Barbara's Italian Food and Wine

Spaghetti alla Chitarra

 

SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA E SALSA AI FUNGHI PORCINI

 

 

Ingredients:

For 6

Durum flour 600gr

Eggs 6

Salt

 

Beat the eggs and mix the ingredients and work them until smooth, more or less about 10 minutes. Sometimes with humidity the flour may require more eggs. To solve this problem you can decide to use 650gr of flour and 7 eggs and if needed add slowly extra flour. Cover with plastic film and let it rest for about 30 minutes. After letting it rest roll it out and then roll it on the chitarra piece or the Rollin pin made to prepare this type of pasta.

 

 

Sauce:

 

Porcini mushrooms 300gr clean with a damp cloth or with a soft brush

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic

Catmint or Thyme

White wine

Salt and pepper

 

In a large pan sauté’ the garlic with extra virgin olive oil, then add the legs of the chopped mushrooms, after 10 minutes add the heads and catmint, salt and pepper. After about 10 minutes add the wine until it evaporates, cook until it starts getting a bit creamy. If too dry you can add some of the water from the pasta.

 

This is an option of sauce but if you prefer combine the spaghetti with a different type I would highly recommend sausage and tomatoes.

 

 

 

Cantuccini

 

 

CANTUCCINI

 

 

Ingredients:

Flour 500gr

Sugar 400gr

Chocolate 300gr

Eggs 4 +(1 to brush before putting in oven)

Dry yeast for deserts 1 tsp

Vanilla bean

Lemon zest (grated)

Salt

 

Mix the eggs, sugar, grated lemon zest, the inside of the vanilla bean and salt. When all ingredients are mixed well, add the flour and yeast sifting it, and mix again. When homogenous add the chocolate.

On a oven tray put some oven paper and add the mixture creating a long sausage tall 1 finger and large about 5cm. Brush the egg on top.

Cook at 180 C for about 20 minutes. Cut the cantuccini in their regular shape and put back for about 5 minutes in the oven.

Trofie al Pesto

Trofie al Pesto

 

 

Ingredients:

For 6

Durum flour 600gr + Extra

Water as much needed

Salt

In a bowl put the 600gr of flour + the salt and keep some water next to you. Start adding slowly the water. Practically what you are looking for is dough like when you make bread, which will be of course harder since you are using the durum flour. So the best way to understand that is to start working your dough on a counter (if you have a wood surface on which you can work even better), you might need to add or more water or more flour. After the 1^st few times you will learn how to dose the water. Not always it is the same amount given by the fact that flour with humidity can absorb more or less water.

On the dough is ready, cut off a ball the size of your nail and on your counter (if wood better) start working it. The movement you wish to do is, the ball under your tip of your little finger roll it up making long about 3cm, then roll back down compressing it a bit and sort of doing an oblique movement. Like that you should be able to create that wiggly surface on the dough as you see on the photo. The more times you try the better you will get at it. Many just roll it out like a sort of worm and leave it like that.

I have 2 wooden surfaces, 1 I use to work the dough the 2^nd to lay them out. Add as much flour you need in order that they don’t stick. In a large pot put water to boil and once it starts boiling add rock salt. Then add your pasta and let it cook until ready. I never give timing for the cooking since not all of us make it the same size or same dimensions.

 

Pesto sauce:

60 leaves of Basil (I calculate 10 leaves per person when I use the large ones)

30gr of pine nuts

Garlic 3 gloves

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parmigiano 60gr

Salt (if needed)

Wash very well your basil leaves and pat dry them, in a blender put your basil leaves, pine nuts. Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil (as much as you need) blend the ingredients but not too much since over blending can pull out the bitterness from the basil. I really never add salt since Parmesan is already salty on its own. This is the traditional way of making it. Since I am a tomato freak and would put everywhere I do that with my pesto. I chop 1 garlic very finely I add some extra virgin olive oil to a pan, as soon as it starts sizzling I add my cherry tomatoes, which previously I wash and chopped in half. Let it cook for about 5 minutes and you can add it on top of you pesto pasta. You can also freeze the pesto for another meal.

Chocolate Mousse

 

Chocolate mousse

 

 

Ingredients:

For 6

Dark chocolate 200gr

Milk 100ml

Egg yolks 1

Egg whites 3

Sugar 1 tablespoon

 

Melt the chocolate in bain-marie, once it is all melted add the milk that you will have heated separately (not boiled), mix the 2 together until it forms a soft mixture without any lumps. Take the pot off the hot water and set aside to cool down.

In another bowl work the egg yolk with the sugar until it becomes a fluffy light yellow. When the chocolate has cooled down add the egg yolk to it and mix well.

In another bowl (if this bowl is steal even better, put in the fridge before use) put the egg whites (if you have a cup or glass always 1^st put the egg white there and then in the bowl. This procedure is suggested because if the yolk ends up in the white you are only going to be throwing away 1 egg), whip until firm.

Combine the whites with the chocolate, the movement is like when making mascarpone for tiramisu, slowly start from the bottom of the bowl and bring up the mixture, folding in slowly the whites. Do not add all whites at the same time but always slowly.

Once that is done but in the fridge and let it rest at least for 4 hours before serving if 6 even better.

 

You can decorate this dish with some fresh mint leaves.

Coming Soon on Blog

Trofie al Pesto and alternative

 

 

Chocolate Mousse

 

 

Fiori di Zucca

Fiori di Zucca Fritti

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Zucchini flowers

Flour 100gr

Water with gas 150ml

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

 

In a bowl prepare the batter, start adding about 100gr of flour (then if you need more you just have to add more), and add a pinch of salt and the water. The quantities of flour and water can vary on the amount of Flowers you wish to do.  

 

In a pan put some olive oil (no need to use the expensive one, I also buy a cheap one or a use my olive oil that is of last years harvest). Dip the fiori in the batter and then put in the pan, let it brown and then turn it on the other side. Have paper towel ready to absorb your flowers. Add some salt and serve.

 

Crespelle alla Fiorentina

CRESPELLE ALLA FIORENTINA

 

 

Ingredients:

For 6 people

Crepes:

Flour 150gr

Milk 375ml room temperature

Eggs 3

Salt 1tsp

Water 4tbsp

 

To make the batter of the crepes you need a bowl, add the flour and then slowly add the milk making sure you are not creating any lumps. Then I normally beat the eggs before adding them, mix them in the batter of flour and milk and at that point you can add salt and the 4tbsp of water. Let it rest for about 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes you will need a crepe pan (which are the best), put a drop of extra virgin olive oil on paper towel and wipe it in the pan. Switch on the gas or burners available (high flame to get it pretty hot, I then normally lower it once I start cooking the crepes in order to not burn them), with a scoop take some batter and drop on the pan (that will be hot), with the movement of your wrist, swirl the batter around the pan in order to have the same amount of batter on the whole base of the pan. Once ready just set on a dish.

 

Filling:

Boiled spinach 550gr

Ricotta cheese 200gr

Salt, pepper, nutmeg

Parmiggiano reggiano (I never measure this item since I LOOOVE cheese)

Garlic I always put a couple of cloves but you decide how much you want

Olive oil

 

If using fresh spinach rinse very well and then boil, you don’t need too much water, if using the frozen ones (which work perfectly), always boil in not too much water. Spinach is one of those veggies that don’t need a lot of water to cook. Once ready drain very well, trying to eliminate as much water as possible. On a cutting board chop the spinach finely. Chop your garlic put in a pan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and sauté, as soon as the garlic starts sizzling add the spinach and sauté it for about 2 minutes. Let it cool then add the ricotta cheese, the Parmesan, the nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well.

 

Tomato sauce (which is optional, in the original recipe there is no Tomato sauce):

Good can tomatoes 400gr

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Chillies

Garlic 3 cloves

 

Chop finely your garlic and chillies, in a pan add extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic and chillies, as soon as they starts sizzling add you tomato and let it cook for at least 10 minutes, I normally cook it for 20 adding water if it dries too much. Add salt.

 

Besciamella sauce:

Flour 50gr

Butter 50gr

Milk 500ml (1\2 a lt) room temperature not from fridge

Parmiggiano reggiano (about 3 tbsp, you can add a bit more but maybe for the sauce don’t exaggerate)

Salt

Black Pepper (this is an item I never use because it irritates your stomach)

Nutmeg

 

In a pot (not to big) melt the butter, once that is done add slowly the flour try to avoid lumps. Slowly add the milk to the mixture, which is still on the burner, try to not create lumps stir continuously until the mixture becomes denser, switch off the burner but for a minute continue stirring. Once the sauce is ready you can then add the Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

 

Now that you have everything ready we have to assemble the products. I always find it easier to give a cannolo shape to my crepes with the filling inside; you can do whatever shape you prefer. At school with the students we give a triangle shape like a napkin, but at home we roll the filling giving it a cylinder shape. Lets’ be honest does your stomach really care on the shape of your food or on the quality of your food?

Once you have your crepes filled with the spinach and ricotta etc… put them in a tray that can go in the oven and switch it at about 180 C, top the crepes with the tomato sauce and then the besciamella. If you wish to add more Parmesan cheese grate some on the top and then put in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.

When ready pull out and serve hot, it is absolutely divine.

 

Pici

 

PICI ALL’AGLIONE AND WHATEVER YOU HAVE IN THE FRIDGE

 

PICI:

FOR 6 PEOPLE

 500gr Durum Wheat Flour

A bit of Salt

Water

Extra Durum Flour to use when you have to lay down the pici

 

 

Put the 500gr of flour plus a couple of pinches of salt in a bowl and keep a cup of water next to you. Start adding the water to the Flour and stir with a fork. (If you would like you can also put the flour on the counter and make a hole in the middle of the flour like a volcano and add the water in the centre. This is more difficult because you have to be careful that the water doesn’t spill out of the volcano). Add as much water as needed, the dough has to be harder than dough bread. At that point you can work the dough on the counter until ready.

Once the dough is done get a rolling pin and work it making it half a centimetre high, cut in strips of half a centimetre and start working it with your hands making them round. This must be done from the centre working your way to the end of the strip. Roll your strips in flour, which will dissolve anyway in the water when you will cook them.

I work my dough on wooden counters (which I decided to buy 2 of them since I make a lot of bread and pasta), probably the best counter to work on. If making pasta I use one to make it and the second one I add flour (there is never enough flour) and I lay my pici on it.

If you don’t have a wooden counter also flat pans can work, always with flour as a bed.

Don’t put too many on top of each other because they can tend to stick. Finish all the dough.

 

SAUCE:

800gr of good can tomato

Garlic cloves 3\4

Extra virgin olive oil

Chillies

 

Chop garlic (either finely or a bit chunkier, they way you like it) and the chillies put in a pan with olive oil (as much as needed, in a perfect world where you have to pay attention to calories it would be 2 tbs per person).

If you have chopped your garlic finely, then as soon as it starts sizzling add your tomato. Cook for about 15 minutes if needed add some water if too dry.

If in your fridge you have some prosciutto or sausage (these 2 products happen to be quite often in my fridge) then 1^st let that sizzle in some extra virgin olive oil, you will need less since they will release some of their own fat. When they are crisp add the garlic and chillies and follow as above.   

 

Tiramisu'

I love sweets and this is one of my favorite desserts.

 

TIRAMISU

 

INGREDIENTS         

For 6 people:

Savoiardi biscuits

250gr mascarpone

Coffee made with espresso machine

Milk

3 eggs

3tbs sugar

 

 

 

Prepare the Moka machine and prepare the coffee. In a bowl put the egg yolks with the sugar and blend it together very well until fluffy and almost white. Then add the mascarpone cheese and mix well. In another bowl whip the egg whites very well until stiff. Start adding slowly the whites into the mascarpone and fold together down up in the middle of the bowl always the same direction very slow. Finish the whites and mix the mascarpone until it has a uniform structure.

Get the coffee that you have prepared and put it into a bowl. We will be using Savoiardi biscuits which already have sugar on them so no need to add sugar in the coffee. Dip the biscuits in the bowl of coffee in order to absorb it. Get a rectangular bowl and start making your layer of biscuits.  Once you have finished add the mascarpone on it until you have covered all the Savoiardi. Get another bowl with milk and do the same thing you have done before with the coffee. Make another layer of Savoiardi which this time will be absorbed with milk. Then add the mascarpone until you have covered everything. At this point the mascarpone, depending on how big your bowl is, should be finish. If not, keep doing your layers until you finish it. Decorate the tiramisu with chocolate powder or with flakes of chocolate, you can also put some strawberries if in season. Put dessert in the fridge until you serve it. It is usually best when made at least half a day in advance.

 

Moka Machine in Italy is the machine that makes coffee (most famous brand is bialetti)

NB: Always keep in the fridge and never leave out at warm temperature.

Recipe for homemade Potato Gnocchi with Sage sauce

The first times I made Gnocchi, I kept asking to myself why my gnocchi did not look anything like the ones I bought in the shops? Maybe I was not following the recipe. Despite my best efforts to shape them like the commercial gnocchi, they looked nothing like them. This made me think of the famous handmade glass products of Murano in Venice. When you buy their pieces they will tell you that they are made by hand and therefore no two pieces are the same. Each piece is unique.

After having cooked and tasted my gnocchi, I asked myself how come Gnocchi bought in the shops weren’t as good as mine? So there you go. It doesn't matter how they look. It’s how they taste that matters!

Making Gnocchi is fun. You just need a bit of time and patience. Gnocchi are also very good with a simple tomato sauce or ragu sauce (meat sauce). I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Potato Gnocchi with Sage sauce

INGREDIENTS:

Potatoes 600gr

All purpose flour 200gr (and a little extra to lay them on)

Salt, to taste (remember that, when cooking, they will not be in the boiling water long enough to absorb the salt from the water)

Butter 2 teaspoons

Extra Virgin olive oil

Sage

Parmigiano cheese

Wash the potatoes, without pealing them (if you peel them, they will absorb a lot of water and the result will be a very wet mixture), and put them in a pot of cold water and bring them to boil. When they are soft, as they would be for making mashed potatoes, take them out of the water, peal them and mash them immediately. Once they have cooled down, slowly add the flour, salt and stir until well amalgamated. (Remember that the more flour you add the harder they become once cooked. By trial and error, add as much flower as necessary to be able to work the mixture without it being too sticky).

Shape the mixture into a long sausage (between 1 and 1.5 cm diameter) and cut into pieces of about 2 cm lengths. On the counter run a fork on the gnocchi to give the striped design (optional). Be sure to lay them on a surface with flour, to prevent them sticking (they must not be touching each other). Keep them in a cool place until you are ready to cook them. If you lay them on a pan with flour, it will be easier to then put them into the boiling water when it comes to cooking them. If flour ends up in the water it doesn’t matter.

In another pan, while you are boiling the water for the gnocchi, add the olive oil and butter (olive oil will make the dish lighter than using just butter and also prevents the butter from burning). If you wish, add a little salt to the oil and butter. Once the butter has melted add the leaves of sage. Stir regularly, until the sage starts to become crispy, then turn it off.

Once the water has started boiling (add a little salt if you feel you have not put enough in the mixture) throw the gnocchi a few at the time into the water. Once they float to the top, leave for another 15 to 20 seconds and then, with a draining spoon, take them out and place in the pan with the sauce. Mix with the sauce and repeat the cooking process of the remaining gnocchi. Serve hot with a little grated Parmigiano cheese.

PS. Serve the sage leaves as well, as they are very tasty!

Buon appetito!!