Grilled Vegetable Filling

On hot charbroiled or grill, place lightly oiled and seasoned sliced vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, yellow squash, mushrooms, and onions. Grill until cooked al dente. Remove and allow to cool on a rack.

You may coarsely chop vegetables by hand or use your food processor. Add to this mixture salt, pepper and any other herbs as desired. (Oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram, tarragon are good choices). Use your imagination and create a flavor you enjoy. Add herbs sparingly. Remember, you can always add more but you can't take it out once it's been added.

Roll out pasta dough with rolling pin or hand-crank pasta machine to approximately 1/16 inch thickness.

Add your filling in dollops over half of the dough. Moisten edges with water, then fold other half of dough over filling. Press with fingers to seal between portions of filling. Cut out desired shapes. Press edges of each ravioli with a fork.

Bring water to a boil in large pot and add 1 tsp. salt. Drop ravioli in carefully and stir gently with wooden spoon. Bring water back to boil and cook until edges of ravioli feel tender when pinched. Remove with slotted spoon, drain, and place on plate. Top with pesto sauce and enjoy!

Pasta: 1 lb. giant shells

Preparation for stuffing: In large saute' pan, place 2 oz. clarified butter, heat to almost smoking point. Add raw shell fish and saute' until fish is cooked through (3 to 4 Minutes). Remove fish from pan, reserving the liquid in a bowl. Place 2 oz. clarified butter in pan and add celery, red onion and mushrooms, saute' 3 to 4 minutes. Return cooked fish to pan with vegetables and toss. Add green onions.

Season with salt & Pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add ricotta, chives, parsley and parmesan cheese. Mix well. Chill.

Preparation for sauce: In heavy sauce pan heat olive oil until hot. Add shrimp shells and cook until they turn bright pink. Add shallots and saute' until they sweat. Add mushrooms and saffron and cook mixture 5 to 7 minutes on high, stirring frequently. Add sherry and allow to reduce by half. Add stock, bring to a rolling boil then reduce heat to simmer until reduce to half. At this time strain through chiniose or cheese cloth. Place in smaller sauce pan and bring back to simmer. Add cream and reduce this mixture by half. This should yield about 1 quart of sauce. Add worchestershire, salt and pepper.

Whip in whole butter and simmer until desired consistency.

Preparation for pasta: Cook shells in boiling salted water until Al Dente. Drain and shock pasta in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Fill the shells with 1 ½ oz. of seafood stuffing per shell. Place in a lightly oiled pan. Ladle sauce to slightly coat the shells and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. At service you may add more sauce and top with chopped fresh chives.

2 medium egg plant
3 large eggs
4 oz. Milk or water
canola or soy oil for frying, about 1 cup
parmesan and smoked mozzarella cheeses for topping
Breading mixture:

1. 1 cup all purpose flour
2. 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
3. 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
4. 1 tbsp. Basil
5. 1 tbsp. Oregano
6. ½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

Peel two medium sized eggplant, slice 1/4" thick. Dip into eggwash (eggs and milk or water). Coat with breading mixture. Heat oil in large skillet, fry both sides of eggplant until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. Set aside to cool.

Ricotta cheese mixture

5 lbs. Ricotta cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
1/8 cup fresh chopped parsley
½ tsp. Black pepper
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs

In large mixing bowl, mix Ricotta with other ingredients and adjust seasonings as needed.

Place egg plant on flat surface. Fill pastry bag with ricotta mixture and pipe small amount into center of each egg plant slice. Roll eggplant. Coat bottom of 13" x 9" baking pan with marinara sauce. Place eggplant seam side down in pan on top of sauce. Top with additional marinara sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and smoked mozzarella. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake additional 10 minutes or until hot.

Serve with side of your favorite pasta, fresh green salad, and bottle of Chianti Classico.

To Prepare Filling:

½ # earthy mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, porcini, or combination) diced small
¼ # red onion, diced small
¼ # leeks, diced small
2 t. olive oil, to sauté
¼ cup italian parsley , chopped
1 # fresh salmon, diced medium
1 # assorted fresh fish (tuna, bass, halibut), diced medium
½ # small salad shrimp - cooked
¾ # fresh rough-chopped spinach
1 # ricotta cheese, seasoned w/parsley, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Heat oil & sauté onion 3 minutes. Add leeks, sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté until tender. Add all seafood except shrimp and sauté until just cooked. Add parsley, salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat & allow to cool.

Sauté chopped spinach until just wilted. Remove from heat and drain excess liquid. When all is cool, mix in large stainless steel bowl with seasoned ricotta cheese and shrimp. Add cayenne pepper and adjust seasonings.

You may use imported cannelloni tubes (available in Italian specialty shops) or prepare from fresh pasta that is cut into 5" by 6" rectangles.

To Assemble Cannellonis:

Spread seafood mixture to 1/8" thick on each pasta rectangle and roll up like pinwheels. Place in casserole dish, add sauce rosa and bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until heated through. You ma y top with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired, or just top with fresh chopped parsley or basil.

Serve with fresh broccoli and pine nuts and a fine Valpolicella.

2 cups Semolina Flour
1 cup white all-purpose flour
8 large eggs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Extra flour to work dough

Place flour and salt and pepper in work bowl of food processor. With machine running, add eggs and oil and process until dough resembles course cornmeal and sticks together when pressed between thumb and forefinger.

Knead dough on smooth surface with palms of hands until smooth, let rest 1/2 to 1 hour wrapped in plastic wrap or plastic bag.

3/4 cup oil packed dried tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup cream or half & half
1/2 lb. feta cheese

Puree tomatoes in food processor with mint, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper and tomato puree. Drizzle in oil. Add feta and puree until smooth.

This sauce will hold in refrigerator 5 to 7 days - will also freeze well.

1 qt. of your favorite tomato sauce

2 cups heavy cream

Bring cream to a boil in a stainless steel pan, then lower heat to simmer and reduce cream by ½. (you will have 1 cup heated cream).

Add cream to heated tomato sauce and simmer 4-5 minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

1 medium diced onion (2/3 cup)
3 cloves chopped garlic
3 oz. Olive oil
5 ½ lb. fresh tomatoes, or 3 28 oz. cans plum or Italian tomatoes
2-3 bay leaves
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 tsp dry, or 1 tbsp. fresh basil
1 tsp. dry, or 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Black pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh finely chopped parsley

Heat oil in heavy pan. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add garlic, sauté another 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaves and stock (or water) and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to simmer. Cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add all spices and continue to cook 1 more hour or until sauce has a semi-thick consistency. Be sure to stir occasionally (every 10 to 15 minutes) or it may burn. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.