Besides pizza, Naples has developed many classic Italian dishes throughout the ages. Dishes like eggplant parmesan, stuffed peppers and pasta e fagioli have been around for hundreds of years.
Rich sauces like Bolognese, Genovese and Neapolitan Ragu have been used to create some of the best pasta dishes in Italy. Like most of Italy, pastas mixed with vegetables, instead of expensive meats and seafood, helped feed people during hard times.
And let’s not forget the desserts. Struffoli, stogliatelle and pastiera cheesecake all come out of Naples. To sum it up Neapolitan cuisine has maintained it’s tradition. Elegant recipes simply prepared using the finest, freshest ingredients. Enjoy!
Great Neapolitan Recipes
Neapolitan Cauliflower Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 large cauliflower
1 bunch of escarole, chopped
1 red onion, sliced thin
10 black olives, sliced
10 green olives, sliced
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
2 Tbls of capers
8 anchovies (optional)
2 Tbls of fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 sliced of Italian Bread, toasted and broken into cubes
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Break the cauliflower into small pieces and cook or steam until tender. Around 5 to 6 minutes. Plunge into an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking process.
Wash the escarole and mix together in a large bowl with the cauliflower.
Add the onions, black olives, green olives, red peppers, capers, anchovies and the basil and toss together.
Toss in the Italian bread cubes.
In a smaller bowl whisk together the oil and vinegar and to the salad.
Season with salt and pepper.
Taste the salad and adjust the oil and vinegar and seasoning
Serves 4 to 6 people
Pasta with Neapolitan Ragu
INGREDIENTS
1 pound of penne pasta
11/2 pounds of boneless round or chuck steak, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh grated pecorino Romano cheese
5 pork spare ribs
3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
3 28oz cans of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbls of sugar
PREPARATION
Season the steak with some salt and pepper on both sides.
Sprinkle the meat with parsley and cheese.
Roll the meat up and tie with string in several spots.
Season the ribs with salt and pepper
In a large pot, brown the steak and the ribs in the olive oil.
Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
Sauté the onion, celery and carrot until slightly softened.
Stir in garlic and basil.
Return the meat to the pot.
Add the wine and the tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the sugar
Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove the meat from the pot and cut the meat into pieces and return to the pot.
In 6 quarts of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Around 10 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6 people
Neapolitan Meatloaf
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 pounds of ground beef
1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley
2 eggs
3 slices of white bread
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 package of fresh spinach, cooked and chopped
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
6 slices of Genoa salami
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 15oz can of tomato sauce
PREPARATION
In a large frying pan, sauté the peppers, onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender. Around 2 minutes. Cool.
In a large bowl mix together the ground beef, parsley, eggs, bread, salt and pepper.
Add the cooled vegetable mixture.
Flatten the ground beef mixture on a piece of plastic wrap.
Sprinkle the top of the meat with the parmesan cheese.
Top with the spinach, mozzarella, salami and hard boiled eggs.
Roll the meat together using the plastic wrap. Mold the sides so nothing falls out.
Remove the plastic wrap and place the meatloaf in a greased casserole dish.
Top with tomato sauce.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the meatloaf for around 1 and a half hours
Serves 4 to 6 people
Neapolitan Mashed Potatoes (Gato)
INGREDIENTS
6 large white baking potatoes
1 and 1/2 cups of fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of fresh grated Romano cheese
4 tsp of butter
1/2 cup of milk
3 egg yolks
1 egg white
1 cup of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
4 oz of Genoa salami chopped
6 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto
6 slices of smoked provolone cheese
6 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
PREPARATION
Peal the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
In a large pot boil the potatoes until tender. Around 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.
Mix in the parmesan, Romano cheese, 3 Tbls of butter, milk, egg yolks, egg white and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pr-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use the remaining butter to grease a casserole dish.
Sprinkle the dish with the bread crumbs.
Place half of the mashed potatoes in the dish.
Place a layer of salami on top followed by a layer of prosciutto, provolone and mozzarella cheese.
Place the remaining mashed potatoes on top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Serve topped with shaved parmesan cheese.
Serves 4 to 6 people. Great with the Neapolitan Meatloaf
Neapolitan Rum Baba
INGREDIENTS
Baba
6 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
2 cups of all purpose flour, sifted
2 Tbls of baking powder
1 stick of melted butter
3/4 cup of milk, warmed
Syrup
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 white rum
1 tsp of rum extract
PREPARATION
Beat the eggs until fluffy.
Add the flour and baking powder sifted together.
Beat in the butter and milk
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees
Pour the ingredients into a greased, flowered baking dish.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
In a small pot cook the sugar in the water until syrupy.
Remove from heat and stir in the rum and rum extract.
Unmold the cake and spoon the rum syrup all over the top until all the syrup is soake into the cake.
Serve around 14 people
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