Pizza with Arugula - Untested

https://theclevermeal.com/pizza-with-arugula/

https://theclevermeal.com/veggie-pizza/

1 Pizza dough recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (14oz/400 grams) tomatoes (cherry tomatoes, or whole or crushed tomatoes)

salt and pepper, to taste

Topping

5oz (150 grams) fresh mozzarella (or from ½ to ⅓ cup shredded firm mozzarella)

1 zucchini (9oz/250g), cut it into ¼ inch slices

10 basil leaves

1 tsp dried oregano (optional)

2 handful of baby arugula, washed

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

salt and pepper, to taste

3-4 Tbsp shaved parmesan

Pizza sauce

1. Add the olive oil and garlic to a sauce pot and cook over medium heat for 1 minutes or just until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, salt and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine, cover the pot and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. You might add a pinch of oregano or a few fresh basil leaves if you have them on hand.
3. When the sauce is ready turn the heat off, taste, adjust the seasoning and set aside.
4. Pizza topping
5. Preheat the oven: fistly, place the oven rack or your pizza stone close to bottom heating element, and preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Cut a large piece of parchment paper, or line with parchment paper a large baking pan (if you don't use a pizza stone).

Stretch the dough: place the dough onto the parchment paper, and starting from the center and gently press it out with your fingers until you get approx a 12×15 inch pizza (if you use this no-knead pizza dough, follow the steps listed in its recipe).

1. Spread the pizza sauce evenly across the pizza base using the back of a spoon. You might have some tomato sauce leftovers if the pizza is not large enough. Trust your judgement and don't overload the pizza with sauce. Finally, top pizza with mozzarella and season with a bit of salt, drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of ground pepper.
2. Bake: slide the pizza from the pizza peel onto the pizza stone if you use one, or place your baking sheet with pizza on the lower shelf. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Each oven is different, keep an eye on it (e.g. in a forced fan oven it will take about 8-10 minutes).
3. Serve: scatter the baby arugula leaves over the pizza, season with salt and freshly greound pepper (but you can dress the arugula in a separate bowl if you wish). Add plenty of shaved parmesan cheese, and serve warm!

Three Cheese and Wheat Berry Spinach Pie - Untested

https://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/01/11/three-cheese-and-wheat-berry-spinach-pie/

Makes one 9-inch pie, about 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries (usually available in bulk at natural/ health food section), soaked in cold water overnight

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

10 oz spinach (fresh of frozen), steamed or cooked in salted water, drained, cooled, squeezed dry

½ cup fresh flat- leaf Italian parsley, chopped

30 oz whole milk ricotta cheese (if you are making a crust for this pie, the ricotta has to be drained overnight in a cheese cloth-lined sieve; otherwise – it’s not necessary )

3 oz smoked mozzarella, grated

2 oz Pecorino Romano (use Parmesan if the sheep milk cheese is not your thing ), grated, plus a bit more for the top of the pie

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

2 large egg yolks, lightly whisked

1 heaped tsp kosher salt

1 scant tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

About a tbsp melted butter and around ¼ cup dry bread crumbs for coating a pan

1. Preparation:
2. 
   
3. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 375F. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan and coat the sides and the bottom with the dry bread crumbs. Set aside.
4. 
   
5. Cook the wheat berries in salted water until tender, for about 20 minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.
6. 
   
7. In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil and butter until the onions are soft and golden. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, stirring. Cool slightly, transfer to the bowl with the wheat berries. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to thoroughly combine. Transfer the mixture into the prepared springform pan, smooth the top. Sprinkle a little bit of extra grated cheese over the top. Place the springform pan onto a shallow baking/ cookie sheet and slide into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until set, then turn the oven off and turn the broil on. Broil for a couple of minutes until the top is nicely brown. Transfer the pie to a rack, cool for 10 minutes. Then unmold. Serve warm.

Timballo di Maccheroni alla Nonnina (Grandma's Macaroni Timbale) - Untested

https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/timballo-di-maccheroni-alla-nonnina-grandmas-macaroni-timbale#

The Italian timballo, or timpano, traces its roots to the Arabic word for a musical percussion instrument. Accordingly, these names are used for dishes cooked in round vessels resembling a drum. Callen’s version is one that her grandmother always made for her birthday. This timballo can be made in one 10-inch cake pan, or 8 individual 1-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes.

Tiny Meatballs:

• 1/2 pound mixture of ground veal, beef, and pork
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, or 1/4 teaspoon dry, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons Marsala wine

Timballo:

• Butter for the pan, as needed
• 2 to 3 tablespoons unflavored bread crumbs
• 4 cups Bolognese sauce
• 1 16-ounce can tomato purée (not paste)
• 1 1/2 pounds tubular short pasta, preferably penne
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
• 1 pound mozzarella, shredded
• 5 thin slices prosciutto, shredded
• 1 cup cooked mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 batch tiny meatballs (above)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in rounds

1. To prepare the meatballs, in a mixing bowl combine the ground meat, herbs, salt, pepper, and Marsala. With wet hands, shape the meat into tiny meatballs, the size of a chickpea. Set aside.
2. Heat a medium-sized (10-inch) pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the butter, and heat until melted and hot. Add the meatballs and sauté until they are brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them on paper towels. The meatballs can be made one day in advance up to this point.
3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Generously butter a 10-inch cake pan. Dust it with bread crumbs, and set the pan aside.
4. Add the tomato purée to the Bolognese sauce, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. At the same time, put a pot of salted water on the stove over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Cook the pasta al dente, being careful not to overcook it. Drain well. Return the pasta to the pot in which it cooked, add the eggs, and quickly mix well. Add 3 to 4 ladles of the Bolognese sauce, mix again, and add 1/2 cup grated cheese. Mix thoroughly.
6. In the prepared pan place one thin layer of the pasta. Sprinkle the pasta with 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese, scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella over, 1/3 of the prosciutto, 1/3 of the mushrooms, if used, 1/3 of the meatballs, and one of the sliced eggs. Pour 1 or 2 ladles of the sauce over the top of this and repeat the layering until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of pasta, the remaining sauce, and the grated cheese. Lightly dust the last layer with bread crumbs, dot with butter, and bake 40 to 45 minutes until the top is slightly crusty. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the sides of the pan with a knife or a spatula and unmold. Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.

Yield

8 servings

Finocchio al forno - Testing

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12301-fennel-al-forno

1 - I Frenchified this recipe and substitute the mozzarella for Gruyère and it worked a treat! Very good. But next time I will treat the filling as I would a quiche, as in I will mostly cook it before throwing it in the oven to melt the cheese and brown the top.

4 medium fennel bulbs, about 2 1/2 pounds, topped, a few green fronds reserved
 Salt and pepper
3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil, plus more to oil the baking pan
½ tsp fennel seed, crushed or roughly powdered in a mortar or spice mill
3 garlic cloves, pressed
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ tsp fresh rosemary, minced
½ lb fresh mozzarella Gruyère, sliced or shredded
2 tsps fresh rosemary leaves, whole
¼ cup coarse dry homemade bread crumbs from an Italian or French loaf
½ cup grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)
2 Tbsps chopped parsley, or a mixture of parsley and fennel fronds

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove a thin layer of the fennel bulbs’ tough exterior with a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler. Cut the fennel crosswise into half-inch-thick slices. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for about 7 minutes or until al-dente. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 
3. Lightly oil an oven-proof baking dish. Layer in the fennel to a depth of 1 1/2 inches (pushing down, if necessary). A 9x9 dish seems about right.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, the fennel seed and the garlic, with a little salt, the pepper flakes and the minced rosemary. 
5. Drizzle 2 Tbsps of this mixture over the fennel. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves. Cover with a layer of the cheese, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. 
6. Drizzle over the remaining oil mixture, then sprinkle with Parmesan. (The dish may be prepared to this point several hours before baking.)
7. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned. Garnish with the chopped parsley or a mixture of the parsley and fennel fronds.

Untested - Basil and Cheese Ravioli

http://www.redmonkeyfoods.com/Basil-and-Cheese-Ravioli-Recipe-s/2216.htm

1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped coarsely
Filling
1 egg
1 cup + more to garnish of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone fine grated mozzarella (gruyere?)
1 tbs dry Basil (??fresh??)
ground pepper (to taste)
2 pinches nutmeg
1/4 cup 1-3 tsps of milk (add gradually and just enough to moisten and make the mix easier to combine)
Pasta dough
2 cups flour (or try 3 oz flour per egg)
3 eggs
pinch salt
Sauce
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
Red Monkey sea salt

1. On a board or the counter, make a mound of flour, sprinkle on the salt, create a bowl in the centre of the flour mound, crack in the eggs and start combining with your fingers. You should end up with a very dry dough, almost cracking. Cover and allow to rest for 1 hour. 
2. Preheat the oven to 325F. Spread the walnuts evenly on a baking sheet; bake until they begin to change color and are fragrant, about 10 minutes; do not allow them to brown too much. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool off.
3. In a small bowl, thoroughly beat the egg. Add the Parmesan cheese, the mozzarella provolone cheese, basil, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until well blended. 
4. Gradually add the milk. (TIP - the mixture should be pretty dry; if it's too wet that'll transfer to the pasta when you're making the ravioli and you'll have a tough time. To dry the mixture, line a colander with cheese cloth, dump in the mixture and weight it down with a few plates to help press out the excess liquid.)
5. After the hour of rest, knead the dough for about 10 minutes before running it through the pasta machine.
6. Divide the dough into two balls and roll as thin as you can (1/8" or thinner) or run through the pasta machine up to the thinnest setting. If the dough is sticky when you're rolling it, there isn't enough flour, so sprinkle some on, fold, and run it through again until it becomes a nice smooth sheet.
7. To stuff the ravioli, lay out one sheet. Evenly space out small lumps of the filling allowing plenty of room of virgin dough to make a good seal. Brush around the filling with water.
8. Lay the second sheet on top, smoothing out and pressing gently to make the two sheets touch around the stuffing and seal with the help of the dampened bottom sheet (this last bit can also be done after cutting the shapes).
9. Cut out the ravioli in circles or squares with a knife or pasta cutter. Press out any remaining air bubbles and be OCD about pressing the edges a lot.
10. While bringing a large pot of salted water to a simmer, prepare the sauce.
11. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the cream and stir constantly until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and ground pepper. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
12. Reduce the heat under the boiling water and let it slow to a gentle simmer. Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook until they rise to the surface and puff up (3-4 minutes). 
13. With a slotted spoon remove the ravioli and put directly in the sauce. 
14. Cook together on medium heat, until the sauce is thickened. Without stirring, spoon the sauce over the ravioli while it's cooking, making sure to cover them well. 
15. Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts to serve and dust with more fresh parmesan. 

Test 2 - Braised Beef Braciola Stuffed with Basil and Mozzarella

The first time I tried this I had two different types of steak: a boneless blade steak which is a tender, grilling steak with lots of marbling; and a bottom round steak, which is a chuck-type cut, usually preferred for braising. Well, the bottom round steak was good, but the boneless blade steak was much more tender. The bottom line is, if you're looking to use a more inexpensive cut of steak, this is a good recipe, but it's even more delectable with a more tender, expensive cut.

2 lb. flank steak (ex: bottom round, but see note, above)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
28 large fresh basil leaves, en chiffonade
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup red wine
One 28-oz. can diced tomatoes and their juices (3 cups)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz. button mushrooms, quartered

1. On a large cutting board, slice the steak lengthwise along one side, without cutting all the way through the meat, and open it up like a book. Using a meat mallet, flatten the meat so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the mozzarella, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and basil for the stuffing, and sprinkle evenly over one side of the beef, and roll it up lengthwise, jelly roll–style, with the stuffing inside. Secure with kitchen twine in a few places.
3. Heat half the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Add the beef and cook until it browns and releases easily from the pan, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until browned as well. Transfer to a large plate.
4. Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts completely and turns a light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the red wine and cook, stirring, until it almost completely reduces. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and tuck the meat and mushrooms into the broth. Cover and cook, repositioning the meat occasionally, until the meat becomes tender and cuts easily with a paring knife, about 1-1/2 hours. Set the meat on a cutting board and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Thinly slice and serve topped with the sauce and vegetables.