Categories
Healthy Sides Vegetables Vegetarian

Red Cabbage Salad or Insalata di Cavolo Rosso Altoatesina

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

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

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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

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

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Red cabbage salad

 

 

Categories
Appetizers Lunch Vegetables

Aubergines Rolls with Smoked Ham or Involtini di Melanzane e Speck

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

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation of Aubergines Rolls

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

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

aubergines rolls

Categories
Dinner Main Vegetables Vegetarian

Vegetarian Spelt Meatballs or Polpette di Farro e Parmigiano

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

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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

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

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Polpette-farro

Categories
Easter Healthy Main Pie Vegetables Vegetarian

Italian Easter Pie with Ricotta or Torta Pasqualina

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

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

Ingredients for a cake pan – 23/25 cm

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

Preparation

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

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Easter cake

Categories
Dinner Gluten free Healthy Main Soups Vegetables Vegetarian

Healthy Italian Lentil Soup or Zuppa di Lenticchie

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

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

 

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

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

Categories
Appetizers Eggs Sides Vegetables Vegetarian

Fried Eggs with Zucchini or Frittata di Zucchine

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

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

Ingredients (4 people)

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

Preparation

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

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

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Frittata zucchine

Categories
Healthy Main Vegetables Vegetarian

Easy Linguini with Home Made Pesto Sauce or Linguine al Pesto

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

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

Ingredients for 6 people

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

Preparation

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

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

 

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

Linguine Pesto

Categories
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!

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

insalata di carciofi e parmigiano

 

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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

 The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

pomodoro3

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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

peperonata-e1448491862275

 

Categories
Dinner Main Pie Vegetables Vegetarian

Aubergines and Tomato Pie or Parmigiana di Melanzane

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “Aubergines and Tomato Pie or Parmigiana di Melanzane”

Expression of the simple home cooking but creative and above all economic “Aubergines and Tomato Pie” is one of the most successful dishes of the Mediterranean tradition and has a great advantage, it can be prepared in advance and cooked in the oven before serving it hot and sliced.

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 1 kg of Aubergines
  • 1 Kg of Tomatoes
  • 500 grams of Mozzarella Cheese
  • 100 grams of Parmesan Cheese
  • Basil as you prefer
  • 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Peanut oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut the Aubergines into slices about half a centimeter and sprinkle of salt, so that they lose the bitterness. In the meanwhile prepare the tomato sauce, add to a pan the extra virgin olive oil, warm and then add the tomato and salt, cook for about half an hour, over medium heat. After about 30 minutes, rinse the aubergines to remove the salt and dry well with paper towels. Flour the slices one by one and in a high-sided frying pan fry them in hot oil. Drain the oil and leave them to dry on absorbent paper.

2. When the sauce will be restricted, place in a baking pan with high sides, stratify the components in order: the tomato sauce, aubergines, mozzarella cheese slices and Parmesan cheese, repeat until all ingredients are used. Complete with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 200 ° for 30 minutes.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

parmigiana dettaglio

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.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

 

bruschetta ingredients