Focaccia Bread - It Is One Of The Staples Of Northern Italian Cuisine

Focaccia it is a bread that is made in Northern Italy. You can add any ingredient that you prefer, to make it one of your own recipes. I will give you the list of ingredients that I prefer to use, and the technique to make Focaccia. Then you are off on your own to individualize the recipe for your taste requirements.

List of Ingredients:

For the Herb Oil

• 1 Cup of Olive Oil
• 1-2 T Basil chopped
• 1-2 T Thyme chopped
• 1-2 T Oregano chopped
• 1-2 T Rosemary chopped
• 3-4 cloves of Garlic you can add an additional clove/cloves, if you like more garlic
• 1 T of good sea salt or Kosher Salt
• 1/2 - 1 tsp of cracked Pepper

To make the Herb Oil for the bread: Combine all of the fresh herbs in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Just let it hang out until you are ready for it, but do not refrigerate.

Ingredients for the Focaccia Dough:

• 6 cups of Bread Flour
• 2-3 tsp of Sea Salt
• 2 tsp of instant yeast
• 7 tsp of olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups of water Make sure you water is not too hot between 105 - 115 degrees so it will not kill the yeast

To make your dough:

Combine all of the ingredients, other that the olive oil into a dough mixer. You could do this by hand if you want it will just double your mixing time. Mix until dough is all incorporated and together which will be about 3-5 minutes, and then add a little Olive Oil, just about 3-4 tsp. Then you will continue to mix the dough about an additional 1-2 minutes. You will remove the dough and add to a clean bowl. First you will coat the bowl first with about 1 tsp of Olive Oil, and then you will place the dough ball into the coated bowl. You will the let the dough rest for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature. Then you will punch/push/knead the dough down with your hands in a folded fist manner. You will not actually be punching the bread, it is just the name of the technique. After you do this process for around 1-2 minutes you will do the same thing over. Coat the bowl with about 1 tsp of oil, and this time you will cover with saran wrap and let the dough double in size. You want to keep an eye on the dough so it does not over ferment.

After it has double in size you will preheat your over to 400 if it is gas and 425 if it is electric. You are going to get your Focaccia bread prepped to bake. You will need a half sheet baking tray, and you will need to use some olive oil on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, and to help achieve a firm bottom crust. Transfer the dough to the greased sheet pan, do this gently, so it will not start to work the dough. Use your fingertips to start spreading the dough but do not puncture it while spreading. You will eventually work the dough out to the corners of the sheet pan. At this time you will let the dough rest for about 5-10 minutes. Make sure that your dough has not shrunk in, if it has punch it back out at this time. Add your Herb Oil and generously cover the bread. Next you will add the ingredients below.

Ingredients for the bread before baking:

• 1/2 - 1 cup of Sun Dried Tomatoes julienne strips
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup of Olives that you prefer, I like the Kalamata Olives, but use your favorite

Your bread is almost ready to go in the oven, and this is the last step. Add these final ingredients, or ones you choose, and then put Focaccia Bread into the preheated oven. You will bake for around 8-10 minutes and turn 1/2 way or 180 degrees through the baking process and then cook until done, which could be an additional 10-15 minutes depending on your over. The top and bottom will be crisp, and it will have a slight golden or very light brown color. You will need to remove the bread at this time and add to a cooling rack to keep the bottom of the bread from getting soggy. Cool for about 15- 20 minutes before serving.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Italian Food and Quality

The main reason for the popularity of Italian food is probably its taste that pleases all cultures. Another one could be the quality of its ingredients. A good Italian dish depends directly on the freshness and genuinity of its ingredients. During the present times, it is important to preserve quality standards to avoid a quality loss while looking for convenience in international markets.

Quality Brands

To protect the originality of some typical products and processes, the European Union created the quality brands PDO (Protected designation of origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). The PDO protects both the origin of the raw material and the typical production process. The PGI protects the typical process, allowing the raw material to come from other parts.

The weak ring is the low knowledge people have about these brands. They are created to foster the typical products, benefiting the customers, as they distinguish the real typical products from the common ones that are maybe sold as an equal quality product. Some researches showed that the number of people who knows about these brands is still a minor part of the customers.

The most known example regards the parmesan cheese. Most of the customers know parmesan as a type of Italian cheese. How many of these customers know about the sentence from European Union stating that Parmesan is the cheese produced in a determined region of Italy, under the rules of Parmigiano Reggiano consortium? Only this cheese can be called Parmigiano or parmesan. The other ones, produced all around the world (this sentence regarded a German cheese) cannot use this name. If they do so, they are doing it unproperly.

Typical food quality and Tourism

This example shows the importance of preserving the food culture. Otherwise, in a few years, in this globalization environment, we were going to eat the same things everywhere, losing this important culture factor that is made of typical processes and products.

When we travel, we do not go visiting museums or monuments only... each place carries its culture also concerning food.

Studies show that the number of tourists that consider the food as an important factor while choosing a destination is growing. A relevant number wants to experience it visiting wineries, agritourist sites and "touching with hand" the process of producing typical products. Often also buying local products to take home part of that experience lived in that specific territory.

Hunger and quality

Quality is for comfortable people. It should not be like this, but it is. People is able to look for quality when is not hungry. Talk about quality brands and typical products has sense when people is already replete, and have the possibilities to choose. This fact doesn't mean quality shoudn't be present in every product, but it means that look for a special extra virgin olive oil has sense for someone who already uses and know what an extra virgin olive oil is.

This may be a risk for poor civilizations that may loose their typical process while looking for cheaper food. They may buy from the outside more convenient food rather than evaluating their own typical processes, that may cost more and give less harvest.

Quantity x quality

The process of obtaining smaller harvests began with a huge production of butter in the 70's, that was storaged in European warehouses. In a world where there is still people who die for hunger, such economic measure to avoid the prices decrease isn't correct. So, what should be done to avoid this inconvenient problem (too much food stored)? Produce less! The biologic products were born then to fulfill this need: smaller harvests using less chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The process continued and people began to notice that "less is better". Typical products with small outputs began to be considered specialties. If a kind of olive tree gives less harvest, their product is a niche product.

But how a common customer can notice this difference? Through the quality brands. It's a powerful tool for quality food lovers. A unique product has no need of a quality brand. Some special brands of balsamic vinegar are sold by more than 2000 US dollars per litre. These are unique products by themselves, as a Ferrari is between machines. But regarding the good products that can be confused with similar in appearance, the quality brand is necessary and allows the gourmets to buy and enjoy special food that continue to be produced as they used to be, respecting the local traditions and allowing us to live in a global world that preserve the differences cultures need to keep the history alive.

Ana Maria da Costa. Economist, living in Italy since 1983 and proceeding the studies in Food and Wine culture. The website http://www.all-about-italian-food.com gives useful information about Italian food Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ana_Maria_Da_Costa

Want To Learn About Giada Italian Cooking? Look No Further!

We don't blame you if you feel you learn best by observing someone give a demo of the finest of gourmet classes because we believe too that watching experts toss up that complicated and tastefully decorated dish on a show can give you a visual high and better incentive to out-do them with your best efforts! If you like trying out new and interesting recipes, a great option for firing your gourmet instincts is to tune in to the Giada Italian cooking demos!

Giada Italian cooking demos on TV are shown on the Food Network on a daily basis and provide a unique educational and lively feature into the "Everyday Italian" menu that is chock-a-bloc with distinctly flavored Italian cuisine that is filled with the best of her cookery ideas!

If you want to learn more about this style of Italian cooking, the easiest way to get the information is to conduct an online search for all the answers to your query on quality Italian cooking besides getting to know about the new menu items that will be covered in future cooking shows. This may also be the best way to get news and views on dishes you may have missed!

Besides the above internet based search, you can locate more information about specific Italian cooking simply by clicking on the selected cooking menu article of the day and find yourself face to face with the missing link - of best Italian cooking ideas, that is! For those that have not been able to tune into the cookery show for a particular recipe, this is the best way to add to their Giada Italian cooking recipe collection as it allows for taking printable copies of the methods and ingredients used too!

Bringing a whole new world of classic continental cooking, the Giada Italian cooking show is the best platform for getting fine dining ideas and adding to your knowledge of recipes, how to make each taste unique even with similar ingredients and cook pasta just right - like the super Italian chefs. What the cookery books do not explain fully, Giada Italian cooking is sure to do - with easy demos and instructions!

Just to watch the cooking show is enough for many enthusiasts of Italian cooking to ignite the passion for whipping up a storm in their kitchens too as she is superb in her role of master-chef, besides being inspiration for turning professional, should you enjoy the experience of learning from her. Perhaps, with the regular attendance of watching the show, you learn the art well enough to teach others and end up signing a TV contract for a show of your own - who knows? There are endless possibilities for a creative cooking hobbyist out there, tuned into a great and educational show like Giada Italian cooking - along with the added fun of sharing the knowledge and dishes with loved ones!

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report "Master Chef Secrets" and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available! http://www.Cooking-Guru.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal

More Easy Chicken Breast Recipes

We eat chicken several times per week, so we always experiment with new flavors and new recipes. If time is limited, I always suggest buying a bottle of either already made marinade or salad dressing and marinating the chicken while you’re at work. The flavor seeps into the chicken and when you get home from work, just bake for an hour and you’ll have a delicious flavored chicken.

In this article I’d like to share 2 fruit flavored chicken recipes and one herb flavored recipe. They are Italian Flavored Chicken, Pineapple Flavored Chicken and Apricot Flavored Chicken.

Pineapple Flavored Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ inch slice of ginger, minced
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 can evaporated milk
1 can crushed pineapple
½ cup soy sauce
butter for sautéing

Mix together, pineapple, ginger and soy sauce. Marinate chicken in pineapple mixture for 2-3 hours. Saute garlic and onion for a couple of minutes. Add chicken breasts and cover. Cook about 15 minutes. Add marinade to pan and bring to a boil. Cook until done. Once the chicken is done, add the milk, mix and cook a few minutes more.

Italian Flavored Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 large eggs, beaten

Marinate chicken for one hour in Italian dressing. Mix together cheese and bread crumbs. Dip chicken into eggs. Roll chicken in cheese and bread crumb mixture. Pour Italian dressing over chicken and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Apricot Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 package dry onion soup mix
flour to lightly dust the chicken pieces
1 can apricot nectar
1 can apricot halves
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly dust the chicken in flour. Place chicken in baking dish. Salt and pepper to taste. Place the chopped onions and soup mix on the chicken breasts. Pour the apricots and nectar over the chicken and bake about an hour at 350 degrees.

Note: I have used apricot preserves and it comes out wonderfully. Bon Appetite!!

Audrey’s mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Okaneko

Crescia Bread or Italian Cheese Bread

If you don’t like locatelli cheese then don’t even bother making this bread, this bread has such a great aroma and flavor that you will eat an entire loaf by yourself, it is also perfect for gift giving and the best part is that you can freeze it weeks in advance and everyone will think that you just made it that day. Remember all ingredients should be at room temperature.

12 eggs well beaten
9 cups unsifted flour
1 lb. grated locatelli cheese
2 ounces dry yeast
5 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup warm water
½ lb. butter melted slightly or real soft
1 teaspoon salt

Put yeast in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon sugar and the 1 cup warm water and mix well, let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place your eggs in a mixing bowl and whip till well broken, add your yeast that you had already started, now add your melted butter, pepper, salt, flour, locatelli cheese, and if I missed any ingredient then put it in.

Mix on low speed until well blended then on second speed for 3 or 4 minutes, you should have a really nice dough, if it is too dry add some water, if it is too wet then add some more flour, separate dough in 1-1/4 pound pieces, shape it until it looks like a 6 inch hoagie bun and place it in well greased bread pans, let rise until double in size and bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes.

The smell should be in the entire neighborhood by the time you are finished.

Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. You can visit my site at http://www.andies.cashhosters2.com

NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end), Please send a copy of your reprint to pastrie@verizon.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Krause

How to Cook Arugula

Arugula is one of the many "new" greens making their way onto supermarket shelves in the United States, although in this case this marvelous herb has long been known and loved in Europe, especially Italy.

Yes, one of the surprising facts about arugula is that is classed as an herb. It is not just a variety of lettuce, as many people often surmise upon first seeing it.

It also goes by many names in addition to "arugula." Some of these are "garden rocket," "rucola," "rocket salad," "roquette," and,. simply, "rocket."

Arugula is a great source of vitamin C, also iron. It has been grown around the Mediterranean for centuries. The Romans considered it to be an aphrodisiac.

You can use arugula in salads as you would lettuce or spinach; just wash it thoroughly, spin it dry in a salad spinner (or drain it in a colander) and shred it into bite-sized pieces before adding.

The tastiest way to use arugula use it in a cooked recipe, such as a pasta or meat dish. Arugula has a natural peppery taste that goes well in Italian recipes particularly.

Here's an arugula recipe my family really loves. Actually, the star of the recipe is the spaghetti-plus-ham, but in my opinion it's the arugula and olives that really make it special.

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti

1/4 pound ham, thinly sliced

5 cups arugula

1 small chopped onion

1 cup parmesan cheese

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lb chopped pitted olives

4 tomatoes, quartered

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti in a large pot. Drain and set aside.

2. Cut the ham into small pieces. Place in a skillet. Add onion and olives. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

3. Add ingredients from skillet (ham, onion, olives) to spaghetti.

4. Add arugula, cheese and lemon juice to spaghetti. Mix well.

5. Divide the spaghetti onto 4 serving plates. Place tomato quarters (4 each) on top of the plates of spaghetti. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes.

Serve and enjoy!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Sandori

Easy Ground Beef Recipes That Are Healthy and Delicious

Looking for some healthy and easy ground beef recipes that do not require a lot of time to make? Below are 3 delicious ground beef recipes that are filling and real crowd pleasers.

Just because you are cooking with ground beef, does not mean it has to be unhealthy. Most of the ground beef you find in supermarkets today is loaded with fat, cholesterol and hormones, but more and more supermarkets are starting to provide healthy organic meats to consumers, so hopefully you should be able to find healthy ground beef in your area.

To make the following recipes even healthier try and use all organic and low sodium ingredients.

If you happen to live near a Trader Joe's, by all means shop there. The prices are fantastic and they carry a variety of healthy organic meats and other fine products.

THE RECIPES:

EASY SALISBURY STEAK RECIPE

Here is a little tip to keep in mind as you are making this delicious ground beef recipe. There is a chance that your ground beef steaks can fall apart while cooking. To prevent this from happening, form your steak patties and put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so before you start cooking. This will help hold your steaks stay together.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove chopped

1 tablespoon montreal steak seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 small package of freshly sliced portobello mushrooms or by them whole and slice yourself

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups beef stock

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, egg, garlic, onion, steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands. From the mixture, make steak shaped patties that are about 2 inches thick.

2 Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef patties and cook about 4 minutes per side until the outside of the steaks are nicely browned and the juices run clear. Remove the steaks and cover with foil to keep them warm.

3 Add the rest of the olive oil along with the butter to the same pan. Add your mushrooms and then cook over medium heat until they are tender. Approximately 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the flour to the mushrooms, mix and cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in your beef stock. Stir and cook until your sauce has thickened.

5. Pour gravy over steaks and serve.

EASY ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF RECIPE

I grew up in an Italian Family and I cannot think of a better way to cook meatloaf. Enjoy this delicious ground beef recipe using fresh italian herbs and garlic.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

2 eggs

1 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers chopped

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 cup of bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 cups of prepared tomato sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your onion and garlic and saute until soft. Remove and set it aside on a plate to cool.

3. Grab yourself a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the cooled onions and garlic along with the the rest of your ingredients, except the tomato sauce, and combine. Mix together well with your hands and form into a loaf and add it to an oiled oven safe tray. Top the loaf with 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce. Make certain that you spread the tomato sauce evenly over the top of the loaf.

5. Bake for about 1 hour or when the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it up and serve.

Heat the remaining tomato sauce if desired and use for dipping.

GREEK STYLE HAMBURGER RECIPE

For our last recipe why not make some delicious burgers? The preferred method for cooking these burgers is on the grill, but they will still be quite tasty if fried on the stovetop.

Greek Style Hamburger Ingredients:

1 pound of lean ground beef

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped greek olives

1 small red onion chopped

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 package of hamburger rolls or pita bread

Hamburger Sauce Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) container low-fat plain yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (more or less to suit your taste)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (more or less to suit your taste)

1 clove of garlic minced (add more or less to suit your taste)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1/2 cup peeled, seeded and finely diced cucumber

Sauce Directions:

Prepare the sauce for your burgers first and put in the fridge until your burgers are done.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine your olive oil and lemon juice.

2. Now add in your yogurt making sure that you mix it well with the olive oil.

3. Add your garlic, cucumbers, parsley and mint leaves and stir well.

Burger Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped red onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Put the onions aside into a large mixing bowl and allow them to cool.

2 To the same mixing bowl, add your ground beef, feta cheese, olives, oregano, salt and pepper and combine well.

3. Form hamburger patties to desired thickness.

4. Fry your burgers in the same skillet as the onions, or cook on the grill to desired doneness.

5. Spread the prepared sauce on the rolls or inside a pita.

6. Add burgers and enjoy!

There you have it. Three healthy and easy ground beef recipes that any home cook can prepare. I really hope you enjoy these recipes. Remember to use all organic ingredients if at all possible. Happy Cooking!

Ralph Serpe is a passionate home cook and webmaster for http://www.chefability.com. Click here for more easy ground beef recipes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Serpe

Planning an Italian Food Menu

The menu could possibly be the single most important element of the Italian restaurant. After all, it is what is on the menu that keeps the customers coming back again and again. Careful consideration should go into planning the menu; this includes not only what foods you will serve, but also the layout and wording as well.

The first thing on your agenda when planning an Italian food menu is what type of food you will be serving. Are you serving just pizza and Italian sandwiches or will your menu feature a larger variety of dining options?

Next on your menu planning schedule should be to find several similar restaurants and study their menus. Pay attention to the variety of dishes that they offer, and how their menu is arranged.

Unless you already have your heart set on exactly what it is you will be serving in your diner, you may want to consider trying some of the most successful Italian restaurants in the area and incorporating some of their best dishes into your own menu. Some of the best Italian restaurants offer authentic foods from Italy, as well as some American versions.

Another point to keep in mind is that some of the best eating establishments have a signature dish that is all their own. You may want to create a taste that is unique to your restaurant. This is a sure way to keep the customers coming back.

Divide your menu into sections that include appetizers, drinks, lunch, dinner, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Now you are ready to fill your menu with the many wonderful and tasty dishes that you have planned.

Planning your menu includes much more than simply deciding what foods you will serve. Proper layout of the menu is also important. Again, study the menus of your competitors. How do they have their menu arranged? What are the menu's advantages and disadvantages?

By taking careful note of these aspects of the menu, you will have a good idea of how to best layout your own menu. Generally, appetizers and salads, along with soups appear first on the menu, followed by sandwiches, lunch selections and finally dinner plates.

Another extremely important factor that should not be overlooked when planning your menu is the color scheme and theme of your menu. The colors and graphics of your menu should reflect the overall theme of your establishment.

Don't forget that you will need quality graphics to represent the many wonderful dishes that you will be serving. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. People are visual and want to see what their food will look like. Last but not least is menu selection description. Use very descriptive and flowing language when describing the selections that are featured on your menu.

Once you have settled on your menu items, you'll be one step closer to your dream of opening a successful Italian restaurant.

Jessica Ackerman is a popular contributor for one of the best seattle pizza delivery restaurants- Padrino's Pizza and Pasta. Do not hesitate to call them for your late night food delivery

Enjoy this article? For more pizza and pasta tips and recipes visit our Seattle Pizza Blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Ackerman

Restaurants - Italian Food

Eating Italian food is almost like romancing a woman. Italian food is more than just a meal, it's an experience. That's why when you go into an Italian restaurant, there is just nothing like it. The atmosphere is like no other place on the planet, from the music being piped in from old Italy, to the paintings on the walls. A good Italian restaurant feels like you've walked into 17th century Italy.

The trouble is, these days, it's very hard to find a good Italian restaurant. With everything being fast food today, most of your Italian places are either pizzerias, Pizza Huts, or fast food chains like Sbarros. Finding a classic Italian restaurant in the states, like they used to have back in the 60s and 70s is like looking for the missing link. But when you do find one, this is what you can expect to get there.

For starters, a good Italian restaurant will have a wine list of just about every Italian wine you could possibly want. The list reads like a who's who of Italian wineries. Don't even think of asking the waiter for a mixed drink as he's likely to deck you. Oh and by the way, the waiters are all Italians.

The appetizers are absolutely to die for. You've got your usual fair which includes fried zucchini, roasted garlic, stuffed portabello, mushrooms stuffed with crab meat and fried provolone, just to name a few. The appetizers alone are enough to fill you up so you won't even need the main course.

And the salads. Italian restaurant salads can be a meal in themselves. You don't just get a dish with a little lettuce and some carrots. You get a salad the size of Manhattan Island. And don't ask for any kind of dressing other than Italian or oil and vinegar. Yeah, the waiter will deck you for that too.

As for the main dishes, just about every Italian main dish has something to do with pasta, whether it be spaghetti, linguini, ziti or whatever. Most of the dish, as it is with Chinese food, is made up of the pasta. However, you do get quite a bit of meat with your meal too. Italians love to eat and they love to feed you. Without a doubt there is no type of restaurant that gives you more food than an Italian restaurant. It would take three Chinese restaurant meals to make up one Italian restaurant meal. Some of the more famous Italian dishes are chicken catchatori, veil parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs. However, there are literally over 100 Italian dishes you could choose from in a good Italian restaurant.

Italian desserts are probably the most unusual, at least to Americans. They include things with names like spumoni and tortoni. If you don't know what they are, find yourself a good Italian restaurant and experience them. I promise you that it will be an evening out that you will never forget.

Just don't forget to tip your waiter. Yeah, he'll deck you if you don't.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Restaurants Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Homemade Hot Giardiniera Pizza

A couple of days ago I made a whole bunch of hot giardiniera for some Italian beef and sausage sandwiches that was so good that I made a Giardiniera Pizza the very next day. If you like spicy food, this is the meal for you. I couldn’t resist topping a delicious pizza with all these marinated fresh vegetables that took days to make.

Yes I know a few days are along time to wait, but believe me it’s worth it. You need to let the flavor of the garlic, peppers and vegetables mix together. You could just open a jar of giardiniera and top the pizza dough instead of waiting but it wouldn’t be the same as making you own. Besides you can always make a large batch and give some away to your friends and neighbors to enjoy.

For those of you not familiar with giardiniera, it all started in a small deli in Chicago around 1920 where Nick Pasquini began serving the condiment to accompany his sandwiches. Giardiniera literally mean “from the garden” and if you have a large enough garden for all the ingredients your doing pretty good. This is definitely a vegetarians dream.

The recipe below is what I use, but a number of vegetables can also be added including zucchini, asparagus capers, etc.. I think I got most of them covered in my recipe. Like I said the easiest part is making the giardiniera and the hardest part is waiting for it to marinate in the fridge. And don’t forget after the pizza it’s time for the beef and sausage sandwiches. Enjoy! Mangia Italiano!

Hot Giardiniera
INGREDIENTS

1 red sweet pepper, diced into tiny pieces

1/2 green sweet pepper, diced into tiny pieces

2 bunches of long green onions, finely chopped

3 cauliflower florets, cut into very tiny pieces

3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

15 jalapeno peppers, cut into little pieces

20 Manzanella olives, sliced in half

2 plum tomatoes. Diced into small pieces

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 and 1/2 cups of extra virgin olive oil

1 and 1/2 cups of cider vinegar

1 Tbls of salt

1 Tbls of freshly ground black pepper

2 17oz air-seal square glass jars

PREPARATION

Simply mix all the vegetable together in a large bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Place the vegetable mixture in the two jars.

Add equal portions of oil and vinegar to both completely covering the vegetable.

Tightly seal the jar and refrigerate for at least two days before using.

The giardiniera should last refrigerated around 2 weeks.

Basic Pizza Dough
INGREDIENTS

4 cup of all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of warm water

1 package of active dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbls of sugar

PREPARATION

In a large bowl pour in warm water and sugar.

Stir to dissolve sugar.

Add yeast and gently stir until yeast is dissolved.

Let mixture sit for around 15 minutes to activate yeast.

Add oil and salt and gently stir.

Add one cup of flour and mix.

Add a second cup of flour and mix until sticky.

Add third cup of flour and mix until dough becomes thick.

Place the dough on a floured board and gradually knead in the remaining flour.

Dust with extra flour and continue kneading until dough becomes firm. About 10 minutes.

Kneading is complete when you have a smooth silky ball of dough. It's better to over knead than to under knead.

Grease a large bowl with a little oil.

Place dough in the bowl turning once to coat the dough.

Cover with a dish towel an place in a warm place for about 2 hours allowing the dough to double in size.

Take the dough out of the bowl and cut in half and roll the into two balls.

Roll out the dough in a square or round shape. Top the pizza dough with the giardiniera. Let it sit for around 2 hours to let the dough rise a little more. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes until the crust is nice and browned.

Phil has been cooking and creating Italian dishes ever since the age of ten. His passion and love for Italian food is never ending. Visit him at http://www.great-chicago-italian-recipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phillip_Speciale

The Feast of 7 Fishes - Italian Christmas Eve Dinner Made Easy With A 4-Fish Seafood Risotto

Seafood risotto is usually made with the seafood cooked right into the risotto. Although this makes a wonderful dish, I find that the seafood can easily become overcooked and get lost in the risotto, or that some diners can get lots of seafood while others get cheated. I find that flavoring the risotto with a seafood broth and then topping it with sautéed seafood is an unbeatable combination.

Servings: 4-6

• 1 pound risotto, made from Arborio rice prepared according to package directions and kept warm (see note)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 dozen small clams, rinsed
• 2 dozen small mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
• 12 large sea scallops
• 12 medium to large shrimp, shelled, cleaned, and de-veined
• 1/2 medium clove garlic, minced
• 3 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stems removed and chopped
• 1 cup white wine sauce (see below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 lemon wedges, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Prepare the risotto according to package directions. Either keep the finished risotto warm in a 200ºF. oven or cook it while you prepare the rest of this recipe.
2. Put the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large sauté pan over high heat for about 30 seconds, or until the oil is hot but not smoking.
3. Cook the clams, mussels, and scallops (on both sides) for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the clams begin to open and the scallops begin to turn opaque.
4. Add the shrimp and cook everything for 1 minute more, until the shrimp turn pink on one side.
5. Turn the shrimp, add the garlic, and cook for a few seconds, until the garlic begins to turn golden.
6. Add the tomatoes followed by the sauce and cook for a moment or two until all the juices in the pan blend together.
7. Finish with a pat of butter or two and a splash of cream if desired.

The Sauce:

1. Add ¼ cup olive oil to the bottom of a saucepan, followed by 3-4 tablespoons of flour and stir over medium heat.
2. Slowly add 1 cup of white wine and continue stirring. (sauce will thicken).
3. Now slowly add about 1cup of clam broth and ½ cup of water. Stir until all the liquid is incorporated.
4. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the sauce reduces to the consistency of a smooth gravy.

Serving Seafood Risotto:

Stir some of the liquid part of the sauce into the risotto, then spoon the risotto onto individual serving plates. Top each serving with the remainder of the sauce and the seafood. If desired, arrange the mussels all along the rim of the platter or plate, then add the seafood in the center. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt and pepper, and garnish each serving plate with a lemon wedge.

Note about Arborio Rice:

Arborio rice, for making risotto, is sold in 1-kilogram boxes (2.2 pounds) and comes in two packages. The cooking time is about 15 minutes, but it's best prepared slightly underdone because it will continue cooking after it's removed from the heat.

Enjoy!

About Chef Silvia: For Chef Silvia Bianco, a native of Calabria region in Italy, food has always been an act of love, which Silvia shares in the form of a unique blend of culinary alchemy and life-enhancing recipes in her monthly newsletter, "A Note from the Chef". Subscribe to the FREE newsletter at Silvia's blog "Cooking with Chef Silvia" Visit her website for more recipes cooking tips and information on Chef Silvia's cooking classes Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Silvia_Bianco

Ribolitta: The Italian Way Of Having Your Five Veggies A Day!

Ribollita is a delicious low fat Italian soup, a bit similar to the famous minestrone, but instead of pasta, you cook it with beans.

Ribollita is very filling, as you serve it on top of 2 bread slices and a cooking spoon of slightly fried spinach, and top all that with a tablespoon of low fat Parmesan cheese.

You can add bacon bits if you want, but you don't really need it. This delicious Italian soup is full of flavour and goodness.

Ribolita yields 3 WW points, but you may want to have a double ration and go for a sixer! You won't go for seconds or dessert after that! (and if you are... you shouldn't!).

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 Tbsp crushed garlic

2 celery sticks

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped

2 large courgettes, thinly sliced

1 X 425 g (14 oz) can chopped tomates (with onion and basil, or any other combination you want)

1 Tbsp pesto

1 lt (4 cups) vegie stock

1 X 425 g borlotti beans, drained

Salt and pepper

8 slices of white bread

1/2 kg spinach

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp low fat grated Parmesan cheese

This is what you do:

Ok, first you heat one tsp of olive oil in a large pot, and add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery and fennel and stir for about 10 minutes.

After that, add the courgettes and keep stirring for another 2 minutes.

Next, add the tomatoes, pesto, stock and the beans and stir till boiling, and then simmer for about 30 minutes or so. By then, the vegies will be soft and tender.

Add salt and pepper.

Now prepare your seving dishes by placing a slice of bread in the bottom of the saucers.

Heat a frying pan, and add 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, and fry the spinach for about 2 minutes.

Spoon equal portions of spinach on the bread slices, and then laddle the soup on top of the bread and spinach.

Garnish with a Tbsp of low fat Parmesan cheese on each portion.

Ahhhhh! Magnifico!

For more of these delicious low fat recipes visit http://www.Jeff-The-Skinny-Chef.com. You'll find a growing collection of free delicious low fat recipes, articles on healthy eating, and weight loss. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Rosales

The Joy Of Italian Cooking At Its Best

Depending on whether you like to cook or not, cooking can be a lot of fun. It can be very simple or depending on what you are cooking, can be very challenging. For many, it can be a great joy to have someone compliment all the effort and love you put in to the meal. Italian cooking is very fun and the basics of it can be learned by any beginner. For someone who is just learning to cook, the simplest things like cooking pasta can be a challenge, but by trial and error, most people can get the hang of cooking many simple meals and it can be a lot of fun. Italian cooking is not only fairly simple, but the food is delicious as well.

If you like pasta, then you will love Italian cooking because pasta is one of the main ingredients of most recipes. We live in a push button world and it's all about convenience. You can buy dried pasta in any size shape or form in a bag or in the grocery store there is a section which could be located around the cheese area that carries fresh pasta already made in about any style, shape or form. All you do is cook it in boiling water. I told you Italian cooking is easy. All you would have to do is make the sauce, which you can also buy already prepared if you so wish. You can also buy pasta in the frozen food section that is already prepared and all you do is boil it or heat it up either in the microwave or bake in the oven. There are machines now that you can mix up the dough and run it through the machine which will make it into the pasta shape. Home made pasta is delicious and easy to make. Italian cooking can be as simple or as hard as you want to make it.

Another favorite Italian cooking meal is pizza. You can find pizza parlors all over the world. Besides pasta made meals, pizza is probably one of the next best choices. Other than burgers, it is most likely one of the most favorite family meals. You can do so many different things with pizza. Italian cooking allows for many variations of preparing it. You can either make the dough fresh at home or you can buy it in cans and all you do is roll it out or press it into your pan. You can also buy just the pizza dough already formed at a pizza shop and you take it home to add your own sauce and toppings. Which ever way you prepare the dough, you can make your own sauce and add what ever toppings you would like to it. If you are a vegetarian, you don't have to use meat on it. Italian cooking is probably a favorite way of cooking for a vegetarian, because you can still get protein from cheese without using meat.

Besides, pizza and spaghetti, macaroni and cheese is a favorite Italian cooking dish in most families. Most children love macaroni and cheese and it can be cooked with many different cheeses. You can either make it home made or you can buy it in the box and you just cook the macaroni and add the sauce. You can now even buy it so all you do is heat it in the microwave. You can add pepperoni or hot dogs to it to give it that added boost for children. I told you Italian cooking can be easy, but more importantly it is delicious to eat.

If you need more cooking information then quickly head over to http://luvcooking.com where you will find helpful tips, advice and resources to include home cooking, gourmet cooking, and Italian Cooking and more. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Turner

Orange and Lemon Ice an Italian Dessert Treat

Often times when you are at a gourmet restaurant enjoying a fine meal you will be served a delicious delicate dessert of flavored ice. This particular version is a sweet Italian lemon and orange flavored ice that has a surprising background flavor. The background nuances are enhanced by a hearty portion of Grand Marnier.

Orange and lemon ice an Italian dessert treat is a simple to make dessert that can be served in the heat of summer as a refreshing after lunch dessert or as an elegant ending to a scrumptious meal.

2 Cups cold water
½ Cup granulated sugar
1 tsp grated lemon rind
½ Cup fresh lemon juice
1 Cup fresh orange juice
6 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Boil the water, sugar and lemon rind for 5 minutes. Cool and add lemon and orange juice; mix well. Freeze for 1 ½ hours.

Remove from freezer and beat in 2 Tbs Grand Marnier. Return to the freezer until ready to serve.

To serve scoop into chilled wine glasses and float 1 Tbs of Grand Marnier on top.

For added sparkle try serving Orange and Lemon Ice in polished silver goblets. You can add a sprig of fresh peppermint to the edge of the glass. The green of the mint sprig will give a nice contrast to the ice.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shauna_Hanus

Spicy Italian Red Sauce

Ingredients:

2-tablespoons Olive oil.
1½-cups Onion, chopped,
1-teaspoon Garlic, minced,
1-teaspoon Sugar,
½-teaspoon Salt,
½-teaspoon Pepper,
½-teaspoon Basil, dried,
½-teaspoon Oregano, dried,
¼-teaspoon Onion powder,
¼-teaspoon Garlic powder,
2-(28-ounce) cans Tomatoes, whole & peeled,
3-(15-ounce) cans Tomato sauce,
1-(8-ounce) can Tomato sauce,
1-teaspoon Crush red pepper.

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, onion power, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder; cook and stirring until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Put tomatoes in a separate large bowl and squeeze with a spoon to break apart; after breaking apart add tomatoes and remaining ingredients to pot and stir well. Simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.

Use right away or store in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and can be frozen for 3 to 4 months.

Makes 10 cups

Note: There are several ways to make it spicer. Instead of one teaspoon of crushed red pepper make it one tablespoon of crushed red pepper or add one tablespoon of powdered jalapeno pepper.

Whether its for friends or family, they will think you are the best Italian Cook by far. Please make your favorite dish with this sauce and your loved ones will be begging for more. Check out Dippity Do Dah, this recipe plus so much more is in that book.

Recipe can be found in "Dippity Do Dah" Cookbook at http://www.cristiescookin.com.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cristie_Will

Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup

Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup

½ lb dried cranberry beans
2 ½ quarts of water
½ lb fresh green beans, broken into halves
3 oz diced salt pork
½ lb peeled and diced potatoes
1 ½ Tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ lb peeled and diced onions
12 oz can diced tomatoes, or 1 cup peeled and diced fresh ripe tomatoes
2 mashed cloves of garlic
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced with leaves
1 pork hock, or hambone
8 oz spaghetti
1/8 Cup butter

Soak and drain beans according to package directions. Add beans to the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add all the other ingredients (except the spaghetti and butter). Cover and cook for two hours.

When the beans are finished cooking boil a second pot of water to which add spaghetti broken into 1 ½ inch pieces. When the spaghetti is cooked drain it and add the butter. Place 1 oz cooked spaghetti in the bottom of each bowl.

Ladle one scant cup soup on top of spaghetti. Serve piping hot. ( I have found with this particular meal that about the time the soup is served people beginning to get full. So I stick with small portions which works very well. You want people to enjoy the entire meal. My father in law is the only person who has ever picked at this meal, but, by the end he says this is better than that stuff out of the jar.)

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shauna_Hanus

Low Fat Tiramisu Recipe

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert consisting of layers of sponge cake soaked with coffee and brandy or liqueur layered with mascarpone cheese and topped with grated chocolate. This version is lighter than its traditional recipe, substituting a reduced fat cream filling for much of the mascarpone.

To make the cream filling:

1 Cup 2% milk

1/4 Teaspoon of cinnamon

2 Teaspoons of a good vanilla bean paste

1/4 Cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for beating the egg whites

1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch

3 eggs, 1 whole egg, plus two egg whites, discard the yolks

1 1/2 Teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 Cup of room temp low fat cream cheese

1/4 Teaspoon cream of tartar

Remainder of ingredients of Tiramisu:

24 Ladyfingers

1/2 Cup cold espresso or regular coffee

1 Tablespoon Brandy

1 Tablespoon of Rum

1 Tablespoon water

4 Tablespoons sugar

3-4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

First, prepare the cream filling:

You will combine the milk, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, and one tablespoon of the sugar in a small pan. You will gradually bring the mixture to a slight boil, more if a simmer actually while stirring frequently so that the milk does not burn. Remove from the heat and let stand, or start to cool. You will then get a small bowl and start to whisk together three tablespoons of sugar and the cornstarch into about a tablespoon of water. Add the whole egg and the lemon zest, and whisk these together. A micro plane would work well for this recipe, but if you do not have one use your knife.

You will then whisk the scalded milk, into the egg mixture very slowly so you will not cook the eggs immediately. You will then, return this mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, or until the cornstarch does its job and it becomes a very thick mixture. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the low fat cream cheese.

Beat the two egg whites and cream of tartar until they are glossy but not dry, adding the rest of the three tablespoons of sugar as the egg whites stiffen. Fold these egg whites into the warm custard mixture, and let it cool to room temperature.

To finish the dessert, arrange a dozen ladyfingers, you can also use sponge cake for this recipe for an even lower fat recipe, it does not taste as well though, and put into a serving dish or platter with sides a nine inch pan will work fine. You will then combine the espresso, brandy, and rum, water, and 4 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Then whisk the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Brush half of this mixture on the ladyfingers, ideally with a pastry brush. You will spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top, and sprinkle with half of the cocoa. Its best to sprinkle the cocoa by using a fine strainer or a sifter.

Then, place the second layer of ladyfingers on top, followed by brushing on the remaining espresso mixture, and then the rest of the mascarpone. Refrigerate the dessert for 3-4 hours, and then sift the rest of the cocoa on top before serving.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for http://www.BellaOnline.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Italian Salad of Tomatoes and Sweet Onion with Roquefort Dressing

Tomatoes and sweet onion with Roquefort dressing is a traditional Italian salad that easily lends itself well to Italian meals such as Osso Bucco and to lighter meals such as salad and Minestrone soup. Popular Italian restaurants such as Olive Garden serve similar meals of soup and salad.

You can find this simple salad served in New York at some to the finer Italian restaurants as well as on the tables of many Italian families around the world. The Roquefort cheese gives a strong distinctive flavor that pleases even the pickiest of salad eaters. The beauty of this Italian salad is that it is so versatile that it can be served with just about any meal.

Ripe tomatoes
Sweet onions
Basic Italian Dressing
Green scallions
Roquefort cheese
Dried oregano
Salt
Pepper

Slice ripe red tomatoes and sweet onions very thin. Place four tomato slices on each plate. Over the top of the tomatoes lay the onion slices. Drizzle over the top Basic Italian Dressing. Place the two green scallions along the edge of the plate. Crumble the Roquefort cheese over the top and sprinkle with dried oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Basic Italian Dressing

6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place all salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together with a wire whisk until well blended.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shauna_Hanus

Looking for a New Dessert Idea? Try These Italian Desserts

Italian food definitely has its fans and one of the many tasty varieties of Italian foods are the desserts. Italian deserts generally come in a wide assortment of choices from cakes to cookies to yummy desserts that are prepared for adults with wine and liquors. If you are looking to prepare an Italian masterpiece for dessert, here are two excellent recipes.

Tiramisu
Ingredients to Use:

- 1 pound of mascarpone cheese
- About 40 lady fingers
- 3 cups Italian coffee
- 6 eggs
- ¾ cup of Marsala wine
- 12 tablespoon of sugar
- 4 tablespoon of coca (power form)

Preparation:
Use an electric mixer to combine both the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Save egg whites for use later in the recipe. Add mascarpone cheese and stir it in to this mixture as well. Once these three ingredients are well combined, now add the 6 egg whites. Add the 4 tablespoons of cocoa and mix it in as well. Once it is all mixed place half of the ingredients into a cake dish.

Dip lady fingers into Italian coffee and then place them on top of the mascarpone cream. Cover this up with more contents to create layers. You will want to create about two layers. Once you placed two layers of lady fingers in the cake dish spread with remaining cream. Sprinkle some cocoa powder on the top of the cream. Set the cake dish into the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Enjoy!

If this dessert is created for kids, sub the Marsala wine with just the coffee.

Coconut Balls Cookies
For those wanting a great dessert cookie to go with your Italian Coffee or supper, Coconut ball cookies are extremely flavorful and very easy to make. Below is the recipe.

Ingredients to Use:
- 3 large eggs
- About 3 cups of shredded coconut (packaged is fine)
- 3 cups of graham crackers
- 1.5 cups of sugar
- 1/3 cup of cocoa

Preparation:
To prepare this tasty Italian dessert recipe, combine together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Make sure they are well blended. Add in your 3 eggs. It is best to add each egg in one at a time and stir well before adding the next in. Now add the 1/3 cup of cocoa, shredded coconut and graham crackers. Before adding the graham crackers make sure they are crushed. Mix all ingredients well and shape them into small balls. Once shaped, refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. Many people also might want to add a little rum, generally a recipe such as the one we've listed requires about 1 to 3 tablespoons of rum.

Christine Steendahl - "The Menu Mom" offers affordable menu planning services for families. Get a copy of her easy low-fat Tiramisu Recipe here. http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/easy-tiramisu-recipe.htm Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Steendahl

Italian Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Appetizer

Italian prosciutto and cantaloupe appetizer is an easy and delightful beginning to any meal. The delicate salty flavor of prosciutto balances the sweet and juicy cantaloupe to create a taste pleasing appetizer.

This traditional Italian antipasto often appears on the menu in fine Italian restaurants. Italian prosciutto and cantaloupe can even be found in cafes around Rome and other hot spots in Italy.

Try serving Italian prosciutto and cantaloupe attractively arranged the next time you have a dinner party and then sit back and relax. You will be delightfully surprised at all the compliments that will follow your presentation.

Ripe cantaloupe
Prosciutto sliced very thin
Black pepper

Chill the melon, cut it into halves and remove the seeds. Slice the melon into ¾ inch wide slices. Run your knife along the bottom of the flesh close to the rind, being careful not to remove the rind. Leave a small amount of the rind at the end of the slice attached to the flesh. This will allow for an appealing presentation.

Drape 2 wide, very thin slices of prosciutto at an angle over each slice of melon. Allow some of the melon to show through the prosciutto. Grind a small amount of black pepper over top and serve chilled.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shauna_Hanus

Italian Bagel Chips

Italian bagel chips takes plain bagels and making them into something special. Add some wonderful seasoning and what seemed old and boring before has a whole new lift to it. Use these chips with a variety of dips and you'll please even the pickiest of eaters.

What you'll need:
- 6 plain bagels (thinly sliced)
- 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 glove garlic (minced)
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 Tbsp freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Next place bagel slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Make sure you don't double the slices up on the backing sheets, they won't bake properly. If needed, bake the bagel slices in batches.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the bagel slices and top with a little sprinkling of the cheese.

All that's left is to bake these yummy Italian bagel chips for 15 to 20 minutes or until they become crisp and turn a golden brown color and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. I like to cool them on cookie racks. You can serve them warm or make them ahead of time and store them in an airtight container.

This recipe makes 60 to 120 chips. Make more than you think you'll need as they disappear fast!

A wonderful dip to try with these bagel chips is Gouda Cheese Onion Dip.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

For more great chip recipes and other types of appetizers and appetizer meals, visit http://www.easy-appetizer-recipes.com.

Sara Gray is an avid lover of appetizers and has created a great website called Easy Appetizer Recipes found at http://www.easy-appetizer-recipes.com where you can find delicious ideas for all kinds of appetizers, raclette grilling, tapas small plates, snacks, chips and dip recipes and soups. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sara_Gray

Fire Cracker Italian Sausage Pasta

You will find that this recipe is very easy to make. And you can prep all of your ingredients in advance. Perfect for the busy mom on the go. Once you have all your troops ready for dinner, you can toss it all together in a matter of minutes.

This is a recipe that is a huge hit with my entire family. Even my picky toddlers!

Fire Cracker Italian Sausage Pasta

Recipe

1 pound uncooked wheat pasta (be sure to use a fun shape)
1 large zucchini - sliced
1/2 cup red onion - sliced
3 T fresh garlic - chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Italian sausage links - sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup green onions
Salt and Pepper

Preparation

Pasta:

Cook pasta according to package. Drain. Set aside.

Italian Sausage:

Cook Italian Sausage until done. Set aside until it is cool enough to touch. Slice into bite size pieces.

Herbs & Vegetables:

Zucchini - wash, slice into bit size pieces
Red Onion - peal, slice
Fresh Garlic - peal, chop
Frozen Peas - soak in warm water until no longer frozen, drain, set aside
Fresh Basil - wash, chiffonade (see tip below)
Green Onions - wash, slice into small pieces

Instructions

Heat a pan large enough for all of the above ingredients. I tend to use the stock pot I boiled my pasta in. Throw in 2 T. olive oil, zucchini, red onions, garlic, and Italian sausage. Sauté until zucchini is tender.

Once tender, toss in all of your herbs and vegetables, and the remaining olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Tips from Chef Bek:

White pasta can be substituted for wheat.

Dried basil can be substituted for fresh. (when using fresh herbs in a recipe, use 3 times as much as you would use of a dried herb)

Chicken broth can be substituted for the oil which goes into the pasta once tossed.

Cooking spray can be substituted for the oil you sauté your vegetables with.

Turkey sausage is a great substitute for pork Italian sausage.

Basil Tip:Chiffonade - To slice an herb or leafy vegetable into thin strands. Best way to accomplish is by stacking herb directly on top of each other, then rolling the leaves and slicing.

Bek Davis is a trained chef and a work at home mom. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, and mom resources on her highly recommended websites: http://modernmomnetwork.com and http://www.iwebdesigns.org. Use this article on your website or ezine! You MUST include the following: Bek Davis is a trained chef and a work at home mom. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, and mom resources on her highly recommended websites: http://modernmomnetwork.com and http://www.iwebdesigns.org. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bek_Davis

Cooking with Italian Pasta - The Well Stocked Pantry

Pasta and a quickly whipped sauce make a nourishing and satisfying meal. Having pasta and a few choice ingredients always at hand makes one good to go. Available fresh or dried, in all sort of shapes, sizes and colors, storing pasta and the pantry items listed below leads to a dinner ready in no time at all; adding a little culinary imagination, even a great dinner. No need to keep all the ingredients in the list, stocking only one or two of the cheeses as staple will do, for instance, buying any of the others as needed.

A well-stocked pantry means there is no end to what one can do with pasta.

CHEESES FOR PASTA

When purchasing hard cheese such as Parmesan, demand a slice cut from the whole cheese instead of picking out a ready-cut piece packed in plastic. Wrap the cheese in kitchen foil and keep in the fridge. Store fresh and soft cheeses sealed in airtight containers in the fridge.

Mozzarella - This creamy, mild cheese melts well for a pasta topping. Once opened, it will keep for 2-3 days refrigerated in brine.

Pecorino Romano - A hard cheese made from sheep's milk, this is similar to Parmesan, but has a more incisive flavor.

Ricotta - Often used as the basis for pasta fillings, ricotta is a young, soft cheese with a slightly tangy flavor.

Fontina - A semi-hard cheese with a taste reminding of smoking wood, fontina softens easily and blends into sauces.

Gorgonzola - This is the Italian version of blue cheese, with a pungent flavor.

Grana Padano - This is a semi-hard Italian cheese with a grainy texture, made from cow's milk and similar to Parmesan.

Mascarpone - A smooth, double cream, dessert cheese, use it for a pasta-based pudding.

Parmigiano Reggiano - Another semi-hard, granular cheese, with a strong taste, excellent grated on top of pasta. Incidentally, this is the cheese known as Parmesan; Parmigiano Reggiano is the rightful name.

CONDIMENTS

Anchovies - For sale packed in oil, or whole, salted, in which case you should rinse, fillet and pack them in oil. Always keep in the fridge.

Capers - Use capers for sauces, pizza toppings, and to flavor stews. Capers are best added toward the end of the cooking time because heat deepens their flavor and the salty impression they make.

Ham, bacon or pancetta - Numerous pasta recipes demand an amount of ham, bacon of pancetta, often diced or cut into strips and sautéed. Parma is one of the many Italian hams. Pancetta is an Italian type of bacon cured like ham.

Olives - Olives packed in oil or vinegar can stay at room temperature. Transfer to another container and refrigerate canned olives after opening.

Pine kernels - Toast pine kernels to heighten their flavor and make them crunchier. Use them for sauces, whole or ground -as in pesto.

Blend pureed olives and olive oil to make an easy pasta sauce. Prepare a slightly more complex one by mixing anchovies, olives and capers.

Eggs - Fresh eggs make an instant sauce such as carbonara.

HERBS

No need to say fresh herbs have the best flavor. If using dried herbs, those with whole leaves are better than the ones with chopped leaves. Dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh ones; use only half the amount.

Basil - The tingly flavor of basil is complementary for any tomato-based dishes.

Marjoram - This herb is similar to oregano -many would say superior- but with a more delicate flavor and aroma, an ideal to condiment pasta salads.

Oregano - An herb with a piquant taste well preserved when dried, oregano is often used to flavor pasta and pizza dishes.

Parsley - Parsley imparts a distinctive flavor and aroma and it is a ready available garnish.

Sage - Pasta sauces improve with the delicate flavor of recently chopped sage.

Thyme - Remove sprigs before serving. Fresh or dried leaves make a pungent seasoning.

OIL

Olive oil - Consider olive oil the first option for pasta dishes, as a condiment on its own or as an ingredient in marinades or sauces. Choose extra-virgin olive oil, the unrefined oil produced from the first cold pressing of the olives.

SPICES

Nutmeg - A little grated nutmeg contributes to give a distinctive flavor to milk based sauces.

Pepper, black or white - Black pepper is more pungent than white.

Saffron - Available in strands or ground, saffron provides color and flavor. Best used in risottos and with meat or fish dishes.

VEGETABLES

Garlic - Red skinned for more flavor. Fry garlic gently as it scorches easily and acquires an acrid taste.

Onions - Choose common yellow onions for a stronger taste.

Spinach - Mix with ricotta cheese for a creamy pasta filling. Cook, drain and squeeze thoroughly to remove all excess moisture.

Tomatoes - Fresh or preserved in one of the many ways, are a vital ingredient in many pasta dishes. Needless to mention outdoor grown, sun-ripened tomatoes have the best taste, but we do it anyway.

* Common tomatoes - Whole or diced for pasta salads or as garnish. Peel, seed and chop for soups and sauces.

* Plum tomatoes - They have fewer seeds, plenty of juice and excellent flavor, ideal for sauces.

* Cherry tomatoes - These ones are little but pack a punch of flavor. Serve whole or halved as garnish and in pasta salads.

* Sun-dried tomatoes - Available whole or packed in oil, only a tiny amount needed as they have plenty of taste, use dried or re-hydrated.

* Tomato puree - Find it in a tube -close again after using a small amount- or canned, in which case go for double concentrate puree for best flavor.

* Chopped canned tomatoes - Press through a sieve and you have an instant passata sauce.

* Tomatoes canned whole - Usually plum tomatoes, use for sauces.

VINEGAR

Balsamic vinegar - Delicious, however, true balsamic vinegar is aged for several years and it is very expensive. There are cheaper, younger versions. Use for pasta salads and to add zing to sauces.

FOR HOMEMADE PASTA

Flour - Use strong white flour or unbleached plain flour. Same amounts of white and wholegrain flour would add fiber and produce healthier dough.

Eggs - Use the freshest eggs possible for homemade pasta. Store eggs in the fridge but bring back to room temperature prior to making the dough.

Beet - To color alimentary pasta dough pink or dark wine-color, add pureed cooked beet.

Red peppers - Roasted red peppers, skinned and pureed, will give flavor and red color to pasta dough.

Spinach - Use it to color and flavor homemade pasta dough green. Fresh leaves or frozen chopped ones, both are good.

Anne Ehmer is passionate about food. Non-stop traveling between Europe and United States has somehow afforded Anne time to develop her unique skills in cooking. Her stimulating ideas and recipes are registered at all-foods-natural.com and world-food-and-wine.com

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Sicily's Great Eggplant - Tomato Stew

I ran into a friend yesterday, who tells me that he should be harvesting eggplants from his garden any day now. Of course, this got me thinking about Caponata, the famous Sicilian eggplant and tomato stew.

This is a terrific 'contorno', vegetable course, and also a great topping for 'bruschetta', Tuscany’s grilled bread. Of course it's one of the quintessential Italian antipasti too. And when you can walk into your own garden and harvest the vegetables to put it together, Caponata becomes all the more magical.

Italians have a particular fondness for 'le primizie', the smallest of the first crop of vegetables. So if you have access to a garden—either your own or a friend's—or if you can get to a farm stand, now is the time for you to be thinking about caponata too.

The recipe below is excerpted from my first cookbook, "La Cucina dei Poveri."

My Grandmother's Caponata

When the garden was in full swing during the summer, Noonie (my grandmother) would harvest—well, more accurately, she would direct Pop (my grandfather) to harvest some eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers for this delicious antipasto that she referred to as 'Caponatina. My recollections fail as to how she served it, but I’m betting that it was over a piece of Italian bread that Pop had fried in olive oil.

Nowadays, I serve it over bruschetta made from some good Tuscan bread which—I’m happy to report—seems to be turning up more and more frequently at supermarket bakeries.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. Olive oil
• 2 Cloves garlic, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 1 Medium onion, peeled, and chopped
• 1 Medium eggplant (approximately 1 1/4 Lb.) cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 Medium bell peppers
• 1/4 Lb. Green olives, pits removed
• 1 Tbs. Capers
• 1 Cup Italian plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 1/4Cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 Cup raisins
• 2 Tbs. Fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic just begins to give off its aroma—perhaps a minute or two. Add the onion and sauté for about five minutes, until it becomes translucent.

Add the eggplant and sauté for about five minutes or until it begins to soften, but still has plenty of texture. Add the peppers, olives, and capers and sauté until the peppers become tender. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking to incorporate the tomatoes with the other ingredients and to begin to form a sauce.

Add the sugar, spreading it evenly over the pan, then the vinegar, raisins, mint, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to blend all the ingredients, then remove from the heat.

Italians typically serve Caponata at room temperature.

Serves four to six.

About The Author Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: "La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents," and "Almost Italian: Recipes from America's Little Italys." He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks. http://www.skiplombardi.com or contact Mr. Lombardi at info@skiplombardi.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Skip_Lombardi

Italian Cooking - Let's Begin

Is there an Italian Chef hiding in you? If Italian cooking is one of your favorites, why not learn how to cook Italian cuisine yourself at home.

Your can find Italian cooking recipes online 24/7. You should be able to find enough recipes to prepare a different Italian cooking recipe every day of the year for many years to come. Some will be great, some will be not so great.The good news is that once you have sampled enough authentic Italian food at your favorite restaurants, you will know what is good and what isn't.

Another great free source for Italian recipes is cooking shows on TV. There are some great programs featuring professional Chefs preparing Italian cooking recipes that you can watch that will show you tips and techniques that sometimes would be hard to translate from reading the recipe.

AS with all ethnic foods, Italian food uses its own group of spices. The most popular spices used in Italian cooking are garlic, oregano, basil and thyme. Fresh spices add a really special touch to any dish, but if you can't find fresh and must used the dried spice, buy in small quantities and keep them stored in a cool, dark place, not over your stove on a rack. Dried spices do have an extended shelf life if properly stored, but they do not last forever.

You can buy cookbooks from many sources on Italian cooking. Most of them have pictures of the completed dish so that you will know what it should look like. That can be helpful if you have never seen the dish anywhere. It is usually best to follow a recipe when you first start to learn a new cuisine, but don't be afraid to start experimenting once you have the basics down.

The heart of Italian cooking is the use of ingredients that are in season. Fresh, Fresh, Fresh are the three words to remember most. These ingredients are used to transform ordinary items into works of art in the form of sauces, pastas, breads, side dishes, main dishes, soups and deserts. The possibilities are endless and exciting.

The subject of pairing pasta shapes with types of sauces in the world of Italian cooking is a fascinating subject all by itself. When you were a child in school, did your teachers ever have you experiment with a layered sandwich? You know, peanut butter on one side and jelly on the other. Take a bite with the peanut butter side down and describe the taste, then flip it and take a bite with the jelly side down and make note of the differences. It truly is amazing. Try serving a slow simmered tomato-based sauce with a perfect blend of ground veal, pork and beef and spices, the right showering of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on macaroni instead of spaghetti. A revolting development to say the least. Entire books can be written on this topic alone. It is a very important aspect of Italian cooking.

Choose the method of learning Italian cooking that suits you best and that you are most comfortable with. Don't be afraid of failures, they will be some of your best teachers. Think about the time when everyone will be asking you for your recipes because you will be the "Italian cooking expert". Now go to your kitchen, pull out that recipe, pick up that saucepan and go to work!

Katherine Baldwin is a cookbook author and caterer. Start out with my free report on what types of kitchen equipment to choose called Master Chef Secrets and sign up for my free cooking newsletter, also check out my new ebook: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Cooking. Join me at http://www.knowaboutcooking.com to begin your quest in the search for cooking knowledge where you will find over 250 free articles about cooking.

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Italian Pasta Recipe - Pipe Pasta with Eggplants

This is one of the quickest Italian pasta recipes and, as it is made with tomatoes and eggplants only, is very low on fats content!
It comes from my grandmother's cookbook and I remember that all of my family was really happy when we saw this incredible pasta for lunch or for dinner.
It's great even if your fridge is completely empty (mine often is, especially when I work a lot) and you still want to enjoy what you eat, or you discover by surprise that you have someone for dinner.

Ingredients (4 people):
320 g durum wheat pipe pasta (be careful to buy durum wheat pasta, not soft wheat one: real Italian pasta recipes need this kind of pasta!)
300 g eggplants
200 g mature tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
a bit of oregano
salt

How to do it!
Put on fire a medium-sized pot with abundant water and half a hand-cup of sea salt.
Wash eggplants, peel them and cut them into small cubes.
In a pan, put some olive oil. When it's hot, pour in the cubes.
Cut your tomatoes into big cubes and in the meantime fry eggplants adding more olive oil. Mix them well and add oregano.
Add tomato cubes, a cup of the boiling water and a bit of salt. Turn fire to its minimum and go on cooking it for 5 minutes.
When water is boiling, pour in your pasta. When it's nearly cooked, drain it and pour pasta into the pan. Mix it all for a couple of minutes and... eat!

Claudia Resta is an Italian journalist. She works for an international satellite TV and specializes in traditional Italian cooking. She has two internet websites on which she writes free Italian recipes:
http://italianpastarecipes.blogspot.com
and
http://freeitalianrecipes.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Claudia_Resta