PAISANO'S RISTORANTE: Italian Menu with owner Debbie Butland
Italian Bean and Sausage Soup
2 bacon strips, chopped
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 16-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, cooked and drained
- 1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup small tubular pasta (such as ditalini or penne)
- ½ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
Add the onion and garlic to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the carrot and celery and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add the chicken broth to the pan. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Measure 1/3 cup of the cannellini beans and add them to the soup. Using a potato masher, mash the beans. (The mashed beans will help to thicken the soup.) Add the remaining beans. Stir in the reserved bacon, cooked sausage and tomatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes more, or until pasta is al dente, or tender-firm.
Remove the soup from the heat source and let cool for 5 minutes. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of pesto and some chopped parsley. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese. Makes 6 first course servings, or 4 main course servings.
Tip: This recipe doubles easily for 8 main course servings.
Justins Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients
- 12 to 14 manicotti pasta tubes
- 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
- 1 egg
- freshly grated pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 25-ounce jar prepared marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- chopped parsley for garnish
Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package instructions.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese and the Asiago cheese. Add the egg, pepper and parsley and stir to combine. Add the shredded chicken. Using a small spoon, stuff each manicotti shell with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture.
Pour half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells on the sauce. Spread the basil pesto evenly over the manicotti. Top with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 8 ounces of mozzarella. cheese over top.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the manicotti in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
Let the manicotti stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley. Makes 6 to 7 servings of two manicotti each.
Cannoli
Ingredients
- 16-ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons minced candied citrus peel (orange, lemon, or grapefruit)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
- 1/3 cup shelled, unsalted green pistachio nuts
- 2 ounces mini chocolate chips
- 10 purchased pre-baked cannoli
- chocolate syrup
- powdered sugar
- extra pistachios for garnish
Filling: Place the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, powdered sugar, candied citrus peel, cinnamon and orange liqueur in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric beater at medium speed for about 30 seconds, until thoroughly combined. Do not over beat. Fold in the pistachios and chocolate chips.
Using a small spoon, stuff the cannoli shells with about 3 tablespoons of the filling. To serve, place one cannoli on each plate and drizzle chocolate syrup in a decorative pattern around the cannoli. Dust each with powdered sugar and top with chopped pistachios. Makes 10 servings.
Recipes by Debbie Butland, owner of Paisano's Ristorante.
Wine recommendation by Jayni: 2006 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel, Paso Robles.
