Aromatic Herbs and Tomatoes Crostini

Aromatic herbs in the garden ? Mint, Tarragon , parsley and tomatoes for a fresh summer appetizer

Crostini Empoli

• 3 spoonfuls of parsley
• ½spoonful of tarragon
• 5 mint leaves
• 3 spoonfuls of capers
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 2 tomatoes
• ½small glass of olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Chop up parsley, tarragon, mint, capers, egg, add a spoonful of oil and salt in a bowl.

 In another bowl, cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Then mix them with the rest of the oil, salt and pepper.

 Place the two bowls in the fridge for one hour. Then, mix the two sauces .Place them on some slices of bread and serve.

This recipe was also named on Cooking Light by the editor.

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Tuscan Fresh Fennel with Olives

When out it’s hot this dish is so refreshing.Fennels are not so well known  even if they are very  fresh taste a and no calories

Insalata di Finocchi

4 fennels

1  handful green olives

1 clove garlic

parsley

origano

oil, 

vinegar, 

salt 

peperoncino 

Slice the fennels as finely as possible,mix them with the olives, then add a small chopped garlic clove ,a spoonful of parsley and some fresh origano.  Prepare  a  dressing  with oil , vinegar, salt a and a pinch of peperoncino. Season the fennels, stir and serve cold.

Tuscan Zucchini Pie

Zucchini seem to be the vegetables that best grow  in the orchards/ vegetable gardens around the world and so we  never have too many recipes with them. This is called Lucchesia  because it comes from the area near Lucca

Tortino della Lucchesia

1Kg courgettes (zucchini)

5 spoonfuls oil

6 basil leaves

½ spoonful parsley

1 garlic clove

40g Parmigiano

3 eggs

40g Pecorino cheese

4 spoonfuls breadcrumbs

20g butter

Oil  

Salt and pepper

Slice the courgettes, brown them in a frying pan with the oil and the chopped parsley, basil and garlic. 

Cook over a moderate flame until they begin to disintegrate. 

Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Add the grated Parmesan and pecorino, the eggs, 2 spoonfuls of breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix the ingredients well, then pour the mixture into the oiled baking tray. 

Sprinkle the top with the remaining breadcrumbs and place the flakes of butter on top.Place in the oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.        

Suggestion:

* you can use only parmesan cheese

* Instead of the zucchine you can use: asparagus, spinach, green                      

   beans, artichokes or mixed vegetables.

How to Cook Eel

Cooking the Capitone or  Anguilla (the Capitone  is the female) is typical of the tradition of some Italian regions. We chose a recipe from Puglia, the  land of our father, assuming that those who are cooking the eel request the  fishmonger to prepare it.

The only tip:
If cooked with the skin: Rub the eel  with salt to remove the slimy skin.

If cooked without skin ,pass the eel  over a flame so that the skin is swollen and come off more easily. The best way to take the skin off,would be to do while it is  still alive, but the operation is not at all pleasant

1.2 kg of eel
250 gr.canned tomatoes
1 cup of vinegar

1 cup dry white wine
 2 bay leaves
 1 / 2 golden onion
 2 cloves of garlic
 1 bunch of parsley
 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 1 peperoncino ( Italian  hot pepper)
 salt

Put the eel in water and vinegar for 1 hour. Wash it and cut it into pieces of 5 cm. Without removing the skin.
Put the oil in a pan and when hot cook the pieces  with the bay leaves.

Add half a glass of wine, let evaporate, remove the pieces of eel from the pan.
Chop onion, garlic, parsley and pepper and  cook them  in the pan
Add another half glass of wine and when it has evaporated add the tomatoes, then half of a liter of water and when it has  partly evaporated, add  the pieces of  the eel
Cook for 20 minutes. Take  them out of the sauce and let cool.
Remove  the central spine bone .

 Put the fillets in the sauce and heat before serving.

Italian Family Tomato Sauce

Tomatoe sauce is probably the most  used of our  sauces and for this reason we give a lot of attention in choosing the right tomatoes or the right  canned tomatoes to make it.

Salsa di Pomodoro

500 gr. ripe tomatoes

(or 400 gr. peeled  canned tomatoes)

50 gr. onion

50 gr. carrots

50 gr. celery

parsley

basil

2 spoonfuls oil

salt ,pepper, sugar

Cut all the vegetables in small pieces .Pour the oil in a casserole and cook the chopped vegetables for 10 minutes  on moderate heat .Add the tomatoes possibly cut in half by hand and let them cook for 30 /40 minutes. Put them through a vegetable mill and then  cook them with oil, a small  glass warm water, salt, pepper, basil, parsley and 2 pinches sugar and cook for approximately 20 minutes.

You can add:

* A little sugar will take out some of the Tomatoes' acidity..

* A little peperoncino (Italian hot Chili pepper)will give  a hot taste

* A little cream will create  a more delicate taste.

How to prepare Roasted Meat on the Stove

Searching for suggestions for an Italian Christmas meal , roasted meat cooked on the stove

Arrosto Farcito Alle Erbe  

900g best end of veal

6 slices  smoked pancetta

Sage , Rosemary,  Parsley 

1 onion

1 glass dry white wine

3 cloves of garlic

70g butter

Salt,pepper

    

Chop  sage,rosemary,parsley and garlic.

Place a slice of pancetta around the meat. Spread the slices with the very-finely chopped herbs and garlic. Brown the onion in the butter in a casserole. Bind the meat and place it in this. Brown the meat, season with salt and pepper and pour on the wine. Let the wine evaporate at a high temperature. Then cook the meat over a low flame for c. 1½ hours. As the meat is cooking, pour on a little warm water so that the sauce does not dry out. Once cooked, unbind the meat, slice it and serve.

A Perfect sauce for Tagliatelle

The other day we have explained how to prepare fresh homemade pasta. Which is the best sauce for tagliatelle ? Here is the answer :

Salsa ai Funghi

20g dried porcini mushrooms

80g butter 

80g pancetta (if you like it)

1 glass white wine

100g cream

Salt,Pepper

Parsley

2 tbs.Extra vergin olive oil

Chop the garlic and parsley.Cut the pancetta in cubes. 

Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain  and chop them.   

Gently fry  garlic,  parsley and  pancetta in the butter and oil. Add the mushrooms , add a glass of wine and when it evaporates add the  liquid of the mushroom, salt and pepper.

 Cook for 20 minutes over a low flame. Add  the cream and cook for another 2 minutes, without boiling it.

Summer Pasta Salad

In summer we start getting in the mood for fresh and cool food.  We love cold pasta dishes!  One of our favorite go-to recipes is something our mom made often growing up, Italian Pasta Salad.  It's really simple, and can easily be customized.  Here's our version of it with fresh red tomatoes, celery, garlic , basil and a lots of Parmigiano Reggiano:

 Spaghetti in Insalata

300g spaghetti

2 fresh tomatoes              

80g celery

Basil, parsley

1 clove of garlic

Grated Parmigiano

100g olive oil                   

Salt, black pepper

Chop celery, parsley and basil and place them in a bowl. Add the oil, mixing well. Cut the garlic in half and add it to the sauce. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and add them to the sauce, along with salt and pepper. Cover the recipient and leave in a cool place for at least 1½ hours. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti, pour it into the recipient and mix well, adding the Parmigiano.

Here' s a quick way to cook artichokes

Artichokes are typical of Mediterranean area, Italy, Spain, Greek since the Roman time Their cultivation is typical of winter time . Today we have thought to  give you ome of the most typical Italian recipe with artichokes

Carciofi Ripieni

Stuffed Artichokes

8 artichokes

4 anchovies

50g breadcrumbs

parsley

1 spoonful of capers

1 clove of garlic

1 glass of oil

1 lemon

Salt,pepper

Clean the artichokes and place them in water and lemon juice. Lightly fry the chopped garlic and parsley in the oil. Chop the anchovies. In a frying pan, toast the breadcrumbs in a little oil, then add them to the garlic and oil together with the anchovies and the capers. Mix well and spread the mixture inside each artichoke. Then place the artichokes upright in an oven dish. Sprinkle them with the remaining oil and a glass of water.

Place in the oven for approx.30 minutes at a low temperature (160°C).

Aromatic Herbs in Italian Cooking 1 :Rosemary

Use of herbs and spices is basic in Italian cooking. Let’s start talk about the most important ones we cannot miss in our herb garden or in the kitchen. We’ll forget how to cultivate them or how to use them for medical uses as it would be too long ,only the cooking use.

"An herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks."
- Charlemagne

Besides helping flavor foods when cutting back on salt, fat and sugar, herbs may offer additional benefits of their own. Researchers are finding many culinary herbs (both fresh and dried) have antioxidants that may help protect against diseases .
Pick herbs close to the time you use them to get the best flavor .To extend their freshness, place them in a vase with water, like cut flowers.
For most recipes mince herbs into tiny pieces ,chop with a mezzaluna
A blender would reduce herbs to a paste.

At first we talk about :
ROSEMARY better to be used fresh as desiccated leaves loose flavor. To strip the leaves from a woody sprig, simply hold the stem in one hand and remove the leaves using the finger and thumb of the other hand, pushing against the direction of the growth.
Rosemary's pungent flavor complements fatty meats particularly well, When grilling, toss a sprig or two of fresh rosemary onto the coals to add a wonderfully intense smokiness to your meats.You can use a woodier branch from the plant as to brush oil on grilling meat.
On grilling a lamb it’s compulsory as its aromatic smells eliminates the characteristic sheep smell.
Rosemary in marinades, or as an accent for Mediterranean vegetables.
Great in some tomato sauces. Pay attention not to use too much especially in summer when it can be too pungent .Half a branch is usually enough. In Tuscany it is used even in certain breads and dessert just slightly cooking it in oil and the n using the oil. With oil we mean :Extra Vergin Olive Oil !!!!

And now a Pasta sauce with rosemary:

Penne agli Aromi

Penne with Aromatic Herbs

2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of sage
1 bunch of parsley
½ teaspoonful of oregano
½ glass of olive oil
500g peeled plum tomatoes
30g grated Parmigiano
Salt,Pepper

Finely chop the garlic,the onion and all the herbs.In a wide frying pan lightly brown the garlic and the onion in the oil for a few minutes. Then add the chopped herbs and the oregano. Stir the ingredients for a few seconds over a low flame, then add the tomatoes. Mix everything together well, add salt and pepper and cook the sauce for approx. 15 minutes. Add the cream, continuing to mix and let the sauce thicken slightly: then add the pasta and sprinkle with grated parmigiano Stir everything for a few minutes in the frying pan over a medium flame. Serve immediately hot.
Suggestion: do not add the cream and add a peperoncino

Veal with 3 sauces

A meat dish which can be prepared in advance also in quantities and with a small variation sounds as a totally different dish.
You can prepare the meat and serve it with 3 different sauce on top.
First step you have to prepare and cook the veal.

Ingredients

1kg. veal rump
Handful parsley
5 bayleaf leaves
1 carrot
1 onion
1 celery stick
2 rock salt spoons
2 spoons olive oil

Roll the veal in flour ,chop parsley, carrot, onion, celery stick .Let them cook in oil in a pan,slighlt cook the meat in it, add 4 l.water,bayleaf and salt.Eliminate the foam that comes on top. Let it cook for 50 minutes. Let it cool. Wrap into paper and put into the fridge. Before serving it you have to slice thin and pour one sauce on top.

3 Sauces:

Trito Aromatico

80 gr. Depitted Green olives
60 gr. Parsley
60 gr. Inside of stale bread
2 spoons vinegar
3 hard boiled eggs
Extra vergin olive oil
salt and pepper

Separate yolks from whites. Soak the bread into the vinegar for 10 minutes. Chop parsley, olives and egg whites. Mix them with the bread and 2 yolks. Add salt and pepper .Amalgamate adding some oil. Slice the veal thin and spread the mixture on it. Chop the remaining egg white and distribute it on the meat. Pass the remaining yolk through a strain and serve it on the meat.

Pesto al pomodoro con mandorle e basilico

4 peeled tomatoes
Handful basil
2 garlic cloves
Handful pinetus
Handful almonds
Peel the almonds
Salt and pepper
2 spoons extra vergin olive oil

Chop tomatoes,basil, pinetus and almonds, garlic,add salt and pepper and the oil.
Slice the veal thin and spread the mixture on it, adding some pinetus and almond slides on top.

Salsa Tonnata

Mayonnaise
2 small spoons anchovy paste
170 gr. tin Italian Tuna
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon parsley

Mix capers, anchovy paste,tuna, lemon juice and mayonnaise in a blender. Place the veal slightly overlapping on a serving dish. Serve on top of the meat with fresh lemon slices, a few bits of parsley and capers.