Zucchini season will soon come to an end, but there’s still time to enjoy this icon of the summer garden. We’ve made salads, pasta, bread, gratins, and all sorts of things with zucchini, even though it was a sad zucchini year for us after losing all our zucchini plants to garden pests.

Risotto is comfort food for me anytime of the year no matter what I put into it, and this one with zucchini and our fresh homegrown basil and garlic does not disappoint. The Grana Padano cheese adds a slightly nutty yet delicate flavor that is worth the search, but you can also substitute Parmigiano Reggiano if you can’t find Grana Padano. The recipe is adapted from My Italian Garden, by Viana La Place (in my personal collection), a lovely little book with watercolor illustrations based on cooking from her own Italian garden in San Francisco. The book is divided into seasons, making it perfect for cooking with seasonal produce.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, the blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Praveen of Masala Heaven is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. I hope you will join us!

ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Adapted from My Italian Garden, by Viana La Place.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

3-quart sauce pan with heavy bottom
2-quart sauce pan
box grater (optional)

Ingredients

6 cups (1.44 liters) vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium zucchini or striato d’Italia, diced (I grated them.)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (360 g) Arborio rice
8 fresh basil leave, chiffonade
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano cheese (You can substitute Parmesan if necessary.)

Preparation

1. In the 2-quart sauce pan, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer. Keep it hot but not boiling.

2. In the 3-quart sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sauté slowly until soft. Add the zucchini and garlic and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the rice is translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Reduce temperature to low. Add the hot broth to the rice mixture one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth. Midway during cooking, add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until all the broth has been added.

4. Test the risotto to make sure it’s al dente, but not too hard. If it’s still a little crunchy, add a ladleful of water and continue stirring. When risotto is ready, remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the Grana Padano cheese. Serve immediately.

Other Italian Recipes

More Zucchini Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Karina’s Kitchen – Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin

Wasibomon – Light Zucchini Hummus

A Veggie Venture – Eight Ball Stuffed Zucchini

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Last year Michael had a business trip that took him to Naples, Italy for the very first time. Needless to say he was very excited about the trip and sought all sorts of advice on local foods to try, and everyone familiar with the area told him he could not leave Naples without trying the limoncello. He came home from his trip enthused about all the different foods he enjoyed and he was stoked about the limoncello and arancello, but his favorite was the arancello. Listening to him describe the food made me feel a little bit envious, but hopefully someday I’ll have an opportunity to visit the famous city and other parts of Campania.

Arancello/limoncello is a traditional liqueur from Southern Italy, and it’s easy and inexpensive to make, requiring only citrus fruit, vodka or a neutral grain spirit such as Everclear or Gem Clear, sugar, and water. You shave the peel off the oranges and soak them in the alcohol for seven days, strain, then mix with the sugar syrup. The liqueur is usually stored in the freezer but the alcohol content prevents it from freezing solid, so it’s drinkable. The higher alcohol content in neutral grain spirits draws out more of the orange oils than vodka, imparting more flavor to the liqueur; however, neutral grain spirits are not sold in some states and might even be illegal in your state, so check your state’s liquor laws before having a friend run it across the state line for you.

With citrus in season, this is a great time of year to make arancello or limoncello. We keep several bottles on hand in the freezer, and though we enjoy it straight out of a shot glass, our favorite way to sip is with a little half & half poured in, which makes it taste like a very adult Creamsicle. We also tried it with eggnog at Christmas and really enjoyed that combination, and we even made a champagne cocktail with limoncello for New Years Eve.

Tips for Making Arancello or Limoncello

• Use the freshest fruit, which will have more oils in the skin, thus increasing the flavor.
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, and peel carefully so that none of the bitter white pith is on the pieces.

ARANCELLO (ORANGE LIQUEUR)

Makes 4 (750 ml) bottles.

Equipment

vegetable peeler
1 or 2 large glass or ceramic containers with lids (canning jars work well)
6 quart pot
4 leftover 750 ml wine bottles, cleaned and sterilized, with corks or stoppers

Ingredients

1 bottle (750 ml) neutral grain spirit (95%/190 proof) or vodka (40%/80 proof)
4 pounds (1.81 kg) oranges, organic is best (or other citrus such as lemon or blood orange)
6-1/3 cups (1-1/2 liters) filtered water
6-1/2 cups (3 pounds/1.36 kg) granulated sugar

Preparation

1. SOAK THE ORANGE PEELS: Scrub the oranges with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt and other undesirable elements (i.e. pesticides if you chose not to use organic).

2. Carefully peel the oranges, making sure not to include any of the white pith. (It will make your cello bitter.) Juice the oranges and save for breakfast.

3. Put the peels in the bottom of the container(s). Pour in the alcohol and cover. Allow to rest for seven days in a cool, dark location. I keep mine in the cupboard.

4. SYRUP: Make this in the morning of the eighth day or the night before. In the 6 quart pot, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a fast simmer, not boil, and let it sit for 15 minutes, until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

5. On the eighth day, strain the orange peels from the alcohol and discard. Pour the alcohol into the pot with the sugar syrup and stir. (If you use Everclear, the mixture will turn cloudy, but this will not negatively affect the flavor.) Pour into the prepared wine bottles, cork, and store in the freezer.

References

Wikipedia – Limoncello

Wikipedia – Neutral grain spirit

Wikipedia – Everclear

Wikipedia – Vodka

Wikipedia – Naples

Wikipedia – Campania

More Beverages From This Blog

Recipes Using Limoncello From Around the Blogs

Ms. Adventures in Italy – Lemon French Macarons with Limoncello White Chocolate Ganache

Vanilla Garlic – Crema de Limoncello

White on Rice Couple – Limoncello, Kumquatcello, Blood Orangecello & So Cal Sunrise

Lucullian Delights – Crema di Limoncello

Chocolate & Zucchini – Lemon Kefir Ice Cream

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Source: adapted from What’s Cooking in America

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Risotto is creamy, beautiful comfort food, and I can’t think of a better meal to make it for than Thanksgiving. Because it’s not a fix it and walk away kind of dish, I do not make it for weekday meals. The constant stirring and adding liquid demands careful attention, and the usual chaos surrounding our meal times prevents me from tackling anything involved on a weeknight.

This recipe from Marcella Hazan calls for quite a bit of sage, though it’s not overpowering. If you prefer you can make it with half the leaves and still enjoy a hint of sage, which will go beautifully with a turkey dinner. Hazan uses homemade meat stock, though I substituted homemade vegetable stock made with mushrooms for a slightly woodsy undertone. The finishing step, mantecare, gives risotto its characteristic gleam and adds to the natural creaminess. In this case, Hazan adds the sage at the end and finishes with a little butter and some Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Our sage, mint, parsley, oregano, and thyme are still going strong outdoors, amazing considering the cold temperatures we’ve had. Many varieties of sage die off after a frost, but the Woodcote variety that we have in our Zone 7a (but right on the edge of 6b) garden has persisted even with temperatures well below freezing at night, so we will be able to use it on Thanksgiving day as well.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Rachel of The Crispy Cook is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

More Thanksgiving Day Dishes

More Sage Recipes From Around the Blogs

101 Cookbooks – Sage, Walnut, and Dried Fig Stuffing

The Expatriate’s Kitchen – Crispy Brussel Sprouts

A Year of Crockpotting – Walnut and Sage Potatoes Au Gratin

What’s for Lunch Honey – Gnocchi in Sage Garlic Butter

Equipment

large pot with heavy bottom

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups very thinly sliced onion, about 1-1/2 medium onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups (1.2 liters) vegetable stock (with mushrooms) or homemade meat broth (not stock) or 1/2 cup canned beef broth diluted with 4-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups (248 g) arborio rice or other imported Italian rice

MANTECARE
2 tablespoons butter
16 to 20 fresh sage leaves, cut into strips (I don’t think the flavor is strong, but if you prefer you could cut back to about 10 leaves and get just a hint of sage.)
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Put the sliced onions, olive oil, butter, and a pinch of salt into the pot. Turn the heat to medium and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it’s very soft. The onions should be completely wilted and a tawny gold color.

2. When the onions are just about done, warm the broth in a sauce pan or in the microwave. Keep it at a simmer or reheat in the microwave as necessary while cooking the risotto. Temperature is important for cooking properly.

3. Increase the heat on the onions to medium-high and stir in the rice. Turn it thoroughly, making sure every grain comes in contact with the onions. You want the rice to take on that color and shine.

4. Add 1 cup of the warm broth and stir well, scraping down the sides and bottom of the pot as you go. You don’t want any grains to stick. When the liquid is gone, add more, about 1/2 cup at a time. Stir and repeat until the liquid is used up and the rice is tender but still ad dente. The process takes about 25 minutes.

5. MANTECARE: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and sage strips. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead Tip

You can cook the onions ahead of time and warm them before continuing with the remaining steps.

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Source: adapted from Marcella Cucina, by Marcella Hazan

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

When I started the South Beach Diet a few weeks ago, I had to rethink some of our meals, and less pasta was high on the list. It’s easy to get good fresh vegetables at this time of year, and we’ve kept the refrigerator stocked. I’ve had eggplant lasagna on many occasions, but always with the noodles, so this time I decided to use the eggplant in place of the noodles, thus keeping the hearty comfort food a little healthier.

Grilling the eggplant lends a nice smoky flavor to the lasagna, and I left the skin on to help hold the slices together on the grill. The sauce is our favorite spaghetti sauce from Michael’s mom, and the rest is just easy layering and baking. I made this on a weeknight after simmering the sauce all morning and afternoon, but you could also make this a weekend family meal or even for company in individual portions.

Equipment

grill
9×13 baking pan
medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe spaghetti sauce
1 eggplant, 16 ounces (~454 g) or larger
olive oil
15 ounces (425 g) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan + more for sprinkling on top
2 teaspoons dried basil or 3/4 cup (~30 g) fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces (227 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the sauce according to the directions. You can make this ahead and store in the refrigerator or freezer. If frozen, thaw before using.

2. Preheat the grill to medium, about 350° F/175° C.

3. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) rounds with the skin still on. Brush with olive oil. Grill for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

5. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, and dried basil. If using fresh basil, leave it out for now.

6. Spread a ladle or two of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay down a row of the grilled eggplant, then spread about 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just make sure that it is evenly distributed, even if it’s in clumps. If using fresh basil, add 1/2 of the leaves in a layer.

7. Add about 2 more cups of sauce, then half the remaining grilled eggplant, 1/2 of the remaining cheese mixture, and the rest of the fresh basil (if using).

8. Add another 2 cups of the sauce, the rest of the grilled eggplant, and the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture. Spread the remaining sauce on top then top with the shredded mozzarella and some more Parmesan.

9. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

More Italian Recipes

More Lasagna Recipes From Around the Blogs

101 Cookbooks – Thousand Layer Lasagne

Ms. Adventures in Italy – 3 Cheese Pesto Vegetable Lasagna

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Grilled Zucchini Lasagna with Italian, Sausage, Tomato, and Basil Sauce

One Hot Stove – Roasted Squash Onion Lasagna

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

A few days before we left for vacation, I picked five pounds of San Marzano tomatoes and a dozen bell peppers from our garden and had to do something with them fast. I had planned all along to turn those beautiful tomatoes into sauce, but now that the task was at hand and I only had a few short hours, I knew this would have to be a quick and easy freezer sauce.

This sauce is inspired by a couple recipes from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan, my go-to book for Italian cooking. We used all five pound of the San Marzanos (which I forgot to photograph before chopping), six bell peppers, a whole head of garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and tossed in some fresh basil from the garden at the end. The recipe made about three quarts/litres of sauce, and we froze two of them. You can use Roma tomatoes instead, though they have a lot more juices. If you want to limit the juices, try seeding the Romas before cutting into small pieces. Many sauce recipes call for blanching the tomatoes and removing the skins, but we never bother with it.

As fortune would have it, we’re glad we hurried and made the sauce before vacation because when we returned we discovered some animal had been eating away at the ripe San Marzanos and leaving the half-eaten tomatoes lying on the ground under the plants. Heartbreaking, truly. At least we still had some green San Marzanos, and to increase chances of survival we purchased a garden net and carefully wrapped it around the plants. Fortunately that has kept the critters away and our tomatoes are thriving again.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Our host for this round is Wiffy of Noob Cook, so visit her blog for more information on how to participate. Entries are due September 15.

More Tomato Recipes You Might Like

More Tomato Recipes from Around the Blogs

The Perfect Pantry – Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Simply Recipes – Homemade Tomato Juice

Matt Bites – Tomato & Zucchini Gratin

Laylita’s Recipes – Eggplant and Tomato Appetizer

Equipment

6-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

5 pounds (~2.3 k) San Marzano tomatoes, cut into small pieces
6 bell peppers, cut into small pieces
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup (~120 mil) olive oil
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup (~20 g) torn fresh basil

Preparation

1. Put all the tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil into the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat up to medium high and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the oil floats free from the tomatoes.

2. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the torn basil. Serve with pasta. To freeze, divide into plastic containers and label each.

Variations

Skinless seeded tomatoes: Blanch them first and then peel. Cut out the stem, then cut a little X on the bottom of the tomato. Put into boiling water for about 1 minute, then remove quickly. Put into a cold water bath. When the tomatoes have cooled, peel the skin away starting at the X. To seed the tomato, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. The tomatoes are now ready for the sauce.

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Source: inspired by Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Some beautiful foods just aren’t pretty to look at, and these eggplant cakes fall into that category. They taste wonderful and take on a beautiful brown color, but on the plate it looks like fried mud and grass clippings. In spite of their unassuming looks, we enjoyed these little tidbits from Marcella Hazan’s tome Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. It has long been a favorite of mine and was my introduction to true Italian cooking.

If you are up to your knees in eggplant this summer, this is a great way to use a couple of them. Hazan’s recipe calls for roasting the eggplants in the oven, but I avoid turning on the oven in July and August unless there’s a really darn good reason, such as a Daring Baker’s challenge or a birthday cake to bake. These went onto a hot grill and I turned them every 10 minutes to make sure they cooked evenly.

Getting the oil temperature just right for an operation like this can be a bit tricky. You want the cakes to fry, not soak. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the cakes will absorb oil and become greasy, definitely not tasty. Make sure the oil temperature is right about 350° F/175° C but not higher than 375° F/190° C. The temperature will drop slightly when you add the eggplant, but not enough to cause them to soak.

Hazan offers a recipe for a tomato sauce with onions to which you add the fried cakes while it’s cooking. We did our own variation on that by using pasta sauce with roasted garlic and an onion confit, piling both on top. It was a very tasty combination!

Other Recipes You Might Like

More Grilled Eggplant Recipes from Around the Food Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Spicy Grilled Eggplant

Fat Free Vegan Kitchen – Grilled Baby Eggplants with Korean Barbecue Sauce

From Our Home to Yours – Lentil Soup and Grilled Eggplant

Lucullian Delights – Grilled Eggplant Rolls

Equipment

grill (or oven)
large bowl
frying pan
instead read thermometer (for checking oil temperature)
2 large plates, line one with paper towels
1 small plate

Ingredients

2 pounds (about 900 g) eggplant
1/3 cup (17 g) unseasoned bread crumbs, lightly toasted
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan
salt to taste
black pepper, fresh ground, to taste
canola oil, enough to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the frying pan
flour, spread on a small plate

ON THE SIDE
pasta sauce
onion confit

Preparation

1. Preheat the grill or oven to 400° F/200° C.

2. Wash the eggplants and do not trim. Keep them whole and intact. Rub the grill down with some canola oil and place the eggplants on the grill. Cook, turning every 10 minutes, until tender and a toothpick pierces the skin easily, about 40 minutes. (For the oven, place the eggplant directly on the rack and put a baking pan below to catch the drips.)

3. Set the eggplant on a plate to cool. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, peel the skin away and discard. Cut the eggplant into several large pieces and place in a colander over a deep dish for about 15 minutes. Allow the juices to drain away, squeezing the pieces as necessary to encourage the eggplant to shed it’s liquid.

4. Chop the eggplant very fine and combine in the mixing bowl with the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, egg, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together with your hands until it’s uniform. Shape into little cakes about 2 inches (about 5 cm) across and 1/2-inch thick (about 1 cm). Lay the cakes on a large plate.

5. Pour the canola oil into the frying pan until it comes about 1/2-inch (1 cm) up the sides of the pan. Turn the heat on high. When the oil is very hot (375° F/190° C), dip the cakes in flour on each side and gently slide into the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan, allow plenty of room between the cakes. When the crust gets nice and brown, flip them over. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove to a large plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle some more salt on top while still hot.

6. Serve hot or warm with some pasta sauce and sauteed onions (onion confit) on the side.

Variations

Baked with mozzarella: Top each fried cake with a slice of fresh mozzarella and bake at 400° F/200° C until the cheese melts.

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Source: adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

It’s that zucchini time of year. If you planted it in your garden you may already have a trickle coming in, but if not don’t fret, you will have some very soon and the trickle will turn into a flood. Zucchini plants are very prolific and sometimes leave gardeners feeling overwhelmed with the harvest and neighbors tired of all the zucchini deliveries. If your zucchini plants are threatening to stage a garden takeover, harvest the prized flowers to control production and make yourself a special treat of fried zucchini blossoms. Zucchini is very versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. We like to throw it on the grill or into a pot of chili, and I have very fond memories of my mother’s batter-dipped fried zucchini, but I think my favorite way to use zucchini is to put it in bread or cakes, which is very appropriate since zucchini is technically a fruit.

I think zucchini bread/cake/cupcakes/muffins must be a universal treat because I come across recipes all the time and find the basics to be remarkably similar. Take my mother’s delicious, homey zucchini bread and this wonderful recipe for Italian zucchini cake, for example. The essential ingredients are virtually identical with slight variations in amounts: flour, sugar, oil, cinnamon, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, grated zucchini. My mother uses canola oil, the Italian cake uses extra-virgin olive oil. My mother uses slightly less leavening, and the cake uses more to achieve a bigger rise and more cake-like texture. The cake calls for ginger and nutmeg as well as cinnamon, but it’s the the lemon crunch glaze that you brush on while the cake is still hot that gives it an elegant touch.

If you require more inspiration for what to do with all your zucchini or the blossoms, Kalyn’s four-part series about zucchini on Blogher should help you out.

Zucchini Madness Part One: Zucchini Carpaccio
Zucchini Madness Part Two: Fried Zucchini Variations
Zucchini Madness Part Three: Lots and Lots of Zucchini Love
Zucchini Madness: The Final Chapter

Other Recipes You Might Like

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment
2 medium bowls
10-cup Bundt pan, coated with cooking spray and lightly dusted with flour
wire rack
wax paper

Ingredients

CAKE
1 cup (75 g) walnut pieces, toasted
2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
1-3/4 cup (306 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (237 mil) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups (438 g) grated zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
confectioners sugar, for dusting (optional)

LEMON GLAZE
1/4 cup (59 mil) fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (130 g) confectioners sugar

Preparation

1. CAKE: Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º F/175º C.

2. In the medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and olive oil together on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined, then increase speed to medium and mix for 30 seconds.

5. Stir in the zucchini and walnut pieces until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Rotate the cake halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Tester should come out clean and the cake edges should start to pull away from the sides of the pan.

8. GLAZE: Make the glaze while the cake is baking. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice and granulated sugar, then whisk in the confectioners sugar until the glaze is smooth. Strain any lumps as necessary.

9. Remove the baked cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Place the wire rack over a piece of wax paper and invert the cake onto the rack. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze all over the hot cake. It will stick to the cake and set as the cake cools, leaving a nice crunchy surface. Allow the cake to cool completely and the glaze to dry completely. OPTIONAL: You may dust the cake with confections sugar before serving.

10. Wrap cake in plastic to store and use within 2 days.

References

Wikipedia – Zucchini

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Source: adapted from Dolce Italiano, by Gina DePalma

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

I can’t help but love lasagna with all its gooey richness. The flavor of the sauce melds with the pasta and mingles with the cheeses and fillings, the cheese stretches from the pan to the plate as you serve it, and the sides start to collapse slightly from the weight of the hot fillings. It’s a feast for the eyes and a comfort food, through and through.

If I were asked to come up with a top ten list of healthy meals, lasagna wouldn’t make the list, but there are some simple ways to make it healthier. Omit fatty meat, use part-skim cheeses, plenty of vegetables and fresh herbs, and whole wheat lasagna, and you can turn this into a relatively healthy meal to enjoy as an occasional treat. Using spinach and basil is our favorite way to make lasagna, and for this one I snipped a cup of basil leaves off the plants growing in the AeroGarden I’ve been testing and reviewing. This time we put Marseille, Genovese, and Napolitano basils into the layers, scattering it around with the spinach. The sauce recipe is from Michael’s mom, and it’s our favorite all-purpose pasta sauce because it tastes great and is easy to make. You can even make it a couple days ahead for faster prep on lasagna day.

We make lasagna only two or three times a year because we consider it a treat rather than a regular meal. We usually assemble two lasagnas at once and then bake one and freeze the other for an emergency meal, which is very handy for our busy family. We have also made double recipes and assembled it in a large lasagna or roasting pan to feed a crowd.

The health benefits of spinach are generally well-known, but basil is also a great source of nutrients. Basil provides vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A and phosphorus, and it also has high concentrations of carotenoids such as beta carotene. So enjoy your basil and spinach together! If you plan to use frozen spinach, make sure it is fully thawed and drain it well in a colander, pressing the spinach with your hand to squeeze out the water. Then put the damp spinach on a white paper towel and press again to make sure the spinach as as dry as possible. Wet spinach makes soggy lasagna!

This lasagna recipe is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, a weekly event created by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen. This week our host is Vani of Batasari. Make sure you check out the round-up on the 14th!

Equipment

6 to 8-quart pot or slow-cooker
9×13 baking dish, lightly coated with cooking spray
medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe Ann’s Spaghetti Sauce
1 (16-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles
32 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling on top
10 ounces fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. In the pot or slow-cooker, prepare the spaghetti sauce per directions.

2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

3. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta and 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan.

4. Spread a ladle or two of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay down a row of lasagna noodles, then spread about 1/3 of the cheese mixture. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just make sure that it is evenly distributed, even if it’s in clumps. Add 1/2 of the spinach and basil leaves.

5. Add about 1/3 of the remaining sauce, then more noodles, 1/2 of the remaining cheese mixture, and the rest of the spinach and basil.

6. Add another 1/3 of the sauce, more noodles, and the rest of the cheese mixture. Spread the remaining sauce on top then top with the shredded mozzarella and some more parmesan.

7. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

To freeze an assembled lasagna, press a layer of plastic wrap down on the top cheese layer, then cover the whole pan in foil. Store in freezer for up to 1 month.

To cook frozen lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F. Remove the foil and plastic wrap and bake for about 45 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbly.

Michael and I used to frequent an Italian restaurant in Norfolk, VA called Castaldi’s. It was a fun place with delicious food and singing waiters. Yes, you could get a yummy meal while being serenaded with Broadway and big band standards or Italian arias. I mean, doesn’t Italian food taste so much more “Italian” when you’re listening to a live performance of an aria by Puccini or Verdi or a Martin-esque rendition of That’s Amore?

The restaurant served a nice antipasto course with fresh baked bread, olive oil, and roasted garlic, and I loved the smell of the roasted garlic permeating the air. That alone was reason enough for us to enjoy many meals at Castaldi’s.

But one day we went to visit and it was…gone. The space was covered over with a huge sign announcing the imminent arrival of a California Pizza Kitchen. I felt crushed and we lamented the loss for quite some time. Even now that we’ve moved to Northern VA, we still speak fondly of the whole Castaldi’s experience.

Since we can no longer indulge in the warm bread and roasted garlic in the restaurant, I’ve taken to making my own. Roasting your own garlic is very easy and worth every iota of what little effort it requires because the aroma is intoxicating and the flavor smoky and mellow. In just 30 minutes, you will have a delicious appetizer ready to go. Serve with sliced crusty bread and olive oil.

Equipment

aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 head of garlic
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 500° F.

2. Remove the outer papery covering of the garlic, but leave the covering on the individual cloves. Slice off the top of the head so that most of the cloves are exposed.

3. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle the oil over the cloves. Fold the foil over the head to completely enclose it.

4. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the garlic is completely soft and lightly browned with some slight caramelization. Use a knife to remove the roasted cloves from the head and spread each clove on a slice of bread and drizzle with olive oil.

When the leaves start to turn red and gold I begin thinking of my favorite cold weather comfort foods, and this dish certainly qualifies. It’s perfect homestyle food, a dish of fried chicken and vegetables with a delectable sauce.

I’ve played around with this a bit, using chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken, adding crimini mushrooms, and doubling the vegetables and sauce. You can prepare the dish up to one day in advance. Just let the chicken cool completely before putting it all in the refrigerator. Then reheat it all the next day in a covered pan, keeping it at a slow simmer until the chicken pieces are heated all the way through.

Equipment

large saute pan with a lid (large enough to hold all the chicken pieces)
plate or pan for dredging flour

Ingredients

6 to 8 small to medium chicken breasts (or a 3 to 4 pound chicken, cut into pieces)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
flour for dredging
salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2/3 cup thinly sliced onion
1-1/3 cup dry white wine (an Italian Pinot Grigio works very nicely)
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
2 carrots, cut into thin disks
1 stalk celery, sliced thin crosswise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with the juice

Preparation

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.

2. Add the oil to the saute pan over medium hight heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and put them into the pan, skin side down. Cook until brown, then turn the pieces over and brown the other side. Remove the chicken pieces and put them on a warm plate. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Turn the heat back up to medium high and add the sliced onion to the pan. Cook until the onion is deep golden. Add the wine and deglaze the pan for about 30 seconds, scraping the tasty brown bits (fond) up from the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the red and yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, and diced tomatoes. Cook at a slow simmer with the lid on for about 20 to 30 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken and put on a serving platter. If the sauce is a bit watery, turn the heat up to high and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens a bit. Pour the vegetables and sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Variations

If you use a whole chicken, add the dark pieces with the vegetables in step 4 and cook for about 40 minutes. Then add the chicken breasts as directed.

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Source: adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan