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Stuffed Baby Peppers – the Ultimate Appetizer!

January 29, 2012 by Linda 3 Comments

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Buon giorno!

Thought I’d slip this one in – just in time for the Super Bowl: STUFFED BABY PEPPERS! They are truly the Ultimate Appetizer! The peppers I use here are the sweet ones – not hot, so everyone will love them.These are so easy to make - and caution: highly addictive!

Wondering what else you can do with those tiny sweet colorful peppers you see at your grocer in a bag of about 30? Here’s an easy way to fix them. I like to use these either as amazing appetizers or even as a side dish. Make extra – because these will disappear quickly!

This recipe uses both ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. How can you lose?

If you’d like a little different twist or a more traditional stuffing for these little darlings, try my stuffing recipe for: Italian Stuffed Peppers.

Guaranteed: No matter which team is winning – no one will care when they bite into your STUFFED BABY PEPPERS!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN…

STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

Makes: 22-24 peppers depending on how much you fill them.

Prep: 20 min.

Cook: 35-40 min.

Ingredients:

1 bag of Baby Sweet Peppers – assorted colors

1 lb Ricotta

4 Tbsp. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 1/2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil – chopped Basil

1 Egg

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Ball Fresh Mozzarella

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzle before serving

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Instructions:

Cut the tops off the peppers. Slit them on the side and gently scoop out seeds and pith and discard.

Mix together in a bowl: ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Herbs, egg, s&p for the stuffing and spoon the stuffing into the peppers.

Lay them in an oiled dish or baking pan with the stuffing side up.

Bake them in a 350 degree oven until fork tender – about 30 min. – time dependent upon your oven. Watch them and test them with a fork.

Then top them with fresh mozzarella and put back in the oven just to melt the mozzarella. By adding it at the end you don’t run the risk of over browning the cheese.

Drizzle with some good Extra Virgin Olive Oil and serve.

Kickoff!! May my team win!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Appetizers, Side Dishes · Tagged With: appetizer peppers, baby peppers, Italian, peppers, ricotta stuffing, Stuffed Peppers, stuffed sweet peppers

Pasta With Cauliflower

January 23, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Pasta Con Cavolfiore

Buon giorno!

This is the time of year when health is on our minds regarding food preparation – and “deliciousness” is an added benefit. PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER or PASTA CON CAVOLFIORE is one dish that more than fills the bill. This is a very tasty dish which pretends to be very rich while really sneaking all kinds of “good for you things” onto the plate.

PASTA CON CAVOLFIORE is a Southern Italian peasant recipe. (Here come those peasants again – taking credit for so many of the great Italian dishes we love!) It is found in both Napoletana cooking as well as Sicilian fare. Cavolfiore actually means “cabbage flower”. Did you know that cauliflower was a form of cabbage? Some things just “is”!!

A little history: In the early days of Sicily, it seemed as if, at one time or another, every dominant culture conquered the land and left its mark. In particular, the Moorish influence, affecting all aspects of Sicilian life, can still be found in the cuisine of the area. The Arabs brought pasta and the use of nuts and fruits in cooking. They also motivated the raising of sheep and goats – leading to a common use of sheep and goat cheeses. Vegetables were cultivated and prepared simply with oil and garlic. You will see bits and pieces of the Moorish effect in PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER with the ingredients: currants, pignoli nuts, and saffron which gives this dish a golden color.

About the saffron: Saffron is lovely stuff found in most spice departments at your grocer. It comes from the saffron crocus and can be very expensive in large amounts. However, it is most often packaged in tiny amounts for our use. Only a small amount is called for in most dishes. It is usually sold in threads that are bright brick red in color.

When you crush them between your fingers and drop them into hot liquid, they emit a beautiful gold color to the liquid. They don’t dissolve completely. You can then add the liquid along with the remaining bits of saffron to your dish which immediately takes on the golden hue. Thank you, Moors, for bringing this beautiful spice to Italy where Italian cooks have used it in so many of their dishes including risottos over the centuries!

Then there are those little fish…

About the hairy little fish: Anchovies are called for in this dish. Now work with me here. When many people hear anchovies, they start to break out in hives. Some things sound unappetizing, but without them, your dish can be lackluster. This is one of those things. For those who might not know, anchovies come in little cans near the canned tuna at your grocer, and are usually packed in olive oil. They are used right from the can – no fuss – no muss. You can leave them out, if you like, but you’ll be losing a subtle flavor that makes this pasta dish SING! The neat part of this for all of the squeamish among you is that the anchovies in this dish dissolve miraculously while cooking. You really never see them again, and you’re left wondering where that beautiful flavor is coming from. Learn to love anchovies! You heard it here. Adding them to your dishes, rocks them into another flavor dimension.

Repeat and chant with me: AN-CHO-VEES AN-CHO-VEES. Your new mantra. You’ll thank me.

This time while shopping for my cauliflower, I noticed some really beautiful green and also purple ones in the markets. I decided to use the green just for fun. Don’t hesitate to do this. These gorgeous colorful cauliflowers are delicious and add more interest to your dish.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

(Pasta Con Cavolfiore)

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 min.

Cook:

Ingredients:

1 lb. Perciatelli or Bucatini Pasta (Spaghetti is fine also) cooked according to directions – reserve a couple of large spoons pasta water (about 1/4 cup)

1 Large Head of Cauliflower (can be white or the colorful varieties)

Oil for roasting

Salt and pepper for roasting

1/4 c. Olive Oil

1 onion – chopped

3 cloves fresh garlic – chopped finely

5 Anchovies – packed in oil and rinsed

1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes

1/4 c. currants or raisins (This is the authentic ingredient, but sometimes I like to substitute black olives for a change – delicious!)

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts (pignolis)

1 tsp. Saffron threads (from the spice area at your grocer) – this gives the dish its golden color

1 1/2 c. fresh breadcrumbs mixed with 3 Tbsp olive oil – toasted and browned under the broiler

Grated Pecorino Cheese and a little Goat Cheese (As always, the finest in the Atlanta area is found at CalyRoad Creamery!)

Handful of fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

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Instructions:

Prepare pasta and reserve a couple of large spoons of pasta water for dissolving the saffron.

Cut cauliflower in pieces. Toss with a little olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes til golden and tender.

In the 1/4 c. olive oil, cook the chopped onion until just tender – about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and the anchovies. Mash the anchovies with a fork. Cook a couple of minutes. The anchovies will dissolve.

Add the roasted cauliflower and the hot pepper flakes. Cook a couple of minutes more, stirring well.

Add the currants or raisins and pine nuts – stir.

Stir the saffron into the hot reserved pasta water and stir. Let them sit a few minutes. The saffron threads don’t completely disappear. They just emit a golden color to the liquid and to your dish. Add this liquid along with the remaining threads to the pan.

Cook about 5 more minutes – stir. If dry, add a little olive oil.

Pour over cooked pasta and toss well. Top with toasted breadcrumbs and parsley. Crumble some goat cheese on the top.

Drizzle with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Serve with plenty of Pecorino Cheese.

For pairing with PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER I like a Soave or even a Chardonnay. Enjoy this beautiful golden dish!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Pasta · Tagged With: Italian, Napoletana pasta, pasta and saffron, pasta with anchovies, pasta with cauliflower, pasta with goat cheese, pignolis, raisins, Sicilian Pasta

Chestnut Puree

January 16, 2012 by Linda 2 Comments

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The food of kings .. or peasants?

Buon giorno!

Funny thing..Recently, I enjoyed a rather elegant preparation of fowl in one of Atlanta’s swankiest eateries which was accompanied by almost microscopic medallions of vegetable purees piped on the plate – like someone in the kitchen got carried away with a pastry tip and thought they were bestowing something unique and valuable to the dish. A couple of these precious items were root vegetables and then there was the tiny piped CHESTNUT PUREE. I mean – could they spare it?? Why bother? I know, I know – it was an ever so special touch and I should perhaps be grateful for the adornment and bow repeatedly to the most creative artist/chef who put it there for how much $$$$$$$$$$$? NOT! CHESTNUT PUREE is far too wonderful and delicious to distribute it with an eye dropper!

Chestnuts are amazing gifts of nature for sure. There are so many tasty things that can be made with them. However, to behave as if they were as precious in cost and availability as white truffles is really kind of exasperating. I know how easy it is to make a delicious CHESTNUT PUREE, and I am about to take the mystery out of the process. Prepare to despair, O Restaurant of Great Stature! Linda’s Italian Table presents the “reveal”.

I love chestnuts. I love to roast them and eat them. I like to eat them all glazed and oozing with sweetness. I like to include them in many types of cakes and dolci. (Sounding a little like “Sam, I Am” here) My very favorite way to enjoy them, however, is in a savory pureed form which is always the perfect side dish to poultry, game, pork etc. This form is smooth, with just a hint of natural sweetness, and pairs so beautifully with onions and meat drippings. I just love the stuff! It is not expensive to make, and why restaurants choose to treat it like gold and think you are not sophisticated enough to notice is an enigma.

But where do these babies come from? Chestnuts had very early beginnings. In Roman-speak, they go back to the days we studied so diligently in our Latin classes. Pliny and Homer both made mention of them. It is thought that the Roman military brought chestnuts to the rest of Europe while they were busy trampling and conquering it. Even the exalted French secured them from Lombardy for centuries before it dawned on them that they might grow well right there on French soil. Duh!

Peasants or kings? From the early days of chestnut consumption, they were considered a peasant food. Isn’t that always the way it gets started? No one will touch them but the peasants, and then all of a sudden they become the tiny medallions on my dinner plate and are treated like Beluga Caviar. In earlier times though, chestnuts were one of those foods that actually carried the masses through the tougher wintry months. They made all kinds of things with them and even ground them into flour. While the peasants gathered them and prepared them through the years, they gradually became the darlings of the upper classes who came to revere them.

Today: Chestnuts are used in the cuisine of all of the regions of Italy. The Tuscans love them with their game and make their famous bread-like pudding, Castagnaccio, with the chestnut flour. In Southern Italy, they eat them in a similar fashion as we speak of them here in a soft pureed form like polenta. They sometimes add pignolis and raisins to the dish.

This CHESTNUT PUREE is too tasty and too quick and easy not to try. You can even make it a day ahead, if you like. It pairs so beautifully with other root vegetables nestled next to poultry and roasted meats on the plate. Dazzle your family and guests all through the fall and winter and at your holiday tables as a delicious side to your game dishes, duck, chicken, or pork . Be prepared to hear “Chestnut What?”

CHESTNUT PUREE

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 10 min.

Cook: 15 min.

Ingredients:

1 14.8 oz (Large) jar roasted chestnuts (Minerve and Williams-Sonoma offer good ones)

1 Large or 2 small Bay Leaves

1 Medium Onion – chopped coarsely

1 c. Chicken Broth

3/4 c. Warmed Milk

3 Tbsp. Butter – softened

Salt and Pepper to taste

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Instructions:

Pour broth into a large saucepan with the bay leaf and add the onions.

Bring to a boil and simmer 3-4 minutes.

Add the chestnuts to the pan. Bring back to the boil and simmer 15 minutes.

Most of the liquid will be absorbed by the chestnuts.

Strain out the excess broth, remove the bay leaf and discard.

Place the chestnuts and onions in the bowl of a food processor while still warm.

Give the mixture 3-4 turns in the processor.

Add the warm milk and process again until smooth.

Add the softened butter and process again until smooth and incorporated.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

So now you have smartly decided to stock up on jars of these little nuggets or bags of the fresh ones, so you can make this all winter. Tell me – is your new favorite side dish, CHESTNUT PUREE? Is it the food of kings or of peasants? You decide!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Side Dishes · Tagged With: chestnut puree, Italian, italian chesnut dish, pureed chestnuts, side dish, side dish for game, side dish for poultry, thanksgiving side dish, vegetable puree

Warm Olives al Limone

January 13, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Buon giorno!

Here’s a nibble! So run to your nearest “good food purveyor” and pick yourself up a delicious assortment of olives for the weekend. WARM OLIVES AL LIMONE is the perfect appetizer for cocktails, football games, or just to pick on while you are sitting in front of the fire avoiding cold and snow.

This is the loveliest of appetizers – simple, rustic. Yet, it offers a comforting elegance – with your martinis, wine, and even beer. Does it matter to warm them or bake them? You bet it does. It is transformative. Olive lovers know how wonderful it is to bite into a fruity or spicy one while downing their favorite martini or a favorite Italian wine, but this preparation – the warming, the lemon, the… well, you get it. This quick and easy way to serve olives just takes them to another universe with a minimum of fuss.

WARM OLIVES AL LIMONE have an old world look and flavor that is comforting and addictive, especially when you add that single ingredient that seems to compliment everything – a loaf of crusty bread. Part of the fun of these olives is breaking off a hunk of the bread and dunking it into the warm spiced oil that results from preparing this dish. Mmmmm…

Suggestions: Perhaps, you might like to sprinkle some crisp pancetta pieces on the top. Try adding a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano to serve with the olives. My favorite wine for these beautiful olives is a Valpolicella or a Chianti Classico. Either keeps the spirit of the rustic flavors in the dish.

This is another delectable and easy Italian route to delighting your guests – or yourself in with just a few quick zests of a fresh lemon and a couple of other fresh ingredients.

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WARM OLIVES AL LIMONE

Serves: several as an appetizer

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

3 1/2 c. mixed olives

Some of my favorites are: Castelvetrano, Cerignola: green or black, Kalamata, Gaeta, Nicoise. A mix of these is heaven.

1/3 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (This is the time to get out the good stuff!)

Zest of a fresh lemon – also make a few thin strips from the lemon zest – they are pretty.

1 good “squeeze” from a fresh lemon

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary

1 Tbsp.Fresh Thyme or Lemon Thyme

1 Fresh garlic clove chopped finely or minced (please do not use the stuff from the jar)

Instructions:

Toss your olives with the oil, lemon zest, red pepper, herbs, and garlic. lay them out on a large piece of foil on a baking sheet. Place another piece of foil over the top and tent the olives – seal tightly at the edges.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread for dunking.

Just tell me you can resist these WARM OLIVES AL LIMONE! Report back from the outer orbit you reach when you devour these little numbers, and let me know how you like them!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Appetizers · Tagged With: Italian, lemon and olives, olives

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

January 9, 2012 by Linda 11 Comments

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Buon giorno!

Another year begins with all the promise of a new fad diet. You have attached yourself to another regimen of – let’s see – eggs and water on Mondays – only grapefruit juice on Tuesday etc. – 90 laps a day up and down the driveway – and you are a week into a new and rather costly gym membership. There is no end in sight to your devotion to the transformation of the “new you”. You are hopelessly committed, and there will be no deviation from the program. Not bloody likely!

Soooooo – when you come back to reality and are desperate for something not only healthy but amazingly tasty – but not on your grapefruit diet, ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP will be waiting for you. (Did she just say –healthy?) You can bet your last rigatoni, I did. This soup is creamy, thick, satisfying, amazingly delicious and – wait a minute – creamy? Healthy and creamy might be just a little contradictory, don’t you think? Not necessarily so! So, it’s not grapefruit juice, but it’s not a ticket to the cardiac ward either. Moderation folks! Step off that treadmill for just a moment, and follow my lead.

You can create the creamiest soup without one drop of cream – by pureeing your vegetables. To derive even more flavor – try roasting those vegetables first! I like to use chicken broth for this, but there is no reason why you couldn’t substitute a good vegetable broth. The herbs are fresh, of course, as I feel like they extend the best flavor. You’ll notice a couple of teaspoons of White Balsamic Vinegar in this soup which I think brightens the savory and roasted flavors just a little. It works!

This is a great choice for these cold winter evenings – either as a first course or a main course. There is something about the addition of the red pepper flakes that helps to warm you right down to your freshly pedicured toes. I like a crusty Italian loaf with this soup – perhaps a few slices drizzled with Extra Virgin and toasted in the oven. A couple of strips of roasted red pepper on those slices just might be more excitement than I can stand! You are going to love this soup. Troppo bella!

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 25 min.

Cook: 40 min.

Ingredients:

1 Large Head of Cauliflower – cut into pieces (florets or clusters)

1 Large Onion – cut into several pieces (you do not have to chop it)

2 Cloves of Fresh Garlic – sliced

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Sage – chopped

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Montasio, or Grana Padano

5 C. Warm Chicken Broth (you can use vegetable if you like) – use less broth if your head of cauliflower is not large – amount of broth also depends on how thick you like the soup

2 Tsp. White Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Butter

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Instructions:

Toss together: cauliflower florets, onion and garlic pieces. Drizzle the mixture with a little olive oil, and add salt and pepper. Mix until coated.

Spread the mixture out on a sheet pan, and sprinkle with the herbs and the red pepper flakes. Spread the Parmigiano over the top of the vegetables and herbs. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes – until the cauliflower is tender and golden.

When finished place the roasted mixture in a food processor and process until ground. While running the processor, slowly pour in the warm broth until you get the thickness and consistency that you like. Use more broth for a thinner soup – less for thicker. The amount of broth will also depend on how large your cauliflower is. Add the broth slowly, and you be the judge! You may have to finish in 2 batches depending upon how large your food processor is.

Add in the vinegar and the butter and process again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

DONE! (You will love that you can make this ahead and freeze it also!)

Serve: I like this ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP very warm and thick. It is simple, rustic, and totally appropriate for any time of year – but especially satisfying in cold weather. As my mother would say, “Eat it – it’s good for you!”

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Soup · Tagged With: Italian, italian cauliflower soup, italian soup, making soup in the food processor, roast cauliflower, roasting vegetables, soup with cheese

January: Asparagus Risotto with Egg

January 2, 2012 by Linda 1 Comment

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Mom’s Asparagus Soup Becomes Risotto!

Buon giorno!

My mother, Loretta, used to make the loveliest Asparagus Soup especially in the winter. It was light and had a tomato broth. The best part of that soup was the Poached Egg that she added to the side of every bowl. I looked forward to piercing the yolk with my fork and letting the velvety yellow ooze flow into the tomato broth. When the yolk finally mixed with the broth, it created a smoother and thicker soup. Of course, the added protein also transformed the soup into a heartier meal. This was one of my favorite meatless meals…still is!

After musing about presenting this soup, I thought, instead, it might make an even more amazing risotto – taking an old favorite to a new level. The resulting ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH EGG has, along with being a beautiful variation on an old theme, become a new family favorite. I wish Loretta could see this one. She was a huge fan of rice in any form and loved risotto. I just think she might give me a wink on the new version of her “soup”.

I can’t tell you how satisfying this risotto is and even better – how easy it is to make. For a step by step on the general technique of making risotto check this link to my post on: Risotto With Brussel Sprouts and Chestnuts.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH EGG

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 20-25 min.

Ingredients:

1 Can (28 oz) Whole Peeled Tomatoes (preferably San Marzano for best flavor and color)

5 c. Chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if preferred)

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic – chopped finely

1 Medium Onion, chopped

2 c. Arborio Rice

1 Bunch Fresh Asparagus, cut in short pieces – about 2”

2 Bay Leaves

1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Sage

1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Oregano

1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley

2 Tsp. Chopped Fresh Thyme

1/2 c. Parmigiano – Reggiano Cheese

2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh Basil and Sage for garnish

4 – 6 Eggs Poached (or fried)

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Instructions:

Remove the whole tomatoes from the can and chop them coarsely and warm them. Reserve the juices and puree for a dish for another day.

Warm the broth. Always add warm broth to your risotto.

Using a large pan, saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil – stir and cook on medium high heat about 5 minutes.

Add the rice to the pan and stir and cook the rice another 5 minutes on medium high heat – coating all of the rice kernels and toasting them a little.

Add the asparagus and the herbs to the pan and begin to add the warm broth starting with 1 cup. Keep stirring over medium high. As the broth is absorbed then add another ladle full. A large ladle is good for this. Keep repeating this process: adding the broth, stirring, and waiting for the rice to absorb before adding the next ladle. After a few ladles of broth, begin adding the warm tomatoes about 1/2 at a time. Then continue with the broth– adding, stirring, absorbing.

When you have used all your liquid – about 20-25 minutes – taste the risotto. The rice kernels should be al dente – not mushy – but with slight resistance.

Remove the risotto from the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaves! Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the risotto and mix in well. Add the unsalted butter and stir in. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Garnish with Chopped Fresh Basil and Sage.

Poach (or fry) 1 egg for each person and serve it at the side of each individual serving.

To Serve: If you choose to serve a wine with this very rustic ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH EGG dish – you might enjoy a Soave, a Falanghina, or a Verdicchio if you can find a nice one.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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