Chocolate Banana Cake ( torta banana e cioccolato )

An amazingly good chocolate banana cake which will allow you to use those mature bananas left on the fruit basket nobody likes to eat anymore!

I want to dedicate this post to my friend Andrea, the chocolate addicted man, also known as "Poldo" because of his second addition...: sandwiches! Ciao Andre, questo fondente banana cioccolato è una forza! Facilissimo da fare, perfetto per Franza! Se segue le indicazioni non si puo' sbagliare, ma dille di usare il burro vero, please!

Ingredients:
3 mature bananas
2 eggs
80gr butter
120gr flour
30gr dark unsweetened powdered cocoa
100gr brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:
Preheat the oven 180C°(360 F°). Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 sec.  Pour it in a food mixer, add the eggs and the sugar. Mix at medium speed for 20 sec.

Add the bananas cut in pieces mix again for 20 sec. Add the flour, the amandel powder and the baking powder.

Pour the mixture in a buttered cake pan. Place it in the oven 180 for 25-30 minutes. If neessary after 15 minutes of cooking reduce the temperature to 170C° (340F°).

This cake must not be completely dry inside. Is good if the middle is still soft when you take it out from the oven. (Mine was overcooked, to my taste). Make it cool a bit and place it on a rack, to complete cooling.

Decorate as you like...here is a Xmas decoration done with icing sugar. Buon appetito!

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Roasted Chicken with Red Peppers

 Very tasty Italian chicken recipie, very easy to prepare. Good for any occasion, always a great success with guests! Preferably use red or red and yellow peppers, they are sweeter and perfect for this recipe. I only had red ones this time...But isn't this dish a feast of colours?

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

8 -10 Medium red peppers (or red and yellow)

1 Medium chicken cleaned and cut in small pieces

2 Medium onions (or 4 small)

6-8 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Garlic clove

6 Spring onions (optional)

1/3 Cup of white dry wine (optional)

1/4 Cup finely cut parsley for decoration

Cut the chicken in small pieces. Set aside. Clean and finely cut the spring onions. Preheat the oven at 200C° (360F°).

Cut the peppers in half, take off the upper part, the seeds and white internal stripes. 

Cut them in about 10cm long stripes. Cut the onions in a fine julienne. Set aside.

Add 3 Tbs Olive oil in a frying pan, add the spring onions, the garlic and the chicken. Add pepper and salt. 

Cook for about 5 minutes till the chicken starts to change colour. Add the whithe wine. Evaporate the wine. Cook for few further minutes.

Remove the garlic clove. Transfer the chicken in an oven pan. Use the same frying pan to cook the onions and peppers for few minutes on the fire, add 3 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook for few minutes stiring with a wooden spoon. Pour the lightely cooked peppers and onions in the oven pan, cover the chicken.

Cover the oven pan with an aluminium foil.  Place it in the oven 200C°(390F°) for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes take the foil off and reduce to 180C° (360F°) if necessary (depending on your oven). Cook for further 30-40 minutes.

 After 30-40 minutes your chicken with peppers is ready! Sprinkle with finely cut parsley.

Place the chicken and the peppers on a serving plate with the cooking sauce. Buon appetito!

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Dark Chocolate Truffles ( Tartufi al cioccolato fondente)

Belgium chocolate is worldwide famous. Since I live in this country I've started to appreciate specially dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is, when containing a decent % of  cocoa ( for me min. 70%) a very good source of antioxidants, magnesium and it is for sure a very natural antidepressant ; ) Every Christmas I prepare this "Truffles" made with Belgian dark chocolate and Italian Mascarpone cheese. A perfect mix which very well represents me and "MyItalianCuisine" from abroad! They are very easy to make, you just need to keep the chocolate-mascarpone mixture in the fridge before use, just to make it "workable". I have used grated coconut, unsweetened cocoa powder and crushed pistachio for decoration, you can use anything you like. Enjoy!

Makes about 70-80 truffles

400gr Dark Chocolate with a good % of cocoa
200gr Mascarpone cheese
160gr Powdered white sugar
2 Tbs Rum (optional)
3 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 Tbs Grated dried coconut
3 Tbs Crushed unsalted pistachio nuts

Cut your chocolate bars in small pieces, place it in a mixing bowl and melt it in a microwave or over a hot-water bath. There are a few fundamental guidelines to successfully melting chocolate, you can find them here: http://candy.about.com/od/workingwithchocolate/a/meltchocolate.htm
I always use the microwave:

  To melt 400gr of dark chocolate I proceed as following in my microwave: 2 times 30'' then I mix with a spatula, I repeat this process for 3 times always verifying that the mixture is not getting too warm.

After 3 times 2x30" your chocolate is well melted and shiny but not liquid!Stir well with a spatula. Let it cool.

When chocolate is cool you can add the Mascarpone and the icing sugar. Mix well. If you want, at this point you can add the Rum.

The final mixture should look like in the photo. Place the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

After 2 hours, take the mixture out of the fridge. With a teaspoon take a small amount of chocolate and form a ball the same size as a walnut.

Roll the truffles in the pistacho or coconut or Cocoa.

Place each decorated truffle in a mini cupcake paper cup.

Your Christmas dark chocolate truffles are ready, you can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days...if you manage to don't eat all... Buon Appetito!

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Red Paprika with Tuna and Bread stuffing (Peperoni ripieni di tonno e mollica)

Filled paprikas are one of the most traditional recipes of my own town, my Grandma, Nonna Francesca, use to make the best I 've ever eat...will never forget the taste. Use Italian red paprikas, if possible, red cornetti. Normal thick square shaped paprikas will not make it! They are too thick to be cooked this way. The other ingredients are very simple, the most important is the bread... use 1 or 2 days old bread. Grate it or use a mixer. Use the white soft part the "Mollica". If you use "in salt" capers, wash them before adding to the other ingredients or they will be too salty.  I really hope you will enjoy making this dish ;)
Serving 4
Ingredients:
6-8 mediumpeppers, preferably red cornetti
250gbreadcrumbs from soft day old bread
8 capers
250 gr Canned Tuna (In water)
1 Small bunch chopped flatleaf parsley
6 tbsp. virgin olive oil
1 or 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 largefresh tomato, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180°C /375°F. Prepare 6-8 medium red cornetti. Cut off the tops andremove the seeds and the trim the ribs on the inside. Wash out theinsides. Dry. Drain the tuna in a a small colander. Combineit together with all the ingredients in a large bowl mix it well ( you can use a food processor) and set aside for 15minutes or so for the mix to absorb the olive oil and to season. If the stuffing still feels a little dry (it depends on your bread)then add a little more olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully stuff the peppersusing a spoon or your fingers to ensure that the stuffingreaches the tip of the peppers. Arrange thepeppers in a oven tray. Add 3 Tbs olive oil.  Bake for approx 45 - 60 min. During the cooking process,add a little water if necessary. The peppers will soften and start to brown and the stuffing will oozeout somewhat.

Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature. Buon appetito!

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Pasta with Gorgonzola and Walnuts

A perfect pasta dish for the New Year's eve, very delicate taste, creamy and crunchy at the same time, it will delight your guests. I would suggest to use "Farfalle", the kind of pasta which is perfect for a cheese creamy sauce. Because of Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts this dish is very rich in calories I wouldn't reccomend to use egg pasta for it.

Serving 4
Ingredients
350gr Farfalle pasta
200 gr gorgonzola cheese
70 gr Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 Tbs Mascarpone cheese
20cl Cream
200 gr Walnuts in shell (or 100 gr shelled walnuts)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Cut the Gorgonzola cheese.  Pour the cream in a small pan, add the gorgonzola and the mascarpone. On very low fire, cook till the cheese is melted. Bring a pan with 4 lt water to a boil.

Crush the shelled walnuts in a mortar.

When cheese is melted add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, mix well. Cut the fire, set the sauce aside. When water is boiling add salt. Add the pasta, cook till "al dente".

Pour the cheese sauce in a large pan. Drain the Pasta.

Add the pasta in the pan. Stir well and cook for few further seconds.

Add the crushed walnuts, mix well. Taste for salt and pepper. Your pasta is now ready.

Serve it warm with a sprinkle of crushed walnuts and pepper. Buon appetito!

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Thai style Steamed Salmon (Salmone al vapore alla tailandese)

This is not really an Italian recipe but more the result of my travelling around...Thailand to be precise. I wanted to share it with you because the taste of this simple and healthy dish is incredible... try and let me know! I had the chance to find a very fresh small salmon at the fish market today, as I am fish addicted at the moment, I got it and cleaned up myself. It was the first time but it went quite well! You can of course buy ready to use salmon filets, it is easier, but not as tasty... and challanging  ; )

Serving 4
Ingredients:
1 Small Salmon or 4 Salmon filets
2 Limes
1 piece of peeled fresh ginger (as big as a walnut)
2 garlic cloves
1 red chili
1 small bunch of Coriander
3 Tbs light soya sauce
2 tbs Thai fish sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesam oil
3 Tbs water
a pinch of unrifined grey sea salt
a pinch of pepper

Wash and Clean up the salmon: cut head,  tail and fins, take out the fish bone with a small knife. Keep everything aside, you can freeze the wastes and use them later to make a fish broth.

 

Cut the filets, take out the skin. 

Prepare the sauce: in a small bowl pour the soya sauce, fish sauce, the juice of the 2 limes, half teaspoon of sesam oil, sugar, finely chopped garlic, grated ginger, coriander leaves and finely cut chili. Add the water and mix well till the sugar is melted.

Place the filets in a steamer. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and half teaspoon of sesam oil.
Steam for 5 minutes, be carefull : salmon cooks very quickly!

When salmon is half cooked add 2 Tbs of the  prepared sauce. Terminate the cooking.

Your  steamed Salmon in Thai sauce is ready. Place the filets on a serving plate and pour the sauce on it. Best served warm with thai parfumed rice. Buon appetito!

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Fish "Brodetto" ( Brodetto di pesce)

The Fish "Brodetto" is a recipe from the Abruzzi's central cost region, elsewhere it will be called Fish Soup (Zuppa di Pesce). Be careful, it is not a soup the way we mean it in Northern Europe. Brodetto (which means literally:" little broth") is made of different varieties of Mediterranean fish (Mullet, red mullet, codfish, Tub Garnard, Anglerfish etc...) and seafruit (clams, moussels , shrimps, Mantis shrimps etc...) just the ones you will find at the fish market the day you will go buy. Obviously the taste will vary depending on what you use. Today I went to my favourite fish shop and I was so lucky to find some fantastic Italian clams, codfishes and red mullets just arrived from the Adriatic sea....then...Brodetto! This dish is one of those in Italy we would prepare for the Christmas Eve dinner, when, by tradition, we celebrate the "Vigilia" and we just eat fish. The making of this dish is a little complex but, believe me, it is worth to try... This a perfect dish to celebrate your Christmas the Italian way!

Serving 4
Ingredients:
1 Codfish
2 medium Red Mullets
8 small Red Mullets
2 handfuls of small Italian Clams
1 big cup of red cherry tomatoes
4 Galric Cloves
1 Bunch of fresh parsley
1 Small glass of dry white wine
Unrefined grey sea salt to taste
1 piece of red hot chili
10 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
Pepper to taste
1/2 carrot
1/2 small onion
1/2 celery rib
2 cups of water

Place the clams in a bowl full of water and let them rest.
1) Prepare the fish broth: wash and clean the fish, entrails should be removed.

Cut the head and the bones of the Codfish and Mullets (see photos)

 
Cut  the fish in pieces and set apart. Use the head and the bones to prepare the fish broth.

 Pour 3 olive oil Tbs in a pan, add the finely cut carrot, celery and onion, let it fry few seconds. Add the fish bones and half galss of wine. when the wine evaporates add 1 cup of water, cover and let it cook. When boiling add another cup of water and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take off the fire and filter the broth. Take off the fish bones.

Keep the fish broth aside.

2) Precook the clams. Drain the clams. Add 2 Tbs of olive oil in a small pan, one finely cut garlic clove and few small pieces of hot chili. When frying add the clams and the left white wine. Cover and let it cook. After few minutes add 1 Tbs of finely cut parsley. Cover and cook till all the clams are opened. Set aside
3) Prepare the Fish "Brodetto"

Finely chop garlic, chili, parsley and cut the cherry tomatoes in small cubes.

Pour 4 Tbs of olive oil in a large pan, add 3 finely cut garlic and red chili.

Add the tomatoes. Add salt mix and cook for few minutes.

Cook till well melted, add pepper to taste.

Add the fish and the parsley. Bring to a boil.

When almost boiling add the fish broth, one ladle at the time. Untill all the broth is melted with the rest.

When the fish is almost cooked add the clams together with their cooking water. Mix carefully, try  not to break the fish. Cook few additional minutes. Add some more parsley. Your Fish "Brodetto" is ready!

Serve it with 2 slides of toasted Italian bread and few drops of olive oil. Buon appetito!

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