OK, I’ve already revealed way too much about my TV-viewing habits, but……I also have to confess my love of HBO’s “The Sopranos”. I am counting down the days until the new season starts (April!). So, when I saw The Sopranos Family Cookbook, I had to get it. It’s actually (considering that all of the recipes were “written” by imaginary characters) a pretty good cookbook. I had a viewing party for the premiere show a couple of seasons ago and used quite a few of the recipes. I recommend the ones, in particular, for Biscotti Regina (Almond-Sesame cookies) and Arancini (rice balls).
And then, of course, there’s Carmela Soprano’s Baked Ziti. Mmmmm……
I’m too lazy (and afraid of copyright attorneys) to type the whole recipe in for you, but you basically make a batch of Uncle Junior’s Sunday Gravy with meatballs (recipe is in the book, but also available on HBO’s website here), boil a pound of ziti, pour a little sauce over the pasta, put it in a casserole dish, add a little ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, then a little more sauce and parmesan, then bake it for about an hour.
I added a tiny bit of sugar, cayenne pepper, oregano, balsamic vinegar and sauteed onion and garlic to the original sauce recipe. For the meats, I used mild Italian sausage, beef stew meat (I just can’t make myself do veal) and 2 (1/2 lb. each) country style pork ribs. I also added one more large can of diced tomatoes, because I wanted to have a little more sauce left over to make another dish, and because I wanted it to be just a TINY bit chunky. I pureed the whole tomatoes in the blender before I added them.
It’s so delicious, it’s a dish you can’t refuse…..capisce?
Uncooked meatballs.
Browned meatballs (they finish cooking in the sauce).