Main Courses.
Here I go first. Strawberry Risotto 2 tablespoons minced onion (or shallot) 3 tablespoons julienned celery 1/2 cup (50 g) unsalted butter 2 cups (400 g) rice (preferably Carnaroli, otherwise Arborio) 1 cup (250 ml) good dry sparkling wine (it need not be Methode Champenoise) Simmering broth, ideally vegetable, though chicken will do 3/4 pound (350 g) firm strawberries, hulled and finely sliced 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat, leaving broth at a gentle simmer. Heat the butter in a heavy 4-quart casserole over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute for1 to 2 minutes, until it is translucent, being careful not to brown it. Add the strawberries andcontinue cooking until they begin to lose their red color and give up their juices. Add theMarsala and cook until the liquid in the pot is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add the rice to the strawberry mixture; using a wooden spoon, stir for 1 minute, makingsure all the grains are well coated. Begin to add the simmering broth, 1/2 cup at a time,stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbedbefore adding the next 1/2 cup. Reserve about 1/4 cup to add at the end. After approximately 18 minutes (from the first addition of broth), taste to see if the rice is aldente (tender but still firm to the bite). If it seems too hard, add 1/4 cup more broth andcontinue cooking for another minute or two. Remove pan from the heat. Add the reserved broth, butter and Parmesan, stirring vigorously to combine with the rice.Cover and let the risotto "rest" a few minutes to absorb the flavors before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Frances, I've never heard of Strawberry Risotto. That sounds good for a light spring or summer meal. Now that strawberries are ripe, I may try it on my day off. My recipe is for Amish Chicken and Noodles, a comfort food I ate growing up. If your store doesn't carry Amish Egg Noodles, they can be ordered on-line. I usually pick up broasted chicken from the store, but use canned when time is limited. I love this comfort food so much I have a hard time putting it down and always want seconds, so in my attempt to make a Ioan connection I'm re-naming it. "STYLES, PUT THE CHICKEN AND NOODLES BACK" SOUP 1 - 16 ounce can of chicken or boneless pre-cooked chicken. 2 - 16 ounce cans of chicken broth 32 ounces of water 1/4 pound of wide Amish Egg Noodles (Das Dutchman Essenhaus) Mashed Potatoes - Instant or cooked the way you like them. Leeks - optional Baby Carrots -optional Celery - optional Prepare the Mashed Potatoes ahead of time or as you are cooking whichever you prefer. They should be hot when served. For Chicken and Noodles: Put broth and water into a pot and bring to a boil. If you choose to use vegetables, chop them up finely. Add noodles and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and add your vegetables. Add the chicken after about ten minutes. Simmer for 25 - 40 minutes total until the Noodles are soft. Put scoop of Mashed Potatoes in each bowl and then ladle a scoop of Chicken and Noodles over it. This dish can also be served family style with Mashed Potatoes in one serving bowl and Chicken and Noodles in another. Each person can dish up individually.

GG, that sounds so good for a cold winter day!!!

Erbazzone (Chards Pie) Dough 9 oz. white flour 3 tbs. olive oil 1 oz. lard salt Stuffing 2 lbs. chard leaves 2 eggs 2 oz. lard or pancetta 2 tbs. olive oil 1 oz. parsley 6 tbs. Parmigiano 1 small onion 1 clove garlic pepper salt Clean, wash and drain the chard well and dry thoroughly. Knead the flour with the lard, the oil and warm water to obtain a rather stiff dough. Knead for about 10 mins, wrap in a sheet of wax paper and keep in a cool place for about one hour. Make a battuto with lard, parsley, garlic, and onion. Chop the chard very finely. Lightly sauté the battuto with 2 tbs. Oil. When the lard has melted add the chard and cock for about 5 mins. Put in a bowl and let cool. Add the eggs and, if necessary, a pinch of salt and pepper. Lightly coat a spring form pan with high sides (12-in. in diameter) with olive oil. Split the dough in two balls, one twice the size as the other. Roll out the bigger batch with a rolling pin and make a disk large enough to line a 12-in. baking pan (bottom and sides). Arrange the chard in layers, sprinkling each layer with grated cheese. Roll out the remaining batch of dough, making a disk larger than the diameter of the baking pan. Roll this disk around the rolling pin and unroll over the chard. Since the top disk is larger than the baking pan, it will have a bumpy surface. Pinch the edges of the two disks of dough together; drizzle with a little olive oil and bake at about 400ºF for 40 mins.

You are definitely a real cook, Frances. This sounds similar to a Spinach pie I used to buy at a pizza eatery, but never knew how to make. That sounds doable.

As a matter of fact, you can replace chards with spinach in that recipe, and the pie is also very good.

Pumpkin Tortelli Filling 800 g/28.2 oz butternut squash 100 g/3.5 oz amaretti biscuits (optional) 1 egg 80 g/2.8 oz grated Parmesan cheese salt grated nutmeg. If the filling is too soft, add some dry, oven roasted breadcrumbs. pasta dough (makes 600 g/21 oz) 400 g/14 oz flour ½ tsp salt 4 eggs 1 tbsp olive oil To make pasta dough, mix the flour and salt together and tip on to a work surface or board. Make a well in the centre. Mix together the eggs and oil and pour two-thirds into the well, reserving the rest. Starting from the outside, work the flour into the liquid until a dough forms. The dough is conditioned by its environment, so depending on the warmth of your kitchen and hands, you may need to add the remaining egg mixture if the dough doesn’t come together. Knead until it is smooth, firm and elastic (this will take 5-10 minutes). Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour before using. The dough will keep for up to 24 hours in the fridge if wrapped tightly first in cling film and then in foil. To make the filling, remove the seeds from the pumpkin, slice it and roast the slices in the oven until soft. Remove the skin and pass the pulp through a sieve. Mix the pumpkin, egg, Parmesab cheese and the crushed amaretti biscuits (these contrast the sweetness of the pumpkin, but are not included in the traditional recipe). Add salt and nutmeg to taste. Roll out the dough. Put 1 heaped teaspoon of filling at 1 inch intervals along each strip of pasta. Fold over the long side of pasta nearest to you. Cup your hand and carefully press down around each mound to get all the air out. Using a serrated pastry wheel, cut out individual tortelli about 1 inch square. Cook the tortelli in a large pan of salted, boiling water for 10 minutes. Serve with melted butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Green Tortelli Filling 1 - 1.5 kg/35-52 z greens (chard with some spinach, if you like) 400 g/14 oz ricotta 1 - 2 eggs 150 g/5 oz butter 100 - 150 g/3.5 - 5 oz - grated Parmesan cheese (you can even use part mature pecorino - part parmesan) nutmeg salt pepper. Pasta dough (makes 600 g/21 oz) 400 g/14 oz flour ½ tsp salt 4 eggs 1 tbsp olive oil To make pasta dough, mix the flour and salt together and tip on to a work surface or board. Make a well in the centre. Mix together the eggs and oil and pour two-thirds into the well, reserving the rest. Starting from the outside, work the flour into the liquid until a dough forms. To make the filling, squeeze the boiled greens to eliminate most of the water and then chop finely on a chopping board. Mix the ricotta and the greens together, add Parmsan cheese, butter, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and compact; add some breadcrumbs, if necessary. Some people fry some pork fat, oil, parsley and garlic together to enhance the flavour of the greens and dry them out. Roll out the dough. Put 1 heaped teaspoon of filling at 1 inch intervals along each strip of pasta. Fold over the long side of pasta nearest to you. Cup your hand and carefully press down around each mound to get all the air out. Using a serrated pastry wheel, cut out individual tortelli about 1 inch square. Cook the tortelli in a large pan of salted, boiling water for 10 minutes. Green tortelli usually served with sage and butter sauce.

I really like Butternut Squash so that first one sounds very good. My sister is a vegetarian, so I may be sharing some of these recipes with her. She really likes something new to try.

Frances, I tried your Strawberry Risotto recipe this evening and it was a hit. I shared some with my parentsl, my sister and her husband and everyone liked it very much. I let them know it was a legitimate Italian recipe. Thanks a lot.

Quiche Lorraine 6 eggs 7 ounces (200 g) chopped Bacon 4-5 ounces (125 g) grated Gruyere Cheese 2 cups (500ml) soured cream (Crème Fraiche) 2 cups (500ml) Yoghurt (Fromage Blanc) Shortcrust Pastry (Pate Brisée) Salt and Pepper. Put the pastry in a greased oven-proof dish, covering the bottom and sides of the dish. Sprinkle the chopped bacon and then the grated cheese onto the pastry bottom. If you don’t have Gruyere cheese, you can use cheddar or other cheese. Mix together the eggs, crème, fromage blanc, pepper and salt. Pour into the oven dish. Put into preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes at 180ºC (350ºF) or until filling is firm and golden. Quiche Lorraine can be served hot or cold. Serves 4 people.

I love quiche, so this is another I will have to try.

Potato Dumplings with Sage Butter Sauce Ingredients 12 ounce/340 g potato dumplings 1/4 cup butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried sage 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Directions Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potato dumplings, and cook until they float to the surface (that is about 2 or 3 minutes); drain. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic has softened and is beginning to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sage and salt for a few seconds, then add the cooked gnocchi. Toss gently with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and the pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese to serve.

Lasagna Ingredients 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows Salt and white pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 1 pound lean ground beef Salt and pepper 1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese 3 eggs 1 pound lasagna noodles 3 cups shredded mozzarella 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bechamel Sauce 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for the lasagna 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups whole milk at room temperature 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows Salt and white pepper. Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bechamel sauce: In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely. In a saute pan, heat olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Add tomato sauce. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.Set aside and allow to cool completely. In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook lasagna noodles. Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes. Simple Tomato Sauce: 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 32-ounce crushed tomatoes 2 dried bay leaves 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

And for the vegetarians Vegetarian Lasagna Ingredients 1 pound lasagna noodles 6 cups marinara sauce 24 ounces ricotta cheese 32 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup chopped herbs (basil, oregano, or thyme) 2 eggplants , cut into circular slices 1/4–1/8-inch thick 6 to 8 zucchini , cut lengthwise into slices 1/4–1/8-inch thick 5 to 6 portobello mushrooms , thinly sliced 2 red onions , thinly sliced 4 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic 3/4 cup chopped onions 28 ounces diced tomatoes 1/3 cup chopped basil Directions: Sauté or oven-roast the vegetables until they are cooked through. Set aside. To make the marinara sauce, begin by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and stir until golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in the basil and add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bottom of a 16" x 12" pan (a disposable pan is best), place a layer of dry noodles. On top of that, add about 1/3 of the marinara sauce, about 1/2 of the cottage cheese, and about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle herbs over the top, and add a layer of vegetables. Repeat the process. Finish with a layer of noodles, then top with tomato sauce and a thick layer of mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, then wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a knife pokes easily through the lasagna. Remove the plastic and foil and bake at 450° for 10 minutes, or until the top is browned. Remove lasagna from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or other fresh herbs. (You can double the recipe to make 2 lasagnas and freeze an uncooked one. Bake the frozen lasagna for 50 minutes instead of 35.)