Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook Read Online Free PDF Page A

wonderful, especially when made with love by my mom for one of our family get-togethers.

    1 small globe eggplant (about 1 pound), trimmed, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into ⅓-inch half-moons
    ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    4 large eggs
    ¾ cup olive oil, as needed
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
    1 cup ricotta cheese
    ⅔ cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces)
    3 cups Tomato Sauce
    1. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Cut each half into ⅓-inch-thick slices.
    2. Spread the flour on a wide plate. Beat 3 of the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the plate and bowl near the stove.
    3. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Working in batches, dip the eggplant into the flour, coat with the egg, and add to the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the eggplant is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the eggplant to the paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    4. Beat the remaining egg in a medium bowl. Add the mozzarella, ricotta, and ⅔ cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and mix to combine.
    5. Preheat the oven to 375 ° Lightly oil a 10 by 15-inch baking dish.
    6. For each involtini, place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the short end of an eggplant slice, roll it up, and place smooth side up in the dish. Pour the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese.
    7. Bake until the sauce is simmering and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes.

Bruschetta with Baked Figs and Gorgonzola
MAKES 6 SERVINGS

I am crazy about figs, and when they are in season, I eat them every which way. In fact, my father-in-law, Pete, grows figs, so I get them right off the tree. This combination of sweet figs and sharp gorgonzola, accented with the unique flavor of balsamic vinegar, will have you coming back for more, too. Here, I serve them on toast as a bruschetta, but they are also good as a topping for greens tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

    Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
    ⅔ cup balsamic vinegar
    2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    12 ripe Black Mission figs, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
    1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 4 ounces)
    12 slices baguette, toasted in a broiler or on a grill
    ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade, for garnish (see here )
    1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a baking dish suitable for serving that is large enough to hold the figs in a single layer.
    2. Bring the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly until the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Set the reduction aside.
    3. Meanwhile, arrange the figs in the baking dish, cut sides up. Brush with oil. Top each fig half with a heaping tablespoon of Gorgonzola. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes.
    4. Arrange the toasted baguette slices on a platter. Top each slice with a fig. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and a little more oil. Sprinkle with the basil. Serve warm.

Tre Colore Salad
MAKES 4 SERVINGS

We served a salad of white Belgian endive and green arugula before it was fashionable, although the red radicchio is a fairly new addition. I think their slight bitterness makes a great appetite teaser. Sinatra agreed with me. I remember one time when he convinced an entire table of people that arugula is really green radish tops. (I grant you that they look and taste a lot alike, but Frank was only kidding.)

    VINAIGRETTE
    ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
    ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    One 5-ounce bag baby arugula
    ½ small head radicchio, trimmed and coarsely chopped
    1 large Belgian endive, stem trimmed and outer layer discarded, cut crosswise into