Robert's go-to dishes often begin with a marinara sauce. Why not? It's one of Italy's greatest gifts, surpassing Leonardo da Vinci. (As the "Sopranos'" Junior said: "We taught the world how to cook.") Marinara is a "mother" sauce from which you can make a zillion entrees. In "Dog Park," Robert simmers a marinara to seduce, entertain or just for dinner alone. Jet sticks to his Tuscan risotto dog feed. Robert eschews the "Godfather" recipe by skipping sugar and red wine. Tomatoes are sweet enough. And white wine, not red, adds a slight tartness.
This time Robert makes a baked pasta. It's a perfect family-style dish that warms up the house––and you. It's so simple. Some sauce, meat, pasta, cheese–– that all come together in the oven. Better the next day out of the fridge. Robert says you have to shop around for the best cheeses and beef. Even something seemingly as mundane as cottage cheese can be subpar if the wrong brand.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pound ground beef
2 cans Italian plum tomatoes
2 cups uncooked macaroni or.....
1/2 lb. mozzarella
1/2 lb. provolone
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
onion, celery chopped
garlic smashed.
small can tomato paste
thyme; oregano. salt pepper
olive oil
cup white wine
Here goes:
Beforehand, cooked down the two cans of tomatoes. Robert breaks up
the skinned red ovals with a potato masher. He adds wine and salt.
Boil pasta in salted water short of al dente. drain. coat in a little olive oil.
Meanwhile, brown the beef in oil in large skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic.
When meat is done, continue frying after adding tomato paste.
Season to taste.
Now the onions, celery, garlic.
Add the marinara and let simmer for 30 minutes or so. Make sure it's
saucy. Oven heat has a drying effect.
Fold in the cooked pasta.
In a bowl, mix cottage cheese with two eggs; herbs.
Layer an oiled baking dish with some sauce.
Smear the cottage cheese mix on top.
Put grated provolone on top of that.
Add rest of sauce.
Seal the deal with grated moz.
Bake in 350 oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
Let the bubbling cool for 15 minutes to "rest" like a good steak and then present to table like a conquering beneficent king.
This classic cries out for a Chianti Classico and its sharp crushed cherry and herbal hints, taking you to a Tuscan hill overlooking vineyards and olive trees. But Robert at a recent dinner party opted for one of his pricy Bordeaux –a Lagrange from St. Julien. Its dark fruit-tobacco combination stands up well to a rich baked pasta.
This time Robert makes a baked pasta. It's a perfect family-style dish that warms up the house––and you. It's so simple. Some sauce, meat, pasta, cheese–– that all come together in the oven. Better the next day out of the fridge. Robert says you have to shop around for the best cheeses and beef. Even something seemingly as mundane as cottage cheese can be subpar if the wrong brand.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pound ground beef
2 cans Italian plum tomatoes
2 cups uncooked macaroni or.....
1/2 lb. mozzarella
1/2 lb. provolone
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
onion, celery chopped
garlic smashed.
small can tomato paste
thyme; oregano. salt pepper
olive oil
cup white wine
Here goes:
Beforehand, cooked down the two cans of tomatoes. Robert breaks up
the skinned red ovals with a potato masher. He adds wine and salt.
Boil pasta in salted water short of al dente. drain. coat in a little olive oil.
Meanwhile, brown the beef in oil in large skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic.
When meat is done, continue frying after adding tomato paste.
Season to taste.
Now the onions, celery, garlic.
Add the marinara and let simmer for 30 minutes or so. Make sure it's
saucy. Oven heat has a drying effect.
Fold in the cooked pasta.
In a bowl, mix cottage cheese with two eggs; herbs.
Layer an oiled baking dish with some sauce.
Smear the cottage cheese mix on top.
Put grated provolone on top of that.
Add rest of sauce.
Seal the deal with grated moz.
Bake in 350 oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
Let the bubbling cool for 15 minutes to "rest" like a good steak and then present to table like a conquering beneficent king.
This classic cries out for a Chianti Classico and its sharp crushed cherry and herbal hints, taking you to a Tuscan hill overlooking vineyards and olive trees. But Robert at a recent dinner party opted for one of his pricy Bordeaux –a Lagrange from St. Julien. Its dark fruit-tobacco combination stands up well to a rich baked pasta.
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