Penna Vodka!

As we enter the holy season of lent, I wish everyone a Happy Carnevale, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras or whatever you choose to call it. Most Italians keep the tradition of Lasagna on this day, but any robust and richly flavored pasta will satisfy everyone at your table! In that spirit, I am sharing my Penne Vodka recipe. This is EASY to make! Enjoy!

1 pound penne

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 scallion, sliced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (I use Tutta Rosa or San Marzano, any other tomatoes are against the "Camille Law!")
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup vodka (buy a high quality brand to keep in your kitchen so that it is always on hand for this recipe as well as others!)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup freshly grated cheese (I use Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

In a large pot, boil water for the penne. When water begins to boil, add salt liberally. Let water return to a boil, and cook penne to al dente. While water is boiling and the penne is working, warm the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the crushed red pepper and allow to sizzle as it flavors the oil and butter. Add the garlic and scallions and cook until tender. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, and stir the ingredients together. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to a lively boil for three minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer until the penne is ready. Pour the heavy cream into the simmering tomatoes and vodka and stir in to create a creamy sauce. Reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain the penne. Add the penne to the sauté pan.

If your saute pan is not large enough to hold all the penne, then return the pasta to the pot and pour in the sauce from the saute pan. Toss in the grated cheese and parsley and mix the sauce and penne very well. Add the reserved pasta water, as needed. Add more grated cheese to your liking. You may also garnish with basil for color. Enjoy!

Lucy's Rice Pudding!

Lucy and Her Rice Pudding

It is often said that one must love to cook in order to be a good cook. However, I do firmly believe that any person who does not particularly enjoy time in the kitchen can still offer enjoyable edibles to please their family and friends. One can also signal that a lot of love was put into the preparation of the dish. This pretty much sums up the cooking scenario when it comes to my sister, Lucy.

In our family, Lucy is the serious business mind, and I am the creative wild child. While we are known as a perfect pair for hosting large formal parties and charity functions, we each support a different side to the project. Lucy handles the finances and the organizational tasks, and I breathe excitement into the theme of the event. Suffice it to say, it is always quite a ride for everyone involved.

My sister will often tell people how she prefers not to step into the kitchen. A restaurateur for over thirty years, she has an adoration and educated knowledge of fine food, but she would rather have somebody else do the cooking as opposed to herself.

In spite of my sister’s lack of culinary enthusiasm, she has mastered more than one dish and especially one in particular. Lucy makes the best rice pudding I have ever tasted. The recipe was given to her by a long ago colleague named Nellie Rothstein. My sister was so taken with the rich creamy taste that boasted such pure ingredients, that she was determined to make it her signature dessert in all the following years.

Lucy did master that pudding, and as the years went by it was greatly anticipated by our family and friends for our many gatherings. I still recall a Thanksgiving project that my son, Christopher, did for his teacher when he was a little boy. He was asked to list all the things he was grateful for during the holiday season of giving thanks. He listed his family, friends, toys, and games. The very last item on the list was “and Aunt Lucy’s rice pudding!”

Rice Pudding

1 cup Carolina rice

2 cups cold water

2 quarts and 1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large pot, bring rice, water, 2 quarts of milk and sugar to a full boil. Lower to a simmer for forty five minutes while stirring constantly. Rice should be soft. Stir in eggs, remaining milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a complete boil. Lower to a simmer for five minutes while stirring constantly. Remove immediately from heat and pour pudding into a deep casserole dish. Sprinkle a bit more cinnamon on top. Cool completely and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Camille’s tip: It is best to make this recipe the day before as the pudding will settle into a desired and creamy firmness. 

Irish Soda Bread

            As a little girl, I attended St. Patrick's Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY. There I was with my olive complexion, pitch black hair, dark eyes and a very Italian name. This meant that I couldn't fake being Irish every month of March, even if I were so inclined. However, March rolled along every year, and my family enjoyed the St. Patrick's day season along with our many Irish friends.

             My Aunt Pauline would cook up huge pots of corned beef and cabbage. In salute to our Italian heritage and in honor of the fact that St. Patrick was a Roman, she also prepared green spinach pasta. I always thought that was a stroke of genius on my aunt's part.

             Aunt Pauline would also serve warm melt-in-your-mouth Irish soda bread, and it quickly became a favorite for our whole family. As we are Italian, Irish soda bread was not something we baked ourselves. We always purchased it from the local bakery. As I grew older, this did not sit well with me. I simply had to bake this favored bread myself.

             During my feverish desire to uncover the best Irish soda bread recipe on the planet, my dear friend Joan Lane, and her daughter Mary Ann were happy to present their recipe, which had a story of its own.

            Joan and her husband, Bill, were friends with the Hayden family. Mary Ann told me that the “Hayden Irish soda bread” was the very best recipe she had ever encountered and the taste was incomparable. 

            However, before finally sharing their recipe, years ago, the Hayden family was very secretive on the best way to bake Irish soda bread. Bill Lane cajoled, pleaded, and asked for years, but the Hayden Family refused to reveal the delicious details to him.

            Decades passed by, and one evening, Joan and Bill were in the company of Mrs. Hayden. Bill was determined to finally get that recipe. He spent the evening helping Mrs. Hayden enjoy quite a few drinks. Happily imbibed, Mrs. Hayden, under Bill’s guidance, finally and graciously gave him the recipe.

            I baked this soda bread  many times in my kitchen, and each time I was not disappointed. In fact, I was quite elated! The crust comes out to a deep golden hue. The warm inside of the loaf is buttery, with the moist flavor of rich raisins and caraway seeds. My thanks to the Lane family, and also the Hayden family.

I wish all my readers a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day!  

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1 cup raisins

1 cup currants

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

2 eggs 

1 cup milk

In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in vegetable shortening with a pastry cutter. Rinse raisins and currants with water. Shake a little flour over them. Add them, along with the caraway seeds, to dry mixture. Beat eggs. Add milk to eggs, and then slowly add to dry mixture. Mix well and form into dough. Place dough in a round glass baking dish or standard loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for fifty minutes.

Perfect and Pleasing Pasta Pie!

Pasta Pie

 My mother served her pasta pie for many occasions. She would bake hers in a pot and make it with a dozen eggs and small round pasta called ditalini. My own version is one I have also been preparing for years. This recipe is with Pecorino Roman and mozzarella cheeses, but you can also add prosciutto, ham, salami, or pepperoni. This is an inviting brunch item, appetizer for dinner, or finger food for a party. Just cut into narrow wedges for easy noshing.

1 pound spaghetti

6 eggs

3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

Butter

In a large pot, heat water for the pasta. When water begins to boil, add salt liberally. Let water return to a boil, and cook pasta to al dente. Drain well, and allow cooling.

Beat eggs very well, and add the Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the spaghetti to the egg mixture, and mix well. In a large sauté pan, warm vegetable oil and butter over medium heat. Add the spaghetti-and-egg mixture. Cover and cook over low heat until the bottom is golden.

Slide the pie onto a plate, and add a bit more vegetable oil and butter to the sauté pan. Turn the pie over into the pan, and allow the other side to cook, uncovered, until golden. Allow pie to set for ten minutes, and cut into wedges, or use a round cutter and cut into circles. Serve with a simple arugula salad tossed in balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

Camille’s Tip: This recipe can also be baked. Just mix the ingredients and pour into a buttered baking dish and bake at 350°F for thirty minutes.

WINGING it on Super Bowl Sunday!

Super Bowl is a weekend that celebrates our American culture, and it is also the realization that we are now five weeks into 2014. That means we have all recuperated from the feasting and celebrating of the holidays, and we are also allowed a small and deserved break from our New Year's dieting resolutions.

Very few foods equate Super Bowl Sunday in our minds like Buffalo Wings! There are countless ways to prepare wings, and I personally love them in a mouthwatering and crispy toss of buttery hot sauce and sweet honey. Enjoying them with a fresh blue cheese dip is an added plus. I strongly encourage making your own blue cheese with fresh ingredients. The rich flavors are just so much better than store-bought, and I am happy to share my recipe.

I will be spending Super Bowl with friends and family and enjoying great food and a variety of great wings.
I wish all my readers a fun and exciting game!


Wings
2 dozen wings (washed and patted dry)
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup hot sauce
1 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Spray a baking sheet lightly and evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Layer the wings on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the mixed spices. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, turning over once in the middle of baking. The wings will be done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. You may also opt to deep fry the wings in a large pot. Heat several inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees, and fry the wings in batches until golden brown.

In a large bowl, mix honey, hot sauce, butter and brown sugar very well. Add cooked wings a few at a time and toss until fully coated. Layer the wings on the baking sheet and heat under the broiler for a few minutes in order to let the coating set to a nice golden crisp.
Serve with celery, carrots, red pepper slices and blue cheese dressing.

Home-made Blue Cheese Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, mix first five ingredients well. Gently stir in crumbled blue cheese. Sprinkle black pepper to taste. Serve chilled.

Happy New Year! No Resolutions! Italian Wedding Soup!

Let's face it, we don't keep our resolutions. Resolutions are pretty much a thing of the past by the third week of January, and I believe my estimation is a generous one! In that spirit, I do not have a resolution for 2014. I just intend to keep on cooking, eating and creating beautiful foodships throughout the year.

So let's begin!

For me, January is all about winter storms and Italian wedding soup. While every other food writer, chef and TV food show host hail the virtues of health salads and detox cocktails in this aftermath of the holiday season, I decline to join the crowd. Why should I blog about one of my salad recipes? There will be time enough for that in July. There are plenty of lean meal recipes floating all around the universe this week, and that fact puts me right into a comfort zone where I am completely off the hook from encouraging everyone to go from 5000 calories per day to 1200.

That said, I am sitting here on the second day of this month and waiting for the predicted snow storm to hit the Northeast. I get a lot of work done at my desk during the winter months and especially during a snowstorm. On such occasions I always like to have a pot of soup ready to keep me company. Italian wedding soup is among my favorites, and it is perfect snowstorm comfort food.

In my new cookbook, Foodships, I write about my love for Italian wedding soup, and I also write a bit about its origins. Contrary to what many may think, the name of this soup did not develop due to a presence at the happy occasion of marriage. Rather, it is called wedding soup because the ingredients, to many Italians, are a perfect marriage of meat and vegetables in a delicate broth.
For my Northeast readers, enjoy your soup in the coming snowy days! For the rest of the country, make soup anyway! Happy New Year to one and all!

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 pound of ground beef
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs, ground beef, Pecorino Romano cheese, egg, and parsley, salt and pepper. Press garlic cloves through a garlic presser and add to mixture. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Roll into baby meatballs. In a large soup pot, warm olive oil over medium heat and brown the meatballs. Remove meatballs and set aside.

Soup
One medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chicken base
2 cups of fresh escarole, cleaned and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup Pecorino Romano grated cheese
Acini de pepe
In the same large soup pot used to brown the meatballs, add onion to the drippings and cook until tender. Mix in chicken base and allow to dissolve well. Add escarole and stir as greens start to wilt down into the onions. Sprinkle in salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add meatballs and allow to simmer another 15 minutes. In a second pot, boil water for the acini de pepe. When water begins to boil, add salt liberally. Let water return to a boil. Add acini de pepe, and cook until al dente. Drain and add to soup along with Pecorino Romano cheese.

It is that Christmas brunch time of year!

I first started to make eggs cooked in bread when I saw a scene in the movie Moonstruck, which starred Cher. Her mom, played by Olympia Dukakis, was frying eggs inside a round circle of French bread. I thought that looked very appealing, and so, of course, I tried it. From there, I started to bake eggs in rolls. Cutting into the crusty bread and having the yolk ooze out is a delight! Try this one if you are hosting a holiday brunch!


4 round dinner rolls
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup basil, chopped
4 jumbo large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
Parmigiano-Reggiano grated cheese


Slice off top of each dinner roll. Carefully remove the inside of the bread to create a hollow, making sure the bottom of the roll remains intact. Spread the softened butter on the inside of each roll. Grate the garlic cloves so that the garlic falls into the hole of each dinner roll. Sprinkle in half the basil. Crack an egg into each dinner roll. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add a teaspoon of diced sun-dried tomato and sprinkle with the remaining basil. Top with a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. On a baking sheet, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 17 minutes or until bread is toasted golden at the edges.