Categories
Carnival Dessert Fried Vegetarian

Sweet Cocoa Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese or Ravioli al Cioccolato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Cocoa Ravioli with Ricotta cheese or “Ravioli al Cacao con la Ricotta”

This is a fried pastry used originally in the Middle Ages, of course without the addition of cocoa because it has discovered in the nineteenth century! A tasty dish prepared for Carnival Festivities, a real triumph of gluttony.

Ingredients

  • 250 grams of Flour
  • 500 grams of Ricotta Cheese
  • 200 grams of Sugar
  • 20 grams of Cocoa powder
  • 30 grams of Butter
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 tablespoons of Milk
  • 2 tablespoons of White Wine
  • 1 Lemon
  • Powder Sugar as you need
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Oil to fry

Preparation

  1. On a large bowl pour the flour, make a hole in the center, add 100 grams of sugar, cocoa and softened butter and mix; add the egg, milk, wine, grated lemon rind, a pinch of salt and  continue to knead until the dough is compact and smooth.Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until you have a smooth dough ball. Wrap the dough in a plastic film and let rest for at least 1 hour in a cool place ( not refrigerator).
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a different bowl mix the ricotta with the remaining sugar, remove the dough from the plastic film, arrange it on a work surface, roll out with a rolling pin into a thin sheet, and form rectangles of 10X20 cm (1 mm thick). Brush the edges with egg white. Put a spoon of filling onto one side; fold over to form a “raviolo” shape. Fold them in half and sealed the edges with a fork.
  3. Fry the ravioli in a pan with hot oil on both sides until golden, drain them with a slotted spoon, let dry on paper towels and sprinkle with powder sugar before serving.

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Categories
St. Valentine

Saint Valentine’s Romantic Menu

How to prepare the real Italian Menu for a special day: SAINT VALENTINE!!

Looking for an easy and creative way to surprise your Love? This Menu will add even more of a romantic sparkle to already special Saint Valentine’s Day. A delicious Menu for your special Saint Valentine Day. We have included a nice and light starter with fresh artichokes, a very creative salad and as main a wonderful risotto made with Champagne, Tuna meatballs to follow and a delicious dessert made with a Tiramisu with a twist. Enjoy this very romantic Menu.

STARTER: “Raw Artichokes and Parmesan salad or Insalata di Carciofi crudi e Parmigiano” 

 

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 3 Artichokes
  • 1 Lemons
  • Slices of Parmesan Cheese
  • Aceto balsamico di Modena, q.b
  • 3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

Cut the lemons and squeeze the juice. Wash the artichokes, and cut the stalks (keeping them on the side for other preparations) and cut the leaves, use only the inside of the artichoke, where the leaves start to become greener and softer. You need the most tender leaves.
Private the artichokes of the pins or spikes, which are also hard. With a sharp knife, slice the vegetables into slices the thickness of a few millimeters. While cutting them, put them in a bowl and moisten immediately with lemon juice to prevent blackening.
Roll out the artichokes sprayed with lemon on a serving plate as if serving a plate of “carpaccio” or raw meat, adjust with salt, pepper, add a few drops of balsamic vinegar, wet the dish with the best quality of Extra-virgin olive oil. Finish decorating the surface with slices of parmesan. Lovely!

MAIN COURSE: “Romantic Champagne Risotto or Risotto allo Champagne”

 

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 200 grams of Rice
  • 15-30 grams of Butter
  • 1/2 Blonde Onion chopped
  • 250 ml of Champagne
  • 30 grams of Cream
  • 250 ml of Vegetable Broth
  • 25 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. In a casserole heat the butter with the chopped blond onion until has softened, after few minutes pour the rice, fry, stirring, over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes and then add the champagne when it’s evaporated (about 3 minutes) lower the heat and add the vegetable broth warmed up, 1 ladle of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Actually for this recipe, you can also use any good dry sparkling wine, Italian, French or otherwise. But we suggest using original Champagne.

2. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1 ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes total. Plan your timing well – it is very easy to overcook risotto!

3. The end of the cooking is critical for the final texture of the dish, so when the rice is nearly tender to the bite, but with just a hint of resistance – al dente, and the liquid you have added up to this point has been mostly absorbed, remove from the heat add the grated Parmesan cheese and butter to taste, about 15 g (1 tablespoons) add also the liquid cream if you wish, but you can also make the recipe without liquid cream for a light version. Let it stand for 1 or 2 minutes. Arrange the risotto on a serving dish, serve immediately.

MAIN COURSE “Tuna Meatballs with Ricotta Cheese”

 

Ingredients for 10 Tuna Meatballs

  • 100 grams canned Tuna
  • 100 grams Ricotta Cheese
  • 3 Anchovy fillets
  • 5 Capers
  • 1/2 tablespoon of chopped Parsley
  • 25 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • 25 grams of Breadcrumbs
  • 1 Egg
  • Salt and Black Pepper as you prefer
  • Peanut oil q.s. Breadcrumbs 20g to bread and fry

Preparation

1. In a bowl mix the ricotta cheese, drained tuna, eggs and parmesan, add the capers and chopped anchovies, parsley, salt and pepper and breadcrumbs. Now we have to prepare the meatballs!

2. Prepare Tuna meatballs about 30 grams each , roll in breadcrumbs (20 grams), meanwhile heat a pan with Peanut oil and fry. Continue to fry until they are golden brown. Let them drain on paper towels for kitchen and serve the meatballs tuna and ricotta still warm.

DESSERT “Tiramisù Raspberry or Tiramisù ai Lamponi”

 

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 2 Eggs
  • 40 grams of White Sugar
  • 150 grams of mascarpone Italian Cheese
  • 200 grams of Savoiardi Biscuits or Ladyfinger like Italian authentic Savoiardi Vicenzi for example
  • 200 grams of “Lamponi” Raspberries better if fresh
  • 1 tablespoons of White Sugar
  • 30 grams of Water
  • 1 shot glasses of Grand Marnier (optional)
  • Cocoa Powder for dusting like Perugina Italian Cocoa Unsweetened

Preparation

1. The first thing you need to do to prepare the Raspberry Tiramisu’ is to thoroughly wash these sweet wonderful red fruits under running water. Then let the raspberries dry gently on a cloth. Set aside a few raspberries for the final decoration, then put in a bowl the fresh raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and half glass of water and let it rest for 6 hours after that whisk half part of raspberries with the juice obtained.

2. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes foamy and light. Add mascarpone and one shot-size glass of Grand Marnier or other liquor. In another bowl, preferably high, mount the egg whites until stiff and gently fold the egg whites, from top to the bottom, into the mascarpone mixture, very gently, add the other half of raspberries left to the mix.

3. Cover the bottom of a ceramic dish (you can also use small bowls for mono-portions) with 3 tablespoons of mascarpone sauce, wet the biscuits into the raspberry sauce quickly, add into the glass dish as a one layer at the bottom and cover the first layer of biscuits with one-third of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layers 2 times, ending with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, dust generously with cocoa powder and fresh raspberries. Wonderful.

Enjoy the night!!

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Cena-di-San-Valentino

 

Categories
Carnival Dessert Vegetarian

Indulgent Honey Dough Mini-Balls or Carnival Struffoli

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Small traditional Honey Dough Mini Dough Balls or “Struffoli”

“Struffoli” or Honey Mini-Dough Balls are a typical dish from Naples, made traditionally during Christmas, while in many regions of Italy is eaten during Carnival time. Struffoli are small balls of sweet dough, fried and then dipped in honey and decorated with colored sprinkles and candied fruit. Small dough balls, really small, are deep-fried and then rolled in honey before being assembled into a cone structure. Fancy to try them? Always a good idea!

Ingredients

  • 500 grams of Flour
  • 8 grams of Salt dissolved in water
  • 50 grams of Sugar
  • 50 grams of White Wine
  • A bit of Semolina or Flour for the baking tray
  • 4 Eggs
  • Vanilla seeds
  • 1 Orange
  • 1 Tangerine
  • 60 grams of Butter
  • Honey
  • Candied Orange and Cedar as you refer
  • Colored Sugar Sprinkles

Preparation

  1. Mix the flour with the salt, sugar and white wine. Add 2 eggs and the vanilla seeds, finely grated orange zest (better if Organic!) and tangerine zest. Include the other 2 eggs and, in addition, include the softened butter. Beat until frothy. Mix well. If it is too sticky, then add more flour and keep kneading, using either your hands or a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook, until you have a smooth, pliable dough. Let it stand 2 hours in the refrigerator.
  2. Flour your work surface and turn out your dough. Then divide the dough into 10 roughly equal pieces, each about the size of a small ball. Take 1 ball and roll it into a rope approx. 1/2 inch thick, then with floury hands divide this into about 20 small pieces, and roll each piece between your hands (flouring them again if this helps) to make marble-sized “Flipper” balls, about 1/4th of a golf ball.
  3. Place the formed balls of dough on a semolina-sprinkled baking sheet, as you shape them. Repeat the process with the remaining portions of dough. On a large frying pan heat the oil (180 °or 375°F), remove the excess of flour and fry the Struffoli balls.
  4. Gently lower, using a mesh scoop or perforated spoon, about 15 little dough balls at a time. At first they will sink and then, as they cook, they’ll float to the surface and begin to turn golden brown. Continue to cook them in batches making sure the oil returns to the correct temperature.
  5. When the Struffoli turn gold as the crust of bread we remove them from the oil  and put on paper towels. You can fish them out with your mesh scoop or perforated spoon.
  6. Pour the honey into a roasting pan that can go on the stove, and heat very gently until it becomes runny—a matter of moments, so do not leave the pan—then take it off the heat. Tip all of the fried dough balls into the warmed wildflower honey and, using a soft spatula, turn them gently to coat them.
  7. Move them to a bowl and cover the Struffoli with the candied orange peel, grated orange zest (or tangerine or lemon), mix well and present them in a structured cone shape on a serving dish with the colored sprinkles on top. Delicious!

TIP: These delicious  struffoli are best if eaten on the day they’re made. Use a scoop or spoon and fork to serve. It will be a sticky business, but that’s part of their charm.

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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
Appetizers Gluten free Healthy

Prunes and Parma Ham Rolls or Involtini Prugne e Prosciutto

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Prunes and Parma Ham Rolls or “Involtini di Prugne con Prosciutto di Parma”

A quick and easy creative appetizer with a classic taste great for a dinner with friends. Perhaps they are lacking prunes or dried plums in their diet! Those little bites, marvelous canapés, can be prepared in advance, giving you one less thing to worry about on the day of your special event. Relax and have fun!

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 24 pitted Prunes  
  • 8/10 slices of Parma Ham thinly
  • fresh Mint leaves or Rosemary “Rosmarino”
  • (Goat’s cheese in add for the filling if you wish)

Preparation

  1. Let the prunes soak in water for 15 mins., then drain them and let them dry. On each plum wrap half a slice of parma ham and close it with a toothpick. 
  2. Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and place the rolls, let them cook for ten minutes at 180-200 ° C. Until the parma ham becomes crispy.

TIP: add some goats cheese as filling inside the Prunes for a melting creamy variation. Yummy.

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Categories
Gluten free Healthy Main Seafood

Swordfish with Capers and Olives or Pescespada alla Messinese

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Swordfish with Capers and Olives or “Pesce Spada alla Messinese”

The Messina Swordfish is a typical dish of Sicilian culinary tradition and embodies all the flavors and scents of the Mediterranean. Very healthy, a good option even under the most strict dieting regimes! Fresh Pachino Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the Capers, the Red Onion, Olives are the perfect ingredients that will make this dish “UNIQUE” . Lot’s of vitamins. Great mix of flavors!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 4 slices of Swordfish (around 300 grams of each slice)
  • 300 grams of Tomato sauce
  • 100 grams of Black Olives or Green Olives will make it too
  • 30 grams of Capers
  • 100 grams of fresh Pachino Tomatoes
  • 1 Red Onion
  • 1 stalk of Celery
  • 1 Chilly
  • 1 Carrot
  • a pinch of Parsley
  • 6 leaves of basil
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred
  • Flour as you need

Preparation

  1. Cut the onion into thin slices, celery and carrot, peeled previously, in small pieces. In a pan heat the olive oil, adding sliced onion, celery and carrot to fry. Once vegetables golden add the tomato sauce, capers, olives, and pepper.
  2. In the meanwhile, lets’ start covering with flour the surface of the swordfish steaks, making sure to cover them well on both sides. The flour must adhere perfectly to the fish.
  3. We will combine then the floured slices to the sauce, add the tomatoes lightly sliced and will adjust salt and pepper. We will leave to cook for about 10 minutes in the event adding a tablespoon of hot water. You can nicely present the fish in a serving dish with parsley and  basil previously chopped on top. What a flavour!

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Agrodolce

 

Categories
Gluten free Healthy Vegetables Vegetarian

Raw Artichokes and Parmesan Salad or Insalata di Carciofi crudi e Parmigiano

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Raw Artichokes Salad with slices of Parmesan or “Insalata di Carciofi crudi e scaglie di Parmigiano”

 

If you love artichokes and you can buy them fresh, tender and of the best quality during the winter season, this salad will be marvelous, a perfect combination of flavors, great for every occasion as an appetizer or as a side dish. Artichokes are a superfood in every sense of the word. The phytonutrients in artichokes provide potent antioxidant benefit. Artichokes, as well as artichoke extracts from the leaves and stems of the plant have been historically recommended for liver health. This salad is a vegetarian dish with a strong personality, and we simply love it!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 6 Artichokes
  • 2 Lemons
  • Slices of Parmesan Cheese
  • Aceto balsamico di Modena, q.b
  • 5 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Cut the lemons and squeeze the juice. Wash the artichokes, and cut the stalks (keeping them on the side for other preparations) and cut the leaves, use only the inside of the artichoke, where the leaves start to become greener and softer. You need the most tender leaves.
  2. Private the artichokes of the pins or spikes, which are also hard. With a sharp knife, slice the vegetables into slices the thickness of a few millimeters. While cutting them, put them in a bowl and moisten immediately with lemon juice to prevent blackening.
  3. Roll out the artichokes sprayed with lemon on a serving plate as if serving a plate of “carpaccio” or raw meat, adjust with salt, pepper, add a few drops of balsamic vinegar, wet the dish with the best quality of Extra-virgin olive oil. Finish decorating the surface with slices of parmesan. Lovely!

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insalata di carciofi e parmigiano

 

Categories
Dinner Main St. Valentine Veal

Veal Escaloppes with Lemon sauce or Scaloppine al Limone

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Veal Escaloppes with Lemon sauce or “Scaloppine al Limone”

A classic Italian dish prepared in many different ways in various regions, delicious with marsala, with artichokes, or with white wine, here below we prepare the escallopes with lemon, the result is a delicate flavor  really enjoyable and that never fails on our table eighter for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 600 grams  of Breat of Veal sliced
  • 100 grams of Butter
  • 1 Lemon
  • Parsley Chopped
  • Flour as you need
  • Salt as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Arrange the slices of meat on a cutting board, lined with a sheet of parchment paper, cover with another sheet of paper and beat with a meat-mallet so that they are more subtle. Pass the meat in the flour, on both sides, pressing lightly with your hands to make it adhere well.
  2. Melt the butter in a pan and when it is ready, add the sliced meat without overlaps, cook over high heat turning often. Proceed with all the slices of meat in addition to the butter sauce.
  3. Once ready include the meat on a plate. In the same pan, pour the lemon juice, previously filtered, add the chopped parsley and a knob of butter, cook for 3 minutes, then add the meat and cook for about 4 minutes over medium heat, always turning. Served.

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scaloppine_limone

 

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 Dinner Gluten free Healthy Main St. Valentine Vegetarian

Cheese-Balls with Pistachio or Polpettine di Caprino

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Goat Cheese-Balls with Pistachio and Rocket or “Polpettine di Caprino con Pistacchi e Rucola”

A delicious appetizer all cheese based but light and fast, those Caprino Goats Cheese-balls are suitable for any occasion. Easy, quick, super tasty. A good starter for large dinners with friends, well presented light soft cheese. Caprino is an Italian cheese traditionally made from whole or skim goat’s milk. The name of the cheese derives from the Italian word for goat, capra. Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years, and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. Enjoy and have fun!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 130 grams of Goat Cheese like “Caprino” or Philadelphia
  • 250 grams of white Greek Yogurt
  • 3 slices wholemeal Bread chopped
  • 100 grams of chopped Pistachios
  • Chopped Chives
  • Rocket for decoration
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, mix well the goat cheese, chopped chives, yogurt, rusks crumbled, 50 grams of chopped pistachios. Put the mix in the freezer to make it coagulate well for about 30 minutes.
  2. Now prepare the balls not too big and cover them with the remaining pistachios chopped and a leaf of arugula on each ball. Serve.

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palline-ricotta-e-pistacchi

Categories
Gluten free Healthy Lunch Main Rice

Shrimps and Asparagus Rice or Risotto Gamberetti e Asparagi

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Risotto Shrimps and Asparagus or “Risotto con Gamberetti e Asparagi”

For an unforgettable dinner on a special day, this recipe is undoubtedly one of the most romantic recipes. Asparagus is one of the true symbols of spring. Full flavored yet delicate, a sophisticated dish, a must try!

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 250 grams of Shrimps
  • 160 grams of Rice for Risotto, like Carnaroli rice.
  • 250 grams of Asparagus
  • 20 grams of Butter
  • 1/2 Blonde Onion
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • a pinch of Parsley
  • 2 tablespoons of White Wine
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 lt of Fish Stock
  • Salt as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Fill a bowl of salted boiling water, immerse the shrimps for 5 minutes, drain them with a ladle and remove the shells.
  2.  Mince the onion, garlic and parsley and place in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of oil. After 4 minutes, add the asparagus previously cut, salt and pepper and fry for 3 minutes, add the rice and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of white wine.
  3. Lower the kelp and cook the rice adding your fish stock, stirring constantly, after 10 minutes add the shrimps and continue cooking for 10 minutes more. Last step: add the butter, let the risotto rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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asparagus_shrimp

 

 

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
Lunch Main Pasta

Pasta Omelette with Anchovies, Olives, Raisins or Frittata di Zio Beppe

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Vermicelli Pasta omelet with Anchovies, Olives and Raisins or “Frittata di Vermicelli di Zio Beppe”

This recipe is a memory of Tiziana’s childhood when her uncle used to visit her at home and he would always prepare this Vermicelli pasta omelet or Frittata di vermicelli, he is from Tuscany but this recipe is typically from Naples.

Ingredients

  • ½ kg of Vermicelli Pasta( like Barilla n°8)
  • 150 grams of Anchovies
  • 150 grams of Anchovies Chopped
  • 150 grams of green olives
  • 150 grams of Black Olives
  • 100 grams of Raisin
  • 9 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • In addition: 30 grams of Pine Nuts if you like

Preparation

  1. In a pan add 6 tablespoon of Extra virgin Olive Oil and 150 grams of anchovies, cook for 2/3 minutes. After that Boil the water and cook Vermicelli pasta “al dente”, drain the pasta and season with the anchovy sauce.
  2. In a bowl pour 150 grams of chopped anchovies, green and black olives cut round, the raisins, previously soaked in warm water and squeezed well, and mix all the ingredients (at this point you can also add the pine nuts if you like).
  3. In a pan pour 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and heat, add half part of  Vermicelli Pasta, add the mixture of anchovies, olives and raisin and cover with the other part of Vermicelli pasta. Cook for 15/20 minutes then with the help of a lid reverse the fried “frittata” and verse the other part into the pan, cook for 15/20 minutes more. Enjoy!

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Categories
Main Rice Vegetarian

Zucchini stuffed with Rice or Zucchine ripiene con Riso

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Zucchini stuffed with rice or “Zucchine ripiene con il riso”

The stuffed zucchini are a delicious traditional Italian dish, a good alternative eating rice and vegetables, you can use zucchini or aubergines or red and yellow peppers. Delicious cold and hot, you just have to try it!

 

 

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 300 grams of Vialone Rice ( vialone is a kind of rice)
  • 8 Zucchini
  • 80 grams of Butter
  • 3 Amaretti crushed
  • 100 grams of Fontina Cheese, diced
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 80 grams of Parmesan Cheese grated
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

  1. Cook the rice: use the same method of the pasta. When it is ready, pour it in a bowl with butter, 50 grams of Parmesan, Fontina cheese and mix well.
  2. Cut zucchini in half and take out the center. Mix the chopped zucchini with crushed Amaretti, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, verse into the rice and mix well.
  3. Fill the zucchini with rice, put into a baking sheet, previously buttered, cover the zucchini with other parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes at 180°C.

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Categories
Appetizers Pie

Plumcake with Parma Ham, Olives, Goat Cheese or Plumcake Salato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Plum Cake with Parma Ham, Olives, and Goat Cheese or “Plum Cake Salato”

The Salty plum cake with parma ham, olives and goat cheese is a recipe created with the best flavors of our land, traditionally Italian. A rustic appetizer, very soft delicate taste great for a buffet dinner or, in a sunny spring day, for a pic-nic with friends.

Ingredients

  • 150 grams of Parma Ham
  • 150 grams of Goat Cheese
  • 100 grams of Green Olives
  • 100 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 100 ml of Milk
  • 5 Eggs
  • 200 grams of Flour
  • 16 grams of Baking Powder
  • Thyme, Butter, and Salt as preferred

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 180° degrees, buttered and flour a loaf pan. Cut ham and goat cheese into cubes and divide the olives in half.
  2. In a bowl beat the eggs with a little salt, add the oil and milk, stirring constantly. Add flour sifted with baking powder and thyme, add the ham, goat cheese, and olives.
  3. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45 minutes at 180°. Let rest for 20 minutes before turning the loaf pan.

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Categories
Main Pasta Vegetarian

Pasta with Tomato, Parmesan, Pecorino or Paccheri alla Scarpariello

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Pasta with Tomato sauce, Parmesan and Pecorino Cheese or “Paccheri alla Scarpariello”

Pasta Scarpariello way is a classic recipe of Neapolitan tradition, the basis for this recipe are fresh cherry tomatoes and cheese together to give life to a pasta dish to go mouth-watering just watching it! Paccheri are typical from Gragnano area.

The Origins of pasta “O’Scarpariello”: it takes his name from the Spanish shoemakers neighborhoods of Naples. It was prepared around noon, quickly with the ingredients that they had already in the house and with products that were given away to the shoemaker as payment for their services, such as cheese.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 320 grams of Paccheri Pasta or Maccheroni Pasta or Spaghetti
  • 600 grams of fresh Tomatoes
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 200 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 30 grams of grated Pecorino Cheese
  • Chilly as preferred
  • 6 leaves of Basil
  • Salt as preferred

Preparation

  1. Peel the garlic and chop it finely, do the same with the basil. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and slice thinly with a knife.
  2. Pour the oil in a large high pan, let the garlic and chilly fry, will be ready when browned. Do not burn them! Add the tomatoes and cook on high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, then drain and pour into pan, turn the heat to low heat, stirring constantly, add the Parmesan cheese and Pecorino cheese. Before serving, add the fresh basil.

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Basic Preparations or How To Gluten free Healthy Vegetables Vegetarian

Healthy Fresh Tomato Sauce or Sugo di Pomodoro

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Fresh Tomato Sauce or “Sugo al Pomodoro Fresco”

The fresh tomato basil sauce is the sauce Mediterranean for excellence. Simple and tasty, even more if done during the period of July-August, when the tomatoes are tasty and fragrant, grown with the sun, and often used to prepare the best red sauce preserved with care for the winter time.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 10 Fresh Tomatoes we like San Marzano
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer
  • 4 leaves of Basil

Preparation

  1. In a saucepan, bring to a boil plenty of water, pour the tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, remove the skin and cut them in half. Remove the seeds and the vegetation water, cut into cubes.
  2. In a saucepan, pour the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and garlic, let the garlic get brown and then add the tomatoes, cook for 10 minutes, season with salt, add pepper and basil leaves before serving. The sauce is ready!

TIP: if you have short time to make a tomato fresh sauce, just wash and cut the tomatoes directly adding them to the pan. Do not boil them before. Start boiling the water when cooking the tomatoes and in ten mins: voila’! A nice, fresh, healthy sauce.

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Categories
Cake Main

Walnut Cake or Torta alle noci

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Walnut Cake or “Torta con le Noci”

A lovely recipe from Abruzzo region, it’s very soft and tasty. More homely than sophisticated. Lovely to enjoy with children, maybe cooking together. If you love walnut, this is the most amazing cake recipe ever! Simply indulge. Yummy!

 

Ingredients

  • 120 grams of Butter
  • 150 grams of Sugar
  • 4 Eggs
  • 140 grams of Flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons of Baking Powder
  • 150 of chopped Walnuts
  • 150 grams of powder sugar
  • 1 Lemon zest grated
  • Cinnamon as you prefer

Preparation

1° step

Soften with your hands 120 grams of butter and 150 grams of sugar and knead for 5 minutes. Apart beat 2 eggs and 2 yolks very well for 5 minutes, add the flour and 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder. Combine thoroughly and pour into a baking dish. Bake it at 170° for 30 minutes.

2°step

Whip the two egg whites for 2 minutes, add 150 grams of powder sugar and continue to whip, when it’s ready add 150 grams of chopped walnuts, 1 lemon zest grated and cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the cake, previously cooked and bake at 170° for 10 minutes.

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Categories
Biscuits Carnival Dessert Fried Vegetarian

Carnival Sweet Fried Balls or Castagnole

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Carnival Sweet Fried Balls, Fritters, or “Castagnole”

Get this all-star, easy-to-follow recipe. In Italy, we always say: “A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale” it means literally “on Carnival time every kind of joke counts”, but this delicious recipe is definitely not a joke! Between the most popular pastries we use to cook during this very special period, let’s keep up with the celebrations!

Ingredients

  • 400 grams of Flour
  • 2 Eggs
  • 150 grams of Sugar
  • 30 grams of Butter
  • 1/2 zest of Lemon (grated)
  • 1/2 glass of White Wine
  • 16 grams of Baking Powder
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Oil for frying
  • Flour for dusting

Preparation

  1. Knead the flour with 2 eggs,  sugar, butter, zest of lemon, 1/2 glass of white wine, add the baking powder and a pinch of salt.  Work well the dough with your hands until it is firm and elastic, making many small balls.
  2. Set your oil to heating. Fry each “Castagnola” until pretty golden brown, drain them all well on absorbent paper, dust them with powdered sugar. Enjoy it warm or cold!!!

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Main Pasta Vegetarian

Potatoes Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Basil or Gnocchi di Patate alla Sorrentina

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Potatoes Gnocchi with Tomato sand Basil Sauce or “Gnocchi di Patate al Pomodoro e Basilico”

A traditional dish of the Italian cuisine that you can find in all regions, with so many variations, their unique taste always brings us back in time. In the city of Rome the Potatoes Gnocchi are a traditional dish on Thursday , following the dictum Thursday Gnocchi or “Giovedì Gnocchi”. For some reason known is the saying “Laugh, laugh, mum made Potatoes Gnocchi”. A recipe for potato dumpling, cloaked in a top-notch sauce. Enjoy this mouthwatering Italian recipe for gnocchi with tomato sauce. And if you are preparing a nice lunch with friends consider baking them with mozzarella and Parmisan on top to make the best “Gnocchi alla Sorrentina”.

Ingredients for 4 people

Potatoes Gnocchi

  • 1 kg of yellow Potatoes
  • 300 grams of Flour
  • 50 grams of Flour
  • 1 Egg
  • 50 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and Nutmeg as preferred

Tomato sauce

  • 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
  • Parmisan cheese as preferred

Preparation

Gnocchi Preparation

  1. In a saucepan pour the water and potatoes, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes from the boil. Drain, peel and place them in a potato masher. Take a wooden pastry board, pour 50 grams of flour and verse the potatoes, let them cool.
  2. Add to the potatoes 150 grams of flour, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and a bit of salt, to form a fountain shape empty in the center and include an egg in the center. Process quickly, mix adding the remaining flour from the sides until getting a soft dough.
  3. Divide the dough into more pieces, bringing down every piece on a wooden pastry board to obtain cylinders of the diameter of a finger, cut each roll into pieces of about 2 cm long to get the gnocchi. Place them on a tray previously floured.

Tomatoes Sauce 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. 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 gnocchi, cook them for few minutes, they are ready when they are all up on the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them into the pan with the tomato sauce, add the basil leaves. Add Parmisan cheese on top and serve.

TIP: you can also keep the gnocchi refrigerated and bake them later on with Parmisan cheese on top and mozzarella. This version is called Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. Spoon them into individual baking dishes, top with fresh mozzarella and more parmesan, and pop into the oven for 5 minutes, just long enough to melt the mozzarella. You can’t go wrong with Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. The result is pretty amazing.

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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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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
Chicken Gluten free Lunch Main

Chicken with Peppers or Pollo con i Peperoni

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Chicken with Peppers or “Pollo con i Peperoni”

Chicken with Peppers is a typical dish of the traditional Roman cuisine, a regional recipe linked to the old kitchen of “i Castelli”, this place is famous as well for its red wine. Usually to be served on summer time in August.

It’s a simple dish, very tasty and the result is guaranteed by the quality and freshness of the ingredients, important to use the latest juicy tomatoes in season, beautiful peppers and possibly a free-range chicken. Don’t forget to prepare also some nice bread to leave on the table: when you eat the chicken with peppers it’s impossible not to soak the bread in the sauce!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 1 kg Chicken cut in pieces
  • 3 Pepper (red and yellow)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 glass of White Wine
  • 1 Canned Tomato
  • 2 tablespoons of Tomato Concentrate
  • Salt and Pepper as preferred
  • Fresh Origan

Preparation

1. Clean the peppers, remove the seeds and pith, cut in wide-brimmed.

2. In a pan add the peppers with the garlic and let them fry, and add the chicken cut into pieces. Sauté the chicken well on all sides for about 5 minutes, add salt and pepper. Pour the white wine and let evaporate.

3. Add the tomatoes canned and the 2 tablespoons of tomato concentrate to the chicken, cook all together. Season with salt and cook with the lid left slightly raised with a wooden spoon.

4. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes over medium heat, turning occasionally. Season with fresh origan or marjoram. Serve the chicken hot with homemade bread for the typical irresistible “Little-Shoe or Scarpetta”.

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Basic Preparations or How To Vegetarian

Bechamel Sauce or Besciamella

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Bechamel or Besciamella”

The Bechamel sauce is a base sauce of the traditional Italian cuisine, which is used as a starting base for more elaborate dishes such as Lasagne or Cannelloni. You can make it at home quickly and easily or you can buy it already made. We prefer to make it at home, nice and fresh. Super easy. Yummy!

Ingredients for the Bechamel

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

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook on low heat for 3 minutes.

2. In the 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 when you insert the spoon into the sauce, you take it out and see that the sauce stays firmly attached to the spoon.

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Categories
Appetizers Sides

Peas with Parma Ham or Piselli al Prosciutto

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of  Peas with Parma Ham or “Piselli al Prosciutto”

The Peas with Parma Ham are an everyday Italian side dish, very tasty and quick to prepare, “Piselli al Prosciutto” are excellent to be served with main dishes, perfect with meat and white fish, very appreciated by the youngest. If you prefer you can also replace the diced parma ham with cubes of “Pancetta” or bacon to make this side dish even more flavorful and tasty. For a vegetarian option remove the ham or bacon and add some smocked Tofu. Children will love it!

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!

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Lunch Main Pasta

Roman Style Gnocchi or Gnocchi alla Romana

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Semolina Gnocchi or “Gnocchi alla Romana”

Gnocchi of Semolina or “Gnocchi alla Romana” is one of those recipes handed down from generation to generation. Aside from being flat-out delicious, one of the best things about “Gnocchi alla Romana” is how easy they are to make. One of those classic Roman dishes that you eat in Rome on a Thursday, just because Thursdays is “Gnocchi” day, or as we say in Rome: Thursday, Mom made dumplings!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 1 lt of Milk
  • 250 grams of Semolina
  • 100 grams of Butter
  • 100 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. Verse the milk in a saucepan, add 20 g. of butter and a pinch of salt, cook until boiling, then pour in the semolina, adding it little by little in limited amount and slowly, mix vigorously with a wooden spoon, be careful, so that it does not aggregate in balls. This operation is very important because if the compound is not smooth and homogeneous, it compromises the success of the dish.

2. Cook the semolina for about 20 minutes while maintaining a low heat and stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and incorporate into the mixture 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, stirring vigorously. Pour then the mixture on on a very large tray (or on a clean table) slightly moistened with a wet spatula, spread it in an even layer of half a centimeter thick. Now let it cool. With a glass or a proper “gnocchi shaper”, cut the cold semolina layer in many disks of 4 cm. Cutting out the disks, they will form the “leftovers” of pasta very irregular: mix them up again and cut with the glass or “gnocchi shaper” them again to get other dumplings, do it again, until semolina is finished.

3. Then begins adding a layer of semolina discs completely covering the bottom of a buttered baking dish thoroughly, with a little of  melted butter added here and there on top together with a handful of grated parmesan cheese; make a second layer of dumplings, sprinkle with more melted butter and sprinkle with cheese. Finish the layers with plenty of cheese. Put the baking dish in the oven at 200 degrees and cook the gnocchi until their surface will have formed a nice golden crust, it will take about 20 minutes. Enjoy.

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Categories
Dessert St. Valentine Vegetarian

Raspberry Tiramisù or Tiramisù ai Lamponi

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Raspberry Tiramisù or “Tiramisù ai Lamponi”

A delicious alternative to the classic Tiramisù made with coffee, Italian dessert par excellence. Perfect dessert for St. Valentine’s night. Quick and simple to make. A twist on an Italian favorite. Ladyfingers are layered in a dish with raspberries and mascarpone filling.

Ingredients for 6 people

Preparation

1. The first thing you need to do to prepare the Raspberry Tiramisu’ is to thoroughly wash these sweet wonderful red fruits under running water. Then let the raspberries dry gently on a cloth. Set aside a few raspberries for the final decoration, then put in a bowl the fresh raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and half glass of water and let it rest for 6 hours after that whisk half part of raspberries with the juice obtained.

tiramisu raspberries2. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes foamy and light. Add mascarpone and one shot-size glass of Grand Marnier or other liquor. In another bowl, preferably high, mount the egg whites until stiff and gently fold the egg whites, from top to the bottom, into the mascarpone mixture, very gently, add the other half of raspberries left to the mix.

3. Cover the bottom of a ceramic dish (you can also use small bowls for mono-portions) with 3 tablespoons of mascarpone sauce, wet the biscuits into the raspberry sauce quickly, add into the glass dish as a one layer at the bottom and cover the first layer of biscuits with one-third of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layers 2 times, ending with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, dust generously with cocoa powder and fresh raspberries. Wonderful.

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tiramisu-lamponi

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Main Pasta

Pasta with Ham, Zucchini, Saffron or Farfalle Zucchine, Speck e Zafferano

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Farfalle” Pasta with Speck, Zucchini and Saffron or “Pasta con Zucchine, Speck e Zafferano”

 

A delicious pasta dish with Zucchini, Speck, Saffron. Speck is a smocked ham typically from the North of Italy, which is simply delicious. A very special cured ham. This is an everyday pasta easy to make and a great healthy choice for a lunch at home. A good idea if don’t have much time to cook and wish to have a healthy meal. This pasta brings back lots of wonderful childhood memories. A very nice option for a quick lunch with family and friends!

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 400 grams Farfalle Pasta
  • 120 grams of Speck  Ham, if you can’t find the smocked Speck Ham, cured Parma Ham can be a substitute
  • 5 Zucchini
  • ½ Blonde Onion
  • 16 grams of Saffron
  • grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Parsley
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt as preferred

Preparation

1. Cut the zucchini into thin slices, chop the parsley, chop the onion and Speck ham into thin strips. In a pan, brown the onion in the oil (do not burn them!) then add the Speck ham and parsley and cook for some minutes, add the zucchini and a pinch of salt.

2. Cook the Pasta in boiling water with salt, as from instructions on package, when Farfalle are cooked “al dente” add the Pasta into the pan with the sauce with a little of the cooking water and stir adding a little of the saffron powder. Before serving, add a handful of grated Parmesan. Enjoy hot.

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St. Valentine

A Mystery Uncovered. Who is Saint Valentine?

Who is Saint Valentine?

Valentine’s Day continues to evolve through the years but with the same message of spreading love in its many forms. Many of the current legends that characterize Saint Valentine were invented in the fourteenth century in England, notably by Geoffrey Chaucer and his circle, when the feast day of February 14 first became associated with romantic love.

The History of Valentine’s Day is based on the history of the Patron of Love, a saint originally from a little town of Central-Italy, Terni, surrounded by legends. Saint Valentine (Latin: Valentinius), officially Saint Valentine of Rome, is a widely recognized third-century Roman saint commemorated on February 14 and associated since the High Middle Ages with a tradition of courtly love.

Valentine’s Day, which as everyone knows is February 14, is now celebrated around the world, a lovers tradition. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, typically in Anglo-Saxon countries, lovers exchange “valentine”, ie letters and cards of love characterized by typical symbols like hearts, cupid doves. English 18th-century antiquarians, noting the obscurity of Saint Valentine’s identity, suggested that Valentine’s Day was created as an attempt to supersede the pagan holiday of Lupercalia (mid-February in Rome). This idea has lately been dismissed by other researchers. The history of Valentine’s Day, as the Patron of Lovers, is based on several legends, as follow.

First Legend: From your Valentine with Love

The first legend regarding the history of Valentine’s Day tells that tenderly tied to the young daughter of his “jailer” (which had miraculously restored his sight), before being decapitated he sent a farewell message to the girl that ended with the words ” from your Valentine“. From this legend and this phrase born therefore the phrases used on this occasion, “Be my Valentine“.

Second Legend: a Rose, Forever Lasting Love

The second legend of the history of Valentine’s Day is linked to a rose: one day Valentino handed a rose to a young couple while arguing and asked them to hold it together in their hands, and praying to the Lord for their love would last forever. They did so, and reconciled, Bishop only to return later to bless their wedding. In another version of this story, the saint was able to inspire love in the two young people by making several pairs of pigeons fly around them. Those birds were so sweet as they seemed to exchange tender signs of affection; the word “lovebirds” has its origin from this episode. “Lovebirds“, in fact, is translated in Italian with the word “piccioncini” (little pigeons).

Third Legend: Valentine joins in Marriage Sabino, a Roman centurion, with his loved Serapio

Valentine, former bishop of Terni, united in marriage the young Christian Serapio and the Roman previously Pagan centurion Sabino: the union was hampered by her parents, but once overcome their resistance, it was soon discovered that the young woman was seriously ill . The centurion called Valentino to the bedside of the dying woman and asked him never to be separated from his beloved: the holy bishop baptized him and then joined him in marriage to Serapio, after which, they both died. Eternally together.

In short, the true history of Valentine’s Day is a mystery, halfway between reality and myths, but with a common element, eternal love, which we celebrate every year on February 14.

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

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