Pastorelli Pizza Sauce

Use olive oil spray or canola oil spray & spray a 10″ x 15″ rectangular pan.

Prepare pizza dough (I love to use a Pillsbury thin crust dough in a can).  This means to spread it out to fit the pan, you shouldn’t have to go up the sides w/ the dough.  It should fit nicely in this size baking pan.

Pour pizza sauce over it (here’s where you use the Pastorelli brand, which by the way, is delicious). 1 can can be used for 2 pizzas.

Sprinkle w/ shredded mozzarella cheese.

Add little balls of sausage (make it easy on yourself, remove casing from Italian sausage & form round pieces;  we like Johnsonville Italian sausage which comes in Mild or Hot).

Chop up some green peppers & sprinkle on top.

Bake for about 10 minutes or according to the package directions.  Cut into little squares & serve.

You can add more cheese before baking.

You can freeze & then add cheese before baking.

Usually there’s not much left every time this is served.

Hope you enjoy this!

1/3 bottle Formato Brothers Hot Pepper Spread
1 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives
1 cup roughly chopped stuffed green olives
1 cup roughly chopped artichoke hearts
1/3 cup good olive oil

Drain olives & artichokes before chopping.

Mix together in a glass bowl, cover, refrigerate over night.  Serve w/ rustic baquette cut into pieces.

Many thanks to our wonderful friend Gary Marino for his ongoing recipes using Formato Brothers products.  Keep ‘em coming, Gary Boy!

1/2 bottle Formato Brothers Mild Pepper Spread, drained

1 generous Tbsp Formato Brothers Hot Pepper Spread, drained

1 medium tomato, diced

1/4 lb Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, diced

That’s it!  4 ingredients….you can make this quickly,,,try it!

Spread EVOO on cut up bread pieces (1 1/2″ square), then toast in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix first 4 ingredients & spread on toasted bread pieces.  REturn to oven for about 10 minutes more until cheese has melted.

Buon Appetito!

Well, if you can believe it, we’re already in to the month of March.  To help our Irish friends celebrate their biggest party of the year, Formato Brothers has decided to Go Green with Caffe D’Vita Irish Cream Cappuccino.  This drink is a great way to kick off your St. Patty’s Day, or any day of the year, with its sweet Irish Cream flavor.  The best part is that since this is an instant drink, you don’t have to wait forever to brew the coffee.  Just scoop the coffee mix in your mug (the directions call for 3 tsp, but I prefer 5 tsp for extra sweetness!), add 5 oz hot water, stir, and enjoy!

If it’s too hot where you’re celebrating, don’t worry – pour some milk or water in a blender, add the coffee mix & a few ice cubes, and blend away to create a frothy cool shake!

Either way, I prefer my Caffe D’Vita Irish Cream Cappuccino with a side of sweet treats.

Enjoy!

–Andrea Formato Castner

4 lb 80/20 ground beef
2 lb pork sausage
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dired basil
2 tsp dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
2 eggs
2 tsp Formato Brothers Hot Pepper Spread (drain excess oil)
5 oz goat cheese for stuffing into meatballs once they are thoroughly mixed

Mix all ingredients together.  Use your hands….it’s therapeutic.  : )

Roll about 2 Tblsp into palm of hand, with your thumb press down to create a space to accommodate 1/2 tsp of goat cheese.  Use a small measuring spoon to be consistent.

Place on a rack on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 25 minutes until brown.

Or….fry in canola or vegetable oil at 360 degrees turning over after a minute or so until brown.  Then place on a metal rack to drain off excess oil.

Enjoy!

–Carl Formato