Categories
Biscuits Breakfast Dessert Healthy Vegetarian

Healthy Anise Cookies without Butter or Biscotti all’Anice

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Anise Cookies or “Biscotti all’Anice”

These super easy cookies remind us of our childhood, playing in the kitchen with our mum and grandmother when we used to spend the Sunday afternoons to make them, they are light, without butter, sweet, really delicious. Anise, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae popular in the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor is very similar to other spices, such as fennel, and licorice. This easy to make cookie gets it’s flavoring from the anise flavor. Perfect for a healthy children’s snack or even as an after dinner treat…

Ingredients

  • 250 grams of Sugar
  • 250 grams of Flour
  • 5 Egg yolks
  • 5 Egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon of  Baking Powder
  • 2 tablespoons Anise

Preparation

  1. It’s a one bowl easy to make cookie. That means 1 bowl only from recipe to oven. Beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric whisk until frothy, add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Combine the anise and egg whites, and in the end, include the yeast dissolved in a little bit of milk.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 180°(350F). Spread the mixture on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 180° for 20 minutes.
  3. Once baked, bring it out from the oven and cut it into strips 2 cm wide and 6 cm long.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

anise cookies

Categories
Biscuits Dessert Vegetarian

Walnut Chocolate Cookies or Delizia al Cioccolato e Noci

chocolate cookies

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Walnut Chocolate Cookies or “Delizia al cioccolato e noci”

Chewy fudgy homemade cookies made completely from scratch. Those glorious Italian Chocolate Cookies with walnuts are great biscuits for an amazing indulgent breakfast on Sunday morning or after dinner for absolute perfection we suggest to add cream or vanilla ice cream: don’t forget it…

The health-benefits of chocolate have been known for long time. Did you know that chocolate and cacao are not the same? True, there is a clear distinction between commercial chocolate which has no health benefits and organic dark chocolate, ideally with no added sugar. Yet if you’re a chocolate lover, consider small amounts of raw cacao as a better option. The reason why raw cacao is the best choice for healthy benefits is because raw cacao contains the very popular antioxidants – anti-aging – that make raw cacao an absolute superfood. Another very good reason not to feel guilty when eating chocolate! If you’re looking for an indulgent chocolate cookies recipe, this is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of Margarine
  • 250 grams of Sugar
  • 125 grams of Flour
  • 2 Eggs
  • 200 grams of Walnuts
  • 75 grams of Cocoa Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preparation

  1. Beat the eggs with sugar for about 5 minutes, add the sifted flour, cocoa and baking powder dissolved in a little milk, then add the chopped nuts.
  2. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake 180° for 15 minutes.
  3. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Take out from the oven and let it cool, then cut it into squares.  OMG: A true pleasure to try it, before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar .

TIP: Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

 Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

chocolate cookie

 

Categories
Basic Preparations or How To Dessert Vegetarian

Mascarpone Custard or Crema al Mascarpone

mascarpone custard

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Mascarpone Custard or “Crema al Mascarpone”

Mascarpone Custard is a delicious dessert by the spoon, with a delicate taste eaten alone or perfect with a slice of cake, or even donuts. The preparation is quite simple and fast but the most important components of this recipe are the ingredients: which all must be fresh. You can also use this instead of custard when you make a fruit tart. Mascarpone is an Italian cheese made from cream, coagulated by the addition of certain acidic substances, such as lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or acetic acid. Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easy to spread. We love anything with Mascarpone, this is a easy and delicious custard to use with any dessert!

 

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 2 Eggs
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla essence
  • 6 tablespoons of Sugar
  • 500 grams of Mascarpone, fresh Italian cheese
  • 6 tablespoons of Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preparation

  1. Beat the yolks with the sugar until frothy, together with Vanilla essence, add the Mascarpone cheese and beat for 1 minute.
  2. Mount the egg white to snow. Mount the egg whites until stiff add them to the mixture, stirring from bottom to top and then add the chocolate chips to the mix.
  3. Allow Mascarpone creme to set slightly in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  4. Serve in small cups with strawberries decoration. Strawberries are so beautiful and delicious when accompanied with a simple creamy mascarpone cream. Or serve simply with dark cocoa powder on top as on picture below.
  5. Delicious also as a filling for any cake like Italian Tiramisu!

TIP: To fill cakes: place the Mascarpone mixture in a piping bag with a star tip attached or a plastic bag and cut off one corner of the bag to pipe. Slowly pipe the Mascarpone cream into the cake until filled.

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

crema-al-mascarpone

Categories
Appetizers Lunch Main Vegetarian

Artichoke Pie or Torta Rustica ai Carciofi

artichoke pie

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Artichoke Pie or “Torta Rustica ai Carciofi”

The Artichoke Pie is an easy and delicious recipe, everyone simply loves it. Ideal for an appetizer with a nice glass of Red Italian Wine, for a picnic, a party or for the main course and you can always add a special salad as a side! Spring is ideal to consume artichokes and they are a very healthy choice. Artichokes are a powerful superfood. The phytonutrients in artichokes provide strong antioxidant benefits, and a serving of artichokes provides greater antioxidant benefits per serving than many other foods traditionally considered to be antioxidant-rich such as dark chocolate, blueberries, and red wine. Anthocyanins, quercetin, rutin, and many other antioxidants contained in fresh artichokes offer a range of health benefits, from cancer prevention and immune support to protection against heart disease. And they are absolutely super Yummy in this recipe!

Ingredients

  • 5 Artichokes
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Garlic
  • 2 spreadable Goat Cheese
  • 100 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 100 grams of Smoked Scamorza Cheese
  • 1 Rolls of Puff Pastry
  • 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer
  • A pinch of Parsley

Preparation

  1. In a pan add the oil, garlic, artichokes previously cut in chunks, with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and let them cook for 10 minutes. When the artichokes are ready, remove the garlic and add some parsley leaves previously cut.
  2. Add the eggs to a bowl, with the spreadable Goats cheese, Scamorza cheese reduced in cubes, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Include the artichokes.
  3. Line a cake tin with a sheet of baking paper and lay the pastry, verse the mix from the bowl, add on top some pieces of artichokes to decorate. Bake at 200° for 30 minutes.

TIP: if you want, you can also add to the mixture 30 ml of fresh cream and 2 boiled potatoes cut into cubes.

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 artichoke pie slice

 

Categories
Healthy Lunch Main Pasta Vegetarian

Pasta with Rocket Pesto Sauce or Orecchiette al Pesto

pasta rocket pesto

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Pasta with Rocket Pesto or “Orecchiette al Pesto di Rucola”

Rocket Pesto is a great alternative to the classic pesto sauce or “Pesto alla Genovese”.  A scented seasoning thanks to the combination of rocket, pine-nuts, olive oil, Parmesan, and Pecorino cheese.  It takes just a few  minutes, perfect option for a last minute dinner with friends. A very simple dish that will surprise your guests, thanks to the bitter aftertaste of the rocket balanced with the pine nuts and cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 150 grams of Rocket
  • 320 grams of Orecchiette pasta or if you like Spaghetti pasta
  • 70 grams of Pine nuts
  • 50 grams of Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 50 grams of Grated Pecorino Cheese
  • 1 clove of garlic ( remove it if you don’t like the strong garlic flavor or add just a little bit of it)
  • 180 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

  1. Wash the rocket, put it in a blender with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, Pecorino, Olive Oil, Garlic and blend it all. Add salt and pepper to flavor the mixture. The sauce is ready.
  2. If you are not using it right away, add it to a jar, with olive oil on top.
  3. Cook Pasta “al dente” as from instructions on package on salty boiling water in a large pot.
  4. Before draining the pasta, to make the sauce smooth, you can add to it a few tablespoons of cooking water it will make it a bit more liquid. 
  5. Drain the pasta al dente and mix with the rocket sauce. Add Pine-nuts and parsley on top before serving. For the perfectionists: you can also include a couple of slices of baked potatoes on top for decoration.

TIP: To make your pesto even more creamy, you can put some cream cheese spoon, like cottage cheese or Philadelphia.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

pesto-di-rucola-e-pistacchi-770x375

Categories
Appetizers Beef

Boiled Beef Fried Meatballs or Polpette Fritte di Bollito

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Boiled Beef Fried Meatballs or Polpette di Bollito Fritte

A great way to recycle “the boiled meat”!!! Did you cook some boiled meat and it is left from yesterday’s dinner? Curious about what to do with it? Here a super tasty Meatballs recipe, fast and delicious, everyone will love it. The fried boiled beef meatballs or “polpette di bollito“ are a popular dish of Italian tradition, especially in “Rome”.

Get this all-star, easy-to-follow Meat Balls recipe!

 

Ingredients for 12 meatballs

  • 500 grams di boiled Beef (Manzo)
  • 1/2 grated Lemon Peel
  • 100 grams of a soft part of White Bread soaked in milk
  • 2  boiled Potatoes
  • a pinch of Parsley
  • 6 tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Eggs
  • Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg as you preferred
  • Bread Crumbs as you need
  • Oil for Frying

Preparation of Beef Meatballs

  1. Chop the boiled beef in a blender with a pinch of parsley.
  2. Move it into a bowl: add the crushed boiled potatoes, the white bread previously soaked in milk, 1/2 grated lemon zest, grated parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and eggs. Mix it well until all ingredients are harmoniously blended.
  3. With the mixture make some little balls using your hands, in terms of size they should be slightly smaller than golf balls, cover them with breadcrumbs being sure the bread attach well to the surface, pushing well the meatball on the bread, once all ready, and fry them in hot frying oil.
  4. Serve with difference sauces. Top!

Posted By Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

beef meatballs

Categories
Healthy Sides Vegetables Vegetarian

Red Cabbage Salad or Insalata di Cavolo Rosso Altoatesina

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Red Cabbage salad or ” Insalata di Cavolo Rosso Altoatesina”

The Red Cabbage Salad is a nutritious and healthy dish, fast and very easy, suitable for all the occasions, ideal for a brunch, or a Sunday lunch and for an important dinner, there are a few variants of this salad but today we will propose the classic recipe: “Insatata Altoatesina”.

Red cabbage, contains polyphenols which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins. This vegetable is also unique as rich in glucosinolates. These phytonutrients can be converted by the body into isothiocyanates that have special detoxification and anti-cancer properties. Very healthy meal…

Ingredients

  • 1 Red Cabbage
  • 1 Apple
  • 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 glass of Red Wine
  • 1/2 glass of Broth
  • 40 grams of Butter
  • Salt and Pepper

Preparation

  1. Wash the cabbage and cut into strips 1 cm wide, cut the onion in finely slice and the apple into cubes.
  2. In a frying pan melt the butter and add the chopped onion, cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the brown sugar, the red cabbage and the apple, stir and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
  4. Add Salt and pepper as you prefer, add the vinegar and let it evaporate.
  5. Finally, add the red wine and cook for 3 minutes without the lid, then cover with a lid and cook over low heat for additional 15 minutes.
  6. During cooking, add the broth needed directly to the cabbage so that it wont be too dry.

TIP: If you like, to make this warm salad even richer, you can also add nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, some peaces of orange.

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Red cabbage salad

 

 

Categories
Lunch Main Pasta

Dumpling with Sausage Ragù or Gnocchi di Polenta

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Polenta Dumpling with Sausage Ragù Sauce or “Gnocchi di Polenta con il ragù di salsiccia”.

A delicious recipe with Polenta, quite healthy and a good alternative to eat Dumpling or “Gnocchi“. In Italy we eat Gnocchi on Thursday but you can definitely cook them everyday. A great lunch option for all the family! And the sauce is soooo good…

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 600 grams of Polenta (already cooked and cold – follow cooking instructions on package)
  • 2 Eggs Yolks
  • 200 grams of Flour and some extra flour
  • 60 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Shallots
  • 250 grams of Ground Beef
  • 200 grams of Fresh Sausage + 1 Sausage
  • 1/2 glass of Red Wine
  • 400 ml of Tomato Sauce
  • 1 sprig of Rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons of Water
  • Salt and Pepper as you preferred

Preparation

  1. In a pan pour 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 shallots cut into thin slices, 1 sprig of rosemary and 2 tablespoons of water and cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the sausage, previously peeled and crumbled and 1 sausage cut in 6 parts,  then add the ground beef, cook for 5 minutes and verse the red wine, let evaporate.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, salt, blankets and let cook over low heat for thirty minutes.
  4. Mash the Polenta with a potato masher two or three times, so as to soften it, pour into a bowl and mash it with your hands to remove any lump. Add the egg yolks, flour and 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, mix well and then form a ball.
  5. Divide the dough into 8 parts and each obtained from a cord with a diameter of one inch, by rolling it on the floured surface. Cut the cords into pieces of 2-3 cm long and crush gently with the tip of the thumb on the fork.
  6. Cook the gnocchi, like pasta, in plenty of boiling water, lightly salted. The dumplings will be ready as soon as they surface. Transfer them to a serving platter and serve with the sausage ragù sauce, peaces of cut sausages and the grated Parmesan advanced.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

gnocchi polenta with ragu sausage

Categories
Cake Dessert Vegetarian

Apple Strudel, a Delicious Apple Cake

apple cake strudel

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Apple Cake or “Strudel di Mele”

A delicious old-fashioned Apple Cake made with apples from the north of Italy with LOVE! A good combination of flavors like: raisins, cinnamon, lemon, apples, pine-nuts; all together for a great result and absolutely an All Healthy choice!  You can eat it with vanilla ice cream, with simply fresh cream or with a vanilla sauce, is always perfect in every possible way….

Ingredients

To make the dough

  • 1 Egg
  • 300 grams of Flour
  • 100 grams of Water
  • 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • a pinch of Salt

Make filling

  • 1 kg of Apple
  • 60 grams of pine-nuts
  • 50 grams of Butter
  • 60 grams of Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of Cinnamon
  • 50 grams of Bread Crumbs
  • 1/2 Lemon
  • 70 grams of Raisin
  • a bit of Milk

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the dough: Mix the flour with the salt, form a fountain in the center and add the egg. Begin kneading,  gradually adding warm water and oil, until the dough will not assume elasticity and texture. Form a dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour in a warm place.
  2. Prepare the filling: Peel the apples and cut them into chunks. Add the lemon juice. Toast the bread crumbs with the butter in a fairly large pan, then add the apples, pine nuts, the raisins, previously soaked and squeezed, cinnamon and sugar. Let it cook for a few minutes. Do not burn it!
  3. Take the dough and roll it out into a very thin sheet, giving it the shape of a rectangle. Place it on a plate covered with parchment paper.
  4. Add the apples filling, previously prepared with the raisins and pine nuts, inside the strudel being careful to leave the ends of the long rectangle of dough open (about two cm from the edges). With the help of the parchment paper roll the strudel on himself. Trim the excess of dough at the sides and seal well.
  5. Brush the entire surface of the strudel with milk and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes. When it’s ready serve accompanied with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or with a custard.

Posted By Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

apple strudel 3

Categories
Biscuits Breakfast Dessert

Twice-Baked Almond Cookies or Cantucci, Cantuccini and Tozzetti

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Cantuccini Biscuits or”Cantucci or Tozzetti”

This recipe is very ancient. Cantucci, or Cantuccini, are twice-baked biscuits. The biscuits are oblong-shaped almond biscuits traditionally, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven. Cantuccini were born as bread flavored with aniseed and rehearsed in the oven, hence the classical name of bis-cooked, which means cooked twice. Then there is the “Tozzetti” variation, so called in Lazio region, with hazelnuts instead of almonds. Great after dinner with a dessert wine like “Vinsanto” or a good “Passito” from Pantelleria or a Malvasia from Lipari.

Ingredients

  • 200 grams of Sugar
  • 500 grams of Flour
  • 3 Eggs +1 for brushing
  • 2 knobs of Butter (about 60 grams)
  • 300 grams of Almond or Hazelnuts (of which a handful minced in food processor)
  • 1 tablespoon of Baking Vanilla
  • 1 shot of Liquor

Preparation of Cantuccini

  1. Place the flour on a large bowl, add the sugar, eggs, and baking powder, then knead with your hands adding the butter and some of almonds or hazelnuts. Ideally excluding the nuts left whole to be added separately.
  2. Divide the dough into loaves of the length of the baking tray on which to align the nuts (very near) that are then pushed inside, to work well to give a diameter of about 3 cm and a length of about 30 cm. Put them well spaced on a baking sheet.
  3. Cook them in the oven already hot at 180° for about 20 minutes and till gold colored. Once cooked cut the little loaves transversely into slices of 1 cm with an oblique cut to give the biscuits their characteristic shape. And for a final touch to have more crunchy biscuits just put them back again in the oven for 5 minutes. Enjoy cold.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana.

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

cantuccini-a-modo-nostro-800

Categories
Appetizers Lunch Vegetables

Aubergines Rolls with Smoked Ham or Involtini di Melanzane e Speck

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Aubergine Rolls with Speck or “Involtini di Melanzane e Speck”

An easy and quick Rolls recipe made with Aubergines and Speck Smoked Ham, between the most popular ingredients of the Italian cuisine, simply delicious. Eggplant is actually a fruit, specifically a berry, did you know??? Eggplants or aubergines are a species of nightshade grown for its edible fruit. “Eggplant” is the common name in North American and Australian English but British English and French use “Aubergine“. Here below between the best aubergine recipes, so easy, perfect for a last-minute appetizer with friends or for a healthy lunch option, you cannot miss it!

Ingredients

  • 2 Aubergines
  • 100 gr di Speck Smoked Ham from the North of Italy or if you like Bacon as a substitute
  • 2 slices of White Bread
  • 4-5 tablespoons of Pecorino Cheese grated or Parmisan if you prefer a less strong taste
  • 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • a bit of Parsley
  • Salt and Pepper as you preferred

Preparation of Aubergines Rolls

  1. Wash the aubergines and cut them into slices length-high 2 cm. Then grill them.
  2. Wet the bread and squeeze, pour in a bowl with the Pecorino cheese (or Parmisan if you prefer), olive oil, parsley.
  3. With the mixture formed into balls to be placed at the base of each aubergine slices, roll up the slices around the filling. Then wrap each roll in a slice of speck.
  4. Put the rolls in a baking dish and bake at 230° C  for 10 minutes. Serve.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

aubergines rolls

Categories
Dinner Main Vegetables Vegetarian

Vegetarian Spelt Meatballs or Polpette di Farro e Parmigiano

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Spelt Meatballs or “Polpette di Farro”

Spelt Meatballs with Parmesan are a tasty variation of the classic vegetarian meatballs often prepared with rice. Meatless Meatballs make a great addition to an Italian meal. Toss these wonderful vegetarian meatballs in soy sauce or any favorite sauce, and you’ve got a delicious dinner option! Spelt is an ancient grain. From a nutritional point of view, spelt compared to other cereals is slightly less caloric and richer in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. A great Healthy Dinner option!

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of Spelt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 60 grams of  Parmesan Cheese
  • Bread Crumbs
  • Oil to fry
  • Salt as preferred

Preparation

  1. Add the spelt to a big bowl and cover it with water, leave in the water for 24 hours, now is ready to cook.
  2. Add it to a large pot with salty water, boil it for about 2 hours.
  3. Once cooked, drain it through a sieve, and place it in a bowl, adding 2 eggs, parmesan and a pinch of salt.
  4. Shape into balls, cover with breadcrumbs and fry in hot oil. Serve!

TIP: buy a ready to cook Spelt if you wish to prepare the meatballs faster so that you don’t have to add the Spelt to water a day before. In this case, you can start from step 2, cook as long as directed in cooking instructions included on packaging.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Polpette-farro

Categories
Easter Main Menu

Easter Monday Picnic: Italian “Tramezzini” and 5 Easy Ideas

How to prepare the real Italian Easter Monday Picnic Basket  or “Cestino di Pasquetta”

An All Italian Easter Monday Picnic: usually on the Angel Monday we organize a nice picnic out of town with our best friends and family. It is the first time outdoor opening the good season, spring is in the air, allowing a convivial way to continue Easter festivities celebrating spring. A Tramezzino is the Italian take on the British tea sandwich. Although the sandwich has become a symbol of contemporary lifestyle on the go, sliced bread stuffed with various ingredients is actually an ancient preparation. How to get organized? And what do we bring with us in the basket so that the picnic is a great success? Below 5 easy ideas, quick and tasty!!!!

Sliced Bread or Tramezzini all’Italiana 

Perfect for the Easter Monday Picnic: made with two pieces of white bread with the shape of a triangle and the crusts cut off, Tramezzino is often filled with all kinds of delicious treats. Just be creative!

The word “tramezzino,” is due to the Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio; in 1925, he was sitting inside Caffé Mulassano, Turin, enjoying an “aperitivo” accompanied by these kinds of special sandwiches. He liked them so much that he ordered another round, asking for more “tramezzini”. Observing their shape, they reminded him of the “tramezze” partition walls of his home in the countryside. Based on this, the Tramezzino was born. If you don’t know Gabriele D’Annunzio, you should read his wonderful poetry…

Between our favorite fillings for those tea sandwiches or Tramezzini: ham and cheese, asparagus and sliced eggs, tuna and sliced tomato, arugula with cured beef, tuna and artichokes, wurstel sausage and artichokes, smoked turkey and lettuce. Below a couple of healthy vegetarian options without mayonnaise…

1) Vegetarian Tramezzini: with Ricotta, Capers, Black Olives, Mushrooms

 

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 4 slices of sliced bread (white, whole and other kinds as you prefer)
  • 50 grams of fresh spinach
  • 150 grams of Ricotta Cheese
  • 10 grams of Capers
  • 10 grams of Black Olives
  • 2 large Mushrooms previously washed well and cut into thin slices
  • Salt, pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Take a bowl and include the ricotta cheese, olives and capers. Mix well all the ingredients and leave the ricotta stuffing aside.
  2. Take the sliced bread and add the filling on top starting with fresh spinach, there is no need to add additional sauce because the ricotta mix is very tasty, while the olives and the capers give the right strong flavor. Add the ricotta stuffing on top of the spinach leaves.
  3. Before closing the “Tramezzino” include also the mushrooms in thin slices.

2) The Classic One: Mozzarella Cheese and Tomatoes or “Tramezzino Pomodoro e Mozzarella”

 

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 4 slices of Sliced Bread
  • 3 fresh Tomatoes
  • 150 grams of Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 leaves of Basil
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Pepper as you prefer
  • 3 tablespoons of Mayonnaise

Preparation

  1. Cut into slices the tomato season with oil, salt and pepper and basil leaves, let it cook for 10 minutes.
  2. Cut the sliced bread, spread the mayonnaise.
  3. Make a first layer with tomato slices and then a few slices of mozzarella cheese, close with the other slice of bread.

3) Easter Cheese Pie with Italian Sausages or “Torta al Formaggio con Salumi”

 

Ingredients for 1 Large Pie

  • 500 grams of Flour
  • 20 grams of Fresh Yeast
  • 100 grams of Pecorino Cheese
  • 150 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • 150 grams of Emmenthal Cheese
  • 1 glass of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 glass of Milk
  • 4 Eggs
  • Salt and Pepper as you preferred

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and leave it to rest. Mix the eggs with Pecorino cheese, Parmesan cheese, flour, oil, salt and pepper to taste and finally add the yeast dissolved in milk.
  2. Whisk the mixture well and then you can work it with your hands or, even better, with the mixer, once all the ingredients are well-blended pour into a large cylindrical mold with high sides and add the Emmenthal in chunks directly into the dough and let rise for a couple of hours covered with a cotton cloth.
  3. Heat the oven to maximum then lower it to 180-190 degrees and bake the pizza, it will be ready when is golden on surface around 50/60 minutes. Let it cool in the oven with the door open and switched off.
  4. Serve this delicious Pie or Cheese Bread with slices of Italian Salami and Parma Ham.

4) Italian Red Wine o “Vini Rossi Italiani”

 

You could also bring some great Italian wines with you:  like Amarone,  Chianti or a southern Nero D’Avola you can find wonderful options. Dark chocolate and red wine is often a good combination. Or just pick a dessert wine such as Passito or Moscato.

5) Dove Cake with Chocolate Eggs or “Colomba e Uova di Cioccolato” 

 

The Dove Cake is a must for our Easter meal you can add some chocolate eggs of the best quality, dark and with milk both variations will be the perfect combination for your picnic. A delicious sweet sandwich idea for your Easter Monday Picnic:  you can prepare a sandwich with a slice of dove cake and a piece of chocolate: you have to try it!!!

TIPS: For a shabby picnic, romantic and retro’, opt for the classic wicker basket. You can use more than a basket: one for the tablecloth and the dishes and one for the foods. For drinks it is preferable to bring a cooler box with you.

ENJOY YOUR EASTER MONDAY PICNIC, HAVE A GREAT ONE…

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Easter Monday Picnic

Categories
Did you know... Easter

Easter, an Italian History full of Ancient Traditions and Symbols

Everything about our Easter ancient Italian Traditions, Food, Symbols and more…

The Easter Italian name “Pasqua” is derived from the Hebrew Pesach (passage). It’s between the most important festivities  for the Christian tradition because it recalls the resurrection of Christ. Like all Italian festivities, Easter is rich of traditions and specific rituals. The Christian Easter takes place over three days: Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday or called “Pasquetta” which literally means little Easter. From an ancient tradition on Good Friday and until Easter Sunday, in Italy the church bells do not ring as a sign of grief for the crucified Christ. 

On Good Friday, still today there are numerous processions in which the statues of the crucified Jesus and Mary are carried on the shoulders or exposed in the main squares. Often they are part of a parade in costume. As a symbol of peace during these events, in churches and houses, palms or olive branches are collected and exposed. At the end of Lent, which traditionally represents forty days of fasting.

Easter Day is also a day of celebration and an excellent opportunity to enjoy good food, while on Easter Monday with the arrival of summer, Italians love to make picnics in the open, excursions in mountains or go to lunch by sea. Food is the central element of those festivities, there is an Italian  saying:  “Christmas with your family, Easter with everyone else“.  The Italians also love to get together on Easter Sunday to enjoy together the traditional Easter food. 

Easter Breakfast: usually the families of the central regions prepare a full basket for Easter breakfast. This basket contains the Easter Cake “Colomba”, different kinds of  Italian Salame (like sausages), boiled eggs decorated with colors by special children, chocolate eggs. On Saturday before Easter, they go to church to be blessed.

In this period, in Italy we prepare different types of bread and Easter Cakes enriched with the main ingredients of our tradition. The most widely used ingredients, in any case, remain: cheese, spinach, pork, olives, eggs. And the Easter Egg, Italy’s undisputed Easter symbol.

The Dove Cake or “Colomba”: according to legend, King Alboin, after conquering the city of Pavia, ordered that on Easter Sunday were handed: gold, precious objects, and twelve-sixteen girls. Among the gifts, the old cook of the court created for the sovereign a soft and fragrant cake shaped like a dove. The dove dessert as we know it today, is a soft leavened cake, with candied fruit and a crisp coating of icing and almonds.

The Easter Egg symbol: the ancient Roman Peasants used to bury some red eggs in the soil of their fields to prevent hail. As a symbol of fertility and, therefore, favorable for the harvest. It is precisely with the meaning of renewed life that the egg became part of the Christian tradition, recalling the resurrection of Christ and eternal life.

Happy Easter and Buona Pasqua!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

easter4

Categories
Drinks Gluten free Vegetarian

Our Limoncello Liquor Home Made with Lemons from Sorrento

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of one of our best southern liquors: “Limoncello”

Limoncello liquor was born in the early 1900s on the Amalfi Coast and from there it has spread all around the world! Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri claim it’s paternity. Limoncello is a grat digestive after a meal, often served very cold. Someone prefers it mixed with tonic water or even champagne. The yellow and wrinkled lemon skin is the essential ingredient of this recipe: Limoncello di Sorrento. Limoncello was created with a genuine recipe: lemon peel, enriched with water, alcohol and spoonfuls of sugar. For this you need the best quality of Lemons available, better if organic, and if you can find the Lemons from Sorrento, big and juicy with a thick peel and amazing aroma, that would be absolute perfection!

Ingredients

  • 8 Lemons
  • 8 Lemons Leaves
  • 1 Lt  of natural Water
  • 700 grams of Sugar
  • 1 Lt of  grain Alcohol ( Everclear or similar, also known as rectified spirit-as long as it’s potable, strong, and unflavored you’ll be fine)

Preparation

  1. Wash well the lemons under running water and scrub thoroughly. Peel the lemons and use only the peel for this recipe.
  2. Add the lemon peel into a jar (to be hermetically closed) with 700 cl of alcohol, close hermetically  and let it sit for a month in a dark and dry place. After a month of rest resume the jar with alcohol that in the meantime, will have acquired a light yellow color.
  3. Put a pan on the fire with water and sugar without boiling. Let the sugar syrup obtained cool, then pour into the jar with alcohol and add another 300 cl of alcohol. After another 40 days of rest in a dark and dry place, take out the jar, filter the alcohol, remove the peels of lemon and add it to a nice bottle of choice. Done!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

limoncello

Categories
Easter Healthy Main Pie Vegetables Vegetarian

Italian Easter Pie with Ricotta or Torta Pasqualina

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Easter Pie or “Torta Pasqualina”

It is not Easter without our “Torta Pasqualina” Easter Pie.  Originally, from  Genoa, everyone in Italy loves it, generation after generation, simply because you can never get tired of good things!!! This savory pie, called Torta Pasqualina in Italy, is often made for special occasions or parties, it’s easy to make and serve, plus, it’s delicious. This preparation is very simple, what really makes the difference for a good recipe are always the ingredients, their freshness, and the highest quality: spinach, fresh ricotta, organic eggs as main ingredients for this marvelous spring recipe. Light, yet filling, this savory Italian quiche is simply gorgeous. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY TO TRY IT!

Ingredients for a cake pan – 23/25 cm

  • two circles of dough: puff pastry or dough briseé (you can buy it frozen or make this base preparation at home if you have more time)
  • 600 grams of Spinach
  • 300 grams of Ricotta cheese
  • 70 grams Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 Eggs
  • Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Add the spinach into a pan, without water, (previously washed and shredded), cover with the lid and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain the spinach and sauté with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for additional 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile in a bowl, add the ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parmesan cheese and 1 egg, mix for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and mix well.
  3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, roll out your first piece of dough, roll out the dough into a very thin 12-inch circle. Place the dough circle on a 12-inch pizza pan lined with parchment.  Add the spinach mixture on top. Spoon the spinach evenly over dough to a 2-inch thickness, leaving a 1-inch border of dough. With the back of a spoon make 4 holes on the spinach mixture over the dough and in each little hole pour a whole egg opened gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, cover with the other circle of dough and paint lightly with oil.
  4. Seal the edges well, fold outer edges together and crimp to seal the pie. Then prick the surface with a fork just a little bit here and there.
  5. Bake the Pasqualina Pie, in preheated oven, at 190 degrees for 45 minutes.
  6. Slide the Pasqualina Pie onto a cutting board and let cool slightly before slicing. May also be served at room temperature.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Easter cake

Categories
Easter Menu

Italian Traditional Easter Menu or Menù di Pasqua

How to prepare the perfect  Easter Menu, a wonderful “Menu di Pasqua”

An all Italian Easter Menu with Easter Eggs, Casatiello, Pesto Lasagne, Lamb with Baked Potatoes Green Peas, a delicious Colomba Dessert with Custard, Chocolate and Hazelnut sauces. Happy Easter!

APPETIZER: Stuffed Eggs or “Uova Ripiene”

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 12 Eggs
  • 150 grams of Tuna canned
  • 4 tablespoons of Mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoon of Capers
  • a mix of Parsley and Basil
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred or dust with Paprika in the end on top

For the final decoration

  • 150 grams of Green Salad chopped, a few Radishes
  • 50 grams of black Olives

Preparation

  1. Add the eggs to a large pot bring water to boiling temperature, reduce the heat to medium-low, cook the eggs for eight minutes, drain them and move immediately in cold water. When they have cooled, peel them and cut them in half lengthwise, remove the red egg, being careful not to break the egg white.
  2. Drain the tuna, rinse the capers to remove the excess of salt from them, then mix: tuna, capers, mayonnaise, the egg yolks and season with salt, blend until mixture is smooth.
  3. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add some parsley, basil and fresh onion previously minced and mix well. If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
  4. Fill the eggs with 1 tablespoon of the mixture. In a large serving plate pour the salad, radishes cut into thin slices and some black olives, add the eggs filled and seasoned with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil  and a sprinkling of black pepper. 

APPETIZER: Neapolitan Easter Bread or “Casatiello Napoletano”

Ingredients

  • 500 grams of Flour
  • 200 grams of Sausages we like Salame Napoletano
  • 200 grams of Cheese we like provolone Cheese or Caciocavallo Cheese
  • 50 grams of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 tablespoons of Pecorino Cheese
  • 1/2 half glass of Milk
  • 5 Eggs for decoration
  • 25 grams of Brewer’s Yeast
  • Salt and Pepper as you preferred

Preparation

  1. Melt the yeast in warm milk. Place the flour in the center and add the yeast dissolved in milk, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and water for the dough (about a glass). Knead the dough until it forms a soft dough. Cover it and let it rise for about two hours in a warm place.
  2. When the dough has doubled in volume gather out a ball and set aside. It will need to fix the eggs when decorating. Roll out the dough in the meantime giving it a rectangular shape.
  3. Cover the pastry spread with salami and cheese in chunks. Sprinkle with cheese and roll the dough lengthwise giving it the shape of a sausage. Then arrange them in a mold donut oiled joining the two ends. Cover again with a cloth and let rise another 2 hours.
  4. After you have cleaned and washed the eggs very well, arrange them on the surface of Casatiello and fix each with two strips of dough crosswise.
  5. Bake in preheated oven at 180° for about 50/60 minutes.

MAIN COURSE: Lasagne with Pesto

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 250 grams of Lasagna or 1 Box of “Lasagne Barilla” for example (Italian Brand)
  • 100 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 300 gr of Pesto
  • 400 grams of Ricotta Cheese
  • 600 grams of Pachino Tomatoes
  • Half Liter of Béchamel
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt, Pepper as preferred

Easy Besciamella or Béchamel Sauce

  • 50 grams of Butter
  • 50 grams of Flour
  • Half liter of Milk
  • Salt, Pepper, and Nutmeg as you prefer

Preparation 1° Besciamella or Béchamel Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a pan add the flour and cook for 3 minutes; meanwhile bring the milk to a boil with salt pepper and nutmeg, stir in the butter and flour and simmer for five minutes.

THE SECRET: the bechamel is ready just when you put the spoon in the sauce and when you take out the sauce it stays firmly attached to the spoon.

Preparation 2° The Tomato Sauce

2. In a pan, cook the Pachino tomatoes with 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Oil Olive, salt and half glass of hot water for 10 minutes, without restricting too much the sauce.

3. In a bowl mix the ricotta cheese with a bit of milk dissolved (half glass) and pesto.

Preparation 3° The Lasagna Pasta

4. Cook the lasagna according to the instructions. About 8 minutes in 6 quarts of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse with cold water. Lay the individual lasagna noodles out on kitchen towels, very delicate, not touching between each other, so they do not stick together while you layer the casserole.

5. Start by placing a little bit of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the casserole, then build the 4 layers of lasagna, alternating pasta, béchamel sauce, Ricotta Cheese and Pesto, Pachino Tomatoes Sauce and Grated Parmesan Cheese and then again for 3 layers more. Finish the lasagna with béchamel sauce, Ricotta Cheese and Pesto, Pachino Tomatoes Sauce and Grated Parmesan Cheese.

6. Bake uncovered at 200° degrees until the lasagna is bubbling and the corners are getting brown; about 30 minutes.

MAIN COURSE – Lamb with Baked Potatoes or “Abbacchio con Patate al Forno”

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 1 kg leg of Lamb
  • a Glass of White Wine
  • A bunch of Rosemary
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred
  • 8 Potatoes

Preparation

  1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Wash the lamb, dry it with a paper to remove excess of water and then with a knife push the garlic and rosemary into the cuts and slashes, season with salt and pepper, let the lamb rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Place the lamb in a large tray and bake it at 180° degrees for 22 minutes.
  3. Let’s prepare the potatoes: wash, peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks, season with salt and pepper, add 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and extra rosemary. After 20 minutes add the potatoes around the lamb pour the glass of wine over the lamb and give the potatoes a shake and a turn. Let it cook for 45 minutes. Let the lamb rest and serve it still warm.

SIDE VEGETABLES – Peas with Parma Ham or “Piselli con Prosciutto”

Ingredients for 6-8 people

  • 100 grams of Butter (you can also use Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of Butter for a healthier option)
  • 1 kg grams of Peas, better if fresh, or you can use the frozen ones
  • Half glass of stock or white wine
  • 250 grams of Parma Ham ideally in one thick slice to be cut into cubes
  • 1 little Blonde Onion
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred

Preparation

1. In a saucepan add the butter or olive oil and the blonde onion previously washed and cut, cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the onion becomes a bit brown.

2. Add the peas, salt, pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, add the stock or white wine and the Parma ham, let it cook over low heat for 15 minutes more. Serve!

DESSERT: Colomba with Creams, 3 delicious sauces to make your “Colomba” Dessert unforgettable

A) Traditional Custard or “Crema Pasticcera”

Ingredients

  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 4 tablespoons of Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of Flour
  • 1 Lemon peel (ideally organic – peel just the yellow part to avoid a bitter taste)
  • 1/2 LT of Milk

Preparation

1. In a bowl whisk 4 egg yolks with 4 tablespoons of sugar, it’s ready when it will be frothy and the eggs will look a bit pale with the sugar melted in, add the 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 1 minute.

2. Now pour the compose in a high pan (you can also just use a pan from the beginning) and spill half liter of milk cold, add the milk slowly and keep mixing it, cut the zest of 1 lemon and put into the custard, cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, keep mixing, turning gently with a spatula or a wood spoon, those do not stick to the mixture, forming an 8, so that the cream will stay liquid and not depositing on the bottom.

3. The cream is ready when it becomes from liquid to creamy and in general when the mixture starts boiling. Do not keep boiling just turn off the heat and enjoy warm or cold.

B) Chocolate Cream or “Crema al Cioccolato”

Ingredients

  • 70 grams of Hazelnuts
  • 1 tablespoon of Sugar
  • 100 grams of darK Chocolate
  • 1 dl of fresh Cream
  • 30 grams of chopped Hazelnuts

Preparation

  1. Blend in a mixer 70 g of hazelnuts with 1 tablespoon sugar. Mince 100 g of dark chocolate, transfer it to a bowl and loose it in a double boiler with 1 dl of fresh cream. Add the hazelnut puree and cook another 2 minutes, stirring.
  2. Cut Slices of Colomba cake and cover each slice with the chocolate cream  and powder, to taste, with 30 g of chopped hazelnuts coarsely.

C) Coffee Cream or “Crema al Caffè”

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of coffee
  • 50 grams of dark Chocolate
  • 10 Coffee Beans
  • 1 teaspoon of Coffee powder

Preparation

  1. Prepare the traditional custard, as our recipe, by combining milk 1 cup of coffee.
  2. Melt in a water bath 50 g of dark shredded and verse into it 10 coffee beans Chocolate, helping with tweezers. Drain and let them dry on waxed paper.
  3. Servants dove into slices with the prepared cream, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of coffee powder and coffee beans.

AUGURI DI BUONA PASQUA!!! 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Pranzo di Pasqua

 

Categories
Dessert Vegetarian

Delicious Dough-Balls Fritters with Custard or Bigné di San Giuseppe

Fried Custard Dough-Balls or Bignè di San Giuseppe

These Dough-Balls Fritters without yeast are a traditional dessert typical of the Roman cuisine, the symbol of St. Joseph celebration on March 19, the Father’s Day in Italy. These sweet bignè are soft and fluffy. This recipe in other parts of Southern Italy may also be called “Sfinci di San Giuseppe” or even “Zeppole”. And on this note, here we leave you with a popular and wise old style saying: “E chi vuol bene mantenersi sano di frittelle mantenga il ventre pieno”….. It says it all! 🙂 So gooooood.

Ingredients for 10 people

  • 200 ml of Water
  • 50 grams of Butter
  • 100 grams of Flour
  • 60 grams of Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Oil for frying: prior to World War II olive oil was used for deep frying in Italy, but nowadays an all-purpose vegetable oil is often preferred; most cooks, Italian or otherwise, agree that canola oil or peanut oil is best for frying as these oils don’t leave an aftertaste
  • Grated lemon zest (better if organic)
  • Powdered Sugar

Preparation

  1. Heat the water with the butter and a pinch of salt when the water starts to boil, add the flour and stir immediately, not to make form clots, continue to cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Let cool the mixture and then add the beaten eggs and sugar slowly.
  3. In a frying pan heat the oil and pour the mixture of the fritters with a tablespoon,  the fried dough balls will be ready when it will become golden. Once fried let cool on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
  4. With the help of a pastry bag fill the fritters or bignè with custard, previously prepared, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. You might be tempted to eat them all at once … they are exquisite;-)

NOTE: Prior to World War II olive oil was used for deep frying in Italy, but nowadays an all-purpose vegetable oil is often preferred; most cooks, Italian or otherwise, agree that canola oil or peanut oil is best for frying, as these oils don’t leave an aftertaste and they burn at higher temperatures, ideal for frying.

TIPS:

  • The fried dough balls or Bignè di San Giuseppe can be baked as well in the oven, we can consider this a light healthier version. Still quite delicious.
  • A delicious alternative is” la Zeppola” with custard and black cherry, this recipe you can fry or bake in the oven. The donuts are circular in shape with a central hole from 2 cm diameter and garnish covering them with custard over the cherries in syrup.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appettito!

Agrodolce

Categories
Lunch Main Pasta Seafood

Quick Spaghetti with Tuna, Rocket and Lemon or Pasta con Tonno

Spaghetti Pasta with Tuna, Rocket and Lemon or “Pasta con Tonno, Rughetta e Limone”

Pasta with tuna is always good: with tomato, cold as a pasta salad or hot. Here we propose an excellent recipe, fresh and super tasty but also a great solution for those who haven’t much time to cook. Canned tuna sparked with lemon creates a superb sauce that complements many pasta shapes, such as spaghetti or linguine, to name our favourites for this recipe. Whip up a delicious tuna and lemon pasta in less than 20 minutes!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Spaghetti Pasta
  • 200 grams of Tuna Canned
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 100 grams Rocket
  • half Lemon juice
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pan and include a clove of garlic, cook until the garlic is brown and then remove the garlic from the pan. Add the tuna canned (remove the extra oil from the canned tuna before using it) and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  2. Boil your pasta of choice according to the instructions on the package, very “al dente”, remove Pasta from the boiling water 1 minute before fully cooked, drain and finish cooking into the saucepan for 1 minutes more. Add the rocket cut just before serving and mix it.

TIP: add some capers to this recipe for a nice tasty southern variation.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Spaghetti-tonno-limone 2

Categories
Dessert

Spring Mimosa Cake or Torta Mimosa

Mimosa Cake

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Mimosa Cake or “Torta Mimosa”

International Women’s day: 2 little thoughts very special and not to miss to properly Celebrate this special day: Flowers and Cakes, in this case they have the same name, a wonderful dessert, MIMOSA! Mimosa Cake, a sweet treat filled with a delicious custard cream, flavored with Italian lemon and Pineapple. A wonderful reminder that spring is here…

Ingredients

  • Custard or Crema Pasticcera
  • Sponge Cake or Pan di Spagna
  • 250 ml Fresh Creme
  • 100 grams of Chocolate Chips
  • 1 Fresh Pine Apple or 2 Pine Apple Canned

Ingredients for Sponge Cake or Pan di Spagna

  • 6 Eggs
  • 250 grams of Flour
  • 250 grams of Sugar
  • Grated Zest of 1/2 lemon

Ingredients for Custard or Crema Pasticcera

  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 4 tablespoons of Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of Flour
  • 1 Lemon peel (ideally organic – peel just the yellow part to avoid a bitter taste)
  • 1/2 LT of Milk

Preparation Custard or Crema Pasticcera

  1. In a bowl whisk 4 egg yolks with 4 tablespoons of sugar, ready when it will be frothy and the eggs will look a bit pale with the sugar melted in, add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 1 minute.
  2. Now pour the compose into a high pan (you can also just use a pan from the beginning to simplify) and add half liter of cold milk, add the milk slowly and keep mixing it, cut the zest of 1 lemon and add it to the custard previously prepared. Keep cooking it over low heat for 15 minutes, keep mixing it, turning gently with a spatula or a wood spoon, as those do not stick to the mixture, forming an 8, so that the cream will stay liquid and will not deposit at the bottom.
  3.  This cream is ready when it becomes from liquid to creamy and in general when the mixture start boiling. Do not keep boiling, just turn off the heat and enjoy warm or cold.

Preparation of the Sponge Cake or “Pan Di Spagna”

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly butter and flour a cake pan.
  2. Combine the whole eggs (important: eggs should be at room temperature, not cold from the fridge) and the sugar to a mixer and beat for 15 minutes, until the mixture become white and grows in volume.
  3. Add the flour gradually into the egg-sugar mixture and mix delicately with a spatula scooping from the bottom up,  so that all remains light and airy, after that add the egg yolks. Last, add the lemon zest.
  4. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until light golden. Do not over-bake it. It will dry and set as it cools.
  5. Let it cool to room temperature.

Assemble the Mimosa Cake

 

  1. Cut the sponge cake in 2 disks:  one of that, the bottom cake layer cut it 3 cm high and place it on a serving plate. Moisten with the Pineapple syrup, add some pieces of pineapple previously cut,  the custard cream and some chopped chocolate.
  2. If you prefer, cut in 3 disks of 2 cm and make two layers of sponge disks and cream then go to step 3.
  3. Get the last disk of sponge cake and cut it into cubes, note that you should cut just the yellow part.
  4. Press the cake cubes onto the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with slices of pineapple. Enjoy!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

mimosa cake

Categories
Dessert Gluten free Healthy Vegetarian

Italian Créme Caramel or Traditional Budino

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Creme Caramel or “Budino Creme Caramel all’Italiana”

A healthy and light dessert for all the family, Budino or Créme Caramel, is a simple and old-fashioned dessert made just with milk, eggs and sugar. A delicious Italian pudding, it dates back to ancient Roma. A must of Italian and international cuisine made in different variations all over the world: here we prepare a classic Italian recipe. Yummy!

Ingredients  for 6 People

  • 500 grams of  Whole Milk
  • 3 Eggs and 1 Yolk
  • 120 grams of Sugar
  • a Vanilla bean
  • 6 ramekins/molds

Ingredients for Caramel

  • 100 grams of Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of Water
  • (For those who do not wish to prepare the caramel at home, they can find it easily at the supermarket ready to use. We prefer to prepare it, so easy!)

Preparation of Budino

  1. Gently heat the milk, adding a split vanilla pod: in a deep saucepan boil the milk together with a vanilla bean engraved along its length; when reaching boiling state immediately remove from the fire and let it stand for 15 minutes to ensure that the milk assimilates all the vanilla scent.
  2. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and the hot milk, stir very slowly with a whisk to prevent the mixture from incorporating too much air. Continue beating, after adding the milk with the vanilla bean.
  3. Pour the Caramel (*) in 6 crème caramel molds.
  4. Pour the mixture into the molds, filtering using a sieve to remove the vanilla beans. Filter the milk and join the caramel on top into all the molds. Settle them in a pan with high sides filled with cold water, cooking a bain-marie in the oven for 1 hour and 15 mins at 160°C.
  5. The creme caramel is ready when the cream has curdled while still soft. Let it cool in the water before transferring the molds in the fridge, wait at least 2/3 hours before you flip them on a serving plate. Enjoy.

*Preparation of the Caramel

  1.  We combine the sugar and a little bit of water in a saucepan and put on low heat.
  2. Without touching it, let it cook until the mixture is colored. Once obtained a brown color, pour it carefully over the six ramekins. Temperature is very high so be careful when pouring it.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

creme caramel 5

Categories
Dinner Gluten free Healthy Main Soups Vegetables Vegetarian

Healthy Italian Lentil Soup or Zuppa di Lenticchie

lentils soup

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Lentils or “Lenticchie”

There are different varieties but, in any case, rich in iron and protein. We eat them as a first course, we like a lentils soup with pasta and potatoes, or as a side dish, healthy and tasty. Never miss for New Year’s Evening since the tradition tells that bring health, wealth and lucky.

 

Ingredients

  • 350 grams of Lentils
  • 300 grams of “Pancetta” or Bacon or also diced ham for a lighter version
  • 1 Onion
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 tablespoons of  Tomato
  • 2 Carrots
  • 1 Celery
  • 1 Sprig of Rosemary
  • 4dl of structured Red Wine
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred

Preparation

  1. Wash the lentils in cold water, drain. Cut “Pancetta” or Bacon into cubes of about 2cm. Add the olive oil and the diced bacon in the pressure cooker and fry while open, not yet covered.
  2. Meanwhile, peel the onions and carrots and slice them, clean the celery, removing the leaves and the base of the coast, wash and cut into chunks. Combine the carrots, bacon, onions and celery, including the lentils and the rosemary, sprinkle with red wine and about 4dl of water, add salt to taste. It’s time to close the pot!
  3. When the valve of the pressure cooker starts to whistle, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  4. When cooked, lift the valve and let the steam out. Now you can open the pot and pour into a pot to serve. Add a sprinkling of black pepper and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

zuppetta-di-lenticchie-di-colfiorito-con-pancetta--118533

Categories
Basic Preparations or How To Breakfast Drinks Vegetarian

Anyone for a great Coffee? How to make Coffee with a Moka in easy steps

How to prepare the real Italian Coffee with Moka or “Caffè Espresso con la Moka”

What are the secrets of preparing the best coffee with a classic Moka? The Neapolitans are the best when it comes to coffee and there is so much to learn about the different ways to prepare it. The classic “na tazzulella e café” (literally: a little cup of coffee) is an important part of the inalienable Neapolitan lifestyle, typical food and drinking habits. A great Coffee is always the perfect fit: a waking up MUST HAVE in the morning, the classic excuse for a work break, an after lunch essential, the first drink offered to welcome a guest or to family and friends, anyone loved. Italian coffee simply represents – in Italy and abroad – a symbol at the root of our Italian culture. Neapolitans do it better!!!! 🙂

Ingredients for a 3-cup of Coffee maker /small size

  • 3 teaspoons of Grounded Coffee (we like Vergnano or Illy Coffee)
  • Natural Water, we use bottled natural water if in doubt of the tap water quality

Preparation

  1. One rule: You can’t make a good coffee if you don’t have the best quality of the key ingredient: coffee. So the first step is to buy a great mix of grounded coffee. You will have 3 pieces in a Moka machine: base, filter, top.
  2. Fill the base of the Moka with cold water up to the level of the valve and not beyond. Water will affect the taste of your coffee, we often avoid tap water.
  3. Insert the filter on top,  should be just above the water level, add the coffee on top with a teaspoon, coffee is flattened with the teaspoon (do not compress it) being sure to make a few small furrows in the mixture. The coffee should be fully covering the 2 cm above the filter, do not press it in too much or the water will not pass through.
  4. Now you can add the top part of the Moka. Tightly screw the two parts together and put the coffee maker on the stove. Important Step: Keep the heat low.
  5. Once the coffee starts coming out, open the lid to avoid condensed water to drop in.  If you wish, you can take a coffee cup and place it on top of the spout imprisoning the aroma and fragrance of coffee in the cup.
  6. When the coffee level is at about 3/4 of the top part of the Moka turn off the fire completely and wait until it stops dropping. Enjoy super hot.

TIPS:

  • If you want a perfect coffee,  you can pre-heat the coffee cups for 1 minute in the microwave and then pour the coffee in, it will keep it extra hot!
  • COFFEE CREAM: for the perfectionists only, when the coffee starts to come out take the first drops and put them in a separate cup, add 3-4 teaspoons of sugar and blend them until you have a homogeneous creamy mix, add it on top of the coffee in each cup before serving instead of sugar. TOP!
  • Never wash the coffee maker Moka in a washing machine or with soap, just wash it with hot water!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

caffe 3

Categories
Cake Dessert

Apple Pie or Torta di Mele

How to prepare the real Italian food of the traditional Apple Pie or “Torta di Mele”

This easy Apple Cake is a perfect fit for every occasion: a delicious breakfast, office break, afternoon tea with the kids and in the evening for that funny after dinner cravings 🙂 better if accompanied by a spoonful of wondeful custard, lets do things properly! Enjoy with the ones you LOVE…

Ingredients

  • 200 grams of Sugar
  • 200 grams of Flour 00
  • 100 grams of Butter
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 grated Lemon peel
  • juice of one Lemon
  • 8 Apples (we like Fuji)
  • 25 grams of Pine Nuts
  • 4 tablespoons of Raisins
  • 1 baking powder
  • Cinnamon as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Cut 6 apples in small chunks and 2 apples into slices. Place in a bowl apples diced marinated with 2 tablespoons of sugar, the juice lemon, cinnamon, raisins and pine-nuts.
  2. In a bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until frothy, add the butter previously melted in a double boiler (or microwave) and the flour, continue beating for about 3 minutes.
  3. Combine the mixture of apples in chunks and finally the yeast dissolved in a little milk.
  4. Pour the mixture into a cake pan 28 cm in diameter greased and floured, cover the dough with apples sliced in circles.
  5. Bake 35 minutes at 180°.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

 

Categories
Appetizers Eggs Sides Vegetables Vegetarian

Fried Eggs with Zucchini or Frittata di Zucchine

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Fried Eggs with Zucchini or Frittata di Zucchine

“Frittata” is Italy’s answer to the French omelette and the Spanish tortilla.  Fillings are usually made with what’s in season and the cook’s imagination and LOVE, common inclusions in the frittata are potatoes, asparagus, onions, or mushrooms, ham and mozzarella. For this recipe, we will use some fresh zucchini. The filler should be lightly and simply cooked: a quick saute before being incorporated into the egg mixture. There are three critical elements to a great frittata: a non-stick pan, low heat, and a (non-stick) wood spatula. The pan allows you to cook the frittata without much oil, the low heat cooks the eggs through without burning!

Ingredients (4 people)

  • 2 medium Zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8″ half-rounds
  • 7-8 large Eggs
  • 1 small Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
  • 1 tbsp of Olive Oil
  • few leafs of Fresh Basil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • non-stick large Skillet, silicone or wood Spatula

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, onion, cheese, pepper, and salt until well mixed with consistency in color.
  2. Saute the zucchini with olive oil over medium-high heat oil for 6-8 minutes, tossing frequently. Until zucchini get gold and softer. Add the fresh basil leafs chopped.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. For a fluffier frittata, beat the egg mixture again to incorporate air, otherwise let the ingredients sit while the pan loses a little heat. Add the egg mixture to the pan. Lift the edge of the frittata  with a spatula and angle the pan to allow egg mixture flow underneath.
  4. Once the frittata is mostly cooked and a quick check to the underside shows a nice brown crust, turn the frittata over. Before its too late! The usual method for doing is to place a large plate on top of the pan, flip over, and then slide the frittata back (uncooked-side down) into the pan.  Cook for another minute or so, and flip onto the serving plate.
  5. A frittata can be served warm or room temperature.

TIP: you can finish cooking your frittata in the oven for a more crispy feeling.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Frittata zucchine

Categories
Healthy Main Vegetables Vegetarian

Easy Linguini with Home Made Pesto Sauce or Linguine al Pesto

How to prepare the real Italian Linguini with Home Made Pesto Sauce

Basil is best at the height of summer. Still, in the middle of winter a nice pesto, is a breath of freshness and a super tasty sauce. Pesto originates in Genoa, mentioned as early as the 17th Century. The recipe as we know today with basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese, appeared in the mid-1800’s. That recipe remains the true pesto genovese, but variants have spread and been adapted to local resources and tastes. The best ingredients yield the best flavor. Home grown or organic basil and garlic, a good quality olive oil, and the best imported Parmigiano Regiano, Grana Padano, and/or pecorino you can reasonably afford will be worth the effort in the final dish!

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 50 grams fresh Basil leaves
  • 2 Garlic cloves without peel
  • 100 ml of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 50 grams of Pine Nuts
  • 80 grams grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/4 cup of freshly grated Pecorino cheese
  • Salt as you prefer
  • 500 grams  of dry Linguine (or Spaghetti)

Preparation

  1. Wash the basil leaves and combine the basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the oil gradually and process with the blender until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt.
  2. Alternative to Step 1. If using a pestle and mortar instead of a blender, add basil, garlic pine nuts and a pinch of salt.  Start working with the pestle, pressing and rotating it until all the ingredients are nicely ground. Add the cheese and mix well, include the oil and continue mixing until well incorporated and smooth. Season with salt.
  3. Add the Pesto sauce to a glass container and cover the pesto on top with some olive oil to avoid the Pesto to become darker and preserve it well in case you need it.
  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water until “al dente”, as from cooking instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss. Taste for salt and add a drizzle of oil. Yummy!

TIP: These days a food processor does the heavy lifting, but if you have a mortar and pestle and are willing to spend a few extra minutes, grinding the nuts and garlic together before adding the leaves has a distinct effect on the texture of the sauce (See Step 2).

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Linguine Pesto

Categories
Italian Cooking Tips Lunch Main Pasta

5 Ideas to cook Pasta: Easy Fast and Tasty!

pasta

How to cook the real Italian Pasta, 5 delicious ideas: EASY, FAST AND TASTY recipes!

Few great traditional Italian Pasta ideas:

 

Spaghetti with Fresh tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese and Basil or “Spaghetti al Pomodoro, Basilico e Mozzarella”

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of  Maccheroni Pasta or Spaghetti Pasta
  • 10 fresh tomatoes like San Marzano or Canned Tomato
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • a sprig of Basil
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Black Pepper as preferred
  • Parmesan cheese as preferred
  • 200 grams of Mozzarella cheese cut in cubes

 Preparation

  1. In a pan pour 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a clove of crushed garlic, cook until the garlic becomes golden and then remove it, add the fresh tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
  2. Cut the mozzarella cheese into chunks.
  3. In a saucepan, pour the water and salt (about 1 spoon/the water should taste a little bit salty), bring to a boil, add the pasta, cook according to package instructions until “al dente”, drain the pasta and transfer  into the pan with the tomato sauce, add cubes of mozzarella cheese and  add the basil leaves. Add Parmesan cheese on top and serve. The result is pretty amazing!

 

Rigatoni Gricia or “Pasta alla Gricia”

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Mezzemaniche  or Rigatoni Pasta
  • 200 grams of “Pancetta” or “Guanciale” (chopped, about 1-2cm) Pork similar to Bacon cut, or use bacon if pancetta is not available
  • 100 grams of grated Pecorino Cheese
  • Salt, Pepper as you prefer
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, of course

Preparation

1. Cut the bacon into strips and fry in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, once the bacon will become transparent and all the fat has melted, turn off the heat. Do not burn the bacon! Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot with salted water.

2. Drain the pasta “al dente”, take a few spoons of the cooking water and pour into the pan with the bacon. Add the grated pecorino cheese and plenty of black pepper, mix the sauce with pasta to make the Gricia, fry for a few minutes. Serve.

 

Spaghetti with Pesto and Tomato, with fresh Pachino and Pine Nuts

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Spaghetti Pasta
  • 2 tablespoons of Pine Nuts
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 6 tablespoons of Pesto sauce
  • 40 Pachino Tomatoes
  • Salt, Basil as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Add the pine nuts to a pan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and let it cook for a few minutes, to brown the pine nuts but not burning them.
  2. Add the Pachino tomatoes to a pan, previously cut into chunks, and cook for 5 minutes with high heat, sprinkle with salt at the end.
  3. In the meanwhile, cook your pasta of choice in boiling salted water as from instructions on packaging and dilute the pesto with a few tablespoons of cooking water from the pasta itself. Drain it “al dente”, add it to the pan with tomatoes and saute a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the pesto on top.
  4. Serve pasta on the plate garnished with fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts and some chopped Pachino tomatoes.

Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Chili Spaghetti or “Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino”

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 400 grams of Spaghetti (like Barilla n°5)
  • 10 grams of Garlic
  • 10 grams Fresh Chili
  • 50 grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 grams of Parsley
  • Salt as preferred

Preparation

  1. Cut the fresh red chili into small strips (removing all the seeds inside), in the meanwhile in a pan heat the olive oil with the peeled garlic and chili. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté, after about 3 minutes remove the garlic – garlic and oil should not burn – and add a little of boiling water taken from the pasta cooking water.
  2. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package directions. Drain the pasta as from instructions on the package to be “al dente“, and pour it into the pan, sauté for a few minutes, add the parsley and if needed add 4 tablespoons of cooking water. Serve immediately and hat.

TIP:  Garlic should always be fried in entire pieces or half big pieces, so that you can remove it once the oil got the flavor, the idea here is to get a garlic flavor not to eat entire garlic or worst scenario little garlic pieces all over pasta as in many fake Italian recipes often is suggested.

Farfalle with Tuna and Rocket or “Pasta con Tonno e Rughetta”

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Farfalle or Spaghetti
  • 200 grams of Tuna Canned
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • 100 grams Rocket
  • half Lemon juice
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pan and include a clove of garlic, cook until the garlic is brown and then remove the garlic from the pan. Add the tuna canned (remove the extra oil from the canned tuna before using it) and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  2. Boil your pasta of choice according to the instructions on the package, very “al dente”, remove Pasta from the boiling water 1 minute before fully cooked, drain and finish cooking into the saucepan for 1 minutes more. Add the rocket cut just before serving and mix it.

TIP: add some capers to this recipe for a nice tasty southern variation.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

pasta

 

Categories
Appetizers Pie

Ham Pie-Bread or Tortino al Prosciutto

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of a delicious Ham Pie or “Tortino al Prosciutto”

Unleash this wonderful Ham Pie-Bread upon your guests, a delicious ham pie, homemade to enjoy with friends. The aroma of home-made bread baking in the oven is warm and brings nice family memories to mind.  The aroma of prosciutto bread baking goes even beyond that!  It is difficult to wait for the bread to cool before cutting that first, inviting slice. Prosciutto bread is a relatively easy bread to make, so definitely give it a try.

Ingredients

  • 100 gr of Flour
  • a teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Raw or Cooked Ham 200 gr. cut into cubes
  • 150 gr. grated Parmesan Cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
  • 3 eggs
  • a small coffee cup of Milk
  • a small coffee cup of Oil, Corn or Sunflower oil will be good
  • 1 tablespoon minced Rosemary
  • To cook: a loaf pan greased and floured or lined with parchment paper.
  • To accompany: a Bechamel sauce, warm.

Preparation

1. Sift the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt, beat the eggs in a bowl and add the flour when they are inflated a spoonful at a time, be sure to dissolve well any aggregation of flour or lumps. Then incorporate the ham and cheese, at the end add milk and oil as well.

2. Pour the mixture into the Baking Pan, cover with a towel and let rise 15 minutes. Place the Baking Pan in the oven heated to 180 and leave it for 40 -45 minutes. Turn out the cake and serve it sliced, would be great accompanied with a bechamel sauce, serve hot. Yummy!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

tortino prosciutto

 

 

 

 

Categories
Carnival Dessert Fried

Carnival Raisins Fritters or Friciò Piemontesi

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Friciò”

Everyone loves this delicious sweet pastry from Piedmont region, north of Italy: The Friciò. It is simply a Carnival Fritters variation with raisins. Tasty and sweet dough-balls very similar to Castagnole typical of Marche region, but with added Raisins. Like many Carnival Italian Recipes this is as much delicious as much a calories bomb, but definitely worth to try! Diet another day…

Ingredients

  • 200 grams of Flour
  • 100 grams of Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 glass of Milk
  • 30 grams of Baking powder
  • 100 grams of Raisin
  • 1 Lemon
  • Sugar Powder as you need
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Oil for fry

Preparation

  1. Soak the raisins in warm water for about twenty minutes.
  2. In a bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, a pinch of salt, add the eggs and continue stirring, add the warm milk gradually until it becomes a batter without lumps, incorporate the raisins drained and squeezed, the grated lemon rind, cover with a cloth and let sit for thirty armed.
  3.  Heat a pan with plenty of oil, laid a tablespoon of batter into the prepared pan with the aid of another spoon, fry until golden, drain them with a slotted spoon and pat dry on paper towels, repeat the process until all the batter is finished. Arrange the Friciò on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy ideally on the same day, freshly fried!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Frittelle-con-l-uvetta-84043

Categories
Lunch Pasta

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara with Guanciale or Pancetta

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Traditional Roman “Spaghetti Carbonara” or Pasta with Eggs and Pancetta

The name of this traditional dish “Spaghetti Carbonara” means “Pasta made the charcoal men way”. The dish originates from Lazio area and is part of the Roman cooking tradition. You don’t need many ingredients to make a fantastic Italian pasta such as “Carbonara”. A delicious Classic Pasta often made at home for lunch in Italy.

Spaghetti used in this preparation should be very hot when dropped into the bowl. As the eggs are raw and they will cook instantaneously with the heat of the pasta, for a tasty naturally creamy sauce. You should use “Guanciale” instead of “Pancetta“, but you will find it only if you are lucky to leave in Italy!

Ingredients for 4 People

  • 150 g “Pancetta” or “Guanciale” (chopped, about 1-2cm) Pork meat similar to Bacon cut, or use bacon if “pancetta” is not available
  • 400 g Spaghetti
  • 4 Egg only yolks
  • freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 90 g freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese as an alternative if you don’t like Pecorino, about 6 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil or 60gr
  • Salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Fill a large pot with cold water and add a handful or so of sea salt. Cover the pot and heat the water until it boils. Add the olive oil, diced “Pancetta” to a cold sauté pan and cook slowly over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions, 7-9 minutes or until “al dente”, tender but still firm to the bite.

2. While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs in a plate with the Pecorino or Parmesan cheese in a bowl and beat with a whisk until completely mixed. You can also mix half Pecorino and half Parmesan cheese as a variant if you wish. Do not overcook pasta, its crucial!

3. Drain the pasta, then add the cooked crispy “pancetta”, the eggs cream just made with cheese and egg yolks. It is important not to add the eggs in the warm pan but mix them with the pasta on a plate or they will become solid. Serve right away, with additional grated cheese and black pepper as desired. Simply wonderful.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Spaghetti Carbonara