ITALIAN EASTER SWEET BREAD
The Easter bread of Sicily, Italy was a common site during the holidays in our home. Mamma was very much into tradition and now my daughter makes it every year just like her Nonna (Grandma).
Ingredients
2 Packets of yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup scalded milk (allowed to cool)
5-6 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir in a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside 10 - 15 minutes until mixture froths.
In a large bowl, cream butter with remaining sugar and add salt, lemon juice, and grated peel. Beat mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time and then add cooled milk. Finally, add frothy yeast mixture.
Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing until dough is stiff. Turn dough onto floured board and knead, adding flour to keep from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic (about 10-15 minutes). Place dough in large buttered bowl and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover bowl and set in warm place to rise until double in bulk.
Punch dough down and knead again to remove bubbles. Shape dough into desired form and set aside, covered, to rise again. Make sure you have placed it in the pan in which you intend to bake it.
Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes. The length of time depends on size and shape. It's a good idea to remove loaf from oven and tap the bottom of it. If it does not sound hollow, return it to oven and check again n 10 minutes.
Brushing the surface of the dough with a mixture of egg white and a little water will give the crust a brown glaze. A deeper color will result with a mixture of egg yolk and milk. If the crust looks too dark, you might cover the loaf with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. Buona Pasqua!
Italian Easter (Wheat) Pie ~ In Italian known as "Pastiera di Grano"
This is perhaps the most famous traditional Italian Easter dessert. Originally from Naples, it's very common on an every Italian Easter table all over Italy, known for its delicate and fresh flavors of orange, lemon and ricotta cheese. The recipe is very ancient and the ingredients (eggs, wheat, etc) are all part of both the Pagan symbols of the Romans and the Christian ones too. They were foods used 2000 years ago to celebrate the arrival of Spring and, right up to the present time, they are still linked to the festivity of the Resurrection of Christ. The recipe can have some variations, depending on the exact area of origin. This tends to be my favorite food during the Easter season. In New York, you can find this in some, not all, Italian Bakeries. It's worth searching for if you don't have the time to make it fresh. You won't regret taking the time to do so. It is only found at this time of year and in my home it was only made and eaten at this time of year.INGREDIENTS:
* 1 pound of pre-packed frozen short pastry dough
* 10 oz of ricotta cheese
* 1 1/2 cup of milk
* 1 ounce of salted butter
* 6 oz of boiled wheat berries (easy to make, but can be found canned at the supermarket or at Italian delis)
* 2 oz of candied mix citrus fruit
* The grated peel (not the white part) of 2 oranges
* The grated peel of 1 lemon
* 10 oz of sugar
* 2 eggs and 1 yolk (2 or 3 depending from the size of the eggs)
* A dash of cinnamon powder
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla
* 1 tablespoon of Limoncello liqueur (or any citrus flavoured water)
Step1
It's best to prepare this recipe one or two days in advance to allow the ingredients to blend and the flavors to intensify. Leave the short pastry at room temperature for a few hours to defrost. Meanwhile, cook the boiled wheat (if you can't find it canned at an Italian deli, pork store, or supermarket), then just boil wheat in water until tender over very low flame in 1 and a 1/2 cups of milk, with half of the grated lemon and orange peel, the butter, the cinnamon and vanilla, for about 2 hours, or until the wheat has absorbed all the milk and is soft.
Step2
Then, in another pan, mix the ricotta cheese, the sugar, the eggs and the yolk, the vanilla, the Limoncello or flavored water and the cinnamon. Mix to a thin and smooth consistency. Add the remaining grated lemon and orange peel, plus the candied fruit, which should be diced into very small pieces.
Step3
Add the wheat and mix well. Roll the short pastry dough with a pin until it����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½s about 1/4 inch thick. Put the short pastry in a 12 inch pan, which has been buttered before hand. Cut the extra edges off, roll them with the pin and cut in strips.
Step4
Pour the mixture of ricotta cheese and other ingredients in the pan, folding in the borders of the dough. Lay the short pastry strips over the top. See photo as to how to to place top pastry strips. Bake for about one hour at 370 F. Dust with powder sugar before serving. Enjoy!
Cheesecake Cookie Morsels
CHEESE CAKE COOKIE MORSELS
Don't miss out going to Jan & Tom's Place for some great cookie recipes. Here's one that is a favorite. Be sure to try these. serve in mouthful bite morsels resting in those little gold candy paper wrappings.
CRUST:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix together and spread in an oblong pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes and let cool.
FILLING:
2 packs of 8 oz. cream cheese
3 eggs at room temperature only
1 cup sugar
Beat until smooth and pour on cooled crust and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cut into little square morsels or use a round cookie cutter and cut into little round morsels when cooled. Place in little tiny gold round paper candy cups. You can even top each one off with powdered sugar and a fresh raspberry! Yum Yum! You can have your cake and eat it too because they are small enough and will be eaten in moderation! Enjoy!
Basil is one of the most used herbs in my Italian cooking. Some tips on basil:
Be sure to buy basil with roots and replant the roots to grow your own basil for reuse all summer long.
Be sure to look for fresh green and healthy leaves with no brown or discoloring.
Be sure to pick and nip from the top when using as it will re-grow better.
Use it frequent enough so that it does not flower.
Bring in the house in the winter and continue to use all winter long.
Now for an Italian Recipe of Mine: PESTO!! It's quick and easy to make. You can freeze it in ice cube trays and pop them out and put in a ziplock bag. Then add just a frozen cube of it to spice up your recipes.
CREAMY ITALIAN PESTO
2 Cups Fresh Basil
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Cup of pine nuts
1 Cup of "freshly grated"
Pecorino Romano Cheese
2/3 Cup of Good Olive Oil
1 hard boiled egg
Remember to use the freshest & good quality ingredients for fantastic tasting end results!
Papa used to always say, "Never buy already grated cheese; you never know what they put in it"! And he is right. Go to the cheese section of your grocery store and purchase a large chunk of good quality hard cheese and grate it yourself as needed.
Use a food processor to whip the basil, garlic, hard boiled egg and pine nuts into a paste. Add the cheese and olive oil a little at a time. Whip until creamy. The hard boiled egg is what makes it creamy and tasty!
Goes well over linguini. Use it at room temperature. Use it also in soups or salads or even as a dip. Enjoy Papa's Recipe!
Head on over to Overwhelmed With Joy Blog for more Favorite Ingredient Friday! Just click on her pic above and it will take you right there!
PIZZA RUSTICA
I
PIZZA RUSTICA~ ANOTHER ITALIAN EASTER TRADITION
This makes a great lunch; serve with a Mediterranean Salad on the side. Serve warm or cold.
Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 (12-ounce) bunches fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
* 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
* 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
* Pastry Dough, recipe follows
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend
Directions
Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.
Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.
Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.
Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pastry Dough:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs. With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.
Yield: 2 dough pieces (enough for 1 Pizza Rustica)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
PIZZA RUSTICA~ ANOTHER ITALIAN EASTER TRADITION
This makes a great lunch; serve with a Mediterranean Salad on the side. Serve warm or cold.
Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 (12-ounce) bunches fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
* 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
* 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
* Pastry Dough, recipe follows
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend
Directions
Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.
Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.
Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.
Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pastry Dough:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs. With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.
Yield: 2 dough pieces (enough for 1 Pizza Rustica)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 (12-ounce) bunches fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
* 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
* 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
* Pastry Dough, recipe follows
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend
Directions
Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.
Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.
* 8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 (12-ounce) bunches fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
* 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
* 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
* Pastry Dough, recipe follows
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend
Directions
Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.
Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.
Roll out larger piece of
dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer
the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1
inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the
remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the
filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the
dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire
pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top.
Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.
Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pastry Dough:
Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pastry Dough:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs. With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.
Yield: 2 dough pieces (enough for 1 Pizza Rustica)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
My Papa's Fresh Quick Sauce
Before I get into the simple ingredients and directions, I would like to share some thoughts with you. My Papa is 89 and very healthy except for old age. He always ate fresh produce and vegetables. He grew lots of his own vegetables and things. Back in Italy, this practice of using fresh items daily is still used. People in Italy only buy what they need to prepare that day. Their breads and things do not have added chemicals to give it a shelf life of forever! like us Americans!! I feel this way of life has added years to my Papa's health.
Growing up, I was under the training of the Art of Food Shopping by Archilao Gloria, my Papa. Ah, you say food shopping is not an art? .... But it is. Each string bean must be delicately hand picked. Each tomato must be explored for bruises or illness. Each cantalope must be yellow in color and at its stem area, it must smell like a fragrant flower. All of these tips and techniques were taught to me by the Master of Good Food. Your recipe cannot just simply taste good if you do not shop for the freshest quality ingredients. So, before I give you the ingredients, remember these tips for the quick sauce shopping list.
- Always use the freshest ingredients
- Always use a tad of the purest extra virgin olive oil. The product must not only say "Product of Italy" but it must give an address that it is originally from Italy and not New Jersey. I don't think New Jersey has mastered Olive Oil like some parts of Italy.
- Basil should be bought with roots from the herb department in the produce area of the supermarket. It will cost less than the actual plant. When you get home, plant it in fertile soil yourself to be used again and again. When you pick from it, pick and prune from the top. Do not chop, mince or dice it before adding to sauce. Simply rub in between the palm of your hands and the leaves will leak out its flavors. This is to be placed towards the end of cooking process of sauce. .
- Garlic should be peeled and hit once to crush it open. Let it expose itself to the air for a while before adding it to sauce.
- Tomatoes to be used are called Plum Tomatoes. Inspect each and every one carefully. Ah, you say, "what a pain!". Try being one of my siblings and being kidnapped to the farms to pick bushels and bushels of tomatoes. My mother made 450 jars a year. And I had to help!! For you, the local grocery store will do for finding Plum Tomatoes. Feel each one. The texture is very important. The tomatoe must be fully ripen to use in the sauce. It should be very red, not orange or yellow. At the navel area, it should not be discolored with yellow ring around it; it should be red overall. It should feel somewhat soft and not hard. If you can only find hard, buy them and place them in a dish to ripen before using. Oh, and pick up some ordinary salt. Remember, no canned items are used. Papa felt that too much sodium and extra chemicals are added to these products. He avoided any shelf products as much as possible. And if he did, he always inspected the date on it!
Now for the recipe:
Papa's Fresh Tomato Quick Sauce
2 lbs. of fresh Plum Tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, not bruised or brown
handful of freshly-picked basil (not jarred)
1/4 cup or less of imported extra virgin olive oil
1/2-1 cup water
salt and sugar to taste
1 lb. of imported Pasta or Barilla Pasta
Start boiling some water. Right as it begins to boil, drop your plum tomatoes in for no more than a minute and take them right out again. Now peel them of their skin with your fingers and cut the green navel out with a knife. Place them in a sauce pan and crush them with a gadget that is used for mashing. Now add water (1/2 - 1 Cup will do). Do not be afraid that it is too watery. Water will evaporate as it cooks over medium heat.
Start boiling water in a large pot and when it boils add about a heaping teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Then you add the lb. of pasta and make sure to follow the directions. Over cooked and under cooked makes a big difference. Cook it just a minute less than the package says and then taste it to check its texture. Never just leave pasta boiling in pot. You must stir it often so that it does not clump and stick together. Go, back to your sauce.
Add rubbed basil and salt and garlic to sauce. Stir and taste. If it is bitter add a little over l tsp of sugar to sweeten it and taste again. Towards the end of cooking time add the olive oil and finish cooking. Cook sauce for only 15 - 20 minutes.
When pasta is ready you can drain it and place sauce immediately on it and mix quickly to avoid pasta from sticking together.
Serve immediately with Locatelli Cheese that is hand grated at home. It can be found in the Cheese section of the supermarket. It has a brown label with its name on the border of its wedge. It is hard cheese that is cut into triangular piece. It is very strong and salty. It is perfect for cheese grating over pasta. Papa never bought already grated cheese because he said they added cheap ingredients to it and it was not pure for sure. So, grate your own cheese at home. Your kids will love grating it like all the children do in our neighorhood.
Buon Appetito!
Papa's Fresh Tomato Quick Sauce
2 lbs. of fresh Plum Tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, not bruised or brown
handful of freshly-picked basil (not jarred)
1/4 cup or less of imported extra virgin olive oil
1/2-1 cup water
salt and sugar to taste
1 lb. of imported Pasta or Barilla Pasta
Start boiling some water. Right as it begins to boil, drop your plum tomatoes in for no more than a minute and take them right out again. Now peel them of their skin with your fingers and cut the green navel out with a knife. Place them in a sauce pan and crush them with a gadget that is used for mashing. Now add water (1/2 - 1 Cup will do). Do not be afraid that it is too watery. Water will evaporate as it cooks over medium heat.
Start boiling water in a large pot and when it boils add about a heaping teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Then you add the lb. of pasta and make sure to follow the directions. Over cooked and under cooked makes a big difference. Cook it just a minute less than the package says and then taste it to check its texture. Never just leave pasta boiling in pot. You must stir it often so that it does not clump and stick together. Go, back to your sauce.
Add rubbed basil and salt and garlic to sauce. Stir and taste. If it is bitter add a little over l tsp of sugar to sweeten it and taste again. Towards the end of cooking time add the olive oil and finish cooking. Cook sauce for only 15 - 20 minutes.
When pasta is ready you can drain it and place sauce immediately on it and mix quickly to avoid pasta from sticking together.
Serve immediately with Locatelli Cheese that is hand grated at home. It can be found in the Cheese section of the supermarket. It has a brown label with its name on the border of its wedge. It is hard cheese that is cut into triangular piece. It is very strong and salty. It is perfect for cheese grating over pasta. Papa never bought already grated cheese because he said they added cheap ingredients to it and it was not pure for sure. So, grate your own cheese at home. Your kids will love grating it like all the children do in our neighorhood.
Buon Appetito!
Mamma Rosa's Roasted Peppers
10 Peppers
Garlic
Oil
1 - 8oz can anchovy (optional - don't use all - just to taste)
season with pepper (optional)
Preheat Oven 375
Rinse Green Peppers and bake @ 375 until they become very soft and golden brown. Now the hard part -peel off skin surface and inside guts (seeds) while hot. Mamma Rosa never seemed to burn herself when touching them! I don't know how. Place peeled peppers in an oven-proof pan or dish. Add remaining ingredients and then top the surface off with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Now place back in oven until surface in bubbling hot. Remove from oven. Let cool. Serve warm or cold. Great on top of sandwiches.
Buon Appetito!