Recipe - Marinara Sauce

Note: This sauce can be stored in refrigerator for 1 to 2days or frozen in zipper bags. Use overpasta, in vegetable dishes, as a dip for appetizers, or in meatless lasagna.

Variation: AddItalian Meatballs recipe found on page 125 of the cookbook, for a quick meat sauce.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, juice included
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
4 - 5 tablespoons tomato paste, for thickening
few parsley leaves

1. Pour olive oil in large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic about 2minutes, until lightly golden.
2. Pour tomatoes in bowl, removing any hard stems or unsightly pieces anddiscard. Chop tomatoesfine and add to onion/garlic mixture. Over medium heat begin to simmersauce. Addthe sugar, dried basil leaves, chicken broth, crushed red pepper flakes, andsalt and pepper.Continue to simmer 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the tomato sauce, paste, and a few parsley leaves. With the lid on, turnthe heat to low andsimmer about 15 minutes. Stir often to avoid scorching on bottom. If sauceis too thick, add 1to 2 tablespoons of water. Taste sauce and add more seasoning, if desired.Makes 4 cups.

Recipe - Italian Sausage Bread

Note: This finished bread roll is beautiful and can be used as the centerpiece on your table. Use it as an accompaniment to your meal or sliced thick with a salad. Either way it is delicious. You can also use it sliced for appetizers.

Basic Pizza Dough recipe can be found on page 112 of the cookbook.

Marinara Sauce recipe can be found on page 127 of the cookbook.

1 pound Italian sweet sausage (about 3 long links)
olive oil, for frying

1 whole egg, beaten
plus 1 egg white
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh curly parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste
1 — 14" pizza stone
cornmeal for dusting stone

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
sesame seeds to sprinkle over dough

olive oil to drizzle, optional
grated Parmesan for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe, letting dough rise for about 11/2 hours. Punch dough down and let rest for about 15 minutes before rolling out.
2. While dough is resting, remove sausage from casings and crumble into small pieces. Fry sausage in lightly oiled skillet until browned evenly. Remove to large bowl and let cool. Add the eggs, cheeses, oregano, and parsley. Using your hands, mix the sausage mixture well until it all comes together. Set aside.
3. After the dough has rested, roll out a 14" circle and lay it on your pizza stone or a large pizza pan. Spread the meat over the dough to within 1" of the edge of the circle. Salt and pepper the meat lightly. Roll the dough jelly-roll style, placing the roll seam-side down on your stone. Be sure to scatter a little cornmeal on the bottom of the stone to keep the roll from sticking.
4. Beat the egg white and water until foamy. Brush top of loaf and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 45 minutes. Slice the roll and serve hot with olive oil to drizzle and grated cheese for garnish. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe - Basic Pizza Dough

Note: Making your own pizzas is fun and easy, it only takes practice and patience. Use your favorite ready-to-use pizza sauce or Marinara Sauce recipe found on page 127. This recipe makes enough dough for two 12" Sicilian pizzas (1" thick) or six 8" ( about 1/3" thick) pizzas.

2 — 14" pizza stones
or 6 — 8" round pans
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
11/4 cups warm water
3 cups bread flour, or all-purpose, a little more if needed
11/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons cornmeal

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Put yeast in warm water, and stir to dissolve, letting it foam up for 8 to 10 minutes. Mix the flour and salt together in large bowl. Add the yeast water a little at a time with small amounts of flour. Set to the side of bowl. Continue until all the water and flour have been used. Bring the flour together and form dough into a ball. Knead the dough 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and elastic. Pour 1 teaspoon olive oil over dough, turning to coat. Cover with towel and let rise 11/2 hours.
2. Punch dough down and let rest 15 minutes.
3. On floured counter, roll the dough portions a little at a time, letting the dough rest before proceeding. Pizza dough can be stretched a little at a time without leaving holes in the dough, if the dough can rest in intervals.
4. Place the pizza on the stone, and continue to roll or stretch until the circle is to the edge of the stone. Place cornmeal below the pizza dough and cover pizzas with your favorite toppings, being careful not to make the pizza too wet or too dry.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, for one thick Sicilian pizza, or 15 to 18 minutes if cooking thinner pizzas. The pizza should be golden brown underneath and the cheeses melted on top.