Spring is just around the corner so that means outdoor parties for some of us. I have a great and really simple recipe for making Italian home-made crackers.
YOU'LL NEED:
- 1/4 lb unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 oz grated parmigiano cheese
- 1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/3 t salt
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 2 t finely chopped basil/dill/oregano....its your choice
Preparation:
- Put the softened butter in a medium size bowl along with the grated parmgiano cheese (alternatively grated pecorino romano) along with the flour, salt, pepper and basil.
- Mix well until you have a completely homogenous ball.
- Place the dough ball on a floured board and form a 12-14 inch long log (with an approx. 1 1/2 inch diameter).
- Wrap the log in a plactic wrap and roll it slightly so that you have a "tightly wrapped log".
- Place the above in the freezer for about 20 minutes or until its firmed up.
- Remove the log unwrap it, cut into 1/4 inch slices and place on a non-stick cookie sheet or a sheet pan with parchment paper and bake at 360 F for approximately 15 minutes.
ENJOY with my Artichoke (carciofi) dip and a good glass of Chianti Classico!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A CLASSIC - LASAGNA !
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I'm lov'n it! or at least I will very soon
A great classic dish which is pretty darn practical because you can make it and freeze it for a rainy day.
Proper Lasagna should be served with a crispy top layer of lasagna pasta and when you cut into it... you find a dreamy moist and savory heaven.
There are some variations in this dish. Each region of Italy has its own lasagna but I'm preparing here a lasagna which one could probably put the Italian flag on it.
YOU'LL NEED:
(serves 6-8)
The Sauce:
- Herbs (bay leafs - 3, rosemary, garlic cloves, parsley, oregano)
- 1/2 large white onion chopped well
- 1 1/2 oz carrots chopped well
- 1 1/2 oz celery chopped well
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 4 oz lean ground pork
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 16 oz diced tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 4 oz butter
- 6 oz parmigiano grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 oz ricotta cheese
- 4 cups bechamel
The Lasagna Pasta
- Either make it yourself as you would home-made pasta and cut into large squares (4 x 4"), let dry for about 20 minutes and boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes and place on a damp dishtowel.
or
- Go to your favorite supplier of Italian produce and purchase a box of ready to cook lasagna pasta (noodles).
PREPARATION:
You will need a good size pot, put on low heat with the 4 oz of butter. Cut up your celery, cleaned carrots, onion, garlic, parsely and rosemary and add to the melted butter, turn heat up some. When the herbs etc are golden, add your ground beef and pork and let brown. Introduce your red wine with the simmering meat and herbs and turn heat up to medium. When wine has evaporated add both the tomato sauce and paste, salt and pepper to taste, stir well all together and turn heat down to simmer and cover for approximately 1.5 hours or longer if you can stand it! (I personally let my sauce cook and get really happy which normally takes 2-3 hours minimum). You have already learned how to prepare the bechamel for lasagna earlier this week so prepare it now and I suggest not the classical French but the version for lasagna / tagliatelle.
Ok, now its time to put it all together:
I would suggest that you use a 8" x 14" oven dish (nothing smaller) and at least 2" deep.
Lasagna is all about layering the savory flavors so thats just what we are going to do.
1. Put a nice layer of your sauce on the bottom of the oven dish.
2. Place your first layer of boiled lasagna pasta in place on top of the layer of sauce.
3. Put a thin layer of your meat sauce
4. Add a layer of bechamel sauce
5. Add a generous layer of the grated parmigiano (or you can do what I like to do:combine the parmigiano with mozzarella) cheese and I like to add a thin layer of ricotta cheese (when preparing the ricotta, mix it with two eggs and a T spoon of nutmeg) here for additional support to the lasagna, remember its all about savory flavors.
6. Now start over again and repeat steps 2 - 5.
7. The top layer I like to just dribble olive oil on top but no meat sauce until it is half way cooked, this way you get a crispy sensation on the top layer of pasta but be careful not to burn it.
8. Bake for 350F for approximately 35 minutes. Remember, about 15 minutes into the cooking time, remove from oven and add a thin layer of meat sauce and grated cheese on the top layer, cover with foil and let cook for another 20 minutes at a reduced temp of about 320).
Simple as that and ENJOY !
A great classic dish which is pretty darn practical because you can make it and freeze it for a rainy day.
Proper Lasagna should be served with a crispy top layer of lasagna pasta and when you cut into it... you find a dreamy moist and savory heaven.
There are some variations in this dish. Each region of Italy has its own lasagna but I'm preparing here a lasagna which one could probably put the Italian flag on it.
YOU'LL NEED:
(serves 6-8)
The Sauce:
- Herbs (bay leafs - 3, rosemary, garlic cloves, parsley, oregano)
- 1/2 large white onion chopped well
- 1 1/2 oz carrots chopped well
- 1 1/2 oz celery chopped well
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 4 oz lean ground pork
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 16 oz diced tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 4 oz butter
- 6 oz parmigiano grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 oz ricotta cheese
- 4 cups bechamel
The Lasagna Pasta
- Either make it yourself as you would home-made pasta and cut into large squares (4 x 4"), let dry for about 20 minutes and boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes and place on a damp dishtowel.
or
- Go to your favorite supplier of Italian produce and purchase a box of ready to cook lasagna pasta (noodles).
PREPARATION:
You will need a good size pot, put on low heat with the 4 oz of butter. Cut up your celery, cleaned carrots, onion, garlic, parsely and rosemary and add to the melted butter, turn heat up some. When the herbs etc are golden, add your ground beef and pork and let brown. Introduce your red wine with the simmering meat and herbs and turn heat up to medium. When wine has evaporated add both the tomato sauce and paste, salt and pepper to taste, stir well all together and turn heat down to simmer and cover for approximately 1.5 hours or longer if you can stand it! (I personally let my sauce cook and get really happy which normally takes 2-3 hours minimum). You have already learned how to prepare the bechamel for lasagna earlier this week so prepare it now and I suggest not the classical French but the version for lasagna / tagliatelle.
Ok, now its time to put it all together:
I would suggest that you use a 8" x 14" oven dish (nothing smaller) and at least 2" deep.
Lasagna is all about layering the savory flavors so thats just what we are going to do.
1. Put a nice layer of your sauce on the bottom of the oven dish.
2. Place your first layer of boiled lasagna pasta in place on top of the layer of sauce.
3. Put a thin layer of your meat sauce
4. Add a layer of bechamel sauce
5. Add a generous layer of the grated parmigiano (or you can do what I like to do:combine the parmigiano with mozzarella) cheese and I like to add a thin layer of ricotta cheese (when preparing the ricotta, mix it with two eggs and a T spoon of nutmeg) here for additional support to the lasagna, remember its all about savory flavors.
6. Now start over again and repeat steps 2 - 5.
7. The top layer I like to just dribble olive oil on top but no meat sauce until it is half way cooked, this way you get a crispy sensation on the top layer of pasta but be careful not to burn it.
8. Bake for 350F for approximately 35 minutes. Remember, about 15 minutes into the cooking time, remove from oven and add a thin layer of meat sauce and grated cheese on the top layer, cover with foil and let cook for another 20 minutes at a reduced temp of about 320).
Simple as that and ENJOY !
Sunday, February 20, 2011
BECHAMEL FOR LASAGNA AND TAGLIATELLE
Mi sento benessimo oggi ! God, I feel great today and on this beautifully sunny day just thought that I would put something pretty basic but extremely useful here so away we go!
Bechamel Sauce and Bechamel for Italian dishes (ie lasagna & tagliatelle pasta)
I was told at a culinary seminar that I participated in (in Paris) many moons ago that the bechamel sauce is one of the four mother sauces in the traditional kitchen, the others come from Germany, Spain and naturally France (where this sauce is said to have originated). Bechamel is simple and it is a milk based white sauce.
In general one will need two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of flour to produce the "roux" which translates from French into the reddish-brown which comes from the flour and butter mixture and the more you cook this the darker it will become however in this context, we will want to keep the color as white as possible for the basic sauce.
When the roux is made (the flour and the butter) we want then to gradually add milk (not cold but room temp). Whisk the new born sauce gradually as you are adding the milk to it, go light other wise it will result in a watery mess!. Cook this mixture gently for a few minutes until it thickens.
If you wish a thin sauce, use only one tablespoon of butter and flour, and for a thicker sauce, use three tablespoons of the flour and butter and thats pretty much it!
VARIATIONS FOR AN ITALIAN TOUCH:
When you have the above sauce base to the consistency you want (smooth) you can add a pinch of salt, chopped parsley, pinch of nutmet and a couple oz of parmigiano. What I like to do for a nice sauce for the Lasagna or fresh pasta is to add about 6-10 oz of ricotta cheese to the sauce, oh make sure that any time you are adding something more "ethnic" to the base sauce you must keep the heat on low and stir.
Other variations are to add to the base sauce (flour, butter, milk, pinch of salt) is a bay leaf, garlic, celery, peeled carrot, nutmeg etc). Just be aware that you will need to strain out the added elements ie onion, garlic, carrot from the sauce prior to applying to your dish.
There you go.... so get to work and experiement and ENJOY!
Bechamel Sauce and Bechamel for Italian dishes (ie lasagna & tagliatelle pasta)
I was told at a culinary seminar that I participated in (in Paris) many moons ago that the bechamel sauce is one of the four mother sauces in the traditional kitchen, the others come from Germany, Spain and naturally France (where this sauce is said to have originated). Bechamel is simple and it is a milk based white sauce.
In general one will need two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of flour to produce the "roux" which translates from French into the reddish-brown which comes from the flour and butter mixture and the more you cook this the darker it will become however in this context, we will want to keep the color as white as possible for the basic sauce.
When the roux is made (the flour and the butter) we want then to gradually add milk (not cold but room temp). Whisk the new born sauce gradually as you are adding the milk to it, go light other wise it will result in a watery mess!. Cook this mixture gently for a few minutes until it thickens.
If you wish a thin sauce, use only one tablespoon of butter and flour, and for a thicker sauce, use three tablespoons of the flour and butter and thats pretty much it!
VARIATIONS FOR AN ITALIAN TOUCH:
When you have the above sauce base to the consistency you want (smooth) you can add a pinch of salt, chopped parsley, pinch of nutmet and a couple oz of parmigiano. What I like to do for a nice sauce for the Lasagna or fresh pasta is to add about 6-10 oz of ricotta cheese to the sauce, oh make sure that any time you are adding something more "ethnic" to the base sauce you must keep the heat on low and stir.
Other variations are to add to the base sauce (flour, butter, milk, pinch of salt) is a bay leaf, garlic, celery, peeled carrot, nutmeg etc). Just be aware that you will need to strain out the added elements ie onion, garlic, carrot from the sauce prior to applying to your dish.
There you go.... so get to work and experiement and ENJOY!
Spinach Filling for Home-Made Ravioli
Ok, we've already made ravioli with a more "unusual" pumpkin filling, now we are going to do the "classical" approach with the ricotta cheese and spinach filling.
For the filling, its easy and is very simple:
Serves 4 (approx. enough to prepare medium size ravioli using 1lb (450g) flour)
YOU'LL NEED:
- 1.5 lb fresh baby spinach
- 30 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 T spoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 T spoon nutmeg
- 4 oz grated parmigiano cheese
- salt & pepper
PREPARATION:
Start off by cleaning the spinach (take the stems off) and boil in salted water until the leaves are soft (not more than 3-4 minutes). Remove, drain completely. In a skillet place the butter on low heat and add the spinach and add a dash of salt. Cook until the liquid has reduced nearly completely.
Remove from skillet and let cool. In a medium size bowl, add the ricotta cheese, the egg, nutmeg and parmigiano cheese and a dash of salt and a t-spoon black pepper and mix well.
When the spinach has cooled, cut well and add to the ricotta mixture and create a very uniform consistancy.
And that's it!
When your dough is prepared for the rivioli, place approximately a t-spoon ball shape of the ricotta/spinach mixture approximately 2 - 2.5 inches apart on your dough strip (just under the mid point). With egg white you will need to paint a thin strip along the upper and lower edges of your dough strip, then fold over the top end of the strip and attach to the lower end.
At this point you are ready to seal in your filling areas to eliminate the air pockets and use either an espresso cup or a ravioli cutter to form the shape of your ravioli, cut them apart and with a fork you will want to close around the sealed areas of the ravioli so that they will not open up when placed in boiling water.
ENJOY!
For the filling, its easy and is very simple:
Serves 4 (approx. enough to prepare medium size ravioli using 1lb (450g) flour)
YOU'LL NEED:
- 1.5 lb fresh baby spinach
- 30 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 T spoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 T spoon nutmeg
- 4 oz grated parmigiano cheese
- salt & pepper
PREPARATION:
Start off by cleaning the spinach (take the stems off) and boil in salted water until the leaves are soft (not more than 3-4 minutes). Remove, drain completely. In a skillet place the butter on low heat and add the spinach and add a dash of salt. Cook until the liquid has reduced nearly completely.
Remove from skillet and let cool. In a medium size bowl, add the ricotta cheese, the egg, nutmeg and parmigiano cheese and a dash of salt and a t-spoon black pepper and mix well.
When the spinach has cooled, cut well and add to the ricotta mixture and create a very uniform consistancy.
And that's it!
When your dough is prepared for the rivioli, place approximately a t-spoon ball shape of the ricotta/spinach mixture approximately 2 - 2.5 inches apart on your dough strip (just under the mid point). With egg white you will need to paint a thin strip along the upper and lower edges of your dough strip, then fold over the top end of the strip and attach to the lower end.
At this point you are ready to seal in your filling areas to eliminate the air pockets and use either an espresso cup or a ravioli cutter to form the shape of your ravioli, cut them apart and with a fork you will want to close around the sealed areas of the ravioli so that they will not open up when placed in boiling water.
ENJOY!
Friday, February 18, 2011
CROSTINI DI FEGATINI (liver pate toasts)
This anti-pasto is part of the Florentine culinary culture and do not let the word liver scare you away from tasting these wonders !
This pate' is served on toasted Tuscan (saltless) bread with a lite brush of extra virgin olive oil and garlic or sage flavor atop. You surely have heard of the bruscetta, well this is a variation.
Serving 6 people
YOU'LL NEED:
- 12-14 oz (400-450 gr) chicken livers
- 3 T spoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 canned flat anchovy fillets, drained
- 3 T spoons unsalted butter (do not use margerine or butter flavored substitutes.)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 18 slices (3 per person) country bread or the French type baguette toasted.
PREPARATION:
Remove any fat tissue from the livers.
Slice them into good sized pieces. Place in a hot skillet (high heat) olive oil and warm it and add the liver pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper. I like to add a dash of balsamic vinegar for added flavor. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture begins to stick to your skillet (this will take approx. 7 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heaat and eliminate the bay leaves. Put the liver, the rinsed anchovies, capers and garlic clove in your food processor or food mill until you have a creamy texture.
Return the combined liver,anchovies, capers back to your skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat until you have a smooth pate'. Serve cooled on toasted oven bread. I like to add dash of olive oil on the surface of the toasted bread with a fast scape of a garlic clove before adding the pate'. Your choice !
SERVE WITH A GLASS OF COLD DRY WHITE WINE !
ENJOY..
This pate' is served on toasted Tuscan (saltless) bread with a lite brush of extra virgin olive oil and garlic or sage flavor atop. You surely have heard of the bruscetta, well this is a variation.
Serving 6 people
YOU'LL NEED:
- 12-14 oz (400-450 gr) chicken livers
- 3 T spoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 canned flat anchovy fillets, drained
- 3 T spoons unsalted butter (do not use margerine or butter flavored substitutes.)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 18 slices (3 per person) country bread or the French type baguette toasted.
PREPARATION:
Remove any fat tissue from the livers.
Slice them into good sized pieces. Place in a hot skillet (high heat) olive oil and warm it and add the liver pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper. I like to add a dash of balsamic vinegar for added flavor. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture begins to stick to your skillet (this will take approx. 7 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heaat and eliminate the bay leaves. Put the liver, the rinsed anchovies, capers and garlic clove in your food processor or food mill until you have a creamy texture.
Return the combined liver,anchovies, capers back to your skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat until you have a smooth pate'. Serve cooled on toasted oven bread. I like to add dash of olive oil on the surface of the toasted bread with a fast scape of a garlic clove before adding the pate'. Your choice !
SERVE WITH A GLASS OF COLD DRY WHITE WINE !
ENJOY..
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