Jennifer Bajsel

I'm a chef, food advocate and entertainer. I believe that amazing food starts with knowing where ingredients come from and how the land and animals are treated. I'm here to share what I've learned so we can all enjoy good food again.

Fresh Pasta

Fresh Pasta

pasta dough recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 10 oz "00" flour
  • 10 oz Durum Semolina
  • 3 ea eggs

Instructions
 

  • On a clean cutting board, form a well with the flour. Put the eggs into the center. With a fork, whisk the eggs drawing in the flour until well combined. Turn out of bowl and form a ball. Note, if the dough is dry and crumbly add a little water until pliable. If it is too wet, add 1 TBL of "00" flour at a time until you can manage it without stickiness.
  • Set aside dough and clean your cutting board. Dust with flour and turn out dough onto surface. Knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough lightly and let rest 30 minutes.

To Make Pasta

  • You can either hand roll and hand cut your pasta. Or if using a pasta machine, take a piece of pasta about 1/2 cup size. Pass the dough through the smooth side of the pasta machine on the widest setting, repeat. Gradually move the setting to the next lower width and repeat the process. Do this until you have the thickness you like. The dough should be dry and matte before switching to the notched side of the machine to cut your pasta.
  • Flour the noodles to set aside before use to prevent sticking.

To cook Pasta

  • Bring a large sauce pot to boil. Add enough salt that it tastes like the sea. Once boiling add fresh pasta. (Fresh pasta cooks quickly, 3-4 minutes) When pasta begins to float its ready. It should be al dente, meaning to have a bit or chew to it. If adding to sauce, cook one minute less.
Keyword egg, Italian, Organic, pasta

Bucatini alla Carbonara

 

Bucatini alla Carbonara

Jennifer Bajsel
Classic Roman style pasta with egg sauce
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz Bucatini pasta
  • 4 oz Guanciale cut into lardons
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano shredded
  • 4 ea egg yolk
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper Fresh cracked

Instructions
 

  • Bring water to boil in large sauce pot. Salt water to taste like the sea. Once boiling add bucatini and cook for 6-7 minutes. (Check package for cook time and cook 1 minute less) If cooking fresh pasta, cook after the next step.
  • Add guanciale to a cast iron sauté pan. Render until slightly crispy. Remove Guanciale and keep rendered fat.
  • In a separate mixing bowl whisk the pecorino and egg yolks. Place mixing bowl over pasta water (to create a double boiler_ Slowly drizzle in the rendered fat, stirring constantly. If too thick add pasta water in slowly until you have a rich creamy egg sauce. (be careful not to let the egg yolks cook to fast or they will get lumpy).
  • Place guanciale back in the sauce pan, add in the egg mixture and toss in the pasta. Add more pasta water if too thick. Add black pepper. Serve immediately.
  • You may add more Pecorino Romano, guanciale and black pepper to garnish
Keyword black pepper, bucatini, egg, guanciale, Italian, pasta, pecorino romano, spaghetti

Veal Saltimboca

 

Veal Saltimboca

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron sauté pan

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ea veal scallopini thinly sliced veal filets
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 slices prosciutto
  • 1 bunch fresh sage
  • 2 TBL butter
  • 1 TBL extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions
 

  • Take each veal scallopini and place 1 slice of prosciutto on each. Take 1-2 sage leaves and using a toothpick secure prosciutto and sage to veal.
  • Add salt and pepper to flour. Dredge each piece of veal lightly in flour mixture and set aside.
  • Heat cast iron pan with 1 TBL of butter and olive oil. Over medium heat place veal, prosciutto side down until crispy. About 1 minute, turn veal over to cook the other side. Remove from pan and keep warm.
  • Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scaping up the browned bits. Cook until it thickens into a sauce. Add the remaining 2 TBL of butter to sauce, stirring until creamy.
  • Remove toothpicks from veal and serve immediately with sauce.
Keyword prosciutto, sage, Veal, Wine

Cantucci

 

Cantucci

Jennifer Bajsel
Biscotti Cookies
Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 24

Equipment

  • 1 oven pre-heat to 350 degrees
  • 2 Baking Sheets
  • 2 wire racks
  • 1 Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 4 ea eggs
  • 1 ea egg for brushing
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 8 TBL Butter melted and cooled
  • 3 1/2 cups pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TBL Honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Toast the almonds in the pre-heated oven until golden, about 8 -10 minutes. Let cool and set aside
  • Beat the 4 eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add melted butter and stir to combine.
  • In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Once combined, stir in almonds. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
  • Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take refrigerated dough and divide in two. Form 2 logs that are the length of the baking sheet (a jelly roll pan works, too). Whisk the remaining egg and brush the tops and sides of logs. Do not leave any egg dripping.
  • Bake the logs of dough in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.
  • Once the logs are cooled move them to a cutting board and slice them at an angle about 1/2 inch thick. Place the cookies on theirs sides on baking sheets and place back into the oven.
  • Bake for 25 minutes turning over once about half way through the second baking process.

Panzanella

 

Panzanella

Jennifer Bajsel
A salad made from leftover stale bread
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron sauté pan
  • 1 large mixing bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf sourdough bread, stale cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 2 bunches Romaine Hearts chopped and rinsed
  • 4 each Heirloom tomatoes sliced into wedges
  • 1 each Red onion julienned
  • 1/2 cup Green Olives pitted whole, halved or sliced
  • 1/2 cup Black Olives pitted whole, halved or sliced
  • 2 TBL butter
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup red vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 bunch fresh basil

Instructions
 

  • Take day old or longer bread that has gotten stale and cut it into 1 inch chunks.
    Heat butter in a cast iron pan on medium heat. When butter begins to brown add the bread chunks and toss until crispy. Set aside

For the Salad

  • Wash, rinse and chop the romaine lettuce, place in mixing bowl. Slice tomatoes, onions and olives and add to mixing bowl. Take basil leaves and slice into thin ribbons and add to mixing bowl. Add toasted bread.

For the Salad Dressing

  • Combine extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir or shake until well combined. Add to mixing bowl

To Serve

  • Toss salad ingredients, bread and dressing together. Serve in a large bowl or on a platter, or in individual bowls. Garnish with fresh basil
Keyword bread, Italian, Organic

Pizza Bianca with Mortadella

Pizza Bianca with Mortadella

A Roman specialty sandwich made with white pizza and mortadella,
Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Pizza Stone

Ingredients
  

  • 1 recipe Focaccia no rosemary
  • 2-3 TBL Semolina
  • 1 head Garlic Roasted
  • 1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 oz Arugula
  • 1/2 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • AN Kosher Salt as needed
  • AN Ground Black Pepper as needed
  • 1/2 Mortadella thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Make Focaccia recipe, omitting the rosemary.
  • Take head of garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in a 350 degree oven to roast for 45 minutes to 1 hr.
  • Remove garlic from oven and let cool. Remove garlic paper until roasted garlic slides out. Place roasted garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Cut baked Focaccia into squares then slice each square in half horizontally to make sandwich bread.
  • Dress the Arugula with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Make the sandwich. Spread the roasted garlic on one side of focaccia bread. Top it with arugula then mortadella. Top with the other side of focaccia.
Keyword Italian, mortadella, pizza, sandwich

Focaccia

Focaccia

Focaccia is a flat bread topped with olive oil, spices and salt and is a type of pizza.
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Equipment

  • jelly roll pan or sheet tray

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Water warm about 110 degrees
  • 1 TBL Honey
  • 1 packet Dry Activated Yeast
  • 2 1/2 cup Bread Flour
  • 3/4 TBL Kosher Salt
  • 3 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Topping

  • 3 TBL Water
  • 3 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • AN Rosemary crushed
  • AN Sea Salt Flakes

Instructions
 

  • In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer add the honey and warm water, stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast on top.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Combine the flour and salt in a separate bowl. Then add flour mixture to the yeast mixture and add 2 TBL of olive oil. Turn stand mixer on medium speed using a dough hook until mixture is smooth and elastic about 5-7 minutes.
  • Place dough into a lightly olive oiled and swirl the dough so that it is lightly covered with the oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise 1 hour in a warm area.
  • Pre-heat oven to 400° and lightly oil a jelly roll pan or 1/4 sheet pan.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it down a few times.  Place dough in a lightly oiled jelly roll pan and spread the dough out to fit the pan. Cover it and let it rest for approximately 15 minutes.  Spread the dough again if needed.  Using your finger tips or knuckles make indentations in the dough.

Topping

  • Combine the water and olive oil and lightly brush the top of dough. Sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary. Place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Notes

Cut and eat warm or slice it to make sandwich bread!
Keyword bread, Italian, pizza

Brasato al Barolo with Polenta

 

Brasato al Barolo

Brasato al Barolo

A braised beef roast in Barolo red wine
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients
  

Brasato al Barolo

  • 2 lb Chuck Roast
  • 1 each Sweet Yellow Onion 1/4" diced
  • 1 each Carrot 1/4" diced
  • 1 each Celery Stalk 1/4" diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 each Bay Leaf
  • 1 sprig Rosemary
  • 4 sprigs Thyme
  • 5 each Juniper Berries
  • 3/4 bottle Barolo Wine
  • 4 TBL Unsalted Butter
  • 1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Cognac
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

Polenta

  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cups Milk
  • 1 cup Polenta
  • 2 TBL Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
  • AN Kosher Salt as needed

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot large enough for the meat. Brown the meat on all sides, then remove.
  • Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme and juniper berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft.
  • Add cognac to deglaze the pan. Add butter then flour over vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add wine and bring to a simmer.
  • Return the meat to the pan and cover the pot. Simmer, covered, turning the meat occasionally with tongs, until the meat is tender, about 3 hours. Before serving remove bay leaf and herbs.

Polenta

  • While beef is braising make polenta
  • Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer, stirring often until polenta starts to thicken. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes.
  • Turn off heat and stir butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Let rest for mixture to thicken again.

Notes

Place polenta onto plate and serve the braised meat over the polenta.
Keyword Braise, Chuck Roast, Italian, Polenta, Red Wine

Bagna Cauda Dip with Crudite

 

Bagna Cauda

A garlic dip served perfectly with vegetable crudite
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Vitamix, Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients
  

Bagna Cauda

  • 6 heads Garlic peeled
  • 2 1/2 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 oz Anchovies

Crudite

  • 4 each Celery cut in sticks
  • 1 bunch Radishes cut in quarters
  • 8 oz Green Beans blanched
  • 1 head Cauliflower
  • 8 oz Cherry Tomato

Notes

Use any vegetables that are in season and that you like!
Keyword Anchovie, Crudite, Dip, Garlic, Vegetable

Minestrone with Pesto

 

Minestrone with Pesto

A hearty vegetable soup from the northern regions of Italy
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 each Yellow Onion 1/4" diced
  • 1 each Carrot cut in rounds
  • 1 each Celery Stalk cut on bias
  • 32 oz Vegetable Stock
  • 6 oz Borlotti beans or Pinto Beans cooked, drained
  • 1 each Zucchini cut in rounds
  • 2 each Roma Tomatoes seeded, diced
  • 1/2 each Savoy Cabbage shredded
  • 1 bunch Swiss Chard Stems removed and chopped
  • 10 oz Ditalini pasta
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 each Pecorino Romano Rind
  • 1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • AN Kosher Salt as needed
  • AN Ground Black Pepper as needed

Pesto

  • 2 bunches Basil
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 oz Pine Nuts
  • 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 oz Pecorino Romano
  • AN Kosher Salt as needed
  • AN Extra Virgin Olive Oil as needed

Instructions
 

  • Place a large pot over med-low heat and add olive oil. Add onion, carrot and celery and garlic, cook until softened.
  • Add vegetable stock, beans, zucchini, tomato and pasta, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add Pecorino rind and continue to simmer another 10 minutes.
  • Add cabbage, swiss chard and simmer another 10-15 minutes to develop flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pesto

  • While soup is simmering make pesto.
  • In a blender combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheeses. Drizzle in olive oil until it becomes a paste. Season with salt as needed.
  • Serve soup in individual bowl and place a dollop of pesto on top of soup to serve.
Keyword basil, Italian, Pesto, Soup, Vegetable
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