My Italian Cuisine

  The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine Jam tarts, Crostatine  in Italian, are small short crust pastry rounds filled with fruit jams, or pastry cream, Nutella etc... When I wan a child they were always there for my breakfast or the afternoon « Merenda » when back from school.    Contrary to the English tea time jam tarts, which normally do not have any pastry topping, the  " Crostatine " are topped with stripes of short crust pastry as you can see in the pictures. But you can use your imagination and jutst top them as you like, witha pastry hearth for St Valentine, a star for Xmas . I have already posted the home made short crust pastry recipe, you can find it in our «  How to Make ... » section , it is very easy to prepare specually if you have a food processor and is far better to ready-made you find in crocery shops. I normally use my homemade fruit ...

 The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine Fish is good and light, everyone should eat fish at least 2 times a week, of course not fishsticks or fish and chips which are... another story. Once a week I like to go to the fish market and get the offer of the day, in general here it's salmon or sea bream. This time I've got sea bream! Today's fish recipe it's really easy, simple, tasteful and light, a perfect dish if served with baked or boiled potatoes and a veggie of your choice. You'll need half of a large fish per person, this recipe is for two persons, in case you just double the ingredients. Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 large Sea Bream 2 small organic lemons  few leaves of fresh sage 3 garlic cloves 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup of dry white wine Unrefined corse sea salt,  pepper a small piece of butter (10gr), optional Cut the lemon in half (lenghtwise) and slice it...

The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm very sorry for the long absence....but here I am with a bunch of new Italian recipes. Here is the new, easy and tasty one: do you have some frozen scrimps and just one courgette? ... Add a little zaffron (in my case I have used the fantastic Italian zaffron from l'Aquila, Abruzzi) and voilà a nice complete meal!! Serves 2 Ingredients: 250gr of short Italian pasta (penne, fusilli, farfalle)250gr frozen, or 350 of fresh, peeled and cleaned scrimps 1 medium courgette 1 medium onion 3-4 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil few zaffron threads (or 1 small sachet of zaffron powder ) salt and pepper to taste 2lt of salted boiling water Instructions: - If possible take the frozen scrimps out of the freezer several hours before the use, or defrost in the microwave. If you are using fresh scrimps peel and clean them. - Clean and cut the c...

Days are getting longer and warmer here in the north...soon the berbecue season will start... I am already preparing... mentally! This nice and simple appetizer is perfect to start a nice garden party and barbecue. Speck is a distinctively juniper-flavored ham originally from Tyrol, an historical region that since 1918 partially lies in Italy (Alto Adige). Speck's origins at the intersection of two culinary worlds is reflected in its synthesis of salt-curing and smoking. You can find the "Speck" in Italian grocery shops as well as the "bocconcini mozzarellas", very small mozzarellas, the same size of a cherry tomato. Have fun preparing and eating these delicious bites! Makes 20 bites 10 slices of Italian speck 20 Bocconcini mozzarellas few branches of fresh Thyme Unrefined Grey Sea salt to taste  Freshly grounded pepper 2-3 stbs of very good quality extra virgin olive oil 20 toothsticks Preparation: Drain the mozzarellas in a colander....

The "Plerotus Ostreatus", also called Oyster Mushrooms, are very easy to find here and perfect for frying.  I love this recipe so much, it is quickly done and very original. I always ask my guest to guess what they are eating when I propose them this dish....they are very surprised when I say they are eating simply fried mushrooms! I am sure your guest will be surprised as well .... Try and let me know! About 20 medium-large Oyster Mushrooms Half liter frying oil Breadcrumbs 3 beated eggs Salt and pepper Instructions: Clean the mushrooms with a brush.With a knife cut the mushrooms stalks, you will only use the upper part for frying. You can keep the stalks and use them for other preparations. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add salt and pepper. Dip the mushrooms in the eggs mixture. Cover the mushrooms with breadcrumbs on both sides. Place all the prepared mushrooms on a plate. Pour the frying oil in a fr...

 Here is a fried chicken made the myitaliancuisine way.....We use corn flour and sesame to coat the chicken, the result is crisp and crunchy ;) It is a quick and easy recipe that everybody can try....enjoy! Serving 4 Ingredients: 500gr chicken wings (tip cut off) 2 cups corn flour 1cup sesame seeds 2 beaten eggs salt to taste 1 lemon 1/2 liter of frying oil Clean and cut each wing in 2 parts. Mix the corn flour and the sesame seeds in a large bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Coat the chicken with the corn/sesame mixture then with the beaten eggs and again with the corn/sesame. Put the half liter oil in a frying pan, wait till it gets very hot. Place the coated wings in the oil and fry them till they get golden brown. Drain the fried wings on a kitchen paper. Your fried chicken wings are ready! Serve warm with lemon and the sauce you like...Buon appetito!

A perfect pasta dish for the New Year's eve, very delicate taste, creamy and crunchy at the same time, it will delight your guests. I would suggest to use "Farfalle", the kind of pasta which is perfect for a cheese creamy sauce. Because of Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts this dish is very rich in calories I wouldn't reccomend to use egg pasta for it. Serving 4 Ingredients 350gr Farfalle pasta 200 gr gorgonzola cheese 70 gr Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 2 Tbs Mascarpone cheese 20cl Cream 200 gr Walnuts in shell (or 100 gr shelled walnuts) Salt to taste Pepper to taste Cut the Gorgonzola cheese.  Pour the cream in a small pan, add the gorgonzola and the mascarpone. On very low fire, cook till the cheese is melted. Bring a pan with 4 lt water to a boil. Crush the shelled walnuts in a mortar. When cheese is melted add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, mix well. Cut the fire, set the sauce aside. When water is boiling add salt. Add the pasta, cook till ...

    Not much time left for cooking and your guests will be there in a moment?  This is the recipie for you! A"quick&easy made" version of the Italian Scarola (endive) Pie, also perfect as appetizer. I used black olives and added few cherry tomatoes and anchovies to give more taste, you can skip them if you like or use green olives. Serving 6-8 Ingredients: 2 Packs ready rolled puff pastry 1 Bunch Scarola (Endive) 1 Cup pitted black olives  1 Garlic clove, finely chopped 2 or 3 Cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters Red chili (to taste) 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 or 2 Anchovies Salt to taste 1 Egg for glazing Preheat the oven at 180C°. Cut and Wash the scarola. Bring to a boil a pot of salty water. Add the scarola in the water and cook for just one or two minutes. Drain the scarola in a small colander and cut it in pieces with a kitchen scissor. Pour the oil in a pan add garlic, chili, anchovies, let it fry then add tomatoes olives et ...

Last week during the "Italiaanse Dagen" in The Netherlands I received a nice present from our friend Chef Giuseppe Migliaccio (the founder of Happy Cooking ), a big bowl of his famous little marinated dried tomatoes... fantastic present! Once again... thank you Giuseppe! Today I will propose you a recipe I have built around his tomatoes... I thought that ricotta, oregano and pecorino cheese will make a nice combination together with Giuseppe's marinated dried tomatoes. The result was surprising, so I want to share the recipe with you. Serving 4 Ingredients: 350g Italian short pasta( I have used farfalle) 250g Fresh Ricotta cheese 250g marinated dried cherry tomatoes 4 Tbs Grated Pecorino cheese 4 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tbs Italian Oregano Salt and pepper to taste A small piece of Italian red chili (optional) 1 Garlic clove Bring to a boil a big pot of salted water. When boiling add the pasta and cook "al dente". While the pasta is ...

Another quick and easy Pasta recipie, full of autumn's flavours... You can add a little red chili if you like and this pasta will warm you up when outside is cold! I used "mezze maniche" but you can use any other kind of short pasta, penne or tortiglioni for example. Serving 4 Ingredients: 350 gr short Italian pasta 250gr Mushrooms (Champignons de Paris or else) 1 Zucchini 200 gr Smoked Pancetta cut in small cubes 2 Tbs Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 small onion 1 garlic clove 1/4 cup white wine 1 Tbs finely cut Parsley Salt to taste Pepper to taste Bring to a boil a pot of salty water. While the water gets to a boil, clean and cut the mushrooms and the Zucchini. Finely chop garlic and onion. When the water is boiling add the short pasta, while the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce: Pour Olive Oil in a large frying pan, add garlic and onion, cook till the onion gets tranparent, ad...

Dear Friends, first of all I want to remind you that this weekend you can meet us at the "Italiaanse Dagen" Italian Food Fair in Rosmalen, The Netherlands (Europe) together with our Italian wine specialist partner Purapassione . We will present some traditional products from the Italian region Abruzzi (Zafferano from l'Aquila, Hand made Tuna in olive oil, Crema di Pecorino, Caciotta allo zafferano etc..) and delight the pulic with some of our most famous Appetizers and Bruschette. If you live in the neighbourhoods... come visit the Myitaliacuisine stand, you will receive a warm welcome! For all the other friends here is a new recipie! A quick and easy salad with two products that apparently have nothig in common: Cabbage and Orange, melted with a vinegrette made of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic vinegar from Modena, Honey, French mustard, grated fresh ginger and sprinkled with roasted pine nuts and a pinch of pepper...what else? It is simply delicious. Dedicated t...