Zuccherini ~ Italian Lemon Cookies

Zuccherini are little Italian cookies shaped like wedding rings that are customarily given to guests at weddings in Italy.  They are traditionally given from the bride and groom as gifts for good wishes to everyone, and are displayed in beautiful white baskets lined with white fabric and decorated with fresh flowers.  However, these cookies are now prepared year-round because of their popularity!

I bought a bag of these little sweet, lemon-yellow cookies while up in the mountains of Northern Italy (above) and also found them in many of the shops in Amalfi (below).  They were so delicately flavored with lemon, and not overly sweet.  I just fell in love with them, having enjoyed them from the cucina of my Nonna Stella.  One would have to find an Italian bakery to find these cookies!  My mother really loved these cookies so much that she included the recipe for zuccherini in our the family cookbook' (shown below).  

So along with other recipes that are almost identical from scouring the Web and all of my Italian cookbooks, I'm sharing this delicious recipe for all of us to prepare in our own homes.  Other than my family's cookbook, the 'book' as we often call it, I could only find two other Italian cookbooks where I found the recipe.

From my family's 'humble', non-photo, text-only, finger-smudged cookbook, "Memories of Martina",  is the following recipe for "Zuccherini" (which is misspelled in our cookbook) and which I have reduced in quantity for you in the recipe at the bottom of this post. 

Don't use 'margarine' as stated below in the recipe from my family's cookbook.  At one time it was considered 'modern' to use margarine in American kitchens, but no more.  So prepare this recipe the authentic way with olive oil, the correct way!

Also, the icing in the recipe below is a bit different, so use either recipe for the icing, just remember to add lemon juice/zest for the outstanding flavor that is enjoyed in Italy (in the second recipe below)!  But if that is too much lemon for you, than just mix sugar and water or milk.

My family's recipe below is just a little bit different than those that I found in the other cookbooks, so just compare and see which recipe or a combination is more to your taste preferences.

I also found the recipe in "Italian Holiday Cooking" by Michelle Scicolone and "Bologna Mia" by Loretta Paganini so that we can bake these cookies for Christmas and throughout the year!  

I found out that Zuccherini are some of the oldest of all Italian biscotti.  The beauty and deliciousness of these cookies is in their minimalism and simplicity. . . using only the most basic ingredients of sugar, flour, eggs. olive oil, anise seeds and a little bit of added flavor - - and for this recipe, it is lemon!

These cookies are SO EASY to make too!  You just form a 'well' of your dry ingredients, then add the eggs, olive oil and flavorings in the middle of the 'well' just as you would do to make pasta the 'old' traditional way.  With your hands, slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the eggs/olive oil mixture to make the dough.  Pull off little pieces about the size of an egg and roll them out into ropes, form them into 'rings' and pinch the two ends together where they meet.  Bake, glaze, and that's it!

Now this is super easy deliciousness!

a display of Zuccherini in Amalfi . . . I should have bought more!

the powdered sugar - lemon glaze hardens on the lemon cookies

Lemon Zuccherini

3 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (sea salt is best)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon anise seeds
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Glaze/Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 - 3 Tbsp. lemon juice (depending on how lemony you want your glaze)
Double this if you like more glaze (like I do)!


Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt onto a large cutting board.
Shape it into the form of a large well.
Into the middle of the 'well', add the eggs, olive oil, anise seeds, and lemon zest.
Incorporate all ingredients together to form a dough; do not overwork.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut dough into egg-size balls and roll out each one into a long rope of medium thickness.
Optional:  For a more layered cookie, flatten the rope and fold it in half along the entire length of the rope.
Shape each rope into a ring.
Pinch the ends together.
Place cookies onto a well greased and floured, or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.
Prepare glaze by mixing together sugar and lemon juice.
Brush each cookie with the lemon glaze while the cookies are still warm.
OR
as my Nonna used to do:
Place the glaze ingredients in a plastic bag, insert the cookies, and SHAKE to cover the cookies with the lemon glaze!

It's OK if these cookies harden; they become perfect for dunking into coffee or wine as Italians love to do.

.........

         THANK YOU SO MUCH DIANE

        for featuring my Zuccerhini post !!!

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White Chocolate Drizzled Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Biscotti (or cantucci which is what my family calls them) have been baked for Christmas in my family for centuries.  As one of our favorite treats, it simply would not be the holidays without these wonderful Italian cookies.  Italian biscotti are long, narrow cookies that are hard and crispy as a result of baking them twice.  Biscotti are ridiculously easy cookies to make!  No one should be intimidated by the process of forming the batter into logs for the first baking, cooling them off a bit and then slicing into shape before baking a second time to become golden brown.  Plus, biscotti/cantucci are easy to store for long time and versatile to experiment with different flavors.

Traditionally, biscotti are dunked into either coffee or wine after dinner or as a mid-day snack.  The hard texture softens in the liquid or you can eat them without dipping.  My mother, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers have always made the traditional anise-flavored biscotti for the holidays.  The cooks in this family rarely sway from traditional recipes when it comes to family recipes.  However, I've been wanting to bake biscotti with white chocolate, cranberries and pistachios for some time!

I just had to take the opportunity to bake up a batch of these distinctive Italian cookies when Pamela Heath from Orandi Ranch ARO Gourmet Pistachios sent me some pistachios from California, that are AHA and Kosher certified, as well as naturally vegan and gluten-free.  These delicious pistachios can be purchased either shelled or unshelled, perfectly roasted and handcrafted with Himalayan Pink Salt.  After receiving them I wrote to Pamela and asked her if I could bake something with the yummy nuts and post the recipe on my blog.  No one asked me to do this, I simply volunteered and I am so glad; these amazing pistachio-based biscotti turned out better than any of our expectations!  If you are a pistachio lover as am I, you really need to check out these specialty pistachios through the link provided above.



Plus the green pistachios and red cranberries are such a beautiful combination for a holiday cookie platter.  With the addition of white chocolate the cookies become more festive and special . . .  creating a balance between the creamy, sweet flavor of the chocolate paired perfectly with the tart, chewy cranberries!  The texture of the hard cookie base combined with the soft, creamy chocolate bits will make your taste buds sing!  For added attractiveness, drizzle or dip the biscotti with melted chocolate.  The extra chocolate melts and adds some creamy chocolatey sweetness to your hot coffee.

These biscotti are so delicious that my family has just been gobbling them down!  My mother even asked me to get them away from her to stop the constant temptation to eat more!  This is one of the highest compliments when a recipe passes the rigorous test of my family and when they declare a new favorite!  Your family will enthusiastically grab them up fast too, I promise!  These are the most fantastic, superior biscotti that we have ever tasted!

This is also a versatile recipe to change ingredients that you may prefer better.  For example, if you are more fond of almonds or other nuts, use those instead.  You may want to use milk chocolate or butterscotch.  Maybe you prefer dried blueberries or other dried fruits instead of cranberries . . . no problem with this recipe.  Or drizzle the cookies with caramel instead of chocolate too.  There are so many possibilities for you to conjure up your own unique yummy flavor combination!

You can also control the level of crispiness/hardness of the cookies by the amount of time you bake them the second time:    If you prefer your biscotti more crispy for the traditional dunking in coffee or wine, the amount of baking time is anywhere from 15 - 20 minutes.  The baking time for more soft cookies (that my husband prefers, since he doesn't dunk them) is 5  - 10 minutes.  Just make sure that the edges of the biscotti do not brown or burn, but rather are golden only.

Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

White Chocolate Drizzled Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on the pre-cooked biscotti
3 eggs for the biscotti mixture, plus 1 egg for brushing on the pre-cooked biscotti
2 tsp. pure vanilla or vanilla extract
4 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup amaretto liquor
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips or 7 squares of white chocolate
1-1/4 cups shelled pistachios
1 - 2 cups of melted white chocolate
Red and Green colored sugar or sprinkles (optional for Christmas)

In a large bowl, blend the butter and sugar well.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add in the vanilla and amaretto liquor.
In a separate bowl combine the four, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Slowly blend in the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
Fold in the cranberries, white chocolate and pistachios; dough will be sticky.
Divide dough into two to three equal sized portions.
On a floured surface or cutting board, shape each portion into a long 2-1/2" wide logs; these expand while baking, so shape the logs according to your preference.
With your hands, gently 'flatten' each of the logs a little bit.
Brush a beaten egg on each log and generously sprinkle sugar on top of each log.
Carefully place logs on an ungreased baking sheet, spaced 3 inches apart.
Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 25 minutes or until firm and lightly brown on the edges.
Cool for 5 minutes.
While warm, yet cool enough to handle with your hands, transfer logs to a cutting board.
With very little pressure, use a serrated knife to cut the logs diagonally into 1" slices.
Allow the knife to do the work for you and do not press down on the biscotti so they don't break.
Place the slices 'cut-side' down on the ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and remove from the oven to turn each over.
Return the slices to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and set the biscotti on wire racks to cool.
Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
Remove chocolate from the heat.
With a fork, drizzle the chocolate over biscotti and/or dip the biscotti into the chocolate on one end of each.
Place the chocolate dipped or drizzled biscotti on wax or parchment paper and allow to set for about 30 minutes.
For Christmas, sprinkle your favorite red and green colored sugar or sprinkles on the warm chocolate.
For Easter or springtime, you can also choose to use pink, yellow, lavender, or green).
Store in an airtight container for up to one month or freeze them for later.

During my trip to Italy, I took these two photos of Italian "cantuccini" with wine.

Many people don't realize that Italians dip biscotti / cantucci in wine as well as coffee!

"Cantucci" (as shown above) is how my family has always called biscotti.

Woo!  This bag of cantucci was priced at 7.60 euros . . . about $10.00 (U.S.)

You can make these at home for so much less . . . and fresher too!

I'm also happily sharing this recipe on:

Roxana's Chocolate Party

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The Traditional Food of Naples, Italy! A Taste of Napoli!

Naples, Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius

(photo credit:  dailymail uk)

Napoli, or Naples is my final destination before flying back to the States after two wonderful weeks in beautiful Italy.  Located on the incredibly beautiful Bay of Naples and beneath Mount Vesuvius, this is a very large city, in fact it is the third largest city in Italy.  The narrow streets are very crowded and bustling with activity; everyone seems to be in a manic hurry here.  Driving a car here is literally insane!  But like many places in Italy, there is a lot to see and admire, and so little time before I fly home!  

The people of Naples live with the continual threat of Vesuvius and memories of the catastrophic destruction of the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, thus giving them a reputation for living life to the fullest and with a much greater sense of gusto.  The people engage in a religious custom twice a year at the city's Duomo where they view the blood of Saint Gennaro miraculously liquifying in its vial which provides safety and protection from another eruption from the volcano.

Someday I hope to visit Naples during the Christmas season!  Neapolitans are known for their magnificent hand-crafted 'il presepe' (cribs) or nativity scenes.  This custom has now extended to including scenes beyond the Nativity to life around Naples itself.  Via San Gregorio Armeno is filled with displays and artisan workshops selling Nativity scenes.  The famous Giussepe Ferrigno has a work shop where some of his elaborate 'il presepe' can be seen.

Via San Gregorio Armeno full of artisan workshops where the handmade figurines can be purchased

sample of Giuseppe Feriggno's craftsmanship

Hundreds of nativity scenes can be found throughout Italy in town squares, shops, many homes, and in every church including the Vatican in Rome.   People begin setting up the displays on December 8th, which is the Feast of The Immaculate Conception and are taken down on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany.  The figurine of the baby Jesus is always added to the crib scene on Christmas Eve.

So popular are these figurines in Italy, that in Naples and Rome there are two museums where one can view thousands of figurines (collections dating back to the 1800's are in Il Museo Tipologico Nazionale del Presepio, Rome and Il Museo Nazionale di San Martino, Naples).

The castle/palace of Maschio Angioiano

Castel dell'Ovo, the oldest castle in Naples, on the waterfront of the spectacular Bay of Naples

The FOOD of Naples and Campania

As in any part of Italy, Neapolitans are passionate and quite opinionated about their cuisine.  The food of Campania is as exuberant as its natives.  Even though the heartier food of Northern Italy is so well known for its prosciutto, parmigiana, and balsamico ingredients, what is known as 'Mediterranean Cuisine', and that which is much healthier for us, is from the Southern part of Italy, including the food of Naples and Campania.  The cooking of this region aims to preserve the flavors of the local fresh ingredients as well as their fragrance, thereby maintaining a focus on simplicity rather than sophistication. Southern Italian food is considered to be the 'soul of Italy'. 

The cuisine is more spicy and reliant on the sun-kissed vegetables available year-round, including superb artichokes and aubergine (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini) sun-dried pomodori (tomatoes).  Bumper crops of dried red chili peppers, garlic, herbs, olives, olive oil and salty capers are also harvested.  Campania is famous for its fruit orchards that produce some of the best lemons and oranges, figs, peaches and apricots, and also grapes from numerous vineyards.  Almonds and hazelnuts of the highest quality hale from this region.  Pasta is more often dried in this southern part of Italy versus the fresh pasta of the North, although cooks do use fresh pasta as well.  And it is in Campania where the tomato was first introduced to Italy and used in it's cuisine.

San Marzano tomatoes' enhanced rich flavor and deep red color result from flourishing in the rich, fertile volcanic soil of Campania.  Additionally, the ideal growing climate exists in Southern Italy that includes plenty of sunshine with idyllic warm days and cooler evenings.

Seafood and sea-salt are stand-out ingredients in the kitchen.  The sea is a highlight of the food from which it generously offers an endless array of pristine seafood harvested from anchovies to clams, mussels and squid, and even octopus!  Traditionally there is a shorter supply of meat in this region, so it goes without saying that less meat is consumed that has greater reliance on lamb and seafood.

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore!

The natives of Naples claim that their city is the original home to authentic pizza!  The world's first pizzeria opened its doors in Naples and still remains in business today.  Using the simplest of ingredients, Pizza Margherita is a triumph of Neapolitan cuisine!  Becoming more popular now in the States, the humble ingredients of fresh San Marzano pomodori (tomatoes), fresh aromatic basil and mozzarella (di bufala) on char-marked dough is all that is required to make this highly-praised and delicious pizza.  The colors of red, white, and green represent the official colors of the Italian flag.  Fresh, and bubbly-hot straight out of ancient wood-fired ovens, this is the ultimate!

Pizza Margherita

click for the recipe

(photo credit:  Rosalind Corieri Paige)

classic Neapolitan Margherita Pizza
(photo credit:  dailymail uk)

Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
(photo credit:  girlichef blog, click for recipe)

Spaghetti all Puttanesca

literally means 'whore's spaghetti' in Italian!   This is a hot, spicy, tangy, salty and very fragrant pasta dish made from typical local ingredients:  fresh tomatoes, olives, chili peppers, garlic, and capers, all sauteed in olive oil and presented with a sprinkling of fresh Italian parsley.  My mother loves this wonderful pasta dish!

Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

This is one Italian classic dish that has disagreement among several regions in Italy as to it's origin.  As with all traditional recipes, there are numerous claims to the definitive method of preparation.  Because this region is so renowned for its fresh eggplant that is available throughout the year, I'm going to agree with the Neapolitan saying:  "A parmigiana e’ mulignane ca se fa a’ Napule è semp’a meglio!" (The eggplant Parmesan that is made in Naples is always the best!).  The authentic method for creating this dish includes all of the region's noted flavors with layers of 'aubergine' (eggplant )with Provola and Parmigiana cheeses, San Marzano tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic and fresh basil!

Bistecca or Carne alla Pizzaiola (Meat in Pizza Style)

One of the favorite, pillar, everyday Neapolitan dishes. Pizzaiola is made from inexpensive cuts of meat that are seared and then cooked long enough to be tenderized in a spicy tomato-based sauce of peppers, capers, garlic, basil, oregano, and olive oil.  As with all Italian recipes, numerous versions abound!  Some cooks might add olives or anchovies and even some wine for a more lusty flavor and fragrance!  Many Italian cooks, such as in my family, always prepare a 'soffritto' for this and other recipes which is a simple combination of sautéed onions, celery and carrots . . . we also add garlic.

i dolci (the sweets)!

Neapolitans certainly are known for their preference for sweets!  The desserts of this region focus on citrus and pastry and here are just a few of the region's favorites:

Sfogliatelle

Paper-thin layers of beautifully baked clam-shaped pastry pockets filled with an oozing, buttery filling of creamy ricotta cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and little bits of candied citrus.  Along with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar on top, Sfogliatelle comprise a regional dessert specialty.  Being very labor intensive, these sweet pastries are a Neapolitan treat not to be missed and enjoyed while sipping a good cup of Italian coffee!

Zeppole

Tradition dictates that these pastries are to be served on St. Joseph's Day on March 18th.  Because my family is of Northern Italian descent, we were not raised with any awareness of this holy day tradition at all!  It was only until I had met an Italian-American from Southern Italian heritage that I learned of how and why this feast is celebrated!  Every year small to very large tables of food are presented as a form of an 'altar' to honor St. Joseph who people prayed ardently to him in order to bring them out of a horrible drought.  When it finally came to an end, this wonderful and delicious tradition of thankfulness began.

Struffoli

This Neapolitan sweet is commonly served at Christmas and Easter.  Always served warm, these little balls of deep fried dough are drizzled with honey and decorated with 'diavulilli' (colored sprinkles) and sometimes with cinnamon-sugar or bits of orange rind.  Struffoli balls are cleverly stacked on top of each to resemble a Christmas tree.

Compania is also home to delicious cheese varieties:  Ricotta, Mascarpone and from sheep's milk, one of my family favorites, Pecorino.


In no way is this list comprehensive of the foods of Naples and Campania!  This is just a brief mention of some of the more well-known traditional dishes of the region.  If you would like to comment and let me know of anything that you feel should be mentioned, please let me know and I will be  more than happy to edit this post upon my return from Italy.

Ciao!
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The Traditional Foods of Venice, Italy!

(the photo above is a free downloadable image from "Islands")

Ciao from Venice!

It has been said that whether or not someone is a romantic at heart or not, Venice promises to take one's breath away. Venice must be experienced with all of one's senses wide open!

With it's breath-taking ancient architecture, winding canals, and endless mysterious passageways, Venice is one of the most alluring cities in the world.  Here I intend to relax with an espresso in Piazza San Marco, partake in a moonlit gondola ride and sip a Bellini at Harry's Bar.  And maybe just wander off the beaten paths to engage in history and beauty.

At this moment, I am in splendid, magical, enchanting Venice, the city of dreams, with my parents and I'm really not anywhere near a computer to post on my blog . . . every post has been pre-scheduled for the days that we're in each location of the trip.  But I promise to post my photos of the best sights and food that we enjoyed when I return to the States.

Venice, one of the 'bucket list' cities of the world, and one of the most endangered due to its foundation of low mud-banked islands amid the lagoon waters of the Adriatic Sea.  With its continual charming allure, physically it is very fragile with continual decay, erosion and water damage causing world-wide attention to prevent.  Venice is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.  

To arrive in Venice, one must enter by water . . . in a boat through a series of canals.  The quintessential image of boat transportation in Venice is the 'gondola', once essential to navigate through the narrow and shallow canals, today they are a preferred mode in which to take a romantic trip around Venice.

While in Italy we want to see some of the great sights, but also just sit in the cafe's in some of the squares sipping on an espresso or glass of vino while watching the people of the country go about their daily routines.  In the evening we are hoping to take part in the traditional Italian 'passeggiata', or 'evening stroll'.  The purpose of this among Italians is 'to see and to be seen', to gather around and gossip about the latest going-ons.

For this portion of our trip, we will obviously visit the 'must sees' of Venice:  The Piazza San Marco, the heart of Venice with its Basilica San Marco, the Campanile, looking out at the 'Canalazzo', the Grand Canal,  and if time permits, I'd love to go to Murano to pick up a small glass momento!  I'm not sure if we'll take a gondola ride due to the lack of time.

But let's not forget THE FOOD of Venice!

Italian cuisine with its simple ingredients, enticing aromas, and fabulous flavors is one of the most delicious food on the planet. And it is here in Venice, where I'll begin my gastronomic tour of Italian food.

Venice, like every region of Italy, is known for its traditional food specialities.  A visit to Venice offers an opportunity to discover fascinating gastronomic traditions.  Obviously due to Venice's location on the sea, there is a large abundance of fish dishes, simply seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and herbs.  Although the lagoon is famous for the quality and variety of its fish, the inland river waters' fresh fish are also cherished in recipes.   

Traditionally, fish was marinated and/or salted in order to preserve it for long periods of time before eating. Being a fish lover, I know that I will be in heaven with the high quality of seafood harvested from the sea.  The most famous fish entree is Baccala' Mantecata, which is made with cod from the colder northern seas and in shipping to Italy is preserved by salting it profusely, and within four days the excess salt is removed and then the fish is dried in the open air.  Finally the cod is soaked for some time in water. 

(photo credit to ItalianFoodNet; link for the recipe)

Baccala' Mantecata

Venice's most notable dish is softened, dried, salted Baltic codfish that is prepared in olive oil, garlic, parsley and creamed in a blender.  This is what I'd like to enjoy in Venice.  However, because we're in Venice on Monday, and I understand that it will be difficult, if not impossible to have fresh fish on Mondays because most fishermen do not work on Sunday nights.  I'll just have to see, right?  Bacala is usually served with polenta as a side dish and when mixed together, this is a delicate and delicious fish appetizer or first course served in both restaurants and Venetian homes.

(photo credit to Todd Coleman for Saveur, link for the recipe)

Sarde in Saor (Marinated Sardines)

This dish of Venice is a typical example of its traditions.  Translated, the name means 'sardines immersed in flavor'. This is an antipasto of sardines or anchovies with onions in a sweet and sour sauce, with 'pinoli' (pine nuts) and raisins.

Polenta

A staple in Northern Italy, polenta enjoys its greatest popularity among Venetians!   Originally known as part of 'cucina povera' (food of the poor), polenta is interestingly now considered to be a gourmet, upscale food!   Ah, that creamy, golden pool of ground semolina cornmeal that results from 30 to 45 minutes of constant stirring with a 'mescala', wooden stirring stick!  Venetians prefer polenta over pasta (although they do have pasta dishes).

My family still prepares polenta in the traditional way of pouring it onto a wooden board to cool off and then cut it with a string while hot.  If the polenta hardens, we always cut it with a knife.  Using milk or cream instead of water makes polenta even more rich and decadent!  We embrace the social tradition of making polenta and stirring it constantly each and every Christmas eve, both in the creamy version and fried with Fontina cheese melted on top!  YUM!

(photo credit to Leo Gong and Karen Shinto, link for the recipe)

Risi i Bisi (Rice and Fresh Peas) 

One of the most famous and ancient regional specialties of Venice and Risi i Bisi is offered in most Venetian restaurants and homes.  This is simple and tasty dish that is a unique combination of a soup and thick risotto which is made of fresh peas and risotto (rice) and cooked with chunks of pancetta (thick Italian bacon).  

Rice is a mainstay on Venetian menus and arrived on the scene from Arabia as a result of the strong maritime merchant position of Venice.  Rice dominates Venetian cuisine, but is served differently than in other regions of Italy.  Never eaten alone, rice is always cooked and served with other ingredients, such as fish and shellfish, sausage, beans, and more.    

(photo credit, Rosalind Corieri Paige, link to the recipe)

Risotto 

Once considered only food of the poor risotto is very popular in Northern Italy, with Venice being no exception.  The unique way to prepare risotto in Venice is with seafood, such as using black squid ink (Risotto Nero) and as in the States, using numerous combinations of ingredients including vegetables, artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, peas and/or tomatoes.

Growing up, my mother prepared risotto for our family at least twice a week and it was always one of our favorite meals!  Mix it with Bolognese sauce and it's an incredible, filling meal in itself!  

Bigoli

This is the Venetians' contribution to the pasta of Italy.  It is similar to spaghetti pasta noodles, except slightly thicker with a small hole in the middle.  Bigoli is also slightly darker than regular pasta because it is made of whole wheat flour.

(photo credit to Annabelle Breakey and Randy Mon)

Gnocchi 

Although now prepared all over Italy, the delicious gnocchi is a culinary tradition dating all the way back to the 16th century and connected to the festivities of Carnival.   Exactly prepared from the recipe handed down from my family in Northern Italy gnocchi is made of potatoes, flour and eggs and then served with either melted butter, cheese, and sage, or other creative sauces.  If you have never had gnocchi in 'quattro formaggio' (four cheeses) you have not tasted Italian culinary bliss!

In Italian meals, gnocchi makes a delicious 'i primi' (first dish), but I love it as a side dish!  I adore gnocchi made with spinach served with a light butter and sage or marinara sauce . . . but I have to admit, the super-cheesy the sauce the better!

Tiramisù 

Oh, this is the famous, quintessential 'pick-me-up' dessert made of sponge cake soaked in rich coffee, Marsala wine, cocoa, amidst layers of sweet mascarpone cheese!   Records show that Tuscany and Veneto have fought over the origin of this recipe, however many sources confirm that it hails from Venice. 

(photo credited to "Pasta D'Arte")

Carpaccio

A famous treat created at Harry's Bar in Venice, and known here in the States, consists of raw/ultra-rare beef from the filet cut, sliced wafer-thin, coated with peppercorns or capers and served with Parmesan cheese and radicchio.  Often a sauce is served prepared with mayonnaise, mustard, cream, and tomato.  Many variations of the dish have evolved from the original recipe as well.

(photo credited to "Traveling Mamas" blog)

The "Bellini" and Prosecco!  Prosecco, a light, champagne-like sparkling wine is known as an 'appertivo', and is the base for the infamous Bellini mixed with white peach juice, from which morphed the 'Mimosa' with fresh orange juice and the 'Tiziano' made with fresh red grapefruit juice.  The Bellini was introduced at the famous Harry's Bar and enjoyed by Hemingway.

Trust me, I WILL end up here during our time in Venice!  I've just got to try one of these authentic, famous Bellini!

T

(photo credited to Ed from "The Bork Blog")

Cichetti

Similar to Spanish tapas, these are small portions of food that are served in Venetian bars.  Traditionally, Venetians eat cichetti ("have some fun") with a small glass of wine (ombre) either before lunch or dinner or often in place of those meals.  Eating cichetti is mostly a social activity where the locals hang out in crowded bars and eat cichetti standing up at the bar where the cichetti are spread out for one to choose from.  

Asiago Cheese

Asiago is one of Italy's finest sharp cheese specialties that comes from Veneto's famous cow's milk cheese.  Asiago is now one of the most popular imported Italian cheeses in the States today and one of my personal favorites.  I must try this cheese as fresh as I can find it in Venice! 

Wine

The best wines from the Veneto region include the fragrant reds, Valpolicella, Bardolino, and the more strong, white Soave.

Grappa 

Grappa is the strong alcohol that comes from distilled grape skin, pulp, seeds, and stem remnants from the winegrape pressings. Grappa has been the peasant's and farmers' drink of choice when it was customary to enjoy a very strong drink after a day of hard physical labor.  Grappa is Italy's national spirit, a liqueur today.

(photo credit to "A Food Odyssey" blog by Kathy)

Fritelle alla Veneziane

Considered to be the national dessert of the Veneto province, Fritelle are small, fried, sweet doughnuts made of flour, eggs, sugar, lemon, and Marsala.  They can  also be made with a variety of extra ingredients including 'frutta' (fruit), cream, powdered sugar, or zabaglione.  Venetians have exceptional expertise with pastries and 'i dolci' (sweets).  Fritelle have been the traditional sweet of Carnival dating all the way back to the Renaissance! 

It's a good thing that I'll be doing a LOT of walking to hopefully balance the food tasting!

This is certainly not a complete list of the specialty foods of Venice and Veneto, so if you feel that there is some dish that I have not included, please let me know in your comment and I will quickly edit this post upon my return to the States on the 21st of October.


Mangia!

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Strawberry and Mascarpone Cheese Crostini!

For Mother's Day, my daughter and her husband gave me a really sweet Italian surprise!  A beautiful jar of outrageously rich and decadent imported "Fragole" Italian strawberries in syrup.  When I opened up the box I knew immediately that I would use some of the strawberries for an Italian mascarpone crostini.  

But first, I was recently invited to write a guest post on my good friend Liz's blog, "That Skinny Chick Can Bake".  I was so honored to be asked and sent Liz this post that she published on June 15th to her readers.  Not only was this a nice recognition from Liz, but it also gave me a rare opportunity to let both of our readers know how the two of us met . . . way back in the late 60's!  You see Liz has been good friends with my sister Kelly since their childhood in Ames, Iowa where they met in Kindergarten!  Growing up only a few blocks from each other, our families even went to the same church together.  Kelly and Liz's friendship continued through high school, their college years at the University of Iowa, and beyond school to this day!  It was totally bizzare when Liz and I found each other's blogs and realized who we were!  

In my guest post for Liz I thought it would be cool to share some photos of Liz and my sister.  Liz was sweet enough to send me old photos that she had digitized (I've got to do that with my old photos too!), as well as a few recent photos of these two very thin ladies!   I must admit that both Kelly and Liz work out a lot to stay in such great shape.


Mangia!



please click on 'read more' for this delicious recipe and story!

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Snickerdoodle Simplicity ~ A Classic Treat!

 

I'm a firm believer in Thoreau's famous words "Simplify, simplify, simplify"  and "I went to the woods to live simply".  With that said, it's been my own personal mantra for the last year.  As a blogger, I've noticed so many recipes that are anything BUT simple, and in fact, are quite tedious and time-consuming to make.  

"WHY?" I ask!

As an Italian, one of the most singular, well-known, time-tested element of my native cuisine is in fact it's pure simplicity with the use of outstanding ingredients that never compete with a heavy sauce or gravy!  Maybe that is why I love David Rocco's style of Italian cooking . . . he doesn't mess it up with 'stuff', but rather allows the purity of the dish to shine on it's own.  With the weather being so crazy this week in the Southeast, we were yearning for something comforting and simple . . . something baked . . . something that made our kitchen and home 'feel' safer, at least through the perception of aromas:  Warm cookies and milk.  Childhood simplicity!  Perfect!

Our hands-down favorite cookies on the planet are Snickerdoodles.   I never had the chance to enjoy these growing up because my mother did not bake other than for Christmas.  My husband, on the other hand, came from a baking crazed family and he has carried on that tradition throughout our years together.  In fact, HE bakes all of the cookies in the house, not me!  And he's a great baker to boot!

So here is Mr. M. and P.'s (meat and potatoes) recipe for snicker doodles that he has lovingly borrowed from an old cookies cookbook that I purchased years ago to try and get started on baking these treats (Cookies by Bess, 1981).

Pass the milk please!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup softened butter

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 jumbo eggs

2-3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. sugar

Cream butter, sugar and eggs together.

Stir in dried ingredients.

Mix well.

Chill dough.

Roll into small balls.

Combine the 2 Tbsp. of cinnamon and 2 Tbsp. of sugar

Roll the cookie dough balls in this cinnamon-sugar mixture to cover.

Place balls 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake in 400 degree oven until lightly browned and STILL SOFT for about 6 - 8 minutes.  The longer they bake, the harder they will get after removing from the oven.  We like ours more soft.

The cookies puff out and then flatten out a bit.

Enjoy these delicious cinnamon, sweet treats!

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Mardi Gras Bananas Foster Muffins!

“Laissez les bon temps rouler”

Let the good times roll!  

It's Fat Tuesday, the traditional day to feast to the max before the period of Lent when many of us give up something as well as spend time giving to others through 'good works'.  This is also the week of Mardi Gras in the U.S. and Carnival in Italy, Brazil, and other countries.

Now I've only been to one Mardi Gras party in my entire life and it was a huge hoot of fun!  The host of the party was a Louisiana native and had fresh crawfish flown in for a gumbo.  However, before those little critters met their stew, we held a crawfish race!

It was ridiculous and lasted quite a long time, if you can imagine.  All the more time to drink more bourbon and rum-based concoctions.

At the end of the evening I enjoyed my first taste of the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake and was also the lucky winner of the piece of cake that had the baby Jesus figurine inside!  The cake was superb and someday I'll get my hands on a great recipe (there's 100's out there) and scratch it off my cooking and baking 'bucket list'.

I've just joined another foodie blog group, the Holiday Recipe Club and we're currently celebrating . . . you got it:   Mardi Gras!  This group obviously focuses on cooking for holidays, but each time we come together, we are given 3 ingredients that everyone must select from for their recipe while embracing the holiday theme.  Bourbon, bananas, and andouille sausage were the options and I chose to do something new with bananas.

Bananas and New Orleans just scream Bananas Foster, a traditional flaming dessert.  After googling this theme, I found some wonderful Mardi Gras Bananas Foster Muffins!  Except for a few changes, I prepared the muffins according to the recipe, but used my own cream cheese frosting recipe.  The addition of more butter flavoring to the frosting really adds some New Orleans 'bam' to ordinary cream cheese frosting.

I decided to drizzle the rum-sugar-cinnamon glaze on only 3 muffins and left the rest of the batch un-glazed.  Both Mr. M. and P. and I were glad because we didn't care for the overpowering rum flavor that dominated the deliciously light and flavorful muffins.  The glaze idea was fine, but the dark rum is something I'll leave out in the future.  I'll certainly make these muffins again . . . guaranteed!  They rival a family recipe and quite honestly, I like these banana muffins much better than the recipe we've always made!

There's a bit of rum flavor in the muffins too, but since they've were baked, the flavor is very, very subtle with the alcohol evaporating out.  I imagine that one could also simply add rum flavoring if they are opposed to alcohol.


I couldn't find any sugar crystals/glitter to sprinkle on top of the cream cheese, but found some tiny little sugar balls that fit the bill of the traditional purple, yellow, and green colors of Mardi Gras.  Their delicacy mirrors the taste of these muffins!

Mardi Gras Bananas Foster Muffins
adapted from Fifty-Two Cakes

1 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 large egg, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill two muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into one bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, brown sugar, sugar, butter, milk rum and egg and blend completely.
Add the dry ingredients a bit at a time and blend completely after each addition.
Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the muffins have a rich golden color and spring back when pressed gently.

Rum Glaze - optional

3 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

While the muffins are baking prepare the rum glaze.
Mix the three rum glaze ingredients until the sugar is dissolve.
Brush over the bananas foster muffins while they’re still warm from the oven.
Garnish with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and coarse purple sugar and coarse green sugar.

Roz's Cream Cheese Frosting
.
4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tsp. butter flavoring

(Note:  This makes twice as much frosting as you'll need to for the muffins, so you may want to double the muffin recipe or reduce this frosting recipe in half)
With a hand-mixer, mix all of the ingredients together, pouring in a little of the powdered sugar at a time, mixing well after each addition of sugar.

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Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites

Throughout November and all of autumn I always think of seasonal pumpkin recipes.  Although I've never been fond of pumpkin pie, I do enjoy small pumpkin treats such as pumpkin brownies.  So when I found this recipe for Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites on my Secret Recipe Club blog, The Spiffy Cookie, I knew that this would be a recipe that I had to try.  Erin's blog is full of wonderful sweet recipes that make your mouth water just from her photos alone.

Most of us have a food love affair going on with Nutella right?  This gooey, chocolate-y, Italian ingredient was the clincher that made this recipe from Erin's blog call out to me to bake.

Did you know that "the original version of Nutella was called "pasta gianduja"?  Pasta means paste and "gianduja", is the name of a carnival character famous to the region.  This was actually made in loaves and wrapped in tinfoil so it could be sliced and placed on bread for mothers to make sandwiches for their children.  But many children would throw away the bread and only eat the pasta gianduja!"
         
"So Mr. Ferrero altered the product into a paste that came in a jar so it could be spread on the bread. This then became known as "supercrema gianduja," because it was a spreadable version of the gianduja. It was eventually renamed "Nutella" in 1964, with the origin of the word being "nut" and the "ella" giving it a soft ending.  Nutella was first imported from Italy to the U.S. over 25 years ago in 1983 and was initially distributed in the Northeastern part of the country.  The popularity of Nutella has grown steadily over the years and it is now available across the United States and sold all over the world."  all quoted excerpts from the "History of Nutella".

Now since I'm a cook that prefers at all times to use up anything that I have in my pantry, I used milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache.  This made the mini cheesecakes a bit sweeter, which is what my family prefers anyway.  We just loved these little mini-desserts and will definitely make them again and again!  Thanks Erin!

These are simply incredible . . . and so neat to be in such small sizes!  Great for a party tray!

Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites 

8 whole Oreos, finely ground in food processor
1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. Nutella
1/4 cup milk chocolate, melted in 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine ground Oreos and melted butter into a bowl until well combined.
Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat.
Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.
In a stand or electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Beat in egg, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined.
Remove approximately a fourth of the cream cheese mixture into a separate bowl. Add the pumpkin to larger, and Nutella to the small half and mix until incorporated.
Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly into the 12 cups filling about 2/3 way full.
Spoon about half a tablespoon of the Nutella mixture into the tops of each filled cup and swirl with a toothpick gently.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through.
Let cool completely.
Remove cheesecakes from pan and top each with a spoonful of chocolate ganache and hazelnuts.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Click below to view the blog hop with all of the entries for November!

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Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

Chocolate and Halloween!  What a fun pair!

This month’s Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club’s theme is “Spooks”, perfectly appropriate for this time of year.  Although I’m a chocoholic, I’ve never, ever made chocolate cookies . . . always brownies or a cake.  So this was a first for me.  The cookie dough itself is like buttery fudge and truthfully could be devoured as such and not even baked into cookies!  Yum!

Now I must admit that I didn’t have the steadiest hand to make perfect icing spiderwebs . . . after all, I’m not a spider or a professional baker!  In the end after the big ‘photo shoot’, I just filled two chocolate cookies with the icing and enjoyed what I think could really rival an Oreo cookie!  Mr. M. and P. will be so happy when he gets home to nosh on these chocolate treats!

Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.
Place shortening in a large mixing bowl; beat with a heavy-duty mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until well blended.
Add vanilla and egg white; beat well.
Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.
Turn dough out onto wax paper; shape into a 6-inch log.
Wrap log in wax paper.
Freeze 2 hours until very firm.
Cut log into 1/4-inch slices, and place slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350º for 7 minutes.  These will harden as they cool, so do not over bake.
Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Combine powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk until smooth.
Spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; seal.
Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag.
Working with 1 cookie at a time, pipe 2 to 3 circles onto each cookie.
Starting at center circle, pull a wooden pick through other circles at regular intervals to create a "web."

Note:  For the glaze, snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag. If it's too small, you can always make it bigger.


For more recipes from this month's Cooking Light group, head on over to Val's blog More Than Burnt Toast!

Our host this month is Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants prepared Dracula's Revenge (Baked Penne with Sausage and Garlic)

Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe started us off with Devilish Eggs.
Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen brought Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas.
Val of More Than Burnt Toast contributed Roasted Squash Soup with Turkey Croquettes.
Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club made Devilishly Divine Peanut Butter Caramel Corn.

Lots of super-delicious autumn and Halloween fare to enjoy!

Boo!
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