My Italian Cuisine

 The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine  There are many different recipes for the focaccia barese or focaccia pugliese, every little village in Puglia, I would say every family, has his onw way to make focaccia.... with semola flour only, with mixed semola and AP flour, with olives, with tomatoes, with onions, or with all of them..... this is just my way to make it since I started and it always works! The main difference between this southern Italian focaccia and the other famous focaccia, the focaccia Ligure, is the use of the coarse hard flour (semola rimacinata di grano duro) this flour is mainly used for handmade fresh pasta making specially in the south of Italy. The process for the focaccia making is very easy and really everyone can try. It's an old traditional recipe, none fashion or hightec mixer needed ;) you may just use your hands... let's start!! Makes one large round focaccia Ingredients: ...

  The recipe for these delicious wine biscuits is simple and easy, you just need to mix oil and wine with flour and sugar! Once these desserts start baking, they will warm your kitchen and delight your friend or family. These ciambelline are perfect when served at the end of a meal, with a sweet Italian wine liqueur like Passito, Moscato or Vin Santo. Makes about 30 biscuits Ingredients: 500gr pastry flour 1 small glass of olive oil 1 small glass of Italian dry white wine 180gr granulated sugar 2 teaspoons of baking powder (optional) A small cup of granulated sugar for decoration Method: In a bowl combine all ingredients together until it forms a soft dough, devide the dough into small pieces, roll each piece into a rope and pinch the edges together to form a ring Dip one side in sugar. bake on a baking sheet in a preheated oven for 10 -15 minutes. The ciambelline are ready when the top turns lightly brown...buon appetito!

 The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine This is a traditional recipe from the region of Rome. You can find rice filled tomatoes (Pomodori ripieni di riso alla romana) in every "Rosticceria" a kind of italian "to take away" small restaurant in every street of Rome. They are traditionally baked together with potatoes and served warmish or cold. This is the original recipe but feel free to add veggies or meat if you like. Enjoy! Ingredients: • 8 large Tomatoes • 160 gr parboiled rice • 10 gr basil leaves • 5 gr parsley • origan • 2 garlic cloves • 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon salt • pepper to taste Instruction: Wash and dry the tomatoes, Cut the top (about 1cm)and keep aside. Empy the tomatoes with spoon, keep the pulp aside in a bowl. Put a little salt inside each empy tomato.  Set the salted tomatoes to rest for  at least 30 to lose some of the water. Me...

I was really amazed by the colour of these potatoes, when I bought them didn't know exactly what to do with... then I found this recipe for a beautiful and tasteful appetizer.... Very simple just fried slices of potatoes, zucchini and small aggplant...one up on the other. The result is a very colorful mini millefoglie. Perfect as a starter to impress your guests. Serving 4 Ingredients: 2 vitelotte potatoes 1 small zucchini 1 small eggplant 1/4 liter of frying oil unrefined grey sea salt to taste     Heat the frying oil in a small frying pan. Cut the potatoes and the veggies in very tin slices, dry eachsilce with a towel, dip them in the very hot oil, be carefull slices must be chruncy but not burned! Drain on kitchen paper. Set as a millefoglie, one different slice up on the other on a serving plate. Top with a potato slice. Serve immediately. Buon appetito!

Artichokes are probably my favourite vegetable, my mother knows it and when I am back in Italy artichokes are the first dish she prepares for me ! Thank you Mom! I love artichokes fried (Italian way....will post the recipe soon!) with pasta, in the Timballo.... They are fantastic also with rice, a very simple artichokes risotto it's the recipe I want to share with you today. I didn't use onions in this risotto recipe, but only garlic because it tastes better with Artichokes and extra virgin olive oil instead butter because I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible. Also the final "mantecatura" has been made with Parmigiano Reggiano and Olive oil (instead butter). ingredients: 8 small artichokes 350 gr Italian rice "Vialone nano"or Arborio" or "Carnaroli" 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 60 gr Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or grated hard vegan cheese) 2 Garlic cloves 1 cup finely cut parsley 1 lt vegetable broth or meat br...

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...

The weather is getting cold here in Northern Europe, what about starting the week with a  lentil soup recipie to warm up? Lentils are good and healty, a very good source of proteins and...colesterol free! In Italy I would use one of the many different types of lentils: lenticchie di Castelluccio di Norcia (DOP), le lenticchie verdi di Altamura , le lenticchie di Villalba , le lenticchie di Colfiorito , le lenticchie del Fucino e le lenticchie di Mormanno... they are delicious but difficult to find abroad, for this recipie I use common French green or brown lentils. I like to make my soup a little spicy, if you don't like spicy food don't add the red chili. This recipie is perfect for vegetarians or vegans. Serve the lentil soup warm with few drops of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the top....simple and delicious, enjoy! Serving 6 Ingredients: 400gr Lentils (French green or brown) 1 Medium onion (or 2 small) 1 Carrot 1 Rib of celery 1 medium tomato 1 Garlic clov...

Typical Summertime barbecue Italian salad, Roasted Paprika salad is one of my favourited. If you can find them, the best is to use these Italian (or Southern) big, long, red and green paprikas. This salad is very simple and easy to make but will surprise you with his taste! I roast the paprikas on the barbeque grid, if you can't, roast them on a cast iron ribbed fry pan. This salad is perfect for our vegan or vegetarian friends. Serving 4 Ingredients: 4 Paprikas 4-5 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 bunch of Parsley (Italian flat) 2 Garlic cloves Grey unrfined sea salt to taste Pepper to taste Few drops of Balsamic Vinegar from Modena (Optional) A barbecue grill or a cast iron ribbed fry pan (normally used to grill steaks)on medium-high heat. Wash and dry the Paprikas.  Place them on a barbeque grid, or on the cast iron ribbed fry pan. let them roast, till the skin gets little burned. Take them from the grid, place them in a bowl , cover the bowl and let them rest f...

Most of the italian traditional cuisine is very simple and healthy. This very easy to make but very flavoured and healthy salad is the good axample. It's important to season it with a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh persley and grey unrefined sea salt to get the real original taste. It can be  served with fish and meat as well. This recipie is perfect for a vegan diet. Ingredients: 8 medium potatoes 4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil The juice of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove 1 large cup of finely cut parsley Grey unrefined salt to taste Pepper to taste Instructions: Boil the potatoes  in plenty of salty water. When potatoes are cooked (check with a fork if they are soft) drain them and let them cool a little. Peel the potatoes and cut them in cubes. Place the cubes in a mixing bowl. Finely cut the persley and the garlic. Add persley, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Your Salad is ready  Place the salad in a serving plat...

  T his French Beans simple salad will surprise you for the unique taste. I love it to accompany Roast Lamb or Beaf. The freshness of the lemon melded with the minth (IItalian« Mentuccia » which latin name is "Calamintha Nepeta" will be perfect for this recipie) mixed with garlic and oil give to this salad a unique unforgettable taste. If you can't find « Mentuccia » any other kind of mint will make it. This recipie is perfect for a vegan diet. Ingredients: 500 gr French beans, topped and tailed 1 Garlic clove 6 Sprigs fresh mint  (best if Italian mint: Mentuccia "Calamintha Nepeta ") 4 tbsp olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Grey Unrefined Sea Salt and Pepper to taste Instructions: Boil the beans in plenty of salted water and cook until quite tender. Drain in a colander and place the Beans in a mixing bowl. Finely chop the garlic and mint. Mix them in with the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir into the beans. Mix well. Your French Bea...

This is must of the Italian traditional cuisine. The ingredients are very simple, the final result depends on their quality and freshness. The best is to use fresh Italian plum tomatoes (if you don't have fresh you can use normal crushed tomatoes) and freshly cut Italian type basil. An excellet Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a must for this recipie. This recipie is perfect for a vegan diet. Serves 4 Ingredients: 320 gr. Spaghetti 400 gr crushed tomatoes (20 fresh plum tomatoes or 4 large tomatoes sedeed, peeled and crushed) 4 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Garlic cloves 8 basil leaves + few leaves for decoration Salt Pepper Freshly grated Parmigiano Cheese (facultative) Instructions: Add 3 Tsp of olive oil in a pan and heat, add the garlic cloves and cook till the garlic is golden. Add the crushed tomatoes and four basil leaves cut in 2 by hands, salt to taste and add a pinch of pepper. Let cook for 10 to 15 min. Meanwhile bring a pot of water to...