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Dessert Lunch

Classic Tiramisù or Coffee and Mascarpone Cake

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Tiramisù”, an easy recipe for any occasion

Tiramisù (from Italian, spelled tiramisù [tiramiˈsu*], meaning “pick me up” or “lift me up”) is a popular coffee-flavored Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers (Italian: Savoiardi, [savoˈjardi]) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many different varieties of cakes. There are different legends about this dessert and the origins are quite uncertain because each region in Italy would claim to have “invented” this popular Italian delicacy. Its origins are often disputed among many Italian regions such as Tuscany, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont.

Ingredients for 6 people

Preparation

1. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes foamy and light. Add the mascarpone and two shot glasses of Grand Marnier.

2. In another bowl, preferably high, mount the egg whites until stiff and gently fold egg whites, from top to the bottom, into the mascarpone mixture. Prepare the coffee and keep it in a large bowl.

3. Cover the bottom of a ceramic dish with 3 tablespoons of mascarpone sauce, wet the biscuits into the coffee quickly, put into the glass dish and cover the first 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.

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Healthy Lunch Pasta Vegetarian

Vegetarian Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Cannelloni Pasta with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach or “Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinaci”

A delicious healthy vegetarian recipe. Cannelloni pasta is a classic dish of the Italian cuisine ideal for a Sunday Family Lunch. Stuff rolled lasagne sheets with creamy spinach and ricotta, baked with tomato and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients for 12 Cannelloni Pasta

  • 12 sheets of Egg pasta
  • 400 grams of Ricotta Cheese
  • 500 grams of fresh Spinach
  • 300 ml of Besciamella or Béchamel
  • Half liter of Tomato sauce
  • 50 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Besciamella or Béchamel Sauce

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

Preparation of the Besciamella or Béchamel Sauce 

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

SECRET: the Béchamel is ready just when you put the spoon into the sauce and when you take it out the sauce remains firmly attached to the spoon.

Preparation of Cannelloni 

2. Clean very well the fresh spinach, rinse them thoroughly and boil them in a little boiling water for a few minutes. Drain, squeeze and chop with a food processor. Boil a few at a time the sheets of pasta in boiling salted water with the addition of a tablespoon of oil for about two minutes each. Drain them, put them to cool in cold water and place them on a clean cloth and let them cool without overlapping.

3. In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese chopped spinach and grated Parmesan. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix everything well. Fill each pastry with a bit of dough with ricotta and spinach and roll in on themselves to form the cannelloni. In a saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil and tomato sauce. Cook covered for about 20 minutes. Arrange the cannelloni in a baking dish lightly oiled covering them with the béchamel, tomato sauce and sprinkle with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 200 ° C for 35 minutes.

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Categories
Dinner Lunch Seafood

Tuna Meatballs with Ricotta Cheese

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “delicious Italian Tuna Meatballs”

Tuna meatballs and ricotta cheese are a very tasty recipe, a different way to propose the traditional Italian meatballs but with fish instead, “fishballs” an alternative idea to cook with a top quality the canned tuna.

Ingredients for n°18/20 Tuna Meatballs

  • 200 grams canned Tuna
  • 200 grams Ricotta Cheese
  • 5 Anchovy fillets
  • 10 Capers
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped Parsley
  • 50 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • 50 grams of Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Eggs
  • Salt and Black Pepper as you prefer

To Bread and Frying

Peanut oil q.s. Breadcrumbs 40g

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 (40 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.

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Categories
Lunch Main Pasta Seafood

Lasagna with Fresh Salmon or Lasagna al Salmone

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Lasagna with fresh Salmon or Italian Lasagna Recipe with Salmon”

The Classic Lasagna with Salmon is a delicious and easy dish, a luscious variation of the classic starter of the traditional Italian dish.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 250 grams of fresh Lasagna or Barilla lasagna (Italian brand)
  • 250 gram of fresh Salmon
  • 500 grams of “Besciamella” or Béchamel
  • A sprinkling of Black Pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of White Wine
  • 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 100 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients for the Besciamella or Béchamel Sauce

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

Preparation of The Béchamel sauce

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

OUR SECRET: how to check if the béchamel is ready, when you put the spoon into the sauce and you take it out the sauce stays firmly attached to the spoon, sticky.

Preparation: Salmon

2. Pour in a pan 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Salmon, previously cut into small pieces, and brown for a few minutes, add 3 tablespoons of white wine and let it evaporate. In a large pot pour the water and bring to a boil. Once you reach the boil, dip one by one the sheets of lasagna, dip for 3 second no more.

Now we can assemble the lasagna and bake it

3. Start by placing a little bit of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the casserole, then build the 4 layers of lasagna, alternating pasta, salmon with béchamel and grated parmesan and than for 3 layers more. End the lasagna with the salmon and béchamel and grated parmesan. Bake uncovered at 200°degrees.

4. Once ready take them out from the oven and leave in the pan for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Lasagna al salmone

Categories
Christmas Lunch Pasta

Traditional Lasagna Bolognese or Ragu’

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of the authentic  Lasagna Bolognese or “Lasagna alla Bolognese”

A very traditional Italian recipe for the special celebrations or for a Sunday lunch with all the family. An authentic meatier recipe from the North of Italy. Ragu’ Lasagne are great to prepare as you can prepare them in advance and bake last minute.

Ingredients for 4 people

Ragu’ alla Bolognose (Bolognese Sauce)

  • 2 Carrots
  • 1 White Onion
  • 1 Stalk Celery
  • 1 glass of Milk
  • 1 glass of hot Water
  • 400 grams of different minced Meat (300 grams of beef and 100 grams of pork)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons or more as preferred
  • 1 tube of concentrate Tomato
  • Salt and Pepper as you prefer

Bechamel

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

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 300 grams of Mozzarella Cheese
  • 250 grams of Lasagna or 1 box of Lasagna, like “Barilla” Italian brand

Preparation 1° 

Ragu’ alla Bolognese – Bolognese Sauce

Make the “soffritto” tasty fried base for the sauce, mixing finely chopped onion, carrots and celery in a pan with 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Oil Olive cook over medium heat until onion turns pale gold. Add the beef, the pork to the “soffritto” base, sprinkle with salt and pepper, increase the heat to high for 5 minutes after that reduce to medium and cook for 15 minutes until the water of meats is reduced. Add 1 glass of milk until to reduce it and after that add 1 tube of concentrate tomato with 1 glass of hot water, cook for 1 hour and half and reduce the heat to medium.

Preparation 2° 

The Béchamel Sauce

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

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

Preparation 3°

The Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook the lasagna according to instructions. About 8 minutes in 6 quarts of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse with cold water. Lay the individual lasagna noodles out on kitchen towels, not touching, so they do not stick together while you layer the casserole. Start by placing a little bit of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the casserole, then build the 4 layers of lasagna, alternating pasta, béchamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, Mozzarella cheese and Grated Parmesan Cheese and then again for 3 layers more. End the lasagna with meat, béchamel sauce, and the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 200°degrees until the lasagne is bubbling and the corners are getting brown; about 40/50 minutes.

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Categories
Appetizers Bread Healthy Lunch Vegetables Vegetarian

Toasted Garlic Bread with Tomato and Basil or Bruschetta

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

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

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

Ingredients of Bruschetta or Classic Garlic Bread for 4 people

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

Preparation 

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

Ingredients of Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil for 4 people

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

Preparation

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

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

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

Preparation 

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

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Categories
Dinner Lunch Main Pasta

Traditional Pasta Amatriciana with Pancetta and Tomato

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

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

Ingredients for 4 people

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

Preparation

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

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

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

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