Recipe(tried): Ciao Bella Noche.... Mama Pacetti's Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage, Italian Sausages with Onions and Three Peppers, Garlic Bread with Feta, Gina's Tiramisu

Hello Everyone,

It's always great fun to have friends over for an Italian feast. I love to serve them my spaghetti sauce and also my sausages with three peppers, onions and lots of garlic. They always ask for seconds and I caution them that there is Tiramisu for dessert whereupon they all groan...

Lots of chianti and loaves of Italian garlic bread along with a super Tiramsu is sure to bring a smile to every guest's face.

And later, as you all bid goodby at the end of a great evening, you can say "Ciao Bella", which means goodby beautiful!!

Bon Apetito!! Gina

Mama Pacetti's Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage
This is an authentic recipe from the old countryside. Delicious!!!!

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix ground sirloin, onion, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper and herbs. You can add a little water if too dry. Shape into meatballs and brown in olive oil before adding to sauce.

For Meat Sauce:

Brown the sirloin, drain and set aside. Continue making the sauce as directed below and instead of adding meatballs, add the browned meat and stir to blend well.

Sauce:
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, washed, cored and chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 pork chops or pork rib
1 lb. mild Italian Sausage cut into 2" pieces
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes with puree
1 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 t. dried
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. crumbled thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed dried red pepper
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
12 oz. cooked spaghetti
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the sausage and set aside. Saute onions, pork chops and garlic in large pot. Add tomatoes, paste and sauce and bring to a boil. Add next 13 ingredients, the browned meatballs, the browned sausage and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stir occasionally.

Italian Sausages with Onions and Three Peppers
serves 3

1 package of Italian sausages
1 each green, yellow and red bell peppers, sliced in slivers
1 onion, sliced in slivers
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced thin with a razor blade
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and put all the ingredients in the skillet. Cook over medium heat stirring the ingredients often and watching that the garlic does not burn. Cook until the onion is golden and the sausages browned. Delicious!!

Garlic Bread with Feta

1 loaf Italian bread, split open
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil

Mix the butter with the garlic and blend well. Blend in feta and seasonings and spread on bread. Bake in oven at 350 for about 15 minutes till bubbly.

Gina's Tiramisu
(This always gets rave reviews)
serves 16

5 eggs, separated
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 tbsp. cognac
16 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 pkgs. ladyfingers
1 cup strong expresso
cocoa powder to dust

Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
Beat egg yolks well. Slowly add sugar and beat until very creamy. Add vanilla, cognac, and cheese. Blend well. Fold in beaten egg whites. Dip ladyfingers in expresso, place on bottom of 9x13-inch pan. Cover with cheese mixture, repeat layer. Dust with powdered cocoa. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or better overnight.