MINI GNOCCHI DI PANE E FUNGHI SECCHI (Lil'' Gnocchi with bread and dried mushrooms)

A great friend of mine from Venice came to visit me in Florence last summer, she loves to invent dishes and experiment as do I so naturally I want to share one of the offspring of our endevours!

This is a great antipasto in particular if you are serving as a main dish meat.

This antipasto is not a Venetian dish but rather a dish from the northern area of the Region of Veneto (Venice is the capital city of the Region of Veneto in north-eastern Italy),

YOU'LL NEED:
(serves six)

- 1 lb dried bread crumbs (you can make it yourself but store bought is fine)
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk (not skimmed)
- 2 oz (50 g) dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 white onion chopped finely
- 1 cup all purpose non-bleached flour
- 6 T unsalted softened butter
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup parmigiano or pecorino cheese, grated
- 1 t salt and 1 t freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

- In a medium sized bowl crack three eggs and whisk.
- Pour your breadcrumbs into the bowl along with the milk and season with salt and pepper.
- While the breadcrumbs are absorbing the liquid, soak your mushrooms in warm water with about a T spoon of balsamic vinegar until soft then drain them and chop them finely.
- Put a good sized saucepan on low heat and warm the olive oil, then add your chopped finely onion for approx. 4 minutes then add the mushrooms and cover to simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
- When the above are cooled, place them into a deep bowl and add your bread and egg mixture along with about 75% of your flour and mix well manually (hands).
- Ensure that your hands and wooden surface are floured and make small 1/2 - 3/4 inch balls, thus the birth of the gnocchetti and arrange them on the flat floured surface.
- Almost done ! Now we need to bring a medium sized pot of salted and oiled water to boil. Batch the gnocchetti with a large spoon into the boiling water and leave them until they float to the top (shoundnt take more than 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain before placing them on your platter.
- In a small saucepan, melt your butter and dirzzle of your plated gnocchetti and then a generous dash of parmigiano or pecorino over the top !

ENJOY !!!!

TUSCAN CHICKEN

I have been told that this dish is very particular in a good sense as the flavor will be a topic for discussion at your dinner table. I first ate this dish years ago at very good friend of mines home in Florence (Gabriella).... Thank you Gabi for this recipe !


YOU'LL NEED:
(Serves 4-6)

- 2 lbs (about a kilo) of dark and white boneless chicken
- 1 yellow or red onion
- 1 T of Rosemary (fresh and cut finely)
- 1 t of Tyme (fresh)
- 1/2 lb pancetta or lean bacon
- 2 T spoons olive oil
- 1 cup all purpose white flour)
- 15-20 small figs (cut in halves)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- salt & pepper
- lemon zest

PREPARATION:

- In a large and relative deep saucepan, cut your pancetta or bacon into small pieces and brown, then remove and place on a paper towel.
- In the same pan (with the oil from the pancetta) place your cut and cleaned and floured bite size chicken (I remove the skin but some skin does give extra flavor) chicken on medium heat. let brown for about 10 minutes, you will need ensure that you turn to brown both sides.
- Add the diced onion at this time along with your herbs (rosemary and tyme)
- Add your figs (remember to cut in halves to allow the flavor to oooz and gather with the chicken)
- Add now your white wine, when most of the wine has evaporated, add the chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste and cover for approximately 20 minutes on medium heat. You will see that the figs have contributed to the now deep redish sauce. Sprinkle lemon zest a top and serve.

I suggest that you serve this with Gnocchi made with a butter and sage/nutmeg sauce.

ENJOY !!!

PORCINI MUSHROOMS WITH BAY LEAVES

Another Tuscan favorite and of mine ! This dish is very frequently eaten in the area between Florence and Siena and has a seasonal element of late September - November and is honestly one of my favorites because its easy to prepare and soooooo good to eat!

YOU'LL NEED:
(Serves 6)

- 1 lb fresh porcini mushrooms
- 2 bay leaves
- 7 T spoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 3 T spoons fresh flat parsley (finely chopped)

PREPARATION:

- First you will need to cut the stems off the mushrooms (but dont toss them out because you can use them to flavor other dishes and given their cost, its a good idea to utilize every portion). Do not wash them as the water will create a negative effect on the mushroom so ever so gently brush the dirt (with a damp paper towel). Place the mushrooms on an oiled (olive of course) baking dish. Arrange the caps of the mushrooms with the rounded side facing you and brush with olive oil.
- Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and place the bay leaves around the mushrooms.
- Place the dish in your broiler for a few minutes, until tender and just slightly golden which should take about 8 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir the remaining olive oil, add the lemon juice and parsley. Season this with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Remove the mushrooms to a good size platter and remove the bayleaves and dribble your lemon and oil mixture to the mushrooms.

ENJOY !

CROSTINI CROSTINI AND MORE CROSTINI (Grilled bread shredded with Red Cabbage or Radiccio)

I have yet to come across a Tuscan who would not sit down to dinner without the bread and more specifically their crostini (especially on Sundays!)

There are many different types of crostini, the bread is typically unsalted and grilled and the toppings vary but in general are veggies from peppers, faggioli (lima, navy, kidney beans) to just a simple version with a good drizzle of olive oil and salt.

I first had this version while in a winery in Chianti (near Siena) and was just too good for words.

YOU'LL NEED:
(serves six)

- 6 slices of country bread (unsalted is preferred) cut about 1/2 inch thick.
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz red cabbage shredded finely
- 2-3 T spoons red wine vinegar
- dash of salt and ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

- Preheat your grill (or your boiler). Place the sliced bread on a cook sheet and grill (turn over just once) until they are golden on both sides. Place them on seperate small salad plates and oil just the top side.
- In a good size saucepan on high heat add the remainder of the olive oil and smashed, cut garlic (3 cloves) and when a light golden color add the cabbage and mix. Add the vinegar and season (salt & pepper). The cabbage ought to be warm and slightly wilted... do not over cook !
- Place the cabbage on your grilled bread and are now deemed to be called CROSTINI !
- I like to sprinkle a dash of freshly grated parmigiano cheese on top each crostini as it just adds a bit more flavor and umphhhhh!
- For the best result, eat with a small glass of Chianti

ENJOY

SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA (Pasta with a hot tomato sauce)

If you like it hot and flavorful then you havent tasted anything until you try this dish, the Romans call it theirs and I wont argue with a hungry Roman, however just in case you want to know its origin, I've been told that is comes from just a bit farther south from the island of Ischia which is located just west of Naples (I was fortunate to go there a few years ago and would advise anyone visiting central Italy in the spring or summer to make a point to spend a few days on this island... great food and great people, oh and cant forget the great seaside !!).

YOU'LL NEED:
(serves six)

- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 lb of mature tomatoes (romane) peeled and seeded then diced (or canned are fine if you cannot find Roman tomatoes at your favorite market)
- 5 T extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T drained capers
- 1 cup pitted black olives
- 1 t chopped oregano
- 2 oz packed anchovies, rinsed and chopped (make sure they are filleted)
- a pinch of red pepper flakes (the more the merrier!)
- 1 large bunch of flate parsley chopped finely
- 1 1/2 lb spaghetti but i prefer linguine

PREPARATION:

Pull out a medium saucepan and put on medium heat. You need to add a couple generous T spoons of the olive oil (remember you get out what you put in so use extra virgin) and when warm add your crushed and peeled garlic, remain til it starts to color. Now add to the oil and garlic your tomatoes, capers, olives, red pepper flakes, parsley and oregano. Cook for about 8 minutes but stir occasionally. Now add your anchovies and let simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat.

Now prepare the pasta. Bring to a boil in a large pot the salted water (and remember to add a dribble of olive oil to the water). Add the pasta and cook until its "al dente". Paur your sauce over the pasta (do this in the same saucepan you used to prepare the sauce and let simmer for just a minute or two while mixing thoroughly.

Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of a great grated parigiano cheese and serve with a good Chianti !

ENJOY