Copyright Š 2019 Jessica Scandiffio All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. Book design by Jessica Scandiffio Photography by Jessica Scandiffio Contributors Anna Scandiffio, AnnaMaria Scandiffio, Benedetta Romano Copy edited Danielle Scandiffio & Becca Lutterschmidt Printed at Jefferson University 4201 Henry Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144
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Anna’s Italian Dinner
11 41
5 Introduction Appetizers
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First Course
Second Course
56 Fruits
63 Desserts 75 Drinks
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Anna’s Italian Dinner
A
nna’s Italian Dinner is a collection of my grandmother’s best recipes. I grew up eating this food and I would recommend it to anyone. That is why I want to bring Anna’s kitchen to yours. All of the recipes in this book are simple and delicious. Whenever I walk into grandma Anna’s house I am welcomed by the smells of her delicious food. Every time I have a meal at grandma Anna’s the table is filled with food before I even arrive. Her dishes are beautifully presented and making them is actually easier then it looks. I have never gone to my grandmother’s and not had a five course meal. We start with an assortment of appetizers; meats, chesses, focaccia, and more. She always starts with a fresh plate of al dente (slightly undercooked) pasta with sauce. Usually, the pasta is freshly homemade cavatelli and it is amazing. Grandma Anna never fails to make the best meals. My favorite dish growing up was the second course dish of boiled crabs. My grandparents have always lived on the water and we would spend time catching the fresh crabs in between courses. By creating this cookbook I am able to keep my grandmother’s recipes alive. I want to share them with as many people as possible. People are always asking for my grandmother’s recipes. Her riceballs are a huge hit at every family party. Grandma Anna’s food at parties is the only food that is not left over. Everyone should have the opportunity to taste Grandma Anna’s food. She flavors almost everything she cooks with a little bit of salt and pepper. That sounds easy enough. If you follow my grandmother’s recipe as best as possible, I can guarantee you will taste something delicious.
Intro 5
E
ver since I was a little girl, I have stood by my grandma Anna’s side helping her cook and trying to learn everything I could from her. I was usually pealing a cucumber, pouring ingredients in a bowl or grating cheese. I always wanted to be part of the process when it came to my grandmother cooking in her kitchen. Grandma Anna would always know her recipes off the top of her head. Rarely did I see her reading a recipe from a cookbook or a recipe book. Every now and then she would forget a measurement and have to look back to her recipe books. I always knew my grandmother had a drawer filled with recipe books. Some were her handwritten recipes and others were recipes she brought over from Italy that were too difficult to translate. She loves to share recipes with her friends and borrow recipes from others. Grandma Anna is always trying something new to keep things interesting. I always admired her cooking skills. Most of all, I loved her collection of recipe books. I dreamed of getting older and being able to create a book of my grandma’s recipes. It is a dream come true to present Anna’s Italian Dinner.
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Anna’s Italian Dinner
Jessica visitng her grandparents at their house in Punta Gorda, Florida.
Intro 7
This is my grandma at the pizzeria in Brooklyn, working behind the counter. Behind her is my father when he was about 16 years old.
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randma Anna has been an inspiration to me since I was a little girl. She has taught me everything I know about cooking and baking. Grandma Anna grew up in Bitetto, Apulia, Italy and is the youngest of ten siblings. She came to the United States in 1960 with her mother and only some of her siblings. Her family settled in Brooklyn, New York where she started her first job a seamstress in a factory. After marrying my grandfather, they opened the first of many of their businesses together. Both of my grandparents are brilliant business people and over the years opened many types of food related establishments. They settled on keeping their most successful enterprise, the pizzeria they opened on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. My grandmother is a brilliant cook. Her recipes have designed a restaurant that has been known now for 50 years. Her sons, Jimmy (my father) and Danny (my uncle), have been working in the pizzeria since they were little boys. They are the ones who learned the business and have taken over to keep my grandparent’s legacy alive. Her sauce is one of a kind. Her baking skills are incredible as well. All of my favorite desserts are my grandmother’s cookies. Her “S” cookies are my absolute favorite (you can try them too). We always liked to joke around and say the “S” is for Scandiffio. My family name that I want everyone to know.
Intro 9
Taralli Page 19
Appetizers A typical Italian meal starts with many appetizers. There is always a plate of assorted meats and cheeses surrounded by five or six other dishes. It is hard to not fill up on appetizers, but there are four more courses coming, so try not to eat too much!
Appetizers 11
Meats & Cheeses Meats Capicola Coppa Salame Mortadella Prosciutto Pepperoni Sopressata Pancetta
Cheeses Burrata Jarlsberg Mozzarella Parmigiano Reggiano Ricotta Provolone Swiss Asiago Fontina
Many meats and cheeses can have different flavors. Some add spice for a kick while others add things like wine or olives for a surprise in each bite.
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Foccacia Ingredients 6 cups flour 1 ½ tablespoons powder yeast 1 tablespoon salt Oregano Tomato peel Olive oil 14 small round breads or about 4 medium sized breads
Instructions
In a small cup, add a ¼ cup of warm water and the yeast with a tbsp of sugar and let it sit for 15 minutes until it bubbles. Next, you will mix the yeast with the flour. Add 3 oz olive oil mixed to the flour. Then add salt to a cup and a half of water and let the salt dissolve before adding it to the flour. Let dough rise for an about an hour to an hour and a half. When it rises, divide the dough and put olive oil on your hands so it doesn’t stick. Line the pans with olive oil. Let the dough rise in the pans and add oregano and tomato peel and more olive oil as needed.
Bake at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
I remember... My grandmother has been making foccacia my entire life. Every time I walk into her house it is the immediate smell of fresh baked foccacia. It is so simple and so delicious. She leaves it out on the table for the entire first half of the meal. It is so tempting to fill up on it before the first course comes out. I always have to try and limit myself to one or two pieces, but that never works! Appetizers 15
Zucchini Frittata Ingredients 2-3 zucchini 5 eggs ½ cup of cheese 1 medium onion Salt and pepper
Instructions
Zucchini Frittata with Bisquick
Chop up onion and put it in a medium frying pan, add oil to bottom of the pan, dice the zucchini small. Sauté with the onion, add oil if needed, once the zucchini is almost cooked add the eggs, continue to stir and combine the ingredients. When it is almost all together, let it cook until it all sticks together for about 7-8 minutes. When cooked, flip the frittata over onto another plate and then put back in the pan to cook the other side.
Ingredients
Bake in a medium pan for 6-8 minutes on each side.
Instructions
2-3 zucchini 4 eggs 1 cup of bisquick ½ cup of cheese 1 medium onion Salt and pepper
Chop up onion and put it in a medium frying pan, add oil to bottom of the pan, dice the zucchini small. Sauté with the onion, add oil if needed. In a medium bowl, beat four eggs and mix in the bisquick. Once the zucchini is almost cooked add the mix and the grated cheese. Continue to stir and combine the ingredients. When it is almost all together, let it cook until it all sticks together for about 6-8 minutes. When cooked, flip the frittata over onto another plate and then put back in the pan to cook the other side.
Bake in a medium pan for 6-8 minutes on each side.
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Appetizers 17
Taralli Ingredients 4 cups of flour 1 cup of semolina 2 tablespoons of fennel seeds 2 teaspoons of salt ¼ dry white wine ½ cup of oil 1 tablespoon of yeast
Instructions
Using a cup or small bowl, add the yeast to a ¼ cup of warm water. Mix flour and semolina together and mix well. Add fennel, salt, white, wine, oil, and the yeast. Divide the dough and use you hand to flatten it into a rectangle. Cut into strips and roll the dough to make it round. Round the dough into a donut shape and place on a tray with parchment paper underneath.
Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Taralli are not always made with fennel seeds. Some are made with crushed black pepper or red pepper, or even whole wheat flour for different flavors.
Appetizers 19
Riceballs Ingredients 1 pound of white rice 4 eggs ½ cup of grated cheese 1 stick of butter Parsley Salt and pepper
Instructions
In a large pot, cook the rice for 15 minutes (not all the way) and add the stick of butter once the rice starts to soak up the water. Mix 2 eggs, grated cheese, parsley and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the mix to the rice a little at a time so the eggs don’t cook together. Once the rice is almost cooked, remove it from heat and let the rice cool to a temperature where you can touch it. While waiting for the rice to cool, you can prepare your next steps. Have a small bowl with two beat eggs, a tray with bread crumbs, and a tray for the rice balls ready to be fried. Once the rice has cooled to a tolerable temperature, you can roll the rice into a ball with a space to add cheese, add a chunk of mozzarella to the center and roll the rice into a ball.
Roll in bread crumbs and fry until golden brown.
I remember... Grandma Anna’s riceballs are everyones favorite. They are the first thing to go at family parties. I used to help my grandmother make them when I was a little girl. Once the rice was prepared I always took a break to have some rice for a snack. 20
Anna’s Italian Dinner
Fried Calamari Ingredients 2 cups of raw squid 1 cup of flour Salt Pepper Oil
Instructions
Chop the squid into small rings. Dry the squid with a paper towel to ensure it is not wet. If the squid is wet the flour will not stick when it is fried. Mix the flour with salt and pepper in a plastic ziploc bag. Add the raw squid to the bag, close it and shake to ensure the squid is covered in flour. Then put squid in a colander to shake off the extra flour. Use a medium-sized pan, add oil and let oil get very hot.
Add the squid to the pan and fry until golden brown.
Appetizers 23
Meatballs Ingredients 1 pound of chopped meat 2 eggs Parsley 4 tablespoons of grated cheese 3 tablespoons of bread crumb
Instructions
Add the chopped meat to a medium bowl. Add the eggs and start to mix. Add in chopped parsley and grated cheese and mix. Slowly add in the bread crumbs. Your can add more bread crumbs if it is too wet. Once your meat is mixed, roll into balls at any size you please. Use a baking tray with parchment paper and place the meatballs on the tray. You can keep them close because they will not get bigger once baked.
Bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. If you are making meatballs with sauce, you can add the meatballs to your pot of sauce to give the sauce some flavor. My favorite way to enjoy meatballs is over a plate of pasta with grated cheese on top.
Fried Zucchini Ingredients 2 zucchinis 2 eggs 1 cup of flour 1 tablespoon cheese Salt and pepper Oil
Instructions
Chop the zucchini into small sticks. Dry the zucchini on a paper towel. You don’t want it to be wet or the flour won’t stick when it is fried. Mixed two beat eggs with two oz of water in a bowl. Have a plate for the flour and mix the cheese with salt and pepper as you please. Dip the zucchini into the egg and water and then cover it in flour. Using a medium tray, fill it with oil and let the oil get hot.
Fry the zucchini until it is golden brown.
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I remember... Grandma Anna makes amazing fried calamari. It does not taste like your typical restaurant calamari, it is even better. I never would like to eat vegetables when I was little. I eventually grew out of that and now I cannot get enough of grandma Anna’s fried zucchini and string bean with sauce.
String Beans Ingredients 2 pounds of string beans 1 can of dices tomatoes 4 cloves of garlic ž cup of oil
Instructions
Boil string beans until tender - about 20 minutes. Chop the tomatoes small and cook them with garlic.
Mix together with string beans and enjoy.
Appetizers
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Cavatelli Pasta Page 34
First Course First course is always a pasta dish of some sort. The most typical pasta dish is past with sauce with grated cheese on top. Grandma Anna likes to make fresh pasta with her homemade sauce and grates her own cheese.
First Course 27
Lasagna Ingredients 1 pound of lasagna noodles 1 jar of tomato sauce 16 ounces of ricotta ½ cup of grated cheese 1 pound of shredded mozzarella 1 pound of ground beef
Instructions
Start by using a large pot to cook your pasta until it is al dente (slightly undercooked pasta). Once your pasta is cooked, you will want to drain it well or pat the pasta dry. Using an aluminum tin (9 x 13 in that is 3.5 in deep) line it with tomato sauce. Then, add a layer of pasta to cover the bottom of the tray. Use a spoon to scoop the ricotta onto the pasta and spread it out across the tray. Crumble the ground meat in between layers of sauce and cheese. Add more sauce and add grated cheese. You can use meat sauce or mashed up meatballs if you want to make a meat lasagna. Continue layers the pasta, sauce, ricotta and cheese until you run out of pasta. On top on the last layer, you will cover the pasta with shredded mozzarella.
Cover the tray in aluminum foil and bake at 350ÂşF for 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for 15 more minutes or until the cheese on top turns light brown.
First Course 29
Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus, and Pancetta Ingredients ¾ pounds of fettuccine 3 ounces of pancetta 1 ¼ pounds of asparagus 2 cups of green peas 2 garlic cloves pressed ½ cup of parmesan cheese
¼ cup of heavy cream 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon of grated lemon peel Parsley Basil
Instructions
Using a medium pot, cook the pasta, drain it and save ¼ cup of pasta water to the side. In a large skillet, cook the pancetta until it is crisp and then transfer it to a paper towel to drain. Save one teaspoon of the grease from the skillet. Add asparagus to the skillet with the grease and sauté for three minutes. Add peas, onion and chopped garlic. Sauté for about two minutes and remove from heat. Add the vegetables to a pot with the saved pasta water. Add the parmesan cheese, olive oil, heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon peel to the pasta. Also add a big pinch of both basil and parsley for taste, enough for your liking. a little basil and a little parsley to the pasta and toss.
Sprinkle pancetta, parsley, and basil over the dish.
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First Course 31
Vodka Sauce Ingredients 1 pound of pasta ž cup vodka ž cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley 1 pinch of hot pepper flakes 1 onion finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic chopped 2 cans of crushed tomatoes Salt and pepper
Instructions
Using a medium pan, add olive oil, chopped onions and chopped garlic. Cook over light heat for a about three minutes. Add red pepper flakes and let it cook for another minute. Add in crushed tomatoes and raise to a medium heat and let it come to a boil. Add the vodka and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it simmer for eight minutes. Next, add the heavy cream and lower the heat. Add in cooked pasta and toss in a pinch of chopped parsley. Stir in well and grate some parmesan cheese onto the pasta.
Serve with parmesan and red pepper flakes.
First Course 33
Cavatelli Pasta Ingredients 1 cup of pasta flour (Durum Wheat Semolina) 1 cup of water
Instructions
Boil a small pot of water. Sift the flour on your clean work surface. Use your fist to make a well in the center. Pour warm water slowly and mix it until the flour is all absorbed and becomes dough. Knead the dough until it is thick and cover for about 20 minutes before shaping into pasta. After you shape your pasta, cover for with a towel for 10-20 minutes before cooking. Cavatelli is made by rolling the dough into strips and cutting the dough into small pieces. Using your thumb, you want to push down lightly on the dough and roll the dough away from you to shape it.
I remember... There is nothing better then making homemade fresh pasta. Making cavatelli has been tradition since I was little. My sister, brother and I used to surround our grandmother and help her shape the pasta. Grandma Anna uses a wooden board specially made for pasta making. She has three boards that she plans on passing down to her granddaughters. 34
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Fettuccine with
asparagus and shrimp
Ingredients 1 pound of fettuccine 1 pound of asparagus chopped 1 cup of cherry tomatoes 1 cup of chicken broth or water 1 pound of raw shrimp ¼ cup of oil ¼ cup of butter
Instructions
Using a medium pan add a little oil and sauté the asparagus. In the pan, add chopped tomatoes and shrimp. Make sure to flip the shrimp to cook on both sides. Add one cup of water or chicken broth and a little bit of butter. Boil a pot of water to cook the pasta. Once the pasta is cooked you can put it in a bowl and lay the shrimp, asparagus and tomatoes over top.
Cook time is approximately 15 minutes.
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Linguine with white clams sauce Ingredients 1 pound of linguine 2 dozen baby clams ¼ cup of oil 4 garlic cloves ½ cup of white wine ½ teaspoon of red pepper 1 cup of white clam sauce
Instructions
Start by cleaning the baby clams by soaking them in salt and water. Using a deep pot, add a little oil and garlic with half a cup of wine. Add the clams to the pot, and let them cook until the shell open. Take the clam out of the shell and strain the water to get rid of the sand from the clams. In a large pan, sauté chopped garlic and add a little red pepper over medium heat. Add one can of white clam sauce and stir in the clams. In a separate pot, boil water and cook your linguine.
Cook the clams for about 6 minutes and serve over a plate of linguine.
First Course
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Chicken Piccata Page 48
Second Course Second course is always a meat or fish dish. Sometimes first and second course can be combined if you plan to accompany your meat dish with a side of pasta.
Second Course 41
Eggplant Rollatini Ingredients 1 eggplant ½ cup of flour 3 eggs 1 cup of ricotta 2 tablespoons of parsley ½ cup of shredded mozzarella
Instructions
¼ cup of oil 1 cup of breadcrumbs ¾ cup of grated cheese Salt Pepper 1 jar of tomato sauce
Start by slicing your eggplant into thin strips about an 8th of an inch thick. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant and leave the eggplant to drain for about 30 minutes. While the eggplant drains, you can prepare three dishes for the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. After your eggplant is drained, dip each piece in flour, then egg and lastly breadcrumb. Fry each piece in a medium pan with oil. Once they are fried, lay them on a paper towel to absorb the oil. In a small bowl, beat one eggs. Mix the beat egg with ricotta, chopped parsley, mozzarella, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Once everything is prepared, use a small tin and cover the bottom in a layer of tomato sauce. Put one spoonful of your ricotta mix on each fried eggplant and roll it. Place each piece in the tin over the sauce. Pour a little more sauce over each and sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Bake at 375ºF for about 20 minutes.
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Chicken Scallopini Ingredients 4 thin chicken breast ¼ cup of flour 2 eggs ½ pound of mushrooms 4 tablespoons of butter 2 tablespoons of oil ½ chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth ¼ cup of white wine ¼ cup of heavy cream Juice of 1 lemon ¼ cup of chopped parsley Salt Pepper
Instructions
Prepare a dish for flour and a dish with 2 beat eggs. Pat each chicken slice dry and dip in flour and then egg. Using a medium pan, melt butter and fry the chicken until golden brown and set aside. Over medium heat, add butter, mushrooms, onion and oil in the skillet and sauté for eight minutes. Add garlic, and cook for another minute. Stir in the chicken broth, white wine and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to simmer until slightly thickened for about three minutes. Stir in the cream. Add the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Sprinkle parsley over chicken before serving.
Second Course 45
Chicken Parmesan Ingredients 4 thin sliced chicken breasts 2 cups breadcrumbs 2 eggs ¼ cup of oil 1 jar of tomato sauce ½ cup of shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Put the bread crumbs and the eggs in separate dishes. Beat the eggs. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Dip each chicken breast in the eggs. Then, lay the chicken on the bread crumbs and turn it over to cover both sides. Place the chicken on a baking tray covered in aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil on top of the chicken, flip them and add a little more to the other side.
Bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes. Flip them half way, add sauce and mozzarella on top, and bake for 10 more minutes.
I remember... Chicken parmesan is one of the best dishes. When I was little Grandma Anna would make me chicken parm when she knew I wouldn’t eat anything else. Chicken parm and a side of pasta with sauce was always my favorite.
Second Course 47
Chicken Piccata Ingredients 4 thin sliced chicken breasts 3 tablespoons of butter ¼ cup of flour ¼ cup of capers ¼ cup of lemon juice ½ cup of white wine ¼ cup of chopped parsley ¼ cup of chicken broth 4 cloves of garlic Salt Pepper
Instructions
Sprinkle salt and pepper on each piece of chicken. Cover the chicken in flour, and shake of excess. In a medium pan, melt the butter and fry the chicken until brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and place to the side. Add butter and chopped garlic to the pan and let it sauté. Add the capers and lemon juice and let it cook for a minute. Then, add the chicken broth and white wine. Cook for a few minutes, and then add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
Before serving, pour excess juice over the chicken and sprinkle chopped parsley for decoration. Can be served over a plate of spaghetti.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients 4 thin sliced chicken breasts 2 eggs 1 cup of bread crumbs ¼ pound of sliced Swiss cheese ¼ pound of sliced ham 1 can of cream of mushroom
Instructions
Prepare a dish with the bread crumbs and the beat eggs. Pat the chicken dry and dip in the egg. Then, cover the chicken in bread crumbs and lay them flat. Lay a piece of ham on the chicken and then add a slice of swiss cheese. Roll the ham and swiss with the chicken and use a toothpick to hold it in place. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Using an aluminum tin, coat the bottom with a little bit of olive oil. Place the chicken in the tin. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and add the cream of mushroom. Bake for 5-10 more minutes.
I remember... You are not wrong if you are thinking chicken cordon bleu is a French dish, but grandma Anna has been making it for a long time. It is one of my favorite dishes that I made many times in college. It is easy and delicious. Second Course 51
Veal Marsala Ingredients 4 thin slices of veal ¼ cup of flour ½ cup of butter 4 cloves of garlic 1 cup of mushrooms (optional) ¼ cup of chicken broth ¼ cup of white wine
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Cover the veal in the flour mixture. Using a medium pan, melt butter and oil. Add the veal to the pan and cook on both sides. Remove the veal and put to the side. In the pan, add butter and chopped garlic and let it sauté for a minute. Then, add in mushrooms and sauté for five minutes. Add the chicken broth and white wine and let it cook for a few minutes. Then, add the veal and simmer for 5 minutes.
Before serving, add chopped parsley for decoration.
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Second Course 53
Fruit After the second course, you will want to cleanse your palette with some fruit before you have coffee and dessert.
Fruit 55
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Fruit 57
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Fruit 59
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Fruit 61
Ricotta Cookies Page 69
Desserts By the time you get to dessert, you might be full, but this is the best part. Grandma Anna makes the best deserts so you have to save some room. Enjoy a cappuccino, espresso, or a cup of coffee while tasting all the desserts in front of you.
Desserts 63
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Sugar Cookies Ingredients 1 cup of sugar 3 eggs 1 cup of oil 3 cups of flour 3 teaspoons of baking powder Pinch of salt 1 cup of walnuts
Instructions
Using a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar and mix. Slowly pour in oil a little at a time, continuously beating the mixture. Add flour and baking powder, and mix everything together. Add more flour if its too wet. Knead the dough well using your hands. Cover in the bowl with plastic wrap and put it the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Crush one cup of walnuts well and mix with sugar. When the dough is ready you will take a little at a time and roll it into a string. Roll the string of dough into the walnuts and sugar. Shape the dough into an S by rolling one half in a spiral and then roll the other side the opposite way.
Bake at 375ºF for about 15-20 minutes.
I remember... Sugar cookies are my favorite pastry that grandma makes. Grandma Anna would make them and bring them over as a gift for me. It always brightened my day when she came over with a tray of what we called “S cookies.” This is a recipe that I will continue to bake for others.
Desserts 65
Cream Puffs Ingredients 1 stick of butter 1 cup of flour 4 eggs 1 cup of water Pinch of salt
Instructions
In a medium pot, boil 1 cup of water with a stick of butter until it melts and add a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat when the butter is completely melted. Then, add flour and keep turning until water is absorbed. Put the pot back on the stove until it cooks for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool down. Add the eggs one at a time, continuously mixing. Use a spoon to scoop one at a time onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper. Bake 400ÂşF for about 35 minutes until golden brown.
Cream Ingredients 5 cups of milk 7 tablespoons of cornstarch 3 egg yolks 6 ounces of sugar Peal of one lemon
Instructions
Using a medium pot, add the milk, cornstarch, egg yolks, and sugar and mix them well. Then, add the peel of one lemon. Turn the heat on medium and stir continuously until it is creamy.
Cook for about 20 minutes. Take out the skin of the lemon. Let the cream cool to room temperature. Make a small incision and add the cream to the cream puff.
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Desserts 67
Ricotta Cookies Ingredients 1 cup ricotta 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon of baking powder 1 stick of butter
Instructions
Using a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ricotta and sugar and continuously mix. Using a small dish, melt a stick of butter. Once melted, add the butter to the mixture. Slowly add in the flour and baking powder while continuously mixing. Once the dough is mixed, use a spoon to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
Bake at 350ยบF for 10-15 minutes, or until edges are golden. Once out of the oven, let them cool and sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies.
Desserts 69
Zeppoles Ingredients 6 cups of flour 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of yeast 1 tablespoon of salt
Instructions
Using a medium bowl add the flour first. Using a small bowl, mix the sugar, salt and yeast with a little bit of water until it starts to bubble. Stir the mixture in with the flour until it is completely mixed. Add water if needed, but not too much. Cover the dough and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes. Using a deep pot, fill it with oil and let the oil get really hot. When the oil is ready, use a spoon to scoop the dough into the oil.
Fry the dough 4-6 at a time for about 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the zeppoles to a paper towel to soak up the extra oil. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
I remember... Zeppoles are usually a dessert you will find at a carnival or a food festival and usually served with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Grandma Anna always made them at home. She would make the dough to make Bacala. Bacala is cod fried with zeppole dough. They are amazing. She would use the rest of the dough and make zeppoles for dessert.
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Almond Cookies Ingredients 2 egg whites 1 cup sugar 1 ½ cups almonds
Instructions
In a medium bowl, beat two eggs. Add a pinch of salt and slowly add in the sugar. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar had dissolved, fold in the chopped almonds.
Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes
Chocolate Almond Cookies Ingredients 2 egg whites 1 cup of sugar 1 ½ cup of roasted almonds chopped 2 tablespoons of cocoa 2 teaspoons of flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder
Instructions
In a medium bowl, best two eggs and add a pinch of salt. Add in the sugar and mix until it dissolves. Add in cocoa, baking powder and flour slowly while continuously mixing. Fold in the crushed almonds. Roll the dough into little balls and then roll each ball of dough in sugar. Place them on a baking tin with parchment paper.
Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes.
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Ricotta Cheesecake Ingredients 3 pounds ricotta 5 eggs 1 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla 4 ounces of heavy cream 1 tablespoon of tapioca Squeeze one orange Graham crackers
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat five eggs. Then, pour in 3 pounds of ricotta and mix well. Add in the sugar, vanilla, heavy cream and one squeezed orange. Mix all ingredients well. Using a round baking tin, line pan with butter and crushed graham cracker.
Bake at 375ºF for 45-60 minutes.
White Cake Ingredients 6 eggs 1 ¾ cups of sugar 2 sticks of butter, softened 6 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 tablespoon of lemon zest 1 tablespoon of orange zest 5 cups of flower
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Melt the butter separately and then add to the beat eggs with vanilla, lemon and orange zest and sugar. Slowly mix in the flour until all is well mixed. Line your cake tin with butter and add the mix.
Bake at 350ºF and cook for 8 minutes.
Desserts 73
Drinks There is always a drink to go along with what you are eating. Wine is a great combination with dinner and coffee goes great with desert.
Drinks 75
Wine White wine pairings
Red wine pairings
White wine pairs well with lighter foods.
Red wine pairs well with heavier foods.
Cheeses Vegetables Bread Fish
White meat Red meat Cured meats Desserts
I remember...
My grandparents have been brewing wine since before I was born. My grandfather drinks a glass of red wine every night with his dinner. Red is his personal preference, but he chooses depends on what he is eating.
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Coffee Espresso
Espresso is coffee of Italian origin, brewed by expressing or forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee, and drank in a small shot.
Cappucino
A cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee drink that originated in Italy, and is traditionally prepared with steamed milk foam. Cappuccinos can be made with milk or cream and are typically flavored with cinnamon.
Drinks 79
Liquor Limoncello
Limoncello is a lemon liquor. It is best served chilled in shot form. Typically it is drank either before or after a meal.
Faretti Biscotti Liquor
This type of liquor is sweet and delicate with hints of nuts, citrus and anise. This delicious biscotti liqueur is drank with dessert.
Grappa
Grappa is an Italian liquor that is made from grapes. It is typically served as an after dinner drink.
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