Beef Barley Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup of red wine

2 pounds of stew beef cut into 1/4 inch pieces

5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

1 large Portobello mushroom-chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 fennel bulb-chopped

1 garlic clove-chopped

8 cups of beef stock

2 cups Butternut Squash-cubed

1 large Potato-peeled and cubed

2 large carrots-1/2 inch slices

2/3 cup quick cooking Barley

2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon thyme

DIRECTIONS: 

Place squash, potato, carrots on a greased baking sheet.  Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast   at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, set aside.  Mix the flour with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle over beef, toss to coat.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10 quart stock pot.  Brown beef, remove and set aside.

In the same pot heat remaining oil, add mushrooms, onion and fennel.  Cook 4-5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in garlic, add beef stock , stirring to loosen brown bits.  Add red wine and cook for a few minutes.  Bring pot a boil and than reduce to a simmer for 1 hour.  Add roasted vegetables, barley, thyme, and nutmeg to pot.  Bring pot to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until barley is tender.

*I like to cook my barley separate from my soup, in case you have family members that don't come home at the same time!

This is great with crusty bread!  

Sausage Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds of bulk Italian sausage

1 tablespoon of ground fennel

1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes

1 onion diced

1 fennel bulb-trimmed, cored and finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 cup of celery, finely diced

4 cloves of garlic-crushed

2 cups of tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté sausage in olive oil, brown and transfer to a warm plate.  To the same pan add little more olive oil, add fennel seeds, carrot, celery, red pepper, onion and garlic.  

Cook until vegetables are soft.  Return sausage back to pan, add tomato sauce.  Simmer until  the vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.

In the meantime bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil, add gnocchi to water.  When the Gnocchi float to the top they are done!  

Toss Gnocchi  gently into sauce.  Top with Pecorino Romano Cheese!

*When I use fresh ricotta, I place it in a paper tower and drain it over a colander up to 8 hours. This will make the cheese firmer and dryer--nicer to work with.

Ricotta Gnocchi

INGREDIENTS: 

1 1/2 pounds of fresh Ricotta

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

2 large eggs beaten

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare Gnocchi, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, Mix together until soft dough forms.  Place dough on a floured board and knead for several minutes.

Let dough rest for a few minutes.

Roll the dough into small ropes, cut each piece into 1 inch  pieces.  Roll each piece on a Gnocchi board.  Place on a floured sheet pan, set aside.