FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS FROM ITALY

ITALY

PIAZZA VENEZIA ( VENICE SQUARE )

ROME

Russian salad

• 1 can sweet green
• 1 ½ pound of potatoes diced small
• 1 can carrots
• 4 eggs boiled
• 2 cups of mayonnaise
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• parsley
• ½ cup dry Italian seasoning

Russian Salad Preparation:

Boil the eggs (about 8min), peel them and let them cool.

Drain Peas and carrots and put in a large bowl.

Peel the potatoes and dice them small; boil in salted water for about 20 minutes or until they are tender when poked with a fork. Drain and let them cool.

Put cold potatoes and cold eggs ( cut in small pieces, round or square) in the bowl with the peas and carrots; add salt ,pepper and Italian seasoning and mix well.

Add mayo and mustard and combine gently; taste if more mayo is needed.

Refrigerate.

Optional : May add capers or anchovy filets

Mousse al Prosciutto

Ingredients for 4 people:

15 oz cooked ham

3.5 oz heavy whipped cream

 2 oz. butter or margarine

2 tbsp besciamella sauce

 Salt and pepper

Preparation:

In a mixer blend ham and butter; add besciamella sauce, heavy whipped cream, salt and pepper

And a pinch of nutmeg

Using wax paper or aluminum foil cover the bottom of a baking dish and pour in the mousse,

Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Using the aluminum foil take out of the baking dish, sprinkle some herbs de Provance and slice

BESCIAMELLA SAUCE

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup flour

      salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon nutmeg

      italian seasoning

1/2 cup fresh parsley

3 cups milk

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon garlic powder

In a non stick pan melt butter over medium heat; when melted stir in flour and stir well; add milk stirring constantly

After 3 minutes add salt,pepper,nutmeg,italian seasoning and the heavy cream:bring it to a boil, stirring constantly

When the sauce is getting thick, add the parmesan cheese, stir and remove from heat

This sauce can be used over pasta dishes that go into  the oven ( baked ziti, lasagna etc. ) It can be used to cover chicken before baking

Christmas ravioli

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

RAVIOLI DI NATALE

Ingredients:

One carrot diced very thin

One celery diced very thin

1-cup Grated Parmesan cheese,

 One onion, diced very thin

3 cups tomato sauce + 1 cup for the baking dish

1-cup butter or margarine to top the dish

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups chicken bouillon, 350
4 Links mild Italian sausage

Ravioli

2 tbsp minced garlic

Preparation:

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes; add carrot and celery and cook five more minutes

Add sausage links (skin removed) diced small, tomato sauce, bouillon, salt, pepper, Spanish paprika, and dry Italian seasoning, Cook 10 more minutes.

In the meantime, cook the ravioli al dente, drain and add to the sauce; stir well for few minutes.

Transfer to a baking dish (with some tomato paste on the bottom) sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the top and a few dots of butter,

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and if you like broil at low for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle some fresh ground pepper before serving, (5 to 6 ravioli each guest)

 Spaghettini with Shrimp, Olives and Tomatoes

1. 1 pound spaghettini or Angel Hair
2. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4. 3 garlic cloves, minced
5. 2 large plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice or 12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
6. Salt
7. 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined,
8. 1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
9. Freshly ground pepper
10. 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the crushed red pepper and cook over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and begin to curl, about 3 minutes. Stir in the olives and reserved pasta cooking water and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta with the sauce and parsley to coat, transfer to a warmed bowl and serve. 

 CHICKEN MARSALA

6 chicken breasts

2 cups all purposes flour

2 cans  mushrooms

1 bunch green onions chopped fine

      olive oil ( as needed ) or cooking spray

     Salt and pepper

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups Marsala wine for cooking

8 tablespoons butter or margarine

Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Heat olive oil or cooking spray over medium heat: add chicken breasts in batches cooking one side for 4 minutes;. turn on the other side and cook 3 more minutes. Adjust the heat as the skillet is getting hot.

           

Move the chicken breasts to a greased baking dish,and bake at 350 for 15 minutes

In the meantime in a big skillet melt the butter or margarine: saute' the green onion, add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes; add heavy cream, stir and cook 3 more minutes.

Add Marsala vine, stir and simmer 5 more minutes.

Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. If breasts are to dry, add a little of chicken bouillon

Yogurt Chicken

1 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp.seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. dried Thyme
8 ounces plain Yogurt
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed oregano
1/4 cup margarine
4 boneless chicken breasts


In a Pie Plate stir together bread crumbs, parmesan, onion,garlic powder, seasoned salt,oregano, thyme and pepper.
 Rinse chicken and pat dry.
 Coat Chicken with yogurt, roll in crumb mixture.
 Place Chicken meaty side up in a lightly greased 15 by 10 by 1 inch baking Pan.
 Drizzle with cooking spray. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
 Bake uncovered in a 375° oven for 45 to 55 min. or until tender.

CAPONATA

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper,  seeded and diced

1 green pepper seeded and diced

1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup large green olives ,pitted and chopped

1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup raisins ( optional )

1 medium eggplant, diced and seasoned with salt and pepper

1 can diced tomatoes (32 0z.)

1 can crushed tomatoes ( 14 oz. )

1 cup fresh italian parsley

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

1/2 jar capers

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a big, deep pot over medium heat. Add oil, garlic and crushed pepper.

Add peppers, onion and celery to the pot and increase the heat a little bit and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the diced eggplant and stir .Cook 5 more minutes

Add tomatoes and seasoning  to the pot and stir to combine well. Cook 5 more minutes; add capers

Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until peppers and eggplants are soft.

Stir in parsley and remove pan from heat.

This dish can be served cold as appetizer, on bread as sandwich or a different kind of bruschetta, warm as side dish or as pasta sauce.

Chocolate cake and nuts

Main ingredient of the recipe

Grated rind of 1 Orange

4.5 oz butter

6 oz dark chocolate

2 tablespoon Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Orange Liquor or Expresso

1.5 oz flour

Yeast 1 envelope

2.10 oz gr cornstarch

3 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3.5 ozr chopped Walnuts

4.2 oz powder sugar

Frosting

250 gr, dark chocolate 125 ml heavy whipping cream

■ Preparation

Grate or finely chop the chocolate , then place it in a double boiler to melt in a saucepan with the grated zest and liqueur. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate will become creamy and no lumps, then, stirring constantly, add the butter, previously cut into cubes, one cube at a time, mixing from time to time.

Chop the nuts with the help of a food processor. In another bowl put the egg shell, the sugar and vanilla, beat the ingredients with a whisk whips (or mixer) for a few minutes, until the mixture will be light and fluffy. Add to the mixture of eggs and suga,r the flour, cornstarch and baking powder sifted in advance, by incorporating them gently.

United just as gently and spin the sauce chocolate into the mixture, and mix well then add the nuts chopped.

Buttered and lined with parchment paper a 23 cm diameter cake pan, then pour the mixture inside of the cake, bake in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for about 40 minutes.

Once finished cooking (you can see putting a toothpick in the center of the cake: if pulling will be clean and dry the cake is cooked), bake the cake in its mold and let cool, then remove it and lay on a platter.

Prepare the frosting covering the cake with chocolate and nuts, making heat the cream on the fire when it gets to touch the boil, remove from heat and add chocolate finely chopped and then mixed until complete dissolution.

Cool the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the right consistency that will allow you to cover the cake, helping with a rubber spatula if you want to get the effect in a photograph, or help yourself to a smooth covering of a knife blade smooth and long.

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