The Purloined Recipe

by Molly Beverly

The Italian version of an omelet. It’s quick and sufficient for any meal. Serve with sliced ripe tomatoes and crusty Italian bread.

Serves 4-6

1 pound zucchini
Salt
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper

Grate zucchini and toss with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Press out the liquid.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic and fry, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and sauté 5 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese, herbs and pepper. Stir in zucchini. Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add the egg mixture. Stir gently until set. Place under a broiler until top is firm or flip frittata over in pan and brown.

Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, basil, entrees, garlic, onions, oregano, squash - summer

1 - 9×13 Casserole dish
4-5 - Med Assorted Squash
1/2 Red Onion
1/2 Head of Cauliflower - Broken into small florets
2 16 oz cans of tomato sauce or one Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
One handful Fresh Herbs - I use Basil, Oregano, Sage and Marjoram
3 Cloves of Garlic - pressed
Salt, Pepper and Red Chili Pepper Flakes to Taste
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese to Taste
Slivered Almonds

Chop assorted squash and onion. Layer in casserole with cauliflower. Pour tomato/spaghetti sauce, garlic, fresh herbs and Salt, Pepper and Red Chili Pepper Flakes over the veggie mixture. Add cheese to the top and then almonds.

Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes then take off the cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until browned.

*You can also turn this into a southwest dish by adding a can of tomatoes with green chilies, 1 can of plain tomatoes sauce and adding assorted bell peppers. Omit the Italian fresh herbs and add seasonings such as ground chipotle chili pepper, cumin and top with fresh cilantro.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, basil, chiles, cilantro, entrees, garlic, oregano, sage, side dishes, squash - summer

from Molly Beverly

4 generous servings

3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh oregano
OR 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano (in the cellophane packages with Mexican spices)
2 Tablespoons drained capers
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes (For the last catering job I modified this to 1 onion and 2 pounds potatoes)
3 Tablespoons minced parsley mixed with 1/2 Tablespoon grated lemon rind, for garnish

In a large bowl combine vinegar, lemon juice and rind, oregano, capers, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Add onion slices and mix well.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until just tender.

Drain. Rinse in cool water, and while still warm, slice 1/4 inch thick. Add to dressing and toss gently to coat with dressing. Cool to room temperature.

Garnish with parsley and lemon rind.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, onions, oregano, parsley, potatoes, salad dressings, salads

8 banana peppers
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

1. Cut off tops of peppers, and remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portions of tops; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add peppers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender but firm, about 5 mins. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat butter in a medium skillet. Sauté reserved chopped pepper, onion and celery until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic. Season with basil, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Mix in hot sausage, mild sausage, bread crumbs and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture.
5. Using a piping bag or sausage stuffer, fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Place in a 3 quart casserole dish, and pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over peppers.
6. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 1 hour.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, basil, entrees, garlic, onions, oregano, peppers, side dishes, tomatoes

from Molly Beverly
Serves 4.

When the harvest is on and the eggplant are coming in by the bushel, I take an afternoon to freeze a big batch of this for my winter stock of instant dinners. For an even easier version, substitute ready-made Italian tomato sauce.

Wine Tomato Sauce

1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or basil OR 1 Tablespoon dried
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to thin
1 medium eggplant
vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Slice eggplant 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush both sides of eggplant slices with vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

For sauce: In a saucepan mix together tomato paste, olive oil, wine, herbs, garlic and fennel. Add enough water to make a medium bodied sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste, add salt and pepper, and more herbs if desired. Top each slice of eggplant with a slice of mozzarella, a couple tablespoonfuls of sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and heat until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Bake eggplant as above, then lay out slices on foil. Cover with mozzarella cheese, sauce, and Parmesan. Wrap airtight and freeze. To use place frozen Eggplant Parmesan in a 350° oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Recipes By Ingredient, basil, eggplant, garlic, oregano

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 2 - 4.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 big onions
a few thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons chopped oregano
4 skinny eggplants, cut into 2 inch lengths
1 ½ pounds summer squash, cut into large wedges or lengths
2 tablespoons tomato paste
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup white wine or water
vinegar, optional

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or other deep pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onions, thyme and oregano and cook over medium-high heat, shaking the pan
occasionally while you prepare the rest of the vegetables. Cook until the onions wilt and start to color in places.

Add the vegetables, give them a stir and cook, keeping the heat high and shaking the pan occasionally, until they begin to give off an enticing smell about 10-15 minutes). Stir in the tomato paste, add the salt and the wine or water. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes. The vegetables should have an invitingly tender appearance and be blushing with a faint glaze of red from the tomato. Season with pepper. Add a few drops of vinegar for sharpness if you like.

eggplant, oregano, squash - summer, stews