Italian meat loaf

 

• 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 pounds minced beef mix (or use 1½ pounds 85% lean ground beef plus ½ pound ground pork)
• ⅔ cup  bread crumbs
• ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• ¾ cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving
  
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• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the vegetables are minced. (Alternatively, you can mince all of the vegetables by hand.)
  
  In a bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, whisk the eggs with the basil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the minced vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown. Let cool until just warm.
• Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, and cooked vegetables to the egg mixture and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
• Form the meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf shape directly on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the marinara sauce evenly over top, letting it drip a bit down the sides.
• Bake for 65 for 70 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes inside the oven. Add mozzarella and oregano on top while is resting. Scrape any fat away from the edges of the meatloaf , then use a wide spatula to transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board or serving platter. Slice and serve with more marinara sauce on the side, if desired.
  
  Serve with fresh basil as a decoration.
  
  
  
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Mac and cheese with pumpkin, bacon and walnuts

1 pound of pasta (macaroni, shells, or any short pasta)
4 tbsp of butter
1/4 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1 cup of heavy cream
Nutmeg
Black pepper
2 cups of cooked and mashed butternut squash
8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices of cooked and crispy bacon
1/4 cup of walnuts
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary or sage
Extra cheese to grate (optional)
Four amaretti cookies (optional)

1.To create the roux, melt the butter and cook the flour until it turns a light yellowish color and smells nutty.

2. Combine the warm milk and stir until it thickens, then add the cream, squash, cheddar, black pepper, and herbs. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed.

3. Boil the pasta and combine it with the sauce in a large baking dish.

4. In a frying pan, sauté the garlic with walnuts and bread crumbs in olive oil or butter.

5. Spread this mixture on top of the pasta and bake it for about 40 minutes.

Chicken with pancetta and Capers served with Prosecco sauce

1/2 Cup Smoked Pancetta, Chopped

1 Pound Chicken Breast Fillets

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

1 cup prosecco + 1 tbsp flour

3 Tablespoons Butter, Softened but Not Melted

1/2 Cup Capers

2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 - Cook pancetta and capers in a skillet until brown. Then remove it.

2 - Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3 - Using the same frying pan cook the chicken

breasts. Cook on high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Combine the capers and pancetta.

4 - Add prosecco with the flour. Scrape the

bottom of the pan to create a nice gravy.

5 - Remove from heat, add softened butter (Optional) to create a creamy sauce. Top with chopped parsley.

InVINtions Carnival party menu

 

Feijoada

Brazilian rice

Farofa

Sagu

Wine pearls tapioca balls (Brazilian Sagu)

Ingredients
• 150 g tapioca pearls
• 700 – 900 ml water
• 300 ml red wine
• 150 g sugar, approximately
• 3 dried cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 15 pitted dried prunes, optional

Preparation method
1. In a thick bottomed saucepan bring the water to the boil with the “sagu”, the cinnamon and cloves. Reduce the heat and cook over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all pearls become clear, almost transparent. Add more water, if necessary.

2. Add the wine, the sugar and cook until all the pearls are clear, almost trasparent. If you like, add prunes cut into small pieces. It takes about 15 minutes. Once cooled, it hardens a bit.

3. Discard the cinnamon and cloves.

4. Pour into a serving bowl or on individual dessert bowls and serve cold. You can serve “sagu” with pastry cream, English cream or eggnog.

5. Store in fridge.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings.

Cooking Classes in Pismo Beach, California

We are very happy to announce that we will be on the beautiful town of Pismo Beach in California. On our stay we will be organizing two classes.

Dates 
March 9th 2023 starting at 6pm
- Grissini with Parmigiano, garlic and oregano
- Ravioli stuffed with pears, served with Parma ham on a prosecco and walnuts sauce
- Risotto with Saffron served with a Slow cooked beef stew with wine 
- Tiramisu
Price per person USD100


March 10th 2023 starting at 6pm
- Focaccia with Rosemary
- Gnocchi stuffed with mozzarella served with authentic Bolognese sauce
- Chicken wrapped in prosciutto stuffed with pears served with prosecco and porcini mushrooms sauce
- Ricotta cake with figs and almonds
Price per person USD100

Payment in cash, Paypal or bank transfer. Unfortunately we do not accept Venmo.

Easy Four Cheese Sauce

-2 cups of whole milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-2 tbsp butter
-4 tbsp flour
-2 cups of four cheese mix (grated)
- teaspoon of nutmeg
- teaspoon of white pepper
- Salt to taste

1. Combine all ingredients on a big jar with a lid exept the four cheeses.
2. Close the lid and shake like you are making a cocktail. More you shake the better.
3. Pour all the mix on a pan on medium heat and cook for until the sauce gets thick.
4. Combine the cheese and serve it.

Seven deadly sins dinner party for Invintions

1. Greed (Pesto genovese served with bread)

2. Sloth (Polenta with four cheeses sauce and spinach)

3. Lust (Puttanesca)

4. Pride (Bolognese sauce with Gnocchi stuffed with cheese)

5. Wrath (Sausage ragu + Polenta)

6. Gluttony (Amatriciana + Pasta)

7. Envy (Pannacotta)

Limone Sauce

• 40 g (2 1/2 tablespoons) of butter
• 1 lemon, large size
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt
  

1. Wash the lemon and then grate the zest, avoiding the bitter white part. Squeeze out the juice and set aside.

2.  Place the butter, oil and grated lemon zest in a large non-stick pan. Remember to save some of the zest to add at the end.

3. Melt the butter and sauté it. Stir well with a wooden spoon and add the lemon juice. Finally add the garlic clove. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in 1.5 liters (7 cups) of water with 1/2 tablespoon coarse salt.

Take a look at the cooking time of the spaghetti on their package. Halfway through cooking, drain spaghetti and place in skillet with lemon sauce.

Spaghetti should be very much al dente, practically still raw, and finish cooking in the pan with the sauce.

5.  Add a ladleful of the starch-rich cooking water. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan, stirring well. If necessary, add a little more water.

Serve hot with more lemon zest and a little chopped parsley on top

Quick and easy truffle sauce

Serves six

- 90g/3.2oz black truffle paste or three or four black truffles
- 1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated or 1 cup taleggio cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream or mascarpone
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste

1. On medium heat combine wine with truffle paste and let it cook for three minutes.
2. Add cream and let cook for another three minutes.
3. Combine cheese, salt and pepper and mix vigourosly.
4. Toss pasta and stir it very well. You might need to combine some pasta water in order to make the sauce a bit thiner.
5. Serve with shaved truffles on the top of each plate.

Antique spicy sausage ragu with red wine and Cognac

Ingredients for six servings:

- 4 Italian Spicy sausages (out of casing)
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato paste or 2 cups of passata
- 1 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup cognac 
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Mascarpone or heavy cream (Optional)
- Crush red pepper flakes (Optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon (Optional)
- Fresh parsley 

1. On a big heavy bottom pan, cook the garlic, cinnamon, pepper flakes and sausages on olive oil.
2. Using a wood spoon break the sausages in smal pieces.
3. Combine Cognac and light the pan on fire! Watch your eyebrows, facial hair and anything flammable!
4. When fire is off, combine red wine and cook until all eevaporates.
5. Add the tomato paste and two cups of water and let it cook on low heat until it reduces in half.
6. If adding cream or mascarpone, combine it and turn of heat.
7. Serve with pasta or polenta with fresh parsley on top.

Soups

 

Lentils and chestnuts soup

Avgolemono (Greek lemon and chicken soup)

Carrot and Ginger soup

Pasta e Fagioli

Harira (Moroccan Soup)

White beans, chicken and sausages soup

Thai soup

French Onion Soup

Coconut, cashew and lime soup

Tunisian fish soup

Vodka Sauce with Smoked ham

 

Ingredients

17 Oz (500g) Pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium shallots (or one onion), diced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup vodka
2/3 cup Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup warm water
2/3 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped smoked ham
Fresh parsley (Optional)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
• In a large saute pan, add the olive oil and diced shallots. 
• Saute for 3-4 minutes, then combine ham and cook for another 5 minutes,
• Pour in the vodka in and light on fire, 
• Add in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to bring out the flavors.
• Combine the greek yogurt,
• Add in the parmesan, red pepper flakes, and salt.
• Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Leave as is or blend until completely smooth, adding more water if necessary.
• Stir in the cooked pasta. 
• Remove from heat and garnish with fresh basil, parmigiano, and red pepper flakes