CHICKEN BREAST WITH SPINACH

Meat entree

2 chicken breast, boneless skinless
6 oz frozen spinach
1/3 15-oz ricotta cheese
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano
Shredded mozzarella
Nutmeg and salt
1/4 cup brandy
3 tbsp extra Virgin olive oil
2 cups milk
Flour, sage and rosemary



Cook spinach, drain and let cool down to room temperature; then squeeze excess water and place in a bowl.

Add ricotta, parmigiano, a pinch of nutmeg, season with salt and mix well to combine all ingredients.

Cut breasts in half and, if necessary, thin them to a 2" thickness, then open a pocket in it and set aside. (you can use the slices for other preparation, you can find some in our blog).

Stuff the pocket with the spinach mixture, place some mozzarella in the middle and secure the opening with 1 or 2 toothpicks, depending on the opening length.

Dredge pockets in flour and coat them evenly.

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, sautee meats until golden on bot sides, season with salt; add brandy and let alcohol evaporate. Pour milk (warm is better, if at all possible), add sage and rosemary and adjust with salt.

Cover with lid and lower heat to low and cook until cooked trhough.

I served it with porcini mushrooms and onions sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and brandy, and a salad made with romaine, green and purple cabbage adn shredded carrots.


This recipe serve 4


- If you have leftover stuffing, you can make "polpette" (fried crisps) with them!
- This dish is great prepared in advance and just warmed up when needed. I also make more and freeze portions: ready to go dinners (instead of boxed ones)!!!!!!
- A good friend told me that, if don't want or can't use brandy, you can use apple juice: you'll obtain the same taste result!

COLD STUFFED TOMATOES

Entree or appetizer - Vegetarian - Lactose and gluten free (see notes below)

8 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm
1 cup farro
4 eggs
1 cup baby Italian onions in balsamic vinegar
8 Italian sun dried tomatoes halves
1 cup peas
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup Italian olives (green or dried black)
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil and parsley
4 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp Italian balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar of very high quality)


Cut the top of the tomatoes and set it aside. Remove the inner pulp (save it for future use, like a quick tomato sauce), sprinkle with a pinch of salt and flip tomatoes upside down on a colander in order to lose its water.

Cook farro in boiling salted water for about 35 minutes. Drain, rinse quickly and spread it out on a clean kitchen towel to cool down to room temperature.

Hard boil eggs and peel them. Boil peas to your desired doneness and cool them down to room temperature.

Cut baby onions in four, sun dried tomatoes in stripes, roughly chop artichoke hearts and eggs, pit olives and rougly chop them; transfer all of them to a big bowl, along with peas and farro.

Season with balsamic vinegar glaze, olive oil, salt and fresh herbs, toss to coat well; dry tomatoes and stuff with the farro salad. Replace the "lid" on your tomatoes.

If there are salad leftovers, transfer it to an airtight container: it's perfect as office (or work) lunch!!!

This recipe serves 4 (8 if used as appetizer).


- You can use carnaroli rice, small pasta (ditalini or pastina) or gluten free anellini instead of farro. Obviously, you have to adjust cooking time. You can also prepare this dish with NO pasta or grains at all.
- You can add tuna, marinated mushrooms, mozzarella, ham, carrots (diced and boiled), zucchine (diced and boiled).... anything you like!!!
- You can dress your salad with mayonnese, instead of oil/balsamic
- It's vegetarian, lactose and gluten free (when you use gluten free pasta instead of farro)

ITALIAN STUFFED COLOMBA

Traditional Dessert

Colomba is the traditional Easter cake in Italy. Shaped like a dove, symbol of Easter and peace.

1 Italian Colomba (750gr. 26oz)
16 oz ricotta
3 oz Italian dark chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 lb strawberries

Separate egg: put yolks in a bigger bowl and whisk them with the sugar sugar for about 2 minutes, add ricotta cheese and mix until you obtain a smooth cream, then add the chocolate.
Whisk the egg whites, with a couple of pinches of salt, until they hold peaks, then gently fold them into the ricotta cream.
With a sharp knife, remove the top of the colomba and set it aside. Remove the internal its "pulp" until about 1" from the sides and bottom and set it aside.
Pour one third of the ricotta cream into the colomba "bowl" and top with half of the strawberry slices, repeat one more time and finish with the cream.
Replace colomba lid on top of your cake.
Wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
You can serve it as is or drizzled with melted dark chocolate or sprinkled with a mix of confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder in equal parts or with whipped cream, some strawberries and mint leaves

This recipe can serve 10-14 people

- You can use the colomba "pulp" to make a bread pudding, following this recipe made with panettone http://bellaitaliastore.blogspot.com/2009/12/panettone-pudding.html
- We carry a colomba that is handmade by a bakery in Sicily, so soft and moist that it doesn't need any brushing with liquid.

EASY FAST FETTUCCINE

Pasta entree - vegetarian - vegan - lactose free - gluten free (see notes below)

1 lb Italian egg fettuccine
1/4 cup Italian sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, julienned
1/3 cup Italian dried black olives, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Italian capers, packed in salt, rinsed
1 28-oz can Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes, striped, set juice aside
1 tsp Italian hot pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil


Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In the meantime, put a large saucepan on medium-high heat with the olive oil and same quantity of water, then "sautee" onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent.

Add capers, sun dried tomatoes, hot pepper flakes and olives, stir and add wine, let alcohol evaporate.

When alcohol is evaporated, add tomatoes, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

When water boils, add salt and fettuccine; cook until al dente and drain, reserving some cooking water. Transfer fettuccine in the saucepan and toss, on medium heat, until well combined.

Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 4.


- You can add 4 anchovy fillets, if you like them, together with onion and garlic, and let them melt (or substitute with 2 tsp anchovy paste).
- You can add fresh chopped basil or parsley (or both) to your sauce, a couple minutes before it's done.
- We carry almost all ingredients (except for fresh ingredients and wine). We also carry 4 different types of Italian spices
- It's vegetarian, vegan, lactose free, gluten free if you use corn pasta (anellini would be great, too)

STUFFED MINI CALAMARI

Sea food entree - lactose free (see notes below)

14 calamari (thawed if frozen)
4 Italian sun dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
4 tbsp Italian olive - capers - anchovy pate
2 slices bread, crust removed, soaked in milk and squeezed
2 tbsp bread crumbs, not flavored (optional)
1 egg
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, leaves only
1 14-oz Italian San Marzano tomatoes (peeled whole or diced or strained)
1 cup peas
1 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves


Clean calamari and remove tentacles, then set aside.

Arrange sun dried tomatoes, tentacles, soaked and squeezed bread and half parsley in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer in a bowl and add the pate and egg and mix well to combine. If the mixture seem too humid, add a few tbsp of bread crumbs.

Stuff calamari with this mixture and secure them with a toothpick, the set aside.

In a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, sautee the garlic and add the tomatoes.

Transfer the calamari to the skillet, lower the heat to medium low, cover with lid and cook for about 25 minutes, turning them upside-down at least once.

Add peas, season with salt and cook until peas are cooked.

Sprinkle with the remaining parsley, chopped.

This recipe serves 2-4 (depending on what else is served).

- You can use a spicy hot version of the pate (we carry them both), for an extra kick.
- You can use a ready to go tomato sauce, provided that it's of very high quality (such us our pomodorina).
- You can chop garlic, if you want to leave it in, or sautee it whole, if you'd like to remove it.
- You can add hot pepper flakes to the sauce.
- If this meal is going to be served to lactose intolerant people, soak milk with broth.

VEGETARIAN HAMBURGER

Entree - vegetarian

1 cup vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 14-oz cans Italian borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
2 14-oz cans Italian chick peas beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 eggs
4 oz grated Italian Parmigiano
3 oz fine Italian not-seasoned bread crumbs
Italian 00 flour
Extra virgin olive oil

In a small skillet over medium heat warm the broth, add onion and garlic and cook until done. Drain from liquid and set aside.

Arrange beans and chick peas in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped, transfer to a bowl and add the onion-garlic mixture, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and parsley.

Mix well to combine all ingredients. Divide into 4 even parts and shape into hamburgers, than dredge in flour.

Warm up a skillet or a griddle, grease it lightly with olive oil and sautee until golden on both sides.

Serve, like any other hamburger, on buns with sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard.... anything your fantasy suggests you!!!

Serves 4 people


- You can make several kinds of burgers: Italian lentils and cannellini beans, borlotti and butter beans, cannellini and chick peas.... combinations are endless!

CROSTOLI (Typical Italian Carnival fritter)

Dessert

2 cups 00 Italian flour
1 extra large egg
1 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Italian white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp grappa (or other liqueur)

Oil to fry
confectioner's sugar

Mix flour and sugar in a bowl, then create a well and add egg, oil, vinegar and grappa; mix all ingredients then transfer onto a floured surface and knead until you obtain a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out as thin as possible, if you use a pasta machine, go to the thinest possible.

Warm up olive oil in a deep saucepan.

Cut dough in squares, make a couple cuts in the squares and fry them.

Transfer on paper towel to absord excess oil, then arrange on a platter and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Makes 40-50 squares, depending on thickness and size.

- You can substitute grappa with milk or water, if you don't want to use liqueurs.
- Vinegar will NOT be tasted, it will only give more crispyness.
- The thiner you roll them out, the faster the frying will be (absorbing even less oil).
- It's lactose free (if you don't use milk).