Menu help please!

[flamin lib]

I'm having dinner with daughter & SIL this Friday. I'd like to do an Italian theme with Zuppa Tuscana as a first course.

Zuppa Tuscana

1 lb ground Italian sausage 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree 10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon 1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.

I'll serve hot bread with a rosemary/garlic compound butter as well.

So, what's a good pasta main course?

[Tesha]

1. oh yummm...

I can't wait until the temperature drops below 90... this sounds wonderful!

as far as the pasta to follow? you could have almost anything, like...

Ravioloni di Ricotta e Spinaci al Burro Fuso, Salvia e Cuore di Pomodoro
Giant Homemade Raviolis Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach, Tossed with Chopped Roma Tomatoes and Laced in Sage Butter

Farfalle al Salmone Affumicato Vodka
Bow Tie Pasta Sautéed with Wild Scottish Smoked Salmon, Flambéed with Grey Goose Vodka, and Folded in a Light Creamy Tomato Sauce

Vulcano di Spaghetti alla Sorrentina
Volcano of Spaghetti with an herb-infused Fresh Tomato Sauce topped with Sorrento Bufala Mozzarella

Rigatoni con Cime di Rapa e Salciccia
A Country Style Rigatoni Pasta Tossed with Broccoli Rabe, Neapolitan Sweet Sausage, finished in Pinot Grigio Wine


I found this list here... http://www.montrosetravel.com/index.php?id=3018,3065,0,0,1,0

[flamin lib]

6. Thanks for the link. It all sounds good and a bit exotic! nt

[beac]

2. Since your antipasto is rich, I'd go for a lighter touch with the pasta.

Lemon pepper linguine is wonderful with all kinds of sauces-- shrimp, mushroom, fresh tomato-- and adds a bright note to the dish. Here's a recipe using it with an artichoke sauce: http://www.evitamins.com/encyclopedia/assets/recipe/lemon-pepper-linguine-with-artichoke-hearts/~default

Speaking of lemony dishes... If you have access to zucchini blossoms, this is fantastic (if you can't get blossoms, grated zucchini or squash makes a good substitute):

Spaghetti with Zucchini Blossoms
(Serves 4 as a first course or 2 as an entree)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried chile flakes, grated
rind of 1 lemon, grated
16 to 20 large zucchini blossoms, trimmed of the stem and stamen and cut into strips
salt
spaghetti, enough for four as a first course, cooked al dente
grated Grana Padano cheese *optional* (or substitute Parmigiano)

Preparation:

Gently melt the butter over the lowest flame in a nonstick
heavy-based frying pan (skillet). While the butter melts, cut
the garlic clove into chunks and add to the butter. Let it
infuse as the butter melts. Remove the garlic. (You can slice
it thinly if you like it left in, but it will overpower the
delicate flavor of the blossoms.) Add the dried chile flakes
and the grated lemon rind to the melted butter.

Stir around with a wooden spoon, then add the zucchini
blossoms. Stir around until the ingredients are amalgamated
and add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked and
well-drained spaghetti (should be just cooked and hot) and
toss in the pan until coated. Serve sprinkled with grated
Grana Padano.


Variation: After adding the blossoms, add ½ cup of milk to
the butter mixture. Simmer until thickened a little. Add in
¼ cup grated Parmigiano cheese and 2T fresh chopped basil.
Cook for a minute more, then pour over the spaghetti.

2nd variation: Add 1c grated zucchini along with the blossoms
and cook about 1-2 minutes before proceeding.
____

I usually end up using a bit more than 2T butter... closer to 3, I'd say.

[flamin lib]

5. Sounds great but squash blossums aren't available here. nt

[grasswire]

3. are you making your own pasta?

Or will you buy it?

Trader Joe's has a lemon pappardelle that is very good tossed with herbs, spinach and cheese.

[flamin lib]

4. I use dried pasta.

I'm thinking chicken or pork parmigiana served over bow tie with a green olive and sun dried tomato cream sauce.

[hippywife]

7. I would recommend

a light pasta, cappellini with a bright fresh pomodoro. As someone else mentioned, your first course is fairly heavy, so something light would be better.

If you have your heart set on using chicken, then a nice chicken piccata with cappellini would also work. I've made this one and it's delicious.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_piccata/