BettyG
(Recipes from Italy)

Spaghetti with Crab



1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup Olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound fresh or canned jumbo crab meat or better yet fresh crab leg meat
1 pound of Spaghetti
Put the pasta water on to boil. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the garlic until sizzling. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the lemon juice, zest, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Put aside until the pasta is cooked. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, take one small cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the remaining pasta. Return the pasta in the pot back over the heat. Add the sauce, crab, tomatoes and parsley. Stir until well mixed being careful not to break up the crab too much. If the dish seems at all dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Once all the ingredients are heated through, serve.


Capon with Walnuts

1 4-lb. capon
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter
20 chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons cream
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
4 slices white bread, crust removed
Clean and bone the capon and leave it in its natural shape. Soak the bread in the cream. Soften the butter and mix with the walnuts, the Parmesan, egg yolks, and the bread. Beat the mixture well with a wooden spoon until it is soft and dense, adding more bread or cream if necessary. Season with salt, pepper and add a pinch of grated nutmeg. Insert the stuffing in the capon. Sew and tie the bird closed. Bring a large pot of water to a boil - the pot should be just large enough to hold the bird. Add celery and carrot, lower the heat and cook the stuffed capon in this broth over low heat for 1/2-2 hours, salting halfway through. Serve the capon carved with some of the stuffing.


Mascarpone Fig Jam Cookies



1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 cup softened Mascarpone cheese
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fig jam, or jam of choice
Beat together the butter and sugar until light. Add the egg and Vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add the Mascarpone cheese, and beat until smooth. Sift together the dry ingredients and fold them into the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place sheets of parchment paper, or silicone baking liners on two cookie pans. On a lightly floured counter or board, roll the dough into 1/2 inch balls. Using a wooden spoon, create an indentation in the center of each cookie. Place the cookies 2 inches apart, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or just as the cookies begin to color. While still warm, use the spoon to make the indentation deeper. Carefully spoon a little jam into each cookie. Let sit at room temperature until the jam is set. Store in an airtight container.


Lobster with Linguine

2 lobsters or 6 lobster tails
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 cup dry White Wine
3 cups chopped or strained canned tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
red pepper flakes as desired
1 pound fresh Linguine or long pasta of choice
Heat the Olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan, and once hot add the onions. Cook until translucent and soft, and then add the garlic. Cook just a minute or two until fragrant. Add the wine, and cook until it is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and stir. Next season with salt, pepper, fresh basil and a dash of red pepper flakes. Cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Cut the lobsters in half or if using lobster tails keep them whole. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat until the lobsters have turned bright pink and the meat is cooked. Remove the lobsters from the sauce and cut the meat from the tail and claws and cut into bite sized pieces. Return the meat to the sauce and keep warm. While the lobster is cooking, heat a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is "al dente". Drain well, and return the pasta to the pot. Add a couple of ladlefuls of the sauce to the pasta, and over medium heat stir to mix. Divide the pasta into four individual serving plates, and top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley and serve.


Ricotta Cheesecake with Mixed Berry Topping



Cake:
2 pounds Ricotta cheese
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Wash the berries, and pick through, discarding any that have spoiled. Remove the tops off of the stawberries, and slice them into a bowl. Add the blueberries and raspberries, as well as the sugar and vinegar. Cover and set aside. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Set rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and flour a 9 1/2 inch springform pan, and tap out excess flour. Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl, and beat it until smooth. Beat the sugar and flour together thoroughly into the ricotta. Beat in the eggs at low speed, 1 at a time. Blend in the Vanilla and salt. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until a light golden color. Make sure the center is fairly firm, and the point of a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. It will sink slightly as it cools. Cover and chill till serving time.
Serving: Cut into thin slices, and spoon a good sized helping of the berry mixture over each slice of cheesecake.


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