All posts tagged: Italian

Chicken & Veggies Orzo Bake

Published by Monica

Orzo is not rice, it is short grain pasta. Translated from Italian it literally means ‘barley’. In Italy is more known as ‘risoni’ and is mostly used in soups which I absolutely adore. Cooked it in a bit of broth and served with lots of grated parmigiano on top is pure soul food. I used to cook an orzo bake a long time ago and no matter how much i try and remember the recipe its just gone in the back of my mind but, seeing it almost everywhere on Instagram lately, I decided to do a bake with it…its cheesy, flavorful and comforting and I really hope you will give it a try. You can skip the chicken for a vegetarian version and add some mushroom instead and leafy greens like spinach…yammmm!! Quantities are for 2-3 people. Ingredients: 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 chicken breast, diced into small cubes 1 cup orzo 1/2 cup white wine 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock …

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Published by Monica

This is the type of food you can’t go wrong with because everyone simply loves a plate of spaghetti with meatballs…add to that the melting cheesy heart and you are all set! It is a tiny bit time consuming but totally worth it! I love these with crusty bread as well and even better i sometimes make meatball sandwiches that the kids absolutely love!! Recipe is for 4-6 people: Ingredients: 1/2 kg minced beef 1 egg 1/4 cup grated parmigiano 100 gr cubed mozzarella (about) 3 tbsp bread crumbs, you might add a bit more 2 slices of crust less bread, preferably a bit stale A bit of milk 2 tbsp chopped parsley 1 teaspoon dried origano Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup of flour 500 gr of spaghetti A big jar of your favorite marinara sauce or better if you make your own Method: In a medium sized bowl add the bread and cover it with milk. Set aside till needed. In a big bowl add the minced beef, egg, breadcrumbs, parmigiano, dried …

Conchiglioni with Ricotta and Walnuts

Published by Monica

A classic Italian pasta bake that is usually made with ragu or ricotta and spinach as a filling and baked in tomato sauce and bechamel…delicious right? I wanted something a bit lighter for summer days so I filled the shells just with ricotta and walnuts and used only marinara. The end result turned out very flavorful! If you try it let me know! Ingredients: 30 conchiglioni 250 gr ricotta A handful of good quality walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp nutmeg 70 g Parmesan cheese, grated Season to taste being careful as Parmesan is already full of flavor A jar of your favorite marinara sauce or your own Some fresh basil leaves, chopped, to garnish 50 g Parmesan  grated to serve Method: Cook the conchiglioni a little less than the time required for al dente then drain and let the pasta cool. I would advise to separate the shells before they cool as they may stick together. Cover the bottom of an oven dish with some of the tomato sauce.  Using  a teaspoon or a piping bag …