photo credit: thebittenword.com

Simple Italian soups are so welcome this time of year, and none are more comforting that Split Pea and Potato soup!    A nice warm bowl of soup, a crusty chunk of bread and a fireplace and I’m in heaven.  The addition of potatoes to the pea soup just make it that much more hearty.

I used to make this soup with beef broth.  However, I recently had some good homemade chicken broth, so I used it to make this simple Italian soup and I liked it better than ever.  I also used Yukon Gold potatoes and they added a nice dimension to the soup.

If you like, you can add a little crostini when you serve the dish.  All I do is take the crust off a good firm white bread and toast them up in a little salted olive oil in a pan.  They go real fast and make a nice little crunchy topping.   Bacon pieces is another alternative topping that is always appreciated.

To start the simple Italian soup, saute a chopped onion and 3 or 4 diced carrots in 3 tablespoons of butter for about 5 minutes.  Stir in a pound of rinsed split green peas, 8 cups of chicken stock and a bay leaf.  Add salt and pepper to taste and bring it all to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Let it simmer for about half an hour – stirring every once in a while.

Add about two pounds of Yukon gold potatoes that you have cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  Simmer for another half hour until potatoes are tender.  Remove the bay leaf.

Now you must decide if you want smooth or chunky soup.  If you want it smooth, blend it all in the food processor and return it to the pot.

Add 3/8 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and adjust for salt and pepper.  Ladle into bowls and top with some of your crostini and offer additional Parmesan cheese on the side.

Enjoy this simple Italian rib-sticking soup on a cold blustery day.  It tastes even better the next day!
photo credit: thebittenword.com

photo credit: VirtualErn

Beef braised with Italian red wine – Stracotto al Barolo – is one of my favorite comfort foods!  This Piemontese Pot Roast is cooked in Barolo red wine.  Barolo is sometimes referred to as the king of wines, for its rich flavor and wonderful aroma.  Barolo had admirers throughout Europe as early as the 1700’s.  If you can’t find Barolo, Chianti makes a fine substitute.

Although this is “only pot roast”, with Italian bread and a crisp, green salad, this is most certainly company fare.  I prefer to use chuck for this recipe for the best flavor, but you could also use eye of round or rump roast.  You want about four pounds for this recipe.

Rub the been all over with salt and pepper.  Sliver up a few garlic cloves and put these into little slits that you cut into the meat.  Cover a skillet with olive oil and brown the meat VERY WELL over fairly high heat.

You now want to place the meat in a pot that is just big enough to contain the meat.  In that, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  In this you will saute 3 tablespoons each of chopped red onion, carrot and celery and a minced garlic clove until the vegetables soften.  Add a little of your red wine to deglaze the pan, and put the meat back in.  Add the remainder of your bottle of wine and 4 ounces of chopped canned tomatoes.  Boil for one minute and remove from heat.

Cover tightly and place on the middle rack of a 350 degree oven and braise for about 2 1/2 hours – turning and basting every half hour or so.

When your beef with Italian red wine is fork tender, remove it to a cutting board.  If your sauce needs thickening, boil it up a bit until it thickens.  Adjust for salt and pepper and slice the meat.

It looks especially nice if you overlap the slices on a platter and then pour the sauce over the top.

Your guests will be thrilled with Italian Stracotto al Barolo!
Mangia Bene!

photo credit: ellievanhoutte

I had this Italian Easy 5-layer Dip at a party a few years ago and now I serve it at my own dinner parties.  Everyone loves it.  What’s not to love about cheese and pesto, right?  It doesn’t get much more Italian than that.  Plus it has roasted red bell peppers, so we have all the colors of the Italian flag represented.  You can serve this with crackers, but it is absolute heaven with gourmet Italian rosemary bread, which is extremely easy to make if you have a bread machine.  Just be sure to use a good quality rustic bread.

Put an 8 ounce block of softened cream cheese in a bowl and best in 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.  Spread this in the bottom of a pretty quiche dish or pie plate.  Over this, spread about 1/3 cup of Classico Pesto sauce.  This comes in a fat little jar and is usually towards the top shelf on the pasta sauce aisle.  Try not to get the oil that is floating at the top of the jar.  Over the pesto, put 4 ounces of diced roasted red bell pepper.  If you prefer, you can substitute the roasted bell pepper with a 4 ounce jar of chopped piminetos or snipped sun-dried tomatoes.  They are all delicious. Top this with 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.  The fifth layer is another 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Optionally, you could sprinkle some Italian seasoning over the top.  My personal favorite is a little bit of oregano, but use what you like.

Now it’s time to bake your Italian easy dip.  Just 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven and it is ready to serve.  I have found that people seem to like the sliced baguettes this best with this dip, so be sure to place some spreading knives next to the plate.  Be prepared to be asked for the recipe.

Now see?  I told you this was easy!  Mangia Bene!

photo credit: gildas_f

Gourmet bread makers know the secret to a good stromboli is to have a good dough to start with.  The stromboli was actually given its name in a hoagie shop outside of Philadelphia in 1950.  The chef named Nat Romano was selling these lots of these baked sandwiches he thought they should have a name, but he didn’t know what to call them.  At that time, actress Ingrid Bergman – who was married at the time – was rumored to be having an affair with actor Roberto Rossolini.  They were both starring in the movie “Stromboli” – which was being filmed on the Isle of Stromboli.  Someone suggested calling the sandwich Stromboli and the rest is history!

I saw Emeril make his on tv and his is one of my favorite recipes.  Take 1/2 pound of hot Italian sausage out of the casing and crumble it into a skillet.  Cook until nicely browned and remove.  Drain off all but a tablespoon of fat from the pan and saute a cup of sliced bell peppers, a cup of sliced onion and 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced jalapenos until very soft.  Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and a teaspoon of Italian spices.  Cook another minute and remove from heat to cool.

Roll half a pound of gourmet bread dough or pizza dough into  a large rectangle.  Spread half of your cooled sausage mixture all over – leaving a one inch border.  Top this with 1/4 pound of sliced ham, 1/8 pound of thinly sliced pepperoni, 1/4 cup sliced black olives, a cup of grated provolone cheese and a cup of grated mozzarella cheese.

Beat an egg with a tablespoon of water and “paint” the border of your rectangle with the mixture.  Starting with the long side, roll the entire thing up into a cylinder, pinching the bottom and sides to seal.  Place this on an oiled baking sheet and let rise for about 20 minutes.

Brush the top with egg wash and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  It should be nice and golden brown and starting to crisp up.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle on half a cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese.  Return to the oven for 5 more minutes.  Take it out of the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes to let the filling set.  Slice on the diagonal into nice big pieces and enjoy your gourmet bread creation – Italian stromboli!

See the lady from Pillsbury make her version here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: HiMalta

I found this gourmet Italian frittata recipe years ago in the now sadly defunct Gourmet magazaine.  People go nuts over this recipe and it is really easy to make.

A frittata is kind of like an open face Italian omelet.  It is bulkier and sturdier than the delicate French omelet, and is therefore easier to make.  You can use any combination of meats, cheeses and herbs that you have handy.  People even include leftover pasta in frittatas with great success!  In Italy, people often take a wedge of leftover frittata with them for lunch!  It is really like a quiche – without the crust.  Hello Low Carbs!

Unlike traditional omelets, frittatas are finished in the oven – either baked or placed under the broiler.  This gourmet Italian frittata is no different.  You want to start by preheating your broiler.  You will want the rack to be about 6 inches from the broiler element.

Whisk together 8 eggs, 1/2 cup of half-and-half, 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions or chives, a thinly sliced red onion, 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 teaspoons of capers, and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons of butter.  Pour in your egg mixture and scatter 3 ounces of cubed cream cheese all over the mixture.

Cook, lifting up cooked eggs around the edges to let the uncooked eggs run underneath.  Cook until the frittata seems cooked on the bottom but still moist on top.  This will probably take about two or three minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and press 4 ounces of thinly sliced smoked salmon all over the top.

Place the pan under the broiler for a minute or so until it is puffed and starting to get some color here and there.  Let it cool for five minutes.  Loosen the edges and slide your gourmet Italian frittata onto a plate.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Watch Dani make her favorite frittata for you right here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: stevendepolo

The Italian gourmet salad of Caponata is most associated with Sicily, although it is believed that the Arabs originally brought it to Italy.  The salad is a mixture of eggplant, anchovies, and vegetables that are cooked together in olive oil.  Although Caponata was once served as a main meal, these days we find it served most often as an appetizer.  It is usually served at room temperature with small bread rounds or crackers, although some prefer to serve it chilled.  Either way, the exotic taste and smell of this combination of ingredients makes it very popular.

Almost all recipes for this gourmet salad include celery.  The celery gives the dish a nice crunch, so be sure not to overcook it.  Capers are essential to a good caponata.  Rinse them if you don’t like too much salt.

A while back I ran across a nice caponata recipe from the Governor of Maine – Governor John Baldacci.  Aside from a little chopping, it is really quite easy to make.  Cut 2 pounds of eggplant into 1 inch cubes.  Sprinkle with a tablespoon of salt and set aside to drain in a colander while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  You’ll need 2 cups of coarsely chopped celery, a cup of chopped carrots, 3/4 cup of chopped onion, and 6 chopped green olives.  You’ll also want to mash up 3 cups of canned tomatoes.

In a large skillet, saute your celery, carrots and onion in some olive oil for about 15 minutes.  Add your drained eggplant and saute for 10 minutes.  Place all of this in a pot and add your tomatoes along with 1/3 cup of wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, your green olives, 2 tablespoons of capers and 4 or 5 anchovies packed in oil.  Don’t worry if you don’t care for anchovies.  They will dissolve and add a marvelous flavor to the dish.  Let all of this simmer for about 15 minutes.  Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

You will want to chill this for a while to let the flavors marry and your gourmet salad – Sicilian Caponata – is ready to serve.

Watch Steph make a gorgeous caponata in two minutes!  Click here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: zoyachubby

I serve this simple Italian stew with polenta and it always gets thumbs up around our house.  I think it is named Italian stew because it contains fennel seed and rosemary.  I think the best Italian sausages are the ones that use fennel.  Fennel is native to southern Europe, so it is not surprising that Italians use it in sausage, meatballs, meatloaf, marinara sauce, etc.  Fennel is a member of the parsley family.  It was so popular with the Romans that the men took it to maintain good health and the women took it to control their weight.  Fennel seeds are sweeter and less pungent than anise seeds.

If you really like the taste of fennel, you can enhance the fennel flavor by toasting the seeds before including them in your simple Italian stew recipe.  This one is made in the crock pot, but you could bake it in the oven if you’d rather.  Probably two hours at 300 degrees.

First slice up a red bell pepper, a yellow bell pepper and an onion and place them in the crock pot with 4 cloves of garlic, minced.  In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown up 2 1/2 pounds of boneless pork that you have cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  You will probably have to do this in batches.

Place the pork in the crock pot.  Now place a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes – I like the fire-roasted type – in the skillet along with 1/2 cup of dry red wine.  Boil this up while you scrape up the flavors from the bottom of the pan.  Add a teaspoon of fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Pour this over everything in the crock pot.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours.  You want your pork fork-tender.

Mix together 3 tablespoons of flour and 1/4 cup of water.  Stir this into the pot at the end of the cooking time.  Turn the heat to HIGH and cook for an additional 15 minutes to thicken your simple Italian stew.  Serve with polenta and wait for the compliments!  Mangia Bene!

photo credit: haldean

When I ran across a recipe for Chocolate Italian Honey Cheesecake years ago, I knew that I had to try this one!  After all, it has one of those marvelous Toblerone chocolate bars in the recipe.  You know the ones – they come in triangular wrapping and the packaging has a picture of the Matterhorn and a bear in the logo.

Well, maybe this should actually be called a Swiss Honey Cheesecake because Toblerone chocolate is only made in Bern, Switzerland where it was made by Mr. Jean Tobler and his son in 1908.  The marvelous Toblerone not only contains the highest quality cocoa beans, but it also contains almonds and honey.  Plus, the powdered milk used in the recipe must come from Switzerland so the quality remains at the highest level.

However, the recipe says Chocolate Italian Honey Cheesecake, so we’ll continue to call it that.  Ricotta cheese is one of the ingredients, too, so that’s where the Italian comes into play.

In your 9 inch spring-form pan, combine 1 3/4 cups vanilla wafer or animal cookie crumbs with 1/3 cup melted butter and press into the bottom and sides of the pan.

Beat together 24 ounces of ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 large eggs until smooth.  Heat 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream to a low boil.  Remove from heat and stir in your 8 ounce Toblerone chocolate bar that you have broken into pieces.  Cool slightly and blend with the ricotta mixture.  Spoon this into your pan and bake your Chocolate Italian Honey Cheesecake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of honey over low heat and stir in a cup of granola cereal.  Spread this over your partially baked cheesecake and return it to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Place on a rack to cool before you remove the sides of the pan.  Wrap and chill until it is time to display your masterpiece – Chocolate Italian Honey Cheesecake!  Mangia Bene!

photo credit: Maggie Hoffman

Cioppino with Italian rustic bread is a meal fit for a king!  I remember the first time I had it.  We were literally sitting in the Pacific Ocean off of San Luis Obispo, California.  We had to drive our car out onto the pier and park.  The meal was one of the best I’ve ever had – especially with their homemade crusty San Francisco sourdough bread.

Gourmet Italian Cioppino is a fish soup made with spices, tomatoes and red wine.  It is believed that the dish was created in San Francisco in the 1930’s – most likely by Northern Italian immigrants from Genoa.  Since crab is so prevalent in that area, it is usually found in traditional Italian cioppino recipes.  Back in Genoa, they would use whatever fish was nice and fresh that day.  The name comes from a Genovese word for fish stew – ciuppin.

If you want to entertain with Italian Cioppino, saute a choped onion with 3 cloves of minced garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Stir in 28 ounces of canned tomatoes, 15 ounces of tomato sauce, a cup of dry red wine, a cup of water. 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons of Italian herbs.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 40 minutes.

While this is going on, clean your fish.  You’ll want a dozen clams, a dozen mussels, 1 1/2 pounds of firm white fish cut into chunks, a pound of shrimp and a pound of crab – cut in pieces.

Place all of the fish in a large kettle with the clams and mussels on top.  Pour the sauce over everything.  Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.  You are not ready to please your guests with Italian Cioppino!  Don’t forget the crusty sourdough bread! 

Watch the head chef from Red Lobster make a Lobster Cioppino here! Yum!  Notice Chef LaDuke refers to this as a Portuguese dish.  I’m not sure where he got that idea, as none of the research supports that – but it sure looks delicious, doesn’t it?

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: LHOON

Chicagoans are proud of their gourmet steak sandwich which they call Italian beef.  Did you know that this sandwich does not – and never did – exist in Italy?

There are many different stories about the origin of this gourmet Italian sandwich, but it is believed to have started in the 1930’s.  One story tells us that an Italian immigrant cook in a restaurant thought the Philly steak sandwich was too bland and started playing around with some Italian seasonings and hot peppers to “kick it up a notch”.  Supposedly, his boss was not happy with his new “concoction” and promptly fired him.  The man then decided to start setting up stands and selling his gourmet Italian beef sandwiches to the public.  It soon became quite popular and it was often served at Italian weddings.  Since the cut of meat used is not very expensive, this made for thrifty fare to serve the guests without breaking the bank.

Here is my favorite version of the gourmet Italian beef.  The day before you will be serving it, take a 5 pound RUMP roast and sprinkle it with half a teaspoon each of garlic powder, fresh ground black pepper and dried oregano.  Roast the beef, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 30 minutes per pound.  Do not overcook this because it will cook again the following day.   Once the roast has cooled a bit, slice the beef as thin as you can.  An electric slicer is fabulous if you have one.

Now, to the roasting pan that cooked the beef, add a quart of boiling water, 4 beef bouillon cubes, 4 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce, 16 cloves of garlic that have been minced in the processor and 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.  At this point I like to throw in about 8 peperoncini peppers.  Simmer this for about 20 minutes and adjust for salt.  Place the meat in this mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Reheat everything the next day and serve your gourmet steak sandwiches on sturdy, crusty rolls!

Watch Chef Ed make his fabulous Italian beef here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: badlyricpolice

There are many traditional Italian cookies, but it is believed that the lovely pizzelles are the oldest.  The name comes from the Italian word pizze for round and flat.  Pizzelles are thin, waffle-type cookies made with a special pizzelle machine.  Long ago, a family would have an iron with their family crest on it that was held over the fire to bake.  How glad they would have been to have a pizzelle machine where you can make one in under a minute.  Today’s machines usually have two different designs for the front and back – usually a floral pattern for the top and a waffle pattern for the bottom.

Every year in the Abruzzo region of Italy, pizzelles are a big part of the “Feast Day of San Domenico” – also known as the “Festival of the snakes”.  The story goes that back around 700 B.C. the area was so infested with snakes that the people banded together and rid the area of the snakes.  When the task was completed they all ate pizzelles at their celebration.

Traditional Italian pizzelles are sometimes referred to as wedding cookies, since the bride and groom would pass them out to the guests at their wedding.  Although this tradition still exists in some areas, you will most often see pizzelles at Easter and Christmas time.

Traditional Italian pizzelles are not overly sweet.  There are many varied recipes, but the anise ones seem to be most favored.  Here is a recipe that will give you lovely pizzelles.  Beat 3 eggs with 3/4 cup fo sugar.  Add 1/2 cup of melted, cooled butter and a tablespoon of vanilla or anise extract.  Sift in 1 3/4 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.

That’s all there is to it.  Just place a heaping tablespoon full in the middle of your hot pizzelle machine, close the lid, and in under a minute you will have a gorgeous pizzelle.  I sometimes make chocolate ones that my friends just love.

These are very pretty wrapped in colored plastic wrap with a festive bow – makes a terrific gift!  Maybe you would like to try these traditional Italian cookies this holiday season!   Watch Dede make these on CBS!  Click here! Mangia Bene!

photo credit: Barbara L. Hanson

A traditional Italian celebration occurs every March 19th and it is called St. Joseph’s Day.  It is customary to eat Sfingi – also known as zeppole – on this day.

There are many types of sfingi.  One type is much like fried bits of sweetened bread dough dusted with sugar.  However, the traditional Italian “sfingi di San Giuseppe” is often made with ricotta cheese.  They are delicious served warm, but they can also be cooled and filled with cream or whatever you like.

There is an Italian Festival in Houston, Texas every Fall and they make thousands of sfingi to the delight of all the visitors.  If you would like to learn more about this festival, click here.

One nice thing about cooking sfingi is that if you have your oil hot enough, the little dough puffs will turn themselves over.  All you have to do is take them out when they are golden brown.

To make the traditional Italian sfingi di San Giuseppe, combine 1 pound of ricotta cheese with 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.  Then combine 1/2 cup of flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and fold this into the cheese mixture.  Continue adding a little flour at a time until you have a nice thick batter.

When your oil is at about 375 degrees, drop the dough in by teaspoons and deep fry until golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper sack or paper towels.

A fun thing to do with these traditional Italian “doughnuts without holes” is to arrange them all in a pyramid on a platter.  Then drizzle 1/4 cup of honey all over the pyramid and dust with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.

There are many recipes for sfingi.  Some call for yeast.  Some have raisins.  They are all wonderful and they may bring back memories of the old potato chip commercial …”Bet you can’t eat just one!”  See the guys making these at a street fair here! Mangia Bene!

photo credit: The Marmot

When I first ran across the simple Italian dish called Risi e Bisi, I just loved the name.  Sounds so much cuter than rice and peas.  I thought it was pretty much just a risotto with peas added, but I found I was incorrect.  This dish is actually considered a soup – although it is quite a thick soup indeed.  Some cooks even make it thick enough to eat with a fork!

This classic simple Italian dish originated in Venice, where it is surely the favored of all the many, many rice dishes that Venetians prepare.  In the days of the Republic of Venice, a feast was held each April to honor Saint Mark.  Risi e Bisi was always the first dish served and it surely used the wonderful fresh young peas that were available in late April.

Have you ever tasted peas that had just been picked off the vine?  Simply marvelous.  If you must, you can use frozen peas for this dish, but if you are lucky to find some fresh ones, the simple Italian risi e bisi will be outstanding.

Put half a stick of butter in a stockpot and saute a few tablespoons of chopped onion in the butter over medium heat until they are pale gold.  You could also saute in some finely minced pancetta or diced rosciutto if you like.  Now it is time to add the peas.  If you are using fresh, you will want about two pounds unshelled weight or 10 ounces of frozen peas.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt along with the peas and saute for 2 minutes.  Add 3 1/4 cups of the best meat broth you can make or find and bring to a boil.  Add 1 cup of raw Arborio rice and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.  Stir, cover and cook at a low, slow boil for 15 minutes until the rice is tender but firm.  Stir from time to time to avoid sticking and correct the seasonings as you go along.  Just prior to serving your gourmet Italian risi e bisi, stir in half a cup of grated parmesan cheese and serve!

photo credit: stu_spivack

Chocolate Italian Souffle Cakes are surprisingly easy to make, yet they always impress dinner guests who can’t imagine making them themselves.  You must be sure to use a good quality chocolate, as that is the star of the Italian dessert.

The very best chocolate I ever tasted was a bar of chocolate that my good friend brought back from Perugia, Italy.  It was so creamy and had the tiniest little bits of chopped hazelnuts throughout.  It was heaven on earth.  That was some years ago, and I still have the wrapper.  The artwork on the wrapper is so gorgeous, and every time I run across it in my “junk” drawer, I smile.  Perugia is the chocolate mecca of Umbria  and they are best known for their Perugina Chocolate Factory that produces chocolate hazelnut truffles called Baci - translates to “kisses”.

Would you like to visit a Chocolate Italian Fair?  Each January there is a FREE chocolate fair in Florence where you can meet all the wonderful chocolate masters of Tuscany and sample their incredible homemade chocolates.

This Chocolate Italian Souffle recipe comes from Cinzzetti’s Italian Market Restaurant.  If you are lucky enough to live near Denver or Kansas City, you must visit this amazing place.  You will find every kind of Italian specialty food imaginable and a fabulous restaurant in an “Italian”  villa!  If you would like to learn more, click here.

In the top of a double boiler, put 8 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate and 8 ounces of diced butter.  Stir until all is melted and combined.  Whip 6 eggs with 4 ounces of fine baker’s sugar (or regular sugar) until light and fluffy.  Mix in an ounce of sifted flour.

Very gently, but thoroughly, fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs.  Try not to lose the volume of the whipped eggs.

Spray 12 ramekins or muffin tin cups with non-stick spray and pour in your batter.

Bake at 325 degrees for 9-12 minutes.  Serve immediately.  I always serve mine immediately, but the recipe says you can make them ahead of time and reheat them at 325 degrees for 2 or 3 minutes.  That sure would be less stress for the cook, but I wonder if they would be as good.

Maybe you will consider making these Chocolate Italian Souffles at your next dinner party.

Watch one of my favorite chefs – Mark Bittman – make them here!

Mangia Bene!  Happy New Year!

photo credit: Laurel Fan

Fresh gourmet dishes made with Jerusalem Artichokes are a real treat.  You must make sure that your Jerusalem Artichokes are firm, not spongy.  Try to find the ones with the least “gnarls”, as these are a bit of a pain to peel.  Also – remember that Jerusalem Artichokes look just like raw ginger roots.  Make sure you don’t end up with a pound or two of ginger!  You would have a hard time using that up!  These also go by the name “sunchokes”, so if you see a sign for those in your produce market, you have found what you are looking for.

Did you know that this vegetable has nothing to do with Jerusalem and it is not even an artichoke?  Both, however, are members of the daisy family and the flowers of the Jerusalem Artichoke plant look just like yellow daisies.  In Italian, the word “girasola” means “turning toward the sun” – which these flowers do.  It is believed that this word just eventually became “Jerusalem”.   They do have a marvelous flavor which some say is reminiscent of an artichoke.

This vegetable originated in North America but it was introduced to Europe in the early 1600’s.  In Europe they go by the name Topinambur, named by the French as it is their name for “tuber”.  They grow underground like a potato, but they are much more of a hassle to harvest, since the vines and roots get all intertwined.

For this fresh gourmet dish, you will need to peel and ua pound of Jerusalem artichokes and drop them into boiling, salted water.  Hold the smaller pieces back for a bit so that all is cooked consistently.  Cook until fork tender but still firm.  Drain and allow to cool.

Cut these into 12 inch slices and arrange in a buttered baking dish – overlapping the pieces slightly.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top.  Dot with 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter and bake in the top part of your 400 degree oven until a golden crust forms on top.

Enjoy this fresh gourmet dish of Gratineed Jerusalem Artichokes – Topinambur gratinati.

Want to watch Chef Katie make a risotto with Jerusalem artichokes?  Click here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: balise42

I was in the mood for cooking gourmet Italian a few years ago, and I ran across a recipe online for Rigatoni with Salsiccia and Finocchio.  Salsiccia I knew was sausage, but what the heck is Finocchio?  Pinocchio’s cousin?  Did Geppeto have another little guy?

I soon learned that Finocchio is a sweet variety of fennel and that it is also known as Florence fennel.  My husband won’t eat fennel on a bet because he does not care for anything with an anise taste.  Finocchio, however, loses much of that taste when it is cooked and actually becomes sweeter!  So, I decided to try my hand at cooking gourmet with finocchio.

What I like to do first in this recipe is prepare the finocchio.  If you can’t find finnochio, just use a fennel bulb.  Cut away any bruised or wilted areas of the fennel and slice it thin.  You should have about two cups.  At this point I also chop up a large red bell pepper and half an onion.

In a hot pan, place 1/2 pound of hot Italian sausage from which you have removed the casings.  Brown this in the pan, chopping it up as it browns.  Remove the sausage and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.  Add the onion and a large clove of garlic, minced.  Cook over medium low so the garlic doesn’t burn, but the onion is softening.  Add the red bell pepper and the fennel and cook over medium hear for about 5 minutes or until the pepper and fennel are softened.

Add 1/3 cup of dry white wine and 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Bring this to a boil, then drop down to a simmer.  Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, you should have 1/2 pound of rigatoni cooking in boiled, salted water.

To your sauce, you now need to add 1/4 of heavy cream and boil until the sauce is thicken and reduced by about a third.  Stir in the sausage, 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced, and salt and pepper to taste.

Put your warm, cooked rigatoni in a large bowl and add the sauce.  Mix well.  Add some freshly grated parmesan cheese and toss again.  You have now tried YOUR hand at cooking gourmet with finocchio! 

Take a peek at Stephanie preparing fennel for soup!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: tnarik

Want go gourmet with Pappardelle?  If you are not familiar with pappardelle – pronounced pa-par-DAY-lay – it is one of the broadest of the pasta noodles.  Think along the lines of a wide fettuccine or a narrow lasagna which sometimes comes with curly edges.  It is a cousin of tagliatelle, but a bit wider.  The dried version is often folded into nests, so you can watch for those if you are looking to buy some pappardelle.

What Italians love about the pappardelle noodles is that they are sturdy and won’t fall apart and at the same time are very absorbent so they soak in all the flavors of the sauce.  These noodles are not well suited to Gourmet Italian baked dishes because they are not wide enough for lasagna, yet are too wide for most baked noodle dishes.

In Tuscany, pappardelle was traditionally served when cooking hare or with a chicken liver sauce.  However,  since neither of those is usually on everyone’s “hit parade”, I thought I would give you a recipe that the Carrabba brothers shared some years back.

Put 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil in a pan and heat it over medium.  Remove the skin from 1/2 pound of Italian sausage and tear each link into six pieces and brown slightly in the hot oil.  Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion and a medium red bell pepper in 1/4 inch julienne cut.  Cook this until the onions start to take on a golden color.  Add 1/4 cup dry white wine and cook 3 minutes to let the wine evaporate.  Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for one minute.

Here I add two 14 ounce cans of the diced fire-roasted tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste – along with a few pinches of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.  Bring sauce to a boil – then reduce to simmer until sauce has thickened.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of torn fresh basil leaves.

Now add your cooked and drained papardelle noodles and toss well with the sauce.  Now we are going to make this truly gourmet with the addition of 1/4 cup of freshly grated pecorino romano cheese and 4 ounces of crumbled goat cheese!  Stir this all into your dish and you have gone gourmet with pappardelle!

Watch Chef Aldo make a fabulous creamy mushroom pappardelle!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: kre8tiv

My gourmet best meat sauce is one that comes from Bologna, Italy.  It is called Ragu, but it has no resemblance to the stuff in the jar at your supermarket.  Don’t confuse the terms Ragu and Ragout.  The latter is a term for a French stew.  Ragu is a meat sauce traditionally made in Bologna to be served over their favorite pasta of choice – tagliatelle.  The terms do have one thing in common, however,  They both stem from the verb ragouter - meaning to “excite the appetite.”   And my gourmet best Bolognese sauce will surely do that!

My recipe may not be an exact Bolognese, as the original calls for barely a bit of tomato, but it has many of the characteristics that make this sauce special.   Gourmet Italian chefs know that you must cook the ground beef gently to maintain its delicate flavor.  So we don’t want to brown the beef – just cook until it loses its red color.  Since we are striving for a creamy consistency with this sauce, the meat will be cooked in milk before any tomatoes are added.

Heat 3 tablespoons each of olive oil and butter in a deep cast iron pot.  Saute 1/4 cup of chopped sweet onion for a few minutes over medium hear.  Add 2 tablespoons each of chopped celery and chopped carrot and cook gently for an additional 2 minutes.

Add 3/4 pound of lean ground beef and 2 teaspoons of salt.  Stir and cook only until the meat loses its red color.  Add one cup of dry white wine and turn the heat up a bit and cook until the wine has evaporated.  Turn the heat back down to medium and add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and cook until the milk has evaporated.  Be sure to stir this as you go along.

Now add 2 cups of canned Roma tomatoes – rough chopped – with the juice.  When this starts to simmer, turn the heat way down so that you just see a bubble every once in a while.  Cook uncovered for at least four hours – the longer the better.  Be sure to stir every once in a while and adjust the salt to your taste.

This can now be your best gourmet Italian sauce – Bolognese Ragu!  

Watch Mirko make Ragu for you in his own kitchen! He just cracks me up!

Mangia Bene!

Photo by Gepiblu

When cooking gourmet gifts for Christmas, why not try the wonderful Sicilian traditional “Croccante” or Nut Crunch.  It is very similar to a French praline except pralines are sweeter.  Croccante is made with carmelized sugar and nuts – most often almonds.  If you are not fond of almonds, try hazelnuts or whatever you like!

Croccante actually means “cracking” and it is made very similar to peanut brittle, so you know that you have to work fast.  The part I always hated about making peanut brittle was spreading the hot candy before it hardened without burning my hands.  I recently read a great tip!  Just before you are to pour your hot sugar mixture out onto your marble slab or aluminum foil, peel a potato and cut it in half.  Once the candy is out of the pot, use the faces of the potato to spread it all out.  Pure Genius!

If you are cooking gourmet gifts and including Croccante, be aware that this stuff is VERY hard and one could easily break a tooth with this.  For that reason, I am going to include a second option that contains butter and is therefore not quite as hard as the original recipe.

First you want to toast 1 1/2 cups of whole blanched almonds in a 450 degree oven for about 6 minutes – until golden brown.  Watch them carefully.  When cool, pulse the nuts in the food processor until they are about half the size of a grain of rice.

Put 1 heaping cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small pan.  Melt this over medium-high heat without stirring.  Tilt the pan once in a while.  When the mixture turns a light, gold color, add the chopped nuts and stir constantly until you have a deep golden brown color.  Now pour RIGHT AWAY onto a greased marble slab or greased sheet of aluminum foil.

Now grab your potato halves and spread as fast as you can to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch.  If you like, you can cut the candy into diamonds or any other shape before it cools or you can just break it once cool.  If you would like to try the softer version, just add 1 1/2 tablespoons each of butter and lemon juice.  Croccante can be pulverized in the food processor and used as an Italian dessert topping. 

Watch an Italian chef cutting up his chocolate version of croccante here!

Mangia Bene!

Italians know that the really good zucchini are usually not very large – not more than 1 1/2 inches across and no longer than 6 inches.  If one can find zucchini with the flowers still attached, they have surely found the freshest around.  The skin should be very bright in color and have a glossy skin.

Before using the zucchini, the Italians soak it in a basin of cold water for about ten minutes.  It is then scrubbed under running water until it feels clean and smooth.  The ends are cut off and they are ready for some gourmet Italian dishes.

When I ran across Zucchine fritte all’aceto – Fried Zucchini with Vinegar – I was intrigued.  First cut the cleaned zucchini into sticks about 1/4 inch thick.  Sprinkle these with salt and set them aside on paper towels for half an hour.  Then blot them all with clean paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible.

Have vegetable oil about 1/4 inch deep in your hot pan.  Lightly dip the zucchini in flour and slide them into your oil.  Don’t do to many at a time.  You don’t want them to steam, but fry.  Turn them as they brown.  When nicely golden transfer to a deep dish with a slotted spoon and immediately sprinkle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of good wine vinegar.  You will hear them sizzle.  Bury two cloves of smashed garlic amongst the zucchini sticks and season with black pepper.  Serve at room temperature.  If you don’t want an real strong garlic taste, you can remove the garlic cloves after five minutes and you will have a milder version.   This is just one of the many dishes Italian chefs have created to use their favored Spring zucchini!

photo credit: Mark and Allegra

Well here it is December already!  Are you thinking of making some Italian food gifts for the holidays?  Why not consider the lovely, fruity Panettone – Italian Christmas Bread.  Tradition has it that if you sip a bit of sparkling wine while having a piece of Panettone, you will be assured good health and good luck throughout the year.  Panettone can be eaten alone, or served with marscapone cheese, jams or butters.

You will find Panettone in either a tall dome shape or a flat round shape.  There are many variations of the recipe, but many are filled with candied fruits and raisins.  However, some are filled with chocolate and others are just plain.  If you make these and wrap them in pretty colored cellophane, they make marvelous Italian food gifts!

Most people believe that this recipe had its roots in Milan, Italy sometime around the 15th century.  Milan is a very romantic city, and there are many romantic stories about the origin of Panettone.

One legend speaks of a nobleman’s love for the daughter of a poor, struggling baker.  To win the heart of the pretty girl, the nobleman disguised himself as a baker and invented a new fruity cake-like bread.  Of course, the Panettone was a tremendous hit throughout the region and they all lived happily ever after.

Another legend speaks of a kitchen boy named Toni, of course!  He worked for a famous Duke who was throwing a massive Christmas banquet to impress all of his friends.  Unfortunately, the cook burned what the Duke felt was the crowning finish to his lavish meal – THE DESSERT!   Toni jumped in to save the day.  He found some leftover dough and mixed it with butter and candied fruit and baked it.  The Duke’s guests raved about Toni’s creation and the Duke declared that from that day forward, the bread would be called “Pan de Toni” – bread of Toni.  So many believe it was eventually just shortened to Panettone.

If you would like to try your hand at making these for Italian food gifts, I recommend you checking out this site.  It is a fabulous place to “visit”, and they show you the overnight method of making Panettone which results in a moister Panettone with more staying power than the quicker version.  www.KingArthurFlour.com.

Here you can watch Panettone being made in an Italian bakery!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: specialkrb

Cooking gourmet with a simple “spaghetti ajo e ojo” is a simple, but wonderful treat!  AJO is garlic and OJO is oil.  You will sometimes see this dish called “aglio e oilio” – which means the same thing.

This is actually one of the quickest, easiest and tastiest gourmet Italian dishes you could ever prepare!  It is said to have originated in the shanty towns around Rome way back when.  This dish is often enjoyed late at night by the people of Rome when they are craving a little something before bed.

Make the dish truly gourmet with a good quality olive oil.  Maybe use that special bottle you received as a gift and you’ve been saving for “something special”.

Put your spaghetti water on to boil.  While you are waiting, start your dish.  Put 1/2 cup of your good olive oil, 2 teaspoons of very finely chopped garlic, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a very small saucepan.  Now we are going to cook this over very low heat while stirring very frequently to keep the garlic from burning.  This mixture will become a rich, golden color.

Once your spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain it and put it into a warm bowl.  Now add your garlic oil sauce and toss rapidly to coat all the strands of spaghetti.  Give the dish 8 or 9 twists from your black pepper mill and add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.  Add another tablespoon of olive oil.  Toss again and serve immediately.

You may see spaghetti ajo-ojo-peperoncino on an Italian menu.  This is the same spaghetti gourmet with red pepper flakes added instead of – or in addition to – the black pepper.  Once you’ve made it, you can surely vary the ingredients as you like.  Maybe you want to add some Parmesan?  Go ahead.  I often throw in some anchovies.  The important thing about this gourmet Italian delight is not to skimp on the olive oil.  It is so good for you and it makes the dish what it is!

photo credit: Wolfiewolf

The technique of cooking rice with Italian Risotto technique began with Italian cooks way back in the 14th century.  Until recently, Risotto was a misunderstood dish.  Many people thought it was the same thing as “Rice Pilaf”.  Others thought it was just rice that was “fancied up” with some broth and seasonings.  Many restaurants that do offer risotto don’t do a TRUE risotto.  They make rice pilaf ahead of time and give it a sort of risotto treatment before serving.

Risotto usually has an ingredient added – which can be anything from shellfish to sausages to vegetables to cheese.  The possibilities are limitless.  Parmesan is one of my favorites!   However, with Italian risotto of any sort, there is only one true technique.

First of all, it is worth it to go out of your way to get the perfect rice for this gourmet Italian delight.  Arborio is a large grain superfino rice that is preferred because of its ability to absorb liquid without getting overcooked.  The objective of the risotto technique is to cause the rice to absorb, little by little, enough of the hot broth until it swells up and forms a lovely, creamy union of tender, yet firm grains.  It is important that you DO NOT RINSE the rice!  It is the starch that helps the rice retain its traditional shape.

Cooking with Italian risotto technique is a bit time consuming, but the final result is well worth it.  Start by sauteing some chopped onion or shallots in a pan with a little butter and olive oil.  Then add your rice and saute for an additional two minutes.  Stir well to coat all the grains with the butter and oil.

Now start adding your simmering broth – 1/2 cup at a time – cooking until the rice absorbs the broth.  When the rice dried out, add another 1/2 cup of broth and continue cooking and stirring.  Be3 sure that you keep any rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan while you are stirring.  Do not bee tempted to just “drown” the rice with broth.  You are not making boiled rice.

Be sure to keep your heat at medium temperature.  If your flame is too hot, the rice will be chalky inside.  If the flame is too low, the rice will become gluey. Yuck!

Your risotto should take about 30 minutes and the final rice will be creamily bound together and neither dry nor runny.  Impress your guests with Italian risotto at your next dinner party!

Watch Chef Paolo – Senior chef of Olive Garden – make shrimp and asparagus risotto!

Fabuloso!

photo credit: Maggie Hoffman

Most Italians love fish soup.  And it really should be no surprise, because Italy has miles upon miles of shoreline and countless lakes and rivers.  There are so many variations on healthy Italian fish soups, but this one seems to be quite special.  It is called Zuppa di Pesce Castagna.  Zuppa is Italian for “soup” and Pesce is Italian for “fish“.  Castagna is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, which many acclaim as the best Italian restaurant in the entire city.

A while back, this recipe was requested in the SOS column in the LA Times.  Apparently, the person who requested it had enjoyed this healthy Italian dish at Castagna and couldn’t get it out of his mind, and he wanted to try to make it at home.  “Ambrosia”, he said.  Well, that’s pretty high praise, so I had to try it.  It really is a sensational dish with a depth of flavor that comes from the leek, fennel, and lemon.  It has a nice rich broth and a little kick of chile to liven it up just a tad.

There are two things I really like about this recipe – you can make a good portion of it the day before and you can vary the  fish and shellfish according to what is fresh in your area.  Would you like to try your hand at this healthy Italian delight?
This serves 8, so vary the recipe according to the number of guests you will be serving.

First of all, make your soup base.  Coarsely chop and wash 4 leeks (white part only) and 1 fennel bulb (white part only).  Saute these in 3 tablespoons of good olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent.  Then stir in 1 arbol chile, seeded and 4 tablespoons tomato paste.  Cook this for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens and thickens a bit.  Now stir in two tablespoons of arborio rice and two quarts of fish stock.  Scrape up any flavorings from the bottom of the pan to incorporate it into your base.  Bring to a fast simmer, than reduce the heat and continue cooking until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.  Cool a bit and puree in a blender until smooth and pass through a sieve.  Adjust the flavor with salt, lemon juice and a bit of Pernod – to taste.

Now saute 1/4 cup chopped shallots in 2 tablespoons of oil.  Stir in 24 de-bearded mussels, 24 clams and 1/4 cup dry white wine and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer until clams and mussels open.  Stir in your soup base and 16 prawns and 16 quartered scallops.  Simmer gently until the shellfish are cooked and add 1/4 cup of chopped chives.

Cut l pound of cod or other firm white fish into 2-inch pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper and dredge with flour.  Put about 1/4 cup of olive oil i a hot pan and saute until fish is golden brown on each side – 3 or 4 minutes per side.

Ready to serve!  Divide the soup among eight warm bowls and top with the fish!  This is optional, but I like to top each bowl with a spoonful of creamy anchovy aioli. I hope you enjoy this healthy Italian bit of ambrosia!  Don’t forget the crusty bread!

Watch a famous chef make Bill Clinton’s favorite Italian Fish Soup here!

Mangia Bene!

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photo credit: @sahxic < twitter

There is a common misconception about this Italian Chicken dish – Pollo alla Marengo.  The story almost always appears when you read a recipe for Chicken Marengo.

There is a city in Italy, just south of the Piedmont region, called Marengo.  This is where Napoleon defeated the Austrians in the early summer of 1800.  Napoleon felt it was bad luck to eat before a battle, so the story goes that he was starving after defeating the Austrians.  He supposedly told his Chef, Dunan, to scrounge up whatever he could from the locals and make him a fabulous meal.  Dunan returned from his “scavenger hunt” with chicken, tomatoes, garlic, eggs and a few crayfish.  With that, he created Napoleon’s signature victory meal – Chicken Marengo.

The problem with this story about the creation of a wonderful Italian chicken dish, is that Dunan was not hired to be Napoleon’s chef until well after the battle and there is no mention in any books of this dish until around 1820.

No matter what the true story is behind this Italian chicken dish, it is a good one with many variations.  I find that very few of them actually incorporate the crayfish.  Here is a version that I like that uses boneless chicken breasts, which makes eating it a little less messy.

Sprinkle four boneless chicken breast pieces with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Brown these in a few tablespoons of good olive oil over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side and remove to a plate and keep warm.

Now add a few tablespoons of butter to the pan and toss in one chopped, sweet onion and a cup of finely chopped celery.  Cook until tender and add 1/2 cup of good chicken stock and 1 cup of white wine.  Bring this to a boil and return chicken to pan.  Now add one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes.  I like the fire-roasted ones for a deeper flavor.  Add a cup of button mushrooms and cover the pan.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter and add 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped Kalamata olives.  Okay, I know those are Greek, but I like the saltiness they bring to the dish.  Also add a few springs of parsley and about 14 cup of fresh thyme leaves.  Cook this for an additional minutes and pour over the top of the chicken.  If you really want to be true to the original Italian chicken dish, you may add a fried egg to each plate as a garnish and tell the Marengo story!   This is marvelous served with polenta, mashed potatoes, or pasta with a nice green salad and some good artisan bread! 

Watch Chef Lucca make Chicken Marengo here!

Mangia Bene!