Fried Calamari

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4-6 servings 

½ cup milk

salt, to taste

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp.  pepper

1 lb. calamari (squid bodies) sliced crosswise ¾ inch thick, extra-long tentacles trimmed to match length of shorter ones

vegetable oil for frying

1-15oz. jar Marano's Marinara of your choice

Heat oven to 200 degrees.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Set second rack in second sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. 

Whisk milk and salt together in medium bowl. Combine flour, baking powder, and pepper in second medium bowl. Add squid to milk mixture and toss to coat. Using your hands or slotted spoon, remove half of squid, allowing excess milk mixture to drip back into bowl, and add to bowl with flour mixture. Using your hands, toss squid to coat evenly. Gently shake off excess flour mixture and place coated squid in single layer on unlined rack. Repeat with remaining squid. Let sit for 10 minutes.

While squid rests, pour oil up about 3 to 4 inches, and heat in Dutch oven over high heat to 350 degrees. Carefully add half of squid and fry for exactly 3 minutes (squid will be golden brown). Using slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer calamari to paper towel–lined rack and transfer to oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining squid. 

Transfer calamari to platter and serve immediately with heated marinara sauce.

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4-6 servings 

vegetable oil, for frying

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup water

4 - Zucchini (quartered and cut into 3-inch pieces) 

1-15oz. jar Marano's Marinara of your choice 

Preheat oil in to 350 degrees F.

Measure flour into a pie plate. In another pie plate combine panko, Parmesan, parsley, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper, to taste. In a third plate add eggs and water. Dredge the zucchini in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the panko.

Working in batches, place the breaded zucchini slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined sheet tray and immediately season with salt and pepper. 

Serve immediately with heated marinara sauce.

Prep Time: 50 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4-6 servings 

1 lb. store-bought pizza dough, room temperature

1 ½ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¾ cup)

1 tsp. granulated/powdered garlic

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1-15oz. jar Marano's Marinara of your choice

NOTE: It's important to let the dough come to room temperature before beginning the recipe. Do not use Pillsbury Pizza Crust here. Make sure it's pizza dough.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll and stretch 1 piece of dough into 9 by 5-inch rectangle on lightly floured counter. Transfer dough to half of prepared sheet, with short ends parallel to long sides of sheet. Repeat with remaining dough piece and place on other half of sheet.

Combine Parmesan, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in bowl. Using pastry brush, brush doughs with half of melted butter. Sprinkle doughs with half of Parmesan mixture. Flip doughs, brush with remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan mixture.

Using bench scraper or chef's knife, cut through doughs crosswise at 1-inch intervals to create nine 5-inch breadsticks on each piece of dough, but do not separate breadsticks. Bake until golden brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. 

Pull breadsticks apart at seams. Serve with heated marinara sauce.

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4 servings 

1 lb. package store bought pizza dough (make your own recipe below)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 oz. pepperoni*, thinly sliced

8 oz. mozzarella*, sliced or shredded

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Handful of fresh basil leaves 

Coarse salt

Ground pepper

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or any combination of spices 

1-15oz. jar Marano's Arrabbiata

*Feel free to substitute any sliced meats and cheeses. For Vegetarian breads, use any combination of 'sautéed' vegetables. Roughly chop vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan and sauté the vegetables until nicely caramelized.   

Preheat oven to 375°. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, beat one egg for egg wash.

PREPARE THE DOUGH: Lightly flour surface and roll out dough (rolling pin works best) into a rectangular shape - approximately 12 x 8 inches. Looking at the dough, the longer edges should be north and south. Dough should be an even thickness and not on the thinner side. If it's too thin it may break during baking and the cheese and meat will ooze out, especially from the seam. If dough is very irregularly shaped, trim edges to form rectangle. Brush surface with oil to lightly coat. 

STUFF THE BREAD: Leaving 1" of a clear border, lay down meat in rows, slightly overlapping as you move across the dough. Lay a thin layer of cheese on top of meat. Evenly space the basil leaves on top of the cheese. (Some meats give off lots of oil, so make sure the dough is thick enough to retain whatever oils are given off.) Do not over-stuff with meat or cheese or bread will break during cooking process. 

Before rolling bread, brush egg wash around the clear border to better seal bread while baking. 

ROLLING BREAD: Starting from one long edge, gently roll dough into a log as you would a jelly roll. Try to keep it even and tight, but don't squeeze dough. Pinch the seam and sides closed, and neatly tuck the excess dough under the roll. Carefully transfer roll to parchment-covered baking sheet, keeping seam on bottom. It should look like a bread dough ready to be baked. 

Brush exterior with egg wash. Sprinkle some coarse salt, pepper, as well as any dried herbs of your choice over the egg wash. (Egg wash will keep spices from falling off.)

Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Remove and let cool before cutting Heat dipping sauce in small saucepan or microwave safe bowl and serve warm.

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INSTANT PIZZA DOUGH — Ready in one hour.

Prep Time: 20 mins | Set Time: 60 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 1 medium pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (115°  to 130°)

1/4 oz. packet 'Fast-Acting' Instant Yeast (Recommend Fleishmann's RapidRise Instant Yeast -OR- Red Star Platinum Premium Instant Yeast packet.  

1 1/2 cups AP flour, plus more for dusting counter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Extra virgin olive oil, for coating bowl

Directions:

Turn oven onto warm (200° to 225°). After 5 minutes at full temperature, turn off oven. Don't open door to prevent heat from escaping.

Meanwhile, pour 1/2 cup warm water (115 to 130 degrees) into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water and let it stand for 5 minutes, untouched. 

Add flour, salt, sugar, and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough, craggy mass forms. 

Turn dough (and any loose bits) out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes. Work dough until a smooth, elastic dough forms. If dough is extra sticky to the touch, gently mix in one tablespoon of flour.

Lightly coat the inside of a clean, large mixing bowl with olive oil; set aside. 

Mold the kneaded dough into a large oval and place into oiled mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place into warm oven. Let rest  in oven for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size. 

Dough is ready in 60 minutes. If you don't plan to use immediately, cover dough with a clean, damp cloth. 

Store dough in the refrigerator, or freeze for later use. 

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4-6 servings 

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 1/2 lbs extra-large shrimp (16/20), peeled and deveined (leaving tails on)

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. ground pepper, or to taste

3 Tbsp. fresh chives, finely chopped 

1-15.5 oz jar Marano’s Tequila Lime 

1. Combine olive oil, thyme, rosemary, shrimp, salt and pepper into large bowl and 

stir to combine. Set bowl in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and heat oven to 400°. 

3. Transfer shrimp into a medium bowl, leaving sprigs behind. 

4. Pour the marinade (including sprigs) into 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Bake unitl

the oil mixture is fragrant — about 12 minutes. 

5. Add shrimp to the baking dish. Toss until well coated. Bake until pink 

and firm — about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in chives.

6. Heat Tequila Lime Marinara and serve as dipping sauce.

7. Transfer shrimp onto a serving dish. Discard the herb stems.  

 Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins  | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 4 to 6 servings 

3 lbs. cultivated mussels, beards removed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

3 shallots, diced

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup white wine

1-24 oz. jar Marano's Marinara (all flavors pair well)

Large handful Italian 'flat leaf' parsley, chopped

Baquette or crusty Italian bread, for dipping

For MUSSELS FRA DIAVOLO 'HOT': 

1-24 oz. jar Marano's Arrabbiata Sauce

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

IMPORTANT: Discard any mussels with cracked or open shells; specifically, those which stay open when you pinch or touch the shells. Cultivated and farm-raised mussels rarely touch the sea bottom so they shouldn't be too dirty or ridden with sand, however, we soak our mussels in a large bowl with cold water for 20 minutes to remove any dirt just in case. Store mussels in the fridge with a damp cloth over the bowl. Don't keep mussels on or under ice.

Directions: 

Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan (with lid) or Dutch oven. When hot, add shallot, a pinch of salt and pepper, gently sauté until softened - about 4  minutes. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes (for Fra Diavolo). Cook 2 more minutes until you smell the garlic. Add wine, simmer, and reduce mixture by half. 

Add Marano's Marinara and bring to a simmer. Drop in mussels, cover and cook, occasionally shaking pan as mussels begin to open. DON'T OVERCOOK! As mussels begin to fully open (3 to 4 minutes) — using tongs, remove from pan — one mussel at a time, with meat attached; set aside in a large bowl. (This prevents overcooking and keeps the mussel meat tender when served.) 

After removing mussels from pan, cook the remaining sauce until it reaches your desired texture. There will be will lots of flavorful mussel juice in the sauce! Taste and adjust seasoning. 

With heat turned off, return mussels (and juices) back to pan and toss. Sprinkle in parsley. Spoon mussels into individual serving bowls and drown them in the delicious sauce. 

Great served on its own or over linguini!