Gnocchi alla Romana

Ingredients:

1 l. (1/4 gallon) milk
200 g (1 cup) semolina
250 g  (1/2 lbs) of cheese (eg Fontina cheese)
100 g (1/2 cup) butter
2 eggs
30 g  (3 tbsp) breadcrumbs
Nutmeg to taste

A fast, simple and economic dish .

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Boil the milk with about 1/2 of the butter, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. After lowering the flame, pour the semolina and keep stirring. Stir in the eggs.
After two or three minutes, the meal will begin to thicken.
Remove from heat and pour into a large pan lined with parchment paper.
With the help of a wet spoon, spread a uniform layer thickness of about 1/2 inch.
Once the meal is cooled, cut out of the disks using a mold or a glass. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the diskettes, slightly overlapping. Distributed on the gnocchi the grated cheese, some butter and breadcrumbs. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until it has formed a golden crust on the surface. Measures: For a more varied flavor, combined with more types of cheese, such as Asiago and Fontina.

Piselli alla Romana - Peas Roman Style

1 Large Bag of Frozen Peas
1 Onion
1 Stick of Celery
Olive Oil
1 Pack Pancetta or Thick Cut Bacon


Finely chop an onion and stick of celery, and sauté slowly in olive oil until soft. Now add some diced pancetta (thick bacon) and fry that too until cooked. Then add in your peas straight from the freezer with a very small amount of water, just so they have a little steam to breathe in. You can cook these gently or fiercely (and you can reheat in the microwave), so it’s a zero-stress vegetable.

Italian Bread

Once you know how, you can do lots of things with this dough. I start with a biga
or starter the day before, and leave it sit in the fridge overnight, and
complete the bread the next day. I don’t knead my bread as much as the
traditional recipes call for, but I get great results.
Even if you’ve never made bread before, you’ll find this recipe easy.
Baking Tip: You could also use a baguette pan to make long thin loaves,
or spread your dough across a well-oiled cookie sheet to make focaccia.
Rosemary Bread: Add 4 Tbs. finely chopped rosemary to the flour.
Brush the loaves with water and sprinkle with coarse sea salt just prior to baking.
Olive Bread: Add 12 oz. flavorful pitted olives, coarsely chopped to the
flour mixture.

Ingredients:

Biga:
1/2 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup Lukewarm water
2 Cups Unbleached, All-purpose Flour
Bread:
2 Cups Warm Water (about 90 degrees F.)
1 Pkg. Active Dry Yeast
5-6 Cups All-purpose, Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Salt

Directions:

For the Biga: Mix the yeast and water together, and then slowly start adding the flour, mixing well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for up to 6 hours and refrigerate overnight.
The Next Day: Place the water in a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast overtop and mix well and let sit 10 minutes until bubbly.
Add the biga, flour, and salt and stir with a wooden spoon (or mix with your hands) until everything is mixed.
The dough will be fairly wet and sticky at this point.
Cover and let stand in a warm spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled in volume.
Punch down the dough, folding it over on itself two or three times, cover and let rise once more until doubled, about 1 hour.( If you choose, you could refrigerate your dough at this time and leave it overnight to prepare the next day.)
Turn out your dough onto a floured baking sheet, and without overworking it too much shape into one large or two smaller round or oval shaped loaves, using as much extra flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
Slash across the tops of the loaves with a serrated knife or razor just prior to baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place a casserole dish with boiling water on the lower oven rack.
Bake your bread 30 minutes, turn the baking sheet around, and reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake for another 30-45 minutes.
At this point your bread should be golden brown and should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
Allow the bread to cool to room temperature and serve.

Alabama Slammer

1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz Southern Comfort peach liqueur
1/2 oz sloe gin
1 splash orange juice1 splash sweet and sour mix

Pour above ingredients into a stainless steel shaker over ice and shake until completely cold. Strain into a glass and serve.
 

Homemade Goodies - Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter

Suspended Coffee - An ispirational story I want to share.

A dear friend of mine posted this inspirational story on his Facebook page. The story was in Italian, I wanted to translate it for all of you.
I admire those people in Italy who started the "caffe' sospeso" tradition.
I hope and wish this story can touch your hearts and and that we find a way to get it started here in the States.

This story will warm you up better than a cup of coffee on a cold winter day.

While my friend and I are waiting for the coffees we ordered, two people come in the coffee shop and order "five coffees please, two for us and three suspended".
"What are suspended coffees?" I asked to my friend. "Wait and see" he answered.
Two girls come in and order the "famous" suspended coffee.
The next order is made by three lawyers, seven coffees, three for them and four suspended.
While I am wondering what is the advantage of the suspended coffees, I am enjoying the sun and the view of the square in front of the coffee shop.
Suddenly, a man dressed in raggedy clothes, looks like a beggar, comes in the coffee shop and kindly ask "do you have a suspended coffee?"

It's so simple, to pre-pay this coffee, is giving a chance to someone who cannot afford a warm meal. The tradition of the "Caffe' Sospeso" started in Naples, Italy and it is spreading around the world. In some places not only you can order a coffee, but also a sandwich or an entire meal. Starbucks UK embraced the Suspended Coffee program, customer can purchase coffee to be donated to the homeless. Let's promote it here too.

Please share this story.

"Schinken im Brotteig": Ham baked in bread

This is an old traditional recipe which used to be a popular party dish in Switzerland and Germany. Although potluck dinners are virtually unknown in these regions,“Schinken im Brotteig” (ham baked in bread) was the ideal meal for a large crowd as it could easily be prepared in advance. For larger gatherings, two or three hams would be baked and served with a variety of salads, including potato salad.

Recipe:( serves 6-8 people)

1 smoked rolled ham (Toupie ham or Alsacian ham), approx. 1 kg (2 Lbs)
- If ham is already cooked leave it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
- If ham is uncooked, cook it according to package instructions (for approx. 60 minutes per kg) in a broth of the following:
A pot of water, 3 bay leaves, a few pepper corns, 1 large onion cut into rings.

If you don’t have time to make the bread dough you can substitute with 2 packets of store-bought pizza dough.

Bread dough:
400 grams (2 1/3 cup) unbleached all purpose flour
100 grams (2/3 cup) whole wheat flour
7 grams (2 teaspoons) quick rising yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
150 ml beer, room temperature (if you don't like beer just add extra water)
200 ml water, warm


Mix all ingredients in your bread maker (dough function) or knead vigorously by hand (approx. 10 minutes). Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let dough rise at room temperature for approx. 1 hour. Knead dough again briefly to get some of the air out. If it feels wet, sprinkle with some flour. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is rectangular and large enough to wrap up the ham.

Pack ham firmly into the dough and brush edges with some water to make them stick. Make sure that the seam is at the bottom, so that it won’t burst during the baking process. 

If you have some leftover dough get creative. Cut out some nice shapes with a cookie cutter and glue on with some water.
Place ham on baking tray and bake for approx. 1 hour until nicely browned and crispy.
Normal oven: 180 ° C / 360 ° F
Convection oven: 160 ° / 320 ° F



Take bread out the oven and let it cool down a bit until it can be handled without gloves. With a sharp knife cut a lid off through the middle. Now you can carve the ham. Put the lid back on the meat to keep it warm. Before serving cut the lid into neat slices so that your guests can help themselves to ham and bread. The bread will be a little bit soggy from the meat juice but this makes it very tasty.

Serve with mustard, salad and pickles.

 

Risotto alla Zucca - Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients (6 people)

1 Lbs Pumpkin Pulp
1 Lbs Rice
8 Cups Vegetable Broth
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
6 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Medium Branch Fresh Rosemary
1/4 Cup Butter
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg Powder

Brown the garlic in the butter, add the pumpkin (if you use fresh pumkin, make sure to cut the pupl in small pieces), cook for five minutes.
Add rice, stir it for one minutet. Pour in the hot vegetable broth and cook for 15 minutes (or until broth is, absorbed by the rice) stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
When rice is ready, remove from stove and mix in the parmesan cheese. Serve.

Italian Cooking - Using the Right Rice

Risotto lovers know that northern Italians make some of the best of it, largely due to the variety of specialty grains grown and harvested there. More than 20 varieties of white rice are grown in Italy, with a large majority flourishing in Veneto, Piedmont and the fertile Po Valley.

 

 

 Arborio Rice

The rice varieties listed below may all look the same, but they command distinctly different uses since they possess varied flavors and textures. Some are ideal for producing toothsome, creamy risottos, while others are delicate enough to work deftly into desserts. Here are some of our most readily available styles and some brands to look for:

Originario: Marked by its small, pearl-like appearance, this was the go-to for risotto until Carnaroli was created in 1945 and took its place. Though still a fine risotto rice, its softer texture also works for soups and desserts; great also for asian food as sushi and stir fry. This variety comes from the Novara province of Piedmont.

 Pumpkin Risotto (Originario Rice)

Carnaroli With large oval grains that have especially high starch, it makes a velvety risotto with strong texture. For this reason, it¹s the most popular risotto rice. This lauded producer has been in Piedmont's Vercelli province since 1935.

 Risotto alla Milanese (Carnaroli Rice)

Arborio One of the most well-known Italian rices, its burnished kernels and high starch content create a creamy coating when cooked. Ideal for risotto, soups and pilaf, this brand comes from the Po Valley.

Risotto With Creamy Salmon (Arborio Rice)

Vialone Nano: Common in the Veneto region, Vialone Nano is shorter and rounder than other varietals, and also absorbs more liquid, which gives it a creamier base in cooking. Delicate and moist, it¹s a no-brainer for matching with seafood and vegetables.

 Asparagus Risotto (Vialone Rice)

 

Risotto agli Asparagi - Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients

for 4 people
400 grams (approx. 2 cups) rice, preferably arborio
1 lb. (450 g) asparagus
1/2 of a medium onion, minced
1 qt (approx. 1 liter) vegetable broth
2 cups (250 ml) water
2 Tbsp. butter (approx. 30 g)
2 Tbsp. olive oil (approx. 30 ml)
1 cup (approx. 100 g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the bottom 1/3 off of the asparagus spears and cook them in salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over low heat. Add the olive oil and the minced onions and sauté for 5 minutes, paying attention that they don’t brown. Add the rice to the onions, and stir until all grains are coated in the oil and butter. Let the rice toast in the sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cut the tips off of the cooked asparagus, and chop the spears into 1/4 inch (just over .5 cm) pieces. Discard any tough parts of the spear, and add the tips and chopped asparagus to the rice and onion mixture. Stir together.
In a separate saucepan, bring the vegetable broth and water to a boil. Adjust the heat of the rice mixture to medium-low, and add the broth to the rice one ladle at a time, stirring well in between until the rice absorbs the liquid and the risotto assumes a creamy consistency. Be patient; this process will take 30-40 minutes. When the last of the liquid is absorbed, stir in the grated Parmigiano. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve immediately with a dusting of Parmigiano on top.

Risotto alla Milanese

Ingredients

7 cups chicken broth (homemade stock or low-sodium store-bought)
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp saffron threads
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup finely minced onion
2 cups carnaroli or arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Bring broth to a boil in a large pot and set aside at a simmer on the stove. Boil 1/2 cup water and pour into a glass measuring cup; add saffron threads and set aside. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add onion, and sauté until soft but not brown, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice, making sure to coat each grain, and let toast for just a minute. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the wine. It will bubble up, so keep your distance! Return the pan to the heat. When the liquid is absorbed, begin adding broth, 1 ladleful at a time, letting each bit of liquid be absorbed. After 2 cups are added, stir the saffron water into the rice. Continue adding broth, reserving 1/4 cup at the end. Remove from heat. Add butter and cheese, and stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Add in reserved 1/4 cup broth and stir to desired creaminess. Season to taste with black pepper, and serve immediately.

Gourmet Burgers

Burgers with a sweet or a zesty twist. I made these few days ago and I received thumbs up from my family. I used sliced bread because my family like the toasted bread, but you can use regular hamburger buns.

Ingdredients

For the Burgers:

2 LBS Ground Beef (the leanest the better)
3 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 Cup Breadcrumbs
2 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
1 Tsp McCormick Hamburger Spices
1 TSP Allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil to cook (if you cook them in a skillet)
Cheese Slices

For the Sweet Taste:

1 Large Red Apple
1 Large Navel Orange
Cramberry Sauce
Cinnamon to taste

For the Zesty Taste:

1 Large Onion
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup fresh Rosemary Leaves
Mac and Cheese (optional)


In a large bowl mix the ground beef, garlic, eggs, breadcrumbs, spices, salt and pepper. Pour flour on the meat and incorporate. Form 8 1/4 pounders burgers.
Grill  the burgers(or cook them in a skillet with olive oil).

While cooking the burgers prep the sauces. Blend the apple and the orange with a pinch of cinnamon,
pour in a small bowl.
Blend the onion, rosemary, dijon mustard adding a very small amount of water, pour in a small bowl.

For the sweet taste, spread the sweet composte on two tosted bread slices (or hamburger bun), add burger, cheese slice, cramberry sauce. Ready to serve.

For the Zesty taste, spread zesty composte on two tosted bread slices (or hamburger bun), add burger, cheese slice. Add some mac and cheese (kids will love this add on) and serve.

Penne Rigate al Provolone dolce - Penne Rigate with Sweet Provolone

 

 

Ingredients for 4 people
 
1 Pack of Penne Pasta
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sweet Provolone, Grated
1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
3 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
Black Pepper
 
Cook the pasta. In a saucepan melt the butter, add the tomato sauce, the provolone and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well until the provolone is completely melted. Add to cooked pasta immediately. Sprinkle with parsley.

Farfalle alla Ricotta - Butterfly Pasta with Ricotta Sauce

Ingredients for 4 people
 
1 Pack Farfalle Pasta (I use Barilla, Buitoni or De Cecco, these are real Italian brands)
1 Chopped Small Onion
1 Fresh Parsley Bunch, Chopped
5 1/2 oz Ricotta
1 Lbs Peeled and Chopped Roma Tomatoes (you can use the can whole tomatoes for a quicker version)
3 Tbsp Extra vergin Olive Oil
Salt for the pasta's water
Black Pepper

Cook the farfalle following the box instructions, do not overcook, pasta is always better "al dente".

While the pasta is cooking, brown the onion in the olive oil, add the parsley and stir for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook on medium- high for 10 minutes, stirring the sauce very often. Add the ricotta cheese, stir well until it looks creamy.
Add to pasta, mix sauce and farfalle adding a pinch of black pepper.

Quick Marinara Sauce

2 Cup Tomato Sauce
4 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Teaspoon Chopped Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Minced Garlic (or Garlic Powder)

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, mixin well. Simmer mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve. Perfect as dipping sauce, or for a fast spaghetti dinner Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in air thight container up to 1 week. You can also make batches of sauce and freeze them for 3 months.

Filet Mignon in Brandy Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Brandy
4 Filet Mignons (trimmed), 6 ounces each
3/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Pecan Oil (if you cannot find it use olice oil)
1/2 Chopped Rosemary Leaves

Combine the Worcestershire, mustard and brandy in a small bowl and wisk to blend. Set aside.
season the filets with salt and cayenne pepper. Combine the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the filets and cook for about  minutes on each side for medium-rare. Brush the sauce over the filets and cook for a minute longer. transfer the filets to a platter and pour the pan juice over then to serve. Sprinkle the rosemary over the filets and serve.

Gnocchi di Patate al Burro e Salvia - Potatoes Dumplings (from scratch) with Butter and Sage

Small dumplings (Gnocchi) are one of the oldest preparations in the history of food, recorded as far back as cookbooks of the thirteenth century. In a fragment of a book of the 1300s there is a recipe for gnocchi written in the Tuscan dialectal language .

In spite of the long description, gnocchi are very easy to prepare. Gnocchi can be dressed with many sauces, but are especially good with pesto, Amatriciana sauce, Ragu', four cheeses, butter and fresh tomato sauce, or very simply butter and sage as in this presentation. The taste of the butter - sage dressing is very delicate and will enhance the taste of the gnocchi. Gnocchi are also one very refined dishes, worthy of the most sophisticated menus.

 

Ingredients

 

for the gnocchi2 lb (approximately 1 kg) whole old russet potatoes, unpeeled2 cups (approximately 300 gr) flour1 egg (optional)1 tablespoon salt

for the dressing
2 oz (60 gr) butter4 - 5 fresh sage leaves3 oz (90 gr) freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Wash the potatoes, place them in a large stock pot filled with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft without overcooking to prevent them from breaking. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Peel immediately while potatoes are still hot and mash them on a work surface using a potato masher or a food mill.

 

When the potatoes are still warm but cool enough to be handled, shape them in a mound with a well in the center.

 



Add 1 cup (150 gr) of the flour, the egg, and salt. Draw the ingredients together and mix to form a dough.

 

 



At this point the dough will be sticky on your hands. Sprinkle a little of the remaining flour on the dough and work the dough with your hands until the potato dough incorporates the flour.

 

 

Continue adding flour a little at a time and kneading the dough, until the potato dough is no longer too sticky. The dough must be soft and fluffy: avoid incorporating too much flour.

 

 

 

Cut the dough into four pieces. Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour, and place the first piece on it.

 

 

 

Roll the dough into one or two long sticks approximately 3/4 inch (2 cm) in diameter. 

 
Then cut the sticks into pieces 3/4 inch (2 cm) long.

Roll the pieces in your hands to give them a rounded oval shape.

 

 

Roll the pieces along the prongs of a common fork using one finger, in a way that the side of the piece running along the fork will be ruffled and the side you are pressing with your finger will be a little concave.

 

 

Fill a stockpot three quarters full with water, bring to a boil, and add salt. When the water is at a fast boil, drop the gnocchi in a few at a time to avoid damaging them. The gnocchi will fall to the bottom of the pot.

 

 

In a skillet large enough to contain the gnocchi, place the butter and sage leave. Turn heat to medium to melt the butter.

 

 

After about 1 – 2 minutes the gnocchi will come up to the surface, and this will be the sign that they are cooked. Don't drain gnocchi in a colander as you would do with pasta. Gnocchi are very soft and may be damaged. Instead remove them as soon as they float to the surface, with the help of a large slotted spoon or strainer, draining thoroughly.

 

 

Transfer the gnocchi to the skillet and sauté briefly, stirring gently with a large spoon, until the gnocchi are fully covered by the butter.

 

 

Transfer to a serving dish, top with the grated parmigiano cheese. Serve hot at once.

 

Italian Easter Bread

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 Pkg Yeast

1/4 Cup Warm Water

1/2 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Sugar

6 Egg Yolks

1/2 Tsp Salt

3/4 Cup Warm Milk

1 Tsp Lemon Zest, Grated

2 Tsp Vanilla

4 1/4 Cup Flour

1 Tsp Melted Butter

1 Egg White, Scrambled

6 Colored Eggs (Raw)

 

 

Sprinkle yeast in warm water to dissolve. Cream butter and beat in sugar, egg yolks and salt. Then stir in warm milk, lemon zest, vanilla and yeast mixture. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining flour, then place dough on floured board and knead.

Place dough in greased bowl and top with a little melted butter. Let rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then knead again.

Cut dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a rope. Form 3 ropes into a braid (you will get two loaves). Nestle colored raw eggs throughout each braid. Brush top of loaves with egg whites. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

 

 

20-24 large jalapeno peppers (as large as possible)

16 oz (453.59 g) cream cheese room temp. (2 packages Philadelphia works best)

4 large garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup (59.1 ml) finely chopped sun-dried tomato

2 tablespoons (29.58 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) coarse sea salt (to taste)

1 pound (453.59 g) thin bacon slices

toothpick, soaked for about 15 minutes in water

 

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese, garlic, sundried tomatoes, cilantro and salt until well blended. You can now set the mixture aside or even freeze for up to a couple of months in a freezer bag.
2. You'll want to wear some kitchen gloves for this step! Slice the jalapeños lengthwise, being careful not to slice them in half. Then slice at the top along the width of the pepper just about a quarter inch below the base of the stem until you cut through the core, again being careful not to cut completely through the pepper (This step will probably take some practice). Now you need to decide whether you want to keep the seed webbing for those that like it really hot, or remove them for a lot less heat. I like to do about half and half so that you can please everyone. Anyway, if removing the seeds, gently remove the core using a paring knife by spreading the pepper carefully, you may need to shake some of the remaining seeds out.
3. Separate the strips of bacon and cook in the microwave for about 5 minutes on high, just enough to give it a head start. Then pat dry with paper towels. Just to soak up some of the grease. Set it aside to cool.
4. Fill either a pastry bag or just a freezer bag (cutting one corner out), and pipe some of the filling into each pepper until full but still able to almost close the pepper.
5. Wrap each pepper with a strip of bacon then use two or three toothpicks to secure the pepper closed.
6. Place the jalapeños on a medium heat grill and cook until the bacon is crisp. you'll need to turn frequently to heat them evenly. you may even want to use foil to prevent the mess. I find that by cooking the bacon a little first and not over filling that you'll get minimal mess however
7. Let them sit for about 5 to 10 minutes and serve them up! Don't forget which ones have the seeds!