STUFFED PORCINI MUSHROOMS

This is a delicious starter which can be served with chicken or as a main dish. Its cruchy on the outside and savory and soft within, something I really love to do... adding extreme consistency and flovors in the same dish. I personally prefer porcini mushrooms as the flovor is so special but they can be substituted with white mushrooms as well.

YOU'LL NEED:

- 15-20 large porcini (or white) mushrooms, caps and stems are to be removed but put aside for this dish.
- 6 T spoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T spoons of Marsala
- 3/4 to 1 lb (500-800 gr) Sausage (Italian spicey) and remove casing (skin)
- 5 scallions chopped well
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 3 T spoonns parsley (minced)
- 1 small fist of pestoed (crushed) walnut
- 1/2 T black pepper
- 1 cup bread crumbs (I make them myself with wholewheat bread, parsely, salt, pepper, oregano)
- 4 oz marscapone
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano

TO DO:

First thing is to put some good jazzy music on to set your background, relax a few minutes with the music and get started by preheating the oven to 300 F.
- Clean the mushrooms gently, trim the stems (chop them finely and put aside). Put the caps in a bowl and add 2 T spoons olive oil and the Marsala.
- In a small skillet place the crushed walnets (no oil) and on high heat toast the nuts.
- Heat 3 T spoons of your olive oil in a skillet over low heat and add your crumbled sausage (skinned) and walnuts let brown for about 8 minutes. Then splash with some good balsamic vinegar and let simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add in your mushroom stems and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions, minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the breadcrumbs and marcapone to the mushroom stems and let creamy. Take off heat and stir in the parsley and parmigiano. Let cool some and fill the mushroom caps with the sausage mixing and put in a tight layer on an oven dishy. Bake at 325 F until the sutffing is crowned and crusty (approx. 45 minutes)

ENJOY !

PASTA ALLA MATRICIANA

This is a great and really easy dish that will get those taste buds in 4th gear !

First thing is to put on some great Italian classical (I'd go with Verdi for this dish), take three deep breaths and go....

YOU'LL NEED:
- 4 thick slices of pancetta or bacon chopped into small squares
- 1 large white onion (sliced thin)
- 3 garlic cloves (never us the store bought stuff that I see everywhere)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tin chopped or diced tomatoes or better about 1/2 kilo (1 lb) mature whole tomatoes fresh from the market
- 600 grams (1lb) spaghetti, I like pici (which are wormlike thick spaghetti)
- a handful of chopped parsley
- 100 grams freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil

WHAT TO DO:
- cook your cut up bacon or pancetta in a wide and relatively deep frying pan over medium/high heat with 2 T-spoons olive oil until the fat is rendered (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the finely cut onion and cuook until soft.
- Add in the smashed garlic cloves and red pepper flakes and cook for approx. 3 minutes.
- Add a fist of chopped parsley and stir in and add the tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes and be sure to stir (keep on the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly).
- To your boiling water for the pasta add a couple T-spoons salt and a dash of olive oil, add the pasta. When the spaghetti is just al dente, strain and add to your sauce and mix in well for a few minutes. Add some fresh cut parsley to the and stir out onto the plates. Add a sprinkle of parmigiano cheese and a dash of olive oil.

- Serve with a hearty Chianti Red

ENJOY !