Category: Italian Recipes and Food

Fegato alla veneziana: irresistible and traditional in Venice

fegato alla veneziana

Are you ready to rock your world (and your kitchen) with a delicate, intense, flavoured and typical Italian dish? If the answer is YES, please have a close look to one of our favourite main courses coming from Venice: fegato alla veneziana, an ancient recipe still very spread in Veneto and in Italy. You can’t always look out your window and enjoy the gondolas, the astonishing Piazza San Marco or the maze of bridges and “calle”. But you can always learn how to cook the liver (fegato) the way Venetian do!! Bring the flavours of venice’s amazing cousine into your own flat, apartment, home. The liver was a precious food also for the Romans (especially the pieces coming from the pig and the goose). You can find a description in “De re Coquinaria” by Apicius. Today it is still an important ingredient in very traditional Venetian recipes: fegato à la sbrodega, liver sausage,  salsa peverada (made with chicken liver).

Fegato alla veneziana: irresistible
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 large onions, sliced thin
  • 4 sage leaves
  • 125 ml white wine
  • 500 gr. calves liver
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 5 spoon of olive oil
  • ¼ cup of butter
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 servings polenta
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil and the butter in a larget pan. Add the onions and sage leaves. Cook over medium-low heat until soften.
  2. Season with salt and pepper and add the white wine cook. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  3. Put the onions to another dish, lightly dust the pieces of liver in the flour and put it in the pan with the remaining oil to medium-high heat.
  4. Stir-fry the liver pieces until seared.
  5. Put the onions back to the skillet, remove the sage leaves, and reheat the onions and liver.
  6. Stir in the white wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and serve with white polenta.

 

Gnocchi di Zucca (Pumpkin Gnocchi) from Mantua

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Do you like pumpkins not only on the Halloween parties? We do as many Italians as well! The gnocchi of pumpkin is a speciality coming from the heart of Lombardy, especially topped with sauce of ricotta cheese and spinach. As the ravioli of pumpkin, which we will explore soon, this delightful and easy recipe comes from the magnificent town of Mantua in the north of Italy.

Gnocchi di Zucca (Pumpkins Gnocchi): a solid first course meal
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 800 g of Pumpkin
  • 300 g of Ricotta Cheese
  • 300 ml of Spinach
  • 150 g of Flour
  • 1 Egg
  • Thyme
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Nutmeg
Instructions
  1. For the sauce:
  2. In a pan put the spinach with some water. Let them stir until soft, reduce to a cream, adding the ricotta cheese and some thyme. Cook for ca. 5 minutes, adding some pepper and nutmeg.
  3. For the Gnocchi:
  4. Peel the pumpkin, cut it in small pieces, then place them in a pan with some water. Let them cook for about 20 minutes, until soft.
  5. Drain the pumpkin, place it in a bowl and mashed everything.
  6. With the pulp in a pan mix the butter, some salt and pepper and cook for ca. 5 minutes.
  7. Put the mixture in a bowl and let it cool. Then add the flour, the egg
  8. and mix all. A soft dough is the result you want to take out the gnocchi.
  9. Cook it: put a spoonful after another of the pumpkin dough in the water when it boils. The gnocchi will raise over the surface, when thay are ready.
  10. Put the sauce over or under the gnocchi and serve with Parmesan.

 

Figs Cookies (Biscotti ai fichi): ancient Sicilian dessert

biscotti ai fichi
This ancient biscuits’ recipe comes from Sicily countryside, when peasants are using a simple techniques to make the precious figs dried.  The sun will make them dry on wooden benches covered with white cotton to avoid the insects to bite them. After the drying, they are put in tin boxes and  there the figs can stay until you need them. Then to boil them in bay leaves to revive them!! Usually you collect the figs in summer and you will use to make the dessert biscuits in Christmas period. Come and take a bite with us!

Figs Cookies (Biscotti ai fichi)
 
A typical Sicilian dessert from ancient origin, traditionally prepared for Christmas day.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • For the pastry:
  • 2½ cups "00" flour
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • For inside:
  • 1½ cups dried figs
  • ¾ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • A ground black pepper pinch
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix flour, ⅓ cup sugar and baking powder.
  2. Put in shortening and butter and mix all.
  3. Stir in the milk and the beaten egg until the dough is plain and smooth.
  4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Grind the figs, raisins and almonds together or chopped them together. In another bowl, stir together the ¼ cup of sugar, hot water, cinnamon and pepper.
  6. Stir in the fruit mixture, cover and set aside until the dough is ready.
  7. Preheat oven to 175.
  8. Roll each piece of the dough out to a 12 rectangles.
  9. With the tablespoon fill each rectangle, and roll them up.
  10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven, until golden brown.

 

Ziti al forno with mozzarella (baked ziti): a recipe for feeding many

ziti al forno

It is time to cook and it is winter season. In this cold weather we need a pasta based main dish who can sustain you after the simple “eat and rush” sandwiches you had for lunch. So for all your family a simple baked pasta recipe, very tasty and easy to prepare.

Ziti al forno (baked Ziti)
 
A special dish coming from the Italian tradition that will smash you up. Usually our grand mothers baked the pasta leftovers with mozzarella and tomatoes sauce and make a delicious main course for Sunday big lunch. In this recipe we will make everything from scratch adding a bit of protein in the sauce, aka the beef. Let this dish amaze you and your guests for lunch or dinner.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 400 gr dry ziti pasta
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 garlic
  • 400 gr lean ground beef
  • 7-8 tomatoes
  • 6 slices provolone cheese
  • 6 mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until before being "al dente" about 7 minutes; drain.
  2. In a large pan, you will brown the garlic and the onion. Add the ground beef over medium heat. Add the 7 tomatoes, and simmer 15 minutes. Slice the last one and save it for decoration.
  3. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Use a large baking dish. Add on the bottom the sauce, ½ of the ziti, ½ of the Provolone cheese, ½ mozzarella cheese. Finish the top layer with grated Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven, until all the cheeses are melted.

 

Rice and ricotta cheese cake for your heart

 

torta-di-ricotta

Lovely  recipes and lovely  Italian cakes to all! Especially in a time of austerity this old, simple, clear and easy recipe for a delicious cake is always welcome from everyone! Few, basic ingredients for a “grand torte”! Welcome to this ricotta cheese-based cake (Torta di ricotta e riso in original) ! Ask the variant to your mother or granny: instead of the rice, you can add and mix it up also fruit or candies. A lot of choices among for example apple but also pears and strawberries!!

 

Torta di ricotta e riso: Rice and ricotta cheese cake, a simple recipe
 
Infinite joy and pleasure to eat this simple recipe from Italian tradition called Torta di ricotta e riso (Rice and ricotta cheese cake) with a cup of caffelatte!
Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Whole milk 4 Cup
  • Arborio rice 3⁄4 Cup
  • Ground cinnamon 1 Tsp
  • Salt 1⁄2 Tsp
  • Vanilla bean
  • Granulated sugar 1 Cup
  • Fresh ricotta cheese 1.425 grams
  • Whole eggs 3
  • Egg yolk 3
Instructions
  1. Heat the milk on medium high heat, and bring it to a boil. Add rice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla bean in it.
  2. On medium low heat, stir occasionally, and cook for about 40 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat completely. Add the sugar and stir again. 4.Cover it with lid and let it cool.Throw away the vanilla bean.
  4. Preheat oven (350).
  5. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, the whole eggs, the egg yolks, and the cooled rice mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture in a baken tray.
  7. Put it in the oven and bake the mixture for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until golden on top and set in the centre.
  8. Remember to cover the pan with foil to hel the rice not to burn.

Flavor of countryside: Herb Bread “alla Italiana”

herb bread

Here we go for this tremendous recipe from ancient Italian tradition. We already showed Sardinian speciality, Pane Frattau. In the countryside 100 years ago everybody was making their own bread. And nowadays? we can try to spread this fresh, easy-to-make and easy-to-bake recipe on Herb bread!!!

 

Herb Bread alla Italiana
 
Huuummmmm crunchy Italian Herb Bread. The preparation of the loaf is going to be quick and easy.
Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • Water 1 Cup
  • Yeast 1 Teaspoon
  • Salt 1 1⁄2 Teaspoon
  • Italian herbs 2 Teaspoon (1 tsp basil/oregano/santoreggia)
  • Milk 1 Tsp
  • Parmesan cheese 2 Tsp, grated
  • Butter 2 Tsp
  • Flour 2 3⁄4 Cup
  • Sugar 1 Tsp
Instructions
  1. Put in a bowl the water and the flour, mix it up and add the milk, the sugar, the salt, the Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs.
  2. Add the pieces of soft butter, mix up with the yeast in the middle of the hole you have created.
  3. Create an elastic dough. Shape a long loaf.
  4. Put the oven on and bake the bread for 1 hours and 40 minutes.
  5. Once done, let it cool down on the rack for 15 minutes before slicing the loaf.
  6. Slice the Italian bread and serve with a bowl of hot soup.

 

The queen Parmigiana: the original Aubergine based recipe

parmigiana_1An easy and delicious recipe of Aubergine-based Parmigiana,  a popular Italian dish to serve on your dinner table. Well-known also as a rosticceria food, you can easily buy a bite in many Italian little shops of delicacy in UK and in USA, but the best is to make it yourself! How? Give it a go with this recipe and let us know how it was.

The queen Parmigiana: the original Aubergine based recipe
 
Author:
Recipe type: Easy
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • Aubergine - 2
  • Tomato sauce - 3 cups
  • Parmesan – 3 tablespoons, grated
  • Part skim ricotta cheese – 1 ½ cup
  • Egg – 1, beaten
  • Fresh parsley - ½ cup, chopped
  • Fresh mozzarella - 3, diced
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil - as required
  • Salt and Pepper - to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° and cut the aubergines into half an inch rounds.
  2. Sprinkle salt over it and transfer it into a colander for 30 minutes. then, lay the aubergine on a paper towel to let the excess moisture be absorbed.
  3. Pat them dry and lay them on a baking sheet which has been already prepared with a little bit of cooking oil.
  4. Season the aubergines chuncks with salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic cloves. Flip them and season it in a similar manner.
  5. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes, until they are golden.
  6. In a bowl, put the ricotta cheese, add beaten egg, freshly chopped parsley, salt and freshly ground pepper.
  7. In the baking dish, spread the tomato sauce, lay the first aubergine row over it . 8. Take the ricotta cheese mixture and spread over the top of the row a bit. Finish with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.
  8. Prepare the same layers of tomato sauce, egg plant, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. After 3 layers, top it all with diced mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
  9. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.
  10. Serve after 15-20 minutes of cooling.

The authentic Minestrone della Nonna (Gran’Ma Minestrone)

italian_vegetable_and_pasta_soup__minestrone_soup

Are you ready to rock this winter in spite of the cold breeze? You need to eat well as your Grannie recommended you one million time. To face with winter, a corroborating dish from the Italian tradition: Minestrone. This particular recipe comes from Abruzzo, even though here the climate is not that bad in winter time as in UK or in some part of USA. But the mountains are full of snow in this region, so the peasants have elaborated this tasty dish for the long, coldish days.

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The authentic Minestrone della Nonna (Gran'Ma Minestrone)
 
Author:
Cuisine: Italian; Traditional Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 75 g shortcut macaroni
  • 25 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 50 g streaky bacon, rinds removed and finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, washed and finely chopped
  • 180 g carrots, washed and finely chopped
  • 2 fresh or tinned tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1.5 litres Stock (vegetables- or chicken bone stock)
  • 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
  • 230 g leeks, washed and finely chopped
  • 180 g potatoes, washed
  • salt and freshly milled black pepper
  • lots of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. First heat up the butter and oil in a large saucepan, then add the bacon to make the taste superbe.
  2. Cook this for a minute or two before adding the onions, the celery and the carrots. Cover up all with the tomatoes and the crushed garlic.
  3. Adjust with some salt and pepper, cover and cook very gently for 20 minutes to allow all the vegetables to release their inner juice. Occasionally stir to prevent the vegetables sticking.
  4. Then pour in the lovely stock you have chosen along with the parsley.
  5. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 1 hour.
  6. Then add the leeks, the potatoes and the macaroni.
  7. Cook for about 20 minutes more.
  8. Just before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 

Genoa: the legend of the pesto in the Ligurian sea

Boccadasse CC BY 2.0, Lorenzo Trombetta

Genoa’s legendary pesto has spanned many centuries to come intact here. The town is a colourful combination of skyscrapers and ancient landmarks dedicated to Christopher Columbus and Nicolo Paganini. The “old town” has still its fascination.The most powerful port in Europe centuries ago, the second largest one today, Genoa is rich in history and a pretty health port, encased within the precious medieval walls that still make up the city’s heart and soul.

On the Ligurian Sea, Genoa is the capital of the Italian Riviera, with its buildings from cascading hills,fantastic renovated funiculars which climb from downtown piazzas towards the “citta’ alta”. From here the sightseeing is breathtaking: the busy port and the immensity of the Mediterranean sea. During the summer, hour-long harbor cruises are available from the city.

The hills add a certain touch to the town, with mysterious alleyways diverting in every direction!!! The bars, cafes and the clubs are located along the harbor pffering a wide choice of wine and fun.

The medieval town with ancient buildings has been declared as World UNESCO site and they slowly transform into structures which has been built during the Renaissance period. As Genoa in the past was a marine Repubblica, the city accumulated power and wealth, building opulent palaces, spreding marble in the streets and creating fantastic gardens which still are visible along the outskirts of the country.

One of the highlights and most interesting attractions in Genoa is the Acquario di Genova (Genoa aquarium), the largest collection of marine life in Europe! Built to honour the memory of Christopher Columbus, which was a “Genoan DOC”, the Genoa aquarium appearead as a giant ship preparing to set sail.

Its tanks hold over a million gallons of water and the many exhibitions explore the sea life found in the Ligurian Sea and the acquatic rest of the world too. Here come with the family and the children to visit the sweet dolphins!!!

Besides Columbus, who is the most famous person born in Genoa? The maestro Nicolo Paganini, the finest violinist of every century. Nicolo Paganini’s instrument aka his violin is still on display at the Palazzo Tursi, which also offer to the visitors many of Columbus’s handwritten letters.

For a Happy New Year, enjoy your Lentils (Lenticchie Stufate)

For a Happy New Year, enjoy your Lentils (Lenticchie Stufate)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Lentils are a traditional food to make a fantastic recipe. On New Year's Eve in Italy people eat "lenticchie stufate" or in a soup. Why? This is an old symbol of good luck in the Italian tradition, because of their round shape, which is resembling coins. So you need to eat a lot with "cotechino", meaning a mild-tasting, slow-cooked pork sausage and in this way you will ensure money and prosperity for the coming year.
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • ½ pound lentils
  • 2 rosemary branches
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cup vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-2 tomatoes
Instructions
  1. First soak the lentils for 1 hour in cold water to cover.
  2. Then drain; and place them in a pot.
  3. Cover with cool water, then add some rosemary together with 2 cloves of garlic.
  4. Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Drain and discard the rosemary and garlic cloves.
  6. Heat the olive oil in the same pot and add the remaining rosemary and garlic.
  7. Add the lentils, some broth, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Stir well.
  8. Cook until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  9. Serve hot.