Ceci Alla Siciliana Recipes

LASAGNA SICILIANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with the melted butter.
• Place the ricotta, egg, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Assemble the lasagna by evenly spreading 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover the sauce with some of the raw pasta sheets, cutting and piecing together the pasta as necessary to fit the dish (see Cook's Note).
• Spread 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta using an offset spatula or your desired utensil. Make sure to get the ricotta to the edges and corners of the dish. Pour 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce onto the ricotta and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle 1 lightly filled (not packed) cup of the mozzarella over the top, followed by a light handful of Grana Padano and roughly one-fifth of the cooked and chopped sausage. Repeat 4 more times, starting with the pasta.
• For the sixth and final layer, begin by laying your pasta, then spread the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the sauce. Cover the dish well with aluminum foil to trap in moisture and help the raw pasta cook.
• Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover the lasagna and cook until the lasagna has crisped and browned to your liking, 15 to 30 minutes more. Serve with extra warmed tomato sauce and garnish with any remaining Grana Padano and parsley.

PESTO ALLA SICILIANA

Steps:

• Combine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olive oil, basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in a mortar. Crush with a pestle until pesto is finely ground, but not too smooth.
• Mix pesto, cherry tomatoes, and ricotta cheese together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

INVOLTINI ALLA SICILIANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, pine nuts and currants. Stir in the marinara (Basic Tomato Sauce) and wine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, orange zest, parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper, and mix well.
• Season each piece of fish with salt and pepper and place flat on a work surface. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly across each of the fish pieces and carefully roll each like a jelly roll, securing each roll with string or with toothpicks. Place the rolls in the skillet with the sauce. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Place 1 roll on each of 4 warmed dinner plates, spoon some of the sauce over each, and garnish with chopped parsley, torn oregano, fennel fronds and olive oil.

CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA

Steps:

• In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter.
• Add the coffee and the chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. You might need to microwave the mixture a few short times to allow full melting of the chocolate chips.
• Once it's all melty and smooth, put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice so it can cool down and firm up.
• Stir every 10-15 minutes to keep it smooth as it firms.
• Then start on the filling: Mix the ricotta with the sugar, orange zest and grated chocolate.
• After the pound cake has cooled, slice it into three horizontal layers.
• Drizzle the Grand Marier over all the layers.
• Then spread half the filling on the bottom layer, top with the next cake layer and spread with the remaining filling.
• Then top with the third layer of cake and spread the frosting on top and all over.
• Refrigerate until dinner.
• Drizzle the Gand Marnier.