Nonna Contis Marinara Recipes

NONNIE'S GNOCCHI WITH FRESH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes well and pierce in several places with the tip of a knife. Bake on a baking sheet until cooked through, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
• Once they're cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and pass the flesh through a ricer or the finest holes of a food mill. Place 1 1/2 cups of the flour on a clean work surface and put the potatoes in the middle. Season with the salt. Knead the potatoes and the flour together until it's a smooth ball of dough that's slightly sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add more of the remaining 1/2 cup flour gradually to achieve the smooth consistency.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and cover 3 of them with a dampened kitchen towel. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the uncovered piece of dough into a 1-inch-thick rope. Cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with the tines touching the work surface. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it down the fork tines, pressing with your thumb to make ridges on one side. Place on a large baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add half the gnocchi and cook until they bob to the surface of the water. Transfer to a shallow bowl and cook the remaining gnocchi.
• Serve the gnocchi warm with the Marinara Sauce. Top with shaved Parmesan and garnish with chopped basil.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until starting to shimmer. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. Remove from the heat and add the chopped basil.

NONNA CONTI'S EGGPLANT / AUBERGINE PARMESAN (NO BREADCRUMBS)

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant and cut it into paper -thin slices.
• Layer the slices in a colander, lightly salting each layer and sit a plate on top, touching the eggplant. Put a heavy can on top of the plate and let the eggplant drain for about an hour, then rinse off the salt and pat the slices dry.
• Preheat the over to 400°F.
• Beat the eggs in a pie pan and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour enough olive oil into a 10 or 12 inch frying pan to reach a depth of 1/4 inch and heat it over medium-high heat.
• Working with a few slices at a time, dip the eggplant into the edd, let the excess egg drip off and the slide the pieces into the hot oil.
• Cook on each side just until golden brown then remove and drain on paper towels or brown paper bags. (Watch the eggplant carefully; the thin slices will cook very quickly.).
• Layer the eggplant and Marinara Sauce in a shallow baking dish, ending with a film of sauce on top.
• Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sauce and bake for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

NONA'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel 5 cloves garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle the cloves with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap up the foil and place it directly on the oven rack. (Be sure that the foil packet is secure so no oil will leak out.) Roast the garlic until it's brown and tender, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool enough to touch and squeeze the garlic from the skins. Set aside.
• Saute onions and carrots with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomato paste and stir well. This will cook off the tomato paste and give a nice orangy color. Cook for about 10 minutes. When vegetables are softened add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and stir together until incorporated. Pour in the tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Once sauce is ready carefully pour it into the food processor and puree until smooth.

NONNA CONTI'S MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a nonreactive saucepan or skillet.
• Put the garlic in the pan, taking care not to let it brown, and cook until the garlic is soft.
• Stir in paprika or hot pepper flakes and cook for 15 seconds then pour in the tomatoes with their juices.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat so it bubbles in a few places, season with salt and basil and let it simmer about 20 minutes until slightly thickened.