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.

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cantuccini-a-modo-nostro-800

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.

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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).

 

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Linguine Pesto

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!

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tortino prosciutto

 

 

 

 

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.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

Categories
Biscuits Carnival Dessert Fried Vegetarian

Crispy Sweet Fritters or Carnival Frappe

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Carnival Fritters or “Frappe”

Frappe, Chiacchiere or Lies are quite delicious, many names for those simple thin fried dough strips, typical during Carnival time in Italy, over February. Very ancient Roman tradition. Slightly different in every region. In Italy, Frappe are crispy and light as air when you bite into them. Enjoy with family and friends. If you start, you can’t stop eating. Happy Carnival!

Ingredients (40 Frappe)

  • 500 grams Flour (3 full cups)
  • 4 tablespoons (70 grams) Sugar (do not add too much sugar or they burn when you fry)
  • Butter 50 gr.
  • ¾ teaspoon (5 grams) Baking Powder like Pane Angeli
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Vanilla bean or “Vanillina” powder
  • 2 tablespoons (25 grams) Butter diced, at room temperature
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • Rhum or Grappa 30 gr
  • Oil to fry
  • TOPPING: powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preparation

  1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Add to a food processor, or mix manually, then add the eggs together with the butter, combine till the dough comes together.
  2. Remove from the food processor and leave on a floured surface and knead until the dough becomes smooth (should not be a sticky dough). Wrap in plastic and let rest at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
  3. Remove from fridge and taking ¼ of the dough at a time roll into a very thin strip. It is weighed and rolled in a pasta machine as you would do with pasta dough. Then cut into strips with a fancy edged pastry cutter, cut into approximately 2-3 inch sizes and fry in a pot of hot vegetable oil for frying (approximately 2 inches of oil, the temperature must reach 170° and stay at this temperature, no higher or dough will burn). Fry until frappe becomes golden turning them over once at the mid-cooking time while frying.
  4. Remove to drain and cool on a plate lined with kitchen paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Consume fresh. Enjoy as soon as ready!

TIP: for a light version you can also bake the Frappe. Will be a very nice healthier option. But traditionally Frappe are the best if fried!

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 Frappe-baked

Categories
Lunch Main Rice

Crown of Rice with Saffron and Speck or Timballo di Riso

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Crown Rice with Saffron and Speck or “Riso allo Zafferano e Speck”

 The Crown of Rice with Saffron and Speck Smoked Ham is considered a unique dish, with distinct taste and very Italian. Suitable for a buffet dinner and of course better if accompanied by an excellent Italian Wine.

 Ingredients for 6 people

  • 600 grams of Carnaroli Rice (Carnaroli is a kind of Rice)
  • 200 grams of Speck
  • 200 grams of Smoked Cheese or Scamorza Cheese
  • 30 grams of Butter
  • 130 grams of Parmesan
  • Saffron in powder
  • 1 Lt of Vegetable Broth
  • Salt and Peppe as you prefer

Preparation

  1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and then add the rice and toast it will be toasted only when it changes color, more transparent.
  2. Dissolve the saffron in a glass with a ladle of broth, add the saffron to the rice, stirring slowly. Add the broth, prepared previously, stir well and cook for 10 minutes without turning the rice. Drain some liquid from the rice, but not quite, include the rice in a bowl and season with the diced smoked cheese, a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese.
  3. Use, with speck at the bottom, a springform pan with the hole (like the one used for cakes) pour the rice on top, compacted well with the back of a spoon and close with slices of speck on top of the rice. Put in the oven, previously heated to 180 ° C for 20 minutes, baked, let stand for 5 minutes and then just turn it on a round tray upside down. Serve your crown rice hot or warm. Yummy!

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 risotto-zafferano e-speck

Categories
Appetizers Fried St. Valentine Vegetarian

Parmesan-Cheeseballs or Polpettine al Parmigiano

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Parmesan Cheese-Balls or “Polpettine al Parmigiano Reggiano”

This delicious dish is created with one of the most famous and traditional Italian  ingredients: THE PARMESAN CHEESE OR PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, which is considered the King of the Italian food. This Parmesan Cheese-Balls are perfect for an appetizer with friends. Your guests will want the recipe, no doubts. Simply delicious!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 300 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 Egg Whites
  • 50 grams of Flour
  • 25 grams of Breadcrumbs
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred

Preparation

  1. Pour into a bowl the Parmesan Cheese, stir in the breadcrumbs, a pinch of salt and ground pepper, mix well. Mount the egg whites until stiff, when ready add them to the mixture.
  2. Shape into small balls, prepare two separate plates in one pour the flour in the other the two beaten eggs.
  3. Heath in frying oil. Pass the little balls, one by one, first in the flour, then into the eggs and pour into the pan, make sure that the oil has reached the right temperature. Once ready add the meatballs on a plate on top of paper towels to absorb any excess of oil.

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file_55191e304570e

Categories
Breakfast Dessert Gluten free Healthy

Gluten Free Crèpes with Mascarpone and Strawberries

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Crêpes Gluten-Free with Mascarpone and Strawberries

Crêpes are very popular in Italy. We propose here a gluten free variation which is very tasty and nicely balanced. We all know that crêpes come from France. But the word crêpe actually originates from the Latin word, crispus, which means curled. These Crêpes Gluten-Free are great for breakfast or any meal. Takes only 10 minutes to make. No gluten. No problem. They are just as good as crepes made with all-purpose flour! Enjoy.

Ingredients for the Dry Flour Mix (it can be stored)

  • 1 cup gluten-free sweet Rice Flour
  • 1 cup ground Hazelnuts
  • 1 cup sweet white Sorghum Flour
  • 1 cup Teff Flour
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp Xantham Gum

Ingredients for the Crèpe Batter

  • 3 eggs1 cup Milk
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup GF crêpe Flour Mix (done above)
  • Butter for the Crêpe Pan

Ingredients for the Sauces

  • Nutella, few spoons. Banana, in slices
  • Mascarpone, milk and sugar, mixed into a creamy delicious sauce. Fresh Strawberries in pieces
  • Honey and Lemon

Preparation

1. In a container or a bowl, add the teff flour, sweet white sorghum flour, gluten-free sweet rice flour, ground hazelnuts, and lastly add in the xantham gum. Shake it in a container, or mix it well if in a bowl.

2. Preheat a large flat pan to medium-high heat. Crack 3 eggs in a bowl and then add in some milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk this mixture for a few minutes.

3. Measure out 3/4 cup of your crêpe mixture and add it into the egg mixture. Whisk the batter together and you have your crêpe batter! It will look runny but that is right.

4. Take a little bit of butter and coat the heated pan. Pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the center of the crêpe pan and swivel it around with a back and forth shaking motion until you have a thin, round crêpe. Allow crêpe to cook until edges become golden brown, then flip and briefly allow the other side to cook. (10-15 seconds) Slide it right off the pan to a plate.

5. Dress with a small amount of Nutella and bananas cut into slices, jam or maple syrup down the middle, roll up, cut into two pieces and serve warm. Or you can simply add honey and lemon juice.

6. Alternatively, you can fold the crepes with a wonderful Mascarpone cream inside and fresh strawberries. Mix together mascarpone, a little bit of milk, and powdered sugar on high with a hand mixer until stiff peak forms (do not over beat). Place desired amount of filling to half of the crepe and top with fresh strawberries. Fold into fourths and add extra dollop of filling on top with fresh strawberries.

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gluten free crepe mascarpone

 

 

Categories
Dessert Gluten free Healthy Vegetarian

Light and Easy Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake or Torta di Ricotta al Limone

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake or “Torta di Ricotta al Limone”

Halfway between a cake and a cheesecake, this ricotta cheesecake cake with lemon and ricotta cheese has a light texture that almost melts in your mouth and an intense flavour of lemon, delicious and nutritious. It is easy to prepare, the result is a cake with a moist dough, which makes it suitable as a dessert to be served after a meal. Better to prepare this lemon cake using organic lemons: in addition to the juice, in fact, we use a fair amount of zest also essential to give the sweet smell and taste of these amazing fruit.

Ingredients

  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 200 gr. – around 1 container (16oz.) – whole milk Ricotta cheese
  • 80 gr. white wheat all-purpose Flour and 80 gr. Potato Flour (or 1/4 cup Gluten-Free Baking mix)
  • Juice from 1/2 Lemon and grated Zest (if using organic Lemon)
  • 3-4 Biscuits of your choice, or Graham Crackers or Gluten-Free Biscuits, all crushed
  • 16gr. Baking Powder
  • 2 tbsp of Butter for greasing the pie dish

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Thoroughly rinse the lemon, dry and grate the zest without touching the white part. It will get about 1 tablespoon. Squeeze the juice (around 50 ml) and zest the lemon. What is zesting? It’s removing the very outer layer of skin from a citrus fruit. Zest is a great way to add extra flavour to cooking and extra oomph to food and drink presentation.

zest lemon

2. Start off by cracking 3 eggs and place them into a mixing bowl, then add in sugar and mix together. Add the ricotta cheese and blend with the egg and sugar mixture. While it is blending, add in the 2 flours (or the gluten-free baking mix) and continue to blend until it is well incorporated. Finish by adding in fresh lemon juice and lemon zest and blend one more time.

3. Grease your pie dish with butter and sprinkle the biscuits crumbs evenly over the bottom of the dish. You can crush the graham crackers or biscuits by using a blender or food processor, or just crush them.

4. Pour the batter over the crumbs and place it in the oven for 25 minutes or until it begins to turn golden brown. Once the cake is golden brown let it cool or place it in the refrigerator so it tastes more like a cheese cake. Slice into serving pieces and place on a platter. If you wish spoon warm or room temperature blueberries on top.

TIP: You can also easily prepare a gluten free lemon and ricotta cheesecake: just replace the wheat flour with an equal amount of gluten-free cake mix flour and use a gluten-free baking powder.

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ricotta cheesecake

Categories
Chicken Gluten free Healthy Lunch Main

Lemon Herb Chicken or Pollo arrosto al Limone

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Lemon Herb Chicken or “Pollo Arrosto al Limone e Erbe Aromatiche”

Roasted Chicken is literally an all time favourite of both of us, we love it! Great childhood memories having lunch with the family. An easy Sunday dish, which is made even more delicious if accompanied with roasted potatoes. Hearty comfort healthy eating in this delicious roast chicken recipe. Simple and super tasty!

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken Drumsticks or Thighs (or use a combination depending on your preference)
  • 1 bunch Chives
  • 1 bunch of curly leaf Parsley and Rosemary
  • 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • 3 tbsps Lemon juice (approx. yield from one lemon + grated zest if organic lemon)
  • 2 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 tsp Salt approx
  • Black pepper

Preparation

1. Start by placing the chives, parsley leaves and rosemary into the food processor. Add in olive oil, lemon juice, a little bit of salt and blend all of these ingredients.

3. Rub the herb marinade evenly on the chicken. Add in the garlic in big chunks (to be removed after cooking). In an oven proof pan place your chicken and cover it with plastic wrap to marinade in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or better if over-night.

4. Remove the plastic wrap and bake uncovered for 25 minutes in a 350°F oven until it browns. Cover the chicken with foil, add a glass of white wine and place it back in the oven for 30 minutes to cook it through. To make sure your chicken is all the way cooked, cut off a little piece and check. Once the chicken is cooked through you are ready to serve. Absolutely gorgeous if served with roasted potatoes as side dish.

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chicken roasted

Categories
Healthy Lunch Main Rice

Rice, Peas and Parma Ham or Risotto con Piselli e Prosciutto

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Rice with Peas and Parma Ham or “Risotto con Piselli e Prosciutto”

Risotto with Peas and Ham or “Risi e Bisi” is a simple but tasty dish typical of the Venetian tradition ideal for a lunch for adults and children. This is a classic dish from Venice, and it has many variations. “Risi e Bisi” simply means rice and peas, and the dish is traditionally made with the fresh new peas of spring. If fresh peas are not available, you can easily make it with frozen peas, better to avoid canned. Ideally it should be diced: with slices will not be the same. Ideally cured Parma Ham is the best option, but you can use any ham available. Perfect Sunday easy and healthy dish.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Carnaroli Rice (Carnaroli Rice is a Kind of Rice)
  • ½ Blonde Onion
  • 100 grams of Parma Ham
  • 20 grams Butter
  • 200 grams of Peas
  • 30 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 ltr of Vegetable Stock
  • 5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • A sprinkling of chopped parsley
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. In a pan add 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with 10 grams of butter, the yellow onion and the previously diced cured ham. Better if Parma cured ham. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. After a few minutes add the fresh peas and cook for a little bit until half cooked. Dry cured hams are usually salty, so be aware that the more you add, the saltier the dish will become. Meanwhile, heat up the stock and 1 cup of water in a small pot. You want this at a simmer while you make the rice.

2. In another large pan with high sides add 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil pour in and toast the rice until it changes color, almost transparent, add a glass of white wine and let it evaporate. Keep cooking the rice slowly adding ladles of Vegetables broth. Stir again and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. After 10 minutes add the peas and cook slowly keeping turning, once the rice is fully cooked, add the remaining butter and Parmesan, stir well and add chopped parsley on top. Served.

The secret: let it rest 3-4 minutes before serving.

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pea and parma ham risotto

Categories
Healthy Italian Cooking Tips

4 Easy Tips on How to Make Healthy Recipes

Discover quick healthy recipe tips to cook healthy Italian meals for you and your family. Learn how eating healthy is simple with easy healthy recipe ideas from Italy.

For many people, making healthy recipes seems too difficult and time consuming. But with some advance planning and some basic knowledge of nutrition, it is easy to create a week’s worth of healthy meals that you and your family will love. The key to creating delicious and healthy meals for the family is planning! Planning ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals is the best way to create dishes you can be proud of, while keeping cost and time commitment to a minimum. So below are amazing tips you can use to make healthy meals all the time.

Healthy Recipe Tip #1:

Using convenient appliances such as slow cookers and microwaves can be a huge time saver when planning and preparing meals. There are many delicious and healthy recipes that can be started in the morning and left to cook all day in a crock-pot or slow cooker. These are great choices for working families. In addition, making the meals ahead of time on the weekend and heating them in the microwave is a great way to stretch both your food and your time. There are many microwavable healthy meals you can make at home, and single serving microwave safe containers allow every member of the family to eat on their own schedule. When planning the meals for the week, it is a good idea to create a chart listing each day’s menu and each day’s schedule. Here’s a smart tip: plan the quickest and easiest to prepare meals for the busiest days of the week.

Healthy Recipe Tip #2:

Get your family involved in creating the week’s meal plan by asking for their input and noting everyone’s favorite foods. It is still very important to eat healthy meals, so that (of course) does not mean eating pizza every night or having ice cream for dinner. But involving your spouse and children in healthy recipe planning, you’ll help to increase their interest in healthy eating right away. It is also a good idea to get your entire family involved in the preparation of the meals. Even children too young to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, chopping vegetables, clearing the table and washing the dishes.

Healthy Recipe Tip #3:

Cooking large quantities of healthy food recipes – and freezing the leftovers – is an easy way to save time. Cooking large amounts of stews, soups, pasta, chili and casseroles can be a huge time saver. Making double and even triple batches of these staple foods, and freezing the leftovers for later use, is a great way to save both time and money. When freezing leftovers, however, it is important to label the containers carefully, using freezer tape and a permanent marker. Try to keep the oldest foods near the top to avoid having to throw away expired items. Stocking up on meats when they are on sale is another great way to use that valuable freezer space. Stocking up on such easily frozen foods as chicken, turkey, ground beef, steaks, roasts and chops is a great way to make your food dollar stretch as far as possible while still allowing you and your family to enjoy delicious healthy meals every day.

Healthy Recipe Tip #4:

Keeping a well-stocked pantry is as important as keeping a well-stocked freezer. Stocking the pantry with a good supply of staple items like organic canned vegetables, organic canned fruits, soup stocks and other vegetable foods, will make healthy recipe preparation much faster and easier. Stocking the pantry can save you money as well as time. Grocery stores are always running sales, and these sales are a great time to stock up. Buying several cases of organic canned vegetables when they are on sale, for instance can save lots of money and provide the basic ingredients for many nutritious, easy to prepare meals. Examples of great staples to stock up on include whole grain cereals, Italian pastas, tomato sauce of the best quality, baked beans, canned salmon, tuna and whole grain breads. It is easy to combine these staples into many great meals on a moment’s notice.

We hope you found these healthy tips easy and useful!

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Categories
Lunch Main Pasta

Classic Fettuccine Boscaiola with Mushrooms and Sausage

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Forest’s Fettuccine fresh Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms and Italian Sausage or “alla Boscaiola”

This easy recipe will leave everyone happy. Simple but very tasty, a recipe enriched from the flavors of the forest and the mountain. There are many variations of this sauce, one quite popular includes peas with cream but WE LOVE IT SIMPLE, OUR OWN WAY as below. It comes together in about as much time as it takes to boil and cook the pasta. So easy to make and delicious!

 

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 400 grams of Fresh Fettuccine Pasta
  • 250 grams of Italian Pork Sausage
  • 200 grams of Porcini Mushrooms
  • 1 glass of White Wine
  • 4 cloves of Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped Parsley
  • 5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. Clean the mushrooms by removing the earth (remember that should not be left in water for long or they will absorb it like a sponge) and cut into slices not too thin. Take the grainy Italian pork sausages, eliminate the skin, in the meantime in a pan pour 5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 cloves of peeled garlic browned (not burned), add the sausage and stir with a wooden spoon, trying to separate the meat from the sausage into small pieces.

2. Let the meat cook over high heat until it becomes golden, add the mushrooms in chunks and sprinkle with a glass of white wine. When the wine has evaporated, add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and turn the heat very low, sauce is ready.

3. Cook the fresh fettuccine pasta according to the Italian tradition “al dente”, in a saucepan pour plenty of water and salt when it reaches boiling temperature add fettuccine to cook as directed, drain quickly and pour into the pan – with low heat – and mix with the sauce, add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. You can add parmesan cheese on top as you prefer. Served, enjoy.

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Categories
Healthy Lunch Main Seafood

Classic Spaghetti Pasta with Tuna and Tomato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Spaghetti Pasta with Tuna or “Spaghetti con il Tonno”

A simple and healthy recipe very tasty, ideal for every taste and used in Italy during summer or for a nice weekend Lunch with the family, actually suitable in All Seasons.

Italian canned tuna in olive oil, is a must use for this delicious Italian pasta dish. Spaghetti and linguine go particularly well with light tomato sauces and seafood, which cling to the long strands.

 

 

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Linguini or Spaghetti Pasta (Like De Cecco or Barilla n°5 for example)
  • 6 fillets of Anchovies
  • 1 fresh Onion
  • 300 grams of Pachino Tomatoes
  • 250 grams of Tuna canned
  • 40 grams of Capers
  • 1 tablespoon of concentrate Tomato
  • grated zest of one Lemon
  • 1 Chili
  • 60 grams of Black Olives cut
  • 40 grams of Parsley
  • 5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. Remove the salt from the capers, let them soak in water and vinegar for 10 minutes then drain them, squeeze and dry. In a pan add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the onion, previously cut into julienne, and cook with a bit of water, add the anchovies, capers, chili, black olives (previously cut) and fresh Pachino tomatoes cut in half.

2. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrated with half ladle of hot cooking water pasta and finally add the drained and chopped tuna. Oil should be removed from the canned tuna before cooking it; Extra virgin olive oil has been added to the recipe instead.

3. Boil the pasta according to instructions, al dente, and finish cooking into the saucepan and if necessary add a little of hot water (from the water previously boiled with the pasta).

4. Serve with a some fresh Parsley on top, grated lemon into strips and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

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Categories
Dinner Main Soups Vegetarian

Delicious Pasta and Beans Soup, Pasta e Fagioli

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of a delicious Pasta and Beans or “Pasta e Fagioli”.

This soup is a classic example of Italian wonderful home cooking. Simple yet delicious cannellini or borlotti beans and short pasta mixed with chopped onion and fresh tomatoes. Beans are a great pantry staple with lots of protein and fibers. A great vegetarian, healthy dish that is delicious and comforting on a cold winter night. Loaded with fibers, low in fat and calories.

Ingredients (1 bowl of soup)

  • 2-3 spoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • finely chopped Onion
  • a handful of finely chopped Carrot and/or Celery, Bay Leaf
  • a chopped clove of Garlic
  • some Herbs, fresh or dried (sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano are all good)
  • 100 gr. fresh chopped Tomatoes, with juice
  • a tin of Beans 150g/5oz, ideally Borlotti or Cannellini
  • about 4 cups of Water or Stock
  • 50 grams small sized Pasta (maccheroni, mezze maniche, for example)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion, carrot and celery with the bay leaf until the vegetables are soft, 10 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute, then toss in the herbs, tomato. Raise the heat slightly, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are bubbling vigorously. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook gently, stirring and mashing the tomatoes often, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the beans and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in the water or stock and bring the soup to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 mins.

2. In the meanwhile on a separate pan with a good pinch of salt as soon as the water boils cook the pasta half of the time given in the package instructions, drain, then add the pasta to the beans soup. Keep cooking the soup until pasta is cooked still “al dente“, then season with pepper. If you like, you can mash some of the beans; the smashed beans together with the starch from the pasta will thicken the soup pleasantly. Serve with a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.

TIP: soft beans make all the difference here, organic tinned beans might be better.

VARIATION: add Prosciutto chopped in pieces to the sautéed onion mix.

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Categories
Christmas Dinner Gluten free Veal

Delicious Veal with Tuna Sauce or Vitello Tonnato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Veal with Tuna Sauce or “Vitello Tonnato Tradizionale”

The Veal with Tuna Sauce or Vitel Tonné is a very Italian dish typical of Piemonte cuisine. Tasty and very fresh ideal for a starter in a gala dinner or even in the summer as a main course. A popular starter,  “Vitel Tonné”, which despite the French resemblance, is a dialectal form of Italian Vitello Tonnato which is basically a carpaccio of veal meat with a rich tuna sauce. Simply one of the most beautiful and classic dishes of Italian cuisine. This beautiful veal dish is festive and tastes superb. You can eat Vitel Tonnè as a main dish, or as an appetizer, it is a very appreciated cold dish in Italy.

 Ingredients for 6 people

  • 1 kg 500 grams of Veal
  • 1 blonde Onion
  • 1 sprig of Celery
  • 2 cloves of Carnation
  • 1 Carrots
  • 5 stalk of Parsley
  • 2 leaves of Bay
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 300 grams of Tuna Canned
  • 3-4 Anchovies
  • 30 grams of Capers
  • 4 tablespoons of Mayonnaise
  • 1 Lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 sprig of Parsley
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. Bring to a boil in a saucepan with salted water, onion, cloves, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns. Immerse the meat, previously tied with kitchen string and boil for about 2 hours. Once ready, drain and keep the broth, I recommend let cool wrapped in aluminum foil. Wipe the meat thoroughly, remove the wire and only when it is well-chilled cut into very thin slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Now we prepare the sauce

2. Rinse the capers, to remove the excess salt, wash and clean the anchovies, drained tuna oil. Blend all ingredients together slowly adding the meat broth, previously filtered, until a creamy consistency, cover the veal cut into slices with the sauce and decorate as desired with slices of lemon and parsley.

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Categories
Healthy Lunch Main Pasta Vegetarian

Healthy Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Tomato and Basil Pasta or “Spaghetti al Pomodoro e Basilico”

There are many different ways to prepare this easy and quick recipe but below you can find the original one. Spaghetti Pasta with tomato sauce and basil is an everyday classic of the Italian cuisine: simple, easy, quick and tasty. It tastes great with any type of pasta: spaghetti, rigatoni, linguine, lasagna and fettuccine or on ravioli. A delicious sauce made with fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. You can’t miss it!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 350 grams of Spaghetti Pasta (Like De Cecco or Barilla)
  • 600 grams of San Marzano canned Tomatoes or fresh red Tomatoes, 8-10 pounds Tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • 9 Basil leaves, at least 1 cup
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt as you prefer
  • 50 grams of Parmesan Cheese

Preparation

 

1. Wash and chop the fresh tomatoes. Wash and peel the garlic. Add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a large saucepan over medium heat, once hot, add the garlic just unpeeled – garlic should be removed after cooking. Once the garlic have softened (do not burn it!), add the chopped tomatoes, basil, salt and cook for about 20 minutes.

2. In the meanwhile in a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta as from instructions “al dente“, the traditional way: read well the cooking instructions on the pasta box. Drain pasta al dente and toss with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with plenty of Parmesan Cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil raw.

TIP: Fresh tomatoes and a touch of basil added in the end for a nice aroma is a fresh healthy option for this light dish. Garlic should be removed before adding the sauce to the pasta “al dente”.

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Categories
Italian Cooking Tips Pizza

A Brief History of Pizza: The Dish that Conquered the World

The word pizza in Italian identifies any type of flat bread or pie baked or fried.

Pizza, the way we know it today, is a derivation from focaccia (from the Latin word for fire), flat bread that has been prepared since antiquity in different forms and garnished with herbs, olives, fat, raisin, honey, and nuts.

Although you’d find many types of pitas or pizzas around the Mediterranean, it is in Naples that pizza in the form we know it today first emerged, after the tomato appeared on the table in the 1700s. Naples has many records of pizza since around the year 1000; the first mentions call these flat breads laganae, and later they are referred to as picea. In those times, pizzas were dressed with garlic and olive oil, or cheese and anchovies, or small local fish. They were baked on the open fire and sometimes were closed in two, as a book, to form a calzone.

In Naples is also where the first pizzerias opened up, with brick wood-burning oven, covered with lava stones from the Mount Vesuvius. The chefs of those times ignored pizza because was considered a poor peoples food, but the new combination with the tomato, when it entered the kitchen around the 1770s, must have raised some curiosity, even in the royal palace. Ferdinand I Bourbon, King of Naples, loved the simple food of the people and went to taste the pizzas made in the shop of Antonio Testa. He liked it so much that he wanted pizza to be included in the menu at the court. He failed after the opposition of his wife, Queen Maria Carolina. His son Ferdinand II also liked all kind of popular food and he loved pizza to the point that he hired Domenico Testa, son of the now famous Antonio, to build a pizza oven in the royal palace of Capodimonte.

Pizza became very popular, earning its place in Neapolitan folklore. Simple and economical, it turned into the food for all people, even sold on the streets, as shown in many illustrations of the time.

A famous episode extended the popularity of pizza beyond the limits of the city of Naples. It was 1889, and Margherita, queen of Italy, was visiting the city. She was told about pizza and wanted to taste it. A famous cook by the name of Don Raffaele, helped by his wife Donna Rosa, was invited to cook pizza at the royal palace. They prepared three pizzas, typical of that time: one with cheese and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomato; and one with mozzarella, basil, and tomato. The queen, impressed by the colors of the last pizza, which resembled the national flag, preferred that one. Since then this pizza is known as Pizza Margherita, and Don Raffaele is credited with its invention, even if we know that it already existed for a long time.

At the beginning of the last century, with Italian immigrants, the first pizzerias appeared also in the United States, where pizza has become a mass phenomenon. Yet, even today the best pizza is found in Naples, where it is rigorously made with buffalo mozzarella. Superior pizzas are considered those obtained by moderate variations of the simplest and most popular: Pizza Napoletana with tomato, garlic, oil, and oregano; Pizza Margherita; Pizza Marinara with tomato, anchovies, capers, and olives; and Pizza Four Seasons, divided in four quadrants, each dressed in a different way. Pizza with hot salami, the American Pepperoni pizza, is instead originally found in the Calabria region south of Naples, where this type of hot sausage is produced.

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Categories
Christmas Dessert

Yellow Bread or Pangiallo Romano

 How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Pangiallo

Yellow Bread or “Pangiallo” is an old and very traditional Holidays cake, which in Rome at Christmas should never miss. Pangiallo is one of the most ancient Christmas cakes from Italy. The Yellow Bread is a Roman speciality similar to the Tuscan panforte. And in spite of the name, it is more a dessert than bread. Some do add saffron to give to the dough a golden tint. Originated during the imperial age, it combines all the nuts, dried fruits, honey and spices you could think about. An elegant and delightful rich Italian cuisine experience.

Ingredients for 4-5 people

  • 300 grams of Flour
  • 20 g of Yeast
  • 30 g Candied Orange peel
  • 20 grams of Pine Nuts
  • 30 g shelled and peeled Almonds
  • 50 g of Raisins
  • Cinnamon, Saffron, Sugar
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Place the flour on a pastry board, add the yeast dissolved in a sugar syrup and warm water, mix well. There should be a dough a little softer than the one of bread.
2. Combine orange peel, pine nuts, almonds, raisins (previously soaked in warm water), and a pinch of cinnamon. Knead and form a loaf to rise covered with a napkin, in a warm place for 12 hours.
3. Then prepare a batter with water, a tablespoon of flour, a little oil, a pinch of saffron. Spread this batter on the loaf and put in a moderate oven (180 °) for 40 minutes.

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Categories
Dinner Gluten free Healthy Lunch Main Veal

Healthy Veal Roast or Arrosto di Vitello

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “the traditional Pan Roasted Veal”

The veal roast with potatoes o “Arrosto” is a traditional holiday dish, to cook when you have free time or if you’re looking for something special.

Ingredients for 5 people

  • 800 gr. Shoulder of Veal or Roast slice
  • Stock as necessary
  • a glass of White Wine
  • 50 grams of Butter
  • a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • a sprig of Rosemary and one of Sage
  • Garlic, Salt and Pepper

Preparation

1. Picketing the meat with garlic, rosemary and sage, add salt and pepper and fry in butter and oil, splash with white wine after the wine evaporated,  add the hot stock, cook in a covered pot and over low heat for about an hour.

2. Cut the roast once warmed and serve with its gravy.

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Categories
Lunch Main Pasta Pork

Pasta with Ragu’ or Tagliatelle Bolognese

 

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of the Best Pasta with Ragù or “Tagliatelle alla Bolognese”

Bolognese Ragu’ sauce, in Italian “Ragù alla Bolognese”, is a meat based sauce for pasta originating from Emilia Romagna, Bologna, in the center of Italy. It is usually used to dress tagliatelle and may also be used to prepare “Lasagne alla Bolognese”. In Italy, the “Ragù alla Bolognese” can be called today simply as “Ragù, Pasta al Ragu’ “. Outside Italy the Bolognese sauce often refers to a tomato sauce with meat added, beef or pork, and typically bears little resemblance to the true “Ragù alla Bolognese”. In ancient times the kind of meat used was a beef brisket (a fatty belly part) that needed to be cooked for about 2 hours, we include here a lighter, healthier and quicker version.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 1/2 kg of Pasta, tagliatelle or fettuccine
  • 100 gr. of Ground Pork
  • 200 grams of Ground Beef
  • 80 grams of “pancetta (pan-chet-ah) distesa”, or diced bacon as a substitute
  • 50 grams of Carrot
  • 50 grams of Celery
  • 50 grams of Onion
  • 1 tablespoon of  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 glass of White Wine
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato sauce concentrate gr. 20 or 5 tablespoons of Tomato sauce
  • a cup of Broth
  • 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese as preferred like Parmigiano Reggiano

Useful Tools: terracotta pot with a diameter of about 20 cm, wooden spoon.

Preparation

1. Chop the vegetables, add them in a pan together with “pancetta” and sauté in the oil as soon as everything is golden add the meat and mix. Let cook everything well, then add the wine, once evaporated, add the tomato paste diluted with the broth.

2. Season with salt and pepper put the lid on and cook slowly for about 30 minutes, adding salt and black pepper, once the sauce is thickened add the cream. Boil in salted water 1/2 kg of pasta, tagliatelle or fettuccine, drain “al dente”, do not overcook them, and dress with the sauce, sprinkle everything with Parmesan cheese.

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Categories
Healthy Italian Cooking Tips Main

A Delicious Companion To Good Health: The Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The health benefits of Olive Oil in the Mediterranean diet has become more than a novel observation.

Clinical research is substantiating healthy benefits, but the gourmet tastes and flavors are bonuses well worth mentioning too. Highly favored as cooking oil, or for use in a variety of classic dressings, olive oil is being touted in some quarters as a delicious companion to good health. Research on the health benefits of olive oil is impressive, so is the affects of the Mediterranean diet.

Substantial health benefits of olive oil may be found in a Mediterranean diet, which explores the varied uses of olive oil in both food preparation as well as additional balanced meal choices. Combined, olive oil and appropriate food choice seem to enhance the overall health of those subscribing to the Mediterranean diet.

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Olive Oil as a Cholesterol Reducer

Compared to American cuisine, especially the snack and fast foods prevalent in the US, the Mediterranean Diet has intrigued the medical world. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published findings that indicate the introduction of olive oil into our regular diet has demonstrated a reduction in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). This is significant because once LDL cholesterol has oxidized it often results in artery rigidity and accompanying heart disease.

Olive Oil in Cancer Prevention

In a comparison study at the University Hospital Germans Trias Pujol in Barcelona there seems to be an indication that the health benefits of olive oil may also be useful in the prevention or slowing of cancer cells. In the study, lab rats were introduced to a carcinogen that resulted in cancerous tumors. The study provides evidence that a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil prevents colonic carcinogenesis reducing precancerous tissue, which resulted in fewer tumors when compared to a controlled sample of rats ingesting foods containing other types of cooking oils.

Researchers at Oxford University in England have seen indications that olive oil may actually be as good for our digestive system as fresh fruit and vegetables in preventing or reducing the incidence of colon cancer. While red meat seems to be linked to the development of colon cancer, fish and olive oil seemed to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. The reasons behind this phenomena are still being considered, but it is believed that the olive oil may help regulate the bile acid in the stomach while increasing useful enzymes within the stomach that contribute to optimal colon health.

Olive Oil and Heart Health

The American Heart Association has also noted that consumption of olive oil has clear health benefits.

Olive Oil and Lower Blood Pressure

By substituting virgin olive oil for other fats within your diet, the Archives of Internal Medicine indicates a substantial reduction in drug dosage requirements for the management of high blood pressure. Initial findings indicate dosage reductions could be as high as 50%. By lowering the level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) there is an increase of the HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). The antioxidant effects of olive oil have also been widely reported and are effective in reducing free radicals within the body that may prove to be a causal agent in pre cancerous and cancerous growth.

While studies remain ongoing, it is encouraging to note that something that has long been noted for good taste may also be a link to positive health benefits and longevity of life. An adaptation of the Mediterranean diet may be a healthy, yet palatable change well worth considering.

What are the key plus of Olive Oil important to remember?

  • The reduction of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) in the blood
  • Maintain blood levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL)
  • Improve bowel function
  • The prevention of cardiovascular disease and protect the body from heart disease because of the powerful antioxidants contained
  • The treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers, facilitate digestion after
  • The reduction of gastric juice
  • The best absorption of calcium by the body
  • The proper metabolism of diabetics and consequently the equilibrium price of sugar
  • Prevent cancer
  • Rejuvenate skin

The positive effects of olive oil due to high content of antioxidant substances resulting function combination and effectively limit the destructive effects of free radicals, strengthening the body’s defenses and fortifying the heart and blood vessels! Thus, the “liquid” gold, as used to cite Homer overflowing abundance of nutrients:

  • Tocopherol (vitamin E)
  • Phenols
  • Squalene
  • Aromatics
  • Phytosterols
  • Oleuropein

While Olive Oil promotes health and wellness, its consumption should be moderated because of the increased caloric content (1 tablespoon contains 135 calories). Daily recommended as part of a balanced diet eating 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (one on the portion of our food and one on each salad). Something to remember. OLIVE OIL WE SIMPLY LOVE YOU!!!

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Categories
Breakfast Cake Dessert

Baked Ring Cake or Ciambellone Tradizionale

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of the traditional “Ciambellone” for a children party or for a nice breakfast during the weekend

Wonderful Classic recipe of a cake often baked at home in Italy, the Baked Ring Cake. “Ciambellone” (chahm-bell-ohn-eh) Plain, vanilla-scented cake, is a classic Italian cake, dense and crumbly and perfect with a cappuccino or a cold glass of milk and, of course, a nice espresso. It’s tender and fragrant, has a good, sensible crumb, lasts for a few days on the kitchen counter, it is not too sweet, healthy, easy to make, and very nice for breakfast. The traditional Italian “Ciambellone” is also good at teatime and as a snack for little children. In other words, it’s a perfect everyday cake. A glorious cake. The classic good old Italian family recipe.

Ingredients

  • 200g/7oz Butter softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 300g/10½oz Sugar
  • 4 free-range Eggs, yolk separated
  • 300g/10½oz plain Flour
  • 100g/3½oz Potato Flour or Cornflour
  • 1 Lemon, zest only
  • 4-6 tbsp Milk
  • 1 sachet of Baking Powder like “Pane Angeli” or use 1 tsp baking powder mixed with 2 to 3 drops of vanilla or powder

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Lightly grease a baking ring mould.

2. Mix and cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and creamy. Stir in the egg yolks, plain flour, potato flour or cornflour and lemon zest together with four tablespoons of milk. Stir in 1-2 more tablespoons of milk if the mixture is very thick. It should be creamy, light and stand in soft peaks in the bowl. Zest citrus fruit. Stir in the Pane Angeli, or the baking powder and vanilla essence mix. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Then fold the egg whites into the mixture.

3. Pour the mixture into the greased baking ring mould and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Serve.

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Categories
Appetizers Bread Healthy Lunch Vegetables Vegetarian

Toasted Garlic Bread with Tomato and Basil or Bruschetta

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  “Bruschetta” or Toasted Garlic Bread for your party with friends

This very quick, rustic and tasty typical Italian appetizer is really a favorite that never grows old. In Italy we like it often before having our pizza dinner. It’s perfect for a barbecue party. The Italian “Bruschetta” , toasted slices of garlic bread, is a humble and traditional dish that has many regional variations, it can be topped in many different ways, even with truffle or mushrooms.

It is of extreme importance that you use high-quality olive oil as a main ingredient: Italian extra-virgin olive oil only.

Ingredients of Bruschetta or Classic Garlic Bread for 4 people

  • 10 slices of rustic crusty Bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves, one more for the tomato variation
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste, Pepper as you like

Preparation 

Toast the bread over a wood tire, ideally, as this is the original and traditional way to prepare this recipe, or alternatively in the oven or grill. Rub the garlic on one side of each slice of bread and then pace it on a plate and top with a generous amount of oil and salt.

Ingredients of Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil for 4 people

  • Red Tomato cut into chunks, plum or cherry “Pachino” type
  • 10 slices of rustic crusty Bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves, one more for the tomato variation
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste, Pepper as you like
  • Basil in leaves or Origan.

Preparation

This tasty tomato and basil variation a very much loved one. Add the garlic and oil on each slice of bread, then simply top each slice with tomatoes, red but not too ripe, previously cut into chunks in a salad bowl with garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil, and basil.

Ingredients of Bruschetta with Avocado, Tomato and Basil for 4 people

  • Avocado in chunks
  • red tomato cut into chunks, plum or cherry “Pachino” type
  • 10 slices of rustic crusty Bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, one more for the tomato variation
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste, Pepper as you like
  • Basil in leaves.

Preparation 

Preparation as above for the Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, plus add the Avocado in chunks on top to the mix. Enjoy this selection of Bruschetta toasted breads with many variations, fresh and healthy option, perfect for a nice brunch or lunch with friends and family.

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bruschetta ingredients

Categories
Gluten free Healthy Rice Vegetarian

Healthy Pumpkin Rice or Riso alla Zucca

 

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of the Traditional Pumpkin “Risotto”

The pumpkin risotto is a traditional dish in Northern Italy, in particular, is very popular in Lombardia. Mantua has a fine quality of pumpkin. For this traditional recipe there are many variants, particularly as regards the firing of the pumpkin itself, we propose the recipe that seems to be the closest to the traditional.

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 500 grams of Pumpkin
  • 250 grams of Rice
  • 100 g Butter
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 sprig of Sage
  • 5 tablespoons of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 liter of Vegetable Stock
  • Salt and Black Pepper

Preparation

1. Clean the pumpkin from the peel and the seeds inside filaments and then the wash and cut into cubes.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter with onion, peeled and chopped and the fresh sage washed. Then you can add the rice to the pan and toast it, so that the starch remains sealed in the beans themselves.

3. Then, add the diced pumpkin and have them cook with the rice, mix continuously. Gradually add the hot vegetable stock and do not forget to mix. Let it cook over medium heat for about twenty minutes until the liquid is absorbed almost completely.

4. Towards the end of cooking, you can add the tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and another knob of butter. Serve the rice wave, nice and soft and warm.

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Rice dish with pumpkin, risotto on the plate

 

 

Categories
Dinner Lunch Main Pasta

Traditional Pasta Amatriciana with Pancetta and Tomato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “the Perfect  Bucatini Or Mezzemaniche all’ Amatriciana”

The real “amatriciana alla romana”, is a unique and traditional recipe. Originating from the town of Amatrice (in the mountainous Province of Rieti in Lazio area), the Amatriciana is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine. While bacon comes from the sides or belly of the pig, “guanciale” or “pancetta” is the cured pork jowl. Onion is not preferred in Amatrice, but is shown in the classical handbooks of Roman cuisine.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons or more as preferred
  • 300 gr of peeled Tomatoes better if fresh
  • 400 grams of Pasta type Bucatini or Mezzemaniche
  • 150 grams of diced “Pancetta” or “Guanciale” (similar to Bacon)
  • Salt, Black Pepper as you prefer
  • 80 grams of Pecorino cheese or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. In a casserole combine the oil and the “pancetta”, gently fry so that the “pancetta” becomes brown and crunchy. Once done drain the “pancetta” and place it in a pot.

2. Add the tomatoes in the boiling oil, add salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes. Once cooked add the “pancetta” or pork bacon sliced.

3. Drain the pasta, add it to the pot and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes mixing as desired and sprinkle with Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to serve. It is important not to overcook the pasta that should be always “al dente”.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

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