STUFFED BOILED EGGS

Appetizer

8 eggs (medium/large)
1 can of Tuna in olive oil
4 anchovies fillets
1/4 cup of salted capers
2 tbsp of parsley, chopped

Put the eggs in cold water and bring to boil, then cook for 8-10 minutes depending on the size.
Drain the tuna from the oil but keep the oil too, separate. Rinse the capers from salt.
When the eggs are done, drain them from the hot water and cool them under cold water. Cut them in half and let them cool completely. Carefully remove the yolk.
Blend together yolk, tuna, anchovies and capers. If it is too thick, you can add a little of the tuna oil (or mayo if you like it) and mix well to create a smooth cream.
Use this cream to fill the eggs. Sprinkle with parsley and put in the fridge for around 1 hour. You could also mix the parsley in the tuna cream.

Adding some wine vinegar to the water when you cook the eggs will prevent the exit of the albumen during the cooking.

SALMON PICCATA

Entree - second course

8 oz Salmon fillet
1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extravigin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
white flour, salt and pepper

Take away the skin from the salmon and pass it in the flour so that all sides are dusted with it.
Put a skillet over high heat with oil and sautee the salmon until all sides are golden and crisp.
Throw away the excess of oil and add butter, lemon juice, capers, salt, pepper and 3 tbsp of water, cover the skillet with a lid and cook on low heat for 8-9 minutes (cooking time depends on salmon thickness).
Serve immediately.
This recipe serves 1.

PASTA AND CHICKPEAS WITH SAVOY CABBAGE

First course - Full meal

9 oz Pasta (short is better)
12 oz boiled chickpeas
3/4 lb savoy cabbage, shredded
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tsp chives, chopped
1/4 tbsp hot red peppers flakes (optional)
1 clove of garlic (optional)

In a skillet warm 2 tbsp olive oil, add onions and sautee until soft (3-4 minutes), add cabbage and cook until soft too (3-4 more minutes), set aside.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil.
With a blender, puree half of the chickpeas, if desired, you can add the garlic (whole or chopped); set aside.
When the water boils, add salt and pasta; when it's "al dente", drain it and put it in the skillet over medium heat, add all the chickpeas (both pureed mand whole ones), drizzle with pepper flakes and mix well for a couple minutes, the time to get everything warm.
Divide into single serving bowls, drizzle with chives and 1 tsp olive oil each.

You can use canned chickpeas if you prefer, just remember to drain and rinse them in order to wash away the excess of salt.
If you don't find the savoy cabbage, you can use the green one.

RICE FRITTERS

Dessert

11 oz Rice
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 orange
3 oz sugar
3 oz flour
1 lemon peel
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp liqueur (optional)
oil to fry

In a big pot put water, milk, sugar and salt and bring to a boil; cook the rice in it for 30 minutes at least. Set aside to cool.
Once it is at room temperature, add flour, the grated peel of both lemon and orange, the liqueur and the squeezed orange juice.
Mix well to combine all ingredients, it should look still liquid but thick.
Put a deep skillet with oil over high heat (when the oil is really hot, you can lower the heat to medium-high).
Try with only one fritter at the beginning, if it "melts" you need to add a little more flour and try again; when you reach your optimum consistency, fry them 6-8 each time, drain and put them over paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
Serve cold or slightly warm, dusted with sugar (or cocoa powder if you like it).

FUSILLI PEAS AND ITALIAN COOKED HAM

First course

6 oz Fusilli (or any other favorite pasta)
4 oz peas (fresh, frozen or canned)
2 oz cooked ham (Italian is better) roughly chopped
1 oz leeks, thinly sliced (only the white part)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Put a pot with water to a boil.
Meanwhile, put oil in a big skillet, warm it and add leeks, cook them for a couple minutes over medium heat until they become tender. Add peas, salt and pepper (if you like it) and cook for 5 minutes with 3-4 tbsp of vegetable stock (or salted water).
Now you can add the ham and cook it for just a couple minutes to avoid that it becomes too dry and salty.
As soon as the water boils, add salt and pasta; cook it for 7-8 minutes, drain it and toss it in the skillet with the sauce, stir and sautee it for a couple of minutes, just the time to better absorb the flavor.
Serve immediately sprinkled with a grated parmesan.
If you like a creamier sauce, you can blend half of the pease (before adding the ham) or you can add 3-4 tbsp of ricotta melted in a little milk.
You could use Parma Prosciutto but remember that it doesn't like to be cooked because it tend to become dry and salty pretty quickly.

CROSTATA FILLED WITH RICOTTA AND CHOCOLATE

Dessert

For the dough:
11 oz flour
5 1/2 oz sugar
3 1/2 oz butter, diced really cold
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
salt

For the filling:
4 1/2 oz ricotta
3 1/2 oz sugar
2 1/2 oz chocolate chips

In a bowl mix flour, sugar a pinch of salt and baking powder; add butter and eggs; mix quickly to combine all ingredients but not too long otherwise the butter warms up and the crust will become hard.
Put the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes at least.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 350 and prepare the cream. In a bowl, mix ricotta, sugar and chocolate, if you feel it too thick, add a couple tbsp of milk.
Take the dough out of the fridge, split it in two parts (one of them a little smaller) and roll both of them over a flour-dusted table, they have to be same thickness: about 1/4".
Put the bigger dough disk in a pie-pan (buttered and dusted with flour or with parchment paper), pinch it with a fork and put the cream in it.
Cover with the smaller dough disk (pinched as well) being sure to stick it really well.
Cook in the center of the oven for 30-40 minutes, the top should become nicely golden.
If you like it, you could put some banana or pear, diced.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

First course

1 lb Spaghetti
4 oz Italian pancetta or prosciutto crudo, julienne cut
2 eggs
2 oz Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Put a large pot with water to a boil; when it boils add salt and spaghetti, stir.
In a big skillet over medium heat put the pancetta and cook it, throw away the extra grease.
In the meantime, in a bowl, beat eggs with cream, salt and pepper and add the parmesan; mix well to combine.
When the spaghetti are "al dente", drain them and put them in the skillet with pancetta, stir and add the eggs; mix quickly and serve immediately.
Serves 4.