Ricotta Herbed Manicotti with homemade Bolognese Sauce

One of our favorites is Herbed Ricotta Cheese Manicotti with Bolognese sauce. Anyone who knows me knows when I make Bolognese, that I make it by the vat full and then freeze it in easy to use sizes. That step makes this a super easy dish to make.

HERBED RICOTTA CHEESE MANICOTTI with BOLOGNESE SAUCE
16 ounces part skim Ricotta Cheese
4 ounces Manicotti shells (1 tray)
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
2 servings of your favorite BOLOGNESE sauce or marinara sauce
4 ounces Italian blend* grated cheese

Prepare pasta according to directions. Rinse in cool water and set aside.
With a hand mixer whip the Ricotta Cheese and add seasoning until well blended.
Gently stuff the cooled shells and place in a baking dish.
Top with sauce and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Personally I like to bake these a day ahead of when I want to serve them and let the flavors meld together. I think they are better the next day.

Italian blend cheese ~ Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, Asiago, Parmesan

BLANCO ROSA PASTA

BLANCO ROSA PASTA
¾ pounds Penne pasta (I used linguini tonight)
1 pound chicken, cubed
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 small Vidalia Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup White Zinfandel Wine*
1 8 ounce can Contadina tomato sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Asiago Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the Penne pasta until al dente per package instructions.
Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a skillet.
Add the chicken and saute until just done. Do not overcook them.
Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
In a large skillet heat the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and onion sauteing until translucent and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the can of tomato sauce. Stir until well combined.
Add heavy cream. Continue stirring until well blended.
Lower heat to a simmer.
Add chicken pieces back in and heat through.
Toss with prepared pasta.
Top with basil, parsley and grate Parmesan cheese.

*Can substitute chicken broth if you prefer.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

1/2 pound bacon /Pancetta, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons Classico sun dried tomato pesto

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small-medium onion, chopped fine

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, if necessary depending on bacon

1 teaspoon white pepper

3 tablespoons butter, melted

fresh parsley

1/2 pound spaghetti, linguine or pasta of your choice

Saute’ the bacon and brown until crisp.
At the same time bring the pasta water to a boil. Timing is crucial on this dish, the pasta must be ready when the rest of the ingredients are.
Chop the onion into small bits.
Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the grease and drain on paper towels.
Add the onions to the bacon grease and saute. Add the garlic.
Using a slotted spoon remove the onions and garlic and add to the bacon.
Pour off excess bacon grease.
Seriously scrape bottom of pan to loosen the stuck on bits – we NEED those for flavor. Make sure the pan cools slightly so as not to curdle the cream.
Add the sun dried tomato pesto and let heat to thin slightly.
Add the heavy cream, cooking until heated through and bubbling.
Add back in the bacon, onion and garlic. Lower heat. Simmer a few minutes to heat through and reduce liquid.
In a large serving bowl whisk the egg yolks together. Add the majority of the Parmesan cheese and Parsley, saving just enough for garnish. Mix it together well.
Add the drained HOT** pasta and mix well.
Add the butter, pepper and the bacon mixture. TOSS, TOSS and TOSS again until well mixed.
Garnish and Serve immediately.

**Pasta MUST be hot in order for this to coagulate well.

ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA

ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA

CRUST
1 cup of warm water (105F)
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of yeast

Put warm water into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and honey and mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Gradually add the flour and olive oil until well blended.
When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice smooth ball. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.
Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap and a flour sack towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. Either bake it or refrigerate for later use.
Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven.
Lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Pre-Bake dough at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

TOPPINGS

1 package John Morrell pepperoni

3 Italian sausages, cooked and crumbled

1 can Contadina tomato paste with basil and oregano

1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 large bunch green onions, thinly sliced including the majority of the tops

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 Roma tomato, diced small

2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2/3 cup grated provolone cheese

2/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Extra light olive oil

Whisk together the tomato paste, garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil to make the sauce.
Brush pre-baked dough with a small amount of olive oil and then an even layer of the sauce.
Evenly sprinkle the crumbled sausage over the sauce followed by half of the pepperoni.
Top with the mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes.
Evenly sprinkle the cheese over it all
Top with the remaining pepperoni.
Bake the pizza at 400-450° F for about 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden.

MEAT LASAGNA traditional

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil
1 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles(I like the Barilla no cook)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned.
Stir in crushed tomatoes (juice included) and tomato sauce.
Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water OR use no bake noodles.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.
Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices.
Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

My mom got me this new lasgana pan from Chicago Metallic for Christmas and I have to say it is awesome. Lasagna no longer is a mess to cut and each edge of cheese is crispy and just perfect! Assembly is also a breeze with no overlapping. You can even make 3 different flavors at once. I can’t wait to try it on some banana bread and meatloafs.

BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN BAKE

BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN BAKE

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & herbs, undrained

1 package Chicken Stove Top Stuffing

1 KNORR chicken bouillon gel tub

1 cup hot water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Gourmet Garden Basil paste

4 slices or 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.
Whisk together hot water, bouillon tub, garlic and basil paste until well blended.
In a mixing bowl mix together the stuffing mix, tomatoes and bouillon mixture until stuffing is moistened.
In a 9×9 baking dish sprayed with PAM, layer evenly first the chicken, then the cheese and topped with the stuffing mixture.
Bake 45 minutes – chicken will be cooked through and stuffing will be beginning to crust.
Cut it like a lasagna and serve with salad.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

I think I finally topped myself and found the perfect seasoning combination for bolognese sauce! I made the sauce a couple of days ahead so it could sit and let the flavors meld together.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE
1 pound COSTCO organic ground beef
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 large Roma tomatoes, slice thin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Lasagna Noodles, prepared or oven ready**

Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic. Drain fat.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce.
Stir in sugar, salt, pepper, basil, Italian seasoning and fennel, mixing well.
Lay tomato slices evenly on top. Cover.
Simmer for 2 hours over low heat. Stir in tomato slices until well blended. At this time you can proceed to finish the lasagna or refrigerate the sauce until ready.

16 ounces Ricotta Cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the Ricotta cheese, egg, nutmeg and parsley.
Spray baking dish with PAM.
Spread some of the meat sauce along the bottom. Top with lasagna noodles. Add a layer of the Ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with some of the Parmesan and then the mozzarella cheese. Repeat two more times.
Cover and bake 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake another 25 minutes or until cheese is golden and starting to crisp.
Let rest 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

**I love the oven ready noodles – no pre-cooking and so much less breakage. No one can tell the difference after you bake it!

CHICKEN MARSALA

I loved Italian food long before I met hubby. I’m also a creature of habit. When I find a dish that I absolutely adore I will try it every time I go out to find who makes it best. Unfortunately for this recipe no one makes it quite like it was originally made and I was forced to make my own recipe. I also found out that I have to hide the wine or hubby makes it disappear without benefit of the recipe/meal LOL.

Chicken Marsala

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings and then separated
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup sweet cooking sherry

With a mortar and pestle grind the oregano.
Sift together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano.
Coat the chicken pieces well with the flour mixture.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter.
When oil and butter is hot, saute’ onions and mushrooms until just caramelized.
Set aside onions and mushrooms and place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides about 6 minutes per side over medium heat. Remove and set aside, but keep warm.
To the skillet, add the wine, lemon juice and sherry. Stir, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce is partially reduced and begins to thicken.
Return onions and mushrooms to the skillet.
Plate chicken breasts.
Spoon sauce over the chicken.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until chicken is done.

ITALIAN CHICKEN PROVENCAL

ITALIAN CHICKEN PROVENCAL
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons minced garlic jar
2 large slices EXTRA SOUR sourdough bread
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground basil
1 large bay leave, deveined and crumbled
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup home made chicken broth*
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup mayonnaise**
6 chicken breasts

Using a mortar and pestle revive the seasoning scents of the basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper by grinding fine.
Whisk together the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaf and basil.
Pour over the bread slices and soak the bread in the red wine vinegar mixture until all the vinegar is absorbed by the bread.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over a medium high heat.
Add garlic to skillet and saute’ until fragrant. With a slotted spoon transfer the garlic to the food processor.
Lightly brown the bread on both sides in the olive oil. Transfer to a small food processor.
Add the butter to the skillet so it can melt into the olive oil while you make the paste. Remove from heat.
Add the almonds to the food processor. Process until you have a paste.
Gradually add the broth to the paste to form a sauce.
Return the skillet to the heat and brown chicken pieces on both sides until golden.
Add the sauce mixture to the skillet. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Transfer chicken to a serving dish and keep warm.
Whisk mayonnaise and lemon juice into the sauce in the pan until smooth.
Pour over chicken and Parmesan Potatoes. I serve it with asparagus. The sauce is a perfect compliment for it.
Serve & Enjoy!

*1 cup boiling water + 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
**light works well too

LINK PARTY PALOOZA & FOODIE FRIDAY submissions by 3 Sides of Crazy

It’s FOODIE FRIDAY over at RATTLEBRIDGE FARM and a great time for me to catch up on a few recipes that needed posting from the recently tried stack of Magazine Monday recipes and this week there were quite a few winners I must say.

First up is:

BULLAI RUBBED CHICKEN

2 pounds chicken tenders, rinsed and dried

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 KNORR onion bouillon cube, crushed

1 teaspoon California sweet Paprika

1 KNORR chicken homestyle stock tub

2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons butter, divided

Combine spices until well blended.
Sprinkle rub on both sides of chicken rubbing in well.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
Cook chicken pieces until just done, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove chicken pieces, keeping them warm.
Add remaining butter and KNORR stock and hot water, whisking into drippings until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and simmer about 10 minutes until reduced by half.
Whisk in the lemon juice and whipping cream until well blended.
Add sun dried tomatoes.
Reduce heat, simmering to desired consistency.
Pour over chicken and mashed potatoes.

Next was a super easy and SUPER tasty recipe:

GERMAN SMASHED POTATOES

3 pounds YUKON GOLD potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, cooked tender

1/2 pound bacon

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels.
Add vinegar and sugar to bacon fat, being sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until well blended. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl add the potatoes and smash.
Crumble the bacon over the potatoes.
Pour the vinegar mixture over top and mix well.
Enjoy.

Then came a more time consuming recipe, but one hubs fell in love with:

I also found that they now make refried BLACK beans – gotta tell you I’m loving these!

LAYERED TORTILLA PIE

1 cup salsa

1 pound ground beef

homemade taco seasoning

1 can refried BLACK beans

1 can traditional refried beans

8 inch flour tortillas

2 cups Mexican shredded cheese

sour cream

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Brown the hamburger and drain off the grease.
Add 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning to the hamburger.
Cook until liquid is absorbed.
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a medium bowl mash together the refried beans, 1/2 the salsa and 1/2 the garlic.
In another medium bowl mash together the refried BLACK beans, 1/2 the salsa and 1/2 the garlic.
Spray a shallow pie pan with PURE.
Spread a small amount of sour cream on a tortilla and lay in the bottom of the pie pan.
Spread with one of the bean mixtures.
Add another tortilla and spread with some meat mixture. Top with a thin layer of cheese.
Repeat layers until you have about 7 or 8 layers.
Top with remaining cheese.
Cover lightly with foil.
Bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Here’s an all-time favorite:

SEAFOOD SALAD

Shredded Romaine

Tomato wedges

Sliced green onions

Juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 large can tuna, drained really well

Mayo to taste

Toss all together and enjoy with some garlic bread.

And lastly one of our new favorites:

ITALIAN MEATLOAF CUPS w/ PARMA ROSA PASTA

1 pound hamburger

1 pound Italian sausage

2 bunches green onions, chopped

1 sleeve saltines, crushed

2 eggs

1 can Italian tomato paste

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend all together.
I use the mini loaf pans and fill each one 2/3.
Bake for 45 minutes or until top is crispy.
Pour off excess fat before serving.
Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

These are truly greatest hits at our house and welcome leftovers for weekend picnic sandwiches.

PARMA ROSA PASTA

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar

1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato paste

1 egg yolk, beaten

1/4 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan.
Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly until melted.
Whisk in egg quickly and heat through.

Recipes Submitted to:

and TATERTOTS & JELLO’S LINK PARTY PALOOZA

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BAKING PARTNERS CHALLENGE #10 – PIZZA

We are a group of home bakers helping each other to achieve baking perfection. Baking partners was begun by Swathi at Zesty South Indian Kitchen. In order to achieve the best results, a perfect recipe and the right techniques are required. We are a small group of home bakers, who love to bake and want to learn more about the tips and secrets of baking and baking well. We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows. Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group. The main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic procedures if there are ways to improve and to eat delicious food.

THIS MONTH WE ARE MAKING NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA AND SAUCE – YAY! I chose Archana of Tangy Minds recipe because we love thin or original crusts. Recipe adapted from SeriousEats

Ingredients for the thin crust:

22 1/2 ounces (about 4 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons instant yeast

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

15 ounces lukewarm water

Ingredients for making its NY Style pizza sauce

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes or Fresh Tomatoes.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 medium cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon dried oregano

pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

2 six-inch sprigs fresh basil with leaves attached

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half

1 teaspoon sugar

Toppings:

Any sliced or chopped veggies of your choice such as capscium, sliced onions, mushrooms. Also you can add paneer or sliced jalapenos or even fruit such as pineapple. I used very thinly sliced mushrooms.

Any Meat as you like. Preferable pre-cooked Chicken pieces if you want. It is optional. I used super thin pepperoni just under the cheese.

CHEESE – 1 to 2 cups (depends on the size of the pizza) grated cheese – Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese.

For Making the sauce:

Pulse the tomatoes and their juice in food processor / Mixie until pureed, or puree with hand blender. Puree should not be completely smooth, but should have no chunks larger than 1/16 of an inch. Set tomatoes aside.
Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and large pinch salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil sprigs, onion halves, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting (bubbles should barely be breaking the surface), and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For Making the thin crust pizza:

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor or in a bowl. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated if you have food processor. otherwise mix well together with the help of the whisk . Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer. Those who don’t have food processor. try it with hand mixer or stand mixer or knead it with your hands and how are you kneading like chappati/roti dough.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least one day, and up to 5.
At least two hours before baking, remove dough from refrigerator and shape into balls by gathering dough towards bottom and pinching shut. Flour well and place each one in a separate medium mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at warm room temperature until roughly doubled in volume.
1 hour before baking, Preheat oven to 400°F. Turn single dough ball out onto lightly flour surface. Gently press out dough into rough 8-inch circle, leaving outer 1-inch higher than the rest. Gently stretch dough by draping over knuckles into a 12 to 14-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to pizza pan.
Spread approximately 2/3 cup of sauce evenly over surface of crust, leaving 1/2 to 1-inch border along edge. Add toppings of your choice evenly and spread 1/3 of cheese over sauce evenly.
Bake until cheese is melted with some browned spots and crust is golden brown and puffed, 10 to 15 minutes or varies depends on your oven.
Transfer to cutting board, slice, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

BAKING PARTNERS CHALLENGE #10 – PIZZA

THIS MONTH WE ARE MAKING NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA AND SAUCE – YAY! I chose Archana of Tangy Minds recipe because we love thin or original crusts. Recipe adapted from SeriousEats
Ingredients for the thin crust:
22 1/2 ounces (about 4 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 ounces lukewarm water
Ingredients for making its NY Style pizza sauce
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes or Fresh Tomatoes.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
2 six-inch sprigs fresh basil with leaves attached
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half
1 teaspoon sugar
Toppings:
Any sliced or chopped veggies of your choice such as capscium, sliced onions, mushrooms. Also you can add paneer or sliced jalapenos or even fruit such as pineapple. I used very thinly sliced mushrooms.
Any Meat as you like. Preferable pre-cooked Chicken pieces if you want. It is optional. I used super thin pepperoni just under the cheese.
CHEESE – 1 to 2 cups (depends on the size of the pizza) grated cheese – Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese.
For Making the sauce:

Pulse the tomatoes and their juice in food processor / Mixie until pureed, or puree with hand blender. Puree should not be completely smooth, but should have no chunks larger than 1/16 of an inch. Set tomatoes aside.
Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and large pinch salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil sprigs, onion halves, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting (bubbles should barely be breaking the surface), and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For Making the thin crust pizza:

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor or in a bowl. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated if you have food processor. otherwise mix well together with the help of the whisk . Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer. Those who don’t have food processor. try it with hand mixer or stand mixer or knead it with your hands and how are you kneading like chappati/roti dough.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least one day, and up to 5.
At least two hours before baking, remove dough from refrigerator and shape into balls by gathering dough towards bottom and pinching shut. Flour well and place each one in a separate medium mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at warm room temperature until roughly doubled in volume.
1 hour before baking, Preheat oven to 400°F. Turn single dough ball out onto lightly flour surface. Gently press out dough into rough 8-inch circle, leaving outer 1-inch higher than the rest. Gently stretch dough by draping over knuckles into a 12 to 14-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to pizza pan.
Spread approximately 2/3 cup of sauce evenly over surface of crust, leaving 1/2 to 1-inch border along edge. Add toppings of your choice evenly and spread 1/3 of cheese over sauce evenly.
Bake until cheese is melted with some browned spots and crust is golden brown and puffed, 10 to 15 minutes or varies depends on your oven.
Transfer to cutting board, slice, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

Category: ITALIAN

Chicken Marsala