Many of our trail event participants have requested recipes for the food they sampled at the tasting rooms. Today we offer up four tantalizing recipes from Ciccone Vineyards they have served up at past LPVA events.

Ciccone Family Recipe

Traditional Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce

5 tomatoes, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sm. bell pepper, diced
12 mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 sm. zucchini, sliced
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. red cooking wine
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tbsp. basil
1/2 tbsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. sage

Add all the ingredients together
(except for the dry herbs)
into a large pot on the stove.

Simmer for about 2 hours.

Add the dry herbs and simmer
for another 1 to 2 hours.

Use sauce on spaghetti,
in lasagna, or with
any other classic Italian dishes.

Gather friends and family around the dinner table open your favorite bottle of red. Our favorite is the 2006 Cabernet Franc with earthy and spicey tones it is a natural pairing with this homemade sauce.

Now share all of your favorite family moments over a nice hot meal and a good glass of wine.

1 onion diced
2 cans chopped tomatos
2 cups frozen chopped spinach – drained
4 cups marinara sauce
4 cups of chicken stock
1 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon basil

Put everything in a pot and let it simmer for a couple of hours.

Serve in bowl and sprinkle on top fresh grated Swiss cheese.

Serve this warm comforting soup with one of Ciccone Vineyards red wines.

Buon Appetito!

Ingredients

2 (1 pound each) Eggplants, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4 inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, for dredging
2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Fine Dry Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Olive Oil
3 cups Tomato Basil Sauce
8 ounces sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Dredge eggplant slices in flour. Dip into beaten eggs, then into the breadcrumbs.
3. Saute eggplant in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. Drain eggplant slices on paper towels.
4. Season eggplant slices with salt and pepper.
5. Arrange half the eggplant slices in bottom of greased casserole dish
6. Cover first layer of eggplant with ½ the tomato basil sauce and ½ mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
7. Repeat procedure, creating a second layer.
8. Bake uncovered 20 minutes.

Serve this hearty meal to your friends and family along with one of Ciccone Vineyards famous dry red wines.

2 cans of cherry pie filling (21 ounces each)
1 box of chocolate cake mix
2 sticks of butter, sliced into 12 pieces each
2.25 ounce bag of chopped pecans
1/8 cup white sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9 x 13 cake pan:

Dump the 2 cans of cherry pie filling into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the box of chocolate cake mix evenly on top of that. Distribute the butter slices on top of the cake mix. Spread the pecans evenly over the butter and cake mix.
Finally, sprinkle the sugar over all.

Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes and serve warm!

This is also delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Serve this with a small glass of Ciccone Vineyard and Winery’s cherry wine, Bella Ciliegia.

Photo credit: Ciccone Vineyards by photoshoparama