Recipies

Marinated Zucchini

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:38:28 +0100

Serves 6
Preparation Time :
20 minutes + 2 hours of letting the zucchini rest + 24 hours of letting the zucchini marinate

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh zucchini
½ cup rock or kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ Italian hot pepper (one pinch red pepper)
2 ½ cups olive oil
1 ½ cups white wine vinegar

• Cut zucchini into ¼ inch slices. Leave the skin on.

• Lie the slices flat on a tray in a single layer, covering on both sides with a generous amount of salt. Let sit for two hours.

• After two house, the salt should have drawn a great deal of liquid out of the zucchini, leaving drops of water. Rinse off this water and the excess salt under running water. Pat the zucchini dry.

•While the zucchini is sitting, chop the basil, parsley, garlic and hot pepper.

•Place the zucchini in a jar with these spices; add olive oil and vinegar until the zucchini are fully covered.

•Let sit for 24 hours.

•The zucchini should be served cold or at room temperature and should last for several days in the refrigerator.

Salsicce e Broccoli (Sausage & Broccoli)

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:26:14 +0100

Serve 4

Cooking time: 30 minutes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch red hot pepper (or 1 whole Italian hot pepper)
1 lb. broccoli
salt and black pepper
8 Italian sausages
1 cup dry white wine
sliced Italian bread

•Over a very low flame, fry the garlic and hot pepper in olive oil in a large pan. Once the garlic is soft, crush it in the pan to get all the flavor out and remove it from the pan.

•While preparing the oil, cut the broccoli into large pieces, skinning the outer skin off of the stalks and wash them off in cold running water.

•Place the broccoli in the pan and let it cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, add a pinch of salt and black pepper and stir with a wooden spoon.

•Add the sausages to the pan with the broccoli. Pierce the skins of the sausage with a fork and let them cook with the broccoli for another 10 minutes over high heat, stirring the broccoli frequently and turning the sausages to make sure they are cooked on all sides.

•Add the glass of wine to the pan; leave it uncovered to let the alcohol evaporate.

•Cook on low heat for another 15 minutes.

•Check to see if the sausages are fully cooked – when their centers are hot and no longer pink, remove both the sausages and broccoli and serve with slices of Italian bread.

Penne all’arrabbiata (Angered or Spicy Penne)

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:18:38 +0100

serves 4
cooking time approximately 15 minutes
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 Italian hot peppers (peperoncini) or ¼ tsp. red hot pepper
1 lb. penne pasta (Italian)
1 large can (500g) peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a large pan heat the olive oil and add the garlic and the hot peppers and sauté. When the garlic becomes soft remove it from the pan and add the tomatoes, stirring and breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Let cook for 20 minutes over a low flame.

While the sauce is cooking, put on a pot of well-salted water to boil.

When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta to the pot and start timing it – normally, pasta takes 8 minutes to cook (look at the suggested time on the package), but three minutes before it is finished (i.e. after 5 minutes of cooking) remove two cups of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. Let the pasta finish cooking over a medium flame in the sauce, adding pasta water as needed to keep it moist. Remove hot peppers before serving. Empty pasta and sauce into a large bowl and cover with the chopped parsley.

Normally this dish is served without cheese, but Pecorino Romano would go well with it.

Ricotta and Cinnamon Cake

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:26:36 +0200

Here’s a great desert that takes very little time to make but will please everyone. While you won’t find this in restaurants, this is one of those dishes that graces the Roman table.

1 lb. Fresh Ricotta
1 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs and 2 egg yolks
1 pinch of salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
the grated zest of one lemon
2 Tablespoons butter
fresh mixed berries

•Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

•In a large bowl, add the ricotta and the powdered sugar. Adding the eggs, one at a time, mix well with a wooden spoon until well blended.

•Mix in the salt, lemon zest and one teaspoon of the cinnamon.

•Grease well a round baking pan (with a 10” diameter) with butter.

•Pour the mixture into the baking pan and spread it evenly.

•Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

•When it is cooked all the way through (test by poking it with a toothpick and see if anything sticks to it), gently remove it from the pan by turning it upside down onto a plate and let cool completely.

•Serve at room temperature covered in berries, and powdered sugar & cinnamon to taste.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:29:19 +0200

The classic Roman diet dish : bacon, eggs and cheese all heaped together with olive oil and black pepper. Carbonara is one of the great dishes of Rome and it is also quite simple and quick to make.

serves 4

1 lb. Spaghetti
4 oz. diced Guanciale / Pancetta / Bacon
2 tsps olive oil
1 diced clove garlic
2 eggs
2 oz. (1 cup) grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (sharp sheep’s cheese)

•Put on a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta

•In a large deep pan, add a dash of olive oil and the diced bacon.

•Let the bacon render over a low flame; pour off the excess fat.

•Return the bacon to the flame, add the 2 teaspoons olive oil and the garlic. Let it all fry until over low heat till the garlic is soft and the bacon is crispy.

•While the bacon is cooking, beat the two eggs with salt and pepper till fluid.

•Let the spaghetti cook at full boil for five minuets and then take out three cups of pasta water; drain the spaghetti

•Add one cup of pasta water to the pan with the bacon, turn the flame up to medium, and add the pasta to the pan with the bacon.

•Let the pasta cook in the pan, adding pasta water as needed until the pasta is al dente. Don’t add too much water at a time -- you don’t want this to be soupy -- just enough water, a few drops at a time, so that the pasta absorbes it.

•When the pasta is done to your taste, take off the flame and toss in the egg mixture and the Romano cheese. Toss it well so that the mixture completely coats the pasta.

•Cover and let sit for 2 to 3 minuets so that the heat of the pasta cooks the egg a little.

•Serve with black pepper

(optional)

•If you want to do a vegetarian version of carbonara, substitute the bacon with peas, carrots and onions. Just fry the vegetables together with a table spoon of olive oil, until they are soft.

Trippa alla trasteverina (Tripe trastevere style)

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:33:35 +0200

What would Roman food be without innards? Rome was a poor town and slaughter house town for several hundred years. The workers would bring back what had been thrown on the abettors floor. Today some of the finest restaurant have liver, kidney and lungs. We have choose this dish because tripe should be easy to find, and it is a little more digestible for most people.

2 lbs. tripe

1 onion

1 carrot

1 stick celery

4 lbs. olive oil

1 can peeled tomatoes

5 fresh mint leaves

1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

salt and pepper

•Wash the tripe well under running water, then let it simmer for 30 minuets covered in a light salt water with half the onion, the carrot and the celery.

•In the other pan fry the half of the diced onion. When the onions turn clear add the can of tomatoes.

•After 30 mines, drain the tripe and vegetables. Slice up the vegetables and cut the tripe into short strips. Cook for another 25 minuets on a low heat.

•When the tripe is ready add the mint leaves and mix in the pecorino cheese.

Frittata Alla Romana (Roman Omelette)

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:36:59 +0200

Serves 4

One of the classic main courses, and easiest to make, is an omelette. A roman omelette isn’t fluffy, moist, folded over or filled with things. A roman omelette is flat, stiff and cooked till it is dry. It is also delicious.

8 eggs

2 cups (4oz.) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

½ cup milk

A pinch of salt

Black pepper to taste

2 tbls Olive oil

optional :

½ cup cubed boiled ham

1 boiled potato, sliced thinly

•Mix eggs, cheese, milk, and salt. Beat mixture until well blended.

•In a large pan, heat oil over a medium flame, till it starts to smoke.

•If you are going to add ham or potato add it to the pan now and fry it till it is slightly browned.

•Add egg mixture, cover the pan and turn the flame down to low. If you have a flame tamer use it.

•You want to cook the Frittata very slowly and not burn it. Check occasionally but it should cook for at least 15 minuets.

•Use a spatula to separate the Frittata from the pan.

•With a large plate, slide the Frittata out of the pan and onto the plate, so that the pan side is down on the plate.

•Over a sink, pour whatever oil is left in the pan onto the top of the frittata.

•With one hand hold the plate from the bottom. With the other place the pan, upside down, on top of the frittata.

•Turn the pan and plate so that it flips the Frittata into the pan, uncooked side down.

•Let it cook for another 5 minuets.

•When the Frittata is done it should be very firm and slightly crispy. To give you an idea of how firm it should be, Roman housewives used to roll them up in wax paper and send it with their husbands for lunch.

Serve the Frittata hot out of the pan or cold later in the day. It should not be reheated.

Roasted Peppers

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:30:57 +0200

4 - 6 Large Red Peppers

2 cloves garlic, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

good olive oil

sprig fresh parsely, chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

dried red pepper (optional)

Wash peppers and remove any stems. Roast peppers on a wood or charcoal grill if you have one. Stovetop griddles also work well, as do balancing the peppers on the burner grates of gas stoves. In a pinch though, you can also broil the peppers in the oven.

If grilling, keep over a low flame and turn frequently (not with your hands!) to cook evenly – ideally the entire surface of the peppers should be scorched black and blistery – even the top and bottom and as many of the nooks and crannies as possible – but not too soft.

Remove cooked peppers from heat and place them inside a paper (or plastic) bag – this allows them to steam in their own juices and soften. A covered pot does the trick as well.

Use a sharp paring knife to peel the skin off. The more blackened the skin, the easier it will peel. As you cut the peppers open, catch as much juice as possible in a bowl. Trim them into uniform pieces, scraping out the seeds and ribbing. Strain any errant seeds from the collected juice.

Place the pepper pieces in a bowl or container with a lid and pour in the strained juice until it just covers them. Add the chopped garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Some pepperoncino (dried red pepper) can be added as well if you like them spicy. They can be eaten right away, but with a day or two of preservation, they are sure to send your guests into ecstasy. Serve atop slices of semolina or another good Italian bread. Mamma mia they go fast!

Tiramisù (Pick Me Up)

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:37:08 +0200

Tiramisù is the classic Italian desert, with it’s intense flavor but light texture. While it was born in northern italy, it is devoured in nearly every resturant in the country. Enjoy!

1 lb Mascarpne Cheese
5 medium eggs
½ cup sugar
40 - 60 Lady Fingers cookies
4 cups of coffee (espresso)
4 Tbls Rum or Brandy or Amaretto
Powdered bitter chocolate

Prepare coffee and add Rum / Brandy / Amaretto / (sweet liquor) and sugar to taste

Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, then beat the yolks into the sugar until it is thick and smooth

Stir in cheese until there are no lumps

Whip the egg whites and slowly fold into the mix

Soak the Lady Fingers in the coffee, drain and layer cookies in a serving dish

Cover cookies with ½ of the cheese mixture

Place another layer of cookies over the cheese

Cover with the remaining cheese

Top with a layer of the Coco powder

Refridgerate or Freeze

Straccetti di Manzo (sauteed beef salad)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:34:24 +0200

Serves 3-4 persons. Cooking time approx. 10 min.

These delicious ‘rags of beef’ are a mainstay of most Roman trattoria menus. Many Italian cookbooks adapt this recipe to American tastes by adding oil or butter, but this is not necessary and is not how it is done in most Roman restaurants. We recommend doing as the Romans do: avoid the fat and cook the beef alone in its own juices (adding a few drops of water if necessary) in a good metal frying pan.

Porcini mushrooms can also be added to this dish – just soak them in water (if using dried porcini) and sauté them in a some olive oil before cooking the beef, then remove and toss them back in once the beef is cooked.

1 ½ lbs thinly sliced lean sirloin

1 large bunch (or 2 bags) arugula (rocket)

¼ lb dried or fresh porcini mushrooms and 2 Tbs. olive oil (optional)

½ cup balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

This dish calls for the meat to be sliced very thin – if you can have a butcher do it, its

better. Just ask for ‘carpaccio beef’. If you buy the beef unsliced, place in a freezer until almost frozen – this makes it easier to make thin slices, along the grain of the meat.

Wash arugula, drain and dry; cut in two pieces if a large-leaved variety. Heat pan and add slices of beef. Brown quickly on high heat, stirring energetically, about 5 minutes. When beef is cooked through but still tender, add ½ of the arugula to the pan (along with the cooked porcini if you’ve included them). Turn off the heat and toss the beef with the arugula, mixing the juices well – if the meat has not produced any juices, you can add a few drops of water during cooking. With the rest of the arugula, make a bed on each plate and spoon some straccetti on top. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy with a glass of local Lazio wine such as Frascati DOC.

Pasta Cacio e Pepe & Pasta Alla Gricia

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:36:40 +0200

1 lbs. (500gr.) Spaghetti or Penne (not a thin pasta, i.e. Cappellini)
3.5 oz. Pecorino Romano (Roman Cheese from sheep’s milk, (sharp cheese)
1 cup of pasta water
3 tbls. salt for the pasta water
2 tbls black pepper (freshly ground)

for Pasta Alla Gricia additionally:

3.5 oz guanciale (jowl bacon, but pancetta or regular bacon will do)
1 pinch red hot pepper
1 tps. olive oil

Grate the cheese (or have it ground at the deli counter).

Put on a pot of water for the pasta and salt. When the water comes to a roiling boil add the pasta to the pot. Look at the package to see the cooking time, but it is normally between 8 and 10 minuets.

1 minuet before the pasta is finished take out 1 cup of pasta water

Drain pasta, and place in a large bow.

Add ½ cup of pasta water and quickly toss.

Throw the Cheese on top with the pepper. Toss quickly

Add additional pasta water to taste.

For Pasta All Gricia

Fry the bacon in olive oil and a pinch of hot pepper to taste, while you are waiting for the water to boil.

The bacon should be done so that it is not too crispy.

Toss in fried bacon into the pasta with the cheese