6-5-17 TROTTOLE WITH MIXED GREENS AND SAUSAGE

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With an ample supple of fresh mixed greens from Patience’s recent harvest still in the fridge tonight’s dinner will be a slight variation from 2 days ago.  The pasta will be different, and the beans are being replaced with Italian sweet sausage.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Pasta- Trottole (available at Krogers Park Ave.)

2.     Sausage cut in small pieces

3.     Olive oil

4.     Onion and garlic

5.     White wine

6.     Fresh mustard and collard greens

7.     Fresh basil, parsley, and oregano

8.     Red pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage in olive oil, remove and set aside.  Remove any left over fat from the skillet, add olive oil, and cook the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Add the coarsely chopped greens, the herbs, and the sausage and cook over low heat.  At some point add a splash of white wine.

When the past is done add to the skillet along with some of the pasta water, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

COMMENTS:

I can’t think of a better way to use fresh garden greens. This dish has all 3 of the major food groups – pasta, sausage, and plant food. Love it!

I almost forgot: my weight has been fluctuating between 163 and 165 for the past few months. Today it was 163.

MEXICAN MANICOTTI or ITALIAN ENCHILADA?

   

                           

My first thought was to try creating an Italian – Mexican fusion, combining some of popular flavors of each cuisine.  But Patience encouraged me to think carefully about what I wanted to do.  I wanted the main component to be Italian sausage, mushrooms, and onions sautéed together with garlic and basil, classic Italian spices and herbs.  This would be wrapped in a flour enchilada and baked in the oven with an enchilada sauce.  However after the sausage-mushroom enchiladas were prepared I decided to  replace the enchilada sauce with diced tomatoes with garlic and basil, creating my own version of a Mexican Manicotti, or an Italian Enchilada.

Whatever the name, it was delicious.

INGREDIENTS”

1.     Italian sweet sausage, casings removed

2.     White mushrooms, sliced

3.     Onion, chopped

4.     Olive oil

5.     Garlic and fresh basil

6.     Sweet Vermouth or dry red wine

7.     Diced tomatoes

8.     Flour tortilla

9.     Grana Padana cheese

PROCESS:

In olive oil over medium high heat cook the sausage, mushrooms, and onions, with the herbs and garlic, stirring frequently until the mushrooms begin to brown.  Add the wine and continue cooking until the wine is cooked off.

Mix the diced tomatoes with salt, pepper, basil, and olive oil.  Add ½ of the tomatoes to a 9x11 baking dish.  Fold the sausage mixture in the tortillas and place in the baking dish.  Cover with the remaining tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

COMMENTS:

Patience loved this, and that is all that matters.

A LEGAL LADIES LUNCH AT LA CUCINA

I think a routine has just been established.  Once a month Patience and three of co-workers from WRH&S arrive at La Cuccina Renzulli for a mid-day repast.  The first time they were here the ladies were smart enough to praise the meal and the cook with unabashed enthusiasm, and basking in their praise I would have said yes to twice weekly lunches.  Fortunately their request was a modest monthly lunch date.  As busy as I am, and I am a very busy man – busy, busy, busy – you would think this is a burden for me; it is not.  I quickly realized that here was an opportunity to enjoy pasta and sausage in the middle of the day, a pleasure shared by my guests.  I suppose I could serve something other than the food of the gods (at least my gods), and I probably will, but it won’t be easy.

Let my say that the fact that my wife’s coworkers are three lovely women has no bearing on any of this

For our first lunch we had the treat of all treats, Spaghetti with Sunday gravy made with sausage and Chicken.  This month we enjoyed Tortellini soup with white beans and sausage.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Cheese filled Tortellini

2.     Great Northern beans (Cannellini or other white beans can be used)

3.     Italian sausage cut into bite size piece

4.     Beef broth

5.     Olive oil

6.     Butter

7.     Onion and garlic chopped

8.     Celery and carrots chopped

9.     Dry Basil and Oregano

10. Tomato paste- about 2 tablespoons

11. Salt and pepper

12. Red pepper flakes - optional

13. Grana Padana Cheese

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage in oil, remove and set aside.  In a large pot heat the olive oil and butter and add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and red pepper flakes, and cook until soft., about 4-5 minutes.  Add the sausage and the tomato paste and mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the beans, the broth, and the seasoning.  Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  (Mine simmered for almost 2 hours.)

Bring the soup to a boil and add the tortellini, cooking as directed on the package.

Serve with grated cheese and fresh Ciabatta bread from Kirchhoff's.

COMMENTS:

Life sometimes makes tough demands on us.  Being the tiger that I am, I am willing to go that extra mile to meet those demands.

SUNDAY PASTA…or…what happened to moderation”

I was falling under the spell of Michael Pollan and his cohort of food writers who have, with an almost religious zeal, been exposing the sins of the processed food industry, and the darker sides of America’s agribusiness.  It is hard to dismiss their messages about the potential hazards of our un-informed eating habits, and the benefits of eating the healthy “plant based diet”, forgoing the convenient processed foods, and curtailing our unabated apatite for meats and sweets. 

Add to the mix elevated cholesterol numbers for Patience and I, and my dear, sweet Mediterranean diet never had a chance.  Like rats leaving a sinking ship I left it behind, determined to find the bliss, and self satisfaction, along with low cholesterol numbers, of ‘eating healthy”.  I would shop around the periphery of the grocery market looking for all things plant based and “organic”, and cast disapproving eyes at those unfortunate uninformed or disinterested shoppers going through the cases of prepared, frozen food, their shopping carts filled with all things processed.  I was prepared to commit my remaining years to beans, greens, nuts, fruits, grains, and berries, so I could die healthy.

Kale - Barley - mushrooms

                                                       Feeding the body 

Pasta?  Only if it is whole wheat.  Sausage?  Don’t even think about it.  Pork loin, steak, chicken, meatballs?  No Way!  For me it was going to be beans, and Kale, and grains, and Kale, and vegetables, and Kale, and fruit, and Kale, and….well, you get the picture.  I have eaten more Kale in the past 3 months than in the previous 73 years!   OK, I know, I am exaggerating, but not a real lot.  Substituted for Kale has been a lot of Broccoli Rabe, which, thanks to Midtown Market, is now readily available.

What was I doing?  Did I want to add 3 years to my life so I could eat even more Kale, nuts, and berries, 3 more years of missing sausage and Sunday pasta with its thick, meat-based sauce?  What happened to that old axiom, “everything in moderation”?  It occurred to me that the quality of life is as important as the quantity of life, and for me, certain foods are much more than a source of nutrients.  They are a part of my history, a link to my past and the people who shared it with me, They play an important role in defining who I am, and there simply is no way I can give them up.

Pasta with sausage and chicken

                                                          Feeding the soul

Like so many aspects of life, it is not a matter of either –or.  Common sense tells me that it is possible to enjoy the health benefits of one, and the spiritual benefits of the other.  Moderation…it trumps everything.

GOODBYE MY FRIEND

It is not without a little sadness that I inform you of the removal of my gallbladder.  This small, inconspicuous organ that has served me so well for 73 years has literally been pulled out of my abdomen, where it has been quietly tucked away beneath my liver.  Some gallbladders can become cantankerous, getting inflamed or infected, or accumulating stones that interfere with the proper functioning of other organs, in which case it is imperative that they be removed.

In my case, there were stones, but they were not causing any discernable symptoms   The GB was removed more as a precautionary measure, a small source of guilt on my part.  But the major source of my guilt comes from the fact that Billy’s GB has served him so well for all these years.  Let me explain.

The GB serves as a reservoir for the bile salts produced by the liver.  These salts are critical for the digestion of the fats that we eat, This unheralded organ recognizes the fats that reach the stomach and small intestine and releases some of its contents to do the job they are intended to do.  Because of the tireless performance of my GB I have been able to enjoy two of my favorite foodstuffs…Olive Oil and Sausage.  So you can understand some of sadness at the turn of these events, losing an organ that has served me so well for so long.

ONE YEAR OF PASTA...

has quietly come to an end with David and I sharing a dish of Penne with sausage, mushrooms, and whit e beans.  (Patience was working and would join us later.)



The Pasta Quest began May first, one year ago, and during that time I recorded 198 dishes, and estimate another 30 to 40 that were not logged in.  I also gained 5 pounds!

Although the project is officially over I will continue to post recipes when I have something new to share.  In the meantime I will begin to review the results of last year and try to organize everything into a form that could eventually become a book.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this year long project, especially the feedback from so many of you.

 Good food, good wine, and good friends...what more can one ask for.

3-18...POLENTA with SUNDAY GRAVY

I have to thank my cousin Joan for this dish which her mother-in-law introduced to her.  About a month ago I purchased some imported polenta from Italy and this is the perfect opportunity to try it.

INGREDIENTS:

Polenta

Parmigiano cheese, grated

“Sunday Gravy with sausage – see older posts for recipe

 PROCESS:

Prepare the Polenta per instructions on the box – usually one cup of cornmeal to 3 cups of water.  After incorporating some parmigiano cheese in the polenta I  placed it in a baking dish and topped it with the sauce and grated cheese.  I added some mozzarella for appearances, and baked it uncovered at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes.

COMMENTS:

I don’t know how objective I could be because of the sausage.  I believe I would give cardboard a 9 or 10 if served with sausage.  But…this was good,  A pleasing break from pasta but with the joy of Sunday gravy.

2-22...pasta with tomato sauce with sausage and arugula

Tonight I'll prepare a quick version of "Sunday gravy" using Italian sausage made by a local Chicago Italian market (thanks to Amy and Bob).   The process is the same one used for the Sunday gravy, only the cooking time is greatly reduced, resulting in a looser sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente pasta
Italian sausage
San Marzano peeled whole tomatoe
Augula
Olive oil
Garlic and onion
Dry basil and oregano
Red wine
Red pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage, remove, and deglaze the pan with the wine.  In olive oil with the red pepper flakes cook the garlic and onion until transparent, then add the tomatoes, spices, and sausage and cook under cover over low heat for at least 20-30 minutes (long enough to cook the sausage).



Just before the pasta is ready remove the sausage.  Place pasta in large serving bowl, add the sauce and the arugula, mix well, and serve.

COMMENTS:

The key to the success of this meal?   Forgetting the arugula!!  About half way through the dinner I remembered the arugula.  Fortunately it did not make any difference...this was scrumptious!

12-12…Risotto with mushrooms, asparagus, and sausage

It felt like a risotto kind of night…OK…so that’s pushing things a bit, but really, risotto seemed appropriate, and I had just the right stuff in the fridge to make it happen.

INGREDIENTS:

Risotto
Sausage with casing removed
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Olive oil
Garlic, onions
Dill, Oregano, and basil
Chicken brotParmigiano Reggiano cheese

PROCESS:

Cook the sausage, remove, and set aside. Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil, then add the mushrooms and asparagus and cook. Remove and add to the sausage and keep warm.

In a deep pot heat a small amount of olive oil and add the rice, stirring until turning a golden color…about 3 minutes. Then begin adding the broth, about ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until absorbed. Continue to do so until all of broth is used and the rice becomes soft and creamy. Mix in the cheese, and then the vegetables and serve.

COMMENTS:

This is a great dish…simple, but a bit time consuming with all the stirring, so a glass of wine by the stove helps considerably.

12-11…PASTA WITH TURNIP GREENS AND SAUSAGE

I know…it’s Sunday, and I should be making Sunday gravy, but the Turnip greens looked so good at the supermarket yesterday, and being in a veggie/produce mood…I really had no choice.



INGREDIENTS:

Fettucini
Turnip greens, coarsely chopped
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Sausage, casing removed


PROCESS:

Brown the sausage, remove and set aside. Discard any excess fat, and sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil. Blanch the greens in boiling water for about 4-5 minutes, drain, and add to the pan along with the sausage and cook for 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime cook the pasta in the same water used for the greens.

COMMENTS:

Comfort food…not the typical Sunday pasta, but just as good.

11-15…PASTA AGLIO OLIO CRUDO PLUS…

The premise for tonight’s dinner is simple. In the center of the table is a large bowl of Pasta Aglio Olio crudo, surrounded by a selection of sauces, a.k.a.,toppings: sausage with sundried tomatoes, tomato, celery, mozzarella salad, and Shrimp and bay scallops in a butter-lemon sauce.



Guests are encouraged to begin with a small serving of the Aglio Olio as is, too experience the delightful flavor of this simple dish. Then they help themselves to more pasta so they can try the various toppings of their choice.

SAUSAGE

INGREDIENTS”

Olive oil
Garlic, chopped
Sausage with casing removed
Sundried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped
Sweet vermouth
PROCESS:

Sauté the garlic in olive oil then add the sausage and sundried tomatoes. Several minutes later add the sweet vermouth. Cook until the sausage is done and drain off excess oil.

TOMATO SALAD

(Prepare in advance and allow to sit at room temp. for about an hour.)

INGREDIENTS:

Grape tomatoes, halved and/or quartered
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Celery
Onion and garlic, finely chopped
Basil, oregano
Mozzarella, diced

PROCESS:

Place the vegetables and cheese in a bowl; add the oil and vinegar, the herbs, and a splash of water.

SHRIMP AND BAY SCALLOPS

INGREDIENTS:

Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bay Scallops
Olive oil
Garlic and shallots
Butter
Lemon zest
Bay seasoning
Fresh dill
Cucumber, peeled and diced

PROCESS:

Sauté the garlic and shallots in olive oil. Add the butter, shrimp, and scallops, along with the dill seasoning, and lemon zest. Cook for several minutes then add the white wine and simmer. Place everything in the serving bowl; mix in the cucumber and serve.

And…as an unexpected bonus…thanks to Christy at Gallery 600…Broccoli Rabe. Sauted in olive oil with garlic, this was the 4th “topping” of the evening.

COMMENTS:

Our friends from Nashville, Elliott and Tom drove up to pick up their puppy and share our dinner.



All I can say was…this was a huge success. It was a fun way to enjoy a meal. As always, the key ingredients are…good food, good wine, and good friends.

11-3…SAUSAGE INTERUPTUS

There are a few absolute “must haves” in my kitchen, and sausage is one of them. (The others are olive oil, garlic, and lemons. Pasta of course is a given.) I like to say that I would enjoy cardboard if it was served with good Italian sausage. I like to say that….but really have no interest in testing it.

I’ve eaten sausage all of my life…homemade, imported, and whatever…and am pleased to say that the Johnsonville brand carried by our local Kroger supermarket is as good as any of them, and I keep several packages in our freezer at all times. With Patience still out of town I will use sausage to prepare another very simple but elegant pasta dish.

HOLD EVERYTHING…my neighbor and good friend Keyth (fellow foodie) just called to say he was coming over with some grilled pork chops, baked potato, and green beans. His wife is not feeling well and he has all this food prepared.

So, the flame under the pasta water is turned off and the sausage goes in the fridge to wait for tomorrow night’s dinner.

LATER…The food was delicious, as expected, and Keyth and I, with the help of a little wine, solved all our emotional, marital, and creative problems. We also discussed the myriad of local eating places we have yet to visit and pledged to do our best to visit every one of them.

Oh the delights of living in Lowertown.



Keyth...artist, cook, neighbor, and friend

10-16…Sunday homemade pasta

The house has been wonderfully quiet and still this morning. P is working, the dogs resting or lounging about the house and yard, no radio or iPad playing, and not street noise. I will open the gallery later, but until then I’ve enjoyed the solitude, thinking about any number of things, including today’s pasta.

Since it’s Sunday the choice is simple; I’ll go with the Italian-American classic…pasta with a rich, meat based gravy, of which there are countless variations. To make it special, I’ll make my own pasta today using my mother’s old chitarra.

For the dough I used a recipe I haven’t used before…1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of Semolina flour, plus 2 large eggs and 1 yolk. The addition of the semolina flour produces a sturdy dough that is good for long pastas. I used the machine to roll the dough into two thicknesses, #4 and #5 and found that the thicker dough was easier to work on the chitarra. Of course I could have avoided some of the frustrations by using the machine to cut the pasta…but it had to be the chitarra!


The chitarra is a two sided instrument with a center panel that slides out to remove the pasta.
On one side the wires are separated by linquine thickness, and on the other side, spaghetti thickness. Tonite I wanted to make spaghetti, although with the chitarra they are square and not round.

The sheet of dough is placed on the strings and pressed down with a rolling pin, falling onto the removable panel where they are recovered and hung out to dry.


The sauce is sausage based and uses imported San Marzano peeled, whole tomatoes. For the recipe see my post on May 8th and simply substitute sausage for the chicken.

COMMENTS:

The addition of the semolina flour was very evident after the first bite. P thought it was a bit too heavy, but I enjoyed the nuttier texture. Of course with this gravy I would probably enjoy cardboard. There is another option…simply use less semolina. Something for another dinner.

Was it worth all the effort? Absolutely!!

10-9…Ravioli in “Sunday gravy”

I decided to use the homemade ravioli in the freezer so I I’ll have a reason to make another batch soon. I enjoy making the pasta and the challenge of coming up with a creative filling. Since it’s Sunday we’ll have them in sausage based gravy.



INGREDIENTS:

Loose Italian sausage
Olive Oil
Garlic and onion
Fresh Basil and Oregano coarsely chopped
Red pepper flakes
Anchovy paste
Red wine
San Marzano tomatoes

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage, remove, and deglaze the pan with red wine, saving the scraps and juice with the sausage. In olive oil cook the garlic and onions with the anchovy paste and red pepper flakes. Then add the tomatoes and herbs and simmer for 5-10 minutes before adding the sausage. Continue to simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, adding some red wine about half way through. For a thicker sauce let it simmer longer.

COMMENTS:

One word….. WOW!

9-24…Fettuccini with sausage-tomato sauce

I ran out of steam after dinner and decided the TV had more appeal than my computer, so this post was put off until this morning.

After a night off for some Buzzard Brother’s BBQ it’s back to the pasta. I’m still working on cleaning out a backlog of refrigerator “stuff”, so tonight I’ll be using the half a package of loose sausage, the unused San Marzano tomatoes, and about a quarter cup of left over creamy tomato sauce.



INGREDIENTS:

San Marzano tomatoes
Italian sausage
Olive oil
Garlic and onion
Fresh basil and oregano, chopped.

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage in a bit of olive oil, remove, and set aside. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft, then add the tomatoes, herbs, and sausage and cook for about 30—45 minutes. I mixed in the leftover creamy tomato sauce about 5 minutes before the pasta was finished cooking.

COMMENTS:

The only thing special about this dish was the taste; I’ve never been disappointed with sausage and good tomatoes. There was also the satisfaction of using every last bit of the creamy tomato sauce I made earlier in the week for the ravioli.

SUNDAY GRAVY…9-4

After several days away from the stove I can’t think of a better way to start a new month than with Sunday Gravy on a gray Sunday day.

Using two different meats, chicken thighs and sausage, I plan on making enough for several meals. What I don’t use tonight will be frozen for use on some lazy day in the future.


I know I’ve posted this before, but to save you the time of tracking it down I’ll go through the process again.

THE SAUCE/GRAVY

I have one package of Italian sausage with the links cut into 2-3 inch pieces, and 4 chicken thighs with the skin removed but with bone in place. The meat is browned in olive oil and removed, and the pan deglazed and scrapped with red wine. The results are saved with the meat.


More olive is added and the garlic and onion cooked until soft. For my Sunday gravy I like to use imported San Marzano tomatoes which I buy on line; they are more expensive but worth the extra money. Today I’m using two 28 oz. cans, which I add to the pot, cover, and let simmer for about 10 minutes before returning the meat to the pot. Keep the lid on and simmer over low flame for 1-2 hours. Remove the lid if you want to make the sauce thicker. It won’t take long for your kitchen to be filled with most heavenly fragrance.


Since I was having company tonight I decided to serve rigatoni…I like this pasta with the thick sauce, P doesn’t care for it and she is out of town, and it is easier than spaghetti for non-pasta eaters to handle.

COMMENTS:

I found myself in a funky mood this weekend…hot weather, wife out of town, and just a general “life sucks” mood. I knew I had to do something to get out from under this dark cloud, and the solution was obvious…SUNDAY GRAVY. As soon as the garlic hit the olive oil I knew this would be a better day. And it was. Pasta never lets you down!


Kitchen art by my dear artist friend, Keyth Kahrs.

LINGUINE WITH SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI 8-19

With Patience away for the weekend I invited my “cousin from New Jersey” (his wife is also out of town) to join me for dinner.

I refused to cook anything that resembled zucchini or summer squash…and decided on broccoli with a touch of sausage.



INGREDIENTS:

Linguine
Broccoli
Sausage…removed from the casing
Olive Oil
Lemon
Garlic

PROCESS:

Cook the sausage and remove from pan. Add the olive oil and cook the garlic until soft.. Bring the pasta water to a boil and cook the broccoli for about 4 minutes. Drain the broccoli and add to the pan with the oil and garlic. Return the sausage to the pan and simmer under low heat. Add lemon juice to the pan.



Cook the past in the broccoli water, add to the pan and mix well.

COMMENTS:

I committed a cardinal sin tonight…forgetting to salt the pasta water. As a result I felt the dish was less than superb and give it a 71/2 or 8.



But, the company more than made up for the culinary shortcoming of the cook.

SAUSAGE-ZUCCHINI-EGGPLANT & TOMATOES 8-4

If last night’s dinner bordered on elegance, tonight’s borders on utilitarianism. It is late in the day, and my plan, as it usually is, is to use what is in the fridge and freezer for tonight’s dinner, and to no one’s surprise….there was zucchini! But the culinary Gods are smiling on me because I also found some loose sausage that needed cooking. Add to that the eggplant I picked up 2 days ago, toss in some tomatoes, a little wine, and lots of love, and we have a meal!

And...we got to share this with our neighbor!



INGREDIENTS:

Spagehetti
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes…San Marzano, imported
Zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced thinly
Eggplant, sliced and diced
Italian sausage
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Fresh mint, parsley, and tarragon, chopped
White wine

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage and remove from pan. After removing the fat, add olive oil and cook the garlic and onions until soft. Then add the eggplant and zucchini, plus about ¼ cup of white wine, and cook for about 10 minutes with half of the herbs. Then add the sausage and tomatoes to the pan and cook for at least 30 minutes, adding the remaining herbs.

Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce in a serving bowl.

COMMENTS:

Good – good – good! Nuf said!

SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI, MUSHROOMS 7-30

Because of a temporary loss of internet service I'm posting last night's dinner this AM.

End of the week refrigerator check reveals a half a package of loose Italian sausage, mushrooms, and as always, an abundance of zucchini, and so tonight’s dinner quickly became obvious. I abandoned the idea of a pasta salad with chicken and asparagus…saving that for another night.



INGREDIENTS:

Italian sausage with casing removed
White mushrooms, sliced
Zucchini cut in half lengthwise then slice thinly
Garlic, onion
Fresh basil and oregano
Olive oil
Lemon Juice
White wine


PROCESS:

Cook the sausage, remove from pan and set aside. In olive oil cook the garlic and onions until soft, then add the mushrooms, zucchini and fresh herbs, and cook over medium-low heat. After 3-4 minutes add the juice of half a lemon. When the veggies and cooked add the sausage and a splash of white wine, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Place the cooked linguini in a serving bowl and mix in the sauce.

COMMENTS:

I have a confession to make...I would like cardboard if it were served to me with sausage!

PASTA ALLA PEDRO 7-10

Tonight I cooked for my friend Harvey, a.k.a. Pedro. Although it is Sunday it was too hot to have a pot of gravy simmering on the stove for 2-3 hours, so the next best option was a cool summer pasta, and I found all that I needed in the fridge to make it happen.

INGREDIENTS:

Shell pasta
Grape tomatoes, cut into halves and quarters
Celery
Fresh basil and Oregano coarsely chopped
Mozzarella
Garlic and onion
Sausage bits
Cucumber, peeled and diced
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Parmesan cheese

PROCESS:

Prepare all the ingredients and place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice mix well, and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.



When the pasta is done place in serving dish and mix in the “sauce”. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

COMMENTS:

We all agreed that this was something special. It was light, flavorful, and a perfect dish for a warm summer evening. A glass of cool Pino Grigio made it even better.

But…best of all…was the company of my lovely wife and my dear friend.