Way to man’s heart is his stomach. Cooking good food is an art. However, not all are blessed with the talent but one can always perfect it by watching cookery shows and reading cook books.

Gino D’Acampo’s Fantastico is a great book to learn different delicacies in simple ways. This book consists of some amazing recipes, straight from Gino D’Acampo’s kitchen. The best feature of this book is not only it has finger licking recipes but also a touch of Gino’s buffoonery that makes it a must read for all food lovers.

What makes this book an entertaining way of learning great cooking tips is apart from healthy food, Gino has guts to use cheese and cream that he is extremely fond of. The ingredients used by him are all easily available in local market.

Gino’s vegetarian section is wonderful. The recipes not only taste good but are also easy to prepare. He has included his specialties like the Italian-style Shepherd’s Pie and Cornish Pasties, Moroccan-style pasta and a Chinese-influenced Italian Broccoli Stir-fry. His chicken recipes are high on taste and are ready in just half-an-hour’s time.

Gino was born to a poor Neapolitan family. He inherited his cooking skills from his father, a head chef. At the age of fifteen he went to Luigi de Medici Catering College and further enhanced skills in various restaurants in Europe. A young D’Acampo has also cooked in Perignon in Nice and a spell as Head Chef at Sylvester Stallone’s Mambo King in Marbell.

From a pizza oven cleaner to food manager at a Pavarotti reception, Gino has achieved a lot at a very tender age. He currently owns an import and distribution company in Bonta Italia and has been continuing as the development consultant chef for ready-meal manufacturing companies. Gino’s cooker shows are very popular on TV. The book Fantastico!: Modern Italian Food is sure to get popular with its release.

Jacob Marshal, a dedicated writer of Rupizcompare.co.uk which provide Info on Fantastico!: Modern Italian Food with Ready Steady Cook and Books and Magazines

I hope you have been able to gain something from this article, thanks for reading.

what is a good italian recipe that doesn’t require re-heating after you refridgerate it?

stuff like cold pasta salad.
anyone have any recipes?

Answer
sliced tomato and mozzerella salad
slice tomatoes and mozzerella
slice 1 small onion
add crushed garlic
dry basil
olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar

The regional cuisine of Italy is surely a delight to the senses. With the pasta, seafood, savory meats and cheeses, and delicious crusty breads, it is hard to stop yourself from eating until you are packed full. However, if you do not remember to save a little room, you may miss out on the best part: dessert. No one does desserts quite like the Italians. From simple fruity finger foods to savory layered tortes, the Italian’s make desserts for every palette. From the chocolate lover to someone looking for something lighter and more refreshing, you are sure to find something to your looking in an Italian bakery.

One of my favorite Italian desserts has been a staple of my Grandmother’s dessert table at holiday dinners for as long as I can remember. The best part is that it is something that I was always able to help with. Stuffed dates were always a task that the kids could do, by simply taking the pre-sliced dates and stuffing about a tea spoon full of cream cheese into them and then dotting them each with a pecan, we could be happy to know we had helped. Even if we ate a date or two along the way.

A variation on this dessert, which is popular in Milan takes a little bit more grown up help. After the dates are stuffed with the cream cheese, a grown up can dip the date into a mixture of bittersweet chocolate and milk and then let them harden. The product is a delicious, almost candy-like concoction that appeals to the sweet and the salty taste buds.

There are desserts that many people take for granted. Rice pudding, for example, is one of the simplest pleasures for Italian households. Milk, sugar, rice, and cinnamon are the staples of this favorite, but it can be substituted to taste with extra sugar, honey, nutmeg, or raisins. My personal favorite is with extra cinnamon and dried cranberries. Another simple that many people forget about, or perhaps even loathe, is the Panettone, otherwise known as fruit cake. A staple on many Christmas tables, the Panettone has gotten a bad rep in the United States, perhaps because of its strong Anise taste. When done right though, a Panettone can be truly delightful.

Other than the cannoli, the most popular Italian dessert is undoubtedly Tiramisu. This alcoholic spongy cake has taken the world by storm with relatively young origins. No one seems to know exactly how the Tiramisu was invented, or by who. What does seem to be agreed upon is that it was invented sometime in the 1960s in the Veneto region of Italy. The ingredients of Tiramisu are basic, but everyone seems to do it a little bit different. Mascarpone, espresso and zabaglione cream make up the complimentary tastes of this delicious dessert, but it would be impossible to create without the base of savoiardi cake, otherwise known as lady fingers. These spongy biscuits make trouble for pastry servers with their delicate spongy nature, but like all Italian desserts are well worth the trouble.

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Your time is greatly appreciated thanks for reading this article.

I am looking for the Italian cookie recipe that is a cookie which is characterized by the colored nuts on top?

You see these cookies in most Italian bakeries and find them on almost every wedding tray. They are golden in color and a bit chewy. I believe they have an almond paste base. They are not the same as the Almond Pignoli recipe.

Answer
Italian Wedding Cookies

8 ounces almond paste
1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
5 drops green food coloring
5 drops yellow food coloring
5 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl break up the almond paste.
Add the softened butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract.
Beat batter until light and fluffy.
Beat in the flour and the salt.
Split the batter into thirds and add enough of the three different food colorings to each third to color the batter nicely.
Spread the batters into three 9×13 and 1/4 inch deep aluminum baking pans.
Be sure the batter is only about 1/8 inch thick or it will rise too high.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to minutes.
Cool Remove baked and cooled cakes from pans and place on a cookie sheet or cutting board.
Heat the jam and spread between the layers as you stack them.
Spread the melted chocolate over the top layer and refrigerate.
When stiff remove cookies from the refrigerator and let chocolate soften slightly before cutting into small rectangles.

The Italian risotto became known as another Italian typical dish, even if rice isn’t original from Italy as pasta.

Rice is a cereal as corn or wheat, but less fat and is eaten by half world population. The Italian rice is appreciated for its high quality and today is widely exported as a gourmet product.

The Italian rice is classified in 4 groups, the COMMON rice (riso comune) has small and round grains and its cooking time is between 12 and 13 minutes. Ideal for broth or vegetables soups.

The HALF-THIN (semifino) type has round medium length grains. It takes a bit longer to cook (13 to 15 minutes) and are most used for antipasti, unique dishes, cold and warm.

The THIN (fino) type are tapered grains that need about 14 to 16 minutes to cook. Finally the SUPERTHIN (superfino) kind has big and long shaped grains, with a cooking time between 16 and 18 minutes and are specially indicated for risotto. The so known Arborio, Carnaroli or Boldo are part of this category and are the favorite ones of the big chefs.

The parboiled rice is often underestimated. It is done using an antique procedure used by Egyptians . They used to marinate it with hot water and dry it under the sun to better conserve it. This method was re-discovered by Americans after the II World war because it gives guarantees under the nutritional and long conservation side.

Today, with the new technologies, the rice is treated with steam at high temperatures and quickly dried on an air mattress. This natural practice jellies the starch, making it resistant and keeping many of the precious substances present on the surface pass to the inside of the grain.

So, the parboiled grain is richer of nutrients, more resistant, conserves better and easier to prepare as it takes only 10/12 minutes to cook and do not overcook.

One of the most known Italian risotto recipe is the Saffron one, also called in Italy as Milan risotto, as it is typical from Milan area. It is a tasty and delicate dish that has its strong point in saffron powder.

How to cook a Saffron risotto:

You’ll need (4 people):

• 400gr of rice (reading above to make your choice of rice)
• 2 spoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Half onion (not chopped)
• Approx. 1 liter of broth
• 3 or 4 spoons of grated good quality parmesan
• 2 spoons of good quality butter
• 1 bag of saffron
• salt

How to do it:

Put the oil inside the pan, turn on the gas and add the onion. Let it color a little and then add the rice. Mix it and let it fry for a moment. Then add some broth (about 2 cups), mix it and lower the gas. Keep adding broth as it dries, always mixing well at each time. Salt it, paying attention to the kind of broth you’re using. If you use cubes, add a little salt because cubes are very salty.

(an easy tip: usually you will need the double quantity of broth comparing to rice quantity. If you measure a cup of rice, you will then need 2 cups of broth)

After 10 minutes, taste it to see if it’s done. When it’s quite done, add the 2 spoons of butter, the grated parmesan cheese and the saffron. Turn off the gas, mix it all very well and close the pan for a couple of minutes.

Then you just have to open it, put your risotto on your serving plate and…enjoy!

Born in Rio and living in Italy since 1982, completed the studies of Economics and is taking a Master in Enogastronomy and Food Traditions. More about Italian food through her eyes in her website All ABout Italian Food

Finally, I’d like to thank you for reading this article and i hope it was helpful information.

Where can I find a recipe for Italian meat style lasagna kinda like Stouffer’s?

I’m making lasagna but want something other than the normal meat one so I love Stouffer’s italian style meat lasagna. Anyone know where I can find a similar recipe or better?

Answer
I found this on Copycat Chat, but have not tried it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed
tomatoes
2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black
pepper

1 tablespoon white sugar

12 ounces cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
cheese
1 egg

9 lasagna noodles
1 pound shredded mozzarella
cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain. In another skillet over medium heat, cook onion until translucent. Combine beef and onion in a large saucepan with tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.
2. While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with one-third of remaining sauce. Top with half the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.
6. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

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 recomend 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 overmix, 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.

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 BellaOnline.com.

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

Chef Shelley Pogue is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate from The Texas Culinary Academy located in Austin, Texas. Chef Pogue graduated with honors of cum laude with a GPA of 3.71. Shelley went to work for The Hills Fitness Center in Westlake Hills after graduation and stayed the for one year as the Executive Chef. She then left The Hills and went to work for a company Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. CHef Pogue is currently developing sauces and meal concepts for large retail markets in the US. Chef Pogue lives in Austin, TX, and is also a personal chef and caterer, and also working on developing a recipe and cook book.

Thanks for reading and good luck putting this information to good use.

Great recipe for Italian sausage and stuffed shells?

I’ve invited my sister and her fiance over for dinner and he loves Italian food. I want to make cheese stuffed shells with a side of italian sausage. Anyone have a great recipe I could use? (ps. he hates mushrooms). Thanks!!!
great recipes, but do I boil the shells first??

Answer
One Box of Large shells cook as directed. Take a carton of ricotta cheese, Some shredded Mozzarella about 2/3 a cup, and a half cup of fresh grated Romano cheese, and one beaten egg, Mix together with one TBS of Basil, a Tsp of salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the shells. Parboil the sausages for 10 min. put some pasta sauce in a baking dish. add the sausages & Shells cover with more sauce and shreaded Mozzarella and bake for 30 to 35 min. at 350 deg oven.

Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world, and thanks to the geographical boundaries of the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps it has remained largely unchanged throughout history. Even during the Roman Empire, Italy was set apart. Legions that had been abroad always knew when they had returned to the mother country. Italian food history, however, reaches far beyond the country’s borders.

For starters, look at pasta. There is much historical debate on its origins, but many historians point to Marco Polo’s voyages to the Far East, from which he returned with all manner of foreign spices and foods, as the venue from which pasta came. The Chinese had cooked with noodles for centuries, and Marco Polo’s men encountered the same on their travels.

The tomato, now considered a staple in Italian cuisine, was long thought to be poisonous, partly because it is related to the deadly nightshade plant. Other Europeans found it to be palatable long before the first Italian cook simmered some down to make tomato sauce.

The Greeks, neighbors and frequent military rivals of the Italians, had a great amount of influence on Italian cuisine, especially in the area of spices and the preparation of seafood. Calamari, or squid, now a common dish on every Italian restaurant menu, was originally something Greeks were known for consuming.

The Roman Empire’s excursions into North Africa were another fertile breeding ground for culinary expansion. The number of herbs, spices and vegetables that entered the Italian menu from Egypt and the other African territories is uncountable.

Even today, Italian food history continues to evolve. Much of the changes now, though, take place beyond the shores of Italy. In America, for example, chefs like Mario Batali have fused classic Italian dishes with American cuisine to come up with dishes that combine the best of both worlds. In cities and towns all over the country, chefs are taking traditional ingredients and combining them in new ways. In what could perhaps be called a “full-circle” journey for pasta, some Italian-Asian fusion restaurants are even beginning to evolve.

But perhaps the best way to get a full idea of Italian food history is to get out and eat some. Better yet, eat a lot! Eating Italian food is always better than Italian food history.

 

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 For Free Recipes.net 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).

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Moosewood cookbook Italian Sauce recipe?

We can’t find our recipe for Moosewood Restaraunt’s Italian Tomato Sauce…I only remember that this recipe calls for bacon in it. I’ve looked EVERYWHERE on-line, and I cannot find it. If one of you happens to have the recipe, could you PLEASE give it to me?
Thanks so much.

Answer
http://dinnercoop.cs.cmu.edu/dinnercoop/Recipes/karen/TomatoSauce.html

Italian Tomato Sauce
Originally From: Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen
Very good on Pizza and in lasagne — I’ve even shocked people when I told them it was vegetarian!

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 medium-sized bell pepper, diced
2 medium stalks celery, minced
1 lb mushrooms
1-2 medium (6″) zucchini, diced
2-3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, chopped
a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 28 oz can tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
lots of black pepper
4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly minced parsley

Heat the olive oil in deep saucepan. Add vegetables, herbs (except parsley) and salt. Saute over medium heat until the onion is very soft (~15 minutes).

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and black pepper. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered at least 30 minutes.

Add garlic, and cook 10 minutes more. At this point, the sauce can sit for up to several hours, or be refrigerated up to a week, or frozen.

Heat gently before serving, and add parsley at the last minute.

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.

Steve Buchanan writes article for http://www.italianfood-recipes.com/ and http://italianfood-recipes.blogspot.com/

Hope this article was just right, take a look at our other articles while you’re here.

Can someone give me an AUTHENTIC Italian recipe? Italian cooks?

I know I can do online research but I am looking for something very authentic…..maybe the kind that only someone living in Italy or that has a lot of experience with Italian cooking would know. Thanks so much!

Answer
Mia Nona came from Italy. Sicily precisely. This is one big tradition there:

Sicilian Grilled Meatballs, or Polpettine alla Griglia: One usually thinks of meatballs going into a sauce of some kind, or being fried to golden perfection. However, Sicilians also grill them, and very fine eating it is, too.

2 1/4 pounds (1 k) boned veal or pork, ground.
5 ounces (125 g) pecorino Siciliano (if possible the variety with pepper corns in it, if not a mild Romano), freshly gra
1 cup bread crumbs, moistened in milk and then squeezed dry
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
Organically grown lemon or orange leaves, lightly oiled
Wooden toothpicks

Combine all the ingredients except the leaves in a bowl and mix well. Roll the meat mixture into balls a little smaller than a ping pong ball, flatten them slightly, wrap a leaf around each, and hold the leaf in place by sticking it with a toothpick. When you have finished making your meatballs, grill them to taste.

And my favorite dessert:

Ricotta Crostata – Ricotta Pie
Pastry
Ingredients

150 grams butter
30 grams icing sugar
100 grams flour
grated rind of one lemon

Method

Leave butter out to soften (overnight in winter or a few hours in summer) so it can be worked easily into the flour.

Put flour onto board and grate the rind into the flour. Mix the flour, icing sugar, grate in rind and then work in the softened butter The dough will be very short and crumbly. You do not get a smooth fine dough, it is a biscuit texture which is then sprinkled into the pan and pressed down and around the sides.

Use spring form pan, 25 cm, well greased. Press well into the pan and take it half way up. Make sure the sides and the base of the pan are well covered so there is no leakage..

Do not pre-cook the pastry.

Filling
Ingredients

1 1/2 kg ricotta
Icing sugar
3 eggs seperated
sugar
milk
80 grams candied fruit diced (mixed fig, apricot,, citrus, mandarin/orange)
50 grams toasted almonds, chopped

Method

Make pastry cream as per strudel method.

Combine ricotta with icing sugar, pastry cream, candied fruit (candita) , almonds (Some people also add a yolk but the pastry cream in enough)

Beat egg whites stiffly in a bowl which has first been wiped with a tiny bit of lemon juice and then dried.. This stops the white seperating and helps make them stiff.

When stiff fold through the ricotta mixture. If your eggs are big you may find that you don’t need to use all the egg white.

Set oven at 250 degree C

Spoon ricotta mixture into crostada and gently spread out. Don’t put up too high, keep within the pastry

This can be done in a tart form but then the taste is different. In the high pan it’s more filling to crust which is the way the pie should be.

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We will also gladly cook to your dietary specifications.
All meats are USDA prime and from our own butcher shops, expertly prepared by our master chef.
All pasta products, as well, maintain this high degree of quality and are made in our own Villa di Pasta™.

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Italian food has turned into one of the favorites in the family. Many of us have, regrettably, not inspired the possibility of making an Italian cuisine part of our family menu as it is viewed that Italian recipes are too complex. But it doesn’t need much study to make great Italian connoisseur food at home.
Some of the ingredients that Italian cuisines are known for are : meats, cheese and grains that are used as a combination in the creation or making of these distinguished flavours that are respected and accepted all around the globe. Undertaking to find out about these ingredients and how they are used and in what measurements.
The origins of Italian gastronome flavors, foods, and traditions are rooted in simplicity and natural availability. Italian cooks have always exploited the plants that grew where they lived and the animal products from the animals that flourished where they lived. Nowadays in the land of pre-processed foods that are available year-round, that may be considered’gourmet’.
If there is a person in your life that is a fan of Italy and pines for a little taste of traditional Italian flavors in an Italian meal, there are methods to impress even if you haven’t set foot in Italy yourself.

the initial focus to please your fan of Italian cuisine is to figure out what part of Italy they like best. Italy is made up of a few regions, each with its own farming and customs.
Therefore , they are more likely to use polenta or Arborio rice ( risotto ) than pasta in their meals. Meat is more abundant in the regions in the middle of Italy, for example Tuscany and Umbria.

Learning which food types are characteristic of the city that your Italy fan loves, is a big step toward making a noteworthy Italian meal experience.

If your Italy fan is far away, or if she or he has more fun making their own Italian meals, an Italian gift hamper is an especially thoughtful gift. a tiny bit of study to find out the part of Italy that your beloved one is missing is the ticket to re-creating the wizardry that they crave. Congratulations and brava to all of you who would like to create the authentic Italian experience for the Italy fans in your life.

Originated in Brooklyn in 1919 as the first’Salciceria’, introducing the best in old world delicacies. Today, we are one of the biggest and most highly regarded specialty food corporations in the New York area. With 4 european style marketplaces and one Trattoria cafe, we offer a variety of global and gourmet foods. Our palate pleasing foods include prime meats, freshly caught seafood, abundant fresh produce and imported delicacies from all over the world.
Iavarone bros. Has tons of connoisseur offerings concentrating on Italian fare. For cooking enthusiasts, we offer the freshest, best and hard to find ingredients from all over the world. For people that desire to get a unique gift, Iavarone brothers. Let the smells and tastes of our fine foods fill your home. Nassau County Gourmet Food IBFOODS Gourmet Food On Long Island Since 1927

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If you gave gathered some good information please keep browsing on this site you never know what you might find next.

does anyone have a good Italian recipe for “pasta “fagioli?

Answer
PASTA E FAGIOLI
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
2 slices of bacon, chopped

1 small onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small rib of celery, chopped fine
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
a 16-ounce can white beans, rinsed well and drained
a 16-ounce can tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/3 cup tubetti or other small tubular pasta
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
freshly grated Parmesan as an accompaniment

In a heavy saucepan cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, and in the remaining fat cook the onion and the garlic, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the celery, the carrot, and the broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl mash 1/3 cup of the beans, stir them into the bacon mixture with the remaining whole beans and the tomatoes, and simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tubetti, simmer the soup, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, and if desired thin the soup with water. Let the soup stand off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, stir in the parsley, and serve the soup in bowls sprinkled with the Parmesan.

Makes about 3 cups, serving 2 as a main course.

Everyone agrees that eating less meat is healthier — for you, for your pocketbook, for the planet. But I’ve tried to adopt vegetarianism and found it doesn’t work for me. I never really feel good on a 100% vegetarian diet.

I believe that each body is different, and that some people simply need meat protein. So how do you balance that need with your desire for a healthier lifestyle?

One excellent answer is centuries old — vegetarian Italian cuisine! Since Roman times, Italian food has mainly focused on eggs, cheese, bread, olives and fresh seasonal vegetables. The Romans reserved meat and fish for special occasions.

As time went on, however, meat-eating became a privilege of the wealthy. Country folk continued to grow their own food, and usually raised cattle as a source of milk and cheese, not meat.

In the 1980s, Italy gave birth to the international Slow Food movement, which strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine, and promotes farming methods in line with the local ecosystem.

These things, and more, have contributed to a culinary tradition rich in meatless options.

So why not go beyond pizza and pasta, and try one unusual vegetarian Italian dish this week? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Polenta

A strange but yummy cornmeal porridge that’s easy to make. A cousin to American grits, polenta is a staple in northern Italy and makes a satisfying winter meal. You can find it in most grocery stores, with directions on the package.

A soft mound of polenta can be the base for cooked greens, sauteed portabello mushrooms or any vegetable. It can also be baked in a loaf pan, then thinly sliced. Sliced polenta can replace bread or lasagna as a base for almost any filling, including pesto, mozzarella, tomato sauce and roasted peppers.

Risotto

A delicious creamy rice dish that can be enhanced with almost any vegetable. It must be made from Arborio rice, which can be found in most grocery stores. Risotto has a reputation for being tricky, but the new oven-baked and crockpot methods are almost effortless. Favorite vegetarian additions include asparagus, mushrooms and artichoke hearts (frozen work fine). Butter and freshly-grated parmesan cheese add flavor and texture.

Toward a More Creative Cuisine

My purpose is not to convert you to vegetarianism, but to inspire you to eat more creatively. I do recommend eating bread, butter and cheese in moderation, and as close to homemade as you can find. Avoid low-fat versions. Try fresh mozzarella, the type that comes in water. Frequent artisan bakeries and farmers’ markets. Eat vegetables in season, not those flown in from the opposite hemisphere.

When you concentrate on fresh, whole, local ingredients, you’ll discover that your cravings for fat and sugar decline. Centuries of eating this way can’t be wrong!

Elle B. blogs about her love affair with rustic Italian cuisine at Vegetarian Italian: Recipes from a Meat Lover’s Cucina. Curious about polenta? See recipes and photos here.

 

Article by haary

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does anyone have an italian recipe that includes ground beef?

I’m in the mood for italian. I want to make a dish that includes ground beef, but i don’t want to make lasagna. Can anyone help?

Answer
All-Purpose Meat Sauce

Meet the Cook: Experimenting with different herbs and spices led to this sauce…my husband does not like bland food! I now make it for him and our three children – 5, 3 and 22 months – at least once a week. Marc says it’s even better the next day. -Sonja Fontaine, Winnipeg, Manitoba

SERVINGS: 8

CATEGORY: Main Dish

METHOD: Other stovetop

TIME: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch each dried thyme, tarragon and ground cinnamon
Hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the beef and garlic until beef is browned; drain. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce is as thick as desired, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta or rice, or use for making lasagna, pizza, chili dogs, tacos or sloppy joes. Yield: 4 cups.

If you love Italian food but you’re tired of spending extravagant amounts of money at Italian recipes and you’d like to try your hand at cooking your own Italian meals, you should know where to find some good Italian cooking recipes that are sure to please you as well as anyone else you may be cooking for.

First of all you need to decide who you’re cooking for, what kind of cooking skill level you have as well as what kind of ingredients you would like to cook with. Of course, any good Italian cook book will have loads of great Italian cooking recipes but there are other ways to find good recipes that will provide you with the delicious meals you crave.

Have You Cooked Before?

If you’ve never cooked before and you’re looking for Italian cooking recipes, you may find yourself over your head with some cook books. Also, if you’re cooking for a lot of people, like four or more, and you’ve never cooked before, you would likely become overwhelmed quickly. Your cooking skill level has a lot to do with where you get your Italian cooking recipes from. Search the internet for beginner, intermediate or expert Italian cooking recipes and you’ll be sure to find something that will fit within your criteria.

Cook Books

Whether you’re looking for finger food recipes or entire meal recipes, there are so many cook books out there that you are sure to find Italian cooking recipes to suit your needs. Some cook books tailor their Italian cooking recipes for beginners so that you only need a few ingredients. Make sure you understand the ingredients, the measurements as well as the cooking instructions before you start. Most cook books have a section that explains all of this in detail for you.

Italian cooking recipes will typically involve lots of tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian sausage, beef and chicken, as well as pasta, cheese and other ingredients that Italian food is known for. If you search hard enough, you may even find a cook book, or Italian cooking recipe that will allow you to make your favorite restaurant foods right in your own kitchen so that you can save money the next time you get a craving for some great Italian food. You can find cook books at your local book store, online, and you can even find great recipes online if you search using your favorite search engine. Happy cooking and don’t forget the wine.

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Please keep browsing my site to find out more interesting information.

Looking for an authentic Italian Cookie recipe?

I am looking for an Italian Cookie recipe. I don’t know what they are called other than “Italian Cookies” my family loves them but I can’t track down a good recipe for them. (they are the ones w/ the Anise and dipped in icing and sprinkles) Thanks in advance!

Answer
Italian S Cookies

1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp. whole milk
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon or orange extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Cookie sheets
Cooling racks
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp. whole milk
Colored sprinkles

Cream together the sugars and butter with a hand-held or standup mixer. Slowly add milk, heavy cream, eggs, honey, extract and cinnamon. Continue beating at medium speed until batter is smooth.

Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating at low speed. Mildly firm dough begins to form. When all the flour has been added, remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a 4-inch disk. Lightly flour both sides of the disk. Wrap the dough plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Remove dough from refrigerator when ready to form cookies. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Keep a small bowl of flour nearby for dusting both the work surface and hands if the dough becomes sticky and unmanageable.

Pinch off small pieces of the dough about the size of a walnut. Roll the pieces into logs about 3 1/2 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. Gently push the dough into an “S” shape. Repeat this process until all the dough has been shaped.

Place the “S” cookies on the ungreased cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.

Mix the confectioner’s sugar with 2 tsp. of the milk. Use more milk if necessary to create a mildly thick icing that coats the tops of the cookies without running off. Spoon the icing onto the cooled cookies, spreading it evenly. Top the cookies with the colored sprinkles.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2093693_make-italian-s-cookies.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art
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And…
Italian Anisette Cookies
http://www.spaghettisauceandmeatballs.com/anisette_cookies.html

Today the world recognizes pasta as the flavor of the Italians. Pasta has become synonymous with Italian food world over. Its preparation and storage are very easy making it the symbol of Italian food all over the world. Tomato sauce and pizza are also popular Italian foods enjoyed by people in different countries. However the history of pasta dates back to a much older time than pizza or tomato sauce or any other common Italian food.

Legend has it that pasta was introduced to the Italian public by Marco Polo who in turn is believed to have picked it up on his many travels. However, history shows us that pasta had already been popularized around his time. Pasta’s history dates back to a time long before Marco Polo. In fact, it’s believed to have been a popular Italian dish right from the eighth century onwards. It was around this time that Arab’s invasion greatly influenced food in Italy. It is believed that the pasta was born due to the combination of Arabic and Italian foods.

Wheat, a commonly available ingredient in Italy was used in making pasta and therefore it quickly became popular among the general public. By the 1300’s pasta had spread all over Italy. Due to its high nutrition content and long shelf life, it was highly favored by the people. It was also used in long ship voyages due to the same reasons. As a result it spread very quickly to the world becoming the first of the Italy’s foods to be popularized world over. By then, the recipe had been greatly improved upon and different shapes and sizes were introduced. Different techniques to make pasta with more efficiency and at a faster rate had been developed thereby making it an important part of every Italian’s life.

The next and a very important change in pasta came in 1839. By then the tomato had been discovered in America and the rest of the world was still trying to catch up on this incredible fruit. However many Europeans believed it to be poisonous and generally avoided it. It took a while for the people to accept the tomato but when they did, it became an important part of pasta’s recipe. Today the tomato sauce is essential in making pasta and one without the other is unheard of.

The large quantity in which pasta is sold is proof enough of how it has become an important part of Italy’s diet. The amount of pasta consumed by the Italians is almost three times as that of the Americans. An average Italian consumes about sixty pounds of pasta every year. It is due to this reason that Italian food itself is identified with pasta. In fact, Italians consume so much pasta that Italy is forced to import a large quantity of wheat to meet the demand. Although pasta is mass produced, most of the good quality pasta is used up in Italy itself. As a result, the pasta used in American italian food is of inferior quality. Most Italians cook pasta in the same way it has been for years using the recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter and father to son. In order to have the best pasta experience, one must travel to Italy and savor the pasta, true Italian style.

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Best secret Italian recipe?

Italian is by far my favourite food so does anyone have an Italian family recipe, that is too good not to share? No cut n paste from other sites please, would like a genuine secret/family recipe…grazie.

Answer
This recipe was given to my Mother in 1956 from a family friend. I always enjoyed going to Susie’s home for dinner because she was such a fabulous cook. Here is her recipe. Enjoy

Old Country Spaghetti and Pot Roast

2 lb. chuck pot roast, 2″ thick
1 clove garlic, quartered
2 tbl. olive oil
2 tbl. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2-6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 ½ c. water
1 lb. spaghetti
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Make slits in roast and insert quarters of garlic. Tie meat if necessary to hold shape. Heat oil and butter in large skillet. Brown meat slowly on all sides. Remove meat and lower heat. Add minced garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, basil, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook gently about 5 minutes, being careful not to scorch. Return meat. Mix tomato paste with water and pour over meat. Bring to a full boil. Lower heat and cover loosely; simmer slowly about two hours; turning meat occasionally. When meat is tender and sauce has thickened; cook spaghetti. Serve spaghetti on a warmed platter and pour sauce over top. Slice roast into thin slices and serve with spaghetti.

Note: You can use tomato sauce and reduce the amount of water to about half.