Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut polenta roll into 8 equal pieces. Place on baking sheet. Remove stems from mushrooms and save for use in soups or omelets. Wipe mushroom caps with damp paper towel; place on baking sheet. Brush polenta slices and mushroom caps with olive oil. Bake 10 minutes, turn, brush with olive oil and bake another 5-10 minutes until polenta is nicely browned. Meanwhile, heat Paesana Tomato Basil Sauce in a small saucepan. Just before serving, stir in half and half. To assemble, place spoon of sauce on plate, top with polenta, another spoon of sauce, then mushroom cap. Top with more sauce.
Chef’s Note: Polenta is a Northern Italian staple made from cornmeal, making it an excellent source of dietary fiber. Although it is easy to prepare, it is time consuming. Precooked and preformed polenta can be found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets and specialty food stores.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Cook linguine according to package instructions. Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add green pepper and sauté until crisp and tender. Add shrimp and cook just until shrimp turns pink, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Add Paesana Roasted Garlic Sauce and capers and stir while heating just to a boil. Divide drained pasta into four portions. Top with equal amounts of shrimp and sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Chef’s Note: Since early Egyptian history, garlic has been credited with providing physical strength and innumerable medical benefits. It’s a member of the lily family and a cousin to leeks, chives, onions and shallots. Health claims aside, garlic is an essential ingredient in Italian cuisine, adding that extra bit of zip to so many regional recipes.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
With a paper towel pat chicken pieces dry, place flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Lightly coat chicken by shaking one piece at a time in bag. In a large pot, heat olive oil and add 4 pieces of chicken. Brown well on both sides, remove to a platter and repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil, if needed.. Remove chicken and add onions and whole mushrooms to pan. Cook over medium heat until onions are golden. Add wine; bring to a boil. Stir in Paesana Puttanesca Sauce and return chicken to pot, making sure all pieces are covered by sauce. Cover and simmer 1 hour, shaking pot occasionally and turning chicken once. Can be prepared ahead and reheated 30 minutes in a 325ºF oven.
Chef’s Note: Cremini are dark brown, slightly firmer version of the cultivated white mushroom and less mature form of the Portobello. They tend to add richer flavor and color to a sauce. Mushrooms, in general, are very low in calories and sodium, and are a significant source of riboflavin.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Trim steaks of all external fat. Heat oil and garlic in a heavy cast iron skillet large enough to hold steaks without touching. Add steaks, brown 2 minutes. Meanwhile, heat Paesana Marinara Sauce in a saucepan. Remove excess juice and oil from skillet. Add Paesana Marinara Sauce, parmesan cheese, and oregano, spoon over meat, cover and cook about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and chopped parsley. Serve.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Combine shrimp or chicken, oil, salt, garlic, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a bowl or large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add half the shrimp or chicken, including half the marinade liquid. Sauté 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp or chicken mixture to pasta bowl. Cook the remaining shrimp or chicken and marinade the same way, and transfer shrimp or chicken to bowl. Toss to combine shrimp or chicken and pasta. Return sauté pan with marinade mixture to stove; heat over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in Paesana Vodka Sauce; reduce heat and simmer until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce mixture over shrimp or chicken and pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Chef’s Note: There’s nothing like authentic Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, the ultimate Parmesan cheese. Long aging results in a complex flavor that’s beyond compare. Grate it over your favorite dish or eat it with a piece of good Italian bread. You’ll be amazed by the flavor.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Pour milk over bread in a bowl to moisten. Let stand. In a large bowl combine meatloaf mix, egg, cheese, shallots, garlic, chopped basil, parsley and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using your hands, squeeze excess milk out of the bread. Add the bread to the meat mixture. Gently mix all the ingredients with your hands or a spoon until just combined. Shape into 12 meatballs. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook to sear 5 to 7 minutes browning evenly, turning occasionally. Place meatballs in a baking dish, and spoon half the Paesana Sicilian Gravy over them. Bake 15 minutes or until instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain. Place spaghetti in a large serving bowl. Pour remaining gravy over pasta and mix well. Spoon meatballs on top of spaghetti, and garnish with basil. Serve immediately with extra cheese.
Chef’s Note: Tomatoes, so common to Italian recipes, are actually native to South America and were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers. They are rich in nutrients, especially vitamin C and fiber. The Italian plum variety is most frequently used in sauces because of its high pulp to water ratio.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
(or substitute with Low Sodium Marinara)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook shells in a large pot of boiling water, stirring often, until just tender, about 12 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper; cook and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach in batches and toss with tongs until wilted. Drain spinach mixture in a colander, pressing out excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Let cool and chop. In a large bowl combine ricotta, ½ cup of the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the basil, oregano and nutmeg; mix well. Add the spinach mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in eggs. Stuff each of the shells with a generous scoop of the ricotta mixture. Spread 2 cups of Paesana Marinara Sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer. Top with remaining Paesana Marinara Sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake until the top is golden and the shells are heated through, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil. Serve immediately.
Chef’s Note: Although many historians claim Marco Polo brought the concept of noodles back to Italy from China, the truth is this farinaceous food has existed since 1,000 B.C. In Italian, the word “pasta” means paste and refers to a dough made from semolina (duram wheat flour) and liquid. Where would we be today without this multidimensional staple in our pantries?
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Set a wire rack into a rimmed baking sheet. Coat rack with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 4 wedges. In a shallow dish combine breadcrumbs, panko, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic pepper. Place eggs in a separate shallow dish. Dip zucchini in egg; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place zucchini on wire rack. Lightly coat zucchini with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with dipping Paesana Fra Diavolo Sauce.
Chef’s Note: Zucchini as we know it today was probably developed in Italy in the late 19th century. Zucchini has many nutritional benefits as well as being low in calories. It is a powerful antioxidant, contains Vitamin A, C, and is full of fiber.
Yield: 4 servings Time: 1 hour
Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut polenta roll into 8 equal pieces. Place on baking sheet. Remove stems from mushrooms and save for use in soups or omelets. Wipe mushroom caps with damp paper towel; place on baking sheet. Brush polenta slices and mushroom caps with olive oil. Bake 10 minutes, turn, brush with olive oil and bake another 5-10 minutes until polenta is nicely browned. Meanwhile, heat Paesana Tomato Basil Sauce in a small saucepan. Just before serving, stir in half and half. To assemble, place spoon of sauce on plate, top with polenta, another spoon of sauce, then mushroom cap. Top with more sauce.
Chef’s Note: Polenta is a Northern Italian staple made from cornmeal, making it an excellent source of dietary fiber. Although it is easy to prepare, it is time consuming. Precooked and preformed polenta can be found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets and specialty food stores.
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Paesana means friendship, warmth and caring, which is what our family is all about. That’s why we honor our great-grandmother to reflect pride in our family’s Italian heritage. One taste and you’ll discover our sauces and condiments are like no other – Created from the finest quality ingredients!
