Though it seems somewhat logical to assume the Neapolitans have only given us the wonder of three-flavored ice cream, it is also the pizza that originated in Naples. Considering its popularity, it’s hard to believe that the pizza is barely one-hundred years old, born in 1889 as a dish prepared during the visit of Queen Margherita. This most basic of pizzas, consisting of little more than dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil (a classic Italian combination, symbolizing the colors of the flag and basically all that’s good in the world) started a culinary marvel that would soon span the globe. A Little Slice of Heaven…

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 veal shanks
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
28 ounces canned plum tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil or sage
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups veal or beef stock
8 ounces fettuccine
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
salt and pepper
water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Heat a dutch oven or other ovenproof pot over medium heat. Melt butter with olive oil, the add onions and carrots, sautéing until onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic, then remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season veal shanks with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. Shake off excess flour, then add olive oil to the skillet and brown shanks on both sides. Transfer to the dutch oven on top of the vegetables.
4. Deglaze the skillet with wine and the juice from the canned tomatoes and reduce the liquid by half. Crush the tomatoes and add them to the skillet, along with the parsley, basil or sage, sugar and veal stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour over the veal shanks.
5. Cover the dutch oven and put into the oven, cooking until veal is tender, about an hour and a half.
6. Transfer the veal shanks to a warmed plate and keep warm. Bring the remaining sauce to a boil and reduce until thick.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, along with the fettuccine.
8. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and add to the thickened sauce. Serve pasta and sauce on a plate, topped with the veal shank and a generous portion of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings

16 ounces tortellini
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil packed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
water

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini.
2. Meanwhile, place basil, Parmesan, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in a blender. Pulse until broken apart, then gradually incorporate the olive oil until you have a smooth paste.
3. Drain pasta and toss with prepared pesto. Serve with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups flour

28 ounce can plum tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
16 whole basil leaves
8 ounces mozzarella, thickly sliced
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
salt and pepper

1. Combine water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and allow to proof for about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the salt, then whisk in the oil until well blended.
3. Gradually add in the flour until you have a soft, elastic dough.
4. Knead on a floured surface for a few minutes, then place in a greased bowl, covered, in a warm place to double in bulk.
5. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and let it rise a second time.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the pizza sauce. Drain tomatoes, reserving the juice. Squish whole tomatoes in your hands, removing as many seeds as possible.
7. Put the reserved juice along with red wine in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce until very thick.
8. Add the crushed tomatoes to the reduced sauce, along with red pepper flakes, olive oil and 3/4 of the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
10. Separate dough into 2 separate pieces. Roll out dough to the size and shape you like and place on individual baking sheets.
11. Divide the sauce amongst both pizzas and sprinkle with remaining chopped basil. Arrange basil leaves where each slice would be and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake pizza until crust is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, slice and serve.

Makes 8 servings

1 cup flour
6 egg yolks
water
salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 artichoke heart, separated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

1. Combine flour and egg yolks, adding a bit of water if necessary to form a smooth, elastic dough.
2. Separate dough into several pieces and roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin until very thin or with a pasta maker. Cut into 3/4" strands and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. It will not take long to cook.
4. Drain all but a few tablespoons of the pasta water, then add the lemon juice, parsley, artichoke heart and red pepper flakes, tossing to combine.
5. To serve, top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a generous portion of Parmesan cheese.

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon butter
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and saute until lightly browned.
3. Season zucchini with salt and pepper and transfer an oven proof dish, layering without overlapping, sprinkling Parmesan over each layer.
4. Combine milk and egg and pour over zucchini. Bake until mixture has set, about half an hour.

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 egg, beaten
6 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken strips in the flour, then shake off excess.
3. Dip chicken strips into the beaten egg, shaking off excess. Press into the grated Parmesan to coat, then place on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake until a golden brown crust forms and chicken is cooked through to the center, about 20-25 minutes. Serve with desired dipping sauce.

Makes 4 servings

1 large potato, peeled sliced
1 pound eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 pound cooked turkey, shredded
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups hot milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush the bottom of a casserole dish with olive oil and layer sliced potatoes. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Slice eggplant into 1/2" thick slices and sprinkle lightly with salt. Drain on paper towel.
4. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until tender, then stir in the garlic, tomatoes, turkey, oregano, basil, cinnamon and sugar. Simmer sauce gently while preparing bechamel.
5. In a separate saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter, then whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes. Gradually add in milk, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Cook, stirring often, until thickened.
6. Remove the milk from the heat. Add a bit of the milk to the egg and whisk together, then add back to the saucepan. Stir in the Parmesan and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
7. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Layer eggplant and turkey and tomato sauce on top of the potatoes, then top with bechamel sauce. Bake in the oven until bechamel has browned, about 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 ounces plum tomatoes, chopped
2 medium roasted red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 portobello mushroom, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
salt and pepper

2 hot Italian sausages, cooked and sliced
6 ounces pepperoni, sliced
6 ounces mozzarella, grated
3 ounces Parmesan, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Combine water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and allow to proof for about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the salt, then whisk in the oil until well blended.
3. Gradually add in the flour until you have a soft, elastic dough.
4. Knead on a floured surface for a few minutes, then place in a greased bowl, covered, in a warm place to double in bulk.
5. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and let it rise again.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by heating a saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant.
7. Stir in the tomatoes, red pepper and mushroom and gently break the tomatoes apart with your spoon.
8. Simmer until reduced to a thick sauce, then season with basil, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
10. Once dough has once again doubled in bulk, remove from the bowl and roll out into a large rectangle on a floured surface, about 1/4" thick.
11. Spread sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1" border.
12. Place the sausage and pepperoni evenly over the sauce, then top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
13. Carefully roll the dough, starting from the bottom, to make a log that encloses the filling.
14. Transfer the roll to a greased baking sheet. Lightly brush the dough with beaten egg and garnish with red pepper flakes.
15. Make a few diagonal slices about 1/4" into the top and bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
16. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Makes 4 servings

14 ounces rigatoni
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 pound ground veal
3 hot Italian sausages, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon sugar
12 ounces canned plum tomatoes, drained
4 ounces Parmesan, grated
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 sprig thyme
salt
water

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rigatoni. Return to a boil and cook until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes, cooking until fragrant.
3. Stir in the veal and sausage, reduce heat to medium and cook until no longer pink.
4. Add the sugar and tomatoes and break up gently with a fork. Simmer until slightly thickened, then stir in the Parmesan cheese, basil, sage and thyme.
5. Season the sauce with salt to taste. Transfer the rigatoni to the sauce with about a tablespoon of the cooking water and stir to coat. Serve with additional cheese if desired.

Makes 4 servings