ITALIAN RECIPES
LASAGNE
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BOLOGNESE SAUCE: 50 g carrots Onions 60 g Celery 50 g chopped fresh pork bacon 500 g Beef meat minced beef 500 g Tomato puree 250 g fresh whole milk milk 50 g extra virgin olive oil 20 g Salt q.s Pepper to taste white wine 150 g FOR THE BECHAMEL: fresh whole milk 1l Butter 100 g flour 80 g nutmeg salt pepper to taste
METHOD: To prepare lasagna bolognese begin with the preparation of the sauce that need longer cooking times. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery helping you with a knife or chopping with the mixer (1). Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped vegetables. Let them cook on low heat for 20 minutes until the sauce will be completely dry. Then add the minced pork bacon (2) and that of beef (3). Brown the meat, stirring with a wooden spoon (4) to cook evenly and prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the meat will be dry and well browned, add the white wine (5) and let it fade until complete evaporation. Then also pour the tomato puree (6). Now add the water (7), mix all ingredients and simmer for at least 2 hours if cooking in the sauce were too dry, add more water: It is important, however, that when cooked the sauce is well dry. Then adjusted with salt and pepper (8). When the sauce is almost ready and congealed, add milk (9) that allows you to attenuate the acid smell of tomato and continue stirring the ingredients to mix them. Finish cooking, turn off the heat and keep the sauce aside. Therefore proceed to the preparation of the sauce: take a saucepan and to heat the milk. Meanwhile in another saucepan over low heat, melt the butter into small pieces (10) and, when melted, remove from heat and add you the sifted flour (11). Stir vigorously with a whisk (12) to obtain a compound with no lumps (roux). Then replace the pan on the fire, for browning slightly. When the milk is hot, aromatizzatelo with grated nutmeg (13) and a pinch of salt. At this point you can add it to the butter mixture and flour (14). Vigorously stir the ingredients with a hand whisk and let thicken over low heat (15): The mixture should be smooth and without lumps. Cook the sauce for about 5-6 minutes on low heat, until it is creamy. Then passed to the composition of the lasagna: Take a baking sheet or a rectangular baking dish with dimensions of 30x20 cm. Distributed a sauce pan on wire evenly over the surface (16), then laid the green lasagne with spinach (17) again and pour a thin layer of sauce (18). Now distribute the meat sauce and grated cheese (19) making sure to cover the entire surface of the pan. Then create another layer of lasagne, arranging this time in the opposite direction with respect to the first layer so that they are crossed (20). Then proceed by creating a new layer of white sauce (21). Take care to distribute it on the whole surface of the pan. Repeat, placing bechamel layer of meat sauce (22) and grated Parmesan cheese (23), until 6 layers. Finish with a layer of sauce and a sprinkling of grated cheese. Once the preparation of the pan, bake in oven preheated to 200 degrees for about 25 minutes (or in a convection oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes): lasagna will be ready when you see a light golden crust on the surface. Sfornatele and let it cool before you bring to the table and enjoy your lasagne (24)!
PIZZA INGREDIENTS : For the base 300g strong bread flour 1 tsp instant yeast(from a sachet or a tub) 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling For the tomato sauce 100ml passata handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried 1 garlic clove, crushed For the topping 125g ball mozzarella, sliced handful grated or shaved Parmesan handful cherry tomatoes, halved To finish handful basil leaves (optional) METHOD 1. Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it’s not essential for a thin crust. 2. Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base. 3. Roll out the dough: If you’ve let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets. 4. Top and bake: Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.
SPAGHETTI GARLIC,OLIVE OIL AND CHILLI
INGREDIENTS:
Salt 2 to 3 whole fresh chiles, or small dried red chiles ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley ¾ pound linguine or spaghetti
METHOD: 1.Put a pot of salted water on to boil. Remove the stems of the peperoncini, halve them lengthwise, then slice them into 1/4-inch lengths. Put the oil, garlic and peperoncini in a large deep pan set over medium-high heat, and cook until the garlic is translucent and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the parsley to the pan, and turn off the heat. 2.Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it is aldente, nearly but not quite done and still a bit chalky in the middle. Drain, and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. 3.When the oil has cooled for a couple of minutes, add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and reduce over high heat by about half. Add the pasta, and stir vigorously as it continues to cook. Add the reserved pasta water a bit at a time as necessary to finish cooking the pasta, and develop the thickened sauce. Season with salt, and serve.
SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
INGREDIENTS: Spaghetti 350 Bacon 150 g Eggs 4 yolks and 1 Full Pepper Pecorino cheese 100 g METHOD: Put the bacon diced in a pan and leave on low fire, meanwhile break the eggs in a bowl, and mix them with a whip and add grated pecorino and pepper, mix them again until to get a homogeneous mixture. Now cook the pastA, meanwhile add bacon with the previus ingredients and add the pasta when it is cooked.
AMERICAN RECIPES
FRIED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces 1 cup buttermilk 2 cups all-purpose flour for coating 1 teaspoon paprika salt and pepper to taste 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying METHOD Take your cut up chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. Put the flour in a large plastic bag (let the amount of chicken you are cooking dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt and pepper to taste (paprika helps to brown the chicken). Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk then, a few at a time, put them in the bag with the flour, seal the bag and shake to coat well. Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray, and cover with a clean dish towel or waxed paper. LET SIT UNTIL THE FLOUR IS OF A PASTE-LIKE CONSISTENCY. THIS IS CRUCIAL! Fill a large skillet (cast iron is best) about 1/3 to 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until VERY hot. Put in as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken in HOT oil on both sides. When browned, reduce heat and cover skillet; let cook for 30 minutes (the chicken will be cooked through but not crispy). Remove cover, raise heat again and continue to fry until crispy. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to fry in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven while preparing the rest.
CHEESCAKE INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of cream cheese 3/4 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sour cream 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 6 tablespoons melted butter 1/4 cup white sugar
METHOD Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). 1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar together. Press mixture onto the bottom of one 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Place in freezer for 10 minutes. 2. Cream 3/4 cup of the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just mixed. Stir in sour cream until blended. Pour into prepared crust. 3. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven with the door ajar for 3 hours. Serve with your favorite topping.
PANCAKES WITH MAPLE SYRUP
INGREDIENTS 125 g flour fresh whole milk 200 g Butter 25g chemical baking powder for cakes 6 g Whole eggs 2 15 g sugar maple syrup METHOD We start preparing pancakes melting the butter over low heat , then leave to cool. Meanwhile, divide the egg whites from the yolks . Pour the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk with a hand whisk , then add the melted butter at room temperature and milk little , always stirring constantly with a whisk .Montate the mixture until It is clear . Add the yeast to the flour and sift into the bowl with the egg mixture stir with a whisk to mix. Now the egg whites that have kept aside , pouring little by little sugar and when they are white and fluffy embed them gently to the egg , with movements from top to bottom , to avoid removing them.Put to heat on medium heat ( not high otherwise you will not give the dough time to rise well during cooking and pancakes become too dark ) a large non-stick frying pan ( preferably a thick bottom ) and, if necessary , grease with a little butter to spread on the surface with the help of kitchen paper . Pour in the center of the pan a ladle of preparation there will be no need to spread it When the bubbles begin to appear on the surface and the base will be golden , turn it on the other side by means of a spatula, as if it were a crepe or omelette , and then browned in turn also the other side , after which the pancakes will be ready. Go well with the rest of the dough and gradually hand arrange the pancakes on a platter, pile them on top of each other. With these doses should be formed about 12 pancakes . Serve hot, sprinkled with maple syrup . You can accompany the pancakes with fresh fruit or syrup to your taste.
CLASSIC AMERICAN HAMBURGER
INGREDIENTS 4 bread for burgers 1 red onion 4 tablespoons mustard q.s. worcester sauce METHOD 1 ) First, cut in half 4 hamburger buns and hot tostali on the plate well, the side of the cuts to brown them 2 ) Once made toast the bread , powder on the plate a pinch of salt and start to cook the beef burger for about 3 minutes per side . Condisci the beef burgers with Worcestershire sauce or, alternatively , with tabasco , slightly salali and arrange them within the still hot sandwiches also adding a tablespoon mustard . 3 ) Complete the classic American hamburger adding a slice of tomato , slices of onion , the leaves of green salad and serve the dish prepared with ketchup or mayonnaise .
Doughnuts
Ingredients 8 cups vegetable oil 1 egg 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons melted shortening 2 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder Dash of cinnamon Dash of nutmeg Dash of salt Coatings: Confectioners' sugar or granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon Directions In a large, deep heavy pot or an electric fryer heat the oil to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the egg and sugar. Stir in the milk and the shortening. Sift together all of the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough to 1/2 inch thickness with your fingertips or a rolling pin. Cut out the doughnuts using a doughnut cutter or two sizes of round cookie cutters. Transfer doughnuts to wax paper and allow to dry for 10 minutes. Using a spatula dipped in the hot oil, carefully transfer the doughnuts to the hot oil. Cook 2 - 3 doughnuts at a time, flipping them when they brown on a side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm. Doughnut holes: Add dough to hot oil by the spoonful and fry until golden. Variations: Chocolate doughnuts: Combine the melted shortening with 1 ounce of melted chocolate before adding to batter. Glazed doughnuts: Combine 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar with 2 teaspoons hot milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Drizzle over cooled doughnuts. Jelly doughnuts: Stir 1/2 cup jelly of choice until smooth. Transfer jelly to a plastic baggie and snip off one corner to squeeze out jelly. Poke doughnut round with a chopstick And squirt in jelly.
Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients o 2 tablespoons dried parsley o 2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary o 2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage o 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves o 1 tablespoon lemon pepper o 1 tablespoon salt o 1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed o 2 stalks celery, chopped o 1 orange, cut into wedges o 1 onion, chopped o 1 carrot, chopped o 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth o 1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne Directions   
Preparation - 20 m Cook - 3 h Ready In - 3 h 20 m
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey. 2. Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey, then stuff with the celery, orange, onion, and carrot. Truss if desired, and place the turkey into the roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey, making sure to get some champagne in the cavity. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey, and seal. Try to keep the foil from touching the skin of the turkey breast or legs. 3. Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Uncover the turkey, and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
BROWNIE Ingredients: 400g White Sugar
100g Cocoa
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
200g Butter
200g Dark Chockolate Chips
90g Sifted Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Method: In a large bowl mix the sugar, cocoa, eggs, vanilla and butter to a smooth paste. Add the chocolate chips and stir through. Add the sifted flour and baking powder and stir through to combine it. Pour mixture into a greased and lined tin (30x20cm), bake in a pre heated oven at 150°C (fanforced oven) or 170°C (normal oven) for 25-30 min or until mix is set. A knife/skewer will come out with melted choc on it but not mixture. Leave in tray until almost completely cool then turn out and cut when cold. Makes a really yummy dessert when served warm with vanilla ice-cream and berry or chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Bon appetit!
POLISH RECIPES Drozdzowka (Polish Yeast Plum Cake)
"Pronounced dhroz-djoo-vka, is a typical Polish yeast cake, usually enjoyed on Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee.” Ingredients
1/2 cup whole milk 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 (0.6 ounce) cakes cake yeast 1 1/3 cups margarine 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 4 eggs 1 1/8 cups white sugar
8 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons vanilla sugar 1 cup whole milk, or as needed 6 cups fresh plums, pitted and quartered 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions
Prep - 1 h Cook - 1 h Ready In - 2 h 20 m
1. In a saucepan over very low heat, warm up 1/2 cup of milk to no more than 100 degrees F (38 degrees C); stir in 1 tablespoon of flour and 1
2. 3. 4.
5. 6. 7.
tablespoon of sugar. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Crumble the cake yeast into the milk mixture, and gently stir until the mixture becomes creamy. Cover the pan with a cloth, and set aside in a warm place until the yeast forms a spongy texture, 20 to 30 minutes. Melt margarine in a saucepan over low heat; remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place eggs and 1 1/8 cup sugar into a blender, and process until the mixture is yellow and fluffy. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 8 cups of flour with vanilla sugar. Stir in the egg mixture, activated yeast mixture, and lukewarm margarine; start kneading 1 cup milk, or as needed, into the dough, a little at a time, until the dough stops sticking to your fingers and becomes smooth and even. Knead for at least 15 minutes, working to incorporate as much air as possible into the dough as you knead. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking sheet, and arrange the plums over the top of the dough. Set aside. In a bowl, cut together 1 1/2 cup flour, the butter, and 1/2 cup of sugar with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs; sprinkle the streusel mixture over the plums. Dust streusel with cinnamon, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Footnotes  
Cook's Notes: Original recipe makes an 11x13-inch cake or 2 loaves. Use plain white flour, type 450 if you have it--or Maka Tortowa if you happen to have a Polish grocery nearby!
Polish Pork chop (kotlet schabowy) A Polish style, breaded pork chop happens to be a typical Polish meat dish. Ingredients 4 medium-sized pork chops salt and pepper 25g plain flour 1 egg, beaten 25g breadcrumbs
Oil/butter for frying
Directions Beat out the pork chops until fairly thin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. On separate plates, pour flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Dip each chop into the flour, coating on both sides, and then dip into the beaten egg. Finally press the chops on to the breadcrumbs, ensuring even coating. Heat sufficient oil/butter in a large frying pan. When very hot, add the pork and cook over high heat for 5 minutes on each side. Lower heat and cook for another few minutes until golden. Serving Suggestions Polish style pork chops are usually served with potatoes and boiled cabbage stew or sliced cucumbers with sour cream but are great alone and make for decent leftovers for the next day's lunch.
Recipe for Dumplings (Pierogi) Ingredients for dough (for about 50 dumplings) : -300g flour -250ml hot water -1/4 teespoon salt How to do it: In a bowl place flour and salt. Next little by little add hot water and mix everything with a spoon. When the ingredients mix well you can knead the dough with your hands. As a result, you get a soft and elastic dough. Ingredients for filling: The are many variants of dumplings for example: with meat, cabbage and mushrooms, potatoes and cottage cheese, cottage cheese or with fruits. The most popular in Poland are dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms. - 1,5kg sauerkraut - 40g dried mushrooms - 2 medium-sized onions - oil or butter for frying onion - salt - black pepper - 8-10 bay leafs How to do it: Rinse dried mushrooms with cold water and throw into the pot with hot water. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Put the pot on the cooker and cook mushrooms, until become soft. Drain mushrooms off on the colander. Collect water in the second pot. Throw the sauerkraut into water, in which mushrooms were cooked. Cook it, until become soft. In the meantime cut mushrooms carefully into small stripes. Drain the cabbage off on the sieve. You can pour water out. Shred the cabbage into small stripes. Peel onions and cut into small dices. Fry it for about 5 minutes to achieve delicate browning. Next throw the cabbage and mushrooms and mix. Add the salt and black pepper. Add 8-10 bay leafs. Put a lid on the frying pan and stew about 10 minutes. Put the filling to the bowl and let it cool off. The filling is ready to go when cooled but you will need to get rid of bay leafs before folding dumplings. How to finish doing it : After mixing ingredients and kneading the dough is being rolled up on a table or pastry board. Circles are cut out using a drinking glass. Then, in the middle of every circle, place a portion of the filling with a teaspoon. Next wrap the dumplings dough, forming a semicircle and press edges with your finger or fork. Then put them in boiled, lightly salted water and after few minutes will float to the surface and soon will be ready to be drained off. Dumplings are often served with fried onion or sweet cream.
TOMATO soup Ingredients o 4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes o 1 slice onion o 4 whole cloves o 2 cups chicken broth o 2 tablespoons butter o 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour o 1 teaspoon salt o 2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste
Directions
Preparation - 5m Cook - 30 m
Ready In - 35 m
1. In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill into a large bowl, or pan. Discard any stuff left over in the food mill. 2. In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste.