Italian Christmas Dinner

The idea to have everyone together for Christmas Dinner was spawned from this project and talking with my family about their holidays and traditions. It seemed on both sides that they extended the invitation to everyone and prepared a ton on delicious food for all to enjoy. Bottom line: You come, you come, you don't you don't. We will be eating and drinking all day so we'll be here!

We have always been conflicted about what to do on Christmas Day for dinner. This year we decided it was best to invite both my in-laws and my family over and we would host. Unfortunately our house is awful for hosting anything other than pool parties so we decided to host at my parents' house. Therefore, it was a group effort to prepare the food for Christmas Dinner.

I made Homemade Ravioli (with the help of my husband), Broccoli Rabe, Roasted Red Peppers, Red Waldorf Cake and put together an Antipasto. My Mom and Dad made escarole (pronounced "scuddole") soup, gravy, meatballs, and ham. My father-in-law made clams, my mother-in-law made a turkey with scalloped potato dressing that cane out of an old AM Philadelphia pamphlet from my family recipe book. A home-made cranberry sauce was prepared by our Aunt Sue, and my sister-in-law Susie made a Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts side dish .

Below are some of the recipes from Christmas Dinner, I hope you enjoy!

Cheese Ravioli

Filling
2 lbs. Ricotta (we use part skim)
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/4 cup Locatelli or Parm cheese
2 tbsp Shredded Mozzarella (I use part skim)
2 tbsp Asiago or Provolone grated
Dash of salt and pepper
2 eggs

Combine all seasoning up to the eggs. Taste cheese mixture and add more seasoning as you see fit. Once adjusted to taste add 2 eggs, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pasta
3 Cups Flour
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Tools Needed:
Ravioli Form and Press
Pasta Roller (Manual or Attachment for Kitchen-Aid Mixer)

Electric Mixer: Place 2.5 Cups flour and the salt in mixing bowl and stir with dough hook. Slowly add each egg. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Let the mixer continue to mix and slowly add flour until the mixture forms a dough ball. Remove dough ball and knead for 10 minutes until it is semi-elastic. Add oil as needed while kneading. Cover the final ball in oil and wrap in saran wrap for 30 minutes.

By Hand: Combine all the flour and the salt and form a volcano shape with the hole in the middle and everything. The hole has to accommodate the 4 eggs and olive oil, so size appropriately. Stir and beat the eggs inside the volcano and slowly scrape in some flour until it forms a semi solid ball at which point you can gradually add the rest of the flour. Take the dough ball and knead for 10 minutes until it is semi-elastic. Add oil as needed while kneading. Cover the final ball in oil and wrap in saran wrap for 30 minutes.

Unwrap the ball and cut off a piece of dough approximately 2" H X 4" W X 0.5" D. On the thickest setting of your pasta roller (typically 1), run the dough through 2-3 times to maximize the width of the piece of dough to fit on the ravioli form and press. Reduce the pasta roller thickness setting gradually all the way to 5 or 6 (whatever you are prefer). Lay the rolled dough over the ravioli form and press.

Take tablespoon of cheese and fill the center of each ravioli. Top with a second piece of dough and roll over the form with a rolling pin. Roll until the metal form pops through the dough. Flip over the form and gently push out each ravioli. Place on a tray or wax paper with a heavy coating of corn meal. I would not suggest layering these. (See Pictures)

You can either freeze these or refrigerate. If you are using immediately, let sit for 15-20 mins before cooking.

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Drop in ravioli and cook for 8-10 mins or until floating. Drain and serve with sauce of your choice.

Broccoli Rabe

1 Bunch Broccoli Rabe
3 Cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsps salt (or more to taste)
2 tbsps olive oil

Cut thick stems off of broccoli rabe- usually about 2 inches
Cut in the same way to create bite size pieces of broccoli rabe
Rinse in colander

Steam broccoli rabe for about 10 minutes or until bright and wilted
Heat olive oil add garlic
Once garlic begins to sizzle add streamed broccoli rabe
Sautee 2-3 mins
Season with salt and red pepper flakes
You can top with grated cheese
Serve warm or cold

Roasted Red Peppers

4-5 Red Peppers or 1 jar roasted peppers in water
3 Cloves Garlic diced or minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Roast peppers on grill or under broiler until skin is black and blistered.
Put in a bowl and cover or in a plastic bag and allow to steam/cool
Once cool peel skin and remove seeds
Cut peppers into strips
-or-
Use jar of plain roasted peppers in water and skip first steps. Just drain 3/4 of the water and reserve the rest

Add peppers to a container with an air tight lid
Add peppers and juice, season with salt, garlic, parsley and drizzle with olive oil
Cover and store chilled until ready to use

Antipasto

Roasted Red Peppers
Broccoli Rabe
Long Hots

Assorted Olives (Gaeta. Kalamata, etc)
Provolone Cheese- I perfer Aurrichio
Manchego Cheese- you can use any cheese combination you'd like
Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Assorted Meats of hot or sweet variety- Capicola (Gabbagool), Prosciutto (Brashoot), Sopressata (Supersot), Salami
Sometimes we include marinated mushrooms and artichoke hearts

Italian Bread

Dipping Oil- You can make a million different versions but we filled a shallow dish with an inch (deep) of olive oil and seasoned with a dash of salt, pinch of oregano, parsley, a few red pepper flakes, basil, and black pepper you can add a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top or sprinkle some grated cheese

Red Waldorf Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
1 tsp cocoa
1 cup butter milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar and eggs, make a paste of coloring and cocoa.
Add to the creamed mixture.
Add milk alternating with flour
Add vanilla
Dissolve the baking soda in vinegar and add last
Beat as you would any other cake mix

Grease pan do not flour

Use 2 8" or 9" pans (bake 30 mins) or use one 12" layer pan

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Butter Cream Icing

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

1/2 cup butter softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tbsp milk

Cream together butter and shortening and vanilla in a large bowl

Blend sugar one cup at a time

Beat in milk until light and fluffy

Keep covered until ready to use

More of our Christmas Recipes coming soon!

Buon Appetito!

Recipes: Anise Toast aka Anise Biscotti & Butter Sugar Balls

So on this snowy, rainy, wintery mixy day it, seemed to be a good time to do some holiday baking! Before this over predicted storm rolled in I went on a hunt for Anise seeds as they are apparently a hot commodity this time of year, my dad insists that the recent shortage is due to my blog-(harharhar dad!) According to my mom Anise seeds used to be sold by the local pharmacies this time of year but I am pretty sure Walgreen's was not going to be carrying them! Anyway, I finally found them at a local farmer's market after 3 sold out grocery stores and a Target. The amount of time spent on finding them today required me to make a recipe which called for Anise seeds.

Anise Toast was one of the recipes I chose for today. These are basically a lighter less "anisey" Biscotti. The other recipe I chose was a clipping from my Grandmom Rose's Recipe book for Sugar Butter Balls which are sort of like a walnut or almond balls and contain no Anise they just sounded delicious!

Anise Toast

2 eggs

1/2 c sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

lemon juice + rind

1 2/3 cups flour

1/2 c slivered almonds

1/4 lb butter

2 tsp baking powder

anise seeds

Beat eggs until thick and light

Beat in vanilla juice & rind