Sicilian Spinach Sauce Recipes

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. , Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, wine, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through. , Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Stir parsley and pine nuts into meat sauce. Drain spaghetti; top with sauce.

SICILIAN GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Finely grind the almonds using a food processor. Add the garlic cloves, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper; process until the garlic and basil has been minced. Pour in the olive oil and diced tomatoes, and process again until the sauce has been mixed and the tomatoes are in small pieces.

SICILIAN TUNA STEAKS IN SPICY SAUCE

Steps:

• Set a skillet pan big enough to hold all four steaks over a high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• As the oil is heating, sprinkle a level teaspoon of the ground sea salt over both sides of the tuna steaks - that's one level teaspoon for all four steaks - not a teaspoon for each one.
• As soon as the oil starts smoking, cut the heat back to medium-high and add the tuna steaks. Let them sizzle away for two minutes, then turn them and cook for another two minutes. Turn off the heat and let the steaks sit in the skillet whilst you make the sauce.
• Heat three level tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized pot (that will take a lid) over medium heat. Add the sliced strips of red bell pepper, stir well to coat them with the olive oil and turn the heat down to low-medium. Cover the pot with its lid. The peppers need to soften, but not brown at all. So, keep them slowly cooking for 10 minutes with some regular stirring.
• Add the chopped cherry tomatoes, the sliced garlic, the sugar, and ground sea salt. Cook for another five minutes on that low-medium heat - stirring now and then - until the cherry tomatoes lose most of their body.
• Now add all the sauce's remaining ingredients (including those chili peppers), stir it all together, and let the sauce gently simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Done.
• Melt the butter in a medium-size pot over a low heat and add the sliced garlic and sea salt. Stir the pot and let the garlic release its flavor into the butter - about 3 minutes over a stirred low heat. The garlic must not brown.
• Add all of the spinach. It'll be a bit of crush to get it into the pot - that's ideal - pile it in and put the lid on. After two minutes, stir the spinach so that it all picks up a coating of the buttery garlic. Put the lid back on and let the spinach cook for another two minutes. Then stir the spinach again, put the lid back and let it cook for another two minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid on so the spinach retains its heat as you finish cooking the tuna in the sauce.
• Put the skillet with the seared, partly cooked tuna steaks onto a medium heat and pour the sauce over them. Lift the steaks a little so that they sit in the surrounding sauce as it heats. As soon as the sauce starts to bubble, turn the heat to low and let the steaks finish their cooking for about six minutes at a very gentle simmer in the sauce. They'll then be ready to serve - straight from the skillet, with the emerald green spinach presented alongside.

SICILIAN EGGS IN PURGATORY (UOVA IN PURGATORIO)

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat up the olive oil and arrabbiata sauce over medium low flame. Once it starts to simmer try making tiny wells in the sauce with a wooden spoon.
• Crack and drop the eggs in each of those wells. Allow them to gently simmer in the sauce until the egg whites have set around the yolks, about 5 minutes. If you want the top part to steam a little as well, just cover the pan for the last minute of cooking, making sure to keep an eye on it as eggs cook very fast.
• Remove pan from heat and season with the sea salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Just before serving drizzle the parsley pesto all over the top and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and basil.
• Serve with charred pieces of garlic bruschetta or over a bed of creamy polenta.

SPAGHETTI WITH SPICY EGGPLANT SAUCE AND ISNELLO, SICILY

Steps:

• Peel Eggplant. Slice eggplant into medium slices. Salt, and allow to sit on paper towels. This will remove the water from eggplant and make frying much easier. Press moisture out using paper towels.
• Cut into 1 1/2 inch slices, fry in very hot oil. Cut into pieces. Drain again with paper towels.
• Saute garlic in olive oil until golden.
• Add tomatoes, parsley, chili pepper, salt and stir, simmering for about 25 minutes. Add cooked eggplant, cook a few more minutes.
• Cook pasta (spaghetti works best) al dente according to directions. Add spaghetti to the hot sauce to finish the last minute of cooking. This helps to marry the pasta and sauce.
• Serve with extra chili pepper on side. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

SICILIAN SPINACH SAUTE

Steps:

• Combine spinach and 1/4 cup water in heavy large pot over high heat.
• Toss until spinach wilts but is still bright green, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer spinach to colander; press to release excess liquid.
• Wipe pot dry.
• Heat oil in same pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add currants and capers and stir 1 minute. Mix in spinach, then cheese and toss until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Season spinach to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

SICILIAN SPINACH SAUTé

Steps:

• Combine spinach and 1/4 cup water in heavy large pot over high heat. Toss until spinach wilts but is still bright green, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to colander; press to release excess liquid.
• Heat oil in same pot over medium heat. Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add currants and capers and stir 1 minute. Mix in spinach, then cheese and toss until heated through, about 1 minute. Season spinach to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

SCACCIATA SICILIANA

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, mix together flour and 1 teaspoon of salt; set aside.
• In a separate small bowl, stir together water, sugar and yeast and Olive Oil. Let sit for several minutes until foam forms on top.
• In an electric mixer, with dough hook attachment add flour and gradually add in liquid and knead for several minutes until dough pulls away from the sides and has an elastic texture.
• Add a bit of olive oil to large bowl. To that same bowl, add the dough and roll to coat dough in olive oil.
• Cover top of dough with plastic wrap and then cover the top of the bowl with a towel.
• Let rise for a least 90 minutes, until dough has doubled in size.
• Punch dough down and break in half to form two dough balls.
• Divide each dough ball into two, and roll out...size and shape are not critical, but we thinly roll into oval shape, 1/2 dough ball bottom, an 1/2 for the top.
• Once bottom dough is rolled out, add whichever combination of filling ingredients you decide, we start with vegetable ingredients, dollops of tomato sauce, onions, a generous drizzle of olive oil, peperoncino, salt and pepper, then add cheese last.
• Place second rolled out dough on top, seal by crimping edges, a fork, or if you have perfected a hand method.
• Prick holes on top with fork for ventilation while baking. Brush top lightly with olive oil, and bake @ 400F for 30 minutes.