Welcome to my world - a blend of passion, taste, and old-world traditions.

Benvenuti nel mio mondo - un mischio di passione, gusto e vecchie tradizioni.

Monday, March 25, 2013

SPEZZATINO DI CARCIOFI (Artichoke Stew)

Artichokes can be cooked in myriad ways: stuffed, with fave beans or stewed as in this dish.  This spezzatino di carciofi or stew can be served hot at lunch with a platter of fresh, light cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta, caprino) but also can be served as a side dish with oven-roasted or braised meats. 


Spezzatino di Carciofi



Ingredients

  • 8 medium artichokes
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (alternate mint






     Choose artichokes with plump heads and tightly folded leaves.  Wash and clean the artichokes. 


     Remove all but the pale inner leaves by pulling the outer ones down and snapping them off.  Cut the stem at the base of the head and the top third of the leaves.  Peel the stems and cut them into wheels.  Put the artichokes and stems in a pot of cold water with lemon juice.  Set aside for 10 minutes.   
 
     Drain the artichokes and cut them into quarters.  Place the artichoke quarters and stems, garlic, oil, wine, salt, and pepper in a heavy bottomed pan.  Cook for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and add parsley, stir and finish cooking without a lid.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Legumes on the Table - Legumi sulla Tavola

Legumes are often valued as an inexpensive source of protein, but are notably absent from most Western menus.



Legumes—including beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and soybeans—are good sources of fiber and have a low glycemic index.   According to experts, a diet high in legumes may be beneficial for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.


Beans in tomato sauce

 One common complaint against legumes is the bloating and gas.
 I have some tips to ease the transition to including more legumes in your diet:

  • add them in slowly, one serving a day for a week.

  •  change the water halfway through cooking them.

  •  soak overnight with a pinch of baking soda and
         change the water before cooking

  • mix with other vegetables (escarole and beans)

 If you cook dry beans at home, instead of eating canned beans, you’ll skip a great deal of unnecessary sodium as well as byproducts of the can lining. 

Saturday, March 16, 2013

BISCOTTI WITH OLIVE OIL

As a child, we referred to these cookies as pizzarelle dolci (sweet little pizzas).  These cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients.


 
 
 
 
Ingredients
 
4 eggs
1 cup of olive oil
1 cup of sugar, additional sugar for sprinkling
4 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups of all purpose flour
1 lemon (juice and zest)
 
 
 
 
 
Procedure:
 
Preheat oven at 350.
Mix sugar and the olive oil. Add the eggs.  Combine the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix.
Gradually add the flour at a low speed; add the lemon juice and zest. Mix at higher speed for 1 minute to make sure it is all mixed.
 
Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil or butter.
Drop a full tablespoon of batter for each cookie.  Sprinkle sugar over each cookie.
Bake at 350ยบ for 20-25 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.