February 29, 2008

Secret Sauce welcomes Fabio Trabocchi, chef at Fiamma, and author of Cucina of Le Marche. He shares with us his recipe for Pancetta Parmigiano Sauce, saying, "Some of my favorite memories are from times spent with friends, late at night, enjoying this dish. It's so easy to prepare from ingredients I always have in my kitchen, and so delicious to enjoy with a bottle of wine and good friends."

Watch the video from TODAY Click continue reading for the recipe!

February 8, 2008

Secret Sauce welcomes the return of Marco Canora, Chef and Partner at Insieme and Hearth restaurants, New York.

Although it takes several hours at home to prepare this special homemade sauce, Marco will show how to put Bolognese together with dishes such as his delicious Lasagne Verdi.

Chef Canora grew up making this sauce with his mom (who is also a chef) and his aunts. It is a classic Italian staple that is very versatile.
Watch the segment from TODAY: Steal this secret sauce tonight and serve with your favorite pasta dish. Click "continue reading" for the recipe:

By overwhelming request, the Scotto family shares their Columbus Day recipe for Bread and Ricotta Dumplings with Genovese Sauce, as featured on TODAY:

Procedure: Dumplings

• Put ricotta in a fine strainer set over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. The cheese will become dry and firm.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, flour, eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley and black pepper. Stir together gently until a soft dough forms. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Dust hands with flour and shape into the size of small golf balls using approximately 2 tablespoons of dough for each one. Place dumplings on a floured baking sheet.
• In a large pot, bring 6 quarts lightly salted water to a boil. Set up an ice bath next to stove filled with ice and water.
• Gently place dumplings in pot of boiling water; do not over crowd so dumplings are able to float freely. Cook until they rise to the surface, about 6 minutes. Scoop them out of pot with a wire skimmer and transfer to ice bath. When cool, drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil; set aside.

Procedure: Sauce

• In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium to high heat until hot.
• Add garlic, onion, anchovy, olives, capers, red pepper and oregano; cook together until light in color and translucent.
• Add red wine and cook for 2 minutes, then add tomato sauce and lower heat.
• Simmer for additional 10 to 15 minutes then finish sauce with fresh lemon zest, reason with salt and pepper.

To Assemble and Serve

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Place dumplings in an oven proof casserole dish. Cover dumplings with sauce, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• Serve as soon as the dumplings are removed from oven. The dumplings can also be placed in individual gratin dishes and served the same way.

Makes 6 servings.

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Watch the Scottos cook up this recipe on TODAY:

Scottos Columbus Day Recipes:

• The Scottos: Three Cheese Polenta Gratin alla Genovese

October 8, 2007

It's Columbus Day and our favorite Italian family, The Scottos of Manhattan's FRESCO by Scotto® and FRESCO on the go®, are back on Secret Sauce to share another simple recipe for your kitchen, Three Cheese Polenta Gratin alla Genovese.

Elaina Scotto says about this multi-purpose dish, "If you're feeling like you need a pick me up, try this polenta gratin. You will love it. It’s comfort food at it’s best! The best part—it’s simple to make. It works well as a side dish or an appetizer. Happy Columbus Day!"

Here's how:

Procedure:

• Preheat oven on broil setting.
• Bring water, olive oil, and milk to a boil in 4-quart sauce pan. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Lower heat and cook while stirring until polenta is thick as porridge, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in ricotta evenly through polenta then fold in mozzarella and fontina; cheeses will begin to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

• Butter 8x12-inch casserole or gratin dish evenly. Pour hot polenta into casserole and spread evenly with a spatula.

• Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese evenly across top of polenta.

• Place in oven on broiler setting on middle rack and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until top of polenta is golden brown. Remove from oven, set aside for 5 to 7 minutes, and then serve. Letting polenta rest will allow cheese to melt evenly inside casserole which also needs to cool down because of it being so hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Watch the Scottos cook up this recipe on TODAY:

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More on The Scottos:

Visit The Scottos on the web @ frescobyscotto.com.

Scotto Secret Sauce Rewind:

• Elaina Scotto's Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Fresh Spring Berries
• John Scotto's Spring Salad with Baby Spinach, Peas, Mint & Warm Goat's Cheese Crostini
• Anthony Scotto's Pistachio Crusted Sea Bass with Salsa Verde and Roasted Artichokes
• Video: The Scotto's Trip to Italy on TODAY