Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir the bread crumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, mint, and garlic to blend. to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir the bread crumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, mint, and garlic to blend.
Lightly coat a large, heavy baking sheet with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Arrange the mushroom caps on the baking sheet, cavity side up, and spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities. Drizzle teaspoon of oil over the filling in each mushroom. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on a platter and serve.
EGGPLANT ROLLATINI.
Eggplant Parmesan is one of the cla.s.sic red-checkered-tablecloth Italian-American recipes, but I prefer this slightly easier and lighter recipe, with a very similar concept-combining eggplant with cheese and marinara sauce. This makes an elegant, satisfying side dish as well as a great entree for a vegetarian meal (make sure your vegetarians eat dairy, though-there"s lots of it here). You could also make this dish with zucchini.
6 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.
4.
medium eggplants (about 4 pounds), cut lengthwise into -inch-thick slices medium eggplants (about 4 pounds), cut lengthwise into -inch-thick slices
1.
tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt .
cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3.
tablespoons pine nuts tablespoons pine nuts
32.
ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
2.
large eggs, beaten to blend large eggs, beaten to blend .
cup shredded mozzarella cheese cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3.
tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 20 basil leaves, very thinly sliced tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 20 basil leaves, very thinly sliced
2.
cups cups Marinara Sauce Marinara Sauce
1.
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Arrange The Eggplant Slices over a large baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt (this will help extract the moisture from the eggplant). Set the eggplant aside for 15 minutes. Rinse the eggplant to remove the salt, and pat dry. over a large baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt (this will help extract the moisture from the eggplant). Set the eggplant aside for 15 minutes. Rinse the eggplant to remove the salt, and pat dry.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat, or preheat a ridged grill pan over a medium flame. Brush the eggplant slices with cup of oil and grill until lightly browned and tender, about 4 minutes per side.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the pine nuts on a heavy baking sheet, and toast in the oven, stirring once, until the nuts are fragrant and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Maintain the oven temperature.
Lightly oil a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and eggs to blend. Gently stir in the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts. Fold in the basil just to combine (do not overmix). Place 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture at one short end of each eggplant slice and roll up tightly. Place the eggplant rollatini seam side down in the prepared baking dish. (The eggplant rollatini can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the eggplant rollatini and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Bake uncovered until the eggplant rollatini are heated through, about 15 minutes. Drizzle more oil over the eggplant rollatini and serve.
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STUFFED TOMATOES.
I often serve these tomatoes at room temperature, and believe me, it"s a real relief to be able to serve a dish to which you have to do absolutely nothing while your guests are in your home, other than put it on a plate. That"s truly Everyday Italian Everyday Italian cooking. cooking.
4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.
Salt
cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1.
teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4.
ripe but firm large tomatoes ripe but firm large tomatoes
3.
tablespoons chopped fresh basil tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2.
tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1.
garlic clove, minced garlic clove, minced .
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste .
cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a Medium Saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and simmer over medium heat until just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the rice under cold running water. Drain well. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl and set aside. of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and simmer over medium heat until just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the rice under cold running water. Drain well. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil. Cut a -inch-thick slice off the top of each tomato; reserve the tops. Scoop the seeds, pulp, and juice from each into a small bowl. Place the hollowed tomatoes in the prepared dish. Add cup of the tomato pulp to the rice and toss to coat. Stir in the basil, parsley, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir in the Parmesan and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed tomatoes, mounding slightly. Replace the reserved tops and bake until the rice is heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. (The stuffed tomatoes can be made up to 4 hours ahead.) Cooking the rice rice ahead of time helps the ahead of time helps the tomato tomato keep its shape when it"s baked. And so the keep its shape when it"s baked. And so the presentation presentation is is better better.