italian cooking made easy

Tagliatelle with spring onion, fresh and dried tomatoes

2015-03-14T07:45:00.001-07:00

For a quick lunch;

Put to boil tagliatelle in salted water
Cut spring onion (1 tbl. spoon p.p.) and cook 3 minutes in olive oil, together with 1 crushed garlic clove. (remove before adding tagliatelle)
Add a little salt and pepper.
Cut datterino tomatoes and dried tomatoes in small pieces and add to spring onion. cook just 3 minutes.
When tagliatelle are ready, (al dente, don't rinse please,) add them to the vegetables together with a little bit of the tagliatelle cooking water. Mix and stir over high flame for one minute and serve. Optional fresh basil leaf to decorate.
Buon appetito,
Peter.

RISOTTO ALLA MILANESE

2014-11-08T06:26:00.001-08:00

Risotto alla Milanese is apparently is very simple recipe, but don't get fooled; to prepare, it requires a little extra attention.
First of all for 2 persons you need:

- 2 cups vialone nano or carnaroli rice
- 1/2 small white onion
- 3 tbl. spoons butter
- 0,1 grams saffron
- 1/2 liter meat stock/broth
- grated parmesan cheese
- salt / pepper

Prepare the stock and keep it warm.
Keep some stock in one teacup and add the saffron.
Chop onion (small pieces).
Melt 2 spoons of butter and add onion.
let onions simmer over low flame/heat, don't let them get golden brown.
Add rice and toast it, together with the onions for about 2 minutes. Pay attention and don't burn the onions/butter.
Add about half of the stock and cook 7/8 minutes, stirring once in a while.
Add the remaining stock a bit at the time, stirring contineously until the rice is cooked "all dente". Then add stock with safffron, continue cooking and stirring until all liquid has evaporated.
In all, cooking time should not succeed 15 minutes.
Add a spoonful of butter and a little parmesan cheese and stir. Add salt to your taste.
Let the risotto rest for about 3/4 minutes.
Serve with cheese and grated pepper.

Buon appetito, Peter.

FRIGGITELLI STUFFED WITH CHERRY TOMATOES SWEET AND SOUR

2014-11-03T03:27:00.002-08:00

Ingredients for 3 people:
6 peppers friggitelli a little big
3 eggs
150 grams of pecorino romano
7-8 tomatoes pizzutello
1 red onion
parsley
basil
extra virgin olive oil
salt
vinegar
sugar

Method:
Beat the eggs with the cheese and parsley, stuffed peppers and fry for 7-8 minutes.
In another pan, put oil, onion, chopped tomatoes and basil.
Add salt and salt them for 4-5 minutes, take a splash of vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar, cook for another 4-5 minutes add the peppers previously fried.
If you can prepare this dish a few hours before eating.

Buon appetito

PETER'S PEPERONATA

2014-09-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

I used 4 bell peppers, 2 yellow and 2 red.
1 big white onion, 3 celery sticks and 2 garlic cloves.
Futhermore; olive oil, bay leaf, rosemary and oregano, salt and pepper.

I chopped the vegetables in small pieces and put all the ingredients in a pan.

The most important trick to get a really sweet and yummie peperonata is :

THE WAY YOU COOK IT !!!!!!!!!

Use the smallest flame or lowest temperarure you can get and let it simmer for 2 HOURS !!(closed pan with lid) Don't add water! After 2 hours take off the lid and over higher flame let it cook until all the liquid evaporates. In this way the peperonata will get nice and creamy and very sweet!

Buon appetito!

Green asparagus with parmesan and ham

2014-07-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152605960074274&id=47550309273

Strawberry Risotto

2014-06-25T10:25:00.002-07:00

Do you know how to cook risotto?
Try with strawberry, delicious!!

My ingredients for 4 persons are:

-120 grams cannarolo or vialone nano rice.
(using this rice is essential)
- 15 strawberries (more or less)
- 1 onion
- 3 tbl. sp. grated parmigiano.
- vegetable stock/broth.
- 1 tbl. sp. butter
- 3 tbl. sp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt / pepper
Simmer the onion in olive oil for 3 minutes, add the strawberries
(cut in pieces) simmer 3 more minutes, then add the rice.
Let it simmer for 2 more minutes before adding stock.
Add just enough stock to cover everything, use high flame
and stir.
After almost all the liquid has evaporated, add some more
a little bit at the time and keep stirring, for about
10/15 minutes on a lower flame. ( the outcome will depend on the stirring,
specially towards the end !)
When finished add cheese and butter, a little salt and pepper,
stir 2 more minutes and let it rest 3 more minutes, then serve

Risotto with chicken and rucola

2014-03-21T00:51:00.001-07:00

Level: Easy.
Time: 30 min.

For 2 persons you need:
2 small cups of rice
100 grms. Chicken
100 grms. Rucola
Olive oil
Pepper
Butter
Nutmeg
Grated parmesan
1/2 liter stock

This is the perfect risotto when you want to recycle some leftover chicken.
cut the chicken and rucola very small. heat it up in olive oil. add some pepper and a little nutmeg.

Stir 15 minutes, adding stock a bit at the time. after 15 min. add 2 tbl spoon parmesan and stir.
then add a little butter and stir. grate some pepper and let it rest 3 minutes.

Buon Appetito!

Dentice con purea di broccoli, canella e zenzero.

2014-03-09T05:47:00.001-07:00

Ingredienti per 2 persone :

- 1 dentice
- 1 broccolo
- 1 sp. di aglio
- canella in polvere
- zenzero fresco gratuggiato
- 2 stecche di canella
- 1 noce di burro
- olio de oliva
- sale e pepe q.b.
- semi di sesamo

Cucina il pesce in padella per il tempo necessario. Una volta pronto, pulisci e metti aparte i filetti.
In una pentola con 1 litro di acqua, un po di sale grosso ed un spicchio di aglio, lascia bollire per 10 minuti pezzetti di broccolo, in modo che assorbe gli aromi dell'aglio ed il sale.
Conserva il brodo della cottura e l'aglio. Frullare i broccoli assieme con il burro, 1/2 cucchiaino di canella, 1/4 cucchiaino di zenzero gratuggiato, un pezzetto minuscolo di aglio, ed un poco di brodo di cottura, in modo da ottenere una purea omogenea. Riscalda brevemente il sesamo.
Impiattare come da foto. Condire con un filo di olio di oliva e.v.

St. Josephs Day Zeppole

2014-02-25T10:00:00.001-08:00

Sfingi or St. Josephs Day Zeppole

INGREDIENTS
Ricotta Cream Filling
One 15 Ounce Container Ricotta
¾ Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Candied Citron Or Orange peel

Dough
1 Cup Water
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) Unsalted Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
4 Large Eggs
Vegetable Oil For Frying

Candied Cherries – Cut In Half For Garnish

2 Tablespoons Chopped Unsalted Pistachios For Garnish (Optional)

Confectioners’ Sugar

In a medium Bowl, whisk the ricotta, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and candied fruit. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

To make the puffs, bring the water, the butter and the salt to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the flour all at once and stir well with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely incorporated.

Return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and turning the dough often, until the dough begins to leave a thin film on the bottom of the saucepan (about 3 minutes). This dries the dough so the puffs will be crisp. With a rubber spatula, scrape the dough into a large bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Continue to beat until smooth – about 2 minutes more.

In a deep heavy saucepan or deep fryer, heat about 3 inches of oil until the temperature reaches 375° F on a deep frying thermometer or until a small bit of the dough dropped into the oil sizzles and turns brown in 1 minute. With a tablespoon, scoop up a rounded spoonful of batter and with another spoon, carefully push the dough into the oil so that it doesn't splash. Continue to add the dough by the spoonfuls without crowding the pan. The dough will puff up and double in size to do not add too many at one time or they will stick together. Cook, turning them often, until the dough breaks open – about 4 minutes. Continue to cook 1 to 2 minute more or until crisp and golden brown. Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon or skimmer and place them on paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let cool slightly.

With a small knife, split fritter partway open. Spoon the cream inside, allowing it to show through the split. Press a cherry half into the cream and sprinkle with pistachios (optional). (If it is not St. Joseph’s Day, you can just shake these, without the filling in a bag with confectioners’ sugar and serve like donuts).

Dust the sfingi with confectioners’ sugar. These are best right after they are made.

"FARE LA SCARPETTA"

2014-02-25T09:54:00.003-08:00

Fare la scarpetta is a phrase in the Italian language that’s close to the heart of everyone who has enjoyed a delicious plate of pasta with sauce. Meaning “make the little shoe,” it refers to the small piece of bread used to mop up the last of the sauce on your plate. This end to a meal ritual is vastly popular all over Italy; however, where it originates is still open to debate. There’s one theory that the practice began in Venice, though bread wasn’t usually served with pasta in northern Italy, whereas it was in the south of the country, therefore it is implausible to assume it originated there. In his book about medieval eating habits, Fabrizio Vanni proposes that the act took place following the introduction of tomatoes to the Italian diet back in the late 16th century. Before this time sauces tended to be thicker and more robust; with the introduction of the tomato, sauces became lighter and therefore required mopping up. Another suggestion regarding the origin of la scarpetta is that back in a time when wasting food was frowned upon, the bread merely became a tool to be used much like cutlery. A Calabrese friend of mine who tells me the phrase has its origins in Southern dialect prefers to have a more romantic notion regarding la scarpetta. He is convinced it stems from the heart of cucina povera (poor cuisine), from a time when people were literally so hungry they’d have eaten the soles of their shoes. He says when you are unsure when you’ll eat next, it made sense to mop up every last drop of sauce. As with many Italian expressions, the reasoning behind the phrase is visual: during the practice of sweeping the bread across the plate the finger becomes the leg that pushes the bread which becomes the shoe. It’s not only an essential part of an Italian meal, but it is seen as a way to extend the pleasure of the repast. This said there is a time when making the little shoe is frowned upon and Giovanni Della Casa explained it in Il Galateo, his guide to the rules of polite behaviour and etiquette: it is acceptable to engage in the practice during an informal meal, however, in a formal setting and in public, when making the little shoe you must use a fork and not your finger to move it across the plate.

RECYCLE

2014-02-08T04:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday i had some black rice and swordfish left over from the day before.
i decided to recycle the 2 ingredients and create a tasteful dinner with the following ingredients: 1 onion, half red bell pepper, fresh ginger root, lemon grass, garlic, half coffee spoon chili paste and some salt.
I simmered all ingredients in sesame oil for only 5 minutes. then added swordfish (diced, and already cooked)

Then i mixed ingredients with the black rice and let it cook 3 minutes over high flame.

Garnish with parsley and soy sauce. buon appetito.

STEAMED SALMON WITH MASHED POTATOES, TOMATO, SESAME AND CILANTRO GARNI.

2014-01-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

I suppose most of you know how to prepare mashed potatoes and steamed salmon. Anyway for mashed potatoes i boil diced potatoe 20 min. and when ready, i pour out the water and let them rest in a closed pan for a while, where they stay warm.

When all the other ingredients are ready, i finish the mashed potatoes, adding some butter, a little milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. i use a fork to mash.

while i steam the salmon (20 min.)i prepare the garni.

The garni is the more difficult part, because none of the ingredients should be to dominant and everything should blend nicely.

I chop tomatoes in very small pieces, then a little piece of spring onion, chop a tiny bit of ginger root and fresh cilantro. (you could replace this with parsley.) you need to add a tiny piece of squashed garlic too.(plus salt and pepper)

In the mean time i roast sesame seeds.

Then i mix everything together adding some olive oil.

SERVE AND BE CREATIVE!

HOME MADE TAGLIATELLE WITH MUSSELS AND TUNA

2014-01-18T05:41:00.003-08:00

Today i prepared tagliatelle.

120 grams white flour, 1 egg and a sniff of salt. this is for 2 persons, so if you prepare for 4, double the q.

Mix flour, egg and salt and prepare the dough with your hands, in about 5 min. you should get a smooth dough ball. flatten a much as you can and make e thin sheet with the dough. roll the sheet and cut thin slices with a sharp knife and unroll, voilà your tagliatelle are ready!

For the sauce i used 1 onion, some garlic, capers,some pepper and salt. 200 grams of mussels, 1 tin tunafish and 1/2 liter passata (tomatosauce).

Garnish with parsley.

Buon appetito!

Spaghetti in Consommé and Parmesan Cheese

2013-12-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

Cooking and serving consommés

A consommé is made by adding a mixture of ground meats, together with mirepoix (a combination of carrots, celery, and onions), tomatoes, and egg whites into either bouillon or stock. The key to making a high quality consommé is simmering; the act of simmering, combined with frequent stirring, brings impurities to the surface of the liquid, which are further drawn out due to the presence of acid from the tomatoes. Eventually, the solids begin to congeal at the surface of the liquid, forming a 'raft', which is caused by the proteins (including albumins, mucoproteins, and globulins) in the egg whites. Once the 'raft' begins to form, the heat is reduced, and the consommé is simmered at a lower heat until it reaches the desired flavor, which usually takes anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour. The resulting concoction is a clear liquid that has either a rich amber colour (for beef or veal consommé) or a very pale yellow colour (for poultry consommé). It is then carefully drawn from the pot and passed again through a filter to ensure its purity, and is then put through a lengthy process where all of the visible fat is skimmed from the surface. To ensure total purification, the consommé can be refrigerated, which draws out remaining fat, which can easily be skimmed off with cheesecloth. Alternatively, the consommé can be placed in a wide, shallow container such as a sauté pan or large bowl and wide strips of parchment paper can be dragged along the surface; the tiny amounts of remaining fat adhere to the parchment, leaving the consommé perfectly de-greased. Cartilage and tendons should be left on the meat because of the gelatinthey contain, which enhances the mouthfeel of the soup. If beef or veal is used, shin meat is ideal because it is very low in fat and very high in gristle, and although it is undesirable for most other purposes, it is near essential for the flavour of the consommé. The meat is best if it is ground very fine, as if for a mousseline.

For this recipe i added 1/2 bottle of white wine to the stock, to add slight acidity.

Boil spaghetti 4 minutes in water and 7/8 minutes in a small quantity consommé, letting it evaporate and leaving a dense liquid. add grated parmesan and stirr. garnish with parsley and pepper.

Do you know this vegetable? Black Cabbage....

2013-12-16T00:41:00.000-08:00

Lacinato kale is a variety of kale with a long tradition in Italian cuisine, especially that of Tuscany (although the term "lacinato" is not widely known or used in Italy). It is also known as Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Italian kale, Dinosaur kale, cavolo nero, black kale, flat back cabbage, palm tree kale, or black Tuscan palm. Lacinato kale has been grown in Tuscany for centuries. It is one of the traditional ingredients of minestrone and ribollita.

Lacinato kale, like most other kale varieties, is usually blanched first, and then sautéed with other, flavorful ingredients; in Campanian cuisine, anchovies are often added. It is commonly used in pastas and soups, but can also be eaten raw, in a salad.

In Tuscan cuisine, lacinato kale is often used in ribollita ("twice cooked"), a thick, hearty soup made up of ingredients cooked for a meal the day before.

.

I prepared i wonderful soup with onions, patatoes, black cabbage (use only the tender parts), stock, fennelseed and pepper. First simmer everything in butter for 10min, then add stock.
After 20 minutes enjoy this delicious soup!
Peter.

BRUSCHETTA

2013-12-13T05:42:00.001-08:00

TIME: 5 minutes.

LEVEL: easy.

If you adore garlic, you will love this.
If you hate garlic, you will not even come close.....

- 1 clove garlic cut in pieces.
- 2 tomatoes.
- olive oil.
- a little salt.
- (toasted) white bread.
mix and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

If you don't want to eat the garlic, squash a clove, before adding it, mix it well and let it rest half an hour, then take it out and enjoy bruschetta and the garlic aroma!

Buon appetito, Peter.

PUFF PASTRY PIE with RADICCHIO

2013-11-20T01:30:00.001-08:00

ARTICHOKE " ALLA ROMANA"

2013-11-12T03:50:00.002-08:00

Good food in Slovenia

2013-11-10T09:19:00.001-08:00

pizzeria paninoteka zeppelin

Salva

Ulica 1. Maja 5, Sezana, Slovenia (Near Trieste, Italy)

Salva

prosciutto antipasto

Recommended!
Good service, good food and cheap!

Ham and cheese stuffed calamari with fries and veggies.

PETER's CALAMARI and KING PRAWNS FANTASY

2013-10-05T02:14:00.000-07:00

TIME : 45 MINUTES

LEVEL : EASY

For 2 persons you need:

- 2 calamari
- 300 grms king prawns
- 2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 15 olives
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 glass white wine
- parsley
- salt and pepper
- olive oil

Just put every thing together in a creative way and cook 30 /40 minutes at 180° C. in the oven until calamari are tender. Serve with green salad and a glass of Prosecco wine.

Buon appetito! Peter.

PUFF PASTRY WITH ZUCCHINE, EGG AND SMOKED RAW HAM

2013-06-01T05:56:00.003-07:00

Time: 1 Hour
Level: Easy

Simmer zucchine, garlic, salt and pepper, until done. (5 minutes)

Take 1 round piece of puff pastry (frozen or non) and cover a cake pan.
Take care to create edges.
Fill up with zucchine and cover with slices of smoked ham.

Then add 4 beaten eggs to cover every thing.
Cook 20/30 minutes in oven at 180° C.

Buon appetito!

GUINEA FOWL "ALLA CACCIATORA"

2013-03-04T02:47:00.002-08:00

time: 1 hour level: easy

Ingredients for 2 persons: see picture!

1 guinea fowl

1 onion

1 carrot

celery

1 or 2 clove garlic

4 or 5 bay leaf

rosemary

sage

some juniper berries

salt pepper

olive oil

Chop all the vegetables and add with some olive oil in a frying pan.
Add salt and pepper to guinea fowl in pieces and place the pieces on top of the vegetables. Let the whole thing simmer for at least 45 minutes on a very low flame, mixing the meat and the vegetables every once and a while. Add very little water, only if needed. The idea is that the meat and the vegetables should blend together nicely, without becoming to watery, neither should they roast.
Of course see the picture above; this is how it should look!!

Buon appetito,
Peter.

STUFFED SAVOY CABBAGE

2013-01-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

Another version of stuffed savoy cabbage.

We stuffed with a mix of leftover boiled potatoes,
garlic, grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Close with a toothpick and cook 20 minutes in the oven at 180° C.

Buon appetito!, Peter.

Food as Art. ( Stuffed Savoy Cabbage.)

2013-01-02T01:50:00.000-08:00

Last night i decided to do something different with savoy cabbage, so i bought some bacon (pancetta stufata in italian), some gorgonzola cheese, sesame seeds and some of those sweet, marmelade-like condimenti that are easy to make yourself, by mixing some marmelade, mustard and a little salt. I boiled the cabbage leafs seperately for about 5 minutes.

After this i let them cool and dried them with paper.

Then i roasted the sesame seeds for about 3 minutes.

I filled the leafs with some gorgonzola, 1 slice of bacon and 1/3 teaspoon of the sweet stuff.

Rolled the leafs and closed with 2 tooth picks.

Garnished with sesameseed and dried chives.

Served cold.

DELICIOUS!!!

Peter

STEWED SAVOY CABBAGE

2012-12-31T05:27:00.000-08:00

Time: 1 hour.

Level: Easy.

In Italy we call this recipe: "verza stufata"
but in Venice it's called: "verze sofegae"

For 4 persons take:

- 2 small cabbages and slice as small as you can.
- Add 1 sliced onion.
- 1 clove garlic.
- Olive oil.
- Salt and pepper.
The ingredients are rather simple, but the end result depends all on how you cook the cabbage!.
Cook on a very low flame for 1 hour and try not to add any water, or at least very, very little. In this way the "verze sofegae" becomes very "creamy",and melt on your tongue, just the way we like it in Venice!.

Buon appetito!
Peter.