Christmas with Marks Family

 

Cappelletti: Our Family Tradition/ updated video

 I decided that today was the day I was starting to make the Cappelletti for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.. 

Today’s Cappelletti 12/8/2024 sampling a few.  Yummy!

Growing up they were a wonderful addition to our Turkey dinner.  Mom spent hours making them and usually made anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 of those little pasta filled caps..

 I remember my grandmother making them and how it was expected that this tradition would be continued on Thanksgiving.

Fortunately Mom, until recently, she's 88, had kept it up.. 

She had learned that making them and freezing them would be the answer to the exhaustion that was felt trying to make enough to make everyone happy.. 

Today I am happily carrying on the tradition with my daughter (Susan)at my side helping.. 

We serve them in homemade chicken soup and I  make that ahead of time as well to ease the stress of the day so I can enjoy the holiday as well..  

I Hope you enjoy this recipe.. I know I had promised it and I hold true to a promise made... Happy Cooking!

My Italian handy Food Companion explains them as:

Cappelletti:  small pasta hats (ka-pel-ett-ee) similar to tortellini( stuffed with a variety of fillings)

We chose the below recipe:  Some use cooked chicken chopped in place of ground meat

Filling:

1 ½ lb. Ground chuck(or beef and pork)

1 can tomato paste (optional)it was in grandma’s traditional recipe)

1 can water

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Nutmeg

salt and pepper

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs

½ cup Pecorino cheese grated

1 egg beaten

By adding the tomato paste it gives your filling a slight red color

In a medium pan sauté chuck (beef) in small amount of oil..

 Season with salt and pepper. 

Add 1 can tomato paste, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1 can water while cooking slowly..

 Remove from heat, add breadcrumbs, cheese and egg.  Mix thoroughly..

Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pasta Dough ( double or triple recipe)

2 ½ cups flour

3 eggs @ room temperature

dash salt

shot glass water or less

shot glass oil or less

In your upright stand mixer add eggs, pinch of salt and water.  Mix.  Using dough hook slowly add flour until a ball forms.  Remove place on a slightly floured cutting board and work dough with hands until a soft ball is formed.

Cut dough in sections and press down to be able to slide into your pasta Machine.  Set on 2 than 3 then 4..

After dough is mixed take from mixer and put on floured cutting board. (I use an acrylic board)

Mix together with hands into it forms into a ball

Slice in sections and press slightly so it will go into pasta machine easily

I start with #2 and proceed to 3(my pasta machine reading) on side of machine

Easily goes through

Cut into small sections.  I had doubled the recipe and I made 300 cappelletti's.. I bagged the rest of the filling in small bags and froze..(approx 5 bags)I will make them between now and Thanksgiving..

Fold in half and then , twist the pasta between index and forefinger, crossing hands and pressing pasta ends together..

I place cappelletti on cookie sheet and freeze until set .

Place cappelletti after frozen in bag and put in freezer until ready to use..Bon appetite!

Happy Holidays from my kitchen to yours,


M.j.

10/26/11

Tuscan bean soup, my version!

My version of a recipe I’ve been wanting to make for a very long time.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1tablespoon butter

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped celery 

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup minced or chopped onion 

1/4 cup chopped spinach

1-15 oz can chicken broth 

1- can butter beans drained

1- 4 oz. Tomato sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

Sauté onion carrots , onions, celery and garlic in vegetable oil and butter.  When tender add tomato sauce, chicken broth beans and spinach.  Slowly Add heavy cream and Cook slowly until

Slightly thickened.  It’s delicious!

Note: next time I’d add another can of beans to make the consistency to my liking.

It is delicious !

Short cut cream of chicken and vegetable soup

Soup time.  Whether we are ready or not Fall will be here soon  and there is always time for soup .

I decided today to try and make this soup easier than I have before.

32 oz. Chicken broth

1/2 cup each chopped carrots, celery and onions

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

I tablespoon butter

One half  of a 10 oz. Package frozen corn

1small potato cubed

One half of a package of frozen green beans

1cup acne de Pepe uncooked

1 small can cream of chicken soup 

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tsp. Salt

1tsp. Pepper 

Frozen chopped spinach optional 

1cup rotisserie chicken shredded 

Sauté carrots, celery and onions in vegetable oil and butter until slightly soft.

On medium heat Add chicken broth and one can cream of chicken soup.  Wisk until blended.

Add parsley, salt and pepper.

Add frozen or fresh vegetables. Cook on medium heat for approximately I hour or less.  Add 1cup acne de Pepe or your favorite small noodle.  Cook until tender and then serve.  Optional bread and butter and side salad.

Enjoy!

This soup was very tasty and even better the next day! Yum!!