My Italian Cuisine

I am spending my holidays in Italy, on the Adriatic sea cost. Here you can get the best seafood of the region.... I am trying some starters for the New Year's eve dinner... here is a suggestion for you if you manage to get fresh seafood in your region... this is the best... simple and easy! Serving 2 Ingredients: 8 Oysters 4 "Fasolari" or small scallops (coquilles Saint Jacques) 8 Venus clams (Tartufi di mare) 4 Lemons Pepper to taste Carefully open the seafood shells and place them on a serving plate, cut the lemon in quarters, cut the quarters in half. place them on the serving plate, sprinkle some pepper on the top of the opened seafood. Eat each shell with lemon juice..... Buon Appetito!

I am in Italy to celebrate Christmas with the family, here the weather is really great, the sun is shining and our Kumquat tree is full of fruits....with this picture I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, wherever you are! Lu,  Myitaliancuisine

Traditional Pesto, from Liguria, is made of fresh Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Pinenuts with the addition of Pecorino and Parmigiano cheese. This Pistachio pesto is from Sicily, the only Italian region where Pistachio plants are cultivated. The famous Italian Pistachio from Bronte is mainly used to make this pesto. Of course you can use any kind of (unsalted) pistacho to make it. I've served this Pistachio Pesto with handmade star shaped cocoa ravioli with a filling of Ricotta and grated lemon zest, an original recipe by Myitaliancuisine for Christmas. This could be your very special Italian Christmas or New Year's Eve original dish.  Cocoa, ricotta and pistachio are a very nice combination of flavours. I recommend to use pure unsweetened cocoa powder to make the pastry. Serving 4 - Ingredients for the ravioli Pastry: 100gr Durum semolina (Italian: farina rimacinata di grano duro, tipo 0) 200gr all pourposes flour (Italian: farina di grano tenero, tipo 00)

This is my revisited mini version of the original "Panzerotti" from my auntie Maria. They remind me my childhood in Italy, those kind of things I will never forget... today I love to make these bites for my friends. The main ingredients are the wine pastry (made of flour, olive oil and white wine), ricotta and mortadella with a sprinkle of marjoram. A perfect appetizer, surprisingly tasty!  Makes about 12 bites Ingredients: - For the pastry 200gr all pourposes flour 70 dry whiteh wine 50 Extra virgin olive oil A good pinch of salt - for the filling 200gr Italian Ricotta (better if sheep's milk ricotta) 150gr Mortadella chopped 2 eggs 50gr Grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh marjoram A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepepr to taste - For the glazing 1 egg 1 teaspoon of marjoram  Preapare the pastry Add all the pastry ingredients in a mixing bowl or in a food mixer and mix till you get the a mixture as you see it in t