Baked Ziti and Fontina

Baked Ziti and Fontina

1 pound ziti                           

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided                                

1 cup heavy cream                                                                  

2 cups buttermilk                                          

2 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese                              

Salt and black pepper to taste

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided

2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley

Fontina Valdostana 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a deep baking dish. Cut 5 tablespoons of butter into tablespoon portions. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into 1/2 inch cubes.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, less 3 minutes of al dente. The pasta is going to continue to cook in the oven, so you don’t want to overcook it. Drain, add 5 tablespoons of butter, mix well and set aside.

Warm the cream and buttermilk in a small pan on low heat.

When the pasta is ready, pour in the warm cream and buttermilk, and fold in the Fontina until it starts to melt. Add the grated nutmeg, 1 cup grated cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread the pasta mixture into the buttered baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Scatter the 3 tablespoons of cubed butter over the top. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. When ready, sprinkle fresh parsley over the top, and serve hot. 

Valle D'Aosta, Italy

Fontina (DOP) is made in the Valle D’Aosta region of northern Italy.  It is the smallest region in Italy, with neighboring France and Switzerland, and surrounded by the Alps, green valleys, fresh water streams, and lakes. All of these elements are significant to the cows that roam free most of the year, except the coldest months of the year. These cows eat only the greenest grass, flowers, and drink the freshest water from the streams. Therefore, the milk that is produced is the very finest.  Fontina is made from whole raw cow’s unpasteurized milk. It takes about 3 months to age.  Only the perfect cheeses get the DOP seal of approval.  Please don’t mistake imitation Fontina wrapped with a red wax with this fontina from Valle D’Aosta. It doesn’t come with wax wrapper. Though it costs a lot more, it’s worth every bite, after all the Valdostani have been making it this way for over 500 years. 

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Yogurt Carrot Sauce, No Mayo Required!

Yogurt Carrot Dip-Sauce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium whole carrots, cleaned and coarsely grated
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely grated
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/4 teaspoon Harissa sauce
1 large container Greek yogurt, strained overnight in refrigerator
Pinch salt & black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

In a large skillet warm the oil on medium heat.  When hot, add the grated carrots, onion; cook 7-10 minutes or until soft and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and cook about a minute. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and pepper flakes. Cook about a minute.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. You can add more spices to taste.

While still in the skillet, smash the mixture with a spatula. By smashed the mixture it will become creamier and more flavorful when added to the yogurt. When ready, add this warm mixture in a bowl with the yogurt and mix well. decorate with paprika and black olives.

Organic carrots fresh from the farm

This colorful carrot sauce/dip is a classic Turkish easy to make recipe.  Serve with pita bread, cucumbers, meats, and fish. Serve with grilled bread, other meze dishes, or as a side dish for grilled meat and fish. 

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Easy Italian Apricot Marmalade Tarta

Apricot Marmalade Tarta 

2 ready-made pie crusts (or make from scratch)

1 ½ cups apricot marmalade

1 bay leaf

Pinch salt

Pinch freshly ground pepper

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place one pie crust evenly in a 9 pinch tart pan. Prick holes at the bottom of the tart pan. The crust will not be deep, about 1/2 inch in thickness.  

In a small pan, warm the apricot marmalade with the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf, and transfer marmalade to the tart pan. 

Cut six to eight (½ inch) strips of dough with the remaining pie crust to cover the top of the tart pan. Create any design you like. Brush the dough strips lightly with egg wash and place in the oven.  Bake at 180° about 30-40 minutes or until the tart is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan.  Serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Apricot marmalade

Apricot marmalade is one of my favorite preserves. It is often used in Italy for pastries, cookies, and tarts. My apricot tart is a classic and simple Italian pastry that can be accomplished in just a few steps. It takes minutes to prepare and less than 45 minutes to bake. I like it for breakfast, as a dessert or a snack with tea or cappuccino.

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Kumquat Marmalade

Kumquat Marmalade

1 pound fresh kumquats (organic, if possible)

4 ¾ cups granulated sugar

3 ½ cups water, divided

2 bay leaves

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper

Juice ½ lemon

1/2 (1.75-ounce) package powdered pectin

Cut the kumquats in half lengthwise, discard seeds.

In a large deep pan, combine sugar, 3 cups water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the bay leaves, salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Mix ½ cup of water and pectin together. Add to the pan, stirring well.  Bring to a boil, simmer and cook about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; discard bay leaves, and skim foam off top. Yields about 4 cups. 

kumuats

A kumquat is a small and charming citrus fruit that may seem useless. Eaten fresh, its peel and pulp, does not have such an invigorating flavor, and it is filled with giant seeds. As a food, it may not be as tasty, but as marmalade it has an exotic flavor. It is a delicacy to impress even the most discerning guest.

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Easy Cooking with Alba : Kumquat Marmalade

Easy Cooking with Alba : Kumquat Marmalade: Kumquat Marmalade 1 pound fresh kumquats (organic, if possible) 4 ¾ cups granulated sugar 3 ½ cups water, divided 2 bay leave...

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La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

Original Recipe registered by Florentine Chapter of Academia Della Cucina

12 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

Fresh thyme

2 medium potatoes, cubed

12 ounces black cabbage, shredded

12 ounces Savoy cabbage, shredded

10 ounces Swiss chard leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 cups peeled chopped tomatoes

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces day old crusty bread cut in cubes

Strain and add the soaked beans in 8 cups of boiling water with the bay leaves: cook until tender. Taste one bean to check if it is soft. Discard bay leaves. Strain and reserve all of the cooking liquid. Puree half of the beans.  Add the puree into the reserved cooking liquid.  Set the whole beans aside. 

In a pot, warm 6 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic, onion; cook until soft. Add the celery, carrot and thyme; cook briefly.

Add the potatoes, black cabbage, Savoy and Swiss chard. Dissolve the tomato paste in a bit of warm water, season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the pureed bean broth; cook over low heat about 1 hour.  At the end, stir in the reserved whole beans. Add bread to the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.

Set aside to rest overnight.  Reheat the soup and drizzle with fresh olive oil.  Serve hot or lukewarm with a drizzle of oil and fresh grinded pepper. 

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Eggs in Black Truffle

Eggs in Black Truffle

In a small skillet, on moderate heat, add sufficient olive oil to just cover the pan. When hot, add 2 organic fresh eggs.  Cook to your liking. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and shave a little preserved truffle on top.

  

  

Fresh Black Truffle

A preserved truffle is not cooked in the same way as a fresh truffle. A fresh truffle is a living mushroom that gives off perfume for days after being discovered and it can be freshly shaved on almost any recipe. A preserved truffle needs to be used with eggs, in butter, cream, and béchamel sauces. I will be writing more recipes and more information about truffles.  I wanted to start with a basic simple recipe that anyone can make and enjoy.  

Fresh White Truffle 

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