italian recipes

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

2008-05-06T10:52:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-06T10:51:00.003-07:00

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!

2008-05-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-06T10:50:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:29:00.002-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:29:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:28:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:27:00.002-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:27:00.001-07:00

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:

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.
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.
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.
Add the shrimp and cook everything for 1 minute more, until the shrimp turn pink on one side.
Turn the shrimp, add the garlic, and cook for a few seconds, until the garlic begins to turn golden.
Add the tomatoes followed by the sauce and cook for a moment or two until all the juices in the pan blend together.
Finish with a pat of butter or two and a splash of cream if desired.

The Sauce:

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

2008-04-27T22:26:00.003-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:26:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:24:00.002-07:00

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

2008-04-27T22:24:00.001-07:00

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.

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

Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup

2008-04-26T09:09:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-26T09:08:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

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.

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

Looking for a New Dessert Idea? Try These Italian Desserts

2008-04-26T09:06:00.002-07:00

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

2008-04-26T09:06:00.001-07:00

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.

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

Italian Bagel Chips

2008-04-26T09:05:00.002-07:00

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

2008-04-26T09:05:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-26T09:04:00.001-07:00

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

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

Sicily's Great Eggplant - Tomato Stew

2008-04-26T09:03:00.001-07:00

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

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Italian Cooking - Let's Begin

2008-04-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

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

Authentic Italian Cookbooks

2008-04-23T15:18:00.004-07:00

Most Italian recipe and cookbooks are not at all authentic. You might eat some tasty meals, but they most certainly won't be anything like the cuisine of Italy.

I was amazed when I moved to Italy ten years ago to find that certain dishes like Pasta Alfredo don't even exist in Italy. Ten years later I am much the wiser.

With the help of my Italian wife I have selected some of the most wonderful books on Italian cooking. These books contain superb cooking tips, great recipes but that is not all. Much more than just recipes they also offer a window onto a wondrous world. Explore a vibrant colorful country, a country where food is an essential part of the Italian way of life. These books leave you not only hungry and with a desire to start cooking, they also leave you with a hunger to journey to the villages, markets and country towns so lovingly portrayed.

This article focuses on one of my favorites:

A Passion for Piedmont: Italy's Most Glorious Regional Table

An absolutely beautiful book, the author is both poet and cook, brilliantly evoking atmosphere and sharing Piedmont's great recipes and food. Piedmont is little known outside of Italy but is as beautiful as Tuscany and the cuisine is far superior. The photos in this book are exceptional and together with the passionate writing of the author they will have you longing to follow in her footsteps.

For the other essential Italian food books you can wait for my next article or visit:

http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-food-books.html

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Italian Lamb Stew Recipe

2008-04-23T15:18:00.003-07:00

Simple, no-effort dishes, with clear uncomplicated flavours are called for after all the rich Christmas feasting. I went looking for a recipe to cook some good Karoo lamb shoulder chops. Grilling would have toughened them, so some slow cooking was required. Revisiting my Marcella Hazan cook books, I found a couple of straightforward recipes that sounded good and put them both together. The result was delicious, an intense flavour that took me straight back to a country restaurant in Italy, where they know how to get the best from their ingredients without over-embellishing them. The meat is browned in oil with garlic and rosemary, half a cup of white wine is poured over, then it is left to cook slowly for an hour and a half. You end up with tender meat and the exquisitely flavoured, reduced juices to drizzle over it. Make some potatoes, cubed and roasted in olive oil to accompany it, some salad and a perfect Sunday lunch fit for a king is yours for very little effort.

Italian Lamb Stew Recipe

You can use most cuts of lamb for this recipe, from large hunks on the bone, to chops, to boneless cubes for stewing - the only difference is the amount of cooking time needed to make the lamb tender. For large pieces about two hours, smaller pieces 1 – 1 ½ hours should be enough, but check for tenderness – the meat should start coming away from the bone easily.

750g-900g (1 ¾ - 2lb) lamb
4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
125ml/ ½ cup dry white wine
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, to which you have a lid, over a medium-high heat. Put in the lamb, garlic and rosemary and brown the lamb on all sides. (Don’t let the garlic darken too much). Once the lamb is nicely browned, add salt and freshly ground pepper then pour over all the wine. Let the wine bubble and turn the meat over in it a couple of times, then turn down the heat and put on the lid. Cook at a gentle simmer for 1-2 hours depending on the size of the meat pieces. Turn the meat once or twice during this time. If all the liquid has evaporated before the end of the cooking time, add two tablespoons of water. Once the lamb feels tender when you pierce it with a fork, take it out on to a warm serving dish. Draw off most of the fat with a spoon. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, turn up the heat and let it bubble to reduce. If there is hardly any, add a couple of tablespoons of water and scrape up the cooking residue to make a delicious gravy. Pour this over the lamb and serve immediately.

There are lots of variations on this basic recipe. If you ever tire of this simple version, try adding one of the following:

450g/1lb fresh French/green beans topped and tailed and added after the wine has bubbled, before you turn the heat down. 225g/8oz tinned tomatoes with their juice, added after the wine has bubbled, before you turn the heat down. 1 red pepper peeled, de-seeded and cut into thin strips added to the lamb near the end of its cooking time

After the holiday season of too much rich food and complex flavours this was the breath of fresh air I was looking for - simple and straightforward but satisfying. My mouth is still watering at the memory!

Kit Heathcock - worked and travelled in Italy for many years, is passionate about food and loves being a fulltime mother. Co-creator of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures, Food and Family and Great Books Reviewed

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Cooking Recipe - Do You Fancy A Tasty Italian Meatballs On Spaghetti Recipe?

2008-04-23T15:18:00.001-07:00

Are you bored with preparing the same old meals week in and week out? Well here is a recipe for Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti. It's delicious, it looks good, it smells good and it tastes great. It will delight you and any guests you have invited around for a meal. The whole meal is inexpensive to make, it only takes a few minutes to prepare and the cooking only takes up to an hour. Let me first tell you about the pasta itself.

A good tip to get pasta the right texture is to remove a small piece from the saucepan and test it between your front teeth. It should be tender but still firm to the bite. Never simmer pasta but boil it in slightly salted water quite vigorously until it softens.

Then test it with your teeth after a few minutes. Always make the pasta towards the end when preparing this recipe. Do not leave pasta standing because it goes tough and unpleasant.

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 slices of thick bread (cut off the crusts)
2 table spoons of olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 large tin of chopped tomatoes
8 basil leaves
3 table spoons of tomato puree
1lb of lean minced beef
1 table spoons of sugar
2 eggs
1 table spoons of fresh parsley chopped
1 table spoons of fresh basil chopped
12oz of dried spaghetti
salt and pepper
fresh grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over when serving

Method

Place the bread in a dish and soak with water. The water should just cover the bread and leave it for about 5 minutes, then drain off the excess water and squeeze the bread to remove all the liquid. Heat in a saucepan the olive oil, add the onion and half the garlic and occasionally stir while gently cooking over a medium heat. Add the tomatoes plus juice, basil leaves, tomato puree and sugar and then season with salt and pepper.

Bring to boil all the contents then reduce the heat to a simmer. After about 20 minutes this should reduce to a thickened and pulpy mixture. Using a large mixing bowl put in the bread, minced beef, eggs, parsley, basil and remaining garlic. Mix them all together using your hands and add a little salt to taste.

When this is done, make little balls of the mixture. Drop them into the saucepan containing your tomato sauce. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes. About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve your dish, boil some slightly salted water in a saucepan. Add the spaghetti. Boil for 10 minutes and test. Once it is ready, drain it well.

Put the spaghetti into a large shallow bowl. Place your meatballs on top. Gently pour the sauce over the meatballs and the spaghetti. Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and serve. If you find Parmesan a little strong, use a milder cheese of your own choice.

A nice green salad is highly recommended with this recipe. And don't forget a generous helping of a quality olive oil which goes well with any salad or cooking recipe in my opinion. To accompany this meal have a glass of red wine. Enjoy.

Find more exciting healthy recipes and diet information, free: http://www.CookingRecipe-DietEating.com

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Party Italian Sausage Balls

2008-04-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

3-cups Bisquick® Mix
1-pound Owens® hot bulk pork sausage
2-tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2-cup Milk
5-cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese (don't use the powdered cheese - fresh grated is best)

Marina sauce for dipping if desired

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray bottom and sides of 9 x 13 pans with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together and shape into 1 inch balls placing on sprayed pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove immediately from pan and serve warm with dipping sauce.

Note: This recipe can be made ahead 24 hours, covered and refrigerated or can be frozen up to one month.

This recipe makes approximately 8 dozen balls.

Every time I make these they are gone first and well before any of the rest of the food in the room and it doesn't matter if its a holiday with family or a party with family, friends and strangers they are a huge hit. I have a recipe book coming out in March of 2008 and it is all recipes for sausage balls. I love the sausage balls because they are such a huge hit, you can make them ahead and freeze them. The great thing about freezing them is you can cook them all at a later time or cook just a few here and there when you want or need them. Another fantastic thing about these wonderful sausage balls is they are so easy to transport to other party's and functions. When I hold a seminar or meeting for work I make sausage balls and take. I take a couple of different recipes and one of them is always sweet which replaces the doughnuts that a lot of us like.

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. Check out Cristie's books at http://www.cristiescookin.com and check out Cristie's designer handbags at http://www.gotlouisvuittonreplicas.com

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Entree Italian Osso Bucco-Recipe

2008-04-23T15:16:00.002-07:00

Osso Bucco

3 ½ to 4 lbs veal shanks ( I serve one shank per person. If the cost is high you can cook down the meat and separate it from the bone.)
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs olive oil
2 oz diced salt pork
¼ Cup butter, melted
½ lb diced and peeled onions
1 large clove garlic, mashed
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 bay leaves, remove before serving
¾ Cup dry white wine
2 Tbs finely chopped carrot
½ stalk celery minced
8 to 10 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 Cup canned chopped tomatoes (I have used fresh tomatoes, but I find that the canned are constantly good in taste and the liquid is always welcomed in the sauce)
1 Tbs tomato paste
½ Cup warm water

Dredge the veal in flour and shake off any excess. Heat olive oil, salt pork and butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the onion and brown. When the onions are browned add the veal and garlic. Brown on all sides for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir and brown for about for about 10 minutes longer. Add bay leaves, wine, carrot, celery, parsley, and tomatoes. Stir tomato paste with the warm water until well blended and then add that to the mixture. Stir and simmer covered for about 40 minutes. ( I tend to let this simmer longer on my stove. This serves two purposes, one makes the meat extremely tender and two fills the house with wonderful aromas.)

Serve over Ravioli ( I use fresh over sized store bought ravioli. I have made my own, but I find that the store bought is good quality and much simpler. If you would like a recipe for homemade ravioli please send a request to recipes@gourmayeats.com )

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How to Keep Spaghetti From Falling Through the Grill

2008-04-23T15:16:00.001-07:00

Now that I got your attention lets talk about some Great Italian Grilling to start off the Summer. Unfortunately it does not include grilled spaghetti though spaghetti squash is always an option. This is the time of the year when we abandon the kitchen for the great outdoors. It’s time to get that rustic feeling deep down inside when you grab a piece of meat or fish and throw it on an open flame.

Cooking Italian food in your kitchen is one thing but, cooking Italian food on the grill adds a whole other dimension of flavor. Italian food like many other Mediterranean foods got it’s start on an open flame. Italians from Sicily to Rome grill seafood on a regular basis. So there is no reason why you should not give it a try. It’s simple and uncomplicated just as long as you follow a few easy steps. First make sure your grill is lightly coated with oil before placing any fish on the grill. This will avoid sticking and having your fish fall apart when you try to turn it over. Second make sure your grill is nice and hot before you begin.

Here’s an easy seafood recipe for Grilled Scallops with Vegetables over a nice plate of angel hair pasta for you to start off with. If you feel it’s to much trouble to fire up a grill for a few scallops then by all means throw on a couple of t-bones instead.

Yes you will have to go back into your kitchen to make the pasta and a little aglio e olio sauce but it’s worth it.

8 medium sized sea scallops

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp of dried oregano

1 small red onion, cut into half inch slices

6 asparagus spears, peeled

1 small zucchini, sliced thin

2 large Portabello mushrooms

3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

2 Tbls of butter

Juice of one lemon

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

1 pound of angel hair pasta

1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped

PREPARATION

Wash the scallops and blot dry with a paper towel.

Place the scallops in a large plastic bag.

Pour in 1/4 cup of olive oil, 3 cloves of the chopped garlic, and the oregano and refrigerate for around 4 hours.

Remove the scallops and string them on 2 metal skewers.

Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the vegetables with some of remaining 1/2 cup of oil.

Prepare your grill.

In the meantime cook the angel hair pasta in 6 quarts of boiling salted water until al dente. Around 5 minutes.

Grill the vegetables first.

The onions on indirect heat for about 8 to 10 minutes turning once halfway through.

The asparagus on direct heat for 6 to 8 minutes turning once halfway through.

The zucchini on direct heat for 6 to 8 minutes turning once halfway through.

The mushrooms on direct heat 12 to 15 minutes turning once turning once halfway through.

Cut the vegetables up into smaller pieces.

Grill the scallops on indirect heat for about 3 minutes on each side.

Plate the pasta and place the vegetables on top with the scallops.

Sauté the rest of the garlic in a small pan in the remaining oil and pour over pasta.

Squeeze the lemon all over and garnish with parsley.

I have been cooking and creating Italian dishes ever since the age of ten. My passion and love for Italian food is never ending. Stay tuned for my Grilled Cannelloni Bean recipe. Just kidding, but you can find more Italian Grilling Recipes at http://www.great-chicago-italian-recipes.com or in my newsletter "Shut Up and Mangia!"

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For The Love Of Italian Food – Pasta And Cauliflower Recipe

2008-04-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Mangia! Mangia! I just can’t get enough of the great taste of Italian foods. Italian pasta, pizza, pork, beef and seafood recipes are much a part of my everyday life.

Growing up Italian in Chicago has been a wonderful culinary experience to say the least. The many different restaurants and families from different regions of Italy allowed me to taste some of the most delicious food in the world.

Food always conjures up great memories. When I cook something I haven’t had in a while, it always seems to bring me back to the last time and place I did have it. I think it’s the closest thing to a “time machine” we’ll ever experience.

Years ago at every family gathering my Grandmother Theresa made a simple dish of pasta and cauliflower. Oh how we craved for this dish after she was gone. It was filling and delicious and you just could not get enough.

So finally one day I said I was going to try and make it. I just had to have it again. There was just no way was I going to live out the rest of my life without ever eating this dish again. Determined, I tried many times and one day I came as close as I possibly could to recreating her recipe. As we all know Grandmothers did not measure anything, so this was not an easy task.

Here’s my version of my Grandmother’s recipe. I hope you an your family enjoy it as much as mine does

Grandma Theresa’s Pasta and Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 pound box of mostaccioli or rotini

2 medium size heads of cauliflower

3 or 4 cloves of garlic chopped

3 or 4 bunches of long green onions chopped

1 stick of butter

2 Tbls of vegetable oil

1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Clean and cut cauliflower into bite size pieces.

Boil cauliflower in around 6 quarts of water until tender.

In a large frying pan sauté onions and garlic in ½ stick of butter and oil for about 5 minutes.

Add ½ cup of bread crumbs and sauté until slightly brown.

With a slotted spoon remove cauliflower and add to the breadcrumb mixture. Do not throw away the cauliflower water.

Cook the pasta in the cauliflower water until al dente. Around ten minutes.

Add remaining butter and breadcrumb to the cauliflower mixture.

Add around a cup of cauliflower water to the mixture to moisten.

Stir and cook for around 15 minutes more.

Mix the pasta and cauliflower together.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and your ready to eat.

I hope this recipe makes many memories for your family and friends.

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 for more family favorites.

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

The Best Italian Cook Books?

2008-04-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Which is the best authentic Italian cook book? This is a question I am asked a lot. I have lived in Italy for ten years and many of my family and friends living in the USA, Australia and the UK have in the past asked me for advice as to which Italian cookbooks give you a real "taste" of Italy.

English language "Italian cookbooks" are everywhere but in my opinion very few have much in common with genuine authentic Italian cuisine. My wife, who is Italian and an excellent chef, is in full agreement.

There are some notable exceptions however and I hope to be able to present these in a short series of articles. The books I have selected fall into four categories. The first category is devoted to those books that give an overview of Italian cooking and feature recipes from all the regions of Italy. The other three categories focus on some of the lesser known but exceptional gourmet regions of Italy.

Well let's get on with the first of my picks:

Cucina of Le Marche: A Chef's Treasury of Recipes from Italy's Last Culinary Frontier

Le Marche has very few good English language cookbooks focusing on the cuisine of the region. This is the best; the author is a native of Le Marche and is an award winning chef. The recipes are 100% authentic. A refreshingly unpretentious book by a chef who will no doubt become a lot more famous in years to come.

For the other essential Italian food books you can wait for my next article or visit:

http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-food-books.html

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

A Classic Italian Pizza Recipe From Storecupboard Ingredients

2008-04-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

When I asked my son what was his favourite food, his immediate answer was "mums homemade pizza". In fact, this was the meal that I most often used to "throw together" whenever my children had friends unexpectedly join us for a meal.

Whilst Elizabeth David was probably the one to popularise Italian cooking in the mid-1950's, the person who really inspired me to try it for myself was Antonio Carluccio who wrote with real passion about the food of his homeland.

Here's a simple pizza recipe that everyone will love - though few may associate it with the versions that you find in the freezer cabinet at the supermarket.

Traditional Italian Pizza (Neopolitan style)

Ingredients

500g Bread Mix (Ciabatta or Mixed Grain are my personal preferences)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1 can chopped tomatoes
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
4 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin if you have it)

Putting this pizza together takes around 20-25 minutes, including preparing the topping.

Preheat oven to 220C, GM8
Prepare the bread mix, as per packet instructions
Heat the oil in a saucepan
Add the crushed garlic and fry gently for just a few seconds (do not overcook or it can become bitter)
Add the can of chopped tomatoes, reserving some of the liquid
Cover & simmer for 15-20 minutes
If you make this topping ahead of time, the flavours get even better
Season
Grease a baking tray with oil
Spread out the prepared dough, right to the edges of the tray
Spoon out the tomato mix over the dough, as close to the edges as you can
Sprinkle with the oregano and drizzle with the remaining oil
Bake in hot oven for 10-15 minutes
Serve hot!

If you love cheese or pepperoni you can add them on top, but it really isn't necessary, the flavours in this are lovely and fresh all on their own.

This is a great storecupboard recipe that can be quickly prepared with a minimum of ingredients - great whenever you have unexpected guest join you for a meal.

About the Author

Jen regularly travels to France and enjoys the great cuisine and cakes there.

For further ideas for Italian recipes and recipes from neighbouring France , visit Worldwide Recipes.

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

Cooking and Recipes Online

2008-04-22T13:35:00.003-07:00

Whether you are looking for some new recipes or having some question concerning cooking or food, the Internet is the right place. There are an uncountable number of websites related to cooking, food and recipes. You find general cooking or recipes websites, you can also find websites specialized in a specific type of food or ingredient, and you still find the cooking forums.

To find these websites is very easy – you just have to do a search at Google, Yahoo, MSN or another search engine that you prefer. By typing in, for instance, ‘Italian recipes’ you will get a countless number of websites that provide Italian recipes. Not to forget that you can search for a specific type of cuisine (‘Chinese’, ‘German’, ‘American’, etc.) as well as for a specific ingredient (‘chicken recipes’, ‘lobster recipes’, ‘rosemary recipes’, etc.) or cooking method (for instance, ‘grilling recipes’). You can see on the right side or on the bottom of the search engine page related terms that you can search for when you type in a more generic term, like ‘shrimp recipes’. Another tip is to use quotation marks (“ “) if you want to find a precise recipe or information (example: "Brazilian Coconut Shrimp"). Well, once you get the search results you just have to browse and look for the website that provides the recipes or information that you are looking for. And once you find a website that you like very much, don´t forget to bookmark it so you can always go back to it.

Another option is a directory, where you can browse through categories to find cooking and recipe websites. Usually recipes and food related websites can be found under the category Home Cooking – where you usually will find many sub-categories. The best known directory is the Dmoz.org.

Then we have the cooking forums. Cooking forum is a great place to get help with cooking or recipe questions, to discuss cooking methods and techniques, and to exchange food information, recipes, tips, and advice. The great advantage of forums is that they are made by real people with real experiences, interest, doubts, and feelings. You may check the forum Discusscooking.com. Another tip is the food site Grouprecipes.com - there you can create your own food page and organize your recipes, and of course discover new recipes and get in contact with many food and cooking lovers.

Well, as you can see the Internet is a wonderful resource to get recipes, food and cooking information. And the best of all is that it is for free – and if it is not, just search further that you will surely find information for free.

Come to my site to find free seafood recipes at http://www.weloveseafood.com

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

Translation of Italian Recipes: Localization?

2008-04-22T13:35:00.001-07:00

Translation - Translation is mostly about the conversion of a document from one language to another. The document is kept as it was originally intended and written, therefore having the same meaning.

Localization - Then translation may involve localization. This is when the translation is completed ‘and’ adjusted for the target audience. The meaning remains.

Now let’s talk about Italian food. Generally when I want to try an Italian recipe, I look for a version from where the recipe is from. Why? Because recipes get localized too!

The Italian people keep to strict recipes. They also know that certain regions of the country are best for certain foods. For instance Naples for Pizza and Genoa for Focaccia.

So why do any recipes get localised?

4 Reasons for Recipe Localization

1) To meet the tastes of the new market – The original blend of flavours is not quite to the tastes of the country where it has been adopted.

2) Unable to find the ingredients – Maybe the ingredients just do not exist in the new country. Or maybe they are prohibitively expensive.

3) Unable to obtain the ingredients with the same flavours – The meat is not as salty perhaps?

4) Time – Let’s face it; people are always looking for ways to make things faster and easier.

Italian recipes are not designed to be speeded up. The pasta should often be ‘al dente’ not stodgy like in a Pizza Hut. Italian food is generally a few simple ‘good quality’ ingredients. It’s the quality of those ingredients, the ability of the chef and of course the pallet of the consumer that make the difference.

For me, the localization of recipes should only be carried out if you are unable to find the ingredients required and then it becomes a different dish. The Indian dish ‘Chicken Tikka Marsala’ is a good example. It was created from the available ingredients 25 years ago in Birmingham. Not a localization of an existing dish. Ironically, the dish can now be found in restaurants in India.

I believe that recipe translation is all that is generally required. So the next time you are searching the web for a recipe, please consider whether you want to search a little harder and try the real recipe.

For more information visit http://www.axistranslations.com

The author has worked internationally for many years and is now co-owner of the translation and interpreting agency Axis Translations where you can find assistance with a wide range of language matters. His interests include all things Italian, especially the food. For more information visit http://www.axistranslations.com

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

Italian Recipes That Say Come Again

2008-04-22T13:34:00.003-07:00

This article tells you some great unique recipes from Italy.

-Great Meat Sauce with Spaghetti

-You will need a 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef.
-2 jars of pasta sauce (any kind is good)
-1 1/2 white or yellow onions (small diced)
-1 teaspoon of oil (corn oil or olive oil)
-1/2 teaspoon of salt
-some pepper
-spaghetti or any pasta you like
-Parmesano cheese grated
-fresh sweet basil

First saute the ground beef with the oil and finely diced onion salt and pepper until there is no more red in the meat.Add the pasta sauce and 1 half of jar of water from the pasta sauce jar. Add sweet basil leaves. And cook about 35 to 40 minutes stirring often.

Meanwhile put to boil a quart of water in large pan and add some salt about almost 1 tablespoon. Add pasta when water boils. Cook as directed but don't cook too long because you will want you're pasta cooked right not too soft. Taste to see. When it's done add cool water to pasta water about 2 cups to stop the cooking process and stir and drain. Mix the meat sauce to the pasta and serve. Sprinkle with grated parmesano cheese. And there you have it. A spaghetti/pasta dinner to remember!

Country Style Pork Spare Ribs:

-Pork spare ribs with little bone and meaty.
-salt & pepper
-1 can of tomatoe sauce or some barbecue sauce.
-1 cup of wine (any kind)

Cook the spare ribs in a large baking pan with salt & pepper to taste. Temperature must be 350 degrees in oven. After a half an hour add tomato sauce (like contadina is optional) Or brush on your favorite barbecue sauce over spare ribs. Cook until tender and before they are done add the cup of wine. Cook a couple of minutes more. And take them out of oven and let them stand for 15 minutes. Served best with corn or potatoes.

Breaded Meat Country Style:

-Cube steaks
-bread crumbs seasoned or plain
-parsley fresh or dried parsley seasoning
-1 clove of garlic
-3 tablespoons corn oil
-grated parmesano cheese
-a dash of salt & pepper
-2 eggs

In a bowl combine the bread crumbs add parsley salt & pepper to taste, the garlic crushed & parmesano cheese.

In a separate bowl beat eggs.

Meanwhile put about 3 tablespoons of corn oil on medium heat in a skillet. Dip the steak one at a time into the egg mixture and then in the bread crumb mixture and when oil is hot add the breaded steak into oil and fry and turn over and cook on both sides until they are golden brown. You don't want to cook them too much just until they are cooked with no more red in the meat.

And serve with potatoes or rice this dish is sure to please.

These are the 3 Best Recipes. Try these recipes I'm sure you'll love 'em.

Written by Frangesca D'Antoni
I like cooking. I live with my husband which I've been with 7 years now. We are both Italian. And enjoy rides at the beach. And a good car. And a good cup of tea after a long day.

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

Italian Dessert Cannoli Recipe

2008-04-22T13:34:00.001-07:00

Cannolis are a great Italian dessert and they were said to have been developed by Sicilians in Palermo, Italy. These fried wafers are filled with a mixture of ricotta, candied fruit, chocolate, and other ingredients, and they are very, very tasty! Sicilians are supposed to have created this great dessert recipe, and I think that they are just delicious. I hope that this recipe is fairly easy to follow. You will need some type of dowel or metal tube that you will use to form out your cannoli shells. If you have a 3 ½ inch in diameter ring or even a 3 inch ring, you will need this to form the shape of your shells, also. You will also need a deep fryer, or a pan that is deep enough for these shells to float in oil.

Ingredients for Cannoli Shells:

3 Cups of unsifted flour
1/4 Teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
3 Tablespoon of granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon of firm butter cut into small cubes
1/4 Cup of a good Marsala wine
1-2 egg whites, whisked slightly

First thing is to sift the flour with salt, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. You will make a well in the center of your sifted flour mixture. In the middle of the well you have made you will add the egg and butter and start mixing with a fork. You will work the egg mixture with the fork from the center out, to incorporate the moist egg with the flour mixture. You will then add your Marsala wine slowly until dough begins to come together like a playdough mixture. You will then start working the dough with your hands to form the dough into a dough ball. You will then cover and let the dough rise for about 10-15 minutes.

If you have a stainless area to work on great, if not you will need a wooden cutting board. You will need to slightly dust the area you plan to work on with a small amount of flour. You will then roll out the dough into 1/4 inch thickness. You will then use your 3 ½ rings and cut the cannoli shell circles. You will then use a rolling pin to roll the circles into oblongs or ovals. You will then take your dowels or tubes and wrap the dough around cannoli forms. You will then whisk your egg white, and seal your dough edges by using a brush or very clean hands if you have no brush. You will then roll up ever so slightly the ends so they will have a very faint lip or ring on the edge of the cooked product.

At some point when you are ready to get your shells into the oil to start cooking them you will heat your oil to around 350 degrees. Once it is at the proper temperature you will begin to fry two, or three at a time in deep hot fat for about 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Remove with tongs to paper towels to drain, you will then let cool for about 30 seconds to one minute and then slip out cannoli form, holding shell carefully so you will not break it. Cool shells before filling. Let them hang out while you will start to make your filling.

Ingredients for the Cannoli filling:

3 lb. ricotta cheese, that has had moisture removed
2 1/2 Cup of confectioners' sugar
1/4 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate pieces or grated sweet chocolate
1/4 Cup candied cherries, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 Cup of chopped pistachio nuts
Confectioners' sugar to dust each of the finished Cannoli's maybe about 1/2 Cup

First thing you will want to do is take your ricotta and place into cheesecloth and wrap it into a ball and then you will tie a knot in the top part of the ball you have made. You will want to hold over night if possible to drain the water from the ricotta. If you have some way to hang the cheese ball in your refrigerator that would be best. You will need to have a bowl under the cheese to catch all of the moisture that will drain off of the ricotta. The shells that you have made will hole for a couple of days if you want to make these in stages. They are worth the wait, and the time taken to make these little delicacies.

First you will take the drained ricotta and get it into the bowl and work it for a minute or two to get it more pliable. You will gently start to combine the cheese, and the sugar into a mixing bowl, and fold in with a spatula until you obtain a light, airy blend of ingredients. You will start to fold in the minced candied fruit and the chocolate very gently. You will then start to spoon the cheese filling into a pastry bag, or a large Ziploc if you do not have a pastry bag. You will then twist the top into a knot to keep the filling from emerging, and fill each of the Cannoli shells, squirting the filling in from either end.

Once you have all of the shells filled you will dip the ends of the cannoli in the pistachios. You will then arrange all of the Cannolis on a platter, and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, and they're ready. If you would like to garnish you can save some of the candied cherries and place them on the center of each Cannoli after the powdered sugar has been applied. Then serve, and enjoy.

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

How To Throw The Best Italian Dinner Party Ever

2008-04-22T13:33:00.003-07:00

You walk into an Italian Restaurant - the whole experience is just wonderful - the smells, the atmosphere and hopefully when your order is delivered - the food. The background noise is all a part of the experience - it's often at a higher frequency than most restaurants but it's all part of the fun.

Why not take this same experience back to your own home and create a more intimate and less busy Italian dinner party? A dinner where people can enjoy a more leisurely dining experience within the comfort of your own home. A night where you can share your favorite Italian recipes with people who are important to you - or maybe even try out some new recipes?

Italian food never seems to lose its popularity. There's often a feeling of comfort and contentment attached to Italian food and the flavors are simply sensational. So, just how do you host a great Italian dinner party then?

1. Planning - In your planning, consider who you will invite and check the foods that they don't like or can't tolerate and set the date and time well in advance.

2. Invitations - Will you just invite your friends by sending them an email or can you do something a bit more creative with your invitation? You could attach a note to something very Italian. I saw a suggestion of sending the invitation attached to a small packet of biscotti or you could incorporate the colors of the Italian flag as the background (three vertical columns - green on the left, white in the middle and red on the left) on your invite.

3. Atmosphere - Do you want red and white checkered table cloths with chianti bottles as candle holders with wax dripping down the sides - just to give it that really authentic look? Or a plain white, red or green table cloth?

Try to get hold of some background Italian music like some opera for example. Some of Italy's best singers generally have included Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Mina and Claudio Villa.

4. Food - since Italians are renowned for taking great pleasure in their food, wine and the company of their friends dinners can often go on for hours. Italians see meals as a time to spend with family and friends instead of to gain immediate sustenance.

The number of courses served can range from three to six courses (called portate) or sometimes more courses!

You'll no doubt have some lovely smells permeating into the house before your guests arrive - you could also slowly bake some garlic bread in the oven so the smell is wafting through the house as your guests arrive. This will really let your guests know they've come to the right place!

You could start with antipasto which literally means "before the meal". This is also the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal.

Rather than hors devours offered on trays that guests enjoy before they are seated at the dinner table, antipasto is served at the table and signifies the beginning of your Italian meal together. An antipasto plate is usually placed at the center of the table. The antipasto dish doesn't even getting numbered as one of the courses.. it's just a given.

Diners are given small plates on which to place their choices. Traditional choices can include cured meats (prosciuito, mortadella, smoked ham and salami), marinated vegetables, olives, peperoni (marinated small peppers - not the meat called peperoni) along with an assortment of cheeses (like provolone, bocconicini and mozzarella).

The first course primo piatto (also referred to as simply primo) or minestra may consist of soup (minestroni perhaps?), pasta, gnocci, risotto or polenta - this should only be a small portion like a cup or so. This is a dish rich in carbohydrates.

The second or main course is called secondo piatto or piatto di mezzo which usually consists or fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are the most commonly used meat, at least in the North. The side dish is called contorno and may consist of a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu features salad along with the main course.

The first dessert which consists of cheese and fruit is called Formaggio and frutta - the cheese and fruit is usually served together.

Then it's onto Dolce - dessert such as cakes or cookies.

You should also serve coffee/espresso known as Caffè.

Finally, Digestivo or "digestives" which are liquors/liqueurs like grappa, amaro or limoncello - sometimes referred to as "coffee killer" or ammazzacaffe.

All these dishes sound great and I imagine when people see the number of courses it may seem a bit daunting but you only need serve as many courses as you choose. I have discovered a great website hosting 3000 free recipes from around the world. Under Italian, I noticed they offered 217 recipes so I'm sure you can find all you need there.

I've got a link to the webiste in my blog (no connection to me but a great resource). It's under the category recipes. http://www.dinnerpartyideas.blogspot.com/

Good luck with your Italian dinner party - Ciao!

I love good food and good wine and I love to socialize. Dinner parties give me the opportunity to indulge both my passions. I love dinner parties so much that I host a blog which provides ideas for your next dinner party.
They provide such a great way to catch up with the important people in your life.

People love to be invited to dinner parties because they can enjoy an excellent event of great food and company and all it costs usually is a bottle of wine - and maybe a taxi fare home. But it's not about the money - it's just great to be spoiled by your hosts.

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

Homemade Lasagna

2008-04-22T13:33:00.001-07:00

I have lived in Italy for ten years and I love Italian food. In fact I seem to love it more with each passing day. This lasagna recipe is one of my favorites.

Ingredients

8 oz. Italian Prosciutto, chopped

8 oz. Lasagna pasta noodles, cooked

16 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 cup Ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

1 medium onion, chopped

1 lb. lean ground beef

4 tbs. fresh basil, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced

1/4 tsp. oregano

ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbs. olive oil

fresh Basil sprigs for garnish

1) Cook pasta according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.

2) To make the sauce, in a large saucepan or cast iron skillet, over mediumhigh high heat, saute the garlic, onion and prosciutto in the olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the lean beef, oregano, a touch of black pepper and saute 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add tomatoes and basil, reduce heat and simmer sauce 35 to 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

3) Grease a 9" x 12" or larger, baking pan. Arrange a first layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of the beef and prosciutto tomato sauce, Ricotta cheese, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Add a second alternating layer of noodles, sauce and other ingredients. Repeat until pan is full ending up with a top layer of sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil

For more great Italian recipes, some delicious Italian food and useful cooking tips visit me at:

http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-recipe.html

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

Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe

2008-04-22T13:32:00.003-07:00

I will be catering several weddings this spring, so I came up with my own version of Italian wedding cookies, after many trials, and a few errors to produce a delicate buttery cookie that is made with ground nuts. There are several different types of these cookies which include the Mexican Wedding cookies, often coated with a mixture of cinnamon and confectioners' sugar. The Russian Tea Cakes which can be made with ground hazelnuts, and Italian Wedding cookies which traditionally use ground almonds. All of them are delicious, and each recipe utilizes a different proportion of butter and flour. They are a very good suprise in you mouth, delicate little cookie. I would try all different types, or versions to figure out the one you like best.

These Italian Wedding cookies are buttery, delicate, and have a wonderful flavor. This is a very easy recipe to make, and they are worth the effort put forth for every cookie and crumble left.

Italian Wedding Cookies:

1½ cups unsalted butter

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups finely ground almonds

4 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste

3 cups of sifted all purpose flour

1/3 cup confectioners sugar for dipping

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees if you have an electric oven and about 300 to 315 if you have a gas oven. Gas ovens cook much faster than an electric oven depending on the oven. If you have a convection oven I recommend turning the fan off if you can, it will burn the cookies before they are fully cooked.

First you will soften and mix the butter in a bowl, and you will sift and then add the ¾ cup confectioners sugar and salt to the butter. You will then mix the butter, and sugar with salt mixture until it is light and fluffy. You will now add the ground almonds and the vanilla bean paste. You will then add the sifted flour in until it just mixed, you do not want to over mix, or overwork the dough. The cookies will not be very light in texture if you do.

Take about one teaspoon of dough in your hand at a time, and roll it into a ball. You will then place the rolled cookie dough balls on the parchment paper or an ungreased cookie sheet if you do not have parchment paper. You will then bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes. You will want to watch the first batch fairly closely and turn halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. You want to make sure to get them cooked but not too brown. Once the cookies are done you will remove from the oven, and cool the cookies for about five minutes, and then roll in the left over confectioners sugar.

You will then hold these little delicate cookies until you are ready for service.

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

The Best Italian Pasta Books

2008-04-22T13:32:00.001-07:00

A good English language pasta book is hard to find. Sounds silly doesn't it, after all there are so many of them on the market.

Ten years of living in Italy and being married to a wonderful Italian chef (also a great lady) has helped me to realize that most of the pasta cook books on the market are not at all "authentic."

The pasta dishes in Italy are just so wonderful and so varied but so few cook books reflect this. Something is always missing or the recipes have been changed greatly from the real Italian original. To illustrate my point, did you know the Pasta Alfredo does not even exist in Italy and neither does deep pan pizza.

Well getting back on track, my wife and I have kind of developed a pet project. We have vetted a whole bunch of books to find those that truly capture the real Italian cuisine. Many of these books reflect Italian cooking in general (see the link at the bottom of the page for details) and not just pasta. But when it comes to great English language books exclusively about pasta there is one that all pasta lovers should have handy in the kitchen. No doubt you already have it if you love cooking pasta, it is a real classic. The book is: Everyday Pasta.

Very well written and presented, our edition of this book is so well used that it is now very dog-eared. The recipes are ideal for that quick dinner or light lunch. They are easy to follow, very simple and yet they are really delicious. Some are very slightly changed from the original Italian recipes but most are 100% authentic. I love the Capellini Piemontese and the Fried Zucchini but there are many many more great dishes.

Everyday Pasta will sort you out with a good deal of pasta recipes but there is so much more to Italian cooking and my next article will be about a really special book with hundreds of quite magnificent recipes.

If you would rather not wait you can visit:

http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-food-books.html

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

Free Italian Recipes - Pizza Margherita

2008-04-22T13:31:00.001-07:00

Let's talk pizza! Here's one of my best free Italian recipes, that of pizza Margherita, which is the easiest of pizzas. Using this recipe as a base, you can add whatever you want on it!

What you need (1 serving):

125 g 00 flour
1 teaspoon brewer’s yeast
1 mozzarella
canned tomatoesor tomato sauce (NO ketchup!)
water
salt
sugar
extra virgin olive oil
basil

Let's do it!
Melt yeast in two fingers of warm water, then add just a bit of sugar and 2 teaspoons of flour. Mix it all and leave it for 15-20 minutes.
Pour the remaining flour in a bowl, adding half a teaspoon of salt, then 1 teaspoon of extravirgin olive oil, and in the end the previously prepared yeast. Work it all with a wooden spoon, then pour oil on your hands and use them to mix the dough. When your knuckles leave a dent and it rises again in no more than half a minute, than the dough is ok.
Let it rest for 3 hours, covered with a cotton or linen cloth.
Pre-heat your oven at 200°. Make a dish with your dough. It should be no higher than 2 or 3 mms. Pour tomato sauce on it, making sure you leave a white border. Ease yourself with a spoon. Cut mozzarella in small cubes or thin slices and add it on the tomato sauce. Add some extravirgin olive oil (be careful: it shouldn't be too much!) and cook it in your oven.
When your pizza is ready (it should take no more than 20 minutes if the oven was pre-heaten), add some basil leaves and eat!

While it cooks, you could wonder on where this Pizza found its name...
In about 1889, Queen Margherita took an inspection tour of her Italian Kingdom. During her travels around Italy she saw many people, especially the peasants, eating this large, flat bread. Curious, the queen ordered her guards to bring her one of these Pizza breads. She summoned Chef Raffaele Esposito from his pizzeria to the royal palace and ordered him to bake a selection of pizzas for her pleasure. To honor the queen who was so beloved by her subjects, Raffaele decided to make a very special pizza just for her. He baked it topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, to represent the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. This became Queen Margherita's favorite pizza and when word got out that this was one of the queen's favorite foods, she became even more popular with the Italian people. She also started a culinary tradition, the Pizza Margherita, which lasts to this very day in Naples and has now spread throughout the world.

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

For The Love Of Lamb - Italian Lamb Stew

2008-04-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Italian cooking I love to use the word rustic quite a bit. This Italian lamb stew is just that, rustic. Hearty and delicious, you’ll have no problem filling your stomach with this one.

Just get a large pot and place it over the wood burning fireplace in your kitchen and get ready to taste one of the most delicious Italian dishes you could imagine.

You don’t have a wood burning fireplace in your kitchen? Mmmm! Well neither do I that’s why I use a large pot and my kitchen stove to make this wonderful stew.

If you have a wood burning fireplace in your kitchen then go for it. That’s about as rustic as you can get unless your outdoors.

This recipe calls for a little vino as in most of my recipes. Either it goes in the dish or it goes down my throat. .Either way is fine with me.

Also like most of my recipes, serve this Italian lamb stew with a nice fresh loaf of Italian bread.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of boneless shoulder of lamb cut in cubes

1/2 cup of flour

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic chopped

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 red onion slice thin

4 carrots peeled and cut into circles

1 red bell pepper cut into slices

5 small red potatoes unpeeled and cut in half

1 28oz can of chopped tomatoes

1 cup of beef broth

1/2 cup of red wine

Salt and pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS

Dredge lamb in flour.

In a large pot heat oil and brown lamb.

Toss in garlic and rosemary and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add carrots, potatoes, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Add broth and wine and cook around 1 and a half hours until meat is very tender.

Don’t serve this dish with any fresh Italian bread. It must be the crusty kind.

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

Free Italian Recipes - Pizza Margherita

2008-03-07T14:23:00.001-08:00

Let's talk pizza! Here's one of my best free Italian recipes, that of pizza Margherita, which is the easiest of pizzas. Using this recipe as a base, you can add whatever you want on it!

What you need (1 serving):

125 g 00 flour
1 teaspoon brewer’s yeast
1 mozzarella
canned tomatoesor tomato sauce (NO ketchup!)
water
salt
sugar
extra virgin olive oil
basil

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

The Best Italian Pasta Books

2008-03-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

A good English language pasta book is hard to find. Sounds silly doesn't it, after all there are so many of them on the market.

Ten years of living in Italy and being married to a wonderful Italian chef (also a great lady) has helped me to realize that most of the pasta cook books on the market are not at all "authentic." The pasta dishes in Italy are just so wonderful and so varied but so few cook books reflect this. Something is always missing or the recipes have been changed greatly from the real Italian original. To illustrate my point, did you know the Pasta Alfredo does not even exist in Italy and neither does deep pan pizza.

Very well written and presented, our edition of this book is so well used that it is now very dog-eared. The recipes are ideal for that quick dinner or light lunch. They are easy to follow, very simple and yet they are really delicious. Some are slightly changed from the original Italian recipes but most are 100% authentic. I love the Capellini Piedmontese and the Fried Zucchini but there are many many more great dishes.

If you would rather not wait you can visit: http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-food-books.html

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

Italian Cooking Recipes - Everything You Wanted To Know

2008-03-07T14:14:00.001-08:00

If you are looking out for some fine tasting value additions to your recipe collection, and are fond of Italian cooking, why not take the time to learn more about specialized cuisine from Italy and pick up some great new and authentic Italian cooking recipes?

You can find Italian cooking recipes in many places, beginning with the comfort of your own home, using the Internet to connect to a whole new virtual world of great and exciting cultures and cuisine contained in web sites devoted to them and world cuisine secrets! Yes, you are bound to find what you need and beyond that too - for an online search is the right platform that will guide you towards a wealth of information you can use and recipes ideas numbering so many, you won't know what to do!

Do remember to select the web sites that offer varied and interesting ones given by professional chefs, home-cooking experts as well as beginners like yourself, all of whom are bound to have a meal option that is suitable for each level of learning you go through. Some places may only offer cooking tips and the pitfalls you should avoid, others can let in you on their kitchen disaster stories so you know how "not" to do things - and still others can guide you on best-kept secrets of top chefs, and you can end up making the best Pasta-dish ever!

The art of this is a fun and easy way to learn about using new and varied food items and natural herbs reliance you may have never used before for lack of knowledge and thus, begin on an interesting new gastronomical journey to tickle your taste buds, heighten your senses and change the moods for everyone around.

Once you have mastered the art of Italian cooking recipes and can prepare delicious, new and unique meals by yourself, you can invite guests and loved ones to sample your fare and are bound to revel in the praise and success that comes your way, having adapted these to their tastes! The possibilities of your learning new ones and then passing them on to other novices is also open and perhaps, you can tap into hidden passions to become a professional chef in Italian cooking yourself.

Not only easy, but convenient to make and full of natural, fresh ingredients favored by the Italians, these can be adjusted according to the skill level of the learner and the budget they can afford; some can contain expensive ingredients but others have substitutes handy for those on a limited budget.

The comfort level of eating Italian cooking recipes based meals is high and people learn these by tuning in to demos, buying recorded cookery show info, enrolling for a specialty cuisine course or even taking the advice of established home-cooks. Watching and learning from cooking tutorials contained in DVDs are not only convenient but practical too as you can stop and resume your cooking class at your leisure, so learn better

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

Basic Ingredients For Italian Recipes

2008-03-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

So you've decided you're going to start doing some more Italian cooking. You've found a great database of Italian recipes and you're excited about wading into the world of pasta, pesto and parmagiana.

It would be helpful to have on hand some staple ingredients that are found in a lot of Italian cooking. That way, you'll be able to get your fix of Italian food any day, without extensive grocery shopping. Let's look at some of them!

Garlic: It may sound like a cliché, but this humble bulb has a place in just about all Italian cooking. Keep it in a cool, dry place such as a root cellar or pantry. When buying garlic, look for bulbs with no dark discoloration on the bottom. This may indicate age or molding.

Tomato sauce: Don't go expensive here. The house brand at your local grocer and the national brands will be impossible to tell apart if you put them in a bowl. Avoid the "preseasoned" blends, as you'll be adding your own herbs and spices to your recipe.

Pasta: Don't buy a huge amount of any one specific noodle. Rather, keep a small amount of the most common types, such as spaghetti, linguine, elbow macaroni, small and large shells and wide egg noodles. For storage, it helps if you can keep long noodles in a long container. Most plastic ware makers have a "pasta keeper" of some sort available.

Parmesan cheese: While it may not always be an ingredient, freshly ground Parmesan is almost always a welcome addition on top of a pasta dish. Kraft has a new "fresh shreds" product with a block of cheese in a container with its own grater. It works very well, and the price is not exorbitant.

Olive oil: One mistake many Italian-food rookies make is using expensive extra-virgin olive oil for things like pan-frying. Use standard olive oil, which will be yellow in color and as much as 50 percent cheaper, for these purposes. You'll still get all the health benefits!

Keep your pantry properly stocked, and you'll be prepared to cook any Italian recipes you wish!

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).

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

Italian Pasta Recipe - Pipe Pasta with Eggplants

2008-03-07T13:58:00.001-08:00

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

Seven Smart Ways To Prepare For The Upcoming BBQ Season

2008-03-07T13:53:00.001-08:00

That's right it's almost BBQ time again. Now's the time to start preparing, before it's the Fourth of July and time has gotten away from you! Here are seven great tips to get the season started off right.

Tip #1 Clean your grill. Use a pipe wire cleaner or wire brush to make sure that the grill is free of rust, dirt, spider-webs and other debris.

Tip #2 Examine all hoses leading from the tank to the burners. Replace if cracked or damaged.

Tip #3 Find any leaks by applying a 50/50 solution of water and dish soap to propane cylinder connections and hoses. If bubbles appear, tighten the connection and or replace the damaged parts and retest.

Always be careful when igniting any BBQ grill but once the cleaning and safety inspection is done then the fun can begin.

Tip #4 Get some new grilling gadgets. There are also a few basic tools that every backyard BBQ cook will need. You'll need a wide spatula, grill tongs, meat fork, grill brush, barbeque mitts, a meat thermometer and a spray bottle. A fun addition to this list is the Maverick Voice Alert Remote BBQ Thermometer Silver. It actually talks to you and tells you when your food is almost ready. Imagine hanging out in the yard with your family and not having to hover over the grill to make sure your dinner doesn't burn.

Tip #5 Spice it up. You may also want to consider trying something a little different this year with some of your recipes so that it will 'spice' up your season just right. Dry rubs and tangy gourmet barbeque sauces add a zing to weekend barbeques. Try something new to make this summer special.

Tip #6 Smoke it. Smoker bags, smoking chips and good old fashioned smokers add a new flavor to the same old meats. Chicken, pork, and even fish can become something extra special with a little smoking.

Tip #7 Try a new recipe. Whether you visit your local bookstore or find your recipes online a new recipe can add a little fun to a weekday meal. Grilling is often quick and easy - a perfect way to bring the family together for weekday meals.

Let this be the year that you start out being prepared that way you can sit back and relax once it is here. Knowing that you will have a safe and enjoyable BBQ season can make all the difference in the world.

Visit http://www.mysecretpantry.com for all of your barbeque needs! Also see the recipes included at My Secret Pantry for a wonderful grilling season!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Moses

Cooking Tips To Make It Easy And Tasty

2008-03-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

In today's busy lifestyle cooking food has somewhat become a far away notion. Options like take away food and fast food have added to the cause and so did the food fusion joints that are coming up in every corner of the streets. Lots of views are put forward on the usefulness to learn cooking, together with individual empowerment, expression of originality, health issues and expenditure. Any one can cook very easily and tasty stuff if he or she is keen to make a sincere attempt.

If you know how to cook then it improves your self-assurance or confidence as you are no longer dependent on someone else for your own food. Then there is no necessity for you to look for food joints or restaurants. And moreover you don't have to rush for their opening or closing hours. With a little bit of guidance which you can obtain from the internet or from some recipe books available, you can cook as good and tasty as you will find in the food joints. And it also improves your patience and sometimes it is a pastime.

From the ancient days till today a good cook or chef is always admired for his or her talent and people are always in the search of good foodstuff. Tasty cooking demonstrates the ability of a person to combine different ingredients and making it a special preparation which any one will love to have. Today good chefs are in huge demand in hotels and restaurants.

Foods that you get outside are prepared in such a way that you like their tastes. And in making it more delicious and tasty more oil, fat, sugar salt and many other things are added for better flavor and taste. But if you cook your meal or food at home it gives you the opportunity to cook according yourself using less calories and less fat which is would definitely be healthier for you. So it will keep you in better shape and form. If you are consuming food from outside on a regular basis, it will definitely take its toll on your health and fitness.

Nowadays going out and having food in restaurants are becoming very costly and sometimes not suitable for our pocket. Moreover you have to book and reserve your places or tables before hand which is very annoying sometimes. So cooking at home is a good option especially when you are willing to avoid spending money and keep yourself healthy. Cooking also allows you to spend some quality time with your family. Starting cooking at home and soon you will not only begin to enjoy it but find it relaxing too.

Suzane Dass is a cooking enthusiast and had spent experimenting with fusion foods for sometime now. So, cooking is not only her passion but also a way of life. You can find her cooking tips in blogs and her website http://cooking.infoindetails.com

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

Is Every Pizza an Italian Pizza??

2008-02-23T21:11:00.000-08:00

There are various types of pizzas available in the market. In fact, it is the menu of every weekend party. From children to youngsters, all prefer pizza than any other food in any party or celebration. There are different types of spicy, tasty & hot vegetarian & non- vegetarian pizza.

It is a fairy story that pizza was invented in the Italy. Therefore, though you are the citizens of Italy, you must know that this type of testy, spicy food was made in the New York. However, the most important thing is that the Italian Immigrant made this pizza in 1905.

It is not fixed that what is the ancient & most primitive origin of the pizza. There is one fascinating story that when the Roman soldiers were coming to their home from Palestina,in the middle of their journey, they forced to eat matzoh along with the Jews of Palestine. After that, the Roman soldiers recreated a dish called as picea in the returning to the Italian region.

There are many people who agree that the late & very old form of pizza is similar to the focaccia. This type of food called as focaccia, which was preferred & eaten by many peoples who live in the region of the Mediterranean border & that include the countries like Greeks, Egyptians.
There are the different types of traditions related to the development of the pizza along with the people of Neapolitan. There is no kind of fascination that the current pizza, which is served with mozzarella di bufala and tomato, was created in 1877 in region like Naples by Raffaele Esposito in June 19, 1889, for Princess Margherita of Savoia.

In addition, there was a dedicated pizza, which was made up of basil, tomato and mozzarella for honoring the latest tri colours of the Italian flag. These three colours are red, green, & white. Therefore, there was the rename of this pizza as the alla Margherita. So in the late 19th & 20th century, this form of pizza, which was called as Margherita was then, became famous & modified by the whole world through migration to Naples.

There is also history behind the Pizza pastry of American style. The American people are one of the most passionate for adaptation of eating pizza. We can find various types of pizzas in America. In fact, they are the best advertisers for popularity of the pizza.
There are the Italian citizens who migrated from Italy to America & started preparation of various versions of the pizzas. They made these versions of pizzas in their new home in America in the 20th century. Therefore, there was the first pizzeria in the United States, which was started in 1905 by the Italian immigrant.

There is a claim of French people that they have invented the pizza. The name of that pizza which they have invented was called as pissaladiere. However, there was no such kind of acceptance from the users of the pizza worldwide.
Historical stories of Pizza

Italian Food is a Good and Healthy Choice

2008-02-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

Nowadays Italian food is getting popular day by day all over the world. People of every country have started liking this food. If you are one of them who like pasta very much then you must love this cooking because this is one of the main ingredients of most recipes. As with all ethnic foods, this eating uses its own group of spices. These are a number of most popular spices which are used in this cooking; these spices are garlic, oregano, basil and thyme. If you will use fresh spices in your cooking then it will really add a special touch to any dish, but if you are unable to find fresh and then you can use the dried spice. You can buy these spices in small quantities and you need not keep them stored in a cool, dark place, not over your stove on a rack.

The heart of this cooking or eating is the use of ingredients. These ingredients are available in all the seasons. These ingredients are used to change ordinary items into works of art in the form of pastas, side dishes, breads, sauces, main dishes, deserts and soups. The possibilities are rally endless and very exciting. If you are really Italian food lover then you must buy cookbooks so that you can easily increase the taste of your food. These are a number of recipe books that have pictures of the completed dish so that you will able to know what it should look like. These books can help you a lot if you have never seen the dish anywhere. It is really best to follow a recipe when you first start to learn a new recipe but don't be panic to start experimenting once you have the basics down.

Following are some ingredients that you need to have in your grocery list.

1) Tomato Sauce:

Tomato Sauce is one of the important ingredients. You need not have to buy the expensive tomato sauce. The national brand or house brand at your nearby local grocery store will be fine in your Italian dish. Try not to buy from the "pre-seasoned" blends, as you will be adding your own spices and herbs.

2) Pasta:

It is highly recommended that you should not buy a huge quantity of any specific pasta. It is preferable to keep a little amount of the most regular types such as wide egg noodle, large and small shells, elbow macaroni, linguine and spaghetti. It will be good if you have storage so that you can keep the long noodles in a long container. Moreover, you can find many Tupperware makers that are specially design to keep the pasta in to maintain freshness.

3) Parmesan Cheese:

Freshly ground Parmesan cheese is always a welcome addition to the top of any Italian dish even though it may not always be needed in the ingredients of the recipe you are cooking. The famous cheese brand, Kraft, has a new product with a block of cheese in its container along with its grater.

4) Olive oil:

Olive oil is also one of the integral parts of ingredients. One of the mistakes that many Italian food amateurs make is using pricey olive oil for things like pan-frying. Using the standard olive oil, which is yellow in color, is just fine for this.

la kuhinja

2008-02-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

la kuhinja italiana