Recipe: Italian Lunch Menu and Recipes (for the bridesmaids) for Regina

Italian Lunch Menu
(for the bridesmaids')

Sicilian Mozzarella Pockets (Appetizer)
Cold Pasta With Walnut Sauce
Cannelloni Di Mare/Lobster Cannelloni
Classic Tossed Salad
Sicilian Cassata
Beverages: White Italian Bolla Soave wine
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Sicilian Mozzarella Pockets
Serves: 4
Source: Mission Foods Quick & Easy Recipe Collection

4 oz. fat free mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices
4 Mission Fat Free Fajita Size Flour Tortillas
12 leaves fresh spinach, stems removed or one bunch of Arugula
2 tablespoons low calorie Italian dressing
2 plum tomatoes, sliced

In a small bowl toss the spinach leaves or arugula with the Italian dressing.

Place tortillas on a work surface and divide the greens among them.

Top each tortilla with 2 slices of cheese, 1/4 of the tomato and 1/4 of the basil. Fold tortillas in half and then into quarters to serve.
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Cold Pasta With Walnut Sauce

1 lb. of crushed walnuts
Dried oregano flakes (handful)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes chopped fine
1/2 cup raisins
2 tsp. salt
1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 pint olive oil
2 lbs. pasta (preferably rigatoni or ziti)

Mix all but the pasta in a jar or Tupperware container and let stand in refrigerator for a couple of days, covered and tossing occasionally. Boil pasta per package directions and empty into a large bowl. Pour walnut sauce over the pasta and toss thoroughly. Refrigerate over night, tossing occasionally. Serve with extra cheese sprinkled on top.
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Cannelloni Di Mare

Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound cooked crabmeat, broken up with fork
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, de-veined, cooked
Cooked meat of one Lobster Tail, chopped coarsely
3 pieces dried muchrooms, pre-soaked
4 fresh mushrooms, washed and chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 leaves fresh basil, chopped or pinch of dried
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch ginger
Salt and Pepper
1 Egg Yolk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4"" by 4"" squares of fresh pasta (preferred) or
substitute packaged manicotti/cannelloni tubes.
(Cook according to package directions, al dente.
Drop into ice cold water to stop further cooking,
making certain pasta does not break or stick together.)
3/4 cup prepared Marinara Sauce

Cream Sauce:
8 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
Salt and White Pepper to taste
Pinch Nutmeg
2 cups heavy cream
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese

Make Cream Sauce by melting butter in saucepan, add flour, salt and pepper and nutmeg. Stir with wire whisk over low heat until mixture is golden in color. Heat cream separately and bring almost to a boil. Blend into the butter-flour mixture gradually. Cook ten minutes or until flour can no longer be tasted. Remove from heat. Quickly blend in the egg yolk. Fold in the cheese, blending thoroughly. If sauce seems a little too thick, add a little heated cream.

Make filling by melting butter in a frying pan, add seafood, both kinds of mushrooms, herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Saute' for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Mix in egg yolk and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese. Fill cannelloni.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour Marinara Sauce into a baking dish. Arrange the cannelloni in the sauce and cover with cream sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan Cheese.

Bake in oven for 8 minutes.

Serves 6-8.
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Classic Tossed Salad
Source: Toni Bankson
"This is a delicious salad that goes great with any meal, especially Italian!"
Original recipe yield: 12 servings.

1 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 (8 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian salad dressing

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the almonds in the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned. When the almonds are beginning to turn, add sesame seeds, and cook 1 more minute, or until seeds are toasted.

In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce with feta cheese, olives, almonds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, and Romano cheese. When ready to serve, toss with Italian dressing.
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Sicilian Cassata
Sicilian cassata is a traditional Sicilian dessert that is perfect for St. Joseph's Day or any other time of the year. You need to start with a sponge cake base and build from there.

1 sponge cake
1 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 c ricotta
4 oz chocolate
1 c candied fruit
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 oz Maraschino liqueur
1 Tbsp pistachios
1/2 c apricot jelly

Mix water and sugar and heat until warm. Mix in the ricotta. Next chop up the chocolate and mix that in. Mix in the candied fruit. Now add vanilla, cinammon, liqueur and nuts.

Cut the sponge cake into thin slices and use it to line the bottom and sides of a 10" cake pan. Add in the ricotta blend and add sponge on top. Put in fridge for 3 hours.

To serve, unmold and spread apricot jelly on top.