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Italian BBQ: Skewers with the Scottos!

Veal kabobs, Parmesan-crusted corn, stuffed onions and more

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  Take a stab at Italian skewers
Aug. 5: The Scotto family shows TODAY hosts how to cook up some tasty skewers for your next big cookout.

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  Down-home country cooking
Aug. 5: The Scotto family shows TODAY hosts how to cook up some tasty comfort foods.

Today show

TODAY
updated 9:40 a.m. ET Aug. 5, 2008

It's everything spiedini (that's Italian for "kabobs") — with the Scotto family! Marion, John, Rosanna, Anthony and Elaina of the New York restaurant Fresco by Scotto share their delicious and easy-to-follow recipes for a scrumptious summer meal. Learn how to make veal spiedini, stuffed sweet Vidalia onions, Parmesan-crusted corn on the cob, peach upside-down cake and more:

Veal spiedini
Fresco by Scotto

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound veal top round, sliced into 16 portions (1 ounce each), pounded thin into 2x3-inch flat sheet
1/4 pound prosciutto, sliced thin and cut into thirds
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup seasoned toasted bread crumbs
Matchstick-length mozzarella, 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Bamboo skewers soaked in water overnight

Recipe continues below ↓
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DIRECTIONS

Lay veal out on clean surface and place a portion of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal.

Add 1 tablespoon of the breadcrumb-pine nut mixture.

Add mozzarella, roll and secure with skewer.

Place 3 rollatina on each skewer. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Grill 2 to 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Serve immediately.

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Country-style steak and chicken
Fresco by Scotto

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken, cut into small pieces
8 ounces sirloin steak, cut into cubes
1 large red pepper, sliced thin
1 large green pepper, sliced thin
1 large yellow pepper, sliced thin
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

In a large sauté pan, add ¼ cup olive oil and sauté chicken until golden brown then add the steak and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same sauté pan, add another ¼ cup olive oil, cook peppers until tender; season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, mushrooms, balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until the onions are translucent.

Add the meats to the sauté pan, mix all the ingredients together, cook for 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Stuffed sweet Vidalia onions
Fresco by Scotto

4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For onions

4 large Vidalia onions
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 egg
1 cup cooked arborio rice
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing, and crumbled and sautéed till golden brown
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, diced small
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon dried bread crumbs
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For marinara sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16-ounce can) tomatoes
4 fresh basil leaves, cut in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and basil, simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Peel onions and blanch in boiling salted water; drain. When slightly cool, cut off the top quarter, scoop out the center to make room for the filling.

In a large bowl, add cooked sausage and rice, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella and egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Add the meat mixture to the onions, smooth the surface and sprinkle with bread crumbs, parsley, and top with ½ teaspoon butter on each onion.

Add all of the tomato sauce to the bottom of the baking dish. Place stuffed onions in dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until tender. Serve immediately.

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