on top of the crepes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, when the top is brown.


Crepes
(Julia Child, The Way to Cook)

1 cup flour, all-purpose, scooped and leveled
2/3 cup each milk and cold water
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons melted butter

Add the flour to a mixing bowl. Whisk in by dribbles milk and ater to make a perfectly smooth blend. Pour the batter through a fairly fine-meshed seive to remove any lumps. Whisk the eggs, salt and 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Let rest 1-1/2 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the crepe pan (5-1/2 to 6" bottom diameter) until drops of water dance on it, then brush lightly with melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into the center of pan and tilt it in all directions. The batter should cover the pan with a light coating; pour out any excess. After 30 seconds or so, the bottom should be lightly browned - lift an edge with a spatula to see. Shake and jerk the pan by its handle to dislodge the crepe, then turn it over either with your fingers or a spatula. Cook 15-20 seconds, but do not brown, as this will be the inside of the crepe.

Storing: Transfer to rack to cool. Stack them and place into a plastc bag; store in refrigerator up to 2 days, or freeze for several weeks.

Makes 20 crepes.

Stir Fry Shrimp

This is my Mother’s recipe for Stir Fry Shrimp.


1/2 Lb Shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 teaspoons corn starch
2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry
1 egg
3 slices ginger root
1 sliced garlic clove
peanut oil
sesame oil
scallions
mushrooms
bean sprouts
bok choy
snow peas...and anything else you'd like
pasta, cooked according to directions

Sauce: 3 tablespoons rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce.

Disolve corn starch in rice wine. Add egg and beat. Add shrimp and let sit in the refrigerator.

Prepare all vegetables. Prepare pasta. Fry ginger and garlic in peanut oil 1 minute, then discard ginger. Add shrimp mixture and fry 1 minute; remove. Fry chopped vegetables a few minutes. Add the sauce. Thicken with corn starch and water. Add shrimp to re-heat. Add a few drops of sesame oil for flavor. Serve over pasta.

Serves 2.

For 1-1/2 pounds of shrimp, use 2 eggs and prepare sauce to 1 cup.

Mai Tai

Mai Tai


1 oz. Dark rum
1 oz. Light rum
1 oz. Orange Curacao
1/2 oz. Orgeat Syrup (Almond flavored)
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. Sour mix
1 float of dark rum

One of the bartenders at the Hale Koa gave me this recipe.


Traditional Mai Tai

1 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Orange Curacao
2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
Dash Orgeat
Dash Simple syrup

The Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian serves the best Mai Tai's. And the views can't be beat!

October 2002

Chicken Chili

Monica J. Pileggi, March 2005


2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into 1/2" pieces
2 medium sweet red peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 28.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 14.5 oz cans fat free chicken broth
3 15.5 ounce can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
1 10-oz package frozen corn
Salt

In a large pot, sauté the first 4 ingredients in oil over medium heat, until chicken is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.

Add in chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper; stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes and chicken broth; bring mixture to a boil; lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Add two cans of the beans, salsa, corn, and salt. For the last can of beans, puree in a process and add to the pot (this will thicken the sauce). Cook for another 15-20 minutes on low heat.

Notes:
1. For Weight Watchers: Total of 48 points; 3.55 points per cup. Makes approx 29 1-cup servings.
2. For a hotter flavor, add more chili powder. Any kind of beans can be used.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

Monica J. Pileggi, Dec 2003


½ cup sliced leeks, washed well
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 T. butter
2 cans chicken broth
4 medium potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
¾ cup half and half cream
½ tspn pepper
½ tspn salt
1 tspn dried thyme (or dill, chives, parsley)
½ tspn celery seeds
2 T. butter

Sauté leeks, onions, and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter, until tender. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and reduce to medium. Simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes.

Add the seasonings and cream and simmer 5 minutes more. Puree the batch along with 2 T of butter. Serve with a salad or crusty bread.

Serves 6-8.

Chilled Gazpacho

Enjoy this recipe on a hot summer's day.

3 large tomatoes

2 garlic cloves
1 cucumber
1/4 green pepper
Green onion stems
Salt
1/2 T. cumin
Olive oil to taste
Sherry vinegar to taste
Croutons

Puree everything except the croutons, sliced olives, and chopped green onion stems.

Add water to desired consistency.

Garnish with extra chopped tomato, cucumber, green onions, olives, and croutons.

Limoncello Cream

The area of Naples and the Amalfi coast in Italy is known for its lemon trees and the liquor Limoncello and Crema di Limoncello. My husband's cousin from Naples gave me her family recipe for the Crema di Limoncello when we visited family in Naples in May 1998. This is a delicious frozen liquor drink, which is wonderful to sip on a hot summer's day, or any day.

Also, further down is a recipe for Limoncello. You can purchase this liquor throughout Naples and the Amalfi coast. The glass bottles are beautifully decorated and make for a nice souvenir. Enjoy!

Crema di Limoncello

Zest of 8 Lemons
1 liter of grain alcohol
3-1/2 cups of sugar
2 liters milk
A large container

Wash and dry lemons. Zest the lemons, making sure to remove the pith. Add the zest to a large container and add the vodka. Store the bottle at room temperature for 1 week.

In a large pot, combine the sugar and milk. Bring it almost to a boil, making sure the sugar has dissolved.

Let this mixture cool completely.

As you add the vodka mixture, use a strainer to catch the zest. Pour the completed mixture into bottles.

Store the bottle in freezer. Serve chilled.


Monica's Crema di Limoncello
July 2011

After making the above recipe, I tweaked it a little. Here's my version. It's delicious!

1 Liter grain alcohol
7 Lemons, washed and dried
3 Cups sugar
1 quart plus 20 oz. half & half cream

Zest the lemons and place in a large container with the alcohol. Let sit for 2 weeks.

In a large pot, add the sugar and cream. Heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let this mixture cool completely. Add the lemon/alcohol mixture into the pot using a strainer (sitting on top of a large pot) to catch the zest. Pour mixture into 2 bottles.

Store in freezer. Serve chilled.

Olive & Ham Cake

From my friend Elena Mayberry, August 2003


Ingredients:
4 Eggs
1-2/3 C Flour
2-1/2 t Baking powder
1/3 C Olive oil
2 T Melted butter
1/2 C Dry white wine (or dry sherry)
1/4 C Port (tawny port)
1 1/2 C pitted, sliced green olives
2 C Chopped ham (e.g., Virginia ham, Turkey ham, or smoked meat of some sort). "Dry" sauté the ham to remove excess liquid - let cool before adding to mix
2 C Gruyere shredded cheese
1/4 t Salt
1/4 t Pepper

Heat the oven to 425F.

Grease a 9 x 5 bread pan.

Beat eggs until lemon colored.

Stir in flour, baking powder, olive oil, melted butter, wine, and port.

Stir in ham, cheese, olives, salt, and pepper.

Pour into greased pan.

Bake 45 - 50 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Serve cold.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

This is a recipe from my friends Chris and Margaret Hansen, January 2006, which they made for our group rotation dinner.

Yield: 4 servings

1 Medium onion -peeled and quartered
2 Medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2-1/2 Lbs chicken, skinned, cut into small pieces
2 T Flour
1 T Olive oil
2-1/2 C water
1/8 t Saffron
1/2 t Ground ginger
1/2 t Ground cumin
1/2 t Paprika
1/4 t Salt
3 T Lemon juice
2 lemon peels grated
1/2 Cups Green olives, pitted and coursely chopped
2 T Minced cilantro
3/4 Cups couscous
Fresh ground black pepper

In a food processor, finely chop onion and garlic. Cut chicken into large portions. Dredge chicken in flour. in a large skillet and heat oil over medium heat. Sauté chicken and onion mixture until mixture has soften, about 10 minutes.

Stir in one cup water, saffron, ginger, cumin, paprika, salt and lemon peel. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 35 minutes. Add lemon juice, olives, cilantro and pepper. Simmer gently 5 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Spoon chicken over couscous and serve.

Notes: Chris and I added a jar of Trader Joe's Moroccan Tagine Simmering Sauce, however the recipe does not ask for it.

Pollo al Marsala con Peperoni Rossi

Pollo al Marsala con Peperoni Rossi

Chicken Breasts with Marsala and Red Peppers

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves

½ cup flour – for dredging

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 red bell pepper, thinly slices length-wise

1 cup Marsala

About ½ cup water

Chopped parsley for garnish

Butterfly the chicken breasts by carefully cutting them open horizontally. Flour on both sides.

In a large pan, brown the chicken breasts in olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper each side. Remove chicken breasts, and set aside.

Add sliced red peppers to the pan and sauté on high heat 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Return chicken to pan and add Marsala and water.

Cover the pan and cook until juices run clear, not pink, when chicken is pierced with a fork (6-8 minutes). Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

 

Basque Chicken

4 each chicken thighs and legs

3 T. olive oil

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. dried oregano

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 shallots, chopped
3 tomatoes, sliced
1 C. chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 C. Spanish green olives
1/2 C. black olives

Skin the chicken and trim off any excess fat.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the thyme and oregano and add the chicken. Sauté, turning the pieces as they become golden, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Add the shallots and tomatoes and stir until soft, 2-3 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of the stock and bring to a boil. Deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the green and black olives, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Stir the sauce and then pour in the remaining 1/2-cup of stock. Simmer until the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter with the sauce and serve.

Serves 4

Spiced Apple Cake

Today I made a spiced apple cake. Tonight is our monthly rotation dinner and the food theme is Foods from Australia. I have book called The Australian Heritage Cookbook, published in 1988. I believe my grand Aunt Monica gave it to me years ago.

I'm not a huge dessert baker but this recipe that was very easy and something I'd do again.














Topping:

2 T. brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
3 T. flour
15g (3/4 oz) melted butter or margarine

The Cake:

3/4 C. milk
1 C. muesli (purchased at Giant)
1 egg, beaten
1/3 C. brown sugar
60g (2 oz) melted butter or margarine
1 C peeled, grated apple
1-3/4 C. self-raising flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg

Mix dry topping ingredients together and stir in the butter.

Combine the milk and muesil and stand for 5 minutes, then add the egg.

Add the sugar, butter and apple, then fold in the sifted dry ingredients.

Pour into a prepared 8" springform tin. [I buttered/floured the tin].

Crumble the topping over the cake mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Allow cake to stand 15-20 minutes before turning out.

Eat within 2-3 days. [Yeah, right].

My Notes:

Boy, this didn't "pour" into the pan. It was very thick. I might have made the mistake of draining the apples.

The house smells wonderful of cinnamon and apples!

I baked it for 36 minutes and checked with a knife and tooth pick. 

Will write a post-note after I have some tonight.

Okay, so it was a little dry. Next time maybe just 30 minutes and not drain the juice from the apples. Maybe even some apple sauce for mositure. Will make this again just to see if I can adjust correctly.

Brazilian Potato Salad

Today I made a Brazilian potato salad for a group rotation dinner tonight.

I found several recipes for this potato salad. I followed most of this one:
http://www.sonia-portuguese.com/recipes/maionese.htm 

Original Recipe

4-5 potatoes
2 carrots
100-150 g of green beans
1 cup of frozen green peas
10 olives
1 small can of hearts of palm
1 jar of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion (optional)
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Rinse the potatoes and cook them in water and salt.
Peel the carrots, cut them into small pieces and cook them in water and salt.
Rinse the green beans, cut them into small pieces and cook them in water and salt.
Cook the green peas in water and salt.
Drain the palm hearts and cut them into small pieces.
Cut the olives into small pieces.
Once all vegetables are cooked, drain the water: allow them to cool down and save them for later. Peel the cooked potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
Put all ingredients in a bowl, add the mayonnaise, the oil, the onion, the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well all ingredients, cover the bowl with a plastic film and keep the bowl in the fridge until serving.

My adaptation

2 lbs red potatoes (9)
1 cup matchstick carrots, chopped
1.5 cups frozen corn
1.5 cups frozen green peas
25 pimento-stuffed green olives
1 small can of hearts of palm
1-3/4 cups of Helman's mayonnaise
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste

Rinse the potatoes and cook them in water and salt.

Meanwhile, chop the carrots, onions, olives, and hearts of palm.

Blanch the carrots, peas, and corn, about 5 minutes or so -  I took some of the boiling water from the potatoes and added it to another pot with the vegetables. 

 

Once all vegetables are cooked, drain the water: allow them to cool down and save them for later.

Peel the cooked potatoes and cut them into small pieces.

Put all ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the mayonnaise.  

Gently toss the ingredients. Cover the bowl with a plastic film and keep the bowl in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes:

Peeling the potatoes after they've cooled was time-consuming. Next time I may just peel, quarter and then boil them. I don't know if keeping the skins on while boiling keeps the liquid out.

This made a huge batch.

It's delicious!

Slow Cooker Carnitas

23 April 2012: Yesterday I made a huge batch of pork carnitas. This is one of my favorite foods. I made it for a party. This is from All Recipes. My notes are below of what I did or did not do.

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

What I did or did not do:

I tripled the rub and added a teaspoon of paprika. I didn’t use bay leaves or the cinnamon.

I marinated the pork overnight.

I cooked two 5.5 (approx.) pork shoulders (Costco doesn’t package pork shoulders individually), each in its own pan and covered tightly with tinfoil; and cooked for 5 ½ hours at 300 degrees. I could have taken it out at the 5 hour mark. Cook until 170 degrees inside temperature.

I added towards the end, a large onion, sliced thin. Next time I will cook separately in a pan so that the onions don’t cook all the way down (add after shredding the pork and toss to combine). I didn’t really taste the onions when eating.

I added the chicken broth after shredding the pork (remove all fat), as there wasn’t enough juices in the pan (which I drained the fat first).

I served with corn tortillas (healthier than plain white soft tortillas - warm up first or else they’ll fall apart) and fresh-made salsa.

This recipe could use a little kick, therefore, next time I’ll serve with hot fresh-made salsa or will add some hot sauce to the shredded pork.

Polpettone alla Toscano (Tuscan Meatballs)

This is a recipe I made from the following web site:

http://www.theculinarylife.com/2011/polpettone-alla-toscano-or-italian-meatballs/

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (panko)
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

1 pound ground beef
1/4 pound prosciutto, chopped fine [I used bacon]
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly chopped [flat leaf] Italian parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup white flour

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoon grated carrot
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups tomato sauce

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Soak the breadcrumbs in milk for five minutes. Strains and squeeze to remove excess milk, then loosen crumbed and spread over a plate.

In a large bowl, mix together with the beef, prosciutto, egg, salt, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Mix well with your hands.

Moisten your hands with a little water and form the meat into 8 meatballs of the same size. Be sure to pack them well and not leave any openings, otherwise the meatballs will fall apart while cooking.

Place the flour into a small bowl and roll the meatballs lightly in the flour until evenly coated.

In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Gently brown meatballs all over, allowing a nice, savory crust to form. Turn the heat to low.

To the pan add the carrot and onion. Cook gently just until the vegetables start to brown, then pour in white wine and tomato sauce. Allow to cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, nudging occasionally with a spatula to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Gently turn meatballs over, cover the pan, and finish cooking until they are cooked through, about 7 more minutes, again nudging to prevent sticking. If you like, you can remove the meatballs from the pan and continue cooking the sauce, uncovered, until it thickens.

Allow meatballs to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve meatballs hot, covered with tomato sauce and garnished with parmesan cheese. Also, feel free to serve these bad boys on a sandwich with a little provolone, which is most definitely Italian!

I followed this recipe in the making of the meatballs. However, I always bake mine in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes (about 1.5 ounces each) in order to cook out some of the fat.

I prepared the sauce in a large/deep skillet and added the meatballs. Covered and cooked on low for one hour.

I really liked the flavor that the bacon added to the meatballs. I usually make mine with beef and hot Italian sausage.

No photos for this recipe! I thought I saved them but must have cleaned up my memory card. The photo above is of a similar meatball recipe.