Winter foods to keep you warm, Italian style

Many of us are suffering through a bone chilling, frigid winter. So to help everyone keep warm, the Scotto family — Marion, John, Rosanna, Anthony Jr. and Elaina — were invited on the "Today" show to share some foods to help you forget about the cold weather. Here are the recipes:

Italian Rice Balls
4 cups cooked Arborio rice
3 eggs; beaten (1 egg should be set aside for the egg wash)
1/2 cup Romano cheese; grated
8 ounces cube mozzarella, fresh
4 ounces prosciutto, chopped
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups oil for frying

Mix together rice, eggs, Romano cheese, prosciutto, salt, 1/4 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix ingredients, place a tablespoon in your hand, and insert a cube of mozzarella into the center of the rice mixture.

Roll rice mixture into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter, dip in egg wash and then roll in the seasoned bread crumbs. Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Fry rice balls about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Cavatelli With Sweet Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Serves 4 to 6

1 medium-size onion cut into small dice
3 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces coarsely ground sweet fennel sausage with no casing. If there is casing, remove and break up with hands
1 bunch broccoli rabe, tender tops and tender stems only, cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces, do not use thick heavy stems
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes
1 pound fresh cavatelli
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Place extra virgin olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes but do not brown. Remove onion and garlic from pan, set aside. In same pan, add ground sausage meat and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes or until sausage has rendered and is lightly brown.

Add broccoli rabe and sauté again until soft but still green and firm. Next, add in onion, garlic and chili pepper flakes and simmer sauce for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let broccoli rabe cook remainder of the way. Bring large pot of water to a boil, add salt then add pasta. Cook fresh or frozen cavatelli according to directions, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Strain pasta and toss with sauce. Toss cavatelli with broccoli rabe and sausage, then add Parmesan until completely mixed. Serve immediately.

Italian Meat Loaf With Lentils and Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6

4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound lentils
1 cup carrots, small dice
1 cup onions, small dice
1 cup fennel, small dice
1 small piece prosciutto rind
1 quart beef stock
1/4 cup chopped rosemary
1 cup chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 eggs
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, fennel, garlic and prosciutto. Cook for about 15 minutes until vegetables soften.

Add lentils, beef stock, rosemary and pepper flakes, cover and cook for 25 minutes until lentils begin to soften.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready, drain any leftover liquid and cool down.

In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, eggs, lentils, parsley, parmesan and vegetables, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well and shape into a 10-ounce oval loaf. Place on sheet pan and bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes.

For the sauce
1/4 cup shallots, small dice
2 quarts veal stock
5 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat oil in sauce pot, and sauté shallots, garlic and thyme until golden brown. Add veal stock and reduce to almost half or until consistency is thick and smooth.

Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds small potatoes, cut in quarters
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt to taste

Place potatoes in a saucepan full of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In another saucepan, melt butter, add cream, and heat until it comes to a boil. Add butter and cream to potatoes and mash. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Tuscan Style Veal Stew
Serves 6 to 8
3 pounds boned veal shoulder, sliced 2 inches thick and cut into 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, cut into small dice
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups veal or beef stock
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
12 small white boiling onions or cipollini onions peeled
1/2 pound fresh assorted mushrooms (cremini, portobello and oyster) 1 bulb fresh fennel, trimmed and cut into medium-size dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Optional: 1/2 cup dry porcini mushrooms reconstituted in 1 cup of hot boiling water can be added in step 3 of this recipe, if desired (see below).

Preheat oven to 325°. Heat oil in heavy sauté pan or casserole with a cover that fits. Add the pieces of veal and cook until lightly brown. Add veal in small batches and when all the veal is cooked, add diced onion to veal and cook for 5 minutes, lower heat.

Stir in tomato puree and mix thoroughly. Gradually pour in white wine, stock, reconstituted porcini mushrooms and its liquid (see optional ingredient, above).

Add garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet or casserole and transfer to oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot, and cook onions until lightly brown and tender.

Remove onions and repeat process with fennel and then mushrooms. Add onions, fennel and mushrooms to veal casserole and cook, covered, for an additional 30 minutes or until veal is fork tender. The length of time will depend upon quality of the veal.

Just before serving, add fresh chopped parsley and stir. Serve over soft polenta or mashed potatoes.

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Warm Butterscotch Sauce
Serves 6

2 cups milk
6 slices bread, cubed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 cup grated sweet chocolate

Scald milk. Remove from heat; add bread and beat until quite smooth. Add sugar, cocoa, and egg yolks. Beat until well blended. Add butter and vanilla. Fold in beaten egg whites and grated chocolate. Pour into 8-inch square baking dish; set dish in a pan with about 1-inch of hot water. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, or until firm.

Top with whipped cream and warm butterscotch sauce. Serve immediately.

Butterscotch Sauce
1 pound light brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons corn syrup

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Serve warm.

Recipes courtesy of the Scotto family, of the New York restaurant Fresco. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission. For more information about the Scottos and Fresco, you can visit: www.frescobyscotto.com/

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