tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68497673075917593622023-12-22T02:23:17.724-08:00MangiandobeneMangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-21422005333954893532014-04-13T17:02:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:08.569-08:00Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu6n9AjVlAM/U0sjNBVt2EI/AAAAAAAABqc/sB3zF_B0wZE/s1600/dates+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu6n9AjVlAM/U0sjNBVt2EI/AAAAAAAABqc/sB3zF_B0wZE/s320/dates+1.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAzXRlSDH-s/U0sjNLeb1hI/AAAAAAAABqg/7ISu2v2SpMo/s1600/dates+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAzXRlSDH-s/U0sjNLeb1hI/AAAAAAAABqg/7ISu2v2SpMo/s320/dates+2.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Tapas, little food samplers, are taking over our tables nowadays. It is a lot of fun to be able to create your own version of these small culinary delicacies. I personally enjoy this way of eating a lot, because it gives me an opportunity to try different local flavors on a variety of plates. It also enhances the chance to socialize with one another, without having to eat a full meal. One particular tapas that really hit the spot was something I tried a few times, without ever being disappointed: Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.<br /><br /> It is true that bacon can make just about anything taste good. The combination of the savory bacon, smooth creaminess of the goat cheese, and the sweetness of a date are a true winning combination. These dates are SO simple to make, and they are totally delicious! I love them because it's easy to make lots for social gatherings, and they can be assembled ahead of time.<br /><br /> Ingredients:<br /><br />18 pitted Medjool dates<br /> 4 oz. goat cheese<br /> 9 slices of bacon drizzle of maple syrup<br /><br /> To start with, heat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, start stuffing your dates. Slice open the top of each date, and stuff it with 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite goat cheese. Then take a half of a strip of bacon. Wrap the half strip of bacon around the date, and secure it with a toothpick. Arrange all of the dates on a parchment paper lined backing baking sheet. Bake the dates for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn them over to brown the other side. Bake them for about 5 more minutes. At this point the dates are ready to eat, but I prefer them a little more golden brown.<br /><br />So, what I like to do is drizzle them very lightly with a little maple syrup, then turn the broiler on for a few minutes. Keep a REALLY close eye on them, as they can become overdone quickly. When they reach your desired golden brown color, remove from the oven, and serve right away. They are also tasty at room temperature, but I prefer right out of the oven. They are wonderful with a glass of your favorite red wine. Enjoy!Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-15377977227402140892014-02-10T18:40:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:08.871-08:00Costicine al Lambrusco<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9OsSeS8ro7Q/UvmNCamX1-I/AAAAAAAABOQ/v9gTcYj6mYI/s1600/costicine+al+lambrusco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9OsSeS8ro7Q/UvmNCamX1-I/AAAAAAAABOQ/v9gTcYj6mYI/s1600/costicine+al+lambrusco.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div> <br /><br /><br />When I visit Italy back home, I always want to take a day or two to visit my friends in Modena. They are special people, with a good heart and a great " joie de vivre". Maybe because they are surrounded by incredible food or some of the best sport cars in the world. Or maybe because they can go to the "Trattoria Il Fantino" any time they please, while I just have to settle down for drooling memories of my recent visit. This place was a wealth of surprises from the moment we stepped in. I learned throughout my life that when it comes to restaurants, lavish looks can be deceiving. But the moment you enter this place, there is a domestic, familiar feeling to it, like I was visiting some family members or close friends. The owner and his assistant are very simple, pleasant, friendly people, that welcome you with a warm, genuine smile. We were of course there for the traditional Gnocco Fritto and Tigelle, which came in abundance, accompanied with any sort of heavenly cold cuts and rivers of Lambrusco, you can only find in this city. My young son, not a big fan of Tigelle or cold cuts, was somewhat disappointed so we asked if there was anything else that we could have to please his young taste. And that's where the pleasant surprise arrived. A warm oval plate of steaming baby ribs, slowly simmered for two hours with onion, celery and carrots and plenty of Lambrusco. The end result was that my son, being the meat eater he is, was finally ecstatic, and we had to order another big full plate, since we realized that that everyone at the table was eyeing the first plate with envy and desire. Obviously, the owner, chef, being the simple, humble and incredible guy that he is, took me in the kitchen, and after a few minutes of lively soccer discussion he decided to share the simple recipe with me.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />a rack of baby back ribs, cut into individual parts<br />2 carrots finely chopped<br />2 celery stalks finely chopped<br />1 onion finely chopped<br />sprig of rosemary finely chopped (optional)<br />1 bottle of lambrusco<br />salt<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/4 cup beef stock, additional if liquid needed.<br /><br />In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil until very hot. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery and saute until somewhat golden. Next, over high heat, add the ribs, and give them a nice golden brown seer all over. Add salt, and a little broth. If you want to add a little rosemary, do so now. Next add the whole bottle of lambrusco, it should cover the ribs completely. Over medium low heat, allow the ribs to simmer in the lambrusco until the wine is all evaporated. Stir occasionally, they will probably need to simmer for a good two hours. The lambrusco will develop into a delicious sauce for your absolutely tender delectable ribs. The ribs should become so tender, they will be pulling away from the bone. Serve with some nice oven roasted potatoes, and a bottle of the best lambrusco you can find. The results are sure to be delightful.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-91100678679707409952012-12-30T20:38:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:09.089-08:00Gramigna con la Salsiccia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThcpjLZYj3c/UOEWfW6Oo5I/AAAAAAAAAis/E5vs6mGiKTM/s1600/gramigna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThcpjLZYj3c/UOEWfW6Oo5I/AAAAAAAAAis/E5vs6mGiKTM/s640/gramigna.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Emilia Romagna is known in Italy for its strong culinary tradition. This dish exemplifies all that is delicious about the region, and it's rustic comfort food. It is most typically found in or around the countryside of Bologna. Gramigna literally means "little weeds", it is a curly looking kind of egg pasta that is not easily found outside of the region, but you can substitute dried cavatappi or casarecce with good results if you need to. The nice thing about the sausage ragu is that it can easily be prepared in advance and reheated. Perfect for a cold winter evening, it never disappoints.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 lb. gramigna or 1lb. dried cavatappi or casarecce<br /><br />For the sauce: <br />1 1/2 - 2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage<br />3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil<br />1 onion finely chopped<br />1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley<br />1 carrot minced<br />1 clove minced garlic<br /> 2-3 sage leaves<br />1 tablespoon tomato paste<br />1 cup dry white wine<br />1 lb. roma tomatoes chopped or 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes with their liquid<br />1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese<br /><br />In a large skillet, brown the sausage meat which you will remove from its casing. As the sausage is browning, break it apart into small pieces as you stir with a wooden spoon. This should take about 15 minutes. Then, remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pan. Next add the olive oil to the skillet keeping the heat to medium. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, and parsley, and saute for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown and become golden.<br /><br /> Next, add the sausage back into to pan with the sage, stir for a few minutes. Then, add the tomato paste and the wine. Bring to a low boil, stirring often for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and leave the sauce mostly unattended for another 10-15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Finally, add the chopped tomatoes (either fresh or from a can), and bring the sauce back to a boil. Return to simmer and stir often for about 5-10 minutes. You probably don't need to add salt, but do taste to check for seasoning.<br /><br /> While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a strong boil. Drop in the pasta, and cook according to package directions or desired doneness. It should be al dente. When pasta is done drain it in a colander. <br /><br />Once the sauce is ready, Add the pasta to the skillet along with about half of the grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Toss to combine completely. Then serve your pasta family style in a large serving dish, or in individual pasta bowls, with the remaining cheese dusted on top. Serve with a nice warm baguette to enjoy with any remaining sauce, and a nice bottle of red wine such as a sangiovese or chianti.<br />Buon Appetito! Enjoy!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-4634477977238441982012-12-01T19:59:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:09.314-08:00Zucchine ripiene<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-awJpmZxbqyg/ULrBCV4jCBI/AAAAAAAAAgo/DIeLim_FVos/s1600/DSC_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-awJpmZxbqyg/ULrBCV4jCBI/AAAAAAAAAgo/DIeLim_FVos/s640/DSC_0046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />This recipe is somewhat hard to define,because it contains meat and vegetable and it could either be an antipasto or an excellent main course. Zucchini is another incredibly versatile vegetable. I can think of at least five or six different ways of cooking them in an exquisite and tasty way. You can obviously fry zucchini, saute them, you can mince them and make an incredible risotto, the possibilities are endless. I wanted to introduce this specific recipe because I thought that the combination on vegetable and meat has always given me great satisfaction.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />5 medium size zucchini<br />1 egg yolk<br />1 whole egg<br />10 ounces of mix of ground veal and pork<br />3 tbsp of fresh Parmesan cheese<br />1 whole boiled potato<br />Nutmeg<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br /><br />For the tomato sauce:<br /><br />1 can of crushed tomatoes<br />1 onion<br />1 tbsp oil of olive<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFkh32XHmd8/ULrCkhmzTQI/AAAAAAAAAhI/dXnfU623Dn8/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFkh32XHmd8/ULrCkhmzTQI/AAAAAAAAAhI/dXnfU623Dn8/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q23F0T4JyKk/ULrCqApnA6I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/8_9JWFkrDg4/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q23F0T4JyKk/ULrCqApnA6I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/8_9JWFkrDg4/s400/DSC_0036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />The first step is to hollow the zucchini with a sharp knife. Make sure to make the hole inside a good size, so the meat filling can fit well. Then, in a bowl, combine the ground veal and pork, eggs, boiled potato, Parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Next we will stir the mixture. Meanwhile you need to prepare the tomato sauce in a pan. First put a little olive oil, then add the finely chopped onions and the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt. Th final step is to stuff the zucchini with the mixture of meat and add it to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot. Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-25439390747284071382012-11-21T19:07:00.000-08:002023-01-21T15:19:58.269-08:00Spaghetti alla busara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ekZovE6Dwl0/UK2TK7rp5UI/AAAAAAAAAeo/OsXwCBbBnew/s1600/busara.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ekZovE6Dwl0/UK2TK7rp5UI/AAAAAAAAAeo/OsXwCBbBnew/s640/busara.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />It's no mystery, by now, to whomever reads this blog , that I love seafood. Seafood is, for the most part extremely healthy. It is also very versatile, in the way that it can be prepared in a multitude of ways with different combinations and ideas, according to everyone's creativity. I'm also a big fan of shellfish and I like the fact that you can find different kinds of seafood in different parts of the world. It gives us a nice excuse to travel around. ( I know TV is already saturated with food adventurers and travelers of every sort..) This particular pasta I'm introducing finds its roots in the Adriatic Sea. There are a lot of different varieties of shellfish, but the best scampi were to be found on the Dalmatian coast in the past 100 years, specifically on the waters adjacent the city of Fiume, once Italian now belonging to Croatia, named Rijeka. We settled for a more modest quality of scampi, but the process and the different ingredients are a perfect combination to give this delicious plate a variety of flavors, whether is summer or winter.<br /><br />Ingredients :<br /><br />2 lbs of fresh scampi ( frozen , imported are also okay)<br />2 cups of fresh tomato sauce<br />2 garlic cloves<br />1/2 cup of breadcrumbs<br />1/3 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil<br />1/4 cup of parsley finely minced<br />1 cup of white wine<br />1 box of spaghetti<br /><br />Start by letting the oil simmer in a large pan and add the two garlic cloves, until they get golden color. Add the scampi one by one. Let them cook slowly for ten minutes, gently moving them from side to side. At this time it is also a good idea to put the pasta to boil on a separate pot. Make sure you read the cooking time for the pasta, to avoid having overcooked , mushy spaghetti. When the scampi reach a nice pink color, you can add the wine, slowly pouring it around the whole pan. Let the wine evaporate gently for about three minutes. Then, sprinkle the breadcrumbs around the scampi and next the parsley, always trying to spread it evenly. The last step is to add the tomato sauce with a large spoon. After the sauce with the tomato has simmered for five minutes, it is now time to add the spaghetti, which should have been already cooked and strained. Mix gently the pasta with the scampi and sauce and serve with a nice chilled white wine.<br /><br />check out the video of this recipe on our youtube channel !<br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/MH421b7frGk">Spaghetti alla Busara</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-28267909931895966542012-04-15T18:21:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:09.767-08:00Risotto al nero di seppia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8KEawsk9O-8/T4msxIlHcmI/AAAAAAAAAd4/03pHBqL5_NM/s1600/Risotto+nero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8KEawsk9O-8/T4msxIlHcmI/AAAAAAAAAd4/03pHBqL5_NM/s640/Risotto+nero.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Risotto has always been a very interesting dish to cook, because as in many other Italian dishes, one can be very creative in using different ingredients and combinations. My "comfort food" type of risotto has always been risotto with peas, easy to make and very tasty. However, since I came from a traditional seafood oriented city, there are a lot of variations that are worth mentioning. Many restaurants located along the Italian coast create incredibly tasty seafood risotto. The beauty of it is that you can use the fresh seafood locally found and use it as a main ingredient. Some of these restaurants have been doing it for such a long time that they have a long tradition. Trying to replicate their recipes is virtually impossible. It is worth mentioning that this particular staple is relatively new to Italy, where in asian countries rice has been grown and consumed for about 7000 years and is still nowadays one of the major components of asian cuisine. Today I 'd like to introduce an interesting variation of risotto, made with cuttlefish and squid ink, hence the black coloration in the final result. The black ink doesn't give out significant flavor to the final product, but the cuttlesfish tastes really good and pleasing for those who are really into seafood.<br /><br />Ingredients :<br /><br />1 and 1/2 Onion<br />1/2 Carrot<br />1 pound of cleaned cuttlefish (you can use calamari instead)<br />1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil <br />2 packets of squid ink available at fish markets or specialty stores<br />1 and 1/2 cups of arborio rice<br />1 cup dry white wine<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />2 tablespoons of unsalted butter<br />1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley<br /><br />Before beginning to cook the risotto, bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil, and and drop the peeled onion and half carrot inside. This is to serve as the broth you will use to cook the risotto. Let it continue to boil as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. After about 20 minutes, reduce it to a simmer. <br /><br />To make the risotto, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. When the olive oil is nice and hot, add the diced onion and stir it occasionally until the onion is soft, about 5-10 minutes. Next, add the rice to the onion/olive oil mixture, and let it brown for about 2 minutes, stirring nearly constantly. At this point you are ready to add the two packets of squid ink and the pound of cuttlefish, which you will have cleaned and cut into strips a little less than a centimeter wide. Stir to combine.<br /><br />Now you will add the cup of wine to the mixture, along with the broth you made with the onion and carrot. Ladle the broth into the mixture until the rice is just covered. Continue stirring pretty much constantly for about 15 minutes. As cooking liquid is absorbed, add more broth as needed. Continue stirring and cooking until the rice is soft, but not mushy. It should be al dente. When the rice is nearly done, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the butter and parsley. Your risotto is now ready to serve. This dish pairs particularly well with a nice prosecco, or other dry sparkling wine you prefer. Buon Appetito! Enjoy!<br /><br /><br />Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-45333578495653543642012-03-04T16:24:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:09.986-08:00Olive Ascolane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qVA23CtPIZ8/T1QGrTkCk9I/AAAAAAAAAdU/ALvhabFhQT0/s1600/Oilve+Ascolane+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qVA23CtPIZ8/T1QGrTkCk9I/AAAAAAAAAdU/ALvhabFhQT0/s640/Oilve+Ascolane+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Olive ascolane are deliciously stuffed green olives which are breaded and fried. They are originally from the Le Marche region of Italy. Thankfully, they are widely found all over Italy, and are easily made at home. In Italy, I would mostly enjoy them as an appetizer at a pizzeria. Olive ascolane are a great crowd pleasing appetizer. All the work can be done ahead of time, so they can just be quickly dropped in the fryer when you're ready to eat and enjoy. While the ideal olive to use for this recipe is the original from Ascoli, they are not available where I live. I have found success with this recipe using other kinds of green olive. I usually try to find a jar of nice, large, green olives. The ones I find are usually from Spain. If they have a pit, of course you need to pit them. I usually end up buying the ones that are stuffed with pimiento peppers, and then I just easily take those out, and the olive has a nice cavity ready to fill.<br /><br />Ingredients for about 100 olives:<br />I large jar of green olives<br />canola oil or other oil for frying <br /><br />for the filling:<br />1 carrot, diced<br />1/2 onion diced<br />1 celery stalk, diced<br />1/4 lb ground beef<br />1/4 lb ground pork<br />1/4 lb. ground chicken<br />salt to taste <br />1/2 cup white wine<br />1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<br />1 egg for filling, plus 2 or more for coating olives<br />2 pieces white bread, crust removed, torn into small crumbles<br />extra virgin olive oil <br /><br />to coat the olives:<br />flour<br />eggs<br />bread crumbs<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ww5hFqzMVc/T1QGuoPM1II/AAAAAAAAAdc/9Gpc8_0wSZY/s1600/Oilve+ascolane+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ww5hFqzMVc/T1QGuoPM1II/AAAAAAAAAdc/9Gpc8_0wSZY/s400/Oilve+ascolane+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />To make the filling, first make a soffritto, by finely chopping the carrot, onion, celery and onion in a mixer. Saute the mixture in extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until it is soft. Then add the ground beef, pork, and chicken. When the meat is browned, add salt to taste, then add the 1/2 cup of white wine. Stir often over medium heat until the wine has been absorbed. At this point remove the meat mixture from the heat and let it cool.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W2T55vcQLQk/T1QGxkY7W8I/AAAAAAAAAdk/ypnmO56ijV0/s1600/Olive+ascolane+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W2T55vcQLQk/T1QGxkY7W8I/AAAAAAAAAdk/ypnmO56ijV0/s400/Olive+ascolane+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Once the meat mixture has cooled, put it in your mixer and pulse it until it becomes homogeneous. Then put it in a mixing bowl, and add the egg, parmigiano reggiano cheese, and the two pieces of bread that you have crumbled into pieces. Stir the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined, and then leave it rest for about 30 minutes.<br /><br />Get your olives ready to be stuffed. Remove pits, or any peppers, etc. the olive may have had. Prepare three small bowls to coat them first flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. Start with two eggs, and beat them with a whisk. You may need to put more egg later, depending on how many olives you are making.<br /><br />Fill each olive with as much filling as you can fit inside of it, I find a demi spoon and fingers work best. Dip each stuffed olive first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally a generous coating of the bread crumbs. After all of the olives have been coated in bread crumbs, let them rest for about 30 minutes. Then, I recommend giving each olive another egg and bread crumb coating. This will make them extra crunchy and tasty. If you are short on time, you can just do the one coating, but it's better to do them both.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vnvNnicxW3c/T1QGz2WxBvI/AAAAAAAAAds/-e8hefu0BPE/s1600/Olive+ascolane+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vnvNnicxW3c/T1QGz2WxBvI/AAAAAAAAAds/-e8hefu0BPE/s400/Olive+ascolane+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Finally, heat your oil in the fryer until it is nice and hot, about 360 degrees. Drop the olives in the oil in small batches, and fry them for about 2-3 minutes, until they have a nice uniform golden brown color. When they are done, remove them and set them in a dish lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve them hot, and be amazed how quickly they will disappear as your guests enjoy them. They are really versatile, and taste great with beer, wine, or any other favorite beverage.<br />Buon Appetito!Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-70033094255995855812012-02-22T18:08:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:10.205-08:00Brasato di Manzo al Sangiovese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Oi1C81v84/T0WfeZ7Ap8I/AAAAAAAAAdI/hwrbrcY0nYQ/s1600/Brasato+al+Sangiovese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Oi1C81v84/T0WfeZ7Ap8I/AAAAAAAAAdI/hwrbrcY0nYQ/s640/Brasato+al+Sangiovese.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Brasato di manzo simply means braised beef in Italian. Nothing can be more comforting or satisfying than a delicious piece of meat that has slowly tenderized after hours of simmering. This is the perfect meal to enjoy on a chilly winter day, or any time you have a need for rustic cuisine. When I prepare this dish, I like to braise the meat for about 3 hours, until it is perfectly tender and delightful. And while I look forward to the meal to come as the cooking aroma fills the house, just as wonderful as the main course is the leftovers to follow. I usually serve the short ribs with some oven roasted fingerling potatoes as a side dish. Luckily, there is always lots of sauce/braising liquid left over at the end. For a future meal, you can reduce the braising liquid to a nice consistency for a pasta sauce. Cut up any leftover short ribs into small pieces, and add it to the sauce. Serve over a nice egg pasta such as pappardelle with a generous dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano on top. Can't be beat!<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />4 large short ribs, about 10 inches each, cut half into 8 smaller pieces<br />1 onion diced<br />1 carrot diced<br />1 celery stalk diced<br />1 28 oz. can crushed or chopped tomatoes. I prefer crushed.<br />1 bottle Italian red wine, a Sangiovese works well.<br />1 sprig fresh rosemary<br />32 oz. beef stock <br />1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />sea salt<br />pepper<br /><br />Before cooking, generously season your short ribs with salt and pepper. In a 5.5 quart skillet, or other similar size cooking vessel, heat the olive oil until very hot. Brown the short ribs on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes. Once ribs have a nice sear, remove them from the skillet, and set aside.<br /><br />In the same sauce pan, keep the heat high, and add the diced carrot, onion, and celery. Stir often until they soften and begin to take on a nice golden color, probably about 5 minutes. When they look ready, add the can of crushed tomatoes, the bottle of wine and the rosemary. I chop the rosemary finely. Stir well, being sure that all the ingredients combine. When sauce comes to a boil, I often choose to add a little bit of sugar, maybe two tablespoons, to take away any unwanted acidity from the tomatoes.<br /><br />Next, return the short ribs to the skillet, and pour in the beef stock until the ribs are just about covered. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the skillet and allow the ribs to simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally. The meat should become very, very tender.<br /><br />Once the meat has cooked for the necessary amount of time, remove it from the skillet and set aside. Then, leaving the sauce uncovered, turn the heat up, and allow it reduce to a nice thick consistency. Right before serving, return the ribs to the sauce for a few minutes to reheat. Then serve the short rib on a plate with a generous helping of sauce on top. As I said, roasted fingerling potatoes are a great accompaniment. Also, a nice baguette is perfect for sweeping up any remaining sauce. Don't forget to treat yourself to a nice bottle of red wine to go with. You could stick to a nice Sangiovese, or go for a nice Brunello di Montalcino.<br /><br />Most importantly, once the meal is over, and the leftover sauce is cooled, put it away and save it for your future meal as a sauce over pappardelle.<br /><br />Enjoy your meal. You are in for a real treat. :)Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-82366457937053402772012-02-02T18:32:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:10.424-08:00Seppie in umido con polenta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lts2y6tqsDc/Tys0RiwSyXI/AAAAAAAAAc8/3Ogg2j9OuoI/s1600/Seppie+in+umido+con+polenta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lts2y6tqsDc/Tys0RiwSyXI/AAAAAAAAAc8/3Ogg2j9OuoI/s640/Seppie+in+umido+con+polenta.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Seafood had always been a passion of mine and a costant presence in my family cooking. Besides being, for the most part, healthy and fairly simple to cook, seafood allows a certain degree of creativity and versatility. One element of cooking that I particularly value and enjoy is the simple ingredients and the way of cooking them. This finds its root in very poor generations of families during war times and other periods of economic depression, where families had to use ingredients found locally at a very cheap price. By default these ingredients had to be extremely fresh. These two elements, in my opinion, happen to be two golden rules of successful and delicious recipes, fresh and local ingredients. This is particularly true with the recipe I chose today. In fact I found it very "interesting" for a lack of a better word, how traditional poor people food, so tasty and authentic, got so "glamorous" and "trendy" in so many restaurants worldwide. Cornmeal should not be very expensive at all, but call it "polenta" and it assumes a whole different connotation. I think this phenomena has affected the wine culture as well, where something so simple and enjoyable, became "trendy" and, as a consequence, more expensive. <br />One other interesting but fun challenge I came accross lately is the generalization of some food, seafood in this case. I used cuttlefish for this recipe, but many friends were suggesting that squid was what I needed, where in fact "seppie" and "calamari" are very distinct types of fish, even if they belong to the same family :)<br />In many Venetian restaurants seppie are very popular prepared grilled, cooked with risotto with black ink ( coming soon here) and, of course, with tomato sauce and polenta.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1.5 lbs of cuttlefish<br />1.5 lbs of chopped fresh toamtoes<br />1/2 cup of dry white wine<br />1/2 onion diced<br />1 garlic clove<br />salt <br />pepper<br />extra virgin olive oil<br /><br />For the Polenta:<br />500 grams of corn flour<br />8 cups water<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After having cleaned the cuttlefish, cut them into strips no larger than half an inch thick. In a large pot simmer the oil together with the garlic clove finely minced and the onion, until both are of a golden color. Next add the cuttlefish and let them cook covered at a medium temperature for about 5 minutes, until they release some juice. Add the white wine and let it simmer for another two minutes. Finally, add the tomatoes and let it cook for another 15 minutes. If the sauce dries up fast, add the a little water, but the consistency at the end should not be too liquid. <br />For the polenta, many people reccomend the white one. I chose the yellow one, because I like the taste and it adds a nice color contrast to the presentation. <br />The traditional method for making polenta involves cooking it slowly on the stovetop until it thickens to the appropriate texture. This method requires constant stirring to avoid having the polenta stick to the pot.<br /><span a="undefined" c="4" closure_uid_gs16bs="169" id="result_box" kc="null" lang="en"><span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="115" kc="null">Start by boiling water in a deep pot,</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="116" kc="null">pouring</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="117" kc="null">a spoonful</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="118" kc="null">of salt. Next</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="119" kc="null">drop the</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="120" kc="null">flour</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="121" kc="null">stirring constantly</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="122" kc="null">with a whisk</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="124" kc="null">.</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="125" kc="null">When everything is</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="126" kc="null">dissolved</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="127" kc="null">and homogeneous,</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="128" kc="null">cook</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="129" kc="null">stirring constantly</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="130" kc="null">for about</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="131" kc="null">an hour</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="132" kc="null">with a special</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="133" kc="null">wooden stick</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="134" kc="null">and lifting</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="135" kc="null">the polenta</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="136" kc="null">from</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="137" kc="null">the bottom up</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="138" kc="null">.</span> The polenta i<span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="139" kc="null">s cooked when</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="140" kc="null">the edges</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="141" kc="null">begin to</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="142" kc="null">peel off</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="143" kc="null">.</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="144" kc="null">If it</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="145" kc="null">becomes</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="146" kc="null">too thick</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="147" kc="null">during cooking</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="148" kc="null">,</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="149" kc="null">add a little</span> <span closure_uid_gs16bs="151" kc="null">boiling water</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="152" kc="null">.</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="153" kc="null">Pour the</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="154" kc="null">cooked</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="155" kc="null">polenta</span> into<span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="156" kc="null"> the appropriate</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="157" kc="null">platter</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="158" kc="null">and serve</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_gs16bs="159" kc="null">hot</span><span closure_uid_gs16bs="160" kc="null">. You can also buy ready made polenta at the store and the mixing process would be much faster. Pair up with a nice white wine of your choice.</span></span>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-70516022925852252492011-12-25T08:48:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:10.642-08:00Melanzane alla ParmigianaVery few areas in Italy, and probably around the world , have such a rich culinary tradition like the Emilia Romagna region. Every city, every little "Borgo" or "Villaggio" is an incredible and exquisite concentration of wonderful people, romantic landscapes and, of course, pure, simple gluttony. I had the privilege of going to college in the city of Bologna, called " La Grassa" (the fat) for obvious reasons. I was lucky that having to study and being under stress for a long period of time, I was able to counteract the countless number of calories I was indulging on a daily basis. From mortadella to piadine, continuing on to tortelloni and ragu' of every kind. From this perspective, the city of Parma is a valid and strong contender for the title of food capital in this splendid region. Some people might ignore the origins of very well known food such as the Parmesan Cheese (the real Parmigiano Reggiano) and the famous Prosciutto di Parma, not to mention the incredible variety of mushrooms and truffles which are abundantly found in the hills adjacent Parma and equally used in different pasta recipes. Thus the name"food valley" where famous chefs such as Mario Batali found inspiration and glory. A recipes that is equally famous, but very often misrepresented around the world in the Melanzane all Parmigiana or <i>Eggplant Parmesan</i>. Very often this recipe is mistaken with the Parmigiana di Melanzane, which is typical of the Campania region and where the eggplants are fried, giving a quite different end result, but never the less equally delicious. The melanzane alla parmigiana is a simple light, tasty vegetarian entree that I believe can be presented in every season and during different occasions.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tSU9hPfJIA/TvbGGYdps-I/AAAAAAAAAcg/4t1l_E5ke0Y/s1600/Melanzane+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tSU9hPfJIA/TvbGGYdps-I/AAAAAAAAAcg/4t1l_E5ke0Y/s640/Melanzane+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk-if9qB-ak/TvbGCawTdjI/AAAAAAAAAcY/YmttSLKNHf0/s1600/Melanzane+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk-if9qB-ak/TvbGCawTdjI/AAAAAAAAAcY/YmttSLKNHf0/s400/Melanzane+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1 1/2 lb of eggplants, sliced <br />1 oz. of butter<br />2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil <br />half onion diced<br />1 1/2 oz. of prosciutto crudo<br />1 1/2 pound of crushed tomatoes<br />1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese<br />salt <br />pepper<br /><br />Slice the eggplants by length about 1/4 inch thick. Boil them in hot, salted water for 2 minutes. Then put them on a tray and let them dry in a warm oven. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, onion and the butter. Add the prosciutto cut into little cubes, and finally after a few minutes of simmering, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it cook for at least 20 minutes.<br />In a glass baking dish create a layer of eggplants, cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle abundantly with grated parmesan cheese. Continue to layer until you used all the ingredients. At the top layer, add a little bit of butter and Parmesan cheese to cover the dish. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes and serve in the same baking dish. Pair up with a nice red Cabernet or Pinot Noir.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j-9iyPUXT1w/TvdTpdqS2jI/AAAAAAAAAcs/C6k_k-FzxFE/s1600/Melanzane+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j-9iyPUXT1w/TvdTpdqS2jI/AAAAAAAAAcs/C6k_k-FzxFE/s400/Melanzane+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S44JBF1Ktns/TvdTsgwmb7I/AAAAAAAAAc0/KZoMc1hCEMs/s1600/Melanzane+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S44JBF1Ktns/TvdTsgwmb7I/AAAAAAAAAc0/KZoMc1hCEMs/s400/Melanzane+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-87617612110504370812011-10-16T18:14:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:10.858-08:00Napa Valley, CaliforniaVery few places in the United States, and maybe worldwide, are so rich and charming when it comes to food and wine culture. One of the things that I miss the most since I moved from Italy and relocated to California is sometimes the lack of appreciation, or maybe knowledge, of traditional cuisine and food culture in general. I was somewhat disappointed on how the fast food industry was able to establish itself as the mainstream choice, maybe due to convenience, when it comes to enjoying a meal. On this perspective, Napa Valley represents a gem . This incredible viticulture area dates back to the nineteenth century and it is really remarkable how some of the original wineries still fully operate today with success.It wasn't without struggles throughout this long period of time that Napa Valley came to be what it is today. Prohibition certainly didn't help and a lot of wineries were forced to close during that period. NapaValley can also pride itself on being able to be preserved as an agricultural area, while neighboring counties such as Sonoma and Solana have allowed more extensive commercial building through the last few decades. <br />The first time I went to Napa Valley, the immediate impression was of disbelief of how such a view looked and felt so familiar, in such a remote place away from home. The hills on both sides of the main road are gently sloping down, reveling an endless patters of vines that continue from hill to hill, making almost impossible to define where a winery property starts, and the next one begins. <br />I also really enjoy the distinctive scent of grapes that permeates the entire valley, from the small city of Napa at one extremity, to the most upper little charming town of Calistoga where I usually stay, home of a nice looking Geyser, worth a visit.<br />Right between Napa and Calistoga, there is St. Helena, a very cute and small town with little shops and nice walks. It is also probably the most expensive, if you are looking for a place to stay in the valley. <br />So, since you most probably come here for food and wine, I 'd like to mention a few places that in my opinion stood out during my three trips.<br />The winery that more than other got my attention is Hess. Their varietal of wines are very enjoyable, especially the reds , and the locations is absolutely beautiful, right in the middle of Mount Veeder. It takes a good 20 minutes of meandering roads to reach the location, but once you get there , you are in for a treat. The building is a mix of modern and traditional architecture and it blends perfectly with the surroundings. The staff is very friendly and professional. Inside the building there are also three floors dedicated to an extensive art gallery, where the exhibitors change quite frequently, something really remarkable that I have not found in any other winery I visited. The wine is really good, so good that I decided to subscribe to their wine club and receive their monthly shipment at home. This is probably the best and only way to get their Mount Veeder Block Cuvee, definitively my favorite among reds.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hurCLvzfCao/ThpGQSJ48LI/AAAAAAAAAbw/DczVolI09AA/s1600/IMG_0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hurCLvzfCao/ThpGQSJ48LI/AAAAAAAAAbw/DczVolI09AA/s400/IMG_0025.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P8iRa6pJ18A/ThpGU7UCrYI/AAAAAAAAAb0/DHnjX8G_XHY/s1600/IMG_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P8iRa6pJ18A/ThpGU7UCrYI/AAAAAAAAAb0/DHnjX8G_XHY/s400/IMG_0027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Another winery that I liked for the combination of quality of products and scenery was Sterling. The interesting part is that in order to get to the winery, you can choose to go on a small gondola ride, worth it just for the spectacular view which is only a preview of what it will be revealed once you are up the hill. The tasting area is really cozy, on a small patio, where you have a nice view on the north side of the valley. You can also go on a self directed tour, following the well indicated path to follow and see different steps of the wine production, to end up in a beautiful terrace with a 180 degree view of the South side of the Valley ( this is where you want to take your pictures.)<br />Their variety of wines is also really good. I highly recommend their Chardonnay and Cabernet.<br />Next I'd like to mention a couple of restaurants. I'd like to point out the fact that I'm a little bias toward Italian food , which I consider one of the most satisfying and complete cuisines worldwide ( but I'm open for a debate..) .<br />I really enjoyed a place called TraVigne ( among vines in Italian) located in St Helena. The food is really good traditional Italian and the ambience is really nice with an inviting outdoor area and a side building or "pizzeria" dedicated just for pizza. I really enjoyed their home made mozzarella and the sage infused pappardelle with rabbit ragu'.<br />Another place that's worth mentioning is Mustard's Grill. As soon as you enter the restaurant the scent of burning oven will hit you right away. I love that, because it remind me of a lot of Trattorias in Italy. Don't escape a drink at the bar. I love the bartender laugh, loud and thundering ! I enjoyed the grilled hanger steak, It was cooked to perfection.<br />It is really hard for me to sum up in a few paragraph such an incredible place and mention only couple of wineries and restaurant, because, seriously, it is very hard to go wrong once you're up there !!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CbEeRyWaeCs/Tpt2YoLAn0I/AAAAAAAAAb4/YN4T_gvg4uE/s1600/IMG_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CbEeRyWaeCs/Tpt2YoLAn0I/AAAAAAAAAb4/YN4T_gvg4uE/s400/IMG_0026.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgYOYy1Iaos/Tpt2b2VZ3XI/AAAAAAAAAcA/RkDxiSbaSgU/s1600/IMG_0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strike><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgYOYy1Iaos/Tpt2b2VZ3XI/AAAAAAAAAcA/RkDxiSbaSgU/s400/IMG_0035.jpg" width="400" /></strike></a></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-12583247082559745332011-04-25T20:56:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:11.126-08:00Piadina romagnola<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3M4NvDtIaRo/TbZCPyMJvgI/AAAAAAAAAbs/Su4WGECVlGk/s1600/Piadina+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3M4NvDtIaRo/TbZCPyMJvgI/AAAAAAAAAbs/Su4WGECVlGk/s640/Piadina+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The piadina is an Italian flatbread which comes from the Romagna region of Italy. It is sort of like an Italian version of fast food, as they are often sold at kiosks or roadside stands. They somewhat resemble a tortilla or pita bread, and are filled with a variety of delicious ingredients. Traditionally, it would be filled with prosciutto, salame, tomato, squaccherone cheese, the possiblities are endless . The piadina dough is quite easy to make, and then it can be cooked on a griddle or on a stone. Piadine lend themselves well to entertaining, because it fun to spread out a variety of toppings, and let your guests try different combinations. As the host you'll have to keep them coming for a while, but the magnificent aroma that will fill the air, and the happy diners with be worth the while. I suggest you serve them with a nice dry Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna. Just when everyone is just about full, it is time to break out the Nutella for the final dessert piadina.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />4 1/4 cups of flour<br />2 tsp of salt<br />1 tsp baking soda<br />6 tbsp. high quality lard (I make my own, you can substitute olive oil if you want, not the same though)<br />1 cup warm water<br /><br />Your favorite cold cuts, soft cheese, or tomato, arugala as accompaniments. <br /><br />A note about lard. Some people don't like the idea of eating or cooking with lard, but it really is an essential part of the piadina. Since in the United States it isn't so easy to find high quality lard, you are best off making your own ahead of time. Just get about a half pound of bacon, and cook it in a saute pan until it is crisp. Take the bacon grease it has rendered and put it into a small container. Let it cool, refrigerate if you wish. You will have delicious lard.<br />I use a stand mixer to make the dough, but you can certainly do it by hand. Combine all of the dry ingredients into your mixing bowl. Crumble the lard into chunks, and knead a little bit by hand. Next add the water, and combine the ingredients with a paddle attachment or a dough hook. The dough should be smooth and elastic. At this point you want to put your dough into a bowl, and cover it with a kitchen towel. The dough needs to rest for at least 30 minutes. If you are making it ahead of time, you can refrigerate it for a few days, but be sure to let it come to room temperature before rolling out.<br />When you are ready to make the piadine, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll teach piece into a ball. Then with your rolling pin, roll out the dough into a round shape, about 7 inches in diameter.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bjgy7DaIjuI/TbZB32a74yI/AAAAAAAAAbo/n_-NQVTLw_M/s1600/Piadina+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bjgy7DaIjuI/TbZB32a74yI/AAAAAAAAAbo/n_-NQVTLw_M/s400/Piadina+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />I usually end up cooking my piadine on a griddle. It is best to let it get nice and hot, at least about 10 minutes over medium high heat. Then cook each piadina for about 45 seconds on each side. If it becomes too crispy, then your heat is too high. It should remain pliable, not hard. Serve immediately, and keep them coming. You may want to have multiple griddles going simultaneously, depending on the number of people you are cooking for.<br />As soon as the piadina is done, fill it with your favorite accompaniment, like prosciutto and mozzarella, or bresaola, brie, and arrugala. The possibilities are endless. ENJOY!!!!<br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=82ee2fc9-90ed-490e-be3b-4748bcc19a1c" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-80747968536411533562011-04-19T18:50:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:11.343-08:00Rocciata umbra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lZ5_muTwlE/Ta4vkCd-NWI/AAAAAAAAAbk/_bmqreNY9fA/s1600/Rocciata+umbra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lZ5_muTwlE/Ta4vkCd-NWI/AAAAAAAAAbk/_bmqreNY9fA/s640/Rocciata+umbra.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Rocciata is a traditional round pastry dessert typical of the central regions of Umbria and Marche. Its name can vary according to different areas of these culturally rich regions. For example, around the mountain of Foligno is known as <i>ntorta. </i>Its origins, like most of the culinary traditions around this area, find its roots in old times. Some might speculate that the <i>Rocciata, </i>may have been brought by the Longobards' influence from North Europe, thus the strong similarity with Austrian <i>Strudel. </i>Today this <i>dolce </i>is mostly known around the Foligno area. It is usually made around the beginning or during the fall season, when the walnuts, a major ingredient, are harvested.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />3 apples<br />3 pears<br />1 banana<br />5 dried prunes pitted <br />3/4 cup of walnuts<br />1/2 cup of raisins<br />1/4 cup of pinenuts<br />2 tsp of cinnamon<br />3 tb sugar<br />1 tsp dried anise seeds<br />1 tb cocoa powder<br />4 ounces milk chocolate cut in little pieces<br />1 zested orange peel<br />1 zested lemon peel<br />2 sheets of frozen puff pastry thawed at room temperature (you can also make it fresh from scratch)<br /><br />Prepare all the ingredients in little fine pieces and let them marinate in a large bowl for 45 minutes. Meanwhile take the two puff pastry sheets and roll flat on parchment paper with a little bit of flour to avoid the stickiness. Use one sheet of puff pastry and gently put the filling in the center, paying attention not to put too much. Once the filling is laid, gently wrap the puff pastry around it. With care, shape each section of filled puff pastry into a half circle, and join them at the ends to make a ring shape. Keep the pastry on the parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and carefully transfer the pastry onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes until it turns lightly brown on top.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=863ded6b-604a-443e-a2a8-8222fd1043fc" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-5599693703105753702011-04-07T17:58:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:11.562-08:00Orecchiette con cime di rape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UP422CquVo/TZ5djAu2VoI/AAAAAAAAAbg/drcKFrR7fC0/s1600/Orecchiette+cime+di+rapa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UP422CquVo/TZ5djAu2VoI/AAAAAAAAAbg/drcKFrR7fC0/s640/Orecchiette+cime+di+rapa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Orecchiette con cime di rape is the signature dish of the Puglia region of southern Italy. Orecchiette literally translates as "little ears". They look like little bowl shaped discs that are ideal for catching the wonderful sauce they are to be tossed with. Every village in the Puglia region has a special way of making them. We were the lucky recipients of some artisan made orecchiette from Alberobello, Bari. It is worth the effort and expense to seek out the best orecchiette you can find to make this dish, but if neccessary DeCecco makes orecchiette that are readily available at most supermarkets. This classic dish features cime di rape, also known as broccoli rabe in English, or sometimes referred to as turnip greens. I was able to find broccoli rabe at a local grocery store, but you may need to go to a local ethnic produce market. Make sure it is nice and fresh, your dish will be a real treat.<br /><u> Ingredients </u><br />2 bunches (about 2-3 pounds) broccoli rabe<br />2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />2 anchovy fillets, chopped<br />extra virgin olive oil<br />salt<br />grated pecorino cheese <br />1 pound dried orecchiette pasta<br /><br />First put a large pot of water to boil, add salt generously. Wash your broccoli rabe, and cut off any hard stems. Put the broccoli rabe to boil in the salted water for about 10 minutes. When it is tender, remove it from the water with a slotted spoon, drain in a collander and set aside. You will use this same water to cook the pasta, so don't pour it out.<br /><br />Next add the orecchiette to the same boiling water, and cook according to the package directions. You want the orecchiette cooked, but still al dente. While the pasta is cooking, you will prepare the broccoli rabe condiment for your pasta. In order to get the consistency I like, before heating the broccoli rabe with the other ingredients, I put it in the food processor and pulse it a little bit. You can coursely chop it to your desired consistency prior to using. In a large skillet heat about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic, and stir until brown. Then put the chopped anchovies and break them up with your spoon. Add the broccoli rabe to the skillet and stir well until all the ingredients have combined. You may want to add a little bit of salt, and perhaps a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.<br /><br />When the pasta is done, drain it, and add it to the skillet. Toss all the ingredients together over medium heat until they are well blended together. Add more extra virgin olive oil if needed. Serve your orechiette with a sprinkling of grated pecorino cheese on top, and enjoy with a nice red wine. Buon appetito!Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-47129358975758183412011-03-10T18:01:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:11.782-08:00Polipo con patate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EIbW9arNBfM/TXl-39rtwgI/AAAAAAAAAbc/RN6Zpbzg6Ps/s1600/Polipo+con+patate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EIbW9arNBfM/TXl-39rtwgI/AAAAAAAAAbc/RN6Zpbzg6Ps/s640/Polipo+con+patate.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the different reasons why Greece left such an indelible memory in my mind. Maybe it was the crystal clear blue water, the beauty of which was lost in the darker blues skies. Or maybe it was the majesty and glory of Greek culture and history. I actually had to stare at the Parthenon for a few minutes to realize that it was the real thing towering in front of me, and not some replica building that most of us encountered around the world. Going out for dinner, however I realized that, like in Spain and Italy, it was the food that glorified and celebrated this wonderful country and its people. You just had to have a big smile after such incredible meals in extremely simple, yet charming restaurants. One thing that I particularly remember were the octopi hanging in perfect symmetry on a clothes line, left to dry, or soak up the flavorful air. And then, right after the foil wrapped feta cheese with rosemary, our first appetizer, which in Greece is called<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"> "ορεκτικό" pronounced</span></span> "O-re-kti-KO<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">" , a sumptuous plate of fresh octopus with potatoes and fresh extra virgin oil of olive; yes, Greek, olive oil...!!</span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"> </span></span><br /><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">Thank goodness for friendly people and a semi-decent cook book I picked up from the Athens airport. Now I'm able to try to replicate that memory, even if I know that, no matter how hard I'll try, I'll never get close to it. So let's try !</span></span><br /><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="el"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">Ingredients</span></span><br /><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">2 lbs</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">octopus</span> <span class="hps atn" title="Click for alternate translations">(</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">medium size</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">)</span><br />1.5 lb<span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">potatoes</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">1</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">clove</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">garlic</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">1</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">bunch</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">of</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">parsley</span><br /> 3/4 cup <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">olive</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">oil</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">Crushed red pepper</span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">.</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">1</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">carrot</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">1</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">celery stalk</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">1</span> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">onion</span><br /> <span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">salt</span> </span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Defrost the octopus if previously frozen.</span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Peel the garlic and chop finely.</span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rinse and chop the parsley </span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> In a large sauce pan, stir oil, garlic, parsley and crushed red peppers (I will put ½ teaspoon) and let it simmer.</span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rinse the octopus and put it in a saucepan with the carrot, celery and onion.</span> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Cover them with water and boil for about 40 minutes (check the with a fork if tender).</span> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Let them cool in the cooking water.</span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Drain the octopus and let it dry, then cut into pieces and toss with the flavored oil preheated</span>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Add salt to your taste (do not overdo with the salt because the octopus has already a salty taste.)</span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rinse the potatoes and boil them whole and then peel. </span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Cut them into pieces and add to the octopus mixture. </span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none; display: inline; font-size: 100%; margin: 0pt; outline: 0pt none; padding: 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Serve the octopus warm or cold with the potatoes.I like a chilled white wine, possibly nice dry white wine like a Chardonnay.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=ed92d91a-c7e8-4dba-a311-5ce2211b332f" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-78141246899214287112011-02-27T21:30:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:11.998-08:00Marinated peppers and leek antipasto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mdas5eQ5ITs/TWsyyrYyv1I/AAAAAAAAAbY/V6k7eGxA1DU/s1600/P1020175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mdas5eQ5ITs/TWsyyrYyv1I/AAAAAAAAAbY/V6k7eGxA1DU/s640/P1020175.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to integrate more fresh vegetables into the daily diet. I especially love this appetizer because not only is it light and healthy, but it is also bright and flavorful. It is best when prepared the day before, so that the flavors really come together. This also makes it great for entertaining, because it just needs to be pulled out of the fridge, add your favorite crostini or crackers to accompany, and you are ready to serve. To get really great peppers and leeks, go to a local farmer's or ranch market.<br /><br />For the peppers:<br />6 bell peppers yellow, red and green <br />4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley<br />1 clove of garlic finely minced<br />sea salt<br /><br />For the leek:<br />3 leeks, trimmed and rinsed<br />6 tbsp olive oil<br />1 tbsp lemon juice<br />2 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />1 clove garlic, finely minced<br />sea salt and pepper<br /><br />First make the peppers. Get your broiler nice and hot. Put your peppers on a baking sheet, and broil them until they begin to blacken, turning them to broil on all sides. When they are evenly done, put them in a stainless steel bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the peppers cool enough to handle, then peel the skin off, and remove the seeds. Cut the peppers into 1/4 inch wide strips, and arrange colorfully on your serving dish. Drizzle them with a high quality olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic, parsley and sea salt.<br /><br />Now you are ready to make the leeks. Once your leeks are trimmed and washed, put them in a pot of generously salted boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. You want them to be tender, but somewhat firm, not falling apart. When they are done, drain them and cut the leeks in half lengthwise so you have 6 nice pieces. <br />Arrange them next to the peppers on your serving dish. Finally, you are ready to make the vinaigrette for the leeks. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar with a little salt and pepper. Once it is well blended, drizzle over the leeks. Cover your vegetable antipasto and refrigerate until ready to serve. It can be served chilled straight from the fridge, or room temperature. I like to make crostini out of a baguette, or buy them. You can also serve the antipasto with bread or crackers.<br />Enjoy your beautiful, tasty. healthful appetizer.Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-36850167085017003092011-02-22T19:44:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:12.217-08:00Costata di VitelloVeal has been an important ingredient in Italian and French cuisine since ancient times. The veal is often in the form of cutlets, such as the Italian cotoletta or scaloppine or the famous Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel. Veal is often very tender and easy to cook, but at times can be a little chewy, especially when it curls and releases water during cooking. One of my favorite veal recipes is the "Spezzatino di Vitello" . You have to love your pressure cooker with this and other particular recipes, because it literally takes half the time to tenderize and cook the meat, whether it is veal or beef. The crock pot is also very convenient, especially if there's not a "stay at home chef". One of my favorite aspects of American cuisine is definitively the barbecue and grilling culture. I'm very lucky to live in California, where the weather allows me to be in my backyard basically 10 months a year. For my personal experience, I also think that meat quality is a little better than what I had in Italy growing up, although I'm sure that a nice "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-bone_steak" rel="homepage" title="ACF Fiorentina">Fiorentina</a>" almost has no rival worldwide...This recipe is very simple, because after I have grilled the veal chops, all I have to do is add the mushroom sauce on top, with the potatoes on the side, and pair them with a nice wine.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKnq9_gsHo0/TWRjg2Kd5WI/AAAAAAAAAbM/YHyOloOqHF0/s1600/Veal+chop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKnq9_gsHo0/TWRjg2Kd5WI/AAAAAAAAAbM/YHyOloOqHF0/s400/Veal+chop1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Ingredients for 2<br /><br />Two veal chops, 3/4 of a pound each, cut with 1 inch thickness<br />Mushroom mix ( porcini, shitake, porabella)<br />2 potatoes<br />1/4 cup oil of extra virgin olive oil<br />1 garlic clove <br />1 cup of dry red wine<br /><br />Fire up the grill and cook the two chops to your liking, I like mine medium rare , about 7 minutes each side. keep in mind that they will cook a little more once you put them in the pan to saute with your mushroom sauce. In a pan, let the garlic get golden brown in the oil and then toss the mushroom mix. Let me mushrooms become soft and brown and then pour in the red wine, lowering your fire a little bit. You are trying to create a nice sauce, not too thick, not too liquid, so the wine has to mix with the mushrooms sauce and reduce. Meanwhile, don't forget to keep an eye on your meat ! As a contorno ( side dish) precook the potatoes in boiled water, peel them thoroughly, cut them in small medallion and brown them on separate pan with olive oil, until both sides of the little medallion get that crispy golden color, make sure you salt them on both sides.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXLTMjfGryw/TWRkPxyuw8I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/QrRgIk8UPl0/s1600/Potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXLTMjfGryw/TWRkPxyuw8I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/QrRgIk8UPl0/s400/Potatoes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Once your chops are grilled , you can put them in the pan where the mushroom sauce is. Try to cover the meat with the mushrooms and the sauce, but don't keep the chops in the pan for more than one minute. Serve on a nice plate, laying the mushroom sauce on top of the chops , with your golden potatoes on the side. Serve with a nice Cabernet.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5p7Q2RQBCPs/TWRlE3_h6XI/AAAAAAAAAbU/1n0d_eLoNpY/s1600/Veal+chop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5p7Q2RQBCPs/TWRlE3_h6XI/AAAAAAAAAbU/1n0d_eLoNpY/s400/Veal+chop+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-11543336370694337482011-01-18T19:48:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:12.439-08:00Lasagna Bolognese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TTZe_fty6aI/AAAAAAAAAbE/yDUNYUq7N98/s1600/Lasagna+Bolognese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TTZe_fty6aI/AAAAAAAAAbE/yDUNYUq7N98/s640/Lasagna+Bolognese.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Lasagne comes in so many variations, one could spend hours reading all of the different recipes. For me, this one is the classic. My inspiration is the way it is served in Bologna, Italy, with a savory ragu meat sauce and bechamel sauce. Any lasagne which features ricotta/spinach/or cottage cheese is most likely an American adaptation. This one is simple yet time consuming to make. In my opinion, it is worth every bit of the effort. So give yourself some time, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy the lasagne making experience. Your diners will thank you, and the leftovers will be fabulous.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 recipe ragu meat sauce (recipe to follow)<br />2 cups bechamel sauce (recipe to follow)<br />2 9oz. boxes of Barilla no boil lasagne (one might be enough depending on the size of your casserole dish, but better safe than sorry.<br />12-16 ounces shredded cheese (I recommend fontina)<br />1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese<br /><br />First you need to make the ragu. Here is the recipe:<br />4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />1 onion finely chopped<br />1 carrot diced<br />1 celery stick chopped <br />1 clove garlic minced<br />4 strips bacon<br />1 1/2 pound ground beef (or mixture with ground veal or pork)<br />2/3 cup red wine<br />1/2 cup milk<br />grated nutmeg<br />14 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree<br />2 tbsp sugar<br />1 tsp fresh oregano, less if dried<br />salt to taste<br />1 lb pasta of choice, tagliatelle or spaghetti<br />grated parmesan cheese to taste<br />If you have a chopper, for me this is the easiest way to get started. In your chopper, put the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and bacon. Cut the ingredients into uniform size pieces before putting in chopper. Then pulse the chopper until everything is pretty finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, and when it is really hot, and the vegetable mixture. Saute over medium high heat until everything becomes nice and golden. Next add the ground meat, and stir occasionally until the meat is nicely browned. <br />Add the red wine to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, and stir regularly until most of the wine has been absorbed by the meat mixture. Add salt to taste. Now add the milk, and a little bit of nutmeg. Continue cooking until most of the milk been absorbed. Next add the chopped tomatoes, sugar and oregano. Stir all the ingredients together, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 1-2 hours if you can. The sauce should take on a brick red color. Sauce should be quite thick, but if is too thick, you can add a little bit of canned tomato sauce (puree) until you get your desired consistency. If the sauce will be used for lasagne, you need it to be thicker. Your sauce is ready!<br /><br />Next you need to make the bechamel (besciamella sauce):<br /><br />For the besciamella (bechamel) sauce (makes 2 cups)<br />1/2 stick (4 tbsp butter)<br />1/2 cup flour<br />2 cups milk<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />dash of ground nutmeg<br /><br />Melt the butter in a small heavy bottom sauce pan. Add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes over medium heat. In another small sauce pan, heat the milk until almost boiling. Gradually add the milk to the butter/flour mixture, stirring constantly. A wire whisk is helpful to avoid lumps. Once all of the milk has been added, bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Sauce should be somewhat thick. Season with salt pepper and nutmeg, stir well, then remove from heat.<br /><br />Once the ragu and bechamel sauce are made you can assemble your lasagne. First get our your baking dish. I prefer to make a smaller dish with more layers, say 8 x 10 inches. You can use a 9 X 13 baking dish and have fewer layers, or you can make a bigger recipe of sauce or bechamel. It will be delicious in any case. Grease your baking dish generously with butter. Then starting with meat sauce spread a layer at the bottom of the dish. Then place a layer of lasagne noodles on top of that, followed by a layer of bechamel. Top that with a nice sprinkling of the shredded fontina cheese. Continue the layering process, meat sauce, lasagne, bechamel cheese, until you run out of the ingredients, or your dish is full. End with a layer of bechamel, and give that a nice sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top. Your lasagne is now ready to go in the oven.<br /><br />Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and let the lasagne bake for about 40-45 minutes. Let it stand about 5 minutes before serving. You are now ready to enjoy, perhaps with a nice green salad and a glass of red wine to accompany. Buon Appetito!<br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=cb1eefee-8434-477d-bf2e-dc8044f128e3" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-65658989380384713752011-01-08T13:10:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:12.657-08:00Bollito Misto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSb76HSXI/AAAAAAAAAa4/zF_pzjSEfVU/s1600/Bollito+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSb76HSXI/AAAAAAAAAa4/zF_pzjSEfVU/s640/Bollito+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />It's cold, it's winter time and I cannot think of a better food image than a nice bowl of warm, tasty, comforting chicken soup. My doctor told me that it really can help to get over a very nasty cold...As in many other aspects of cooking, I know there are two ways of doing this: The quick and easy Progresso or Campbell's way, or the long, tedious but definitively more rewarding way of homemade chicken soup with boiled meats and vegetables. Keep in mind that my Bollito Misto described here a very simplified version of a much more meaningful and complete experience. I had Bollito Misto in the past where lots of different parts, from tongue to head were used. The tricky part of this enhanced version is that each type of meat releases its own juice and therefore gives a different flavor to the broth. Traditionally they would be cooked separately with different cooking times. Moreover, each of these nicely cooked pieces of meat should be paired up to a nice homemade salsa to be enjoyed as a second course. The most famous of the sauces is the "salsa verde" made with parsley, garlic, anchovies and other ingredients. Recipes for this type of salsa are readily available. As I mentioned before, I will keep this recipe simple and practical, but feel free to elaborate with different degrees of difficulty as you please:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSRVim-rI/AAAAAAAAAaw/t2nBcE4c3bg/s1600/Bollito+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSRVim-rI/AAAAAAAAAaw/t2nBcE4c3bg/s400/Bollito+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />1 onion<br />1 celery stalk<br />1 beefsteak tomato<br />3 medium pieces of beef, 4 ounces each<br />1 whole hen cut into pieces or alternatively use chicken<br />1 chicken bouillon cube<br /><br /><br />Start by laying all vegetables and meats at the bottom of the pot. Continue by filling the pot with water, do not fill to the top, just 1 inch more than its half. Cover the large pot with a lid, but letting a little gap on the side to let the steam out. Let the soup simmer at low/medium heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender to the touch and the vegetables begin to break down in the broth. At this point , I like to transfer my broth to a smaller pot. I will use the broth to cook with small meat tortellini, or ravioloni or filled pasta of choice. (I love fagottini with prosciutto and parmesan cheese filling). When your soup with pasta is ready , you can serve it as a "primo" ( first course), while the boiled meat, with some veggies and sauces to garnish can be served as a "secondo" or second course.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSBKfBq7I/AAAAAAAAAas/wpSGxVvn0Ic/s1600/Bollito+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSjSBKfBq7I/AAAAAAAAAas/wpSGxVvn0Ic/s400/Bollito+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=62b7300a-1a21-4b64-b8dc-db334e23216e" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-62292453010922969132011-01-02T14:44:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:12.872-08:00Enchiladas Suizas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSD_hz2mPoI/AAAAAAAAAak/IVzFyVYTbOs/s1600/Enchilada%2BSuissa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TSD_hz2mPoI/AAAAAAAAAak/IVzFyVYTbOs/s640/Enchilada%2BSuissa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Enchiladas suizas have been a part of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.05,-99.3666666667&spn=10.0,10.0&q=19.05,-99.3666666667%20%28Mexico%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" title="Mexico">Mexico</a>'s food tradition for a very long time. They are thought to date back to the area which is now Mexico City even before the days of Spaniard Hernan Cortez. The word suiza is Spanish for "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=46.8333333333,8.33333333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=46.8333333333,8.33333333333%20%28Switzerland%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" title="Switzerland">Swiss</a>", which refers to the the Swiss immigrants in Mexico who had established dairies and cheese production in the country. Thanks to them, these <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchilada" rel="wikipedia" title="Enchilada">enchiladas</a> are often topped with a sour cream like sauce, or as I prefer, a generous crumbling of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_blanco" rel="wikipedia" title="Queso blanco">queso fresco</a> or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotija_cheese" rel="wikipedia" title="Cotija cheese">cotija cheese</a>. Enchiladas have three basic components, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortilla" rel="wikipedia" title="Tortilla">tortilla</a>, some type of filling, and a spicy sauce. The word "Enchilar" in Spanish means to make spicy. In the case of enchiladas suizas the tortilla should be corn, the filling is chicken, and the sauce is a spicy green <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo" rel="wikipedia" title="Tomatillo">tomatillo</a> sauce. The result: delicioso! As are many of my favorites, this is a great make ahead meal, and can be made in large quantities to feed a crowd. When you buy the tomatillos, a strongly advise you to go to an ethnic market or ranch market, you will get fresher tomatillos, and spend half the money. Your mainstream supermarket will consider this a specialty ingredient, charge you twice the price,and the product doesn't move, so you will lose freshness. Venture out! So roll up your sleeves and get started, your enchiladas are going to be tasty.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />for the tomatillo sauce:<br />1 1/2-2 pounds green tomatillos, husked and rinsed<br />3-4 fresh serrano chiles<br />2 tbsp <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil" rel="wikipedia" title="Olive oil">olive oil</a><br />1 medium white onion chopped<br />2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped<br />1 14 oz. can of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broth" rel="wikipedia" title="Broth">chicken broth</a><br />1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro<br />salt to taste <br /><br />Ingredients for the enchiladas:<br />about 15 corn tortillas, maybe more depending on how big of a batch you want to make<br />about 3/4 - 1 pound shredded cooked chicken (I go to Costco and buy a rotisserie chicken, and use all the meat from that. Easy, flavorful,and moist.<br />12 oz. queso fresco or cotija Mexican cheese. Use more or less, depending on your desired taste.<br /><br />First, prepare the tomatillo sauce. You need to boil the tomatillos and chile. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling hard, put the tomatillos and the serrano chiles which you have stemmed, and removed seeds. Boil them for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool. <br /><br />Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes nicely golden. Then, put your onion and garlic into your food processor with the tomatillo and chile mixture and blend the mixture until it is a somewhat chunky puree. It should be smooth enough to hold together, but not overly processed. <br /><br />To finish the sauce, heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet you used to cook the onion and garlic. When it is hot, add the tomatillo/onion puree and stir it constantly for about 5 minutes over medium heat. The sauce should thicken and darken somewhat in color. Now add about a cup of the chicken broth to the sauce, stir well, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir the sauce ofter. If it seems too watery, continue to simmer until desired consistency is reached. If it is too thick, add additional broth. At the end, stir in the chopped cilantro and salt to taste. You will not need to put much salt,as the sauce is really flavorful, and the broth will have salt already. Your sauce can be made a day in advance if you need.<br /><br />You are now ready to assemble the enchiladas. I usually use a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. Use whatever oven proof baking dish you desire. Right before making the enchiladas you need to steam the tortillas, I do them 4 or 5 at a time in the microwave.Just put them in a plastic produce bag with an air hole to vent, and microwave them for 30-45 seconds. <br />To get the chicken ready, I put the shredded chicken in a mixing bowl, and a add about a cup of the sauce mixture and stir to combine. You want the chicken to be nice and moist with sauce, but not soggy. You also need to save yourself enough sauce to top the enchiladas at the end. <br />Roll a portion of the chicken filling into your tortillas, and lay them in the baking dish side by side. When done, blanket the tortillas with a nice coat of remaining tomatillo sauce. Generously crumble the queso fresco or cotija cheese over the top. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes. At the very end, turn on the broiler, and let the cheese on top get that golden brown color. Be careful not to burn. Your enchiladas are now ready to serve. They can be served alone, or with some rice, beans, or salad as a side. Serve with a nice cold Mexican beer like Bohemia or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.gmodelo.com.mx/" rel="homepage" title="Grupo Modelo">Negra Modelo</a>. Buen Provecho!<br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=6d8d0ccd-60cc-424d-9e5c-0999b3d279f5" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-30136716332265227882010-12-22T16:34:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:13.127-08:00Pasta al Forno<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TRJH628GzdI/AAAAAAAAAaY/Ktj1T7ObM24/s1600/Pasta+al+forno+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TRJH628GzdI/AAAAAAAAAaY/Ktj1T7ObM24/s640/Pasta+al+forno+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TRJH8LhG0BI/AAAAAAAAAac/u90Y9s3Slac/s1600/Pasta+al+forno+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TRJH8LhG0BI/AAAAAAAAAac/u90Y9s3Slac/s640/Pasta+al+forno+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Pasta al forno is the ultimate in rustic comfort food. "Forno" means oven in Italian, so as the name would imply, this is a baked pasta dish. Lasagne is the more common baked pasta, put this variation is absolutely worth making, a definite crowd pleaser. Because it can be made ahead of time, this is the perfect thing to serve when company is coming. If there are any leftovers, they are even better the next day. You need to first make the ragu (meat sauce), then prepare the besciamella and cook the pasta. Then you will be ready to assemble this delight.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />one batch of classic ragu bolognese (see recipe below)<br />one batch of basic bechamel (besciamella) sauce (see recipe below) <br />1 pound of dry rigatoni pasta (I prefer Barilla)<br />ground nutmeg<br />butter<br />abundant grated parmiggiano reggiano cheese<br /><br /><br />First prepare the ragu:<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />1 onion finely chopped<br />1 carrot diced<br />1 celery stick chopped <br />1 clove garlic minced<br />4 strips bacon<br />1 1/2 pound ground beef (or mixture with ground veal or pork)<br />2/3 cup red wine<br />1/2 cup milk<br />grated nutmeg<br />14 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree<br />2 tbsp sugar<br />1 tsp fresh oregano, less if dried<br />salt to taste<br /><br />If you have a chopper, for me this is the easiest way to get started. In your chopper, put the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and bacon. Cut the ingredients into uniform size pieces before putting in chopper. Then pulse the chopper until everything is pretty finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, and when it is really hot, and the vegetable mixture. Saute over medium high heat until everything becomes nice and golden. Next add the ground meat, and stir occasionally until the meat is nicely browned. Add the red wine to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, and stir regularly until most of the wine has been absorbed by the meat mixture. Add salt to taste. Now add the milk, and a little bit of nutmeg. Continue cooking until most of the milk been absorbed. Next add the chopped tomatoes, sugar and oregano. Stir all the ingredients together, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 1-2 hours if you can. The sauce should take on a brick red color. Sauce should be quite thick, but if is too thick, you can add a little bit of canned tomato sauce (puree) until you get your desired consistency. If the sauce will be used for lasagne, you need it to be thicker. Your sauce is ready!<br /><br />Next bring a large pot of salted water boil, and cook the rigatoni until it is still quite firm, quite al dente. Be sure not to overcook the pasta, as it will continue to cook in the oven as it is baked with the ragu. Drain the pasta and set aside until your besciamella is ready, and you are going to assemble the dish.<br /><br />For the besciamella (bechamel) sauce (makes 2 cups)<br />1/2 stick (4 tbsp butter)<br />1/2 cup flour<br />2 cups milk<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />dash of ground nutmeg<br /><br />Melt the butter in a small heavy bottom sauce pan. Add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes over medium heat. In another small sauce pan, heat the milk until almost boiling. Gradually add the milk to the butter/flour mixture, stirring constantly. A wire whisk is helpful to avoid lumps. Once all of the milk has been added, bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Sauce should be somewhat thick. Season with salt pepper and nutmeg, stir well, then remove from heat.<br /><br />Once the ragu is made, pasta drained al dente, and bescimella made, you can then assemble your pasta al forno.<br /><br />I usually use a 9 by 13 inch baking dish for this pasta, but you can use whatever oven safe dish you prefer. First put about a 1/3 cup of besciamella sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Then in a separate mixing bowl, toss the pasta with the ragu sauce and about a cup of besciamella. Combine well. Then put half of the pasta with sauce in the baking dish. Layer another 1/3 cup of besciamella on top of the pasta. Finish with the remaining pasta and layer the remaining besciamella. Sprinlke generously with grated parmigiano reggiano. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Then the last 5 minutes, turn the oven to broil to achieve a nice brown crust on top. Watch carefully as it can burn easily. Let the pasta cool 5-10 minutes before serving. I am sure you will enjoy. Buon Appetito!Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-75242872005665814852010-12-18T18:20:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:13.346-08:00Pollo ai peperoni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TQ1rq7g1UvI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/T0iRoFCjKoY/s1600/Pollo+ai+peperoni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TQ1rq7g1UvI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/T0iRoFCjKoY/s640/Pollo+ai+peperoni.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />There's nothing better and more comforting after a hard and long day at work than to come back home to a nice meal. I really enjoy when you're about to enter the door and you can smell the aroma of whatever today's "chef" is surprising, leaving you pleasantly guessing. One of my favorite is the smell of a bakery, when they make bread or any pastry. It's very comforting and somewhat reassuring. One of my favorite meals that fits into this category is chicken with bell peppers. I like to simmer the chicken very slowly, first in oil and then add some white wine, just for the multiple-layered experience to have every room filled with different aromas. The outcome, of course is outstanding<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />6 to 8 chicken drumsticks<br />3 bell peppers, possibly different colors<br />1 onion<br />Extra virgin olive oil<br />1 garlic clove <br />1 can of crushed tomatoes ( 4 fresh tomatoes if you prefer)<br />half a cup of white wine<br /><br />Using a large round pot, let the oil get warm before tossing the garlic carefully minced. Once the garlic gets a golden color, peel and slice the onion, toss it in the pot, and let it simmer for about five minutes at medium heat, without making it too brownish. Meanwhile cut the bell peppers, getting rid of all the small seeds, into half an inch large strips. Next, gently lay the chicken drumsticks and let them cook in the oil, making sure they get that crispy brown color given by the oil. Make sure you turn the drumsticks around every now and then to guarantee that color uniformly. Once the chicken looks nicely cooked pour the white wine on top and let it reduce for about three minutes. Now it's time to toss the peppers in the pot, mixing them with the chicken , making sure that the heat is not too high. Cover with a lid letting a little gap for the steam to get out for about eight minutes, stirring every now and then the peppers with the chicken. Finally, pour the tomato sauce on top and mix all the content of the pot with it. I like to leave the lid on, because the steam falling back into the pot guarantees some moisture while cooking. Now you can put the heat a little higher, but make sure that you check that the sauce doesn't dry out too soon, adding a little bit of water now and then. The chicken will be ready when the sauce is a brick red color, and small tender pieces of the chicken begin to separate from the drumstick bones. Pair up with a nice Cabernet and Focaccia bread.Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-34280611132901684922010-11-07T17:06:00.000-08:002023-01-06T16:01:13.564-08:00Gnocchi con funghi e salsiccia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TNdMw9TAdkI/AAAAAAAAAZA/NyLVHfd_r7k/s1600/Gnocchi+funghi+e+salsiccia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TNdMw9TAdkI/AAAAAAAAAZA/NyLVHfd_r7k/s640/Gnocchi+funghi+e+salsiccia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Gnocchi ( the "ch" in italian has the same sound as a K) were traditionally introduced in Europe when potatoes arrived from the Americas. The Romans specifically introduced them into the Italian region, importing them from various areas of their vast empire. Since gnocchi, literally means dumplings, it might have an even older origin than pasta itself. When I think about gnocchi in any shape or form, I just have the image of my mother with her apron full of flour and her 'mattarello" ( rolling pin). It was a tedious and hard process, but the result was always rewarding and tasty. While we may have the desire to make gnocchi from scratch, and it is the preferred method, this recipe calls for the dried, vacuum sealed variety. Because most weeknights, that can make this delicious dish accessible. We will post a gnocchi from scratch recipe in the near future. <span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C0">Gnocchi</span><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C"> can be made with the most varied ingredients, such as squash, bread, and semolina flour; and they can be flavored mixing the dough with spinach, saffron, and even truffles. They are boiled in water or broth and like pasta they can be dressed with many sauces such as pesto, tomato, butter and cheese. One of may favorite type of cuisine is the 'rustic' cooking, homemade, old grandma, traditional cooking. Something that has been sent down from generation to generation and that you know it has to be made from fresh simple ingredients. </span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">Gnocchi with funghi e salsiccia definitively give me that feeling, home, hearty rustic, tasty style of food.</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C"><br /></span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">Ingredients:</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">2 lb. gnocchi (I like Trader Joe's dried, vacuum sealed)</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1 1/2 pounds sliced fresh mushrooms (I like to use crimini)</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1 leek</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1/2 carrot</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1 celery stalk</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1/4 cup marsala wine</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">1 sprig of fresh rosemary</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">5 tablespoons unsalted butter</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">salt and pepper to taste</span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C"><br /></span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">Combine the carrot, celery and leak in a chopper or food processor until finely chopped. Then saute them in a hot skillet with 3 tablespoons of the butter. Once they begin to soften, add all of the mushrooms. Stir all together over high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the marsala wine. Again, stir occasionally, until the mushroom mixture begins to caramelize, and the most of the wine has been reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the flame to a simmer, and cover for about 15-20 more minutes. If the mixture becomes to appear too dry, you can add some more wine, or more butter. </span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C"><br /></span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">Heat another smaller skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Next, get the sausage and remove it from the outer casing, crumbling it into small pieces into the hot skillet. At this time add your sprig of fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped. Once the sausage is cooked, add it to the mushroom mixture. Stir all of the ingredients together, and remove from heat. </span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C"><br /></span><br /><span class="WW-Plain-Text-2-C">While the sausage and vegetable mixture are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a hard boil. When water is ready, drop in the gnocchi and cook to package directions, being very mindful not to overcook. They only take a few minutes. When gnocchi are done, drain them, then toss them with the mushroom sausage mixture over high heat, until everything is uniformly combined, and nice and hot to be served. The gnocchi should be stirred very gently, as they are delicate. If you like, serve in your desired serving dish with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese on top. This is a hearty, delicious, rustic meal. ENJOY!</span><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=83eae8f8-158c-413a-9278-2316baf49b18" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span></div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-51432298047270710442010-10-29T18:34:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:13.788-08:00Stuffed Vegetables<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TMt14CZ1hRI/AAAAAAAAAY4/qj-6KOtNzE8/s1600/P1010833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TMt14CZ1hRI/AAAAAAAAAY4/qj-6KOtNzE8/s640/P1010833.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Whenever I am getting ready to prepare a meat dish, such as a roast of some kind, I am always left puzzling about what kind of side dish to prepare with it. Vegetables are colorful, and full of vitamins, but I am always looking for new ways to keep them tasting fresh and interesting. These stuffed vegetables (usually peppers, onions,and tomatoes) are easy to make ahead of time, and they reheat really well. They are hearty, and simply delicious. Even picky eaters who aren't crazy about the vegetables by themselves will be won over by the wonderful parmigiano reggiano cheese and the bread crumbs. They make great leftovers the next day.<br /><br />ingredients:<br />2 red onions, peeled and halved lengthwise<br />2 red or yellow bell peppers, halved with the seeds removed<br />2 large tomatoes, halved crosswise, seeds and juice set aside<br />1 cup of bread crumbs<br />1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese<br />1/2 cup finely chopped parsley<br />1/2 cup olive oil<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling hard, put the onions in for about 2-4 minutes until they are somewhat soft. Remove the onions, and once cool take out the inside layers and set them aside, leaving you with an outer shell of onion about 2-3 layers thick.<br /><br />In a food processor put the inside from the onions, the seeds and juice from the tomatoes, and the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse the food processor until the mixture reaches a homogeneous consistency. <br /><br />Next, line a shallow casserole dish with aluminum foil. Put the peppers, onions, and tomatoes cut side up, and fill them with the food processor mixture. Do not pack them too tightly, just fill them up, then drizzle the tops with some olive oil, and a sprinkling of parsley. Bake for about a half hour, then I like to turn on the broiler for a few minutes at the end, to get a nicely browned top. Watch out, as they can burn in a hurry. I like to serve them right away and eat them hot, but they are can be nice at room temperature as well. ENJOY!!Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849767307591759362.post-79780726600826545722010-09-19T12:17:00.000-07:002023-01-06T16:01:14.005-08:00Foodbuzz Challenge: Next Food Blog Star<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TJZhWr65qOI/AAAAAAAAAYk/J-a9FppBJrI/s1600/MEMO0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TJZhWr65qOI/AAAAAAAAAYk/J-a9FppBJrI/s640/MEMO0007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><br />The tag line on my blog says it all: Eating well matters. Those three words define me as a blogger. Eating well means different things to different people. For me it means eating high quality food, preferably home-made. Eating well means additionally, that the food must not only be good food, it must taste phenomenal. Under no circumstance would I ever add some trendy grain or berry of the week to anything I intend to consume unless it is what belongs in the recipe. Convoluting taste with extraneous junk isn't eating well. Counting fat grams, carbs, substituting sugar for who knows what...NO THANKS! Give me the full flavor, full fat, real butter, genuine anything. When I shop for my food, I go to the local produce market, where fruit and vegetables come direct from the grower, and the meat is sold by the butcher, not in a styrofoam package. If I am eating a variety of really high quality food, I know that I am doing my body right. That is eating well.<br /><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TJZhld-viLI/AAAAAAAAAYs/Kb8A6W43lPU/s1600/Tagliatelle+al+ragu%27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_R6u4YMMIHwM/TJZhld-viLI/AAAAAAAAAYs/Kb8A6W43lPU/s640/Tagliatelle+al+ragu%27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><br /><br />So, yes, food has to be real food, not a wannabe food like marketing tool. But, just is important is the relaxing and enjoyable dining experience. So, I must also define myself as gluttonous. I have little or no self control when it comes to eating delicious food. I like it, I eat it. Will power? Negative. Eating well is taking time to enjoy a meal in the company of others, preferable with music, wine, and drinks. Some of the most memorable meals I have enjoyed were at big tables, surrounded by friends or family, with lots of lively conversation. The food experience is what you eat, and how you enjoy it. What I love so much about blogging is sharing my recipes with others, in the hopes that in creating these dishes for their family and/or friends, they will create a memorable experience both gastronomically and socially.</div><div class="MsoNormal">My blog is unique because it is based totally on what I love to eat. No one has my same experiences or food preferences. I worked in lots of different restaurants as a college student, spent some time abroad in Mexico City, lived in Italy for a few years, and generally travel anywhere at any given opportunity. Everywhere I ever visit gives me something lasting, a memorable food experience that inspires me, and broadens my culinary horizons. My blog is about taking those foods that have a special place in my heart, and trying to inspire others to give them a try. All of my recipes are pretty simple, and they are able to be made in any average home kitchen. I want the person who might ordinarily resort to some ghastly take out or frozen entree, to think again, and say, "Hey, I think I could make that!" I am convinced that everyone would be cooking every day if they could remind their palate what home-made food tastes like. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Why should I be the next food blog star? Because I am the REAL deal, real food, real taste, real authentic recipes, real flavors, real enjoyment, real simple. I should be the next food blog star because eating well matters.</div>Mangiandobenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16728168189512235120noreply@blogger.com9