Focaccia tomato and mozzarella 

Mozzarella, tomato and salad focaccia is a classic and tasty slice of white focaccia stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and sliced tomatoes, salad and mayonnaise. You can prepare the focaccia according to our basic recipe, or buy it ready-made. The mozzarella, tomato and salad focaccia is great for a quick lunch or dinner, but you can easily enjoy it outside the home, even at work. Cut into cubes, it can be served as an appetizer. In addition to rosemary focaccia, it can also be prepared with a simple olives.

INGREDIENTS

200 g buffalo mozzarella

1 tomato

4 lettuce leaves

250 g of Focaccia with oil and salt

Extra virgin olive oil

Fine salt

Oregano

Mayonnaise

PREPARATION

Slice the mozzarella and place it on a sheet of kitchen paper, so as to absorb the excess water. Wash the tomato and slice it thinly.

Wash the salad leaves and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Cut the focaccia in half. On the base of the focaccia put the mozzarella.

Sprinkle with the tomato and season it with a few drops of oil, a pinch of salt and oregano. Add the salad leaves. Sprinkle the lid with a thin layer of mayonnaise before closing the sandwich.

Grissini wrapped with prosciutto, and mozzarella 

A very quick appetizer to use the prosciutto and mozzarella from the fridge. They are good hot, just out of the oven but also delicious at room temperature with a basil leaf.  Prosciutto and breadsticks is a delicious appetizer, very popular in the 80s, still current today. A simple but tasty combination, quick and easy to prepare, perfect for an appetizer. In reality, this dish does not require any preparation, but only an assembly of only the two ingredients, the advice is to buy products of the highest quality. As for the breadsticks, you can also choose to make them yourself, with rectangular puff pastry (you can find it in the refrigerated counter). Just cut it into strips, roll them up on themselves and then bake them in the oven for about ten minutes. If, on the other hand, you are in a hurry, there are many types of excellent breadsticks on the market; I recommend the slightly more robust ones, because on the thin ones it is difficult to wrap the slice of ham without risking breaking them. As for the prosciutto, you can indulge yourself! Salty, sweet, semi-salty, with different seasonings: you will find all kinds on the market. By the way, did you know that in Italy there are 31 varieties of prosciutto? One better than the other! I challenge you to taste them all! The only recommendation I would like to give you is the cut. For this simple recipe, the  prosciutto must be cut very finely, in order to be able to wrap softly around the breadstick. What are you waiting for? At the Kitchen... Let's go!

Ingredients

6 breadsticks

100 gr. raw prosciutto

60 gr. mozzarella cheese

Guidelines

Wrap the slice of prosciutto on the breadstick. Let it rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator to compact and serve with the mozzarella cheese.

Berry tart

The berry tart is a classic dessert, made with short crust pastry and custard, loved by everyone and prepared especially to celebrate birthdays, special occasions or to be enjoyed on weekends with family and friends. If you have already tried the version of the classic FRUIT TART, which includes a selection of mixed fruit cut into slices and arranged on the dessert, do not delay in trying this other version where the acidity of the berries is divinely combined with the sweetness of the cream, winning you over at the first bite!

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE:

3/4 dose of SHORTCRUST PASTRY

FOR THE CREAM:

1 dose of CUSTARD

FOR THE DECORATION:

500-600 g of mixed fresh berries (about 4-5 trays)

powdered sugar to taste

Procedure

Following my recipes, prepare 3/4 dose of SHORT CRUST PASTRY and a dose of CUSTARD, let both bases rest in the refrigerator for the indicated time. When the pastry has rested in the refrigerator, knead it lightly to make it elastic again and roll it out until it is about 4-5 mm thick. Grease and flour a 26 cm diameter cake pan and line with the previously rolled out pastry. Pierce the bottom with a fork. Place a disc of baking paper slightly larger than the cake pan on top of the pastry base and place dried legumes on top for blind cooking, also called white baking. Bake the base of the tart in a static oven at 175 °C / 180 °C for about 10 minutes, remove the cake pan from the oven, lift the baking paper and remove the dried legumes. Put the cake pan back in the oven and continue cooking the pastry base for another 10-12 minutes at the same temperature. If the surface is light, raise the oven rack by one shelf during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. After the cream has rested for the necessary time in the refrigerator, it will surely have thickened. Put the cream in a bowl and mix it for a few seconds with a whisk (or if it seems too thick, work it with an electric mixer for a few seconds) so that it softens and regains creaminess. Place the base of the tart on the serving plate, pour the custard into a pastry bag and distribute it inside the pastry, helping to level it with a spoon or spatula, if necessary. Since berries are very delicate to be washed under running water, I recommend being very careful to ensure that the water does not crush them. An alternative is to wet a tea towel (or kitchen paper) and pass and roll the fruits in order to clean them. It is important that the berries are dried well with kitchen paper before being placed on the cake. Arrange the berries, randomly attached to each other, starting with blackberries and raspberries and covering the small spaces with blueberries and currants, until the entire surface is decorated. Once ready, it will be left to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Unlike the classic fruit tart, it is not mandatory to put gelatin on the berry tart because the berries being whole do not deteriorate. Alternatively, you can lightly sprinkle the surface with icing sugar.

Preservation

The fruit tart can be kept for a maximum of 2 days in the refrigerator.

 

Italian Artichoke Salad 😋 

This bright, fresh, Italian-inspired artichoke salad is a gorgeous side dish or healthy meal where green leaves, tomatoes, artichokes, and olives marry a tasty Italian dressing.

Ingredients 

2 artichokes (to be eaten raw)

300 g mixed salad

extra virgin olive oil to taste

salt to taste

10 ml apple cider vinegar

1 l water

1 lemon

Procedure

First clean the artichokes, remove the toughest outer leaves following the instructions you find here to clean the artichokes perfectly. Now you just have to cut them in half, remove any internal hay and put the artichokes to rest in a bowl full of water to which you have added lemon (or vinegar). Now wash the salad in plenty of water and for a crunchier result let it soak overnight in the refrigerator. When it is washed, drain the salad and remove excess water, season the salad with oil, salt to taste. After preparing the salad, cut the artichokes into thin strips. Once ready, add to the dressed salad, mix well and distribute on serving plates. Your artichoke salad is ready!

Wine pairing the artichoke salad 

The dish is ready, how can we combine it? I recommend pairing this artichoke salad with a sparkling and aromatic white wine such as a Vermentino di Gallura. The Canayli Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG is a true expression of the unique terroir of Gallura, in the heart of Sardinia. Produced from selected Vermentino grapes, this wine is renowned for its superior quality, achieved through meticulous vineyard care and rigorous grape selection during the harvest.

Canayli Winery, known for its commitment to sustainable viticulture, has crafted a wine that reflects both the power and elegance of its native environment. The Vermentino di Gallura Superiore stands out for its bright straw-yellow color with greenish hues, heralding its complexity and freshness.

On the nose, the Canayli Vermentino di Gallura Superiore reveals an intense and persistent aromatic bouquet, with notes of white flowers, fresh fruits like peach and citrus, and a slight hint of Mediterranean herbs. This olfactory profile harmoniously integrates with a pronounced minerality, a legacy of the granitic rocks on which the vines are planted.

On the palate, the attack is lively and fresh, confirming the fruitiness perceived on the nose along with a pleasant saltiness that invites the next sip. The body is well-structured, with a flawless balance between acidity and alcohol, leading to a long and satisfying finish that highlights the typicality and excellence of the Gallura terroir.

Ideal as an aperitif or paired with fish dishes, seafood, and traditional Sardinian cuisine, the Canayli Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG is an excellent example of how a wine can convey the history and character of its origin. A true gem not to be missed by lovers of quality white wines.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Honey, Fig, and Prosciutto

For an easy appetizer or a quick appetizer, baked brie appetizers with  figs, prosciutto slices and honey are the right recipe! Honey with cheese is a classic and delicious combination, a must try together with fruit such as figs in today's recipe, which have great nourishing and antioxidant properties. The classic puff pastries with figs, cheese prosciutto slices and honey are a tasty finger food, ideal to prepare at buffets or appetizers. The particular flavor of the classic sheets with figs, brie cheese, prosciutto slices and honey is given by the combination of the strong flavor of the brie, with the delicate taste of figs, prosciutto slices and honey. A real delicacy!

Ingredients

Figs 120 g

brie 25 g

prosciutto slices to taste

honey to taste

12 classic sheets of puff pastry

Preparation

To prepare the classic sheets with figs, cheese and honey, start by washing the figs well and cutting them into rather thin wedges. Brie cheese and arrange a couple on each sheet. Then place two fig wedges on each sheet and garnish with prosciutto slices a teaspoon of honey. The classic sheets with figs, cheese, prosciutto slices and honey are ready: serve and enjoy them in a short time, so as not to lose their freshness!

Preservation

It is preferable to assemble the classic sheets with figs at the moment.

Advice

If you want, you can replace the parmesan cheese with other cheeses with a strong flavor, such as brie or pecorino.

 

Eggplant rolls 

The eggplant season is just around the corner... Are you ready to take advantage of the many properties of this vegetable, as nutritious as it is versatile? After serving them in layers, stuffed or in the form of pizzas, now we couldn't help but roll them: here are the eggplant rolls! In this recipe, the eggplant rolls are stuffed with a classic filling of cooked prosciutto and cheese, a delicious heart that is already a whole program... Seasoned with a delicious tomato sauce and baked in the oven, they will be irresistible. A simple and quick dish to make, tasty and delicious to serve as an appetizer or as a rich side dish. In both cases, we advise you to abound with the portions of the eggplant rolls: because no one will be able to resist these inviting rolls to eat in one bite! If you have vegetarian guests, do not change the menu but delight them with a delicious alternative: Mediterranean-style eggplant rolls.

Ingredients

Egg plant 650 g

Cooked prosciutto 225 g

Tomato puree 400 g

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Provolone cheese 225 g

Garlic 1 segment

Basil to taste

Preparation

To prepare the eggplant rolls, first wash and dry the eggplants, then remove the stalk and cut them lengthwise with a mandolin in order to obtain 15 slices about 1 cm thick. Place the eggplant

 slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, oiled salt and pepper. Now cook in a convection oven preheated to 210 degrees C for 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. In a saucepan, pour a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic. Pour in the tomato puree, salt and flavor with basil, bring to a boil, lower the temperature and cook for about 20 minutes. Once the eggplants are cooked, start stuffing them with cheese and cooked ham. Roll them up to get the rolls. Keep the rolls aside. In a baking dish, pour 2-3 tablespoons of tomato sauce, place the eggplant rolls next to each other. Cover the eggplants with the rest of the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven in static mode at 200 °C. Once cooked, serve the eggplant rolls hot and stringy.

Preservation

The eggplant rolls can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container. You can freeze them after cooking.

Advice

For a more sinful version, however, try frying the eggplant instead of baking it and then stuff it according to the recipe! If you don't have eggplants available, these rolls are also excellent with zucchini ... success is still assured! You can replace the puree with tomato pulp for a more rustic texture. If you want to avoid the oven, you can also grill the eggplant on a griddle.

Saffron risotto 

Saffron is an ancient spice that is obtained from the stigmas of the flower of the same name. In the beginning it was used for its coloring properties but over time it has become a valuable ingredient with which you can make unforgettable recipes... like saffron risotto! This classic first course is typical of Lombard cuisine where it is often combined with ossobuco, but it is loved in all regions of Italy: from adults and children, from the most refined palates to the most truthful ones. The reason lies in the simplicity of the preparation and the golden magic of saffron, which embellishes the rice grains with its unmistakable aroma and color. For a more intense flavor we recommend choosing pistils, but if you prefer, saffron powder will also be fine. Like any self-respecting risotto, moreover, the creaming phase will be essential to obtain the ideal creaminess, neither too soupy nor too thick. If you have always wanted to know how to prepare a saffron risotto perfectly to the wave, then, you just have to follow the recipe!

Ingredients

Carnaroli Rice 320 g

Saffron pistils 1 teaspoon

Golden onions ½

White wine 40 g

Vegetable broth 1 l

Water to taste

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Salt to taste

to cream

Grana Padano cold from the fridge (to be grated) 80 g Grana Padano 

Cold butter from the fridge 75 g

Preparation

To make the saffron risotto, first put the saffron pistils in a small bowl and cover with water. Leave to infuse for at least 6 hours or even overnight, covering the bowl. After the infusion time, prepare the vegetable broth and keep it warm. Peel and chop the onion very finely, then pour it into a pan with a drizzle of oil. Turn on the heat to low and let it wilt very gently for about 10-15 minutes; To help you you can add a pinch of salt or a ladle of broth. When the onion is soft and translucent, pour in the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly and keeping the heat low to prevent the onion from burning. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely, then start wetting the rice with the hot broth, a ladle at a time, taking care to wait for it to be absorbed before adding the next one. Keep a light and constant boil. When the rice is almost cooked, you can add the saffron with its infusion liquid (you can keep the pistils stuck to the bottom and use them for decoration). Mix well and finish cooking the rice, adjusting salt if necessary. Once cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and grated Grana Padano, both cold from the fridge. Add a little more broth, just enough to get the right consistency, then mix everything together, shaking the pan to form the classic "wave". Serve your saffron risotto and garnish with the pistils kept aside!

Preservation

It is advisable to consume the saffron risotto immediately. The leftover risotto can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days, in an airtight container, and can be used to make other tasty recipes such as arancini, flans, croquettes or a classic sautéed rice!

Advice

If you use saffron powder instead of pistils, you can follow the same cooking methods by reducing only the infusion time. Adding salt may not be necessary if the broth is already savory enough, so always taste before salting! If you prefer, you can cook the rice with boiling salted water instead of broth, but the latter gives the dish a more complex and balanced flavor. After serving the saffron risotto, gently tap your hand on the bottom of the plate: if the risotto expands it means that the consistency is perfect!

Spaghetti alla Nerano

With the recipe for spaghetti alla Nerano we bring to the table a dish with Campania flavors, a first course of the Neapolitan culinary tradition that has always conquered with its genuine simplicity. The origin of this typical preparation is shrouded in several legends, the most widespread and accredited dates the idea of this recipe back to the fifties: it seems that a restaurateur in the small bay of Nerano to tie pasta and zucchini tried to add Provolone del Monaco, a stretched curd cheese more or less spicy depending on the maturation and typical of the Lattari mountains. The secret of the goodness of this dish lies precisely in its incredible and appetizing creaminess and in the unparalleled taste of this particular provolone. While waiting to taste the typical spaghetti alla Nerano in one of the restaurants of the town or on the Amalfi Coast, we invite you to make this delight at home, trying our appetizing version!

INGREDIENTS

Spaghetti 320 g

Provolone 150 g

Zucchini 700 g

Basil to taste

Parmigiano Reggiano to be grated 30 g

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Garlic 1 segment

Extra virgin olive oil 30 g

For frying

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

To make spaghetti alla Nerano, put on the stove start with the zucchini: wash and trim them, then cut them into thin slices with a mandolin. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, once the oil has reached 150 °, the ideal temperature for frying, dip the zucchini slices a few at a time so as not to lower the temperature of the oil, cook for about 5-6 minutes, enough time to brown them. Once cooked, drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on a tray lined with paper towels to wipe off excess oil. As you cook the zucchini, season them with salt and basil leaves chopped by hand. Keep the zucchini aside, and place a high-sided pot full of salted water on the stove that will be used for cooking the spaghetti. In the meantime, grate the Parmesan and Provolone del Monaco with a grater with large holes. Then cook the pasta which will be to be drained very al dente (after about 6 minutes of cooking). Meanwhile, heat 30 g of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan, add the poached garlic to flavor then with kitchen tongs remove the garlic and pour the previously fried zucchini. Add a ladle of pasta cooking water and sauté the zucchini for a few moments so that they are slightly revived and that they are not dry. After about 6 minutes of cooking the spaghetti, drain them directly into the pan with the sauce, taking care to keep the cooking water. Add a ladle of pasta cooking water at a time, as needed, to continue cooking the spaghetti, risotto them: it will take about 3 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Pour a part of the Provolone del Monaco, stirring the spaghetti to melt it and create the cream; once it has been absorbed, move on to pour in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the remaining provolone. Flavor again with the basil chopped by hand and pour another ladle of pasta cooking water. Stir and once ready, add a sprinkling of ground pepper. Serve your spaghetti alla Nerano hot!

Preservation

It is preferable to consume the spaghetti alla Nerano as soon as they are ready. Freezing is not recommended.

Advice

The secret to obtaining creamy spaghetti is not to let the preparation dry out too much, taking care to add the pasta cooking water a little at a time if necessary so as to obtain a perfect creaming! Provolone is a seasoned stretched curd cheese, and with a slightly spicy taste. If you can't find it, you can replace it with a good seasoned caciocavallo, so as not to deviate too much from the original flavor.

 

Pasta alla gricia

Pasta alla gricia is considered the ancestor of amatriciana, with which it has in common the use of guanciale and Pecorino Romano. Unlike amatriciana, an original recipe, it does not include tomato sauce since its origin would even predate its importation into Europe. In fact, it is said that the recipe for gricia was invented by Lazio shepherds who, with the few ingredients available, prepared a dish as simple as it was substantial. A pasta alla gricia made to perfection must be creamy and tasty with the sole help of cheese and cooking water: we have chosen rigatoni to collect this tasty condiment but a long format such as bucatini or tonnarelli will also be perfect!

INGREDIENTS

Rigatoni 320 g

Guanciale (already peppered) 250 g

Pecorino Romano to be grated 60 g

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Preparation

To make the gricia pasta, first prepare the guanciale: cut it into slices half a cm thick, then remove the rind and cut out strips. Put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. Pour the guanciale into a hot pan and brown over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often so as not to burn it. When it is just golden, remove the guanciale and set it aside, leaving the cooking juices in the pan. In the meantime, the water for the pasta will have come to a boil, so cook the rigatoni for 2-3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. Grate the Pecorino with a fine-mesh grater and set aside. Pour a ladle of the pasta cooking water into the pan with the still hot bottom of the guanciale and rotate it to create an emulsion. Drain the rigatoni in the pan and finish cooking by sautéing and stirring often, so that the starch released by the pasta blends with the fat of the sauce creating a cream. When the pasta is al dente, remove the pan from the heat and add the grated Pecorino cheese. Then dilute immediately with a little cooking water of the hot pasta, stir quickly so as to obtain a fluid and creamy dressing. Finally, add the browned bacon and give it one last stir. Serve immediately and complete to taste with ground pepper. Your pasta alla gricia is ready to be enjoyed!

Preservation

It is advisable to consume the pasta alla gricia as soon as it is ready. Alternatively, you can store it in the refrigerator for a maximum of one day.

Advice

If you use un-peppered bacon, complete the dish with ground pepper to taste. It is advisable to cook the pasta in a large pot with a little water, so that the starch released does not disperse too much. If you feel like you have added too much cooking water during the freezing phase, don't worry: by continuing to stir, the water will be absorbed by the starches and there will be no need to add more cheese.

 

 

Risotto al telefono

Risotto al telefono is a first-course dish that’s truly tasty, easy, and quick to prepare. It’s inspired by a typical dish from the cuisine of the Lazio region: supplì al telefono, fried breaded balls of rice and tomato sauce. What these two recipes have in common, besides the rice and tomato, is the cheese: As you pull the supplì apart, the melting cheese creates a string resembling a telephone cord, giving the dish its “al telefono” name. This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients to create a dish that will really win everyone over... a tomato risotto livened up with cubes of stringy mozzarella that will melt thanks to the heat from the rice. You won’t need to add butter or other fats to make this risotto rich; just measure out the broth well to get a creamy effect!

INGREDIENTS

Vialone nano rice 1 ¾ cup (320 g)

Shallot 1

Tomato purée 1 cup (200 g)

Mozzarella cheese 4.25 oz (120 g) - (for pizza)

Marjoram to taste

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Fine salt to taste

Vegetable broth 6.3 cups (1.5 l)

Preparation

To make the risotto al telefono, first prepare the vegetable broth and keep warm. Next, chop the shallot. Drizzle some olive oil into a frying pan, add the shallot, and leave to soften. Add the rice to the pan and toast for a few minutes. Then, add the tomato puree and stir to combine. Start to cook the risotto by adding broth until the rice is covered. Add salt if necessary (taking into account how much salt is in the broth) and bring to a simmer, adding more broth as needed and stirring frequently. It will take around 18 minutes in total from when you began adding the broth to the rice. Cooking times may vary based on the kind of rice used; taste it frequently to see how it’s cooking. Next, cut the mozzarella into cubes and set aside. As soon as the rice has finished cooking, remove from heat and add the mozzarella, a drizzle of oil, and the marjoram leaves. Mix the risotto until the cheese is nicely melted and the dish is creamy. Serve and enjoy while still warm. 

Storage

The risotto can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. Not suitable for freezing.

Tip

Replace the mozzarella with another cheese of your choice. For a hint of heat, add some crushed red pepper as the shallot is softening.