Cucina DiBella

Zeppole

Happy Saint Joseph's Day (several days late)! Sorry this post is so late.  Part of the reason was that I made the zeppole while Ryan was out of town, and he took his sweet time trying them. After asking him and asking him, he finally tried them.  Seriously, who turns down home-made zeppole for 3 days straight?

Anyway, March 19th, Saint Joseph's Day, is a day of feasts and festivals in Italy, and would not be complete without Zeppole for dessert.  There are several different ways to make Zeppole, some more complex than others.  Some versions, often more popular in New Jersey, are small fried doughnuts or fritters topped with powdered sugar. The zeppole that I grew up eating in Rhode Island were puff pastry filled with a creamy custard and topped with a cherry.  Side note: the ultimate place to get a zeppole year round if you are in Rhode Island is Borrelli's Pastry Shop in Coventry.  They are absolutely amazing, as is the rest of their selection!

While I'm partial to the Rhode Island style zeppole of my youth, the Jersey version seemed a little easier for my first attempt at making these at home. I'm hoping with this year's batch under my belt I will be confident enough to go for the custard filled zeppole next year.  There are a couple of keys to getting a light zeppola that isn't too dense and that cooks all the way through.  First, make sure that the oil is not too hot.  Otherwise, the outside of the dough will burn before it is cooked all the way through.  Each zeppola should take about 3 to 4 minutes to cook.  Also, make sure you add the ricotta! That might seem odd, but it really does keep things light and airy.  For a topping, I went with powdered sugar, but cinnamon and sugar would be equally delicious. If you're really ambitious, you could even melt some chocolate and dip the zeppole in it.  Have fun with it!

 

Zeppole

Adapted from Allrecipes

Makes 24

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest from 1/2 lemon (or orange)

Oil for frying

Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar for dusting

Process:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and zest.  Stir until well combined.
3. Drop the batter into the oil by the tablespoon.  (The batter will be sticky. You can dust your spoons with flour or spray with cooking spray to help to get the batter into the oil in a ball shape.  I found it easiest to use two spoons to get the batter into the oil.)
4. Fry each zeppole until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  You may need to flip them halfway through if they are not completely submerged on their own.
5. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve.

Ryan's rating of Zeppole - 4.  He said he took off a point for it took so long for him to get to try one.  I almost smacked him.

Agnoletti

Agnoletti is a ravioli traditionally made in Piemonte that is filled with a mixture of meat, spinach and cheese.  For mine, I went with a ground beef filling, but you could use ground pork, ground turkey, or if you want to be more authentic, ground veal or rabbit.  With such a simple filling, you can really do anything as far as a sauce goes.  Marinara sauce works wonderfully, as would a light alfredo sauce.  However, to be true to tradition, I made a sauce from the pan drippings after browning the meat.  Similar to a gravy, the sauce is just beef broth, butter, and a little flour, but packs quite a punch of flavor.  This is a time consuming recipe, but totally worth it. Enjoy!

 

 

Agnoletti

Adapted from Mario Batali at Food Network

Makes approx. 30 ravioli

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1/2 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon garlic

5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

salt

pepper

For the dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-2 tablespoons flour

Process:

1. Begin by making the filling so that it has time to cool before you fill the ravioli.  Add the beef and garlic to a skillet and brown the beef.  Break the beef up well as it cooks.  Don't worry if some of the beef caramelizes on the bottom of the plan. It will make for a wonderful sauce later!
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef with the spinach, cheese and egg.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the pan that the beef cooked in to later make the sauce.
3. To make the dough, whisk together the flour and salt on a clean counter top or on a large cutting board.  Gently mix the eggs in a bowl.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs to the well. 
4. Use a fork to gently mix the flour into the eggs until you have a homogeneous mixture. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until no longer sticky. Divide into two dough balls.  Wrap one in plastic while working with the other. 
5. Using a pasta roller, roll out the dough until nearly translucent (setting 6 on a KitchenAid).
6. Cut off the edges of the sheet so that it is about 5 inches high.  Place 1/2 tablespoon size balls of filling along the bottom half of the sheet about 2 inches apart.  Fold the top half of the past sheet down over the filling. Pinch the dough around each ball of filling to completely seal each raviolo.  Cut down the center between each ball of filling to produce the ravioli.  Place on a baking sheet and dust with flour until ready to cook.  Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt.  While waiting for the water to boil, make the sauce.
8. To make the sauce, reheat the pan that the beef was browned in over medium heat.  Once hot, deglaze with the beef broth, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the butter and bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly.  Add flour to get sauce to desired thickness.
9. Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli and cook about 4-6 minutes until al dente.  Drain and serve with the sauce and sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese.

Ryan's rating of Agnoletti - 5.  He absolutely loved this one.  When he went to get seconds he couldn't even be bothered to wait the 30 seconds it would have taken to heat it up a little since it had cooled.

 

Salsa Verde

I don't know about you, but my Italian sauces pretty much consist of tomato sauce, pesto, and alfredo sauce.  There's not too much variation going on here.  So, I was really excited to find out that one of the traditional recipes from Piemonte is for Salsa Verde.  It's a green sauce that's pretty similar to pesto, except it is made with parsley.  This sauce is usually used on boiled meats, but I couldn't think of anything more unappetizing than boiled meats.  So instead, I used it on baked fish, and it was fantastic.  This would also be great on toasted bread or roasted vegetables.  Give it a try and share with us your favorite way to use Salsa Verde!

 

 

Salsa Verde

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy, The Italian Academy of Cuisine, 2009, Rizzoli Publications 

Ingredients:

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovies

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

Process:

1. Put the parsley in a food processor and chop well.  (Note: instead of a food processor feel free to chop finely by hand.)
2. Add the garlic, anchovies, breadcrumbs, cheese, and red wine vinegar to the food processor.  Chop until no big pieces are left.  (Note: instead of a food processor feel free to chop finely by hand.)
3. Slowly add in the olive oil and mix the food processor until smooth.  (Note: instead of a food processor, whisk in the oil.)

Ryan's rating of Salsa Verde: 4.

 

Stringy Gnocchi

If you're getting sick of posts using Fontina cheese, you should probably just come back later.  Sticking with the theme of fontina drenched recipes, this week I made some Stringy Gnocchi, or Gnocchi alla Bava.  It's basically just gnocchi mixed with melted fontina, getting its name from the way the fontina stretches with every bite.

This was my second time making home-made gnocchi, and I must say they came out much better than my first attempt.  I used the same recipe, but my technique has definitely improved! Just takes a little practice.  I made my Stringly Gnocchi by just melting the fontina with a little cream on the stovetop and then mixing that in with the gnocchi.  However, an alternative is to cook the gnocchi, layer it in a baking dish with the diced fontina, and then bake it for a few minutes until the cheese melts.  I may try this next time.  I found that when melting the fontina on the stovetop, the cheese began to return to a solid very quickly after leaving the pan and didn't retain its melty quality for very long. What worked better was shredding the fontina, omitting the cream, and adding it directly to the cooked gnocchi, allowing the gnocchi to melt the cheese itself.  One more thought: if you want to really get crazy, this recipe would be great with some diced artichoke hearts added in!

Sorry I don't have a good picture of this one - I'll put one up as soon as possible. Or, if you make this dish, feel free to share your picture!

Stringy Gnocchi - Gnocchi alla Bava

Adapted from Inside Italy

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Gnocchi:

4 large russet potatoes

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

2 tablespoond butter, softened and diced

Process:

1. Fill a large pot with cold water and add salt. Place the potatoes (with the skin still on) in the pot.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until a fork can pierce them easily (about 40-50 minutes).
2. Remove the potatoes from the water and peel each.  You may want to use a kitchen towel to hold the potatoes if they are too hot.  Mash the potatoes by either putting them through a potato ricer or by running the tines of a fork down the side of the potato.  Don't over mash the potatoes.  You just want them to be a fluffy potato base to work with. 
3. Spread the potatoes over a cutting board and let the potatoes cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Using either a bowl or the cutting board, pull the potatoes into a soft mound and drizzle with the beaten egg.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the flour over the top.  Fold the mixture onto itself until the egg and flour are well incorporated. 
5. Lightly knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.  Don't be afraid of adding more flour.  If there isn't enough flour, the gnocchi will come out sticky and mushy.
6. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Gently roll each piece into a long, snake shaped piece about the thickness of your thumb.  
7. Cut the pieces every 3/4 inch.  Roll a fork over each piece, creating grooves in the gnocchi.  Set aside and dust with a little more flour until ready to cook. 
8. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook about 2-3 minutes just until golden.  Set aside.
9. Bring a pot of water to boil.  Season with salt.  Add the gnocchi in batches, about 25 at a time.  The gnocchi is finished when they rise to the surface.  Remove the gnocchi and place in a large serving bowl.  Cover with foil to keep hot while cooking the remaining gnocchi.
10. Once the gnocchi is finished cooking, add the fontina, garlic, and butter to the gnocchi.  Stir to incorporate and melt the cheese.  If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add just a few spoonfuls of the water the gnocchi was cooked in to thin the sauce.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Stringy Gnocchi - 4.

 

 

 

Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta

As some of you may have noticed, I've been floundering lately with Cucina DiBella.  Since finishing my first round through all of Italy's regions, I haven't really found a good rhythm for my posts. So, instead of just pushing through with a system that wasn't working for me, I decided to head back to what originally drew me in to this project: Italian regional cooking.  

I'll head back up to Valle d'Aosta in the northwestern corner of Italy first.  If you remember back to the first recipe that I cooked for Cucina DiBella, Fonduta, Valle d'Aosta is known for their delicious fontina cheese. Fontina melts wonderfully with a smooth, creamy result.  One of the typical dishes that fontina is used in is Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta or Pasticcio di Penne alla Valle d'Aosta.  Really, this recipe is like an upscale, adult version of macaroni and cheese.  In the traditional recipe, fontina cheese is mixed with sauteed mushrooms and cream and poured over penne.  The whole thing is then baked for just a couple minutes to make the top layer of cheese bubble and get a slight crisp.  However, to add a little more flavor and texture, I added onion and garlic to my version.  I also sprinkled toasted breadcrumbs over half the pan (Ryan's not a fan, so I let him have his half without it), which was a delicious addition.  So, that's my version of this typical Valle d'Aosta recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

 
Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta - half with breadcrumbs on top, half without

 
Love the steam coming off the dish!

Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound penne

2 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half and half

8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

1 cup parmigiano regiano, shredded

Optional:

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon butter

Procedure:

1. Prepare a baking dish by coating the sides and bottom with butter.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Fill a large pot with water and season with salt.  Bring to a boil and cook the penne as directed.  Drain the penne and return to the pot. 
3. While the penne cooks, heat the butter in a large pan over medium high heat.  When the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms soften and release their liquid. 
4. Stir the half and half into the mushrooms and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly. 
5. Take the pot of drained penne and add the mushroom and cream mixture.  Add in 3/4 of the fontina and 2/3 of a cup of the parmigiano.  Stir the pasta mixture to combine. 
6. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining fontina and parmigiano. 
7. Optional: If you would like to add breadcrumbs, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan.  When melted, add the breadcrumbs and stir until coated in the butter.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the penne in the baking dish.
8. Bake for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese is well melted.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta - 5. This is deinitely a new favorite!

Chicken with Olives and Capers

One of these days I'm going to get back in my rhythm of posting a couple times a week. Clearly, January was not that time for me.  Between lovely house guests and birthdays galore, my blog really got neglected.  Here's hoping for less procrastination in February.

While my mom and sister visited this month, I made this recipe for Chicken with Olives and Capers.  It's a pretty easy recipe, with the exception of the ever spattering olive oil* that attacked me mercilessly while cooking.  On the up side, this scene led to what my sister has dubbed as my new catch phrase: "Imma flip the $#!@ out!!" Ok, maybe that's not really an up side.

Anyway, the recipe itself is pretty straightforward with sauteed chicken covered in olives, onions, and capers and drowned in a gravy made from the chicken's own juices.  I paired this with creamy polenta, which I will feature in another post, but it would also go well with rice, barley, potatoes, or really any other starch.  Enjoy!

 

Chicken with Olives and Capers

Adapted from delish.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

salt

pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup green olives, chopped (Spanish olives will also work well)

2 tablespoon capers

Flour as needed

Procedure:

1. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, producing 8 thin breasts.  Place these pieces in between plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat.  Place the chicken in the pan in one layer (you may have to do this in batches).  Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until the chicken is browned on either side and cooked through.  Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.  Cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Add the onion to the pan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften.  Add chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  This is what will add the flavor to the gravy. 
4. Once the brown bits are scraped up, add the olives and capers.  Also add back any juices from the plate of chicken. Bring the sauce to a boil and allow to boil for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low and let sit about 5 minutes. 
5. Thicken the sauce to desired consistency by adding flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.  To do this, add 1 tablespoon of flour, whisk into the sauce, and let sit for 2-3 minutes.  Continue this step as needed to thicken the sauce as much or as little as you would like.
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken to serve.

*By the way, to reduce spattering, make sure that your pan is completely dry.  Water will increase spattering, so in addition, pat down your chicken to remove excess moisture.  Finally, oil can spatter if your heat is too high, so you may want to turn the heat down slightly. Best of luck!

Ryan's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers - 5.  And for some guest ratings:

Momma's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers - 5.

Jeanne's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers -  4.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it. 

Spinach Chicken Roll Ups with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

After cooking two lasagnas for my in-laws for Christmas, I found myself with quite a bit of ricotta and mozzarella left over.  To use them up without making another stuffed or baked pasta dish, I came up with this recipe for Spinach Chicken Roll Ups.  By adding ricotta to the spinach and mozzarella in the filling, the chicken is kept moist and delicious while cooking.  Mozzarella and ricotta are both fairly mild though, so for an extra burst of flavor, I added a roasted red pepper sauce. 

When trying out this recipe, I made two different sauces.  One was a lighter sauce with red peppers, garlic, chicken broth, and balsamic vinegar.  It was very good; however, the sauce that won out is much richer and creamier, featuring red peppers, garlic, half and half, and parmesan cheese.  Now that I think about it, I'm not sure why I needed a taste test to tell me that people would prefer the cheesy, creamy sauce!  It is delicious, and if you have extra sauce, it is wonderful over pasta for an easy weeknight meal.

This recipe is definitely a home run.  While it has a few steps, it is fairly easy to make and will definitely impress!

 

Spinach Chicken Roll Ups with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4-8

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

salt

pepper

5 ounces fresh spinach

6 ounces ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

olive oil

2 large roasted red pepper, roughly chopped (jarred is fine, or follow these instructions to roast your own!)

3 clove garlic

1 cup half and half or heavy cream

1/4 cup romano cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, giving you 8 pieces.  Pound with a meat mallet to 1/4 inch thin.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Wash the spinach.  With the leaves still wet, put the spinach in a large skillet.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.  Squeeze out any excess water from the spinach and roughly chop.
4. In a bowl, stir the spinach, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese until thoroughly combined.
5. Spread a layer of the cheese and spinach mixture over each piece of chicken.  Leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch around the edges of the chicken.
6. Starting at the thinner side, roll up each chicken breast and place seam side down on the baking sheet. Secure with a toothpick. 
7. Drizzle each roll up with olive oil to make the chicken brown nicely and to keep moist.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until juices run clear.  Cook time will depend on how thick you made the chicken.
8. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender combine the roasted red pepper, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Blend until pureed.
9. Put the red pepper puree in a skillet and bring to a boil.  Reduced heat to a simmer and add the half and half and parmesan cheese.  Stir until incorporated and the cheese has melted.  Add the butter and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. 
10. Once the chicken is done, top with the roasted red pepper sauce.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Spinach Chicken Roll Ups with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce - 5.  Absolutely delicious!

 

Salame Dolce

Salame Dolce, or sweet salami, is a fun dessert to bring out around the holidays.  It basically consists of a chocolate batter that is rolled into a salami shape.  Crushed cookies are mixed into the batter to look like the fat laced throughout real salami.  This is delicious on it's own, but to give it a little more depth, top it with whipped cream and fresh berries.  The real beauty of this dessert is that it is frozen.  It's the perfect thing to keep in the freezer to have on hand whenever you need a dessert in a pinch!

 

Salame Dolce

Adapted from Food Network - Mario Batali

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks (Use the egg whites to make these Brutti ma Buoni cookies!)

1/2 cup sugar

9 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons unsalted cocoa powder

1 ounce amaretto liquor

1 1/4 cups crushed cookies (almond biscotti works best)

Whipped cream

Fresh berries

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until it looks like cake batter.
2. Add the butter, whisking to incorporate.  When fully combined, add the cocoa powder, whisking to incorporate.  Whisk in the Amaretto.  Finally, add the cookies.  As the batter becomes thick, switch from a whisk to a spoon.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic and place in the refrigerator for 1/3 hour. This will help to shape the batter later.
4. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and place the dough onto a clean work surface.  Mold into a log shape about 2 inches in diameter.  Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
5. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer. Cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Ryan's rating of Salame Dolce - 5. Not bad for a back-up dessert!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it. 

 

Cioccolato Caldo

As decadent and rich as any cookie, cioccolate caldo, or Italian hot chocolate, is a delicious treat for the holidays or really any time the temperature dips below 60.  Unlike the hot chocolate that you find in the U.S., Italian hot chocolate is made with real dark chocolate, a novel concept.  Incredibly thick, it is a challenge to drink a full glass. If it's too much for you, add more milk to thin the hot chocolate out.  For depth of flavor, add a pinch of chili powder. Or, follow my lead and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a peppermint stick.  Use the peppermint stick to stir the drink, infusing it with a hint of mint throughout.  Here's to staying warm!

 
Cioccolato Caldo

Serves 2-4 (depending on whether you serve this as a full cup each or a half cup each)

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups milk

4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Whipped cream topping

2-4 peppermint sticks

Procedure:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and 1/2 cup of milk.  Whisk until there are no clumps and the sugar has melted completely. 
2. Bring to a boil and add the remaining milk.  Stir well.  Heat until the milk is steaming, but not boiling.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the dark chocolate.  Whisk to help melt the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is incorporated, divide between mugs. 
4. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a peppermint stick to each mug, stirring the peppermint stick to incorporate the flavor in the drink.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Cioccolato Caldo - Ryan didn't try this one, but for what it's worth, my very biased rating is a 4.5. 

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it. 

 

Italian Anise Cookies

Anise is a popular ingredient in Italy, in food and particularly in drinks.  Licorice can be hit or miss with most people, and I tend to fall on the miss side.  Still, these cookies are wonderful.  They have a strong, but not overbearing licorice flavor to them that makes them stand out from the normal butter or sugar cookies.  If you don't think you or your family or friends would like anise flavored cookies, feel free to substitute the anise extract with almond extract or vanilla extract.  Any of these choices will make for a delicious holiday cookie that is sure to please!

 

Italian Anise Cookies

Adapted from Woman's Day

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cups sugar

8 tablespoons melted butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon anise extract

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Nonpareils

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine the sugar, butter, eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and 1/2 teaspoon anise extract in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Place 1 inch round balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 10 minutes until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.  The tops of the cookies won't have browned.
6. Place on a rack to cool. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons milk, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon anise extract in a bowl.  Whisk to incorporate all of the sugar. 
7. When cooled, dip the top of each cookie in the glaze.  Sprinkle with the nonpareils before the glaze sets.  Place on wax paper to dry.

Ryan's rating of Italian Anise Cookies - 5.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Cartellate (Honey Pinwheels)

Ah, the holidays. Time for sugar cookies, gingerbread, and...Cartellate? If you're in Italy, that last cookie, also known as Honey Pinwheels, may be the only one you recognize in that list.  Like most holidays in Italy, there are certain desserts made at Christmas.  Cartellate is just one of them.  Over the next few weeks I'll be bringing you 12 days of Italian Christmas Cookies...or as many as I can whip out before Christmas!

This first Italian Christmas cookie, Cartellate, or Honey Pinwheels, are a typical treat from Puglia (heel of the boot).  The cookie itself is not very sweet at all; instead, they give off just a hint of cinnamon with the honey taking center stage.  For mine, I used my mom's homemade peach honey, and it was absolutely wonderful.  That extra flavor from the peaches were a great addition even if peach isn't a typical Christmas flavor. 

When forming the pinwheels themselves, have a little fun! You can do straightforward spirals, crimp the edges, bend the top edges out to look like a flower, anything!  Enjoy yourself!

 

Cartellate (Honey Pinwheels)

Adapted from Mangia Bene Pasta

Makes 2-3 dozen (depending on pinwheel size and thinness of dough)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or Amaretto liquor)

1/2 cup water

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1/2 cup honey

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.  Begin to add water slowly, a little at a time.  Combine thoroughly between each pour.   You may need a little more or less water, so be sure to add it in small amounts.  You need to add only enough so that the dough sticks together.  Form the dough into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for one hour.
2. Cut the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough out very thinly to about 1/16 of an inch.  If you have one, a pasta roller may be the easiest way to do this.
3. Cut the dough into strips about 10 inches by 1 1/2 inches. If you have a fluted pastry cutter, use this.  Fold the strips in half, but do not press shut.  With the open edges facing up, roll the strips into loose spirals.  Press the edges to seal.  (You can see the ones that I didn't seal well enough, but remember - have fun with this part!)
4. Let the spirals sit for about an hour so they just begin to dry.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot over medium heat.  Once hot, fry the spirals a few at a time.  When golden brown, remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain.
6. Heat the honey in a pot over medium low heat.  You want the honey to turn to liquid, but not boil.  Once it is a thin liquid, drizzle over the pinwheels.

Ryan's rating of Cartellate - 4

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Update: Brodetto Wins Soup Challenge!

Congratulations to Patricia and Charlie Chapman for winning the South Park Fook Bank Soup Challenge yesterday! Their entry was Brodetto with lobster, shrimp and scallops (Pat is the lovely blond in the first picture on the Brodetto entry).  There were 14 soups in the competition, and all except for Pat and Charlie's were from local restaurants.  So join me in congratulating them on their victory! If you didn't want to try this soup before, maybe this will change your mind!

Sausage Bread

Hope everyone celebrating had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays to incorporate Italian food. One of the key ingredients to Thanksgiving growing up was my mom's sausage bread.  This recipe was such a hit that in later years she would actually bring an extra loaf just for my cousin, who raved about it every year.  This year, Ryan and I celebrated the holiday with his family but had a mini-Thanksgiving for the two of us a couple days later so that I could incorporate some of my traditions.  This was my first time trying to make my mom's sausage bread, and it was as wonderful as I remember it! 

 

Sausage Bread

Ingredients:

1 pound frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed

1 pound hot Italian sausage

8 ounces mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup romano cheese

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1 egg

Procedure:

1. When the dough is completely thawed, place in a lightly floured bowl.  Cover with a wet towel and set aside for two hours to rise.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Remove the casings from the sausage.  Crumble the sausage into a pan and thoroughly brown.  Drain the sausage and allow to cool slightly.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle.  Breaking up any remaining large chunks, spread the sausage over the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch around all edges.  Sprinkle the mozzarella and romano cheeses and the parsley over the sausage.
5. Starting at one of the narrow ends of the rectangle, roll the dough up.  Pinch the edge to seal.  Turn the edges underneath and pinch to seal.  Place the bread seal side down on a greased cookie sheet.
6. Beat the egg in a bowl.  Brush lightly over the top of the bread.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top of the bread is golden brown.  Serve warm

Ryan's rating of Sausage Bread - 5.  Guess this will be making it's way back into my Thanksgiving meals from now on! Thanks, Ma!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Chicken with Cranberry Balamic Sauce

Holidays are heading our way, and with them comes the time for fresh cranberries!  This is a fruit that I have little experience with. I'll admit that I don't make my own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving.  Shameful, I know. This recipe was a great introduction though.  The sauce takes 5 minutes to cook and is as simple as you could ask for.  So, if you want to get some practice before the big Thanksgiving Day feast, or are just craving the wonderful cranberry and poultry combination, give this a shot. It's a great meal that can be easily made after a long day at work.

 

Chicken with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce

Sauce recipe adapted from Lucini

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make 6 pieces

salt

pepper

flour

olive oil

6 ounces fresh cranberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 cup water

Procedure:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Dredge in flour and shake off any excess.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add the chicken to the pan in one layer (you may need to do this in two batches).  Cook about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Cover the chicken with foil to keep hot.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and water.  Over medium high heat, bring the mixture to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes until thickened and cranberries are soft. Note: The sauce in the picture above is made using 1/8 cup water. If you would like your sauce thinner, increase the amount of water as desired up to 1/4 cup.
5. Spoon some of the cranberry mixture over each piece of chicken. Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Chicken with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce - 5.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Apple Cake

Phew, it's been a hell of a month.  October flew by and my mind has been everywhere except for on the blog (unfortunately).  I apologize for that, but on the bright side, my schedule is opening up so I should be able to post more! For now, I wanted to share a recipe for an Apple Torte. I actually made this cake several weeks ago with my sister and her husband, and like a true slacker haven't gotten it online yet!  This recipe is still a great seasonal dessert, and should be on everyone's tables this fall! Enjoy, and I will see you next week for some more seasonal Italian recipes!

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture this time. We took one of Ryan's phone, the memory card of which took an unfortunate fall down the sink.  Ryan's response: "Oops...sorry. I guess we'll just have to make another one!" So supportive, that one.

Apple Torte

Adapted from Angela's Food Love

Ingredients:

4 small Granny Smith apples

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons amaretto liquor

1 teaspoon baking powder

Optional: cimmanon and sugar or powdered sugar for topping

 Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Peel and core the apples.  Cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick.  Toss the apples with the lemon juice and set aside.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients into a bowl.  Stir until smooth. Batter will be thick.
4. Grease a 9 inch round pan (or a 9 inch springform pan) with butter and sprinkle with flour.
5. Pour the cake batter into the pan.
6. Layer the apple slices in top of the batter, forming a spiral design as you go.  Push down on the slices slightly.
7. Bake for 60 minutes.  Top with cinnamon and sugar mixture or powdered sugar to serve.

Ryan's rating of Apple Cake - 4.

Jeanne's rating of Apple Cake - 4.

Sean's rating of Apple Cake - 3.5. Way to be a downer, Sean.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Pork with Apples

I don't think I need to tell everyone that apples are what's in season pretty much everywhere right now.  This is the time of year for apple picking, apple festivals, and an abundance of apple treats.  When I thought about what I should make for Italian recipes that use apples, my mind of course immediately went to Apple Torte and Apple Pie and all manner of sweets.  And don't worry, we'll get to those.  But first, I wanted to make something a little less predictable - a dinner course that features apples.

Mixing meat and fruit is a tactic used often in traditional Italian cooking, and pork in particular makes a great venue for trying these recipes.  Just take a look at the dish I wrote about last year featuring pork and a blueberry sauce. 

This time, I pan seared the pork first to create a delicious crust, and then finished it off in the oven. Oh yeah, and then scalded my hand after I took it out of the oven because I forgot that it had just come out of the oven and grabbed the handle.  Guys, I'm pretty sure I don't have fingerprints anymore. Learn from my idiocy, please.

Anyway, this recipe uses two sauces. One to go over the apples that is almost syrup like made from wine and honey (hmmm...I wonder if Mead could be used instead since it IS a honey wine? Someone try this and report back!) and one that is just a normal gravy.  The combination of the sweet and salty is perfect, and balances itself out really well.  Ryan and I may or may not have finished the entire pork loin ourselves...

 

Pork with Apples

Adapted from About.com: Italian Food

Ingredients:

1 1lb pork tenderloin

salt

pepper

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 pinch cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

1 bouillon cube

2 tablespoons butter

1-2 tablespoons flour

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut any excess fat from the pork loin. Season with salt, pepper, and the rosemary.
3. Coat a skillet (preferably one that can be used in the oven) with the olive oil and place over medium heat.  When hot, place the pork in the oil and cook about 3 minutes on each side until a golden brown crust forms.  Remove from the heat.
4. Place the skillet in the oven (or, if your skillet isn't oven-safe, place the pork loin on a baking sheet - reserve the skillet though; you will need it for the gravy!) and bake for 15 minutes.
5. In the meantime, put the apples, wine, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium sized pot. Cook over medium high heat until the apples are tender.  Remove the apples and place on a serving plate.  Continue to cook the wine mixture for a couple more minutes to allow it to thicken slightly into a syrup.  Spoon some of the syrup over the apples.
6. Remove the pork from the oven.  Let it rest 5 minutes on a cutting board and then slice. 
7. While the pork rests, put the bouillon cube, along with 1 cup water, into the skillet that you seared the pork in.  Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for several minutes.  Add the butter and whisk to combine.  Finally, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk into the gravy to bring to the desired thickness.
8. Arrange the sliced pork over the apples.  Top with some of the gravy.

Ryan's rating of Pork with Apples - 5.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Bisque

Ok, this recipe isn't actually Italian per-se (Gouda is actually from the Netherlands).  But, it is one of my favorite new ways to highlight bell peppers.  There's little that I love more than roasted red peppers, as you can see in my last post.  And since roasted red peppers are absolutely Italian, I figured that was close enough for me. I actually first had this dish at the University of New Hampshire dining hall.  Usually dining hall food is less than inspirational, but this soup really did it for me.  So, here's a great way to incorporate red bell peppers into your diet this month. 

For a little added substance, I added roasted eggplant pieces to my soup.  If you choose to do this, be careful to add the eggplant to each individual bowl at the end.  Eggplant sucks up liquids very easily, and can become mushy if just added to the pot of soup itself.  Enjoy!

 

Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Bisque

Adapted from Dinner Doldrums

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 pinch pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups shredded gouda

Optional: 1/2 eggplant,  cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Process:

1. Roast the peppers over a flame or under a broiler.  Remove the skin and seeds. Roughly dice. (See the last post for detailed instructions on roasting peppers.)
2. Put the olive oil in a large pot and bring to a medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes until onions become translucent.
3. Add the roasted red peppers and chicken broth to the pot.  Let simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
4. Pour the soup mixture into a blender.  Puree until smooth. 
5. Return to the pot and turn heat up to medium-low.  Stir in the cream, salt, pepper, and Gouda.  Let cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring to incorporate the cheese.
6. Optional:  Pat the eggplant with a papertowel to remove excess water.  Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt.  Put in a 450 degree oven until just beginning to brown and crisp up.  When serving the soup, add a handful of the eggplant to the top. 

Ryan's rating of Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Bisque - 4.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Roasted Red Peppers

This time of year just might be my favorite for seasonal produce.  This time of year is prime picking for one of my favorite vegetables: bell peppers.  Raw, in salad, in stir fry...the possibilities are endless.  One of my tried and true ways of cooking red bell peppers is to roast them.  Now, I know I've mentioned this here before, but I realized that I hadn't actually given the method for roasting your own peppers. 

This is actually a method that I learned in Italy.  A group of us went to my roommate's father's house in Ascoli for a cookout.  While we were there, he showed us how to roast red peppers over an open flame.  The result is a pepper that is sweet and slightly smoky, and completely delicious.  Once finished, you can do dozens of things with the peppers.  One of my favorite uses is to make a panini with grilled chicken, mozzarella, basil pesto, and the roasted peppers.  Most often though, you can find me eating the peppers piled high on sliced of toasted bread.  The perfect snack or appetizer!

 

 

Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary

Process:

1. Peppers are best roasted over an open flame. If you have a gas stove, turn on a burner and position the peppers on the grate so that they are directly over the flame.  If you have an electric stove, use a grill or put the peppers under the broiler.
2. Continue to turn the peppers over the flame every couple minutes until the entire outside of the peppers are black and charred. 
3. When blackened, take the peppers and put them in a paper bag.  Put this paper bag inside a plastic bag.  Close the bags and let the peppers sit for about 10 minutes to allow the peppers to sweat.
4. Take the peppers out of the bag.  Cut them open and remove the seeds and top.  Lay the pepper out flat on a cutting board.  Use a knife to scrape the charred skin off of the peppers.  The skin should peal off quite easily.
5. Slice the peppers into strips and put in a bowl.
6. Add the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary to the bowl. 

Ryan's rating of Roasted Red Peppers - 5

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Eggplant Rollatini

I know I'm hitting the tail end of when a lot of products are in season, but don't worry. September has a ton of stuff to offer itself!  One of my favorite ingredients, eggplant, is the first ingredient that I want to highlight.  Depending on where you live, it's usually in season from July-October.  If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that we've already hit on some fantastic Italian recipes that use eggplant. 

A product that typically grows in the south of Italy, there are tons of other recipes you can try.  This week, I made Eggplant Rollatini.  It consists of breading slices of eggplant and rolling them up with a cheese and spinach mixture as a filling and then covering them with sauce.  With ingredients like that, you really can't go wrong.  Most people use ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, but I chose to use pecorino rather than parmesan.  It gives a great salty flavor to the dish, as well as a slightly more distinct flavor than the parmesan. If you don't want to bread the eggplant, you could grill it instead. 

 
 
 

Eggplant Rollatini

Adapted from The Food Network

Makes 8 Rollatini, serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

salt

3 eggs

flour

breadcrumbs

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 package of fresh spinach

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup pecorino cheese

2 cups tomato sauce

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/4 inch thick.  From one large eggplant you should get about 8 slices.  Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and lay on paper towels for about 10 minutes to drain some of the liquid out.
3. Bread the eggplant.  First, dredge it in flour and shake off any excess.  Then, dip it into the egg (it usually takes two eggs for this much eggplant).  Finally, coat in breadcrumbs and shake off any excess.
4. Pour a thin layer of the olive oil into a large skillet.  Put pan over a medium heat.  When the olive is hot, put in a couple eggplant slices.  Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown on each side.  Remove to a plate to cool.  Repeat with the next batch of eggplant.
5. While the eggplant is cooling, make the filling.  Rinse the spinach.  While still wet, put in a pot.  Cover and put over medium heat.  Cook for about 3 minutes or until the leaves are completely wilted.  Remove from the heat.  Once cooled, squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop the spinach into small pieces.
6. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, pecorino, 1 egg, and spinach.  Stir to combine. 
7. Take each piece of eggplant and place a large spoonful of the mixture onto the wider end of the eggplant.  Gently roll the eggplant up and secure with a toothpick.  Repeat with remaining eggplant.
8. Spread 1 cup of sauce along the bottom of a baking pan.  Put the eggplant rollatini on top of the sauce, seam side down.  Finally, cover with the remaining sauce. 
9. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven, put the remaining mozzarella on top, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Eggplant Rollatini - 5.  Another success!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Seasonal Eating

At this point, we all know that we should try to eat seasonal foods.  It's better for the environment, cutting down on the cost of shipping foods across the country to end up in your grocery store.  Plus, it helps to support local farmers.  If that weren't enough, food just tastes better when it's in season!  It's not always easy to stick to seasonal foods, but it's definitely worth while to make that effort.

So, for the next year, I'm going to share some Italian recipes that feature fruits, vegetables, etc. that are in season.  Each month I will choose 4 items that are in season at that time and highlight one item per week with several Italian dishes that use that ingredient.  No matter what's in season where you live, you can find a way to make a delicious Italian meal out of it!

Chicken Parmigiana

This dish is a variation on Eggplant Parmigiana.  While Eggplant Parmigiana is quite common in Italy, particularly in the south, Chicken Parmigiana seems to have more of a grasp in America where you can find it on almost any Italian-American restaurant's menu.

When I ask Ryan if he has any requests for dinners that week, he invariably shouts, "Chicken Parm!"  It is his favorite meal, and the first dish that I ever cooked for him.  In fact, Ryan loved it so much when I made it for him that he volunteered me to cook it for his family the first time I met them.  Wasn't that sweet of him?  Anyway, everyone loved it, and it even gained me the compliment from his dad, "You keep cooking like this and Ryan's going to end up looking like me", while he patted his stomach.  So, whether you're trying to impress someone or you are just making a nice meal for your loved ones, Chicken Parmigiana is a great way to go.

 

Last week my roommate in Italy just happened to email me a picture of us cooking Chicken Parmigiana in our apartment in Italy. Thanks, Kate! (We didn't have covers for our pots, so we had to improvise.) 

Chicken Parmigiana

-Makes 4 pieces-
 
Ingredients:
 
4 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

flour

1 egg

extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 cups marinara sauce (you did make your sauce, right?)

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into thin slices
 
Process:

1. Place each slice of chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Using a meat tenderizer, pound out the chicken until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Set up a breading station: 1 plate of flour, 1 bowl of egg, 1 plate of breadcrumbs.  Dredge each piece of chicken in flour and shake off the excess.  Then, dip it in the egg, and then dredge it in the breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the pan.  When the oil is hot, add the chicken (be careful - the oil will splatter) and cook until they are golden brown.  Flip, and do the same on the other side until cooked all the way through.  Since the pieces are thin, it should be about 3-4 minutes per side. (Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked through - we'll work on that later.  This is just to get a nice golden crust.)
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  
5. Spoon a layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan.  Transfer the chicken to the pan on top of the layer of sauce.  Use your remaining sauce to cover each piece of chicken.
6. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes.  This will give the chicken time to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
7. Remove the pan from the oven. Cover each piece of chicken with the slices of mozzarella.  Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
8. Serve with a side of angel hair pasta. 

Ryan's rating of Chicken Parmigiana - 5 (more, if he could).

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Never Buy Pasta Sauce Again! Part 2 - The Sauce Showdown Winner

As promised, here is the second installment of my homemade marinara sauce recipes.  As I mentioned in Part 1, this recipe is my edited version of my mom's marinara sauce recipe.  I could never get it to come out as well as hers did, so I figured I would take some liberties and make it my own.  This sauce is a smoother one, lacking the chunks of tomato found in the previous recipe.  While the other recipe can be made in a relatively short amount of time, I prefer to let this recipe simmer for a few hours.  While it's not absolutely necessary, I feel like it allows the flavors to meld together more, and just brings a warm, delicious aroma to the house that I can't bring myself to skip.  One of my favorite memories is of coming home from school and walking in the door to be greeted with the smell of homemade sauce simmering on the stove.  Who would want to eliminate that element of their cooking?!

I also have to note that I have a retraction from my Part 1 post.  After tasting this sauce and being asked to compare it to the sauce from Part 1, Ryan caved and declared this version the sauce showdown winner!  So, if you're looking for a sauce recipe, the consensus in my house is that you should go with this version. Anyway, you'll see that this recipes is VERY similar to Part 1.  However, the ingredients are sent through the blender first to produce a smooth sauce.  Again, this recipe lacks the sugar added to most store-bought brands, so it is much less sweet than jarred versions, but is much more fresh tasting!

 
 
The sauce is not actually such an awful orange color.  That is the product of me not being able to turn off the flash on my husband's phone.  It's the same incompetency that leads to my cat looking like Satan in EVERY PICTURE EVER.

 

Momma's Homemade Marinara Sauce

Makes approx. 4 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped

2 large garlic gloves, roughly chopped

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1. In a blender, combine the onion, garlic, and crushed tomatoes (I prefer a blender over a food processor for this job).  Blend until smooth.  If you prefer larger pieces of onion or garlic in your sauce, feel free to simply mince them on your own and only blend the tomatoes. 
2. Put the tomato, onion, and garlic mixture into a heavy bottomed pot.  Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, bay leaf, basil, and oregano.  Stir to combine.
3. Bring the sauce to a low boil and then turn heat down to low.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
4. Allow the sauce to simmer (do not allow it to bubble or it will burn) for about 3 hours.  For a larger pot of sauce, extend the simmering time.  Stir periodically, and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. If you find the sauce too thick, add in some water a little at a time until it is the desired consistency.
6. Extra: good luck goes to whoever spoons the bay leaf onto their plate!

 Ryan's rating of Momma's Homemade Marinara Sauce - 5 (but somehow a higher 5 than the last batch of sauce...I don't know, ask him how that works).

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Never Buy Pasta Sauce Again! Part 1

This is a post I should have put up ages ago. I had a request for it several months ago by a reader, but didn't have a chance to get around to it since I was focused on staying with regional Italian cuisine.  The question that I got from the reader was about what kind of pasta sauce I buy, or if I make my own, what recipe I use.

Personally, I hate buying jarred sauce.  Marinara sauce, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, gravy; call it whatever you want, but it's really something that's best made fresh.  The jarred versions are always much too sweet and lose so much of that great tomato flavor.  Once in awhile I'll buy some jarred sauce if I don't have any of my own kicking around the fridge and I'm in a hurry to make dinner, but usually I opt for my own.  Homemade sauce is really not as intimidating as people think, and it freezes really well so you can easily make a huge batch and have it ready for the next few weeks!

There are two versions of sauce that I make.  One is a more rustic, chunky tomato sauce influenced largely by what my roommate in Italy and I used to make for dinners.  In Italy, the assumption is that you will make your own sauce, so when you go to the store you have the option of a straight tomato puree, and something closer to crushed tomatoes.  So, we quickly came up with our own way of making homemade tomato sauce. 

The other version of sauce that I make, which I will share in Part 2, is my version of my mom's sauce recipe (which I've never been able to replicate to the same level of awesomeness).  It's a much smoother sauce without the chunks of tomato.  My preference is for this type of sauce, probably since it's what I grew up with.  Ryan prefers the more rustic sauce though.  So for those who are living in houses that are also divided on the subject of sauce, here are a couple options!

Homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely diced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 24 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add the onion and garlic.  Saute for about 4 minutes until translucent, but not browned.
2. Add the can of crushed tomatoes.  Follow with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, can of tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Stir well to incorporate.
3. Bring the sauce to a low boil and then turn the heat to low and simmer about 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as you desire.

Ryan's rating of Chunky Tomato Sauce - 5

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Happy 1 Year! And A Little Reflection

Wow, this summer is really slipping away from me! I can't believe it's already August.  More than that, I can't believe it's already been a year since my first post at Cucina DiBella! But here we are, 1 year and 99 posts later (so close to an even 100!).  I hope some of you out there (is there anyone out there other than my family and friends?), have found some new recipes and maybe even learned something about Italian cuisine.  I personally have learned a ton already, not just about cooking and Italian food, but about myself.  I've made some recipes that I would never have thought I could master, and I've also hit some speed bumps and had some complete failures. But all in all, I'm glad I started this blog and am really proud of keeping it up for a full year amid all of the craziness and changes that have gone on in my personal life this year.  With more changes to come, I know I'll be able to continue.

How I will continue though, is a different matter.  Two weeks ago I got to go to North Carolina for my sister's wedding.  The whole event was amazing, but best of all was getting to spend time with my family.  In this time I got to talk with Cucina DiBella's two biggest fans (yes, I'm talking about my mom and my sister) about what direction this blog should go.  When I first started, my intention was to cook through the regional cuisine of several different countries.  I began with Italy because it was a natural starting point for me.  My family is Italian, I studied abroad in Italy, and Italian food is all around my favorite type of cuisine.  However, in the past few months since I finished working my way through the Italian regions and moved on to French regional cuisine, I haven't felt the same connection to my cooking.  So, I'm changing the focus of Cucina DiBella from regional dishes of different countries to strictly Italian food.  There are so many delicious Italian dishes that I have yet to explore, and I felt like I needed to bring back the passion to my cooking.  I haven't quite worked out the format yet, but it will be much more loose instead of strictly going from region to region.  Some may be regional dishes, some may be Italian-American dishes, and some may even be my own creations.  So keep coming back for more Italian culinary delights, and thanks for sticking with me for the last year!

Brioche

As a self-proclaimed carb freak, I love starting my day  off with anything bread related.  Eggs, smoothies, they're ok.  But hand me a bagel, croissant, or muffin and I'm good to go.  So, the idea of brioche, a soft, buttery bread from Normandie, instantly clicked with me.

Brioche is pretty simple to make, though I'll admit that my Kitchen Aid stand mixer did a lot of the work.  It's also a really versatile breakfast food, lending itself to whatever you may have on hand.  I ate mine smothered in Nutella, while my sister topped her with some of our mom's home made peach honey.  You can make one large loaf of brioche, but I opted for individual sized loaves by putting the dough in a muffin tin.  This makes the bread perfect to bring to work or share with family and friends (if you don't eat them all yourself)! 

Brioche

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Makes 12 mini-brioche

*Note - requires dough to sit overnight

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour plus 1/2 cup extra

1 packet instant yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

5 eggs at room temperature

2 sticks butter, softened, cut into tablespoons

Process:

1. Put 1 1/2 cups of flour, the yeast, the water, and 4 of the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix until all ingredients are completely incorporated.  Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let sit for 45 minutes.
2. The mixture should have formed some bubbles at this point.  Add 1 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, and the salt.  Knead by hand or with a dough hook in an electric mixer for 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky.  If the dough is too sticky, add part or all of the extra 1/2 cup flour a little at a time.
3. If using a stand mixer, add the butter two tablespoons at a time while the mixer runs at a medium speed.  Wait until one piece of butter is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next.  Continue until all butter is added.  If hand kneading the dough, place two tablespoons of butter at a time in the dough, and knead it until the butter has incorporated before continuing with the rest of the butter.
4. In a greased bowl, cover the dough with a damp towel and let sit for 1 hour.  Then, put the bowl in the refrigerator to sit overnight.
5. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide into twelve even pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball and place in a greased muffin tin.  (If you want your brioche to look fancy, tear a piece the size of a marble off of each dough ball.  Make a dimple on the top of each dough ball once in the muffin tin, and place the marble of dough in this dimple.)
6. Let the brioche rise in the tin for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
7. Use a fork to whisk the last egg in a bowl.  Brush the egg wash over the tops of the brioche.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Serve warm.

Ryan's rating of Brioche - 4.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Stew Forestiere

Fist off, happy birthday to my awesome sister, Jeanne!

Ok for the question I know you're all thinking. What jackass decides that the perfect time to make a stew is smack dab in the middle of the obnoxiously humid weather we've been hit with on the East Coast? What is it about having the stove on for several hours that screamed "good idea"?  Seriously, this is what my cat has looked like for the last week. If he didn't strategically reposition his overly fluffy tail every few hours, I'd be wondering if he were still alive.

Well, I'm happy to report that 1.) my cat is not dead and 2.) despite some awful judgement on my part about the best time to make this dish (like when it's NOT 95 degrees outside), it was totally worth it.  This stew was one of the most delicious new recipes I've tried in awhile.  I can't imagine how amazing it must taste in winter when it's cold and nasty out and all you want is something warm and hearty to eat.

This Normande stew is really quite simple. It's traditionally made with veal, but as I've made clear in the past, I don't do veal. So instead, I used pork tenderloin, which was unbelievably perfect in this dish.  Now, in honor of my sister and other non-mammal eaters, I'd like to add that turkey is a great substitute as well.  When I was making this, I was tasting it along the way (and when I say tasting I mean I ate a full serving), and was tempted to stop after the stew had finished simmering and not add the cream as the recipe demands.  The stew was that good already. So, I added cream to a small amount of the stew in a seperate bowl and gave it a try.  Brilliance! I don't know where the hell I get off thinking I know better than the creators of these decades old French recipes, but I will fully admit that I was wrong on this one. No matter how good you think the stew is when it has finished simmering, make sure you add the cream! It adds layers of depth to the stew and really pulls it all together. And don't ask me to tell you about the gloriousness that is the crispy prosciutto added on top. It might make me cry since I've run out of prosciutto.

Ryan and I ate this stew with some rice and it made for a wonderful meal.  It would be even better alongside some potatoes!

Stew Forestiere

Adapted from Serious Eats: French in a Flash

-Serves 3-4-

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large shallots, diced

1 five to eight ounce package shiitake mushrooms, sliced

3 loose oyster mushrooms (or a full package if you want more mushrooms), sliced

2 1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (more if using fresh)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

3-4 slices prosciutto

Process:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the pork and cook just until brown on all sides. The pork will finish cooking later. (Note: you want a nice sear on the meat, so don't add too much at once. If you have too much pork for your pot, sear it in batches.  Doing it all at once and having your pot too full will make the meat steam, not sear.  So cook the pork in only one thin layer at a time.)
3. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside in a bowl.  Add the garlic and shallots to the pot.  Cook for about 4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, but don't brown.
4. When the shallots are softened, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the mushrooms.  Cook about 6 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and begin to get a little brown on the edges.
5. Return the pork to the pan.  Add the beef broth, rosemary, salt and pepper.
6. Bring the stew up to boiling, then turn the heat down to low and let simmer for an hour and a half.
7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Lay the prosciutto on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes until it is crisp.  Set aside until the stew is finished.
8. When the stew has been simmering for an hour and a half, combine the butter and flour in a bowl until well mixed.  Add to the stew and stir until it is well incorporated.  This will quickly thicken the stew.
9. Remove the pot from the heat.  Stir in the cream.
10. Ladle into bowls and crumble pieces of the proscuitto that was set aside onto the top of the stew.  Serve with rice or potatoes, or on its own!

Ryan's rating of Stew Forestiere - 5. You may want to make a lot of this. Ry was NOT happy that we didn't have a week's worth of leftovers after this one!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Omelette Normande

As promised, I'm moving right into the second week of recipes from Normandie.  There are two different omelettes traditionally attributed to Normandie.  One is the Omelette de la Mere Poulard.  The patronne of a hotel on Mont St. Michel, Madame Poulard and her hotel were renowned for her wonderful omelettes.  People spent years trying to replicate her recipe, and it is thought that her secret was in separating the yolks from the whites and beating them separately before cooking the omelette, making the dish quite similar to a souffle.  However it was done, people came from all over the world to sample her delicious recipe.

The other type of omelette well known in Normandie is the Omelette Normande.  Like most signature dishes of the region, this omelette includes cream, apples, and Calvados (if you have it).  Since I didn't have any Calvados, I opted not to add anything and it was fine.  But I guess I should back up before people get too confused.  Yes, this omelette uses cream and apples as well as sugar and cinnamon.  It is meant to be a dessert omelette, though my husband and I both felt that it would be equally delicious as a sweet breakfast. No matter when you cook it, it will do wonders for the aroma of your kitchen.  For hours after making this, our kitchen smelled deliciously like french toast!

The instructions for the actual creation of the omelette are from my husband.  Not being very proficient with eggs, it took me two failed attempts before I got him involved to help me create a omelette that didn't burn on the bottom before it even cooked through, and that didn't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Ryan is a pro at all things eggs, so he was able to help me out and give me his secret for making great omelettes!  Hope his tips work as well for you as they did for me!

Omelette Normande

Adapted from France Monthly

-Makes 4 two-egg omelettes-

Ingredients:

2 large apples of your preference (I stood by Granny Smith), peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

2 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons sugar

2 pinches cinnamon

8 eggs

4 tablespoons cream (or skim milk will do if you want to make this a little lighter!)

4 tablespoons Calvados or brandy (or nothing if you don't have either of these items)

Process:

1. Over medium heat, cook the apples, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and the cinnamon in a skillet for about 5 minutes or until the apples become soft. 
2. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar, and Calvados or brandy if you are using it.
3. Using a clean pan, spray generously with non-stick spray.  (Butter did NOT work in place of the spray.)
4. Heat the pan to a medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture, enough for 1 omelette.  Let the eggs cook a few minutes until the mixture begins to firm up around the edges.  Once it begins to firm up, add 1/4 of the apple mixture to the egg, distributing the apple pieces evenly over the omelette.  Let cook a few more minutes until cooked through.
5. Fold the omelette in half and slide onto a plate. Garnish with extra apples and serve hot!

Ryan's rating of Omelette Normande - 4.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Tarte Normande Aux Pommes

Alright y'all. I'm back. For good this time, I promise. The house has been purchased, papers signed, and keys turned over. So I finally have my own kitchen and can start cooking again. Not only do I have my own kitchen, but it's got way more counter space than our apartment did, AND has a gas stove. And ok fine, the decor of the kitchen leaves something to be desired (think teal cabinets and flower drawer pulls from the '70s), but before too long I'll have my Mediterranean kitchen! 

So, in case you can't remember (which is more than likely since it's been so long since I've written anything), we left off on our first of two weeks of cuisine from Normandie.  Another refresher - apples abound in this northwestern region of France.  Like most people, I LOVE apple pie.  Sometimes though, it's nice to mix things up and make an apple pie that's a little different.  This apple pie from Normandy gives you just that.  A tart rather than a pie, Tarte Normande fills a pie crust with slices of apples and a custard.  This is almost a more sophisticated version of an apple pie.  It still packs a punch of pure deliciousness; my 8 year old niece even announced to her friend's family at a chorus concert that, "My Aunt Sue makes the best apple pie EVER!".  Now, I'm not vain enough to think that's anywhere near the truth, but this shameless self promotion really just makes the point that even kids won't be turned off if you go for a French apple torte rather than the normal apple pie.

So this torte is a Julia Child recipe and I assume it is wonderful just as she recommended it, but I had to make some adjustments since I baked this while living with my brother-in-law for three weeks and intruding myself into their kitchen.  First off, I totally cheated.  Not wanting to take over their kitchen too much, I bought a pre-made pie crust from the store.  Don't look at me like that! Baking a pie crust results in flour on every possible surface of a kitchen, and I didn't want to do that to them.  Also, Julia's recipe calls for powdered sugar to be sprinkled to the top of the pie.  My husband handed me some powdered sugar in a ziplock bag from his brother's pantry.  At least, he thought it was powdered sugar. Just to be sure, I tasted a little before adding it to the pie. Straight up baking soda. If I had used that I may have made him eat the entire ruined torte as punishment.  So, without powdered sugar, I added brown sugar to half of the torte, and regular sugar to the other half. Definitely go with the brown sugar. So there you go.  See the recipe for my modified version of Julia Child's Tarte Normande Aux Pommes!

 
   You can see where I tried topping it with different kinds of sugar - the right side is the winner with a brown sugar topping. 

 
The dark countertops in the background really make for a dramatic picture. I feel like I should be on PBS as the cooking version of The Joy of Painting. "Happy little tortes!"

 
Also, it makes me sad that my husband's phone takes better pictures than my camera.

Tarte Normande Aux Pommes

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, and Julia Child, 1961.

Ingredients:

1 8 inch pie crust (bonus points if you don't cheat like me and buy it!)

2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced thinly

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced thinly

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon almond extract

brown sugar to sprinkle over top

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the apples, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cinnamon.  Put the apples into the pie shell and bake for 20 minutes. (Note: don't worry if this seems like too many apple slices for the pie shell - they will shrink down a little while baking.)
3. While the apples bake, make the custard.  Beat the egg and the remaining sugar in a bowl until the mixture becomes thick.  Next, whisk in the flour until fully incorporated.  Finally, mix in the whipping cream and almond extract.  Whisk until everything is mixed together thoroughly.
4. When the apples are done baking, remove from the oven.  Pour the custard over the apples into the pie crust.  Carefully, return the crust to the oven and let bake for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, sprinkle the top of the pie with the brown sugar.  Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  When finished, test by inserting a knife into the custard. If it is done, the knife will come out clean.
6. Serve warm.

Ryan's rating of Tarte Normande Aux Pommes - 4

Sole Meuniere

When I first found the recipe for Sole Meuniere, the first thing that came to my mind is a scene from Julie & Julia.  It's one of the opening scenes in which Julia Childs is in a restaurant with her husband and she orders fish.  When her meal comes out she inhales deeply and says with pure pleasure, "Butter!".  Now, I don't know that this dish is the same as the one presented in the movie, but it sure is close. 

The fish, traditionally sole, is cooked in butter with some lemon juice and capers.  If you are looking for a light fish recipe, you should probably look elsewhere. This one is decadent and delicious, but not particularly light.  While this is traditionally made with sole, I chose to use haddock, which is more easily available in my area.  Though not traditional, really any white, flaky fish would work.

Sole Meuniere

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

4 sole fillets (or haddock, tilapia, etc.)

Flour for dredging

salt

pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons butter

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1/2 tablespoon capers

Process:

1. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in flour. Shake off any excess. 
2. Heat the olive oil and two tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy bottomed pan to a medium-high heat.  When hot, place the fish in the pan.  Cook about 3 minutes until the fish is golden brown on the bottom.  Carefully flip the fish and cook another 2-3 minutes until it is cooked through.  Remove the fish to a plate; cover to keep warm.
3. In a clean pan, add the remaining four tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the lemon, parsley, and capers.  Pour over the fish.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Sole Meuniere - 4.5

Mussels Mariniere

Ok, change of plans.  Remember how I said in the last post that I was still going to try to cook dishes from Upper and Lower Normandy as two separate regions? Well forget that part.  In doing my research for these regions, it has proven to be VERY difficult to decipher between the two.  So rather than pass on mis-information by saying that a dish is from one region when it is in fact from another, I'm just going to do two weeks worth of recipes from the larger, joint region of Normandy.  Because, well, I'm making this up as I go along and that's what I feel like doing! 

So, being situated along a wonderful coastline, Normandy has an abundance of seafood to offer its culinary followers.  One of the classic recipes from Normandy is Mussels Mariniere.  This is a delicious dish of mussels cooked in a white wine sauce.  Another mussels recipe from Normandy, Mussels a la Normande, is basically a more fancy version of Mussels Mariniere, adding cream and sometimes substituting apple cider for the wine.  I went with the Mussels Mariniere version though, and I do NOT regret it. This dish is delicious and is absolutely perfect on its own with nothing but a hunk of fresh bread to dip in the sauce.  The pictures don't do the recipe justice, since you can't really see the sauce, so just trust that it is worth the time!

 
   
Mussels Mariniere

Adapted from Big Oven

Ingredients:

2 pounds mussels

3 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, diced

1 cup white wine

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

salt

pepper

Process:

1. Clean the mussels.  Let sit in a bowl of water with a palmful of cornmeal for 30 minutes to extract any remaining sand.  Discard any mussels that are already open
2. Put a large pan over medium to medium high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter and let melt.  Add the shallots and let cook about 2 minutes until soft.
3. Add the mussels, wine, thyme and parsley.  Cover and let cook about 5 minutes until the mussels are open.  Take the mussels out of the pan and put in a bowl, leaving the broth in the pan.  Discard any mussels that did not open.
4. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a light boil and let the sauce thicken to your preference. 
5. Pour the sauce over the mussels.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Mussels Mariniere - 5.

 

Baked Camembert

So to answer your question, no, I haven't forgotten about Cucina DiBella.  Things have been a little crazy the past few weeks.  My husband and I are buying our first home (eek!) and so we've been spending ungodly amounts of time dealing with that. 

I was also in Florida for a week for my mom's birthday, enjoying the sun and heat.  So while I don't expect sympathy since I was blissfully relaxed in the sun last week, don't think I quit writing altogether! 

 

The next region in France that I'm covering is Basse Normandie.  The region of Normandie is actually broken into two administrative regions; Basse (Lower) Normandie and Haute (Upper) Normandie.  Often these two regions are grouped together as one culinary region, I'm going to try to separate them as much as possible.  However, it's entirely possible (and likely) that something I write about under Basse Normandie may be equally prevalent in Haute Normandie.  Hey, it's great food either way, right?

On to the food. Oh my deliciousness.  This recipe from Basse Normandie is amazing.  It's a little individual sized puff pastry wrapped around thinly sliced apples and Camembert and baked to perfection.  There are a ton of recipes for Baked Camembert that include different fillings to complement the Camembert, but I chose to go with sliced apples because they provide just the right amount of sweetness.  Also, apples are another typical product from Lower Normandy, and so it seemed a fitting pairing for Basse Normandie's most famous cheese.  The other thing that I really like about this recipe is that it makes little individual servings of the Baked Camembert. I don't know about you, but I'm not great at sharing when it comes to food like this!

 

Baked Camembert

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 sheets/packages puff pastry

1 apple (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious work well), sliced thin

1 wheel Camembert cheese

brown sugar

1 egg white

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lay out your puff pastry.  Cut out circles about 3 or 4 inches in diameter (a drinking glass works well for this).  You should get about 8 circles out of one puff pastry sheet
3. Line half of the pastry circles on a baking sheet.  Set the other half aside. Top each of these circles with a few slices of apple.  Be sure to keep about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of bare pastry around the edges to seal them later.
4. Remove the wax from the Camembert with a knife.  Cut the Camembert into thin slices.  Divide the slices among the pastry circles, placing a few slices on top of the apples. 
5. On top of the Camembert, sprinkle a little brown sugar.  Finally, take the half of the pastry circles that you set aside.  Place one pastry circle over each of the assembled pastries.  Seal well around the edges of the two pastries using your fingers the tongs of a fork.   
6. Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg white. Bake the pastries for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve as is, or with crackers.

Ryan rating of Baked Camembert - 4.5.

Kouign Amann - Breton Butter Cake

It doesn't get much more simple than mixing yeast, flour and an obscene amount of butter to form a cake.  That's essentially what goes into Kouign Amann, the traditional butter cake from Bretagne.  The cake is moist and delicious.  Just enough butter dotted on top creates a carmelization that is to die for.  A little extra sugar on top, and you have a perfect after dinner cake.  I used powdered sugar on mine, but I think granulated sugar would work even better, and so I recommend that below. An extra benefit - baking this cake will make your home smell divine!

Kouign Amann - Breton Butter Cake

Adapted from The Barmy Baker

Ingredients:

1/4 ounce (one packet) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup warm water

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter - cold

1/4 cup granulated sugar

extra sugar for dusting (or confectioners sugar)

Process:

1. Combine the yeast in a bowl with 1/4 cup warm water.  Once the yeast is dissolved and foamy, add 1/2 cup of the flour.  Form the dough into a ball and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Add the remaining sugar and salt to the yeast mixture.  Combine everything together and add the warm water slowly until a firm ball of dough forms.  You may need more or less water, so be sure to add the water slowly.
3. Knead the dough about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp towel.  Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Put the dough on a floured surface.  Roll the dough out to a rectangle about the size of a sheet of paper. Take the butter and cut into pats.  Arrange the pats to cover two-thirds of the dough.  Sprinkle the top of the butter with the 1/4 cup granulated sugar.  With the shorter end of the dough facing you, fold the top third of the dough down towards you as if folding a letter.  Fold the bottom third up. (Note: the dough may be difficult to roll because of the butter, but try to add only enough flour so that you can roll the dough out.  When the dough cooks you want it to be buttery, and don't want to offset the butter with too much flour.)
6. Roll the dough into a paper sized rectangle again.  Fold the same way you did in the last step.  Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. Finally, roll the dough into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.
7. Butter and flour a round cake pan.  Put the dough into the pan.  Fold the excess into the dough so that it fits evenly in the pan.  Use a knife to cut a cross hatch pattern in the top of the dough.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.  Two or three times during that 20 minutes, brush the top of the cake with the butter that oozes out of the top of the cake.  Sprinkle the cake with sugar and bake for another 10 minutes.

Ryan's rating of Kouign Amann - Breton Butter Cake - 3.

Poulet au Cidre - Chicken in Cider

One of the products that Brittany is known for is their amazing cider.  In the United States, cider lacks alcoholic content unless specifically noted as hard cider.  In Brittany, however, alcoholic cider is the norm.  Aside from being served in many cafes and along with meals, cider in Brittany is also used in cooking (and not just as a drink for the chef!). 

One of the traditional recipes that features Brittany's cider is Poulet au Cidre, or Chicken in Cider.  Chicken is cooked along with apples and onions in cider.  The cider is then mixed with cream and reduced to a delicious sauce.  The contrast of a sweet sauce in a savory dish reminded me a lot of the Pork Chops with Blueberry Sauce from Trentino-Alto Adige in Italy.  It was a great way to mix up the regular old chicken dinner!

Poulet au Cidre - Chicken in Cider

Adapted from FrenchEntree.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 large apple (whatever kind is your favorite!)

1 large onion

1.5 cups cider (hard if possible, but regular cider will work just fine)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon flour

Process:

1. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter to a large frying pan.  Add the chicken and brown about 3 minutes on each side.  Remove the chicken to a plate.
2. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, and then cut into thin strips (they should be half circles).  Dice the apple into small cubes.
3. Heat the remaining butter in the frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and apples to the pan and cook about 5 minutes until soft.
4. Add the chicken back to the pan with the apples and onions.  Pour the cider over the chicken.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  Simmer the chicken for about 40 minutes, flipping the chicken about half way through.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.  Add the cream to the cider and stir for several minutes.  Add the flour and whisk in to thicken the sauce.  Salt the sauce to taste.
6. Pour the sauce, apples and onions over the chicken and serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Poulet au Cidre - Chicken in Cider - 5. 

Coquilles St. Jacques - Breton Scallops

If you look at the map on the right hand side of the blog, Bretagne is the orange region that juts out of the north west coast of France.  It's no surprise then that seafood is such a staple in the region's culinary identity.  There are Palourdes Farcies, which are clams stuffed with garlic, herbs and shallots.  I considered making these, but they seemed a little similar to the Stuffed Mussels that I made from Liguria in Italy.  There are also several fish stews that the region is known for, but I was really looking for an appetizer.  And of course, there is the famous Homard a l'Americaine, which is a dish of lobster cooked in a garlic tomato sauce.  This sounded absolutely delicious, but all of the recipes that I found insisted that you must use raw lobster meat, and I couldn't quite stomach the idea of killing a live lobster myself with a butcher knife. I guess my chef skills aren't quite there!

Finally, I found some research on Coquilles St. Jacques, which are Breton Scallops.  There were several different variations on the recipe, as there generally is with any dish.  Most recipes agreed that the scallops should be topped with breadcrumbs and broiled.  Some create a sauce with mushrooms to top the scallops, while other top them with Swiss cheese.  This seemed to be a particularly interesting variation since often it isn't recommended to mix seafood and cheese. But, who am I to argue with the French when it comes to cooking? So, I went with a sauce of wine, shallots and garlic and also topped the scallops with some Gruyere cheese and breadcrumbs.  A dab of butter went on top to guarantee a golden crust.  I should note here, that if you look at my pictures (which unfortunately didn't come out so well - too bad this isn't my job, or I'd get a better camera!), you'll see that I used regular scallops. While they still tasted great, this dish would be much better with jumbo scallops, and so I adjusted the recipe to show that.  Enjoy!

Coquilles St. Jacques - Breton Scallops

Adapted from French Cooking for Dummies

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

8 jumbo scallops

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon flour

3 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

extra butter

Process:

1. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into a pan and melt over medium heat.  When hot, add the scallops.  Cook for about two minutes on each side, just enough so that the scallops get a nice golden brown sear on them.  Remove from the pan to a plate.
2. Add the diced shallot and minced garlic to the remaining butter in the pan.  Let cook about 3 minutes until soft.   Add the wine and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol from the wine.  Lower the heat to a simmer.  Add the flour and whisk to thicken the sauce.
3. Put the scallops on a baking sheet (or in individual ramekins for a nice presentation).  On top of each scallop put a spoonful of the sauce, followed by a pinch of the grated cheese.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the cheese, and finally, put a tiny dab of butter on top of the breadcrumbs.
4. Broil for only a few minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Coquilles St. Jacques - 5.   France is off to a pretty good start! 

Breton Galettes

One of the foods that most people think of when they think of French cuisine is crepes.  While at this point in time you can get crepes anywhere in France, Brittany, or Bretagne, in particular boasts crepes as a local favorite.  More than that, some sources even site Bretagne as the place where crepes originated.  In Bretagne, crepes are often made with buckwheat flour and are generally called Galettes. 

For me, the really interesting part came in learning about the filling for Breton Galettes.  I generally think of crepes as a delicious breakfast item filled with fruit, chocolate, or some other sweet food and dusted with powdered sugar.  However, Breton Galettes have a list of potential fillings that goes way past the realm of the sweet.  Savory ingredients reign in Galettes, such as ham, cheese, or egg.  I chose to make ham and cheese Galettes, and they were amazing.  My Galette came out a little thick, so I recommend in the recipe below adding a little more water than I did.  I also ate the leftovers for breakfast with some jam, fresh strawberries, and powdered sugar - also delicious.  Nothing like a recipe that can double as both dinner and breakfast!

Breton Galettes with Ham and Cheese

Adapted from The Global Gourmet

Makes about 12 Galettes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups buckwheat flour (whole wheat flour works as well)

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups milk

2 cups water plus 1/2 cup extra to use as needed

1/2 cup butter

12 slices deli cut ham

1 1/2 cups grated cheese (Gruyere or Swiss work very well here)

Process:

1. Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in half of the milk.  Use a whisk to mix thoroughly.  The mixture will be very thick at this point.  Add the rest of the milk and whisk well.
2. Cover the batter and let it sit for about 30 minutes.  While the batter sits, clarify the butter.  Put the butter in a saucepan and melt completely.  Use a spoon to skim off the top layer that forms on the butter.  Let the butter cool completely.  When cool, there will be a milky sediment at the bottom of the pan.  Pour the golden melted butter into a bowl, leaving this sediment in the pan.
3. Going back to the batter, add 2 cups of the water, one cup at a time.  After each addition, whisk well, making sure no lumps remain.  Add up to an extra 1/2 cup water until the batter is a very thin consistency.  (You can also try making one Galette, and add water later if it is too thick.)
4. Whisk in half of the clarified butter to the batter.
5. To cook the Galettes, a griddle works very well.  However, a pan works as well if you don't have a griddle.  Heat your griddle or pan to medium heat.  Once hot, dip a paper towel in the remaining butter and wipe on the griddle or pan. 
6. Pour batter into the hot pan.  You can make the Galettes whatever size you would like, but I recommend making them about 12 inches in diameter.  The batter should set immediately in the pan.  Let the Galette cook for about 1 minute until lightly browned.  Flip, and cook about 1 minute on the other side as well. Remove to a plate.
7. Repeat this process with the rest of the batter, buttering the pan between each Galette.
8. When all Galettes are cooked, you can begin adding your fillings.  Put one Galette back on the griddle or pan.  Top with one slice of ham and sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheese.  Let cook just until the cheese begins to melt.  Fold the Galette in half once, and then in half again.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Breton Galettes with Ham and Cheese - 5.

Here's a reminder of Ryan's rating system:

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

And We're Off! French Regional Recipes

So I know I've been MIA for a little while. I gave myself a little bit of a break after finishing up with Italy's regional recipes.  Part of this was to give myself a chance to re-evaluate Cucina DiBella and where it was going.  Now, about 8 months, 86 posts, and 1 country after starting my blog, I've decided to continue as I originally intended; by moving on and working my way through the regional cooking of another country. 

So, starting this weekend I'll begin working my way through the regional cuisine of France (not much of a shocker since I put up a map of France on the sidebar last week).  I did some debating over whether to go through every region, or just to hit on the "culinary regions" of France.  Feeling like it would be cheating to do otherwise, I decided to go through all 22 regions of France.  Like before, I'll try to cook an appetizer, first course, main course, and dessert from each region. 

So, head on back this week when I start my culinary tour of France with Bretagne (Brittany).  See you then!

Map courtesy of Paul DeSesso

Italy Wrap-Up

So I've done it. I worked my way through all 20 regions of Italy, cooking a traditional antipasto, first course, second course, and dessert from each. So, what have I learned? 

Well, to start you can see the fluidity of culture between the regions.  Some recipes had several neighboring regions all claiming to be the point of origin for that dish.  For other recipes, each region had its own special version based on the local availability of different foods.  It's a practice in globalization on smaller scale.  You can see the way that, as people gained more access to other regions through easier travel and communication, recipes transcended the boundaries between towns, cities and regions. 

As far as the food itself, Italian food is often a practice in simplicity.  The recipes depend not on complex combinations and techniques, but on delicious, fresh ingredients highlighted in their most pure form.  Don't get me wrong, dishes like Lasagna Bolognese are quite time consuming and can be rather difficult.  However, some of the best Italian dishes are deceptively simple in their deliciousness.

So, if I had to pick my favorite recipes, I would have to go with

• Ascolani Olives (Antipasto)
• Brodetto (First Course)
• Chicken Scaloppine Bolognese or Culingiones (Second Course)
• Cannoli (Dessert)

So, what was your favorite?

Cannoli

Stay tuned: As soon as I get my hands on some elusive cannoli tubes, which seem to only be available online, I will be doing a post on this quintessential Italian dessert from Sicily.  In the mean time, check out my upcoming posts on the final Italian region that I have to hit on, Sardegna.

March 10th Update: After breaking down and ordering cannoli tubes online, I found some in an amazing local store in Portland, Maine, allowing me to cancel my online order. This weekend I'll be giving the Cannoli a try, so stay tuned!

March 24th Update:

What can i say about Cannoli?  Delicious cream filled pastry shells enchanced with mini chocolate chips and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. The pastry is crunchy and delicate with a complexity of flavor from the coffee grounds, cocoa, and wine that are used in it.

In reality though, the filling is the star, not the pastry.  As I said, I put mini chocolate chips in my filling, but I've seen Cannoli with other additives such as pistachios or maraschino cherries.  Whatever you put in the cream though, it's essential to take your time and go through some extra steps to ensure the best possible filling.  Though most recipes leave these steps out, to get the best cream you really need to start the night before by draining the ricotta cheese in a cheesecloth to get rid of any excess liquid.  When I was ready to make my filling I went a step further and ran the ricotta through my food processor to ensure that it would become smooth and creamy.  These steps were essential and definitely shouldn't be skipped!  It's well worth the effort.  This was by far the most delicious dessert I've made for Cucina DiBella!

Cannoli

*Need to start the day before

Adapted from Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni, 1969

Ingredients:

For the filling

16 ounces ricotta cheese

1 cup confectioner's sugar plus extra for dusting

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips plus extra for dipping

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the dough

1 1/4 cups flour1 1/4 teaspoons cocoa

1 teaspoon espresso grounds

1 pinch salt

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or other red or white wine)

1 egg white

Vegetable oil for frying

Process:

1. Put the ricotta in cheesecloth and let drain over a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, gently squeeze the ricotta in the cheesecloth to remove any remaining excess liquid.  Put the ricotta in a food processor or through a food mill and process until smooth and creamy.  Put the ricotta in a large bowl.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the ricotta cheese, and stir well to combine.  Add the mini chocolate chips (add more or less than the recipe to your liking). 
3. In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, espresso, salt and sugar.  Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the bowl.  Using your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients.
4. Slowly add the wine, mixing the dough between additions.  The amount of wine that you need will vary depending on the kind of flour you use, etc.  Add enough wine so that you get a firm dough. Note: I used a red wine that I had on hand, and it did make the dough a maroonish color.  Don't worry, though, after frying they still looked and tasted great!
5. Knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky.  If the dough is too wet or too dry, add flour or more wine respectively.
6. Roll the dough out very thinly (using my pasta roller on setting 2 worked perfectly for me).  Cut out circles that are 3 to 4 inches in diameter.  The top of a drinking glass worked perfectly for me.  Wrap each circle around a cannoli tube.  Brush some egg white on the seal and press gently to ensure it will not come apart when cooking.
7. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot.  The oil should be about two inches deep.  Fry the cannoli, while on the cannoli tubes, two at a time (any more and you will lower the temperature of the oil) until they are golden and crisp - about 2 to 3 minutes.  They may form bubbles on the pastry as well  - if so, the oil may be getting too hot. 
8. Remove the cannoli from the oil and put on a paper towel to drain. Fry the rest of the cannoli. Let the cannoli cool before removing them from the tubes.  Once cool, they should slide off easily. If sticking to the tube, try twisting the pastry slightly to loosen.
9. Do not fill the cannoli until just before eating. Otherwise, the pastry will become soggy.  Using a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner cut off, pipe the filling into the cannoli.  If using chocolate chips or something else in your filling, be sure that those items will fit through the tip of your piping bag.  Once filled, dip the ends of the cannoli in more mini chocolate chips.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and serve!

Ryan's rating of Cannoli - 5. And I'm pretty sure he would bathe in this. He ate half the filling before we even fried the pastry!

Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti cookies are a classic dessert throughout Italy, but are especially prevalent in Sardegna.  The island has an abundance of almonds, and they take a starring role in many of its recipes.  This almond flavored, crunchy cookie is perhaps one of the most ubiquitous of the almond treats. An Italian macaroon, this dessert is perfect with a nice cup of espresso.

There seem to be two camps when it comes to Amaretti recipes.  One version combines sugar and ground almonds with beaten egg whites.  This produces a cookie that closely resembles a meringue, and which is similar in nature to the Brutti ma Buonicookies that I made back during the Lombardia region.  The other version uses almond paste, sugar, and egg whites (non-beaten) to produce a cookie that almost resembles a snicker-doodle in shape, but which is more crunchy.  Both are delicious, but the almond paste Amaretti are much easier to make and are more likely to satisfy that cookie craving! But, make up your own mind!

Amaretti version 1 (Meringue version)

Adapted from CD Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds

1 cup sugar

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a food processor, grind the almonds together with the sugar.
3. In an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 
4. Add the almond and vanilla extracts to the egg whites.  Gently fold in the ground almonds and sugar until well combined.
5. Spray a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Place rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are beginning to turn golden. The cookies should be firm to the touch.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Amaretti version 1: 3.5.

Amaretti version 2 (Almond paste version)

Adapted from Joy of Baking

Ingredients:

One 8 ounce can or tube of almond paste

1 cup superfine sugar

2 egg whites

Granulated sugar

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Break the almond paste into small pieces and put into the bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Add the sugar to the almond paste.  Beat on low speed until well combined.
4. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing well between each egg. Mix the dough just until it begins to stick to the bottom of the bowl, about 1 minute. Try not to over mix.
5. When mixed, put the dough in a pastry bag or in a ziplock bag with the corner cut off of it.
6. Spray a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.  Pipe circles of the dough onto the baking sheet, about 1 and a half inches in diameter.  Leave about 1 to 2 inches between circles. Using a wet paper towel, lightly push down on the dough circles to smooth the top of the cookies.
7. Sprinkle the cookies with some granulated sugar.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies get a dark golden color.  The cookies will begin to crack on top. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Amaretti version 2: 4.5. These would only be better with some espresso!

Culingiones - Sardinian Ravioli

Making Culingiones, which are Sardinian ravioli stuffed with cheese and spinach, was probably my proudest moment in cooking for this blog.  It was one of the most involved dishes that I've made, but more than that, it's something that I really wasn't sure I would be able to pull off. I was lucky in that my mom got me a pasta roller for my birthday, so rolling out the dough was no problem. If you don't have a pasta roller you can still make this, but rolling out the dough will be a little more tedious.

Traditionally, the ravioli is stuffed with Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses and spinach.  However, I've also seen versions that use potato as part of the filling. You will often see them made in a half moon shape with crimped edges, but for the sake of simplicity, I went with plain square ravioli.  Next time maybe I'll be a little more ambitious and go for the circlular version.  Culingiones are usually served with a simple tomato sauce or meat sauce.  However, I loved the flavors of the filling enough that I just ate it with some olive oil drizzled on top.

Culingiones - Sardinion Ravioli

Adapted from Italian Regional Cookingby Ada Boni, 1969

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

For the filling:

1/2 pound fresh spinach

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound Pecorino cheese

3 eggs

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt

Pepper

Process:

1. To create the dough, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the flour and add the 5 eggs.  Knead on a slightly floured surface until you get a smooth, elastic dough.  You may need to add water if the dough is too dry.
2. Form the dough into a ball and put into a clean bowl.  Cover with a damp towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
3. While the dough sits, make the filling.  Wash the spinach but do not dry it completely.  Put the spinach in a pan.  Cook over a moderate heat, covered, until the leaves are tender, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove the spinach from the pan.  Once it cools, squeeze the water out of it and chop it finely. 
5. Add the olive oil to the pan that you used for the spinach.  Once heated through, return the spinach to the pan and saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
6. Remove the spinach from the pan and let cool.
7. In a bowl, combine the Pecorino cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. When the spinach is cool, add it to the bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.
8. Divide the dough into four pieces.  Either using a pasta roller or a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible into rectangular sheets. 
9. Use a kitchen knife to lightly mark squares that are two inches by two inches on one of the sheets. In the middle of each 2 by 2 square, place a spoonful of the filling. Cover with another one of the pasta sheets.  Press down firmly between all of the squares to seal the pasta. Use the a knife or a ravioli form to cut out each square and check that each raviolo is sealed completely. Repeat with the rest of the pasta sheets.
10. Bring a pot of water to boil.  Season with salt. Cook the ravioli in batches until al dente.  The ravioli will only take around 4 minutes to cook.  
11. Serve hot with olive oil or marinara sauce.

Ryan's rating of Culingiones - Sardinian Ravioli - 5.

Spaghetti all'Aragosta - Spaghetti with Lobster

Sardegna is a region that really agrees with my locale.  The island has an interesting history in which seafood actually didn't play as strong as role as you would think.  Sardegna was long vulnerable for invasion, and so in the past people often traveled inland for safety.  This led to the island region having a diet that was heavy on things like pig and boar.  However, seafood now plays a more focal role in Sardinian food.  Rock lobster and sea urchins are among the seafood most commonly used.  Living in Maine, I'm able to get fresh lobster quite easily, and sometimes for less per pound than I would pay for chicken. So the recipe that I found from Sardegna for Spaghetti with Lobster sounded perfect! 

This is a really simple dish, made even simpler if you can buy lobster tails or chunk lobster tail meat rather than cooking a cutting apart an entire lobster.  The sauce is made from white wine (or fish broth), tomatoes, and onion.  This gives the dish a taste that is reminiscent of the Brodetto soup that I made from Le Marche.  This dish is absolutely delicious, and if you don't have easy (or cheap) access to lobster, you can easily make it with schrimp or scallops instead.

Spaghetti all'Aragosta - Spaghetti with Lobster

Adapted from La Cucina: The regional Cooking of Italy by the italian Academy of Cuisine, 2009

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

10 ounces diced tomatoes in their juices

1/2 cup white wine or fish broth

pinch red pepper flakes

3/4 to 1 pound lobster meat (If using full lobsters, this would be 1 to 2 lobsters totaling about 2 pounds)

salt

1 pound spaghetti

Process:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute about 3 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the wine or fish stock and the red pepper flakes to the pan.  Cook over medium heat about 15 - 20 minutes to thicken.
3. With about 10 minutes left, add the lobster to the pan and finish cooking.
4. While the sauce and lobster cook, bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add salt.  Cook the spaghetti until al dente.
5. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and lobster. Serve hot.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Spaghetti all'Aragosta/Spaghetti with Lobster - 5.

Pane Carasau and Pane Guttiau

It figures that in the last (last!?) region of Italy I would have a kitchen disaster.  A typical antipasto in Sardegna, which is the large island off of the west coast of Italy, is Pane Carasau.  This is a very crispy flatbread.  It's generally eaten with pieces of salami or cheese, but can also be modified into different dishes.  One version is Pane Guttiau, which is Pane Carasau that is topped with olive oil, pecorino cheese, and salt.  I tried to make both versions, figuring that it would be a fairly straightforward recipe.  No such luck.

Things started out well enough; the dough came together wonderfully.  However, things started to fall apart when the baking part began.  Each piece must be cooked at a very high temperature so that it balloons up.  You are then supposed to cut along the seam of each piece so that you separate the top layer from the bottom layer and then put them back in the oven to crisp up.  Well, I had a hell of a time trying to get them to balloon up correctly.  Most of my attempts got large air pockets in some areas, but not throughout, which led to me butchering the bread when I tried to separate the layers (a surgeon I am not).  I also ran into several getting too crispy in the first round of baking, which made them crack and crumble in my hands as I tried to bisect them.  I played around with the temperature, experimenting at different intervals between 400 and 500 degrees, played with the time that I baked the bread for, rolled the dough to different thicknesses and even tried different methods of baking it such as on a pizza pan, on a baking sheet, or directly on the rack.  Of 8 attempts (which should have given me 16 pieces of Pane Carasau once the cutting was done), I got about 4 pieces that seemed to resemble the pictures in the recipes in a 3rd cousin sort of way.

Conclusions?  This recipe is great if you can get it right, because it can be used with practically any cheese, meat, tapenade, or other topping that you can think of. But, it's hard to replicate in a crappy electric oven.  For this you really want a wood burning pizza oven that can reach insanely hot temperatures.  In the recipe below, I went with the method that produced the best result from all of my attempts.  If anyone manages to make this work, please let me know how you did it!

Pane Carasau

Adapted from The Ingredient Store

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup semolina flour

1 teaspoon salt

Process:

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast with 1/4 of a cup of warm water.  Let sit about 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and foamy.
2. In a large bowl,  combine the two kinds of flour and the salt.  Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture along with the remaining 3/4 of a cup of warm water.  Use a fork to gradually add the flour into the water mixture.  Once it become too difficult to use a fork, use your hands to continue mixing until you get a smooth dough.
3. Cover the bowl with a damp, clean towel and let it sit for an hour.  After an hour has passed, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl again and let the dough sit for another hour.  After an hour has passed, knead for another 5 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.
6. Cut the dough into 8 pieces.  Roll each piece out in a circle as thin as you can (should be between 12 and 15 inches in diameter).
7. Put one of the rolled out pieces of dough on a pizza pan or stone and bake for about 2 minutes.  Try to resist peaking in the oven until the time is up!
8. Pull out the dough and carefully using an oven mitt (it will be hot!), use a knife to cut horizontally along the seam to create two pieces of dough.  Put these aside for now.  Repeat this with all of your pieces of dough.
9. When all of the dough has been baked the first time and split, return them to the oven for another 30 seconds to 1 minutes, just until it crisps up and browns a little.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Pane Carasau - 2 with a potential for a 4 if I could figure it out. Hey, they can't all be home runs!

Pane Guttiau

Adapted from The Sardinia Cookbook

Ingredients:

4 pieces of Pane Carasau

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mediterranean Sea Salt

Pecorino Romano Cheese

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Sprinkle the pieces of Pane Carasau with some olive oil, salt, and pecorino cheese. 
3. Bake just until the cheese melts. 

Ryan'sSue's rating of Pane Guttiau - 3.  The cheese improves the dish, but it again would be better if the base Pane Carasau had turned out better!

Lemon Granita

In an area that gets as  hot as Sicily in the summer, you need to have a refreshing recipe like Lemon Granita on standby.  This dish is basically a kind of Italian ice.  While I made mine with lemon, you can make it with anything from peach to strawberry to champagne to espresso.  Light and cool, this dessert is perfect for the summer.  I plated mine by actually putting the Granita in a hollowed out lemon, but if you don't want to do that, or are making a different flavor, you can always just put it in a bowl, parfait glass, or other dish of your choice!

   

Lemon Granita

Recipe adapted from Group Recipes. Plating from Wolfgang Puck.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

4 jumbo lemons

Optional: Raspberries for garnish

Process:

1. In a bowl, mix the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely.
2. Cut off the top quarter of each lemon.  Cut a little off the bottom of each, just so that it can stand upright. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Use a grapefruit knife to remove the inside of the lemons.  Squeeze the pulp to retain the juice. (If you would rather serve this in a parfait glass or martini glass, etc., just squeeze the juice out of the lemons like normal.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the water and sugar mixture.
4. Pour the mixture into a glass or metal baking dish.  Put in the freezer.
5. Every 30 minutes, take the granita and scrape it with a fork to break up the ice.  Do this for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the granita is frozen solid. 
6. Scoop the granita into your lemon bowls, or into a glass if desired.  Garnish with raspberries.

Ryan's rating of Lemon Granita - 5.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a dish that I chose to include in the Sicily section of Cucina DiBella not because it's a traditional dish in Sicily, but because it could not be made without the amazing wine that is produced in the Marsala region of Sicily.  Tucked into the northwestern coast of Sicily, Marsala is best known for its wine production. However, it is also a gorgeous coastal city with much to offer. The island of Mozia, located slightly north of Marsala, is a true testament to the history of Sicily.  Here, you can see the remnants of ancient Pheonician settlements in the ruins that have been preserved and in the museum on the island.  At the same time you can see grapes being harvested and experience a wine tasting on the island.

The ruins at Mozia

 
 Grapes being harvested at Mozia
 

 
 A wine tasting at Mozia
 

Sorry for the tangent...back to the Chicken Marsala.  Though there are other ingredients that you can substitute for Marsala wine in this dish to achieve something similar, it is impossible to really replicate the taste without using real Marsala wine. If that is hard to find in your area, you could substitute sherry or even just use dry white wine and chicken broth.  The dish won't be Chicken Marsala, but you can create something delicious nonetheless. The version of Chicken Marsala that I made uses wine, butter and chicken stock to create a delicious sauce.  However, you can also add a little heavy cream to the sauce if you wish to make it even creamier and more decadent.

Chicken Marsala

Adapted from The Italian Chef

-Serves 4-

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt

pepper

oregano

1/4 cup flour

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 ounces mushrooms

1/2 cup Marsala wine

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Process:

1. Pound the chicken out to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
2. Put the flour on a plate.  Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until the chicken is golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and put on a plate. Cover to keep warm.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan.  Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the Marsala wine to the pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the brown bits - this is where much of the flavor is held.
6. Add the butter, chicken broth, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper to the pan.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half.  This will take about 5 minutes.
7. Return the chicken to the pan.  Simmer another 10 minutes.  Serve hot with pasta.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Marsala - 4.5.

Spadini

Spadini (alternate spelling: spiedini) is by far my favorite recipe from my great-grandmother.  It involves paper thin slices of beef which are rolled up with breadcrumbs, olive oil and onions, and made into kebabs.  The beef is so thin that it practically melts in your mouth.  No knives are required for this one. The filling in the beef of breadcrumbs and olive oil couldn't be more simple, and yet it has a strong, resounding flavor that sticks on your palette long after the meal is over. 

I have seen other versions of this recipe, with the biggest variance being in the filling.  Some variations call for a cheese mixture to be used as a filling.  In this variation, the beef itself is dredged in breadcrumbs, rather than using the breadcrumbs as a filling.  This does sound like an intriguing recipe, and I will likely try it sometime. However, I don't think anything could beat my Nonna's take on Spadini!

Spadini

Makes about 12 skewers, depending on how much meat you put on each one.

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef brisket or roast beef

2 medium onions

olive oil

1 cup flavored bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Skewers (Note - if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them in the oven to prevent them from burning. You will note from the picture that I did NOT follow this step.)

Process:

1. Slice the beef into paper thin strips. Note - the beef is much easier to slice if you freeze it and then let it defrost just to the point of being able to cut through it.  Slices should be paper thin and about 1 inch wide by 2 or 3 inches long.
2. Finely chop one onion. Saute the onion in olive oil. 
3. Remove the onion from the heat and add the bread crumbs and grated cheese to the onion.  If needed add a little more olive oil just so that the bread crumbs are all lightly coated in the oil.
4. Cut the second onion into large pieces (about 1 inch by 1 inch).
5. Place some of the breadcrumb mixture on a slice of beef and roll up tightly.  Place on a skewer.  Do this with all of the slices of beef, alternating the beef on the skewers with the pieces of raw onion.
6. Put the skewers on a baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes on each side.  Serve hot.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Spadini - 5.  Absolutely one of my favorites. Try it. Now. Seriously.

Penne alla Norma

While touring Sicily, I stumbled across this pasta dish, Penne alla Norma, at one of the restaurants that my friends and I ate at.  After speaking to our program coordinator, we found out that it is actually one of the classic pasta dishes from Sicily.  That's not to say you can't get it from other places around Italy.  I remember having a wonderful plate of it in San Benedetto del Tronto, which you may remember from my post on Brodetto.  My friends and I enjoyed this dish so much that when we returned to Ascoli Piceno, we spent some time in the kitchen replicating it.  Since then, it has become one of my favorite pasta dishes to make.

Penne alla Norma mixes pasta with a light tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, red pepper flakes, and some ricotta cheese.  When my friends and I replicated it, we actually used a product that we found in Italy that was close to cream, except for the fact that its state of matter was closer to a solid than a liquid.    Instead of the cream, I now use ricotta cheese, which is a more traditional ingredient for this dish.  It still creates a pinkish sauce, but also adds some texture.  I used ricotta from a tub since that's what I had on hand, but ricotta salata would be even better.  The red pepper flakes add a great kick, and really reminds you that this is a southern dish.

Penne alla Norma

-serves 6-8 people-

Ingredients:

1 pound penne

1 eggplant

salt

red pepper flakes

extra virgin olive oil

2 cups marinara sauce

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon basil

Process:

1. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Place the cubes on a paper towel.  Sprinkle salt on the eggplant and cover with another paper towel.  Let the eggplant sit for about 15 minutes to extract some of the liquid in it.
2. Put the eggplant on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and olive oil.  Put the eggplant under the broiler for a few minutes, just until they begin to get a golden brown color.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the penne and cook as directed, about 8 minutes.  Remove pasta and drain.
4. Toss the pasta with the eggplant, marinara sauce, ricotta, basil, and another pinch of red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you would like it).

Ryan's Sue's rating of Penne alla Norma - 4.5.

Arancini - Rice Balls

When I think of Sicilian cooking, one of the first things that comes to my mind is Arancini.  Rice balls filled with meat and cheese and then fried, these are a classic example of Sicilian food.  When I studied in Italy in 2006, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Sicily for a week.  My family hails from Palermo and Cefalu, so this was a dream come true for me.  While I was visiting Palermo, I found tons of little restaurants selling arancini which they wrap for you so that you can enjoy your treat as you walk around the city without having to sit down and eat. 

One of the streets in Palermo

A lovely park in the middle of Palermo
 

This snack is also one of the dishes that my Nonna used to make.  While I didn't get the chance to get to know my great-grandmother, I'm fortunate enough to have some of her recipes that have stayed in my family.  That being said, I'm going to have to ask for some forgiveness from any of my relatives who may be reading.  I did the unthinkable: I changed Nonna's recipe.  While the bulk of it I left the same, I had to cut down on the amount of butter and salt in her original recipe.  Since it was done in the name of health, I hope you all understand. Most of the time arancini is made using risotto rice such as Arborio rice. Since Nonna's recipe called for regular white rice though, I stuck with that. Arancini also often has peas mixed in with the meat that goes in the center of the rice ball. Again, I stuck with Nonna and left these out, though I did add a little mozzarella to the center of the rice balls. As you can see from my picture, I got a little excited and cut into the arancini before giving it a minute to sit.  As a result, I squashed it a little when cutting it. The taste wasn't affected though - still delicious!

Arancini

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

1 beef bouillon cube

2 egg yolks

3 tablespoons grated cheese (mozzarella or parmesan work nicely)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 pound ground beef

3-4 tablespoons marinara sauce

1/8 cup mozzarella cheese

cracker meal

3 beaten egg whites

bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Process:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.  Add the rice and bouillon cube to the water and cook until all the water has boiled away.
2. Once the rice is finished, add the egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of grated cheese, and butter or margarine.  Allow the rice to cool completely (you can stick the pot in the refrigerator if necessary).
3. Brown the ground beef in a frying pan.  Once brown, add the marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
4. Once the rice is cool, place a large spoonful of it into the palm of your hand.  Form a well in the rice.  Place a teaspoon of the meat mixture in the well and then cover with more rice.  Press firmly to form a ball.
5. Dip the rice balls in cracker meal, then into the egg whites and finally into the bread crumbs.
6. Heat your oil over medium high heat. Fry the rice balls in the oil until golden brown.  Remove from the oil and put on a paper towel to drain.
7. Serve hot with extra marinara sauce.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Arancini - 5, but I guess I'm a little biased.

Caponata

Sicilia.  This is what I've been waiting for since August when I started this blog.  This is the region that my family is from, and it was in cooking my great-grandmother's recipes that I got the inspiration for even taking on this project.  Since Cucina DiBella's inception, I have been anticipating the week that I would be able to focus my attention on my favorite of all Italian foods and the recipes that mean the most to me. Now that it's here, a week seems like entirely too little time. So, I'm actually going to do two weeks of recipes from Sicilia because, well, I feel like it. It's going to be a mix between my Nonna's family recipes and recipes for dishes that I enjoyed while visiting Sicilia. 

I guess right off the bat I'm going to contradict myself, though. The first dish that I made from Sicily, Caponata, is neither something I ate in Sicilia, nor is it a recipe of my Nonna's.  However, it is something that always graced my family's table as a part of our antipasto course at Thanksgiving, so I say it counts. 

Caponata is a delicious appetizer made of eggplant.  It can be eaten on its own or on slices of toasted bread, hot, room temperature, or cold.  My personal favorite is to eat it over toasted bread at room temperature about a day after it was made so that the flavors really meld together.  Since it is really just cutting up vegetables and then letting them cook together, Caponata really is not a complex dish.  I've seen many recipes that add raisins or even a little sugar to give the dish a hint of sweetness.  I decided not to add the raisins, but did add in a red bell pepper. This dish is delicious, and in my opinion, much better than the store-bought version! 

Caponata

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 eggplants, about 1 1/2 pounds total

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

toasted pine nuts

Process:

1. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Place the cubes on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.  Pat the eggplant down with another paper towel.  Let the eggplant sit for about 15 minutes to pull some of the liquid out of them. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Add the eggplant, onion, and garlic to the pot. Saute about 15 minutes.  Ignore the urge to add more olive oil if your eggplant absorbs the olive oil from the pot. 
4. Add the diced tomatoes, along with their juices, to the pot.  If some of the pieces of tomato are too large, cut them up.
5. Add the pepper, red wine vinegar, and capers to the pot. 
6. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Allow the mixture to simmer about 12 minutes, or until the eggplant and onion are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Mix in the basil and add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Mix in the toasted pine nuts.
9. You can eat caponata hot, warm or cold.  The flavors are at their best when served at room temperature a day or so after making it.

Ryan'sSue's rating of Caponata - 5.

Figs with Chocolate

Ok, here's an interesting Calabrian dessert for you: dried figs, stuffed with toasted almonds and cloves, and then covered in chocolate.  Let me explain to you what happened while I was making this dish.  I got tunnel vision while reading through the recipe. I read something about DIPPING things in CHOCOLATE, and everything else kind of faded away.  So, I prepared the figs as described below in recipe #1 and shown in the first picture.

However, after making this recipe the first time, I noticed that there is another suggested way to make these figs.  Rather than dipping the figs into melted chocolate after baking them, you can roll them in a mixture of cinnamon, grated chocolate, and sugar. (Recipe #2 and the second picture.) This way was definitely better.  Lesson learned: always read all options before making a recipe! You would think that would be obvious, wouldn't you?

 

Figs with Chocolate #1

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by Academia Italina Della Cucina, 2009.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almonds

1/4 tablespoon cloves, crushed

1 pounds dried figs

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the almonds on a baking sheet and put in the oven.  Bake for several minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove from the oven and roughly chop the almonds.
2. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
3. Mix the chopped almonds with the crushed cloves.
4. Cut open each fig and stuff with a little bit of the almond mixture.  Close the figs up again, pressing the seam together.
5. Put the stuffed figs on a baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until they begin to change color.
6. While the figs bake, melt the chocolate in a bowl with the cinnamon.
7. Remove the figs from the oven.  Dip the figs in the chocolate.  Place on a sheet of wax paper to cool and for the chocolate to harden.

Ryan's Sue's rating of Figs with Chocolate #1 - 3. 

 

Figs with Chocolate #2

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by Academia Italina Della Cucina, 2009.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almonds

1/4 tablespoon cloves, crushed

1 pounds dried figs

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the almonds on a baking sheet and put in the oven.  Bake for several minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove from the oven and roughly chop the almonds.
2. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
3. Mix the chopped almonds with the crushed cloves.
4. Cut open each fig and stuff with a little bit of the almond mixture.  Close the figs up again, pressing the seam together.
5. Put the stuffed figs on a baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until they begin to change color.
6. While the figs bake, mix the chocolate with the sugar and cinnamon.
7. Remove the figs from the oven.  Roll the figs in the chocolate mixture.  Allow to cool.

Ryan's Sue's rating of Figs with Chocolate #2 - 4.

Swordfish with Lemon and Capers

One area that I haven't spent much time on up until now is seafood.  Though I made some great appetizer recipes like Venetian Style Scallops and Crab all Triestina, and there was that wonderful Brodetto soup, I haven't really made any main courses that feature seafood.  Even the Stuffed Musselsfrom Liguria, which I made as a entreesimply because of the vast number that I consume at once, is really more of an appetizer.  Calabria gave me the perfect opportunity to change that.  As one would expect of this coastal region, Calabria is filled with delicious seafood.  One of the most commonly used types is swordfish.  Discovering this made me unbelievably excited.  My mom made an amazing teriyaki swordfish growing up which I absolutely loved, but that was the only way I had ever tried it.  So I was pumped to find another way to cook one of my favorite kinds of fish. 

One of the traditional ways to fix swordfish in Calabria is by sauteing the full swordfish steaks in a pan and adding lemon juice and capers.  It really is as easy as that.  This is one of those recipes that I feel silly even writing out because it's so straightforward and simple.  While swordfish is often grilled, by sauteing it in olive oil the fish gets a delicious sear to the outside, while the inside is moist and flaky.  This is a great, healthy meal that you can throw together in about 10 minutes. Can't beat that! 

Swordfish with Lemon and Capers

Adapted from

Academia Barilla

-Serves 4-

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

4 swordfish steaks, about 6 ounces each (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

salt

pepper

1/2 tablespoon oregano

1 lemon

2 tablespoons capers

Process:

1. Put the oil in a large skillet and put over a medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic cloves. Saute the cloves about 2 minutes, just to infuse the taste with the olive oil.  Remove and discard the garlic.
2. Season the swordfish with salt, pepper, and oregano.  Add the swordfish to the pan. 
3. Squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon over the fish.  For swordfish that is about 1 inch thick, cook about 5 minutes per side, or until it is just cooked through.  It's important to keep an eye on it.  Swordfish cooks, and overcooks, very quickly.
4. About 1 minute before the swordfish is done, add the capers to the pan.  If you add them at the beginning, they will burn.
5. Remove the swordfish from the pan and transfer to a plate with the capers.  Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over fish.  Garnish with some lemon zest.

Ryan's rating of Swordfish with Lemon and Capers - 4.  Personally, I think that is malarkey. I give it a 5.