Maccheroni ai Quattro Formaggi {Four Cheese Macaroni}
Cheese and pasta, yes please ; ) It doesn’t get much more comforting than macaroni and cheese. Maccheroni in Italian refers to any short tubular pasta. I like to use elbow noodles because they’re smaller which makes it easier to get a nice big heaping spoonful into your mouth ; ) You could easily substitute ziti or penne, which I will do if that’s what’s in the pantry. Use what you have!
Mele nel Cartoccio {Baked Apples in Parchment Garnished with Strawberries}
Continuing on with my infatuation with parchment paper cooking, I give you a dessert selection cooked in what else… PARCHMENT ; ) I am in LURVE with my current La Cucina Italiana magazine and their section full of mouth watering recipes that are cooked in parchment paper. I think I might actually have to make all of them. I’m especially loving this quick and easy {and pretty good for you, at least in my opinion} dessert.
Maccheroni alla Ricotta {Macaroni with Ricotta}
How about a pasta dish that you can make with just THREE ingredients? How about a pasta dish you can make in under TEN minutes? Now that is my kind of math 3 ingredients plus 10 minutes ; ) I thought you might like that too!
Torta dolce di Zucca {Sweet Squash Pie}
Yes, you read right. That is indeed a sweet squash pie. Ain’t she a beauty ; ) She’s not just a pretty face. Oh no! She’ll knock your socks off with her complex deep flavors. A buttery, flaky crust filled with honey bathed squash, surrounded by a custard like blanket. I’ll let that settle in for a minute ; )
Crostata di Porri {Savory Leek Pie}
You’ve probably seen Leeks in the produce section of your grocery. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re similar to an onion, a cousin of the onion if you will ; ) They’re quite fragrant and produce beautiful rings when sliced. They have a much milder taste that onions and an added benefit don’t make me cry when I’m cutting them ; )
Carote con Funghi {Carrots and Mushrooms}
Happy New Year! Was one of your resolutions to eat more Veggies? Well this year I tried not to make any resolutions but adding more vegetables to your diet is always a good idea. Besides, when they’re bright and happy like this carrot and mushroom dish, they’re hard to resist!
Torta Salata ai Funghi {Savory Mushroom Pie}
If you like mushrooms, and I’m going to choose to believe that everyone does ; ) Yes, I like rainbows and glitter too LOL .You’re going to love this SAVORY, buttery, flaky, creamy, cheesy, filled to the mushroom max Torta Salata ai Funghi {Savory Mushroom Pie} That’s a mouthful ; )
Ossi dei Morti {Bones of the Dead Cookies}
Ossi dei Morti means bones of the dead in Italian. This might sound a little creepy but I assure you these “bones of the dead” are not. They are actually little crunchy snow capped bites of deliciousness that have a beautiful significance behind them.
Cjalsons Krofin di Timau
Chances are good you might not have heard of Cjalsons before. After all it’s not a very Italian sounding name is it ; ) What are they you ask? *hand on chest* I’m so happy you asked ; ) Cjalsons are a traditional recipe from my beloved Friuli Venezia Giulia, which as you know by my many references to this jewel of a region, is located in the North-East of Italy.
Torta di Carota {Carrot Cake}
Rember how I’m always telling you about my talented friends ; ) Well you’re in for a treat because TODAY my sweet sweet friend Lora from Cake Duchess Fame is stopping by! Not only is she gorgeous, she whips up some tasty tantalizing sweet treats! She’s truly sweet through and through! I KNOW you’re going to want to pop over to her SITE and take a peek for yourself. But, I can’t be held responsible for the weight you’re going to gain, just sayin’! It will totally be worth it though ; )
read moreProject Food Blog: Picture Perfect
Thank you ALL so much for your votes and support! Mwah! Thanks to YOU we’ve advanced to Challenge 4 in Project Food Blog! For this challenge we were prompted to go above and beyond and use photography to create a step-by-step, instructional photo tutorial. Sounds easy right? NOT! For inspiration, I looked to one of my favorite step by step blogs written by someone I admire greatly. Her name is Ree. Maybe you’ve heard of her ; ) LOL, If you haven’t I’m going to need for you to come out from underneath that rock : )
read moreTorta di Mele {Apple Torte with Breadcrumb-Hazelnut Crust}
We’re continuing on our showcase of FRIULI and it’s flavorful recipes. I can’t tell you how it has me YEARNING for a visit *sniff sniff* Oh how I miss it! but luckily when my current issue of bon appetit magazine arrived what do I see right smack on the front cover “LIDIA”S FRIULI: Her special menu”! Ah, my beloved FRIULI. I have always enjoyed Lidia Bastanich but had NO idea she grew up in Friuli. Now I love her even more ; )
read moreFrico con Patate {Potato and Cheese Fry}
I think it’s HIGH time that I focus on food from my most favorite region in Italy. While you all know I adore Italian food, you might not know that I REALLY adore Friulano food. That is food from the Fruili Venezia Giulia region of Italy or Friuli for short ; ) All of my years living there might have something to do with that ; )
read moreZucca al Forno {Baked Squash}
Butternut squash are quite odd looking but are incredibly tasty! One goes a long way. They are after all HUGE. When in season, you can find them in almost every produce market and obviously with their size they’re not hard to miss ; ) If you’ve never cooked with them, what are you waiting for, not only are they good for you they’re just plain GOOD!
read moreLinguine alla Cipolla {Linguine with Onions}
If pasta were an actress/actor it would win the award for best actress/actor in a major motion picture. It’s such a chameleon and adapts itself perfectly to it’s surroundings {aka sauces LOL} I know I’ve said this a gazillion time but the possibilities are limitless! Today’s possibilities involve onions and mushrooms!
read moreTortellini in Brodo {Tortellini in Broth}
Soup’s on! & this bowl I’m sending to my sweet friend Rachael {aka the oh so fabulous La Fuji Mama} all the way over on the West coast. If she lived closer I would most certainly deliver it myself. If you follow me on Twitter, you may have heard through the twitter vine that she’s recovering from having her tonsils removed so I’m helping out with a little guest post so she has time to focus on recovering {although I know she’d much prefer to be in the kitchen cooking up some fuji fabulousness}.
What do I want when I’m not feeling so hot. Soup, of course. Tortellini in Brodo {Tortellin in Broth} came to mind immediately. It’s just bliss in a bowl! You have a rich flavorful broth peppered with veggies which would be quite scrumptious on its own, but oh no, then you have little pillows of perfectly plump pasta bursting with cheese floating about just waiting on your spoon….perfection! And my little secret for making this dish great…come a little closer so I can whisper in your ear *Parmigiano Reggiano Rind* Yep, you won’t believe how much depth it will bring to your broth ; ) You know how much I love my Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, it’s like gold in my house so I try to find uses for the rind too, waste not want not ; )
Now that the temperatures are cooling off just a bit, it’s the perfect time to start enjoying bowls and ladels full of soup. And if it’s still hot where you are, just turn your air condition way down ; )
Go ahead over to La Fuji Mama’s for the RECIPE and be sure to send her some well wishes while you’re there!
Baci!
Spaghetti al Cartoccio {Spaghetti in Parchment}
I don’t know too many people that don’t enjoy spaghetti. I mean what’s not to love after all? Long luscious noodles, that you can spin and twirl to your hearts content. And they can be topped with a plethora {I just love that word} of sauces. Tomato, cream, meat, cheese, wine, and the list goes on and on. Delicious, inexpensive, and cook in a flash! Again, what’s not to love ; )
You know I obviously LURVE spaghetti. And I’m sure you all know by now that Spaghetti alla Carbonara is my ultimate favorite, I get goose bumps just thinking about it. You also know there’s not a pasta dish that I’m not fond of ; ) Just sayin. Spaghetti al Cartoccio is simply Italian for Spaghetti in parchment. If you’ve not baked with parchment this is an incredibly FUN and new way to enjoy a dish.
Parchment packs make a fantastic presentation. You set them down, carefully {we don’t want you to burn yourself now} open then and then watch as steam clouds come pouring out, and then as if on key you’ll hear the ooohs and aaaahs from your table guests. You can make one giant parchment packet OR I really like to do individual packets for each guest. Seems a little more special that way. And hello the cleanup couldn’t be easier ; )
This is a simple dish that comes together quickly. It’s a classic combination of fresh tomatoes, capers, herbs, and *smiling* Parmigiano Reggiano. Swoon! You could easily make these ahead of time and then just pop them into the oven when your guests arrive.
Baci!
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf Italian parsley – chopped
2 cups fresh roma tomatoes – chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt/pepper
1 pound spaghetti {I like Barilla}
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano – grated
2 tablespoons fresh basil – chopped
1 tablespoon capers – drained
What to do:
1. Into a large saute pan add the oil, parsley and garlic and cook over medium heat for approx 1 minute {do not let garlic brown} Add the tomatoes and wine. Season with salt and pepper and allow to come to a boil. Stir often. Once boiling, reduce heat to LOW and simmer for approx 15-20 minutes. Stirring as necessary.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a large pot of generously salted water onto boil. When boiling, add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water in case needed. Drain spaghetti and set aside.
3. WHILE pasta and sauce are cooking, prepare your parchment paper packets. For a large packet you’ll need approx 24″ of parchment paper that has been doubled for thickness. If you’re making individual packets they should be approx 6″ of parchment paper {again doubled for thickness} It’s better to have MORE parchment than less.
4. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the saute pan and toss to combine. Spread the spaghetti lengthwise onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle with cheese, capers & basil.
5. Fold the top of the parchment paper over {like you would fold a lunch bag} and then twist the sides. Place parchment packs onto a baking/cookie sheet and bake for approx 8-10 minutes.
Buon Appetito!
Note: for my gluten free friends. You can easily make this dish gluten free by substituting gluten free spaghetti!
Gnocchi con Scampi {Gnocchi with Shrimp}
Gnocchi con Scampi. Shrimp and Gnocchi two things that make me HAPPY! What’s not to love, soft pillowy balls of potato goodness, kissed with a spicy tomato sauce and garnished with shrimp. Swoon!
Can I just say these gnocchi were DELICIOUS. Light, airy, everything you’d want a gnocchi to be. Trader Joe’s isn’t exactly near my house but I’m going to try and make a trip at least once a month. I was impressed with everything I purchased on my first trip. These gnocchi will definitely be going back in my basket. They’re perfect for those week nights when I’m running behind and need a little help in the kitchen 
The gnocchi are amazing but the star of this dish is the sauce! It’s a light, slightly spicy shrimp sauce. It has an incredible amount of depth from all of the flavor building. You have shallot, garlic, tomatoes, cream, wine, brandy… I’m licking my lips just thinking about it. And then there are the shrimp. The succulent shrimp. Swoon!
This dish comes together fairly quickly {if you’re using the prepacked gnocchi} Make sure you time everything right, start your tomato based sauce, have your water boiling ready for the gnocchi {they only take a few minutes to cook} and of course a separate pan for the shrimp {again they don’t take long either} Then in the end everything comes together to form one happy family! And that’s a beautiful thing…
Baci!
{Adapted from the cookbook “Venezia” by Tessa Kiros}
What you’ll need:
14.5 ounces canned peeled tomatoes – diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot – minced
2 garlic cloves – minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
pinch of Calabrian red pepper flakes
1 pound of large shrimp – deveined & peeled {tails on}
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian parsley – chopped
1 pound 1.6 ounce package of gnocchi {I used Trader Joe’s}
salt/pepper
What to do:
1. Into a large saute pan, add the olive oil and shallots and saute over medium heat until translucent. Stirring as necessary. Add the garlic stir well to combine and cook for approx 1 minute {do not let garlic burn}. Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approx 10 – 15 minutes until you have a nice loose sauce, stirring as necessary. Add the cream at the end.
2. WHILE the sauce is cooking, put a large pot of well salted water onto boil. When boiling, add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top. Once they’ve floated the to the top allow them to cook for approx 2 additional minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and add gnocchi to sauce pan.
3. In a separate pan, about five minutes before the gnocchi is done melt the butter into a medium pan. Add scampi, season with a pinch of salt and cook until they are opaque. Take the pan off of the heat, add the brandy and ignite the pan {stand back so you don’t burn yourself} Once the alcohol has evaporated transfer the shrimp to the sauce pan with the gnocchi. Toss gently to combine.
4. If necessary add a little of the gnocchi water to loosen the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Buon Appetito!
Pasta Frolla alle Fragole {Strawberry Shortcake}
For me, summer and strawberries go together and have for as long as I can remember. And something I always have each summer with strawberries is STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE. Swoon. My Grandma made it. My Mamma made it and now that I finally coersed the recipe from her I can make it too. There’s just something about the light flaky dough, the juiciness of the strawberries and the sweetness of the cream that comes together in perfect harmony for me.
Why am I doing a Strawberry Shortcake recipe you ask? WELL…I was asked by my sweet friend Giulia from Juls Kitchen if I’d stop by and do a guest post for her. She’s put together a brilliant series of summer round ups from various bloggers and I was honored to have been included. {If you’re not familiar, a guest post is something we bloggers do for each other as a courtesy. It’s a great opportunity for us to introduce our friends to YOU, and it also introduces us to their audience as well. Sharing the love if you will ; )}
If you’re not familiar with Giulia you should be. She’s a beautiful person both outside {Have you seen her hair? It’s gaw-geous, yes I have curl envy} and even more so inside. She takes inspiring fotos and her passion for her food really shows. If you like bell’alimento I know you’ll LOVE Juls Kitchen.
When I sat down and thought about what summers meant to me and what family food comes to mind, there were many but in the end it was it strawberry shortcake. This one was made even more special by using strawberries grown in my own garden {thank goodness the bambini didn’t eat them all first}. This sweet summer dessert has been a tradition in my family since I can remember so it was the natural choice for this post.
I had to drag this recipe out of my Mamma so be sure to head on over to JULS KITCHEN and check it out ; )
Baci!
Risotto al Latte {Milk Risotto}
I thought I had tried just about every version of Risotto out there. UNTIL I saw this one. It was made using milk instead of the traditional broth or even wine as a variation. I was intrigued. VERY intrigued. I simply had to make this Risotto. There was no if and or but about it!
My sweet friend Rachael sent me a cookbook for my birthday. It’s called Venezia {Venice} and it’s a compilation of, what else, Venetian recipes. The book might just be one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever laid my eyes upon. It’s a feast for the eyes and {my} soul. No detail was left out. It definitely reflects the grandeur of Venice. It’s hardback, elegant, has gold trimmed pages and a beautiful velvet bookmark. All that is even before you OPEN the book. Then you see the pictures. Oh the pictures. I’ve been in Venezia all week ; ) They’re STUNNING and the recipes are no exception, they’re just ah-mazing. I’ve come across recipes that I haven’t had in a long time and can’t wait to re-discover.
This Risotto al Latte {Milk Risotto} is one from the book. It’s incredibly creamy and decadent and obviously VERY VENETIAN. I am in love with this risotto and will be adding it to my risotto rotation.
I noticed that it does take a little longer to make than a basic risotto and you do need to SIMMER this rice or you’ll have milk frothing over the sides of your pan, just sayin’. I think it would also be wonderful with some add in’s, maybe some asparagus.
Baci!
{Adapted from the cookbook “Venezia” by Tessa Kiros }
What you’ll need:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot – minced
1 1/3 cups arborio rice
6 cups whole milk
salt
4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano – grated
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
pinch of ground nutmeg
What to do:
1. Into a heavy bottom large sauce pan add the olive oil and shallots. Over medium heat saute the shallot until translucent. Add the rice, stir well to coat and cook for a minute or two. Season with salt.
2. WHILE the shallot/rice is cooking warm the milk in a separate sauce pan. Set aside.
3. When milk is warm, add half {3 cups} to the rice mixture. Reduce heat to LOW, stir well to combine. Stir as necessary and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add another 2 cups of milk and continue cooking until the rice is tender {approx 20-25 minutes}, stirring as necessary. Add the last cup of milk towards the end of the cooking time.
4. Check for seasoning, add salt if necessary. Add butter, Parmigiano and nutmeg. Stir well to combine. Serve immediately.
Buon Appetito!
To see what we're cooking up in the Family Kitchen click HERE |
    
 |
|
|
Free Updates:
Featured Links
