Some fun and VERY good !
Ok, so I feel creative today and am making cappellacci (which means in Italian, nasta or bad hats) but are basically inverted ravioli and am going to prepare a pumpkin or butternut squash filling and a simple garlic and butter sauce or alternatively a sage and butter sauce.
I have a great video posted just below this wonderful recipe.
YOU'LL NEED:
- 2 lbs (about 1 kilo) yellow pumpkins
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 oz. butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 t spoon curry
- 2 T ricotta cheese
- salt QB
The Preparation:
PASTRY
Mix 4 eggs with approx. 1/2 lb of all purpose flour, three eggs, a pinch of salt. Prepare the daugh and roll it out thin (number six on the manual pasta making machines) and then cut into squares of approx. 2 1/2 inches per side.
THE FILLING
Mix the pumpking pulp that you have skinned and cut into small pieces and baked for about 20 minutes at 350F into a medium size bowl. Add approx. 1 cup of grated parmigiano padano, the nutmet 9 (I like a light negmeg taste but you can add more if you want a stronger more dominate nutmegy flavour).
Then with a t-spoon, place the filling into the middle of the pasta squares. Make sure your hands are clean and damp with water, close the square into a triangle form and now follow the video clip to see how the form of the cappellacci is formed.
Cook in boiling salted water.
Melt about 1/2 stick of butter, add the minced sage (get the real sage not the store bought dry stuff), a minced garli clove and then grate fresh parmigiano cheese on top of the "Ravioli" prior to serving.
ENJOY !
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
A great dip (artichoke or carciofi) and home-made cheese crackers
Ok, its sunday and getting ready for the super-bowl (the big game) and made something pretty good for the pre-game munchies.
ARTICHOKE or Carciofi Dip:
You'll need
- 10-12 artichoke hearts, cleaned and cut.
- small bunch of flat parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- mozzarella cheese
- ricotta cheese
In a small pan, add about 2 T spoons of olive oil on medium heat and add two cut garlic cloves, when golden add the finely cut parsley.
Add the artichoke hearts, stir and cover for 10 minutes but be careful not to let burn.
Add approx. 2 T spoons of a good balsamic vinegar, I say good because there is a huge difference between a good and a poor vinegar. Add about 1/8 cup of warm water and cover again until those wonderful carciofi (artichokes) are well broken and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Take of the heat and let cool slightly then place them into your food processor or blender.
Add to this the third garlic clove (good size) as well as 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/8 cup ricotta as well as a small amount of olive oil (2 T spoons). I like to add (optional) a small amount of cooking cream or panna da cucina but you can also use a low fat or light cream such as half and half coffee cream if you need to cut down on the calories...)
Blend until the dip is creamy and smooth and eccolo...
THE DIP NEEDS SOMETHING TO BE DIPPED INTO IT SO now comes the cheese crakers:
Sure you can buy something at the grocer but whats better than warm, home-made Italian cheese crackers?
You'll need:
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 cup crated parmigiano
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 T spoons olive oil
- Rosemary or tyme
- 1 T spoon salt and 1 t spoon black pepper.
- Seranwrap (that clear plastic that drives me bonkers)
Start off by adding the parmigiano cheese and the butter together in a small bowl and mix together. Then in another medium size bowl, add the flour, rosemary or tyme, salt & pepper together along with the olive oil and mix together. When you have a good homogenous consistency, add the cheese and butter to this and form a dough ball.
On a wooden surface form a log shape form with this dough about 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter and roll this log so that it is compact onto the seranwrap and close the wrap so that it is rather tight. Place in your freezer for about 20-25 minutes and will explain why the freezer part below.
Heat your over to about 375F. Remove the log you made above and place on a wooden cutting board and with a clean and very thin cutting knife make about 1/4 inch slices from the log. Place the slices (or your soon to be Italian crackers on parchment paper (on a good size cookie sheet). Cook in heated over for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes and place these wonders on a big plate for a super antipasto or pre-game special with your artichoke dip.
ENJOY!
ARTICHOKE or Carciofi Dip:
You'll need
- 10-12 artichoke hearts, cleaned and cut.
- small bunch of flat parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- mozzarella cheese
- ricotta cheese
In a small pan, add about 2 T spoons of olive oil on medium heat and add two cut garlic cloves, when golden add the finely cut parsley.
Add the artichoke hearts, stir and cover for 10 minutes but be careful not to let burn.
Add approx. 2 T spoons of a good balsamic vinegar, I say good because there is a huge difference between a good and a poor vinegar. Add about 1/8 cup of warm water and cover again until those wonderful carciofi (artichokes) are well broken and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Take of the heat and let cool slightly then place them into your food processor or blender.
Add to this the third garlic clove (good size) as well as 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/8 cup ricotta as well as a small amount of olive oil (2 T spoons). I like to add (optional) a small amount of cooking cream or panna da cucina but you can also use a low fat or light cream such as half and half coffee cream if you need to cut down on the calories...)
Blend until the dip is creamy and smooth and eccolo...
THE DIP NEEDS SOMETHING TO BE DIPPED INTO IT SO now comes the cheese crakers:
Sure you can buy something at the grocer but whats better than warm, home-made Italian cheese crackers?
You'll need:
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 cup crated parmigiano
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 T spoons olive oil
- Rosemary or tyme
- 1 T spoon salt and 1 t spoon black pepper.
- Seranwrap (that clear plastic that drives me bonkers)
Start off by adding the parmigiano cheese and the butter together in a small bowl and mix together. Then in another medium size bowl, add the flour, rosemary or tyme, salt & pepper together along with the olive oil and mix together. When you have a good homogenous consistency, add the cheese and butter to this and form a dough ball.
On a wooden surface form a log shape form with this dough about 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter and roll this log so that it is compact onto the seranwrap and close the wrap so that it is rather tight. Place in your freezer for about 20-25 minutes and will explain why the freezer part below.
Heat your over to about 375F. Remove the log you made above and place on a wooden cutting board and with a clean and very thin cutting knife make about 1/4 inch slices from the log. Place the slices (or your soon to be Italian crackers on parchment paper (on a good size cookie sheet). Cook in heated over for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes and place these wonders on a big plate for a super antipasto or pre-game special with your artichoke dip.
ENJOY!
Monday, January 17, 2011
STUFFED PORCINI MUSHROOMS
This is a delicious starter which can be served with chicken or as a main dish. Its cruchy on the outside and savory and soft within, something I really love to do... adding extreme consistency and flovors in the same dish. I personally prefer porcini mushrooms as the flovor is so special but they can be substituted with white mushrooms as well.
YOU'LL NEED:
- 15-20 large porcini (or white) mushrooms, caps and stems are to be removed but put aside for this dish.
- 6 T spoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T spoons of Marsala
- 3/4 to 1 lb (500-800 gr) Sausage (Italian spicey) and remove casing (skin)
- 5 scallions chopped well
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 3 T spoonns parsley (minced)
- 1 small fist of pestoed (crushed) walnut
- 1/2 T black pepper
- 1 cup bread crumbs (I make them myself with wholewheat bread, parsely, salt, pepper, oregano)
- 4 oz marscapone
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano
TO DO:
First thing is to put some good jazzy music on to set your background, relax a few minutes with the music and get started by preheating the oven to 300 F.
- Clean the mushrooms gently, trim the stems (chop them finely and put aside). Put the caps in a bowl and add 2 T spoons olive oil and the Marsala.
- In a small skillet place the crushed walnets (no oil) and on high heat toast the nuts.
- Heat 3 T spoons of your olive oil in a skillet over low heat and add your crumbled sausage (skinned) and walnuts let brown for about 8 minutes. Then splash with some good balsamic vinegar and let simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add in your mushroom stems and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions, minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the breadcrumbs and marcapone to the mushroom stems and let creamy. Take off heat and stir in the parsley and parmigiano. Let cool some and fill the mushroom caps with the sausage mixing and put in a tight layer on an oven dishy. Bake at 325 F until the sutffing is crowned and crusty (approx. 45 minutes)
ENJOY !
YOU'LL NEED:
- 15-20 large porcini (or white) mushrooms, caps and stems are to be removed but put aside for this dish.
- 6 T spoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T spoons of Marsala
- 3/4 to 1 lb (500-800 gr) Sausage (Italian spicey) and remove casing (skin)
- 5 scallions chopped well
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 3 T spoonns parsley (minced)
- 1 small fist of pestoed (crushed) walnut
- 1/2 T black pepper
- 1 cup bread crumbs (I make them myself with wholewheat bread, parsely, salt, pepper, oregano)
- 4 oz marscapone
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano
TO DO:
First thing is to put some good jazzy music on to set your background, relax a few minutes with the music and get started by preheating the oven to 300 F.
- Clean the mushrooms gently, trim the stems (chop them finely and put aside). Put the caps in a bowl and add 2 T spoons olive oil and the Marsala.
- In a small skillet place the crushed walnets (no oil) and on high heat toast the nuts.
- Heat 3 T spoons of your olive oil in a skillet over low heat and add your crumbled sausage (skinned) and walnuts let brown for about 8 minutes. Then splash with some good balsamic vinegar and let simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add in your mushroom stems and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions, minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the breadcrumbs and marcapone to the mushroom stems and let creamy. Take off heat and stir in the parsley and parmigiano. Let cool some and fill the mushroom caps with the sausage mixing and put in a tight layer on an oven dishy. Bake at 325 F until the sutffing is crowned and crusty (approx. 45 minutes)
ENJOY !
Friday, January 14, 2011
PASTA ALLA MATRICIANA
This is a great and really easy dish that will get those taste buds in 4th gear !
First thing is to put on some great Italian classical (I'd go with Verdi for this dish), take three deep breaths and go....
YOU'LL NEED:
- 4 thick slices of pancetta or bacon chopped into small squares
- 1 large white onion (sliced thin)
- 3 garlic cloves (never us the store bought stuff that I see everywhere)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tin chopped or diced tomatoes or better about 1/2 kilo (1 lb) mature whole tomatoes fresh from the market
- 600 grams (1lb) spaghetti, I like pici (which are wormlike thick spaghetti)
- a handful of chopped parsley
- 100 grams freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
WHAT TO DO:
- cook your cut up bacon or pancetta in a wide and relatively deep frying pan over medium/high heat with 2 T-spoons olive oil until the fat is rendered (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the finely cut onion and cuook until soft.
- Add in the smashed garlic cloves and red pepper flakes and cook for approx. 3 minutes.
- Add a fist of chopped parsley and stir in and add the tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes and be sure to stir (keep on the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly).
- To your boiling water for the pasta add a couple T-spoons salt and a dash of olive oil, add the pasta. When the spaghetti is just al dente, strain and add to your sauce and mix in well for a few minutes. Add some fresh cut parsley to the and stir out onto the plates. Add a sprinkle of parmigiano cheese and a dash of olive oil.
- Serve with a hearty Chianti Red
ENJOY !
First thing is to put on some great Italian classical (I'd go with Verdi for this dish), take three deep breaths and go....
YOU'LL NEED:
- 4 thick slices of pancetta or bacon chopped into small squares
- 1 large white onion (sliced thin)
- 3 garlic cloves (never us the store bought stuff that I see everywhere)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tin chopped or diced tomatoes or better about 1/2 kilo (1 lb) mature whole tomatoes fresh from the market
- 600 grams (1lb) spaghetti, I like pici (which are wormlike thick spaghetti)
- a handful of chopped parsley
- 100 grams freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
WHAT TO DO:
- cook your cut up bacon or pancetta in a wide and relatively deep frying pan over medium/high heat with 2 T-spoons olive oil until the fat is rendered (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the finely cut onion and cuook until soft.
- Add in the smashed garlic cloves and red pepper flakes and cook for approx. 3 minutes.
- Add a fist of chopped parsley and stir in and add the tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes and be sure to stir (keep on the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly).
- To your boiling water for the pasta add a couple T-spoons salt and a dash of olive oil, add the pasta. When the spaghetti is just al dente, strain and add to your sauce and mix in well for a few minutes. Add some fresh cut parsley to the and stir out onto the plates. Add a sprinkle of parmigiano cheese and a dash of olive oil.
- Serve with a hearty Chianti Red
ENJOY !
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