From: germaine@cs.columbia.edu (Germaine L'Eveque)
Subject: Re: HELP Italian Food
Organization: Columbia University Department of Computer Science
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 00:55:23 GMT

In article <1992Nov3.085321.1@dac.mdcbbs.com> asr_2@dac.mdcbbs.com writes:
>
>   I promised my new In Laws that I would cook Italian food for them
>

Here's a menu I'll make when I want something other than the "usual"
Italian recipes: polenta with mushrooms*, Italian green beans*, a tomato
salad of some sort, and a nut cake* (recipes follow for *'d items).   You
could add more meat or something other than ham to the polenta if you
wanted, which I sometimes do if I'm serving a lot of people.

NAME: POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS                                    

TYPE: MAIN; ITALIAN;
YIELD: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS 6 cups boiling water
            2 cups corn meal
            8 tbls butter
            4 oz mozzarella, shredded
            salt, pepper to taste
            MUSHROOM SAUCE:
            1 lb mushrooms, sliced
            2 tbls olive oil
            1/2 lb ham, cubed
            1/4 lb bulk sausage
            1 carrot, diced
            1 onion, chopped
            1/3 cup tomato sauce
            TOPPING:
            4 tbls butter
            grated parmesan cheese
PROCEDURE: 

POLENTA:     Slowly add corn meal to boiling water, whisking
constantly.  Lower heat as mush starts to thicken.  Simmer 15-20 minutes,
stirring frequently.  Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix
in 8 tbls butter, stirring until melted.  Add mozzarella, stirring until
melted.  Spray cookie sheet with Pam, spread polenta evenly on cookie sheet
and cool 1/2 to 1 hour.

SAUCE:       Saute mushrooms in olive oil until they release liquid and
liquid thickens; add diced ham, sausage, carrot and onion.  Saute all appro
10 min.  Add tomato sauce and continue simmering for another 10 min.

ASSEMBLY:     Cut polenta in rounds with 3" cookie/biscuit cutter.  Butter
x 12 casserole.  Place half polenta rounds on bottom of casserole.  Cover
with half the sauce, filling in spaces.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Repeat for second layer.  Dot with 4 tbls butter.  Bake at 350* for 10-15
min.


NAME: ITALIAN GREEN BEANS                                       

TYPE: SIDE; ITALIAN;
YIELD: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS 2 lbs whole green beans

                 SAUCE:
                 2 cloves crushed garlic
                 2 tbls olive oil
                 4 cups pureed tomatoes
                 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
                 Oregano, salt, pepper to taste
                 2 cups boiling water


PROCEDURE: Blanch green beans for 20 min. until cooked, but still crisp.

Cook garlic in olive oil, but do not brown.  Add tomatoes, parsley, oregano
salt and pepper.  Stir well.  Add boiling water and simmer 20 min., stirrin
occasionally.

Pour sauce over beans and toss.


NAME: NUT CAKE                                                  

TYPE: DESSERT; NO FLOUR; NUTS;
YIELD: 1 9" layer

INGREDIENTS 4 eggs, separated
            1 cup sugar
            3/4 lb nuts, ground (use walnuts, pecans, etc. or any
            combination)
            1/2 cup slivered almonds
            powdered sugar


PROCEDURE: Separate eggs.  Beat yolks with sugar until well mixed.  In
separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold whites into
yolk/sugar mixture.  Grind nuts to powder.  Fold into wet mixture.  Pour
into buttered/floured 9" layer pan.  Sprinkle with slivered almonds.  Bake
at 375* for 1 hour.  Cool slightly and remove from pan.  Sprinkle with
powdered sugar.

-- 
| Germaine A. L'Eveque                      germaine@cs.columbia.edu |
|  Phone:  (212) 939-7003 or (212) 854-8112     FAX: (212) 666-0140  |
|    Academic Records Administrator, Computer Science Department     |
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