Mama Zuquinis Gnocchi Cavofiore Food

MAMA ZUQUINIS MALFATTI

Steps:

• Place the frozen spinach in a saucepan with the salt. Cook until thawed (15 min) over low heat. Drain squeezing out the water from the spinach and then mince until fine.
• In a large bowl, combine the spinach, breadcrumbs, the two cheeses, eggs, the herbs, the nutmeg and black pepper. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to make, form oval dumplings 3 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each dumpling in the flour. Do not let them touch each other while they stand.
• Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop the dumplings into the salted water to form one layer. When they have risen to the surface, cook for 4 more minutes.
• Lift out the cooked malfatti, letting them drain well, and place into a well-buttered oven proof dish in a 250 degrees F oven while the other batches cook.
• To serve, toss with butter and serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and 1 cup marinara per person.
• NOTE: can be frozen after cooking. To serve, toss frozen malfatti in melted butter and Parmesan cheese, place in a well buttered dish and heat in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

GNOCCHI CAVOFIORE

Steps:

• For the gnocchi: Starting in a large pot of cold water, bring the potatoes to a gentle boil. Cook slowly until tender when pierced with a knife. It is important to use a large volume of water and to cook the potatoes as slowly as possible. This "lazy boil" takes approximately 1 hour.
• While still hot, peel the potatoes with a spoon. Mash or preferably run through a ricer onto a sheet pan and allow to cool and dry. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with potatoes. Add the flour and mix by hand. Take a handful of mixture and rub palm-to-palm to create a cohesive softball-sized sphere. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll into a long cylinder just under 1 inch in diameter. Cut in 1-inch-long gnocchi, then lightly flour to avoid sticking. Repeat with remaining mixture.
• Drop the gnocchi into salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool.
• For the cavofiore: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the top off the garlic bulb, then place the bulb in a small oven-safe dish and pour 1/2 cup of olive oil over it.
• Roast in the oven until soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the garlic from the oil. In a large skillet, saute the cauliflower in the oil from the roasted garlic until the cauliflower starts to brown. Add 1/4 cup water and remove from heat. Squeeze garlic bulb to remove the tender cloves; add them directly to the skillet. Then add the gnocchi, heavy cream and Parmesan, and mix. Bring back up to heat.
• Stir until the sauce is hot and the cheese has completely melted.

CAULIFLOWER GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and carefully scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Add the flour and mash with a fork until just a few chunks of potatoes remain. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and set the bowl aside. Reserve the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water. Set a steamer basket insert into the pot and bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, cover and steam until very tender and falling apart when pierced with a fork, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and use clean kitchen towels to squeeze completely dry.
• Add the cauliflower a food processor along with the Parmesan, egg yolk, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Pour the puree into the well of the potato mixture and use a fork to gently mix the potatoes and cauliflower until just combined and a soft dough is formed. (Do not overmix the dough or the gnocchi will be unpleasantly dense.)
• Generously flour a work surface. Scoop a heaping 1/2 cup of dough onto the surface and roll into a 12-inch rope. Use a knife to cut the dough into 1-inch pieces and place them on the reserved baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Gently press the top of each gnocchi with a fork to make grooves.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Brush the gnocchi with the butter. Bake the gnocchi until cooked through and they spring back when pressed, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until brown bits start to form, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the capers and stir until well combined. Toss the gnocchi in the brown butter and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately with a salad on the side.

MAMA ZUQUINIS ZUPPA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Combine pasta, water and bouillon in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender and broth has reduced to about 1/2 cup; do not drain. Reduce heat to low; add pesto.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has reduced slightly. Stir in tomatoes, broccoli and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese before serving. Season with ground black pepper, if desired.

MAMA ZUQUINIS PASTA ARABICA

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high heat in large saucepan until hot. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add tomatoes, broth, salt, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and cloves to saucepan; bring to a boil. Add choice of meats. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in mint.
• Add sauteed zucchini and yellow squash for a side dish.

MAMA ZUQUINIS GNOCCHI CAVOFIORE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the top off of a large bulb of garlic and place the garlic bulb in a small oven safe dish and pour 1/2 cup of olive oil over bulb. Roast in oven until soft and caramelized. This takes about 30 minutes.
• Boil enough salted water to cook gnocchi according to package directions.
• Drop gnocchi into boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in colander and let cool.
• Remove garlic from oil and set aside. In a large skillet, saute cauliflower in the reserve oil from the roasted garlic until the cauliflower starts to brown. Add water and remove from heat.
• Squeeze garlic bulb, removing the tender meat and add directly to skillet. Add gnocchi, heavy cream and Parmesan. Mix. Bring back up to medium heat. Stir until the sauce is hot and the cheese has completely melted.