Jan D'Atri

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grated parmesan

Momma’s Risotto

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My quest for Rescued Recipes this week led me back to my own Italian roots.  From my mother, born and raised in Venice, Italy, I learned how to prepare the quintessential one pot Italian wonder, Risotto. If you’re lucky enough to have left-over’s, you might try Arancini, delicious deep fried risotto rice balls with a melted cheese filling, a very popular street food of Sicily where my father’s side of the family is from. So from the canals of Venice to the southernmost “tip of the boot”, Sicily, I hope you enjoy two of my favorite family heirloom recipes that are without question, delicioso!

Watch my How to Video for Risotto here!

Man Cave Meatballs

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Dad deserves a delicious dish for Father’s Day, and this one is hearty enough for a Man Cave meal, and elegant enough for a gourmet dinner!  Who doesn’t love a giant juicy meatball surrounded by melted cheesey deliciousness hiding inside a delicate puff pastry? They are so easy to prepare, and it all starts with puff pastry sheets. The only tricky thing about this recipe is to remember to buy the puff pastry sheets (they will be frozen) and let them thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. (Never thaw the puff pastry sheets on the counter at room temperature. You’ll end up with a doughy mess!)

Other than that, it’s a breeze! I love meatballs that have an equal amount of beef and pork or pork Italian sausage, although I’ve made these with turkey meatballs and they’re just as delicious!

The original recipe calls for adding raw onion and garlic to the meatball mixture, but I always sauté the onion and garlic first, then let it cool down before adding it to the mixture. By doing that, you’ll get a richer, sweeter flavor out of the meatballs!

Happy Father’s Day, Dads! Let’s hope meatballs are on your Father’s Day menu!

Watch my How To Video for Meatballs in Puff Pastry here!

Eggplant Parmesan

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From my Momma’s kitchen to yours this Mother’s Day, here’s a favorite D’Atri family recipe. Momma’s Eggplant Parmesan Casserole is the ultimate comfort food, and as all moms know, casseroles are a secret weapon in the kitchen! They can be made ahead and frozen until ready for use. They feed a hungry crowd and they always seem to taste better the next day. My Momma figured out years ago how to get the eggplant softened and yet still have the pan-grilled flavor. Her homemade marinara sauce only takes twenty minutes to make from start to finish. The combination of the two is a match made in heaven! I think these days we are having a lot of family meals together and this is a great dish that can be enjoyed piping hot right out of the oven! Surprise Mom this year with a casserole of comfort!

Watch my How to Video Here!

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

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The Story

Our mothers, grandmothers, and even great-grandmothers had a secret weapon in the kitchen: the casserole. It could be made ahead of time and frozen until ready for use. It could feed a hungry crowd and it always seemed to taste better the next day. In my family, one of our favorite casseroles has always been Eggplant Parmesan. My momma figured out years ago how to get the eggplant softened and still have the pan-grilled flavor. Her homemade marinara sauce only takes 20 minutes to make, from start to finish, so it’s the perfect “sugo” to go in between the delicious slices of eggplant and cheese. With the holidays right around the corner, here’s a great dish for family gatherings that can be made ahead of time or enjoyed freshly made and piping hot, right out of the oven.