Category Archives: Recipes

Roasted Peppers

Herbs help to bring out a peppers' best flavor

Flavorful, served as an appetizer, on salad.  May also be served on the side of meat, poultry or fish dishes.

  • 4 Peppers
  • 1 Tbsp capers
  • 1 Tbsp raisins
  • 1 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp parsley

Roast or grill peppers. Place in closed container for 10 minutes, then remove skin.

 

Turn on broiler and place washed peppers onto a pan (or cookie sheet) in middle of oven. Peppers should be turned from side to side as they become brown or blackened in color. Approximately 20 minutes.

Remove peppers from oven and place into a sealed container. Set aside until cooled, about 10 minutes. Remove skin from peppers.Set peppers into a container and add: garlic, capers, dried fruit, parsley. Best served after flavors have cured for about an hour. Store in refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

Eggplant and Sundried Tomatoes

Sun Dried Tomato Eggplant Rolls

Delicious and tasty appetizer

  • 1 Eggplant (does not need to be peeled, lengthwise or cross sliced 1/4 inch (1/2 cm)
  • Salt
  • 12 Sun-dried tomatoes soaked in olive oil until tender
  • Garlic clove minced
  • Basil leaves
  • Parsley leaves
  • Goat cheese (A flavorful cheese can be substituted)
  • Toothpicks
  • Washed and dried lettuce leaves placed onto a plate (optional)

Thinly sliced eggplant, lightly salted and grilled

1. Combine sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

2. Some stores may sell eggplant slices already grilled. Otherwise, wash and sliceeggplant. Lightly salt all slices and set aside in colander for about 1 hour to allow for bitter water to come out from eggplant. Pat dry eggplant slices with paper towel. Place eggplant slices onto hot grill and lightly grilled ggplant slices.

Layer eggplant with sundried tomato, goat cheese and basil

3. Place sun-dried tomato into center of eggplant. Place a slice of cheese into center of sun-dried tomato. Roll eggplant with sun-dried tomato and cheese inside. Place two parsley leaves on outside of roll and secure roll by inserting a toothpick. Place onto plate with lettuce.

Pan di Spagna

Pan di Spagna is a baked dry cake. After it cools it is soaked in liquor or pineapple juice. Very versatile and used in many European recipes.

A Simple Fat Free Cake often used as a common dessert in Italian Cooking that   will surprise your palate.  Serve with Strawberries. Or add may add 1/2 cup fruit or chopped nuts  (almonds) to batter just before pouring into baking dish.

 

 

 

Serves 12
Pre-heat oven to 350F or 180C. Bake time 15 minutes.

The recipe can be halved to make the Zucotto Cuppula done in a 9″ round pan, or the full recipe if preparing a 9″x11″ pan

Lightly grease cake pan with butter or use a non stick pan.

  • 4 Eggs
  • 3/4 cup or 150 grams Sugar
  • 3/4 cup or 125 grams Flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (optional to add moisture. If preparing the Zucotto Cuppula this step can be eliminated)
  • 3/4 cup (choose one): Pineapple Juice, or Maraschino, or Sweet Marsala (To be poured over baked and cooled cake)

In a mixing bowl break open eggs and discard egg shells. With a whisk, beat egg yolk and whites for 1 minute. Add sugar and combine ingredients. Add: flour, salt, baking powder continue to combine ingredients with a whisk until all ingredients are well combined, about 90 seconds. (If desired moisture is preferred, choose to add one of the following ingredients at 1/2 cup: vegetable oil, apple sauce, yogurt)
Pour cake batter into cake pan and place into oven. Allow to bake for 25 minutes on 350F or 180C

After cake is cooled add moisture to cake by evenly pouring 3/4 cup of  Maraschino, Sweet Marsala (semi secco or dolce).  Favorite juice may be substituted.

Top off with Strawberry fruit.
1 quart Strawberries
1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
1/2 cup Marsala (optional)
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
Mint Leaves for decoration
Hull strawberry leaves from strawberries and cut into 1/4 or 1/2 slices. Place into a colander and wash thoroughly. Drain well. Place strawberries into a bowl and add lemon zest, Marsala and sugar. Combine all ingredients with a spoon and allow set aside for 20 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Assemble cake slices onto a dish and place strawberries on top. Present dessert with mint leaves on the side of cake.

Cherry Tomato Sauce (Pomodorini)

Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce! DELICIOUS!!!

1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove peeled
2 pound Cherry Tomatoes washed and halved
1 Pat of Butter (1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper (of choice)
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon oregano

Over Medium heat, bring oil and garlic to a warmed temperature, about 3 minutes and garlic will become beige. Add tomatoes, butter and salt. Cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add pepper, minced garlic and oregano. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Serve over favorite cooked pasta.

Gnocchi

5 potato’s peeled boiled and quartered.
1/2 cup Semola Flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mash potato’s by using a food processor or food mill. Add Semola  Flour and salt in order to form a ball. Quarter potato ball. Take one cut quarter of potato mass and begin to rotate back and forth in between hands on lightly flour dusted cutting board or table so that a rope forms. Rope should be about 8-10 inches long and about 1/2 -3/4 inch wide. Cut rope into about 1 inch long pieces. With a fork gently press down on each gnocchi. Continue same process for the rest of the pasta mass.
In a large pan, bring water to a hard boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add in gnocchi. When gnocchi floats to top they are done. About 2 minutes. With slotted spoon remove the gnocchi and place into individual dishes.
Best served with Simple Basil & Tomato Sauce and topped off with Parmesan Cheese.

Simple Basil & Tomato Sauce
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
28 oz or 720 grams Tomato Sauce ( De Cecco or Fratelli)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
8 Basil leaves