Most of the ingredients in this pie are leftovers from my roast chicken dinner that I shared last week. Here is a link to the post: https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2019/11/13/mediterranean-style-roast-chicken/
Roasting a whole chicken is a delicious and economical way to give you several meals over the next week. Here is the recipe for one of them. Later in the week, I will share the Chicken Enchilada recipe I made with the remainder of the chicken.
Shepherd’s Pie
2 servings
Ingredients
2 carrots, diced
2 cups cubed leftover roasted chicken
2 cups diced leftover green beans with mushrooms and onions
11/2 cups leftover sauce from roasting the chicken
2 cups leftover olive oil mashed potatoes
Butter-flavored cooking spray
Directions
Partially cook the carrots either in the microwave or by boiling. Set aside.
Reduce the chicken sauce down to 1 cup in a small saucepan.
In each of 2 individual ovenproof casserole dishes, place half the carrots, half the chicken, half the green beans and ½ cup chicken sauce. Mix well.
Spread 1 cup of mashed potatoes over the top of each pie bringing the potatoes to the edges of each dish.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly spray the mashed potato topping with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Bake for 45 minutes. Turn the broiler on for a minute or two to brown the topping if it doesn’t brown during the baking.
Turkey Scallopini with Capers and Lemon
Ingredients
4 turkey cutlets ( pounded to 1/4-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fresh sage leaves, for garnish, optional
Directions
Pat turkey cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the turkey in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook the turkey until browned on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered. Repeat with remaining cutlets and oil and place them on the platter with the previously cooked cutlets.
Add garlic, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broth and deglaze the pan over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Boil until broth is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Stir in lemon juice, capers, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add butter and swirl with a whisk until a smooth sauce is formed. Return the turkey cutlets to the skillet with any juices from the platter and simmer until heated through about 1 minute. Garnish with sage and serve.
Kale and Mashed Potato Mix
Ingredients
Half the recipe of sauteed kale
Link https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2019/11/04/meatloaf-parmigiana-dinner/
Half the recipe of olive oil mashed potatoes
Directions
Thoroughly mix together the kale and mashed potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Reheat the mixture until hot., stirring twice, about 3-4 minutes.
Broiled Tomatoes
2 servings
Ingredients
1 large vine ripe tomato
2 tablespoons Italian seasoned panko crumbs
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Slice the tomato in half. Place tomato halves on a small pan lined with foil. Brush olive oil over the cut sides of the tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Broil 4 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Roast Chicken
Ingredients
4 lb organic chicken
1 medium onion quartered
1 celery stalk cut into 4 pieces
A handful of fresh garden herbs (Sage, Rosemary, Oregano & Parsley)
2 cloves garlic
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
RUB
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425F
Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
Place fresh herbs, garlic, onion, and celery inside the chicken cavity,
Mix together the rub ingredients and coat the chicken with it.
Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the baking dish. Mix the melted butter with the lemon juice and pour over the chicken.
Roast for 30 minutes. reduce the temperature to 375F and roast for 30 minutes or until a digital meat thermometer registers 165 F. Baste the chicken several times during the roasting time.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve the juices in the bottom of the baking pan poured over the sliced chicken.
Mashed Potatoes with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
The better the oil, the better the flavor in the potatoes.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Directions
Place potatoes in a heavy large pot. Cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Boil over medium-high heat until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups potato cooking liquid.
Return the potatoes to the dry pot. Stir over medium heat until any excess liquid evaporates. Add 6 tablespoons of olive oil and mash until almost smooth. Mix in enough potato cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and serve.
Florida Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Ingredients
1 pound Florida green beans, stems trimmed
8 oz sliced button mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the preheated pan. Add sliced onions to the pan and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes until almost caramelized. Add the green beans and garlic to the pan and continue to cook ingredients for another 3 to 4 minutes until the green beans are almost to the desired tenderness. Add mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and butter. Cook another 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and serve.
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‘Scarpariello” literally means shoemaker-style.”Shoemaker-style chicken” may refer to Neapolitan shoemakers making delicious food in the little time they had at the end of the day. Chicken scarpariello is sometimes attributed to Sicily and Calabria and is made by sauteeing chicken pieces in oil and adding white wine, lemon, garlic, and parsley. However, it is not a traditional dish from Italy. It is probably more of a “Little Italy” dish, born of southern Italian roots somewhere in our Italian American neighborhoods here in the United States. In any case, it is delicious and very easy to make. Some recipes are made with a whole chicken or chicken thighs. I prefer the chicken strips for this dish. I also add potatoes but you can leave them out and serve the dish with pasta.
Chicken Scarpariello
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil- divided
1/2 lb of spicy Italian sausage
12 oz new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch thick slices
4 pickled sweet cherry peppers, quartered
1 sweet bell pepper sliced (red, yellow, or orange)
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon cherry pepper pickle liquid
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon black ground pepper
¼ cup each chopped fresh basil and fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
Sprinkle the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour.
In a 10- to 12-inch heavy-bottomed saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking. Add the chicken pieces, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, and brown on both sides, turning once.
Transfer to a plate and set aside. In the same pan, cook the sausage slices and potatoes until brown; remove them and set aside with the chicken.
Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers and cherry peppers to the pan. Saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, broth, vinegar, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil, then return the chicken, sausage, and potatoes to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a bubbling simmer until cooked through 20 minutes; add more wine or water if necessary to keep the pan from getting dry.
Transfer the chicken to serving plates. Stir the basil and parsley into the sauce remaining in the pan and spoon over the chicken.
Caprese Salad
2 servings
Ingredients
1 large vine-ripened tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced1/4 inch thick
Fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
On a serving platter arrange tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves, alternating and overlapping them. Season salad with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil.
Roast Lamb Chops With Potatoes and Broccoli Florets – the Italian Way
2 servings
Ingredients
4 loin lamb chops
2 unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, about 12 oz total
2 large garlic cloves, sliced and divided
1 lemon zested and cut into quarters
1 cup white wine
2 chopped sprigs fresh sage leaves and 2 sprigs fresh oregano, divided
2 chopped fresh rosemary sprigs, divided
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
10 oz pkg frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
Directions
Place the lamb chops in a plastic ziplock bag, add some salt, the lemon zest, 1 sliced garlic clove, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 sprig of sage, 1 sprig of oregano, a sprinkle of black pepper, the white wine and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Marinate for about 2 hours turning them occasionally.
Cut the potatoes into long wedges and put them in a bowl or bag with cold water and let rest while the lamb marinates. (This helps remove the starch and creates a potato that does not get mushy).
Using a slotted spoon, drain the potatoes, transfer them to a roasting pan, large enough to also hold the lamb and broccoli; add salt to taste, 1 sliced garlic clove, the remaining chopped rosemary, sage, and oregano sprigs, a pinch of black pepper and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Toss well and roast for 20 minutes at 400 F.
Remove the pan from the oven, tuck the chops in among the potatoes reserving the marinade, and scatter the broccoli florets around the outside of the potato/lamb mixture.
Sprinkle with the lamb marinade and roast another 15-20 minutes, depending on how you like lamb cooked. Serve with lemon wedges.
Pear & Celery Salad
Ingredients
4 stalks celery, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons cider, pear, raspberry or other fruit vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe pears, preferably red Bartlett or Anjou, diced
Half shallot
1 cup finely diced white Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 large leaves butterhead or other lettuce
Directions
Soak celery in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Whisk vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl until blended. Add pears; gently stir to coat. Add the celery, cheese, and pecans; stir to combine. Season with pepper. Divide the lettuce leaves among 6 plates and top with a portion of salad. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare salad without pecans up to 2 hours ahead. Stir in pecans just before serving.
Tip: To toast chopped pecans, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
ingredients
1 medium cooking pumpkin, about 3 ½ – 4 cups roasted pumpkin flesh
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped leeks
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 ½ cups whole milk
1-2 teaspoons honey
Chopped chives for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet with sides.
Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Fill the pumpkin wells halfway with water and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Place in the oven and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool and then scrape out the pumpkin into a bowl. Set aside,
Pour the olive oil into a Dutch Oven and heat over medium-high heat.
Add leeks, celery, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the pumpkin, broth, pepper, salt, and spices. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
Process with a hand immersion blender in the saucepan or transfer half of the pumpkin mixture to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat with the remaining half of the pumpkin mixture. Return all of the pureed mixture to the saucepan.
Stir in the milk and heat through, but do not boil. Stir in enough of the honey to sweeten the mixture to taste.
Serve warm garnished with chopped chives. Makes 6 (3/4-cup) servings.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Make-Ahead Tip: The potatoes can be baked a day before or early in the day.T hey can be filled, covered and refrigerated until close to serving time. Take them out of the refrigerator two hours before you want to serve them. Let the stuffed potatoes come to room temperature for one hour. Then reheat in the oven uncovered, for one hour.
4 servings
Ingredients
2 large russet potatoes about 14 -16 oz each, scrubbed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Paprika and chopped chives for garnish
Directions
Heat oven to 375°F. Gently scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork to allow steam to escape while the potatoes bake. Wrap in heavy-duty foil.
Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when lightly squeezed.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut lengthwise in half; scoop out the inside, leaving a thin shell.
In a mixing bowl, mash the potatoes. Add the butter, salt, and pepper; mix until the potatoes are light and fluffy.
Stir in the sour cream , heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Fill the potato shells and place them in a baking dish.
Sprinkle with paprika and chives. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Take them out of the refrigerator two hours before you want to serve them. Let the stuffed potatoes come to room temperature for one hour.
Then bake in a 375°F. oven uncovered, for one hour.
Pear Tart
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 sheet frozen Puff Pastry
3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears
Egg white
Directions
Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 12×12 inch rectangle.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (I use an attractive baking pan that can also be used for serving.) Prick pastry with a fork.
Build up the sides slightly by folding in about 1/2 inch of the pastry on the edges. Brush edges with egg white.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine 1/4 cup sugar with the almond flour and all-purpose flour. Set aside.
Beat together the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the flavored extracts.
Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture just until combined.
Spread the almond filling evenly over the tart shell.
Peel, halve and core pears, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange pears decoratively on top of the illing.
Brush the pears with the egg white.
Bake until the pears are golden and the filling is puffed up around the pears and golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Cool tart completely in the baking pan on a rack, then slide the parchment out from under the tart. Leave at room temperature until serving time.
Garnish with frozen yogurt or whipped cream, if desired.
Sole Almondine
4 servings
Ingredients
For the Fish:
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lb sole fillets
For the Sauce:
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon zested and juiced (save lemon zest for the potato recipe
1/4 chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast until golden brown, about 5 and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat and add olive oil and butter to the pan.
Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another shallow dish, whisk together the egg and cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Dredge the fillets in the seasoned flour, then dip them into the egg mixture. Allow some of the excess egg to drain off, then add them to the hot pan. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully turn the fish over to cook the other side. With a spoon, baste the fillets with the butter sauce. Repeat basting to ensure the fish remains moist. Once the other side is cooked (about 30 seconds) carefully remove the fillets from the pan to a serving platter.
Repeat with the remaining fillets if all the pieces don’t fit in the pan. Once the fillets have been removed the pan, add the chopped shallots and gently saute over low heat until translucent, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and finish with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the fish with the almonds and spoon the sauce over the top of the fillets. Top with the chopped parsley and serve with the potatoes and your favorite green vegetable. Mine is spinach.
CreamyLemon Potatoes
This easy recipe saves several steps in creating a creamy potato recipe.
Ingredients
1 lb gold potatoes, peeled
½ cup half & half or 1/4 cup whole milk and ¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
1 lemon, zested
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cut the potatoes into ½ inch diced pieces.
Put the potatoes in a saucepan with the cream and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender and most of the liquid is absorbed about 20 minutes. Add the lemon zest and season with pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.
