I am in extreme need of help to get great Italian Recipes??

[Rebecca Lynn]

Ok in 2 months is me and my boyfriends half of a year anniversary... well we both want it to be special, so i thought of a night in at my house. so we can have time alone to talk and everything. he is italian so i thought i would bring his culture into my cooking. the only thing Italian i know how to make is pasta, with meat sauce... If anyone knows any Italian recipes please help...

thank you

[tamwithni]

Oh my gosh...there are tons of great italian recipes out there. I love going to "lidia's Italy" for some very authentic recipes. Also, Giada D. recipes on the food network.com Good Luck and happy 1/2 yr anniversary.

[cheers]

I just posted these earlier for someone else.....
so here is a copy for you.......

Pasta is fun to cook..... you can come up with a lot of good ideas..... just play around with it.....
In the meantime..... here are a few recipes we love to get you started........... even though some recipes are rather long... they are easy to prepare.......

FETTUCCINI ALFREDO
INGREDIENTS.............
1/2 cup real butter
1 pint (2 cups / 16 fl. oz.) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper - to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper
2/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan OR Romano cheese
1 lb. box fettuccine noodles - prepared as directed
chopped fresh parsley - for garnish, optional
In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; add cream, garlic powder, and salt and peppers; simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese. Do not heat sauce after cheese has been added.
Serve sauce over hot fettuccine noodles and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

If it seems like the sauce may be taking too long to thicken, stir in up to 1/4 cup cream cheese. Make sure your Parmesan or Romano is grated and not shredded; it won't melt properly if shredded. Do not use Kraft Grated Parmesan in the canister; your Alfredo won't taste right. Either grate your own or buy the stuff from the deli.

CAJUN PASTA
INGREDIENTS..............
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound scallops
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound dry fettuccine pasta
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, pour cream into large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just about boiling. Reduce heat, and add herbs, salt, peppers, onions, and parsley. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes, or until thickened.
Stir in seafood, cooking until shrimp is no longer transparent. Stir in cheeses, blending well.
Drain pasta. Serve sauce over noodles.

CHICKEN SCAMPI
INGREDIENTS............
WHITE SAUCE:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk; hot
SCAMPI SAUCE:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons garlic, crushed
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white sauce
REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
1/2 package angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
bell peppers; thinly sliced
red onions; thinly sliced
10 cloves of garlic; roasted
2 chicken breasts; sliced
olive oil
WHITE SAUCE:
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring constantly. Slowly add 3/4 cup hot milk (hot so it won’t get lumpy). Set aside. (Keep the white sauce hot until you add to the scampi sauce)
SCAMPI SAUCE:
Heat butter over low heat; add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Add the wine and chicken broth. Stir until combined and simmer about 30 minutes. Add the white sauce and cook till slightly thickened. In a large skillet, saute chicken in a little olive oil until almost done. Add the peppers and onions, then saute until chicken is cooked through. Add the sauce. Saute until everything is warmed. Add roasted garlic cloves. Serve over pasta. Pour a little of the leftover white sauce over the dish.

SHRIMP PRIMAVERA
INGREDIENTS............
Sauce....
6 T. butter or margarine
1 T. garlic, fresh, minced
1 oz. package Knorr Newburg Sauce ( or similar)
32 oz. crushed tomatoes, canned
1 1/2 T. lemon juice, fresh
1/4 t. (or to taste) red pepper, crushed
1/2 t. basil, dry
1/4 t. marjoram, dry
1/2 t. black pepper
Pasta...
1 lb. fresh Linguine (or quality dry pasta)
Vegetables....
1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved (or quartered if large)
1 C. green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
1 C. red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 C. yellow onion, cut into 1 inch squares
2 T. butter for sautéing
Shrimp....
1 lb. medium to large fully cooked shrimp, thawed and drained
DIRECTIONS......
Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add remaining spice and tomato ingredients, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Saute vegetables about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Add to the sauce and simmer 5 minutes more.
Cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is almost done, stir shrimp into sauce to heat through. do not boil. Spoon Shrimp Primavera over hot linguine. Pass Parmesan cheese.

LOBSTER SPAGHETTI
INGREDIENTS.....
2 lobsters (1.5 lbs each)
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup white wine
¼ cup sherry
1 6-oz pack fresh spinach
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
12 oz spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
DIRECTIONS (may buy lobsters already cooked if desired)
Heat water in a very large stock pot until boiling.
Place 1 lobster, head first, into boiling water. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool slightly. Repeat process for other lobster. Once lobsters are cool enough to handle, cut lobsters in half lengthwise.
Combine onion, garlic and extra virgin olive oil in a separate large pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper, white wine, sherry and the halved lobsters. Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lobster from sauce.
Twist off two front claws where they join the body. Using the back of a knife, crack claws and remove meat from tail and body.
Add spinach, tomatoes and butter to sauce. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add lobster tail and claw meat. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Coat cooked, drained pasta with sauce, transfer to large bowl (or individual dishes), top with lobster and remaining sauce.

SHRIMP SCAMPI
INGREDIENTS..................
1 1/2 lb medium fresh shrimp, shelled
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup white wine
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 pinch crushed red pepper
4 oz butter
1/2 lb angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a saute pan. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute; do not brown. Add butter, wine, red pepper, salt and pepper and reduce by half.
Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes until fully cooked.
Transfer pasta to plate and top with shrimp mixture.

PASTA FLORENTINE
INGREDIENTS.................
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 oz ham (Black Forest if possible), julienned
1/4 cup chopped parsley
8 oz pasta (your favorite shape), cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped
DIRECTIONS........
Heat extra virgin olive oil and garlic in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Once garlic starts to sizzle, add mushrooms. Saute 2-3 minutes. Add heavy cream and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Allow to slightly reduce, for about 10 minutes. Add ham, peas and parsley and cook 4 minutes.
Return cooked, drained pasta to pot and add sauce. Cook until sauce simmers and coats the pasta.
Remove pot from heat and stir in grated Parmesan. Toss gently to combine.
Transfer to large serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

THREE CHEESE MANICOTTI
INGREDIENTS...........
1 (8 ounce) package manicotti pasta
16 ounces ricotta cheese
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups spaghetti sauce
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, drain.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, bread crumbs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spray dish with non-stick cooking spray and cover bottom of dish with a thin film of spaghetti sauce.
Fill each manicotti with cheese mixture and place in dish; cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.
Bake in preheated oven uncovered for 40 minutes; serve.


Good Eating................