Tag: Italian Recipe

Homemade Classic Cannoli Recipe

Indulge in the sweet embrace of Italy with this recipe for Classic Cannoli  from Epicurious. These iconic cream-filled wafers hold a rich history, believed to have originated in Sicily and cherished across the globe. Whether you’re savoring them in the heart of Italy or in a bustling Little Italy in the United States, their irresistible allure remains unchanged. Join us on a culinary journey as we craft these beloved treats from scratch, ensuring each bite is a symphony of flavors and textures.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 pound ricotta impastata (or whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight)
  • ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
  • ¼ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. Marsala wine or sherry
  • 1½ Tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 cups neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed)
  • ½ to ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (adjust to taste)
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. orange zest or orange extract (optional)
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips (for garnish)
  • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (for garnish)

Directions:

  1. Crafting the Shells: Begin by combining flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, eggs, cinnamon, cocoa powder, Marsala wine, white wine vinegar, and butter. Process the mixture until a soft, pliable dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for an hour to enhance its texture.
  2. Preparing the Filling: In a separate bowl, blend ricotta impastata, mascarpone cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and optional orange zest until creamy and smooth. Transfer the filling into a piping bag, ready to be generously piped into your cannoli shells.
  3. Shaping and Frying: Roll out the chilled dough, cut into disks, and shape them into delicate ovals. Wrap the dough around cannoli molds and fry until golden brown, ensuring a crispy exterior. Once cooled, carefully remove the shells from the molds, ready to be filled with the decadent cheese mixture.
  4. Finishing Touches: Elevate your cannoli with a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Each cannolo becomes a work of art, ready to be savored and shared with loved ones.

Serving Suggestions:

Pair your freshly made Cannoli Classici with a selection of complementary side dishes and beverages. Consider serving them alongside a refreshing fruit salad or a traditional Italian espresso for a truly authentic experience. Consider complementing the richness of the cannoli with a vibrant assortment of fresh berries and citrus segments. The bright flavors provide a refreshing contrast to the creamy sweetness of the dessert. Or you can even create a savory contrast to the sweetness of the cannoli with an Italian antipasto platter featuring an array of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and marinated vegetables. The combination of flavors and textures provides a satisfying accompaniment to your dessert spread.

The Origin of Cannoli:

The origins of cannoli are steeped in legend and tradition. Legend has it that during Sicily’s Arab rule, in the quaint town of Caltanissetta, the art of making cannoli was passed from Muslim women to Christian nuns. Originally a delicacy reserved for Carnevale festivities, these delightful treats quickly captured the hearts and palates of locals, becoming a beloved year-round indulgence. Today, cannoli stand as a symbol of Sicilian culinary prowess, delighting dessert enthusiasts around the world.

In conclusion, crafting Cannoli Classici is more than just a culinary endeavor—it’s a celebration of tradition, flavor, and craftsmanship. From the delicate crispness of the shell to the creamy richness of the filling, each element harmonizes to create a dessert worthy of admiration. Whether enjoyed as a decadent treat or shared at festive gatherings, Cannoli Classici are sure to leave a lasting impression on all who partake.

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A Recipe for Mushroom Ragù Sure to Please Anyone

Are you tired of the same old pasta dishes? Want to impress your dinner guests with a restaurant-worthy meal? Look no further than this delicious mushroom ragù recipe from 101 Cookbooks. This savory and hearty sauce is perfect for elevating any dish, from simple spaghetti to gourmet gnocchi. But how do you make it like a pro? In this blog post, we’ll share our top tips and tricks for mastering the art of making mushroom ragù. Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting out, these notes will help take your culinary skills to the next level. So grab your apron and let’s get cooking.

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ -2 pounds of mixed mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
  • 5 dried red chiles (chile de árbol), stemmed and torn into small pieces
  • 1 cup of heavy cream or cashew cream, room temperature
  • 3 stalks of celery, finely diced
  • 3 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, finely diced
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
  • ¼ cup of porcini powder
  • 2 vegetable bouillon cubes or 2 tablespoons of homemade bouillon powder
  • 7 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup of white wine
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt
  • Zest of one lemon

 

Directions

  1. Begin this delicious mushroom ragù recipe by preheating your oven to 250° F. Then you’ll want to prepare your mushrooms by chopping them very finely. If you’re finding that it’s taking too long to chop it by hand, you can use a food processor while working in batches. Just ensure that you don’t overuse the food processor or else you’ll make a mushroom paste.
  2. Next, take a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven and heat your olive oil over medium heat. Once it’s hot enough, stir in your onion, celery, carrots, garlic, red chile, and salt. Cook these ingredients down while stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes or so. Cook until the vegetables have softened a bit and the onions are translucent.
  3. At this point, stir in your chopped mushrooms as well as the porcini powder and allow them time to cook so that the mushrooms can release their moisture. This should take about 5 minutes or so. After 5 minutes, add in your wine, water, and bouillon. If you need to, break up the bouillon and cook the ingredients for another 3 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes next and bring everything to a simmer. Crush the oregano between your two palms and add the pieces in the pot. Depending on whether or not you’d like your ragù to be creamy or not, you’ll sit in the optional creme.
  5. Taste the ragù and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed and stir in the lemon zest. Cover the pot and transfer it into the oven, allowing the pot to cook for 1-3 hours. Ideally, you’d like the ragù to have thickened and concentrated before removing it from the oven. You can then either eat the ragù immediately, allow it to cool completely before refrigerating it for up to a few days, or freeze it for a couple of months. Enjoy!

In addition to being delicious on its own, mushroom ragù is also a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of different side dishes. Polenta: This traditional Italian dish is the perfect accompaniment for a hearty ragù. Serve your mushroom ragù over a bed of creamy polenta for a truly satisfying meal. Roasted vegetables: For a light and healthy side dish, roast up some seasonal vegetables to serve alongside your mushroom ragù. Try pairing it with roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or carrots for a nourishing and flavorful meal.

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Pasta Con Asparagi Recipe

When a new season is upon us, those aligned in the Italian tradition of cooking tend to whip up a plate of pasta con asparagi, a traditional dish that is made all the more impressive by its simplicity in preparation, flavor, and intoxication of both flavor and aroma, and thanks to this delicious recipe from the Food 52 recipe blog, you can enjoy a bowl yourself.

Ingredients for Pasta Con Asparagi:

  • 1 ½ pound of fresh asparagus
  • 3 tablespoons of butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of freshly ground pepper
  • 2 ½ tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups of canned Italian plum tomatoes (grated coarsely or put through a sieve)
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh basil (finely chopped)
  • ¾ pounds of penne, rigatoni, or other “tubular” pasta
  • 2 eggs plus one additional yolk, (beaten)
  • ½ cup of parmesan (freshly grated)

Directions for Pasta Con Asparagi

  1. In order to properly start this recipe, you should prepare all ingredients ahead of time and have them laid out, ready to cook, as this recipe requires somewhat meticulous timing. Have your herbs finely chopped, cheese grated, and eggs beaten with a fork; that way you’re setting yourself up for success. Once this is done, bring approximately 3 quarts of water to a hardy boil for the pasta.
  2. Next, put your asparagus into lengthy strips of about 2 inches long. If your stalks are particularly thick, you can cut them in half or quarters, though you should keep the tips intact.
  3. Heat your butter in a large, deep skillet that’s been placed on medium heat, and then add in your asparagus pieces. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper, and cook them for 4-5 minutes or until they are crisp-tender and lightly browned. Once cooked, transfer them to a plate, and reserve them for later. Consider placing a container top over the plate to trap some heat with the vegetables.
  4. In the same pan, add your olive oil and garlic cloves. Cook until the full cloves are lightly-browned and then remove and discard the garlic.
  5. Next, add the tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then cook the tomatoes and herbs for about 10 minutes while stirring throughout.
  6. Add your pasta and a pinch of salt to the boiling pot of water and cook for about 7 minutes when it returns to a boil after adding the pasta. Keep a watchful eye on the pasta and remove the pot from the burner once the pasta is tender, so as to not overcook this staple of the meal.
  7. Just before your pasta is done cooking, turn off the heat under the skillet with the tomatoes, and add your beaten eggs. Stir them vigorously to blend them while keeping them from curdling. Continue to keep a watchful eye, and do your best to not boil the sauce after the eggs are added. If you’re nervous about curdling the eggs at this stage, you can instead temper them by stirring a ladle of the hot tomato sauce into the eggs and then whisking the mixture back into the pan.
  8. At this point you can add your asparagus to the tomato sauce, stirring the pieces in the sauce to blend them together.
  9. Once cooked, drain the pasta immediately, add the tomato sauce and asparagus, and toss it all with half of your cheese. Serve a helping on a plate while it’s hot and with the remaining cheese on the side. Enjoy!

This Food 52 recipe is a slight adaptation from the acclaimed restaurant critic and food journalist Craig Claiborne. Originally appearing in his The New New York Times Cookbook (1979), this harmonious recipe combines the best elements of the more celebrated pasta sauces, most notably asparagus, carbonara, and tomato.

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