Fettucini with Wild Mushroom Sauce

  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 pound fresh, wild mushrooms (any kind), sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 tbs. butter
  • 1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • 8 tbs. parmesan
  • ¾ pound fettuccine

Combine water and porcini in a medium bowl.  Let stand about 40 minutes.  Drain and reserve soaking liquid.  Chop porcini.

Heat oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add fresh mushrooms and garlic and sauté 6 minutes.  Add porcini and sauté another 4 minutes.  Add butter and thyme and sauté 1 minute.  Add broth and 1-1/4 cups soaking liquid.  Boil until sauce thickens slightly, 5 minutes.  Mix in 4 tbs. of cheese.

Cook pasta until aldente.  Drain.

Add sauce to pasta and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer pasta to a bowl and top with remaining cheese.

4 servings

Clam and Mussel Stew with Capocollo and Vesuvius Tomatoes

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbs. chopped garlic
  • 12 halves Vesuvius Tomatoes(see recipe)
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 2 cups bottled clam juice
  • 32 mussels
  • 6 oz capocollo or country ham cut into matchstick size pieces
  • 1/3 cup parsley

Vesuvius Tomatoes:

  • 2 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups finely chopped onions
  • 12 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 250 F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in skillet and add onions. Sauté 8 minutes. Place tomatoes in single layer in large roasting pan. Add onions, 1/2 cup oil, garlic, basil, salt, sugar, and red pepper; toss. Roast about 2 hours.

Stew:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add Vesuvius Tomatoes and wine and boil 2 minutes.  Add clams and clam juice.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.  Add mussels, cover and cook until clams and mussels open, about 4 minutes.  Mix in capocollo and parsley.

4 Servings

Ricotta and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

  • ¾ low fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, softened
  • 2 tbs. chopped parsley
  • 1 tbs. chopped chives
  • ¼ tsp. dried Italian herbs
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 4 boneless breasts of chicken halves, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce, heated through

Blend together the ricotta and goat cheese with spoon.  Stir in parsley, chives, Italian herbs, salt and a little pepper.  Set aside.

Spread each breast with ¼ of filling and roll up each piece.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

In bottom of 9-inch square glass baking dish, spread thin layer of tomato sauce.  Put chicken onto sauce layer and pour remaining sauce over chicken.  Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove from oven a let cool 5 minutes.

4 Servings.