Rao's Recipes

• 1 28oz can Rao’s Imported Italian Plum Tomatoes
• ½ cup finely diced red onion
• ½ yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ small cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• ½ lb large shrimp, cleaned and deveined, tails on
• ½ cup Vodka
• Salt to taste

Place the tomatoes in a blender and puree until liquefied. Add vodka and chill. Combine diced vegetables together into a separate bowl. Chill.
Cook shrimp in salted, boiling water until they turn pick and begin to curl. Chill.

To serve, place 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of the vegetable dice mixture into martini glasses. Shake the tomato-vodka mixture and pour over the vegetables. Garnish with cooked shrimp and diced vegetables.

Note: for a Spicy Rao’s Gazpacho Martini, add ½ finely diced jalapeno pepper, and substitute pepper-flavored vodka

• 1 lb Rao’s fusilli pasta
• 10 ounces crumbled goat cheese or mozzarella
• 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 cup Rao’s grilled green olives
• 1 jar of Rao’s roasted red peppers with mushrooms, drained
• 3 tablespoons Rao’s extra virgin olive oil
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Rao’s fusilli and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, combine the goat cheese, romano cheese, olives,  Rao’s roasted peppers and mushrooms.  Add drained pasta to the bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

serves 4-6

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

• Two  2-1/2 to 3 lbs. broiling chicken, halved
• Rao’s Homemade Lemon Chicken Marinade
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

To attain maximum heat, preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes before using. Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden-brown and juices run clear when bird is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a very sharp knife, cut each half into 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces). Place chicken on a baking sheet with sides, of a size that can fit into a broiler. Pour Rao’s Homemade Lemon Chicken Marinade over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half and do this in two batches. Return to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for an additional minute.

• 1 pound ground lean beef
• ½ pound ground veal
• ½ pound ground pork
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1½ tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• ½ small garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup Rao’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water,1 cup at a time, until the mixture is quite moist.

Shape the meat mixture into balls (2½ to 3 inch balls).

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When bottom half of meatball is very brown and slightly crisp turn and cook top half. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Lower cooked meatballs into simmering Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta or on their own.
Makes about 28 meatballs

• 1 tablespoon Rao’s 12-year Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 7 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

For Truffle coating:

• 7 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (70% cocoa)
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Confectioner’s Sugar
• Finely Chopped Nuts

Heat cream and bring to a simmer.  Set aside.  Stir 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate over saucepan of simmering water until melted.  Remove from heat and stir until smooth.  Add cream and Rao’s 12-year Balsamic Vinegar.  Mix.  Chill 2 hours.  Using a small melon baller, scoop chocolate and roll into balls.  Chill until firm, about 1 hour.  For Truffle coating: Melt remaining 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate over saucepan of gently simmering water.  Coat each chilled truffle with some warm, melted chocolate.  Roll each truffle in cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar or chopped nuts.  Chill about 1 hour until firm.  Makes 30 truffles.

• 1lb whole almonds
• 1/2 cup dried apricots (dice into small pieces)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, plus 1 large egg for egg wash
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together,add in the almonds cranberries and dried apricots, set aside.  Crack 5 eggs and add vanilla extract, wisk to combine.  Create a well in the flour and add eggs and vanilla.  Mix together until all ingredients are combined.    Let stand for 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 2 equal rounds.  Shape into oval loaves approximately 10 inches long and 5 inches wide.  Dough will be hard to work with.  You can dip your hands into cold water to help shape the dough into ovals.

Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl.  Brush loaves with the egg wash.

Bake the loaves for 45 minutes and remove them from the oven.   When they are cool enough to handle (10-15 minutes), slice the loaves crosswise into 3/4 inch thick slices.

Return the biscotti to the cookie sheet and bake them for 7 minutes turn cookies and bake 7 minutes more.  Remove from oven, cool and serve.

The cookies can be stored in a jar with a lid at room temperature.