Italian Food Recipes

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 T coconut cream
1 T cornstarch
1 T milk
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup shredded coconut

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened
1 T vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ tsp salt
1 lb. confectioners sugar
3 T milk
1 T vanilla extract

Syrup and Garnish:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut

Methods:

Filling:
Place the heavy cream, sugar, and coconut cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Stir the cornstarch and the milk together in a small bowl until there are no lumps.Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering cream until it’s smooth; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes longer.Add the butter and shredded coconut and continue cooking, stirring, for 3 more minutes.Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until thickened, about 2 hours.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper.Grease the paper and then flour the pans lightly, tapping out any excess.

Cake:
Sift the flour,baking powder,and salt together. Reserve.Place the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute.Gradually add the butter, vanilla, and milk and continue beating for 2 minutes.Add the reserved dry ingredients and beat for 1 minute.

Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes. Un-mold the cakes, carefully peeling off the waxed paper and allow them to cool completely on the rack.

Prepare the icing:
Place the cream cheese and the butter in a bowl and beat with a mixer until creamy. Add the remaining icing ingredients; beat until smooth and soft.

Prepare the syrup:
Place the sugar,water and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Boil for 3 minutes,stirring occasionally.Remove from heat and brush the top of each cake layer with the syrup using a pastry brush. (You don’t have to use all the syrup).

Assemble the cake:
Place one cake layer on a serving platter.Spread it with half of the reserved filling and top with another layer of cake.Spread the cake with the remaining filling and top with the last cake layer. Ice the top and sides of the cake with the icing and then sprinkle the top with ½ cup shredded coconut.

Ingredients:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 T cold water
8 ounces good quality white chocolate
3 cups whipping cream
3 T sugar
2 t almond extract
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Put gelatin powder and cold water in a small dish and let sit for 10 minutes to soften.

Melt chocolate and ½ cup of the whipping cream in the top of a double boiler, stirring all the time. Stir in the softened gelatin, mixing well, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool until just warm, about 10 minutes. Don’t let it sit too long or the chocolate /gelatin mixture will become too firm.

Chill a large bowl and a whisk or mixer beaters in the freezer for 30 minutes before you are going to whip the cream. Whip the remaining cream in the bowl with the whisk or electric mixer for 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and the almond extract, and continue beating until the beater leaves soft traces on the surface and the cream holds its shape when lifted with the beater, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir ¼ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.Then fold in the remaining cream,1/3 at a time, being careful no to over blend.Spoon the mousse into individual dessert bowls and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.To serve,decorate each serving with a sprig of mint.

Ingredients:

Cake:
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
2-½ cups flour
1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
1-¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1-¼ cup mashed ripe bananas
2 eggs
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Coconut Topping:
1-½ cups packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 T milk
2 cups flaked coconut
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

2. Cream butter. Add dry ingredients, bananas and buttermilk. Mix slightly. Add eggs and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until very well browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

3. Place oven rack 4 to 5 inches from broiler. Set oven to broil.

4. Mix butter, sugar and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Add coconut and nuts.

5. Pour and spread over cooled cake. Place under broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or just until coconut begins to brown. Cool before serving.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek sliced
4-5 large garlic cloves,sliced thinly
10 green onions,halved lengthwise,cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 cup homemade fish stock (link) or bottled clam juice
4 orange roughly,sea bass,escolar (white tuna),haddock or halibut fillets. Any firm,white-fleshed fish will be great if it is fresh.
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.Add leek and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.Stir in green onions and stock.Boil until the liquid is reduced to glaze stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.Season the fish with salt and pepper.Add to pan and cook until just cooked through,about 5 minutes per side.Remove the fish to plates.

Add onion mixture to cooking pan and heat briefly,then Spoon this mixture over your fish with leeks and enjoy.Sprinkle with Italian parsley and serve.

Ingredients:

About 6 cups of chicken broth
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T minced shallots (or onions)
1 and 1/4 cups Italian Arborio rice
1/3 cup good quality red wine
1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 cup sliced mushrooms
10 fresh basil leaves
1 Sprig fresh thyme
2-3 T real butter or yogurt butter
2 T grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley for garnish
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to top

Preparation

This takes about 1/2 hour of cooking time.In a large stock pot heat the stock and herbs. Keep simmering throughout preparation of the dish.Next over medium heat in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet heat the olive oil.Add shallots or onions. Stir to coat for 1-2 minutes.

Add Arborio rice. Stir to coat rice really well, but do not brown. (The purpose in coating the rice with olive oil is to help control the absorption of the cooking stock) If the onions seem to have used up most of the oil, add more.The Arborio has to be coated or your red wine risotto won’t be as good as it can be.

Once coated add the red wine and balsamic vinegar and allow most of it to be absorbed. The rice will be red but don’t fret it’s supposed to be.It adds to the charm of the dish.Add the mushrooms, stir in briefly but do not allow the pan to completely dry up.

Add enough stock with a stock spoon to cover the rice completely and lower the heat to low.As the liquid level drops below the rice slightly add back enough stock to re-cover.Stir the rice occasionally so that it does not stick and so it cooks evenly. This is low heat cooking so don’t try and rush it. It’s okay if you get some or all of the basil from the simmering stock in the dish but since the thyme is on its sprig, don’t let this get into the risotto itself just the flavor.

Continue this process for about 20 more minutes. Taste the rice at this point to see if it is almost tender. If so, allow the present liquid level to drop until about 90 per cent absorbed. Stir in the butter and Romano cheese vigorously, then turn off the heat. The butter and cheese will provide that elegant “creaminess” that good risotto is noted for.

Garnish your red wine risotto with fresh Italian Parsley and parmigiano-reggianno.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, about 1 1/4 lbs., cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 zucchinis quartered lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large red onion, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2-3 T butter, or Butter Buds
4-6 T olive oil
5-15 cloves of garlic, with pointed ends cut off and still held together by bulb stalk
2 lbs plum tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lb spiral or shaped pasta, cooked al dente according to package instructions
About 1/2 cup or so of grated parmesan cheese

Preparations:

Layer eggplant,zucchini, trimmed garlic bulb and onions over baking sheets that have been buttered or greased with olive oil. Drizzle enough olive oil over vegetables to coat. Sprinkle butter or Butter Buds and salt and pepper over top. Toss with a spoon or tongs to mix well.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes, tossing occasionally.Remove from over and reserve.
While vegetables are cooking, place tomatoes on foil sheet large enough to enclose them in, coat with olive oil,salt and pepper. Close foil totally around tomatoes and place on medium heat grill. Grill for about 15 minutes, flipping over once. Allow to cool, then puree them in a blender.

In a large bowl, toss pasta with roasted vegetables.Cover with pureed tomatoes and toss together. Top individual portions with grated parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

3 + 2 T olive oil
1 medium to large eggplant,peeled and chopped into 1” squares
1 medium onion,minced
3-4 garlic cloves,finely sliced
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
3 T capers
4 anchovy fillets,minced
½ cup Kalmata olives,sliced
¾ lb. ground beef
1 T raw sugar or Splenda
2 T balsamic vinegar
¼ cup red or rose wine
1 lb round pasta
¼ cup Italian Parsley,minced
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation:

1. Add 3 T of olive oil to skillet with lid over medium heat.Add eggplant and toss to coat.Reduce to low and cover. Let simmer about 10-12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile in another skillet brown ground beef and reserve to add later.

3. Add 2 more T of olive oil to eggplant then add the onions and garlic.Toss to coat.Recover and cook for about 4-5 minutes.

4. Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes.Cook 2 minutes.Add balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir these in and add the beef anchovies and wine.Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

5. Add the capers and olives continue to cook for another couple of minutes then add the pasta and stir it in well to warm.

Add the Italian parsley and the Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving.

Ingredients:

2 T chopped walnuts, toasted over low heat until just browned.
3-5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 ¾ cups cleaned and stemmed baby spinach leaves
4 ounces soft goat cheese (feta is fine)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped, oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup fresh, chopped basil leaves
12 ounces linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti pasta, fresh or dried.

Preparation

Cook linguine according to desired doneness.Chop walnuts and garlic in a food processor or with knife until fine then toast. Add spinach to olive oil over medium heat and stir for about 1 minute.Add broth, sun-dried tomatoes,basil,salt and pepper for about 1 more minute.Add walnuts – garlic and goat cheese allow to marry with sauce for about 1 minute then remove from heat and serve.

Ingredients

3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup quality, extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1-2 T dried oregano
1/4 cup red wine
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tin whole flat anchovies, chopped
1 lb. med or large shrimp or cooked kielbasa sausage (cubed into small pieces)
1 lb pasta shapes, such as penne, rigatoni or med. shells,cooked al dente
2 T quality,aged balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 T red wine vinegar
10-15 fresh basil leaves, minced
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from stem
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Cut broccoli into florets and blanch in boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.Transfer to large bowl, combining with pasta.Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in large skillet over med. heat.Add onions and saute until they release their juices, 5-6 minutes.Add garlic, tomatoes, anchovies and balsamic vinegar and stir for 3 or 4 minutes.Add shrimp, or sausage, and cook until pink (if shrimp).Transfer to bowl and combine with broccoli and pasta.Combine remaining oil, red wine vinegar,rosemary,basil,salt and pepper in a small bowlCombine with pasta.