Easy Italian Recipes - Quick and Delicious for the Entire Family
Do you need easy Italian recipes that you can cook up fast that are delicious and inexpensive?
Below are three very simple Italian recipes that do not require much time to prepare and only use several ingredients that you may even have on hand.
This is the beauty of Italian cooking. You do not need a ton of ingredients to cook up a delicious meal.
The key with cooking great Italian food is to use fresh quality ingredients, like fresh herbs and fine olive oil. And the number one most important ingredient in any type of cooking is of course Love!
Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
EASY ITALIAN MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE
Here is a great recipe for marinara sauce using canned tomatoes. This marinara sauce is delicious over your favorite pasta, on top of pizza and over mussels and shrimp. The beauty of this sauce is that it can be used with a number of other recipes, so it’s a great starting point in Italian Cooking and it is very easy to make.
You can use either fresh or canned plum tomatoes for this recipe, however using fresh tomatoes requires more time and preparation, so I prefer to use canned. If you do plan on using fresh tomatoes, make certain the tomatoes are ripe and in season.
For the canned tomatoes, I prefer Rienzi brand tomatoes. I have tried a number of different brands of canned tomatoes and Rienzi has the best flavor amongst the supermarket brands, in my opinion.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (More or less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 35 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes with liquid
Salt to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste (You can use black pepper if you wish)
10 - 12 fresh basil leaves , torn
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
Directions:
1) Open your can of tomatoes and crush them by hand into a bowl and set aside.
2) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your garlic to the oil and cook until soft and lightly browned. Be sure to watch the garlic to make sure it doesn’t burn.
4) Carefully add the tomatoes along with their liquid into the pan with the garlic and oil. Use caution when adding the tomatoes to the hot oil. The oil can splatter. Add the oregano.
5) Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Season with a bit of salt and red or black pepper. Lower the heat so that the sauce is reduced to a simmer. Break up the tomatoes as it cooks with a spoon until your sauce is chunky. You want the sauce to simmer until thickened, about 20 - 25 minutes.
6) Add your fresh basil a few minutes before the sauce is done. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper if needed.
7) Serve over your favorite pasta.
EASY ITALIAN PESTO SAUCE RECIPE
Let’s learn how to make pesto sauce.
This is another very easy and delicious recipe that can be served over your favorite pasta, grilled chicken, mussels or as a topping for pizza. For those of you who want your basil pesto sauce without pine nuts, you can leave them out or substitute the pine nuts with walnuts.
For a nice variation on this recipe, try adding sundried tomatoes to the pesto mixture before blending for a delicious tomato pesto sauce.
This recipe should only be used as a guide. Not everyone has the same preferences. Some do not like a lot of garlic or olive oil flavor for example, so it is recommended that you experiment until you find the right recipe.
Pesto Sauce Ingredients:
4 cups fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts (the nuts can be lightly toasted in a dry pan before blending for added flavor)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender except olive oil. Add a little oil at a time and process until sauce reaches desired consistency. Ready to serve in your favorite dish.
EASY PASTA WITH GARLIC, OIL AND FRESH HERBS
This is another quick and easy Italian recipe with only a few ingredients. It is important that you do not burn the garlic with this recipe otherwise it will become bitter.
Ingredients:
1 pound of spaghetti
3 - 4 garlic cloves chopped (more or less, depending on how much you like garlic)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 Cup of Chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
Directions:
1) In a large pot, bring about 6 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 - 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain but make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2) While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute until light brown in color. Remember to pay close attention to the garlic to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat.
3) Stir in fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Mix until combined.
4) Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl and mix in the remaining olive oil and pasta water.
5) Add the garlic and herb mixture into the pasta and mix well.
6) Taste and add salt and red pepper if desired.
7) Serve immediately. Top with grated cheese if desired.
There you have it. Three great easy Italian recipes that you can whip up in a flash and please everyone. I hope you enjoy these easy italian recipes. Happy Cooking!
Guacamole
1 tbs. chopped onion
1 tbs. chopped, seeded jalapeno peppers
2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
¼ tsp. salt
3 ripe avocados
¾ cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. lime juice
3 scallions, white part only
5 garlic cloves, minced
1. Using a food processor in short bursts, process the onions, garlic, scallions. Jalapenos, cilantro and salt until it is coarse.
2. Halve and pit the avocados and scoop the flesh into the onion mixture.
3. Add the tomatoes and the lime juice.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Serves 4
ITALIAN SAUSAGE TERRINE
(30 1/4″ slices or sliced 1/2″ thick as entree)
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb. chicken livers
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brandy
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 garlic cloves chopped 3 eggs
1/2 lb. sliced bacon
In a large skillet cook sausage, stirring until brown. Drain on paper towels, set aside in bowl.
In blender combine remaining ingredients except bacon, for 45 seconds. Stir in sausage.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line loaf pan with heavy foil, letting 3″ hang over the sides. Place bacon slices crosswise across bottom and up sides, letting slices overhang pan. Pour in sausage mixture; fold bacon over top. Place loaf pan in a shallow pan; pour 1″ hot water into shallow pan. Bake 1-1/2 hours.
Remove loaf pan from water, fold foil over top. Place heavy can on terrine to weight down. Press firmly 2 minutes. Refrigerate with weight until firm, about 6 hours.
To remove terrine, loosen foil from sides of pan, grasp ends of foil, and lift out. Cut into slices.
Yellow And Red Bell Peppers Filled With Tuna
10 yellow bell peppers — cut
lengthwise into thirds
10 red bell peppers — cut
lengthwise into thirds
1 cup plus
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves — pressed
salt and freshly
ground pepper
3 cans albacore tuna packed in
water — drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 tablespoons drained capers
fresh parsley sprigs
imported black olives
(such as kalamata or
nicoise)
Arrange pepper skin side up in broiler pan (in batches if necessary) and broil until blackened. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel and pat dry. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add peppers and marinate at least 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Drain peppers, reserving marinade. Combine tuna, chopped parsley and capers in another bowl, breaking up tuna with a fork. Mix in enough reserved marinade to season to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon tuna mixture on inside of each piece of pepper at one end. Roll up. Arrange seam side down on serving platter. Pour remaining marinade over rolls. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Garnish with parsley sprigs and olives before serving. 16 appetizer servings.
Noodle & Cheese Casserole
1 (8 oz.) package wide egg noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Cook noodles according to manufacturer’s directions. Combine cooked noodles, cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour into greased casserole dish and top with grated cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Acapulco chicken - En escabeche
2 cupsUnsalted chicken broth — defatted
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 teaspoonsGround cumin
2 tablespoons Pickling spice
1/2 Red bell pepper — sliced
1 pound Boneless chicken breast — halves
1/2 Yellow bell pepper — sliced
2 tablespoons Minced jalapeno chili with — seeds
1Onion, halved — thinly sliced
1/3 cup Rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup Fresh cilantro leaves
3 large Garlic cloves — minced
baked (no oil) tortilla chips
Boil broth and pickling spice in heavy large saucepan ten minutes. Strain and return liquid to saucepan. Add chicken, onion, vinegar, garlic, oil and cumin to pan. Simmer over very low heat until chicken is just cooked through, about ten minutes. Transfer chicken and onions to shallow dish. Top with bell peppers and minced chilli. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to 2/3 c, about ten minutes. Pour liquid over chicken and let cool 30 minutes. Add cilantro to chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, turning chicken occasionally, about 4 hours (can be prepared one day ahead). Slice chicken and transfer to plates. Top with marinated vegetables and some of the juices. Pass tortilla chips to use as “pushers.” .
Alheiras De Mirandela
3 lb Lean beef*
1 1/2 lb Calf meat
1/2 lb Chicken
1/2 lb Turkey
1/2 lb Rabbit
1 1/2 lb Day old wheat bread
1/4 lb Ham (optional)
4 Garlic cloves
4 ts Olive oil
2 oz Pork drippings**
Paprika, salt and -piripiri to taste 10 Feet tripe casing
* Or lean pork, or a mixture of both, for cost reasons.
** Probably a modern addition, or replacement for suet.
You may change the proportions of chicken/turkey/rabbit - it may be all chicken, etc., provided the total amount remains the same. You can use partridge, quail, duck, and so on… Boil the meats together long enough to make the bones separate from the meat by themselves. Reserve the resulting broth and set meats aside. In a large bowl place the thinly sliced bread and add the reserved broth. Cover with a towel and, as soon as the bread is soft enough, mash it with an wooden spoon. Add the mashed garlic and ground piripiri, paprika and a little salt. Add the meats cut in very little pieces. Mix thoroughly. When everything is completely mixed add the olive oil and the pork drippings, hot. Fill the casing using a suitable funnel. Tie each ‘alheira’ so that it’s about 8″ long, with the filling concentrated in the middle section, leaving the ends almost empty. Smoke for 2 or 3 hours a day, for a week. Tie both ends together before selling or using ~ the ‘alheira’ should be U shaped. A typical way of serving ‘alheiras’ is frying them in hot oil, and presenting them with fried eggs and potato chips. Some add broccoli as a side dish.
Brown Chicken Stock
Ingredients
5 pound chicken, parts, (backs, necks, carcasses, and giblets), (no livers)
2 lg onions, coarsely chopped
2 md carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 lg celery, stalks, with leaves, trimmed, coarsely chopped
2 each garlic, cloves, crushed
1 bn parsley, stems
2 each thyme, sprigs, or
1 pn thyme, dried
1 each bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt, coarse
6 each peppercorns
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 450 F.
Roast the chicken bones in a roasting pan in the oven for 30 minutes, then add the vegetables and roast for 15 minutes more. Transfer everything to a stockpot.
deglaze the roasting pan with a little water, scraping up the little browned bits, and add them to the stockpot.
Add cold water to cover by about 2 inches and slowly bring to a boil, skimming all of the froth from the surface as it forms.
Lower the heat and add all of the remaining ingredients except the peppercorns. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours. Add water as needed to cover the ingredients and skim when necessary.
Add peppercorns for the last fifteen minutes of the simmering process.
Strain the stock into a large bowl through a colander lined with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth. Gently press the solids to extract all of the liquid possible.
Discard the solids and cool the liquid to room temperature.
Refrigerate until chilled and lift off the solid fat that forms at the surface. Discard the fats.
Pour the stock into containers for storage, label and date.
Stock keeps for about 3 days in the refrigerator, and up to six months in the freezer.
10 Minute Szechuan Chicken
Ingredients
4 each chicken breast, halves, boneless and skinless
1 1/2 tablespoon vinegar, white wine or rice wine
3 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 each garlic cloves, minced
6 each green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 tablespoon soy sauce, (low salt)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Directions:
Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Lightly toss with cornstarch in bag to coat. Heat oil in skillet or wok; stir-fry chicken and garlic until lightly browned. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and water.
Cover and cook 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add green onions and cayenne; cook uncovered about 2 minutes longer.