Rice with red sauce

Exactly it is rice with red sauce. Unthinkable for asian people... but a reality for many Italians.

Try to believe it!

Preparation time: 20 min (super-easy)

1)Boil water in a pot for the rice (Arborio rice). Add salt to the water.

2)Prepare a red tomato sauce: cut onions, olive oils in a pot for 5 min and then add a can of red tomato sauce. Add basil and a tiny bit of butter (optional).

3) Drain the rice using a pasta drainer.

4) Add red sauce on the top of the white rice.

Add basil, parmesan and black pepper as much as you like.

PS you can stir the sauce in the rice...

Buon appetito.

Mardi Gras Pasta with ricotta cheese

Yesterday was Marti Gras. Quite a holiday it used to be in Italy. It represented the last day before the start of the Catholic Lent. Therefore, we used to celebrate it with a big party in mask (our Carnival) and very rich food. One of the richest food in Italy is lasagna, which is a pasta dish full of everything from eggs to meat, mozzarella and ricotta cheese. It takes a little bit of time to prepare a fresh lasagna dish, so I have a quick version of that dish. All you need is curly pasta, fresh ricotta, a can of tomatoes sauce, onions and some basil.

Preparation time: 15-20 min

1) Boil water in a pot for the pasta

2) Cut the onions and put in a separate pot with olive oil.

3) Add a can of red sauce to the onions. Add some basil.

4) After about 10 min, add some of the just cooked red sauce to a bowl of fresh ricotta cheese. Stir it to make a white creamy sauce. Remember to leave some extra red sauce in the pot.

5) Drain the pasta, put it back in the pot and add the creamy sauce to it.

When you make the portions add red sauce on the top. Add parmesan cheese and pepper if you like.

PS you can find the curly bucatini pasta at Trader's Joe.

PSPS I like mine messy in a bowl!

Buon Appetito!

Peppe's red sauce

Tonight we are having my favorite sauce...the typical italian red sauce that I have named "Peppe's red sauce" although I believe it has an Italian name already dedicated to it.  Here are the ingredients:

1/2 red onion

1/2 carrot

1 can organic tomato sauce

1/2 pound ground beef

a pinch of salt and pepper

2 small hot red peppers

1/4 cup olive oil

First heat the olive oil and add the chopped onions and carrots.  Be sure they are chopped small enough for them to cook quickly.  Let simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent.  Add the ground 

beef and let brown.  Drain any excess oil.  Add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and red peppers and let cook for at least a half hour on medium to low heat.  Remember, the longer it cooks the better it tastes.  Add this to your favorite pasta and buon appetite!