How to make Short Crust Pastry (come fare la Pasta Frolla)

"Pasta Froll"a is one of the basics dougs in the Italian pastry making. It can be used in many different ways and filled with a wide range of ingredients, to make tarts, bisquits etc..... Here I propose a quick and easy pasta frolla, mixed with a food processor, using 1 egg and a yolk instead of all yolks, this makes the dough a little bit more crispy. If you don't have a food processor mix the ingredients in a bowl with your hands, or the old way: on a worktop giving the flour a volcano shape and placing the eggs and butter in the middle. Don't work the dough too long butter will melt too much. If you are vegetarian you can use vegetable oil, not olive oil but for example sunflowers or peanuts oil, instead butter.

Makes one tart or 20 bisquits
Ingredients:
350 gr White pastry flour
130 gr Unsalted butter, softened and chopped (or 100gr oil)
80gr White sugar
1 egg
1 yolk
1 piece lemon peel or a teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a Food Processor add the lemon peel and the sugar, mix till the sugar is powdered. Add the other ingredients. Mix for 20 sec. at medium speed. 

Get the mixture out, place it on a worktop and give it very quickly a ball shape. Cover it with a plastic foil and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes your dough is ready to be used and shaped the way you want.

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Peppered Mussels (Impepata di cozze)

 

Today I want to propose you a very simple recipie with mussels. Here in Northern Europe we can easily find mussels in almost every time of the year, they are good, poor of fats and easy to cook... just be sure to get them fresh, if they are alive they should be opened after few minutes of cooking. If a mussel is still closed or semi closed after cooking it means that it not good, don't eat it!! You can serve these mussels as starter for a fish dinner. To prepare the Traditional "Impepata" from Naples you shouldn't use chili, parsley wine and tomatoes, but only garlic, water and pepper, and serve it with lemon quarters. I prefer this version (from my native Region, Abruzzi ;) because the taste is much better. My "Impepata" is a little spicy bacause of  the chili. You can discart the chili if you don't like it but "pepper" is a must in this dish, the name says it: Impepata in Italian means "full of pepper". 

This recipie is so simple that deserves the "quick and easy" label.

Serving 4

Ingredients:

1 Kg Washed and cleaned fresh mussels with shell.

2 cherry tomatoes

1 Bunch of fresh parsley

2 Garlic cloves

1 Fresh red chili

1 Cup of dry white wine

1 Tbs Ground Black pepper

Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash the mussels and make sure that the shells are clean and shiny. Drain in a colander. Finely cut the parsley, garlic, chili and the tomatoes in small cubes.

In a deep pot add oil, finely cut garlic and chili keep on medium high heat.

When the garlic turns gold add the mussels stir and add the wine, cover with a pot lid, let it cook until the mussels open the shell.

Add the pepper, the tomato cubes and half of the parsley. Stir well, cover and cook for 2- 3 minutes. After 3 minutes the mussels are ready, stir them well and taste for salt.

Place the mussels in a large serving plate together with the cooking sauce, sprinkle the remaining parsley on the top. Serve warm. Buon Appetito!

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Pizzettine Appetizer (Pizzettine Aperitivo)

 Pizzettine is one of my favourite appetizers. They have a big success wherever I propose them. A real pizza taste, a tender heart of mozzarella and tomato, a crusty pastry around....delicious, best if served warmish. You can also add a small piece of anchovy or anything else you like, you can even make a "Pizzettina Bianca" (without tomato) for example using spinach, gorgonzola cheese and walnuts (See an exemple at the bottom of this post). Pizzette are so quick and easy to make so why don't delight your guests with Pizzettine for this weekend aperitif ? 

Makes 20 pizzettine

Igredients:1 roll of fresh Puff Pastry (you can easily find it in grocery stores)
Half Cup of tomato puree
1 Medium Mozzarella 
2 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs origan
Salt to taste

Instructions:
First of all cut the mozzarella in small cubes and let drain in a small colander. Add1 Tbs Oil and a good pinch of salt  in the tomato puree. Pre-heat the oven 180°C (360°F°)

With a small glass cut 20 rounds out of the puff pastry.

Place them on a baking tray with baking paper. With a teaspoon place a small quantity of tomato sauce in the middle of each. Place them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, or as soon as the start to grow, take them out. Very quickly add 1 mozzarella cube on each Pizzetta. Put back in the oven, untill the mozzarella starts to melt.

Take out again, sprinkle Origan on the top and pour few drops of olive oil on each pizzetta. Put back in the oven till they get golden.

After few minutes your Pizzettine will be ready! In case you want to make different kind of Pizzettine, here is a suggestion: same procedure but using spinach, gorgonzola cheese and topping with walnuts.

And now... Buon appetito!

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Spaghetti Carbonara with Mushrooms (Carbonara ai funghi)

 Carbonara is one of the most famous Italian dishes. Almost everywhere in the world you can find Carbonara done in many different ways which sometimes are very far from the original recipie. Traditional Italian Carbonara sauce  is made of eggs, Pecorino and Parmigiano cheese, guanciale (a kind of bacon) and pepper...that's all...no cream, nothing else. This is a variation on Carbonara, made with mushrooms, onions and parsley in addion to the original ingredients. A kind of Autumn version. It is very tastefulland and  I hope you all will like it!

Serving 4

Ingredients:
360gr Italian Spaghetti
120 g Guanciale (or bacon) cut is small cubes
400 gr White Mushrooms (Champignons)
4 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
40gr Grated ParmigianoReggiano cheese
40gr Pecorino Romano
1 Tbs finely cut parsley (facultative)
1 small onion
Salt and Pepper

Cut the Guanciale, or Bacon, in small cubes. Cut the champignons in tin slides. Finely cut the parsley and the onions.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the onions then the guanciale and saute for about 3 minutes, until the onions are golden and the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered.

 Toss the Champignons into the pan, add a little salt and saute for less than 4-5 minutes, till the Champignons turn brown. If the mix is too dry you can add a spoon of white wine or water.

 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until "al dente" please always check tasting the pasta.

In the meanwhile  beat the eegs with the Parmesan, Pecorino and a good pinch of pepper. Reserve one Tbs of grated cheese. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you need.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon/champignos mix stirring well. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble! (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches a creamy consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and a good Tbs of  Grated Parmigiano or Pecorino, taste for salt.

Mound the spaghetti carbonara into a serving plate and garnish with chopped parsley, if you like.
Buon appetito!

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Cream Cheese, Pistachios and Honey Mini Tarts (Tortine al formaggio, pistacchi e miele)

 This appetizer will delight you and your guests! Easy and quickly done once you have prepared and frozen the mini crust cups in advance. To prepare the mini cups please see the instructions in the "Mini soft fruit tarts" post. The only difference is that you will need to mix white and whole wheat flour (50/50), the rest of the process remains the same!

Makes 12 Mini Cheese Tarts

Ingredients:
12 mini crust pie tarts as described in the "Mini soft fruits tarts" post NB: use mixed white and whole wheat flour for this recipie
1 small pack of Cream Cheese (Philadelphia, St. Moret or other, you could even use fresh goat cream cheese if you like it, in this case the taste will be much stronger)
3 Tbs Liquid Honey
Half Cup of Pistachios crushed
12 Mini cupcake paper cases

Once you have prepared the Mini crust pie cups, place them in the paper cases. Fill them with 1 teaspoon of cream cheese, pour half teaspoon of honey on the cheese, sprinkle a pinch of crushed pistachios on the top.



Your appetizer is ready! Buon appetito!

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Pasta with Broccoli (Pasta e broccoli)

Another quick and easy recipie... perfect for a improvised dinner with friends or to prepare a nice pasta dish "in a hurry" at the end of a long working day. Just need a large Broccoli head, anchovy,  chili, fresh or dried, garlic and pasta...of course! This time I use Pennette but best is to use "Orecchiette" a traditional pasta from "Puglia".

Serving 4

Ingredients:
350gr Pennette rigate
1 Large head Broccoli, cut into florets
4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 red fresh chili or few dried bird chili
1 or 2 Anchovies
4 Tbs Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Only if you like)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the broccoli florets.

Cook until tender, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup cooking water before draining.

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, anchovy and red chili.

 Cook about 1 minute, then add broccoli and toss well in the oil, cooking until completely tender, 1-2 minutes.

Add the pasta into the pan with the broccoli and toss well to coat. Add the reserved pasta cooking water little by little until it creates a sauce that clings to the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (only if you like it) and serve immediately. Buon appetito!

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