Italian recipes for a low cost meal
Italian recipes are based on rural food and as such have mostly low cost ingredients. Here are two Italian favorites that you could add to your culinary repertoire.
Osso Bucco
- 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 4-6 veal shanks (2 inches thick)
- 5 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. sage
- 1 med. onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 celery stalk, cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 1 1/2 c. dry white wine
- 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
Combine flour, salt and pepper, dredge meat. In a large skillet, heat the oil, brown meat on all sides. Lay the shanks flat into Dutch oven or oblong baking dish and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and sage. Combine onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle over meat.
In a small bowl, whisk together wine, broth and tomato paste. Pour over vegetables. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until fork tender. Serve immediately. This dish can be assembled several hours ahead. Plan to serve 2 shanks per person. Have shanks of similar size, so they will cook evenly.
Minestrone Soup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small head cabbage, shredded
- 6 leaves Swiss chard, shredded
- 6 leaves kale, shredded
- 8 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
- 8 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed (optional)
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 28 oz canned chopped tomatoes or 3 cups fresh
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 30 oz white kidney beans (cannelini), drained
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, quartered and sliced
- 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped.
1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook 2 minutes.
2. Add cabbage, Swiss chard, and kale. Cover and cook 6 minutes (till greens are wilted), stirring occasionally.
3. Add green beans and potatoes. Cook 2 more minutes.
4. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add white beans and zucchini. Cover and simmer 20 more minutes. Stir in basil.
I typically do either chard or kale, rather than small amounts of each. I've left out the beans, added a turnip, etc. Definitely a kitchen-sink (or garden) kind of soup. It is thick with vegetables and delicious!
