Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna really does require a lot of effort, which is probably why I don't make it that often. But The Drummer Boy was coming over with his family for dinner and he wasn't shy about submitting a menu request. Okay, so what if I asked him what he wanted? Couldn't he have made it easy on me and said "cheeseburgers" ?

Tomato Sauce Recipe

My father called it Gravy.

I've always called it tomato sauce, and have fond memories of it simmering away every Sunday afternoon. The tomato sauce from my youth was always made with meat. Not that it was a "meat sauce," per se, but meat was first browned in the pot and then left to finish cooking in the pot. I like to use meatballs and sweet Italian sausage, but my mom will also throw in short ribs (beef or pork) and braciole on occasion. 

And so as the weather cools here in the northeast and my grill gets less and less use, you'll often find a pot of sauce bubbling on my stove on a sunday early evening. Feel free to call it Gravy if you like.

Meatballs Recipe

It took me a long time to get my meatballs to come out tasting anywhere close to those my mom made when we were kids - and still does today. It's not that she held back on the recipe, but perhaps I was just trying to find my own way.

I use a mix of pork, veal, and beef while my mom uses all beef. And I've added fresh herbs and replaced the seasoned bread crumbs with plain. I have, however, stuck with the store-brought bread crumbs. I refuse to head down that "old-world" path of soaking Italian bread in milk and then squishing it into the meat mixture. My mother's recipe for meatballs, and HER mother's recipe for meatballs used store brought breadcrumbs. It was good enough for them, and it's good enough for me.

Pesto Recipe

Have I mentioned that my youngest son is an unbearably picky eater?

I'm pretty sure I have. So I was more than pleasantly surprised when he declared that he LOVED pesto. My wife come home with a tub-full from a local farmer's market and he simply couldn't stop smearing it on bread and gobbling it down.

So I dusted off the food processor and whipped up a batch. I have a feeling I'll be making it fairly often.

Ziti with Arugula, Smoked Mozzarella, and Grape Tomatoes

Some days I go to the grocery store without really knowing what I'm going to make for dinner and hope to get some inspiration. This dish grew from one of those aimless supermarket excursions. I was in the mood for the peppery bite that good, fresh, arugula delivers and thought the sweetness from the grape tomatoes would balance it nicely. I threw in the smoked mozzarella because, well, why not?

Farfalle with Pancetta Saffron Cream Sauce

Like the orecchiette I made a couple weeks ago, this recipe is inspired by a favorite restaurant dish. But this time, it's my wife's favorite and I figured I'd earn some points by leaning how to make it.

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

For a while in the late 1990S I worked on West 19th Street in Manhattan. A few doors down from the office was a small, unassuming, Italian restaurant called Portfolio that was steady and reliable. For some reason, their preparation of Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage always gave me a warm cozy feeling inside. Italian comfort food, if you will.

Recently, I started working in the old neighborhood again and Portfolio's is still there. I haven't been back to eat yet but I've been craving those little ears so I decided to make it myself.

Pasta Salad Recipe

For some bizarre reason, I only make pasta salads in the summer. Yes, yes, I know, it's not summer yet. But it's close enough. My working theory on a good pasta salad recipe relies heavily on the number and balance of non-pasta ingredients. Too few and you're not fooling anybody, too many and you just have chaos. And who wants pasta chaos in their life? Not me, that's for sure.

Penne with Tomato, Prosciutto, and Smoked Mozzarella Recipe

Some days there's simply not enough time to let a pot of sauce (or gravy, as my dad would call it) simmer for several hours. That doesn't mean you have to go without a good tomato-based sauce for your pasta. This one is ready in the time it takes you to boil the pasta water and cook the noodles. The smoked mozzarella is a nice contrast to the salty cured ham. Note also that I'm specifying San Marzano Tomatoes. For quick sauces like this, I find they give the dish a brighter, fresher, flavor.

Linguine with Clam Sauce Recipe

I was trying to remember when I first had Linguine with Clam Sauce, but at a certain point memory fails. Either way, the simple, but tasty, version below has become a staple in our home (even our 8 year old eats it, though he tends to pick out the clams).