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Traditional recipes from Florence: Grapes Cake

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Coming back from the summer holidays, the Florentines and all the ihnabitants of the Chianti area soothe themselves with the coming of  “Canaiolo” grapes, a particular kind of grapes from central Italy, and with a special cake prepared using it – the typical “schiacciata con l”uva”. It’s a very simple dessert, done with the same mixture as bread with a little oil and so and sooo much of grapes. Every bakery has its special and unique recipe, some use anise, some add more sugar, some less. The recipe we report here it’s not too sweet, it’s enriched with a glance of anise, and in the end it’s not too thick. By the way, a real “schiacciata con l’uva” must dirty your hands with the grapes sticky purple and must leave all the little seeds in your mouth (never use seedles grapes)!!!!

(For a thin backing-tin of about 30×23 cm)

Ingredients

  • 350 gr of flour
  • 15 gr of brewer’s yeast
  • sugar
  • salt
  • extra virgin olives oil
  • 1,2 kg of Canaiolo grapes
  • anise seeds

Method

Let the brewer’s yeast melt in a bowl with some tepid water. Add some flour, and start to mix with one hand. Add some salt and some sugar. Then put the mixture on a pastry board and work it until it appears to be firm (if necessary, add some flour in the beginning of the process). Add a spoonful of oil and keep working it for at least 20 minutes. Grease a bowl and put the mixture inside, covering with foil (without sealing it).  Wait until it gows double its size.

In the meantime, wash the grapes and dry it.

When the mixture is grown, put it in a pastry board (which has to be covered previously with some flour). Grease a backing tin with oil and let half of the mixture cover it (the other half must remain outside the tin). Now, put on it two-thirds of the grapes and 2-3 spoonfuls of sugar, a little anise and a spoonful of olive oil. Fold it with the other part of the mixture, push it on the whole surface and add the rest of the grapes. Another time, add sugar, anise and olive oil. Push it again and cook in a pre-heat oven at 180°C for 45-60 minutes.

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Italian recipes: Rolled pepper delights

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Make your aperitivo more than good, but delicious! This recipe is good also ad appetizer, before a light meal. Here you are the “Rolled bell pepper delights”!

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 red or yellow bell peppers (or a mix), cut into 1 inch wide strips (along the longest length, in order to have long strips)
  • 1 lb. ground meat
  • ¼ lb. mortadella
  • ¼ lb. cooked ham
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • toothpicks
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).To make cutting the bell peppers into strips easier, you can first soften them by placing 2-3 at a time inside a small plastic bag and heating them up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. The vapor that forms makes them soft and easier to cut and clean.
  2. Prepare the meat filling by processing the mortadella and ham in a mixer or blender. Add to the ground meat in large bowl, then add the bread crumbs and egg. Mix well. Add salt and pepper.
  3. Take some meat and spread it on the bell pepper strips with the back of a spoon. Take one end of the strip and roll up onto itself until you have a small roll. Fasten closed with one or two toothpicks.
  4. Pour enough olive oil into a long tray to cover bottom. Place the rolled up bell peppers flat on one layer, close to each other (you should see the meat filling from the top and rolled up peppers). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops of rolls are slightly browned. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving. Also tasty served slightly warm. (source: tuscan recipes)

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italian recipes: Eggplants parmesan

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

This is a typical delicious dish from Italy. You can find the recipe with pictures clicking here

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs (about 2 large) eggplants
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • Olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 lbs of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
  • 1 cup grated high quality Parmesan cheese
  • 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves

Method

1 Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange one layer in the bottom of a large colander and sprinkle evenly with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant, salting, until all eggplant is in the colander. Weigh down the slices with a couple of plates and let drain for 2 hours. The purpose of this step is to have the eggplant release some of its moisture before cooking.

2 While the eggplant is draining, prepare tomato sauce. Combine tomatoes, garlic and 1/3 cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to tasted and set aside.

3 When eggplant has drained, press down on it to remove excess water, wipe off the excess salt, and lay the slices out on paper towels to remove all the moisture. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour beaten eggs into another wide shallow bowl. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and pour in a a half inch of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, dredge the eggplant slices first in the flour mixture, then in the beaten egg. Working in batches, slide coated eggplant into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

4 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a 10×15 inch glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.

5 Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.

6 Bake until cheese has melted and the top is slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

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Italian traditional recipes: Bruschetta with tomato and basil

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Easy to cook, lovely to eat! A simple recipe, perfect for summertime.

Ingredients:

  • Italian or French bread, cut in 1/2 inch slices
  • fresh, ripe, firm tomato, washed and coarsely chopped
  • fresh basil leaves, whole or shredded
  • olive oil, extra virgin, the best
  • garlic, peeled, whole (optional)
  • salt to taste

Place sliced bread under the broiler, in the toaster or best yet over a charcoal grill and toast.

Rub toast with a clove of garlic or not, depending on taste.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon chopped tomato onto bread.

Scatter some basil. Alternatively, place the tomatoes, basil, garlic (chopped fine), olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix.

Set bowl at table alongside the toasted bread and simply spoon on mixture.

Some prefer to use sliced rather than chopped tomato.
Whatever way you serve it, it is delicious.

(source: http://www.e-rcps.com/pasta/index.shtml)

Many delicious recipes and Italian dishes with the Insitute Galilei’s cooking courses :)

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Italian recipes: Risotto primavera

Monday, May 11th, 2009

This risotto is perfect each spring as the new vegetables arrive in the store. You can vary the recipe as you choose by adding other spring vegetables from time to time as well. Just keep all vegetables cut into bite sized pieces.

Serves 4 to 6
by Deborah Mele

(source: Italian Food Forever)

6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter Plus 2 Tbsp Removed To Finish The Dish

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

1 Large Clove Of Garlic

2 Cups Arborio Rice

1/2 Cup White Wine

6 Cups Vegetable Broth

1 Cup Fresh, Shelled Fava Beans

6 Small To Medium Artichokes, Cleaned And Thinly Sliced

6 Spears Fresh Asparagus Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces

1 Small Zucchini, Diced

1/2 Cup Fresh, Chopped Parsley or Other Fresh Herb Of Choice

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Heat the 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the artichoke slices and cook one minute. Next add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter. Begin to add the wine, and stir continually over medium heat until it is absorbed. Start to add 1/2 cup of hot broth, stirring as it is absorbed. Continue in this manner, adding ladles full of hot broth, and stirring continuously. About 10 minutes into the cooking time, add the asparagus, fava beans and zucchini and continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked, but remains slightly firm to the teeth. Remove from the heat, add the remaining butter. parsley and the parmesan cheese. Serve, offering additional cheese if desired.

Buon Appetito!

Find out how to cook many kinds of risotto and other recipe with the Institute Galilei’s cooking courses!

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Traditional Italian recipes: Tiramisù

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

For sure, the most famous dessert coming from Italy, known all over the worls for its delicious coffee flavour. An easy-to-cook recipe is explained in Italy-yum. Here you are the recipe, as explained in the website!

Apparently its origin dates back to the 17th century; it was created for the occasion of a visit by Grand Duke Cosimo de’ Medici III to the city of Siena (Tuscany). That time the dessert was named “zuppa del duca” (the “Duke’s soup”) but nowadays everybody knows it as “tiramisù” (pick me up). There are lots of version of tiramisù, but here is explained the most traditional, with a little change: the classic recipe requires the use of “savoiardi” biscuits, however, in the last two decades, many Italians has discovered that the use of “pavesini” biscuits gives the tiramisù a better finish, so let’s go for it!

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

  • 500 g (1.1 lb) Italian mascarpone cheese
  • 100 g (3 ½ oz) Icing sugar
  • 4 or 5 Eggs (medium size)
  • 1 Pack of Pavesini biscuits (for this recipe I used 59 Pavesini)
  • 200 ml (7 fl oz) Strong espresso coffee (cold) or coffee prepared with a moka
  • 100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) Marsala wine (cold)
  • Cocoa powder for dusting
  • Some dark chocolate shavings

Note: this is a dessert containing raw eggs, so be sure you buy fresh, top quality eggs.

Directions:

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Start beating the egg yolks with a whisk and gradually add all the sugar.

Keep beating until the mixture become pale yellow and thick.

Next, empty the mascarpone into a bowl and, with a wooden spoon, work it for few seconds so that it is a bit loose.

Now, add the mascarpone to the egg-sugar cream and blend all together.

The result should be a pale yellow mascarpone-egg-sugar cream. Set it aside, putting it in the fridge, while carrying out the next stage.

Next, add a tiny pinch of salt into the bowl containing the egg whites.

Whisk the egg whites until completely white and firm (into peaks).

Now, add the white fluffy mixture into the bowl containing the mascarpone-egg-sugar cream.

Gently mix all together.

Finally, we have the tiramisù cream.

Now we are ready for assembling our tiramisù. First, spread a thin layer of tiramisù cream in the bottom of the dish (I used a 30 cm x 22 cm rectangular oven dish).

For the first layer of biscuits, dip them in the coffee first (dip the biscuits, one at a time, for about 5 seconds).

Lay the biscuits side by side, leaving a tiny space between them.

First layer completed.

Having completed the first layer of biscuits, cover it with the tiramisù cream.

Then, start again with a second layer of biscuits. This time dip the biscuits in the Marsala wine.

Second layer completed.

Cover it with the tiramisù cream.

Finally, proceed with the third layer of biscuits. For this final layer, dip the biscuits in the coffee. Once done, cover it with the last spread of tiramisù cream.

Dust with cocoa powder.

Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings.

Put the tiramisù in the fridge and leave it for about 4 hours. However, the longer the better because all the flavours blend together (I usually wait for 6-8 hours).

Learning to cook has never been so easy as with the Institute Galilei’s cooking courses: professional kitchen, professional chefs, guaranteed results!

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Italian recipes: Panzanella!

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Summertime is approaching, soups and warm dishes begin to be too hot for the nice weather; it’s time to have some fresh vegetables and salads! In Italy we have a real passion for them, also thanks to the our great olive oils that makes everything delicious. A typical Tuscan salad is the “Panzanella”, made with bread. It’s quick & easy to prepare, and the result will surprise you!

Ingredients:

  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces with your hands
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 8 slices thick stale country style Italian bread, torn into bite-size pieces (sourdough is also good but not something you use here in Italy)

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and basil. Drizzle with the 1/2 cup olive oil and the 3 tbsp vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
  2. Place half of the bread in a wide, shallow bowl. If the bread is quite stale and dry, you should first spoon a few tbsp of water over the bread and let it soak some of the water up, then with your hands squeeze all of the water out and place bread in a different bowl before proceeding. If it isn’t too stale or didn’t have any, then you can skip this step.
  3. Spoon half of the tomato mixture over the bread. Layer the remaining bread on top and then the remaining tomato mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or until serving time. Just before serving, toss the salad and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. At this point the bread should have assorbed the water from the tomatoes and be all moist. If the bread seems dry for some reason, add a little bit of olive oil and toss well. Serve immediately.

(source: Tuscan Recipes)

Wanna learn more salads recipes? Your Summer will be delicious with the Institute Galilei’s cooking courses!

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Traditional recipes from Florence: Florentine tripe

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

As you have maybe already understood from the other recipes we have posted, the Italian cuisine is especially based on “poor” dishes, which are all savoury and genuine.

One of the most typical, that you have heard for sure, is the “trippa alla fiorentina“:  walking around Florence you will meet for sure the “trippai“, which prepare everyday fresh tripe and sell delicious sandwiches filled with trippa or lampredotto. Do not miss them!
But let’s try to cook it. The ingredients are easy to find and the only thing you need is a little patience.

Ingredients:

1 kg, or 2 1/4 lb tripe
2 red-skinned onions
2 carrots
head of celery
500 g, or 1 lb 2 oz tinned (canned) tomatoes
Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Directions:

Wash the tripe and cut into finger-length strips. Make a mirepoix with 6 tablespoons of oil in a short pot. Add the tripe and, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, blend the flavours well.
When, after 20 minutes cooking, some of the liquor has seeped out of the tripe, add the drained tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for another hour over moderate heat, stirring frequently.

Serve the tripe hot, with the addition of  Parmesan cheese.

Why not trying to cook it with an experienced chef who will tell you all the secrets of this traditional dish? Take a look to the Institute Galilei’s cooking course “Da Lino”.

Source: Rameria

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Recipes from Florence: Rice Fritters

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

During winter times it is really easy to see in Florence’s bakeries and pastry shops these sweet “little balls” covered with sugar: they are called ”Frittelle di riso”, and are actually rice fritters.
The recipe belongs to late middle ages and Tuscan peolple were used to bake them in occasion of Saint Joseph’s celebrations (19 March). Try to cook them!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 3/4 cups (350 g) rice — cheap rice that gives off starch as it cooks will be fine
  • 1 quart (1 l) whole milk
  • The grated zest of a lemon
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • A walnut-sized chunk of unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 jigger rum or vinsanto
  • 1 cup (100 g) flour
  • 1 packet active live yeast
  • Oil for frying

PREPARATION

Begin by cooking the rice until it’s thoroughly cooked in the milk, together with the sugar, lemon zest, and butter. Let the mixture cool, and stir in the three yolks. Stir in the rum or vinsanto. Whip the whites and fold them in, then fold in the flour and the yeast.

Heat oil in a fairly deep pot and fry the mixture, a teaspoon at a time, removing the balls from the pot when they become golden. Drain them on absorbent paper, dust them with granulated sugar, and serve.

Good tip: when you cook them, do A LOT of them, because people always want more!

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Traditional recipes from Florence: the “Ribollita”!

Friday, March 6th, 2009

The Italian Cuisine is famous all over the world for its full tastes and unforgettable dishes: how could someone forget the taste of Lasagne, Pizza or Pesto?
With hundreds of different recipes, which can be different from region to region, lovely smells and genuine
ingredients, coming to the “Belpaese” will be a wonderful experience for your palates!

But why not learn how to prepare something by yourself? It’s easier than it seems! Let’s start with a special recipe coming directly from Tuscany, the heart of Italy: ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you the “Ribollita”.
Well, the name could sound quite strange and actually means “re-boiled”, beacuse during the poor periods the Italian farmers used to cook it on Friday and to reheat it on Saturday in order to have something to eat until Sunday. It’s a simple stale bread and vegetable soup.

INGREDIENTS
500 g stale Tuscan bread (not salty, really important)
300 g dried white beans
250 g ripe tomatoes
3 carrot
1 Tuscan black cabbage
3 potato
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 stalk of celery
a few springs of parseley
thyme
extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
chilli powder

LA RIBOLLITA
There are many versions of this traditional Tuscan dish, depending on the season and the availability of the ingredients. Start by preparing a good bean soup. Leave the dried beans tio steep for at least 12 hours, then drain them. Cover with fresh water and cook over a low heat in a covered pot. Meanwhile in a pan cook the diced onion, carrot and celery in a little oil. Add the crushed garlic, the skinned and chopped tomatoes, the red chilli and the thyme and after about 5 minutes add the potatoes cut into small cubes and the thinly sliced cabbage. Cook over a low heat, adding a little water. Pass the beans and their liquid through a food mill and add this mixture to the vegetables. Check the seasoning just before removing from the heat, after about 20 minutes. meanwhile, in a large ovenproof dish arrange two thin layers of bread and pour the soup over them. Make another two layers of bread and cover with more soup. The ribollita is obtained by reheating the soup over a very low heat. Make a dent in the centre, add some olive oil and boil very slowly, protecting the pot with a heat-diffuser plate.

Try it and you will be surprised – absolutely delicious!

This recipe is included in the Italian cooking course  “Da Lino” offered by the Institute Galilei.

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