Cucina DiBella

Rhode Island Style Zeppole

Happy St. Joseph's Day! Just because I want everyone to know how impressed I am with myself, I will have you know that I actually wrote this post a day early! It has been a long time since I have been ahead of the game for...well, anything, really.  Although, since I promised a recipe for Rhode Island style Zeppole last year but never came through, I guess I shouldn't brag too much.

 

If you can remember back that far (I barely can), two years ago I made this recipe for Zeppole that were almost like small fried doughnuts with powdered sugar on top.  They are delicious, but they aren't the Zeppole that I grew up eating in Rhode Island. My zeppole were fried pastry filled with custard and topped with a cherry.  That is the version that I tackled this year, and I must say, it was much less difficult than I had anticipated.  Usually these are topped with a cherry, but I had some raspberries, so I went with that instead. 

 

Between these two versions of Zeppole, I think I will always choose the custard filled ones.  How about you?  Which kind of Zeppole did you grow up eating?

 

Rhode Island Style Zeppole

Makes 16 zeppole

Adapted from Giallo Zafferano

Ingredients:

For the custard:

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

Zest from 1/2 a lime

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the dough:

1 cup water

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup and 3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 pinch salt

Zest from 1/2 a lime

3 eggs

Oil for frying

Parchment paper

Procedure:

1. Start by making the custard.  In a bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar until well incorporated.  Add the flour, lime zest and just enough milk to work everything together.  Set aside.
2. In a small saucebowl, add the remaining milk and the vanilla.  Heat until just before the milk starts to boil.  Turn off the heat and let the milk cool for 10 minutes. 
3. Add the milk to the flour mixture and stir well to combine.  Return this custard mixture to the saucepan and put over low heat to thicken.  This will take about 10-12 minutes.  Stir continuously with a whisk to make sure lumps do not form.
4. Once thickened, pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set in the refrigerator to cool completely.
5. To make the dough, add the water and butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is melted and the water is just starting to boil, turn off the heat. 
6. Add the flour and stir until well incorporated and the dough forms a ball, pulling away from the sides of the pot.  Return to low heat for about 2 minutes to let the dough dry slightly. 
7. Put the dough in a bowl and let cool.  Once cool, stir in the sugar, salt, and lime zest.  I found using a whisk makes stirring easier and more even.
8. Add the eggs to the dough one at a time, stirring each egg in completely before adding the next.
9. Prepare to fry the dough by cutting 3 by 3 inch squares out of your parchment paper.  Line the squares up on a baking sheet. Put the dough in a pastry bag with a star tip.  Starting at the center of one of the parchment squares and working your way out, pipe the dough into circles about 2 inches in diameter and then pipe a ring on top of the circle to create a bowl (check out Giallo Zafferano  for a great visual example).  Continue with the rest of the dough.
10. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot to medium-high heat.  Once hot, drop the zeppole on its paper into the oil in batches of 2 or 3 depending on the size of your pot.  The  paper will slide right off in the oil.  Cook the zeppole just until golden brown and remove to paper towels to drain excess oil.  Repeat with remaining zeppole.
11. Once all zeppole are fried and cooled, pipe the custard into the hollow center of each zeppole, allowing some to spill over the top.  Top with a raspberry (or cherry if you're going the traditional route) and a dusting of powdered sugar.  Keep refrigerated until they are eaten.

Ryan's rating of Rhode Island Style Zeppole - 5.  This was definitely a hit, with both Ryan and Dominic.  Since I made these yesterday, I'm lucky we even had any left to eat on St. Joseph's Day!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up
again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in
it.

 

 

Chicken Cacciatore

The idea to make this recipe came as a request (thanks for the suggestion, Kristie!).  Chicken Cacciatore is a traditional recipe from Naples.  Cacciatore means hunter-style and would originally have been made with some type of game bird like pheasant.  Now it is made with chicken, usually including both chicken breasts and thighs.  I chose to use only chicken breasts, so if you use thighs you will want to double the initial simmering time for the chicken.  You can also add mushrooms, which I omitted because of my great dislike of them.    

Chicken Cacciatore is really the perfect mid-winter recipe.  I heard the other day that this week is the most depressing of the year.  It's easy to see why.  There are no more half weeks at work in the near future, and those New Years resolutions are always such a downer.  After all, who really wants to cut chocolate out of their diet? Of course, that's assuming you didn't quit after day 3 like I usually do.  So, what better to brighten up those dreary January days than a recipe that looks like this with bright, beautiful colors.  I'd eat it just for that. It doesn't hurt that it is delicious, too. Here's hoping that your January isn't as gross as the weather.

 

Chicken Cacciatore

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken breasts, fat trimmed

Salt and pepper

Flour for dredging

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 a large onion, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup white wine

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juices

1 red bell pepper cut into strips

1 yellow bell pepper cut into strips

Procedure:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Put some flour on a plate.  Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
2. In a large pan, heat three tablespoons vegetable oil and two tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat.  Place the chicken in the pan and saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Flip the chicken and brown the other side, about 2 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a plate.  
3. Add the onions to the pan and saute about 2 minutes.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Let the wine boil for about 2 minutes to reduce the volume.  Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Return the chicken to the pan.  Turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. In a separate pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the peppers and cook about 5 minutes.  After the chicken has simmered for 15 minutes, flip the chicken over.  Add the peppers to the chicken, cover the pan again, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Cacciatore - 5.  Dominic was giggling the whole time he ate his. I like to think he was enjoying it and not mocking me. I think I might be wrong.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Rosa di Parma

I could live forever off of the cuisine of Parma in Emilia-Romagna.  The city is home to prosciutto and parmigiano cheese, two foods that steal the show in many a recipe.  Of course, there are also the times that they are the main attraction. Like when I stand in front of the open refrigerator eating slice after slice of freshly cut prosciutto. Though I guess that's less an example of prosciutto being a main ingredient than it is an example of me having no self-control. Moving on.

 

Rosa di Parma is a recipe where those delicious specialities of Parma previously mentioned bring the meal to a whole new level.  Typically made with a beef tenderloin, the tenderloin is butterflied and pounded thin and then rolled back up with prosciutto and parmigiano.  I used pork tenderloin, as suggested in the recipe I link to, below.  The depth of flavor is amazing, making it shocking at how simple this recipe is and how few ingredients are used.  Save this one for when you need to impress someone without feeling like actually putting in much effort.

 

Rosa di Parma

Serves 3-4

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin

4 slices thin cut prosciutto

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

1/4 cup mozzarella

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the pork loin by double butterflying it.  Without cutting all the way through, make one cut lengthwise along the tenderloin about 1/3 of the way in from the top edge.  Flip the tenderloin 180 degrees so that you will now be cutting into the side opposite where the first cut was made.  Make the same kind of cut, this time cutting 2/3 of the way down from the top edge. Open the tenderoin at both cuts so that it lays flat.  Using a meat tenderizer, pound to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch.
2. Top the tenderloin with the slices of prosciutto, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge of the tenderloin.  Cover the prosciutto with the mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses.  
3. Starting on one of the long ends, roll up the tenderloin.  Place the tenderloin seam side down on a rack in a roasting pan.  Tuck the ends underneath the tenderoin slightly.
4. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.  Brush the tenderloin with the oil mixture.  
5. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until pork is cooked through.  Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Ryan's rating of Rosa di Parma - 5.  I almost feel bad taking this though. With ingredients like this, it would have been hard not to get a 5.  And no, there's no Dominic's rating this week. Mostly because we didn't leave him anyway. I know, we're terrible parents.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Erbazzone - Spinach Pie

With the holidays heavily upon us, I thought we could all use a recipe a little more focused on the vegetables.  Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, spinach is the main ingredient here, but it is sauteed in butter and mixed with cheese and prosciutto (as every meal should be).  

 

This spinach pie, erbazzone, is a recipe that is traditional in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.  Specifically, it is often attributed to Parma, which is not surprising given Parma's delicious  prosciutto and parmigiana cheese.  It is sometimes made with different greens, so you have some leeway here if you would rather use swiss chard or some other savory green.  Prosciutto is not always put inside the pie, but I've never had a recipe brought to ruin by the addition of some prosciutto, so I didn't feel too bad about adding it. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Erbazzone

Adapted from Academia Barilla

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Two 9 inch pie crusts 

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

20 ounces spinach, frozen and thawed or about 2 pounds, fresh and wilted

6 slices prosciutto, diced

3/4 cup parmigiano regiano 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" pie dish.  Place one of the pie crusts in the bottom of the pie dish.  
2. In a saute pan, melt the butter.  Add the olive oil and garlic.  Saute about two minutes until the garlic is golden in color.  Add the spinach and saute another two minutes until warmed through.
3. Put the spinach mixture into a bowl and mix together with the prosciutto and parmigiano.  Stir to combine well.  Add salt and peper to taste.
4. Fill the pie shell with the spinach mixture.  Cover with the second pie shell. Trim off excess dough.  Poke the top of the pie with a fork several times to let air escape.  
5. Use a fork to stir the egg in a bowl.  Brush the top of the pie with the egg. Sprinkle with some extra parmigiano.  Place pie in the oven and cook as directed for your pie crusts or until the pie crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Ryan's rating of Erbazzone -3.  Not bad, but I think if Dominic could give a rating as well it would be a 5.  After all, he did eat two full pieces for lunch the next day!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Chicken Marsala Ravioli

If you ask my sister and brother in law what their favorite Cucina DiBella recipe is, there's a solid chance they would answer with, "Chicken Marsala".  This is a great dish, but I have stumbled upon a way to make it even better.  Take the delicious ingredients for Chicken Marsala and put them in homemade ravioli pasta, each one a perfect package of deliciousness.

This recipe is pretty time consuming if you are making fresh pasta.  I recommend breaking the work up into two days unless you really do have a few hours to devote to this.  I made the pasta dough one night and then made the filling and assembled and cooked the ravioli the next day.  Fresh dough will keep in the fridge for a couple days, so it's the perfect way to split up the process.  If you have a ravioli cutter to make fancy edges, by all means use it.  I don't, so I opted for the "rustic" look of just hacking away at the pasta dough with a knife. It's not the prettiest method, but it tastes delicious either way!

Chicken Marsala Ravioli

Adapted from Tyler Florence

Makes about 24 three inch wide ravioli

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons water

For the filling:

1 chicken breast, cut into strips

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup Marsala wine

2 slices prosciutto, diced

2 tablespoon breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup Marsala wine

3/4 cup chicken stock

Flour to thicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. To make the dough, combine the flour and salt.  Pour out on a work surface and form a well with the flour.  Beat the eggs with a fork and put the eggs and water into the center of the well.  Slowly incorporate the flour into the egg and water, keeping the well formation.  When fully incorporated, knead the dough for about 8 minutes.  Form into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 1 hour.
2. Next, make the filling.  Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the chicken and brown until cooked through, about five minutes.  Add the onion and garlic and cook about 1 minute.  Add the 1/4 cup Marsala wine and cook 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add the prosciutto and cook until the prosciutto has browned slightly. 
3. Move the chicken mixture to a food processor and add the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, reserving the pan to make the sauce.  Pulse the mixture.  Add the egg, cream, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pulse again until well mixed.  Chill the filling in the refrigerator while you roll out the dough.
4. To roll the dough, break the ball of dough into two equal pieces.  Run through a pasta roller beginning at a wide setting and slowly thin the dough until it is your desired thickness (generally ravioli filling should be very thin - I put my pasta roller at a setting of 5).  Cut the dough into whatever size and shape you want your ravioli to be.  This recipe is based on 3 inch square pieces.  Note: the fresh dough dries quickly and will stick together, so as you cut the pieces, place them on a baking sheet.  Place a wet paper towel over the layer to keep them moist and to separate layers if you need more than 1 layer.
5. Fill the ravioli by placing 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of one ravioli square.  Wet your finger and run it along all four edges.  Take another ravioli square and place it on top, pressing firmly around all of the edges to seal the ravioli.  If you do not seal it fully, the filling will come out when cooking.  When each ravioli is done, place under a wet paper towel in a single layer to keep moist and to keep from sticking to each other until you finish filling each ravioli.
6. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt.  Cook the ravioli in batches, about 5 or 6 at a time.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
7. To make the sauce, add two tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of butter to the pan used to make the filling.  Heat over medium heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are softened.  Add the 1/4 cup Marsala wine and the chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and reduce to low for another 1 minute.  Adjust the thickness of the sauce to your desired consistency by whisking in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve the ravioli with the sauce spooned over it.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Marsala Ravioli - 5.  Miraculously, we had leftovers for lunch the next day.  Even more miraculous was the fact that Ryan shared them with me.  I expected him to hijack them while I was getting ready for work.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Scampi alla Busara

In the interest of being able to cross of the longest resident of my to do list, I finally made time to write a post on my latest culinary experiment.  Can I still feel good about getting this done when it is a few months late?

As I said in my previous post, the Veneto region, and Venice in particular, is filled with delicious seafood recipes.  Scampi alla Busara is one such recipe.  Everyone is familiar with Shrimp Scampi, and this is a recipe that is similar but with a few twists.  In the U.S., the word "scampi" is often used to describe a style of cooking in which shrimp, chicken, or another ingredient is sauteed in a garlic butter sauce.  However, scampi actually refers to the name of a type of small lobster that is found in the Veneto region of Italy, among other places.  So, this dish would traditionally be made with those small lobsters.  Not having access to those, I substituted shrimp when I made this recipe.  A little breadcrumb sprinkled over the top of the shrimp and toasted under the broiler added the perfect finishing touch.  Serve this over spaghetti or rice and you have a great dinner with minimal effort! 

Scampi alla Busara

Adapted from Mario Batali

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, plus 1 tablespoon

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 pound shrimp, deveined and tails removed

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter.  Add the breadcrumbs, and cook over medium heat just until the breadcrumbs are toasted.  Set aside.
2. In an oven-safe pan, combine the shrimp, olive oil and garlic.  Cook over a medium heat until the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the wine and sprinkle the shrimp with the toasted breadcrumbs.  Place under the broiler until the breadcrumbs darken, about 4 minutes.
4. Remove the shrimp to a plate.  Return the pan to the burner.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup butter and stir over high heat for 1 minute. Season with parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, whisk in 1 tablespoon flour to thicken the sauce. 
5. Pour the sauce over the shrimp.  Serve over rice or spaghetti.

Ryan's rating of Scampi alla Busara - 5.  I actually made this twice.  The first time, I went to write my post and couldn't find the picture I took of the dish.  Ryan, devestated, said I would "just have to make it again."  I'm starting to think he deleted the picture on purpose.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

 

Risi e Bisi

The Veneto region of Italy is mostly known for its seafood, but it is home to some other great recipes as well that you don't want to miss. Many of these involve rice, which is often used more frequently than pasta in the northern regions of Italy. One of the quintessential recipes from Veneto is Risi e Bisi, or Rice and Peas. The recipe is a simple variation of a basic risotto. Its simplicity is part of what has made Risi e Bisi a staple for many Italian parents and a first meal for many Italian kids. Since my son just started eating solid foods I will have to keep this meal in mind for when he's a ready for it!

Risi e Bisi

Adapted from Rachael Ray

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 a yellow onion, diced

1 cup arborio rice

4 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup peas

Procedure:

1. In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the risotto and allow to toast lightly.  Once toasted, begin to add the broth 1 cup at a time.  Stir frequently to avoid the rice sticking to the pot.  Continue until the rice is cooked to al dente.
3. Add the peas and allow them to warm through.  Serve the risotto immediately.

Ideas for modifications:This recipe is sometimes served almost as a soup.  To take this route, simply add more stock than what is required above.  For some added flavor, pancetta can also be added.  To save a little time, you can use frozen peas and add them directly to the risotto.  They will thaw in the rice in no time!

Ryan's rating of Risi e Bisi - 4.  Not bad since peas are far from his favorite vegetable!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Ricotta Pancakes with Bellini Maple Syrup

One thing holiday weekends are good for is offering that rare lazy morning where my husband and I can enjoy breakfast together without one of us having to race off to work. Today we took full advantage of that luxury with some delicious ricotta pancakes. These aren't traditionally Italian, nor is the syrup that I made to go along with the pancakes, but they are wonderful nonetheless. They were too good not to share, so we'll call them Italian inspired and consider them good enough to put on Cucina DiBella.

I am a huge pancake fan. I have great memories of my mom spelling out my initials in pancake batter. So, I had never felt the need to deviate much from the pancake recipe of my childhood, and therefore had never tried pancakes with ricotta cheese mixed in. Well, I'm glad I did. The beauty of ricotta is that it works equally well in savory dishes, like lasagna, and sweet recipes like cannoli. Here, the ricotta works to make pancakes that are much lighter and more moist than your average pancake. They are wonderful! To match their airiness, I decided to create a syrup that was a little on the lighter side as well but that added the needed sweetness. So, I created what I call Bellini Maple Syrup which is just maple syrup combined with peaches and some champagne. The champagne thins the syrup, giving it a lighter feel just like the pancakes, and the peaches add a wonderful flavor to the whole thing.

Ricotta Pancakes with Bellini Maple Syrup

Ricotta Pancake recipe adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

1 cup ricotta cheese

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Butter, for pan

For the Syrup:

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup champagne

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peaches, cut into chunks

Procedure:

1. To make the syrup, combine the maple syrup, champagne, and peaches in a saucepan. Bring to a low simmer and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Optional: use a fork to mash the peaches or leave the peaches in large chunks to serve over pancakes (The second option is my vote!).
2. In a bowl, whisk the ricotta, milk, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk together.
3. Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Brush with butter. When hot, pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle or pan. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside and repeat with remaining batter. (Tip: to keep pancakes warm until the whole batch is done, put finished pancakes on an oven-safe serving platter and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.)
4. Top pancakes with Bellini Maple Syrup.

Ryan's rating of Ricotta Pancakes with Bellini Maple Syrup: 5s across the board! I got a 5 for the pancakes, a 5 for the syrup, and a 5 for the dish overall. I think this recipe has replaced my normal pancake recipe!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Torta Paradiso and Mascarpone Cream

I can see how this dessert came to be called "Torta Paradiso".  A delicious sponge cake with a fresh lemon flavor permeating throughout, its taste matches its name.  The timing for this recipe couldn't have been better; it was a perfect way to welcome in spring! 

This cake is a traditional recipe from Lombardy, and is often served with a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar over the top.  However, I decided to top it with another typical dessert from Lombardy; mascarpone cream.  Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese, and works wonderfully with sugar to create a delicious cream.  The method that I used produces a result similar to a whipped cream.  However, mascarpone also works well to create something similar to a cream cheese frosting.  Note: this Mascarpone Cream recipe includes raw eggs.

Torta Paradiso

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by Academia Italina Della Cucina, 2009.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 sticks room temperature butter

6 egg yolks

2 egg whites

1 2/3 cups sugar

Zest from 1/2 lemon

2/3 cup flour

1 1/4 cup potato starch

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a 9 inch circular cake pan.
3. Whip the butter in an electric mixer until soft.  Mix the egg yolks into the butter one at a time.  Slowly add in the sugar, allowing to completely combine.  Add the zest, flour, and potato starch.
4. In a seperate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff.  Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake for about 50 minutes until golden.  Insert a tootpick to check for doneness.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
6. Remove cake from pan and set on a wire rack to cool.  Top with Mascarpone Cream (below).

Ryan's rating of Torta Paradiso - 3.5



Mascarpone Cream

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by Academia Italina Della Cucina, 2009.

Ingredients:

1 eggs, seperated

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup sugar

8 ounces mascarpone cream

1 1/2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur

Process:

1. In an electric mixer, combine the 2 egg yolks with the sugar.
2. In a seperate bowl, whip the egg whites until still.  Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and sugar mixture.
3. Mix the egg and sugar mixture with the mascarpone.  Add the Amaretto and stir to combine.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.  Spead over the cooled Torta Paradiso.

Ryan's rating of Mascarpone Cream - 4.5

Ryan's rating of Torta Paradiso with Mascarpone Cream - 4

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Chicken Piccata

One of Milan's greatest culinary contributions is meat (typically veal) pounded very thin, breaded and fried to golden perfection. It's so simple, and yet if not executed properly, really lacks so much in flavor. This basic process extends itself well beyond a simple breaded cutlet. Its components are echoed in many other recipes, including Veal Piccata, a Milanese classic.

Traditionally, this dish features thinly pounded out cuts of veal (I'll be using chicken) dredged in flour and fried. The cutlets are then covered in a light, lemony pan sauce. Often, in restaurants you will find piccata dishes studded with capers. While this is a delicious addition, the traditional Milanese recipe is simply garnished with parsley, and so I stuck with that for today. With full flavors being drawn out of simple ingredients and procedures, this is a recipe to keep on hand to effortlessly impress those you're cooking for!

 

Chicken Piccata

Adapted from Giallo Zafferano

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to produce 6 cutlets

Salt

Pepper

Flour for dredging

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Parsley for garnish

Process:

1. Using a meat mallet, pound each chicken cutlet until thin (about 1/4 inch thick).  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off excess flour.  Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat.
4. Add the chicken to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  You may have to do this in two batches.  Cook chicken about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. 
5. To the pan drippings, add the wine.  Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Let this simmer for about 2 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
6. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. 
7. Return the chicken to the pan and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.  Return chicken to a plate and pour sauce over it.  Optional:  if you would like a thicker sauce, whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour before pouring the sauce over the chicken.
8. Garnish with parsley and serve alongside pasta.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Piccata - 5.  Definitely put this on your list of things to make this week!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.