Category: Gluten free

Categories
Drinks Gluten free Vegetarian

Our Limoncello Liquor Home Made with Lemons from Sorrento

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

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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

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limoncello

Categories
Dessert Gluten free Healthy Vegetarian

Italian Créme Caramel or Traditional Budino

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

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

Ingredients  for 6 People

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

Ingredients for Caramel

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

Preparation of Budino

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

*Preparation of the Caramel

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

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creme caramel 5

Categories
Dinner Gluten free Healthy Main Soups Vegetables Vegetarian

Healthy Italian Lentil Soup or Zuppa di Lenticchie

lentils soup

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

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

 

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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

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

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
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

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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
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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pomodoro3

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
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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Categories
Cake Dessert Dinner Gluten free Vegetarian

Delicious Chocolate Capri Cake or Torta Caprese

 How to prepare the real recipe of the Italian Chocolate Capri Cake or “Torta Caprese”

A traditional cake from one of the most beautiful Islands in Italy: CAPRI!

This tasty almond and chocolate cake is from this wonderful island. The origin: the cook would indeed forget to put the flour in a chocolate cake with almonds. A fatal mistake, which has created one of the most popular desserts and appreciated by so many palates. Traditionally made on the island of Capri, this cake has a delicious aroma. Without using flour for the pan (and using parchment paper instead) this is a delicious gluten free recipe.

 

 

Ingredients for a pan of 26-28 cm

  • 350 grams Allmond, peeled and toasted
  • 250 grams of Dark Chocolate 70%
  • 200 grams of Unsalted Butter
  • 200 grams of powder Sugar
  • 6 medium Eggs (50 grams each)
  • a pinch of Salt
  • Butter and flour for the pan or use parchment paper for a gluten free recipe
  • Cocoa Powder for a pan
  • Powder sugar for a top cake

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease and flour a pan of 26-28 cm.

2. In a mixer finely chop the almonds with a teaspoon of sugar. Melt slowly the dark chocolate and unsalted butter together “a bagnomaria”, in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula, until chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Remove from heat. Important: do not burn the chocolate!

3. Beat the egg yolks, 200 grams of powder sugar and a pinch of salt together in a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer until pale and very thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chocolate with butter and almonds.

4. Beat the egg whites until stiff, add to the mixture slowly and gently, folding from bottom up, making sure you don’t loose the volume. Into the pan previously completely covered with butter and flour – use a gluten free flour or a parchment paper for a fully gluten free recipe – add the cocoa powder at the bottom and then add the full mixture.

5. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, after that let it rest outside the oven for 15 minutes and remove from the pan. Invert the cake on a serving dish. When cool, dust with powdered sugar. Simply delicious. Enjoy.

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Torta-Caprese-fetta-950x634

Categories
Gluten free Healthy Lunch Sides Vegetables Vegetarian

Grand Mix of Yellow and Red Peppers or Peperonata

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Grand Mix of Peppers or better “Peperonata”

A great classic of the Italian cuisine, the origin of this Grand Mix of Peppers is from Sicily: SICILIANS DO IT BETTER! It is very tasty and you can enjoy it hot or cold better with toasted bread, it is a healthy vegetarian combination of flavors.

“Peperonata” is a very tasty pepper stew. You can find the ingredients all year round. You can enjoy it warm in the colder months; and during the summer, you can use it as a topping for your toasted bread to make a delicious “bruschetta” on top of some slices of toasted bread. “Peperonata” is perfect for vegetarians but not only. It is simply delicious.

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 1 kg of Pepperoni
  • 500 grams of fresh Tomatoes
  • 2 blonde Onion or better red Onion
  • Parsley
  • 50 grams of Capers
  • 100 grams of black Olives, better “Gaeta” Olives
  • 1 tablespoon of Origan
  • 6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Preparation

1. In a pan heat the oil with the onion, previously cut into strips of about 1 cm, until it has softened, after add the pepperoni previously cut into strips of 1 cm, the fresh tomatoes, the capers, the black olives, 1 tablespoon of origan, a bit of parsley, salt and pepper.

2. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

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peperonata-e1448491862275

 

Categories
Christmas Dinner Gluten free Main Rice Vegetarian

Romantic Champagne Risotto or Risotto allo Champagne

 

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Champagne Risotto or “Risotto allo Champagne”

The Champagne risotto is a classic Italian dish for an exclusive dinner or occasion. The simplicity of the ingredients is enhanced by the taste of Champagne for a great result, very romantic dinner.

Risotto allo champagne is a classic first course, easy and quick to prepare, very elegant and tasty, perfect for an important occasion such as New Year’s Eve or a special romantic encounter.  The simplicity of the ingredients is enhanced by the champagne aromas that give a touch of romanticism and an aphrodisiac effect to this dish. Champagne sparkling wine can only be called so if produced in the region of France bearing the same name. We suggest complementing this risotto with a sparkling sophisticated flute of champagne.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 400 grams of Rice
  • 30-60 grams of Butter
  • 1 Blonde Onion chopped
  • 1/2 bottle of Champagne
  • 1/2 glass of Cream
  • 500 ml of Vegetable Broth
  • 50 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 30 g (2 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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

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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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

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Categories
Chicken Dinner Gluten free Healthy Lunch

Easy Lemon Chicken Breast or Petto di Pollo al Limone

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Lemon Chicken Breast or “Petto di Pollo al Limone”

A simple and tasty dish for an easy and delicious dinner with friends. An all-Italian interpretation of a dish that comes from distant China. There are many recipes of Lemon Chicken worldwide the one we propose here is an all Italian version from traditional authentic Italian cuisine. You can choose chicken breast as a healthy choice for this easy Italian dish. This recipe is a good option for a healthy lunch with low calories and lot’s of proteins, using chicken.

Ingredients for 8 people

  • 1Kg ½ Chicken Breast (You can also use 1 entire Chicken and maybe cut into chunks if you prefer)
  • juice of 9 Lemons
  • 2 Lemons cut into rings
  • 5 tablespoons of Mustard
  • Salt, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper as preferred
  • Olives
  • fresh Parsley

Preparation

1. Take a the chicken breast fillets (or the entire Chicken better if in chunks), add them into a bowl to marinate overnight with the juice of 7 lemons, 5 tablespoons of mustard, salt, black pepper and red pepper.

2. Transfer the chicken with half of the juice in a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes at 180°C after that wet the chicken with the sauce and garnish with the lemon slices and olives, continue cooking at 200° for 25 minutes more. Finish the preparation of the recipe of lemon chicken with a pinch of fresh parsley.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

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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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

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Categories
Appetizers Christmas Dinner Gluten free Healthy Seafood

Smoked Salmon Salad with Orange and Rocket

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Smoked Salmon with fresh rocket, orange and flaked almond or “Salmone Affumicato”

This delicious Italian appetizer is a very simple plate and quite quick to prepare, with the right mix of ingredients it results in a very nice and fresh option. Perfect as appetizer for a dinner with friends.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 200 grams of Smoked Salmon
  • 2 Oranges bio
  • 1 Lemon bio
  • 50 grams of Flaked Almond
  • 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • peel of half Lemon cut into lozenges
  • grains of Pink Pepper just if you like
  • 50 grams of Rocket

Preparation

1. Arrange the slices of salmon on a plate, meanwhile in a bowl add the juice of half a lemon, the juice of 1 orange and a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, stir well to emulsify.

2. In another bowl add the rocket and drizzle with the sauce, add small pieces of orange, cut into triangle and the flaked almond, let stand for 3 minutes, add the rocket over the salmon, sprinkle with the lemon peel, cut into lozenges and grains pink pepper.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

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Categories
Gluten free Healthy Rice Vegetarian

Healthy Pumpkin Rice or Riso alla Zucca

pumpkin risotto

 

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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Rice dish with pumpkin, risotto on the plate