Here's our new weekly video recipe!!!! Easy, fresh, perfect for summertime!!!!!
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lunedì 30 giugno 2014
EASY FRESH STRAWBERRIES CAKE
Dessert - Vegetarian - Can be lactose free (read notes at bottom)
1 cup custard, cooled down to room temperature (recipe here and video here)
Ladyfingers
Fresh strawberries
D'Arbo Strawberry jam
First of all, prepare the dipping liquid for ladyfingers. My friend Renata gave me the idea and I really liked it a lot: melt some strawberry jam in a small saucepan with enough water to reach your preferred consistency. Let it cool down to room temperature.
Dip ladyfingers in melted jam (or brush them if it is still quite dense) and layer them on the bottom of a cake pan.
Cover with cream and decorate with fresh strawberries.
These quantities are for a 9" round pan.
- Prepare this dish the day before, like any other dessert made with ladyfingers: this way they'll have time to soak all juices and flavors and not result dry!
- You can shine strawberries by brushing them with some jello (unflavored, preferably)
- You can make double the quantity of custard, if you like it.
- You can sprinkle with shaved white or dark chocolate (or both), because chocolate and strawberries are great together.
- You can sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Can be lactose free if you use our lemon custard ( recipe here and video here)
- Here is the video for this recipe.
1 cup custard, cooled down to room temperature (recipe here and video here)
Ladyfingers
Fresh strawberries
D'Arbo Strawberry jam
First of all, prepare the dipping liquid for ladyfingers. My friend Renata gave me the idea and I really liked it a lot: melt some strawberry jam in a small saucepan with enough water to reach your preferred consistency. Let it cool down to room temperature.
Dip ladyfingers in melted jam (or brush them if it is still quite dense) and layer them on the bottom of a cake pan.
Cover with cream and decorate with fresh strawberries.
These quantities are for a 9" round pan.
- Prepare this dish the day before, like any other dessert made with ladyfingers: this way they'll have time to soak all juices and flavors and not result dry!
- You can shine strawberries by brushing them with some jello (unflavored, preferably)
- You can make double the quantity of custard, if you like it.
- You can sprinkle with shaved white or dark chocolate (or both), because chocolate and strawberries are great together.
- You can sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Can be lactose free if you use our lemon custard ( recipe here and video here)
- Here is the video for this recipe.
lunedì 23 giugno 2014
How to prepare Italian Cannoli (with ready to go shells)
Here's the video of our new weekly recipe!!!! Have fun trying it!!!!
CANNOLI FILLING
Dessert - vegetarian
Our great friend Karin made some ricotta just for us, so I could not pass the chance of preparing some cannoli. Her ricotta was really thick, that's why I needed a little milk to thin it.
1 cup high quality ricotta
1 3-oz bar high quality Italian dark chocolate
High quality ready made cannoli shells
1/3 cup sugar
milk (optional)
Grate chocolate with a large-holed grater (about half bar).
In a bowl put ricotta and a few tbsp of milk, if ricotta is so thick that requires thinning; stir until smooth, with a whisk, if needed.
Then add sugar and shaved chocolate and stir, until all ingredients are well combined.
With a piping bag, fill the shells, carefully trying not to break them.
Refrigerate until serving.
The number of shells you can fill depends on the size of the shells.
- If you're afraid that the filling is too much, start with half quantities.
- If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut off a corner of a ziplock bag (as I did).
- Quantities are approximate: it depends on how sweet/savory is your ricotta, how thick it is....
- You should also use candied lemon or orange peels (or both): I don't like them, so I didn't use them!
- I prepared them during the morning and the shells were still perfect, not soggy at all, even after dinner. But don't prepare them too long prior of serving!
Our great friend Karin made some ricotta just for us, so I could not pass the chance of preparing some cannoli. Her ricotta was really thick, that's why I needed a little milk to thin it.
1 cup high quality ricotta
1 3-oz bar high quality Italian dark chocolate
High quality ready made cannoli shells
1/3 cup sugar
milk (optional)
Grate chocolate with a large-holed grater (about half bar).
In a bowl put ricotta and a few tbsp of milk, if ricotta is so thick that requires thinning; stir until smooth, with a whisk, if needed.
Then add sugar and shaved chocolate and stir, until all ingredients are well combined.
With a piping bag, fill the shells, carefully trying not to break them.
Refrigerate until serving.
The number of shells you can fill depends on the size of the shells.
- If you're afraid that the filling is too much, start with half quantities.
- If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut off a corner of a ziplock bag (as I did).
- Quantities are approximate: it depends on how sweet/savory is your ricotta, how thick it is....
- You should also use candied lemon or orange peels (or both): I don't like them, so I didn't use them!
- I prepared them during the morning and the shells were still perfect, not soggy at all, even after dinner. But don't prepare them too long prior of serving!
lunedì 16 giugno 2014
How to prepare a quick Italian beans salad
Here is our new weekly recipe: give it a try, it's perfect for summertime since there is NO cooking involved, at all! We DO sell all the necessary products for the salad, except for the herbs and garlic!
MIXED ITALIAN BEANS SALAD
Appetizer or salad - Vegetarian, vegan, lactose and gluten free
1 14-oz can Italian cannellini beans
1 14-oz can Italian borlotti beans
1 14-oz can Italian butter beans
4 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
3 sage leaves
rosemary leaves
1 garlic clove
First prepare the dressing. Finely chop garlic, rosemary and sage and infuse them in olive oil, for at least 30 minutes, this will give the olive oil enough time to absorb all the flavors.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Put about a tbsp of dressing on the bottom of a serving bowl, then add the beans and the remaining dressing.
Stir well so all ingredients combine nicely.
Refrigerate until serving, it's better if prepared a few hours to one day ahead of serving.
It serves 4 to 8 people, depending on the course it will be served.
- It can be used as a sald or an appetizer.
- It can also be served mixed with boiled rice or farro, making it a complete and healthy meal.
- It is vegetarian, vegan, lactose and gluten free (just don't add farro, since it's a grain that contains farro).
- Given the fact that this is a dish made with few ingredients, it's imperative that their quality is very high. We DO sell the ingredients to prepare this salad (except for herbs and garlic).
1 14-oz can Italian cannellini beans
1 14-oz can Italian borlotti beans
1 14-oz can Italian butter beans
4 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
3 sage leaves
rosemary leaves
1 garlic clove
First prepare the dressing. Finely chop garlic, rosemary and sage and infuse them in olive oil, for at least 30 minutes, this will give the olive oil enough time to absorb all the flavors.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Put about a tbsp of dressing on the bottom of a serving bowl, then add the beans and the remaining dressing.
Stir well so all ingredients combine nicely.
Refrigerate until serving, it's better if prepared a few hours to one day ahead of serving.
It serves 4 to 8 people, depending on the course it will be served.
- It can be used as a sald or an appetizer.
- It can also be served mixed with boiled rice or farro, making it a complete and healthy meal.
- It is vegetarian, vegan, lactose and gluten free (just don't add farro, since it's a grain that contains farro).
- Given the fact that this is a dish made with few ingredients, it's imperative that their quality is very high. We DO sell the ingredients to prepare this salad (except for herbs and garlic).
lunedì 9 giugno 2014
How to prepare real Italian Bruschetta
Here's our new video recipe, written version here below!!!!!!
REAL ITALIAN BRUSCHETTE
Appetizer - Lactose-free - Vegan and vegetarian
Italian bread (round, ciabatta, pugliese)
Italian extra virgin olive oil
Ripe fresh tomatoes
Italian sea salt
Fresh garlic and basil
Prepare tomatoes first: dice them, not too big nor tiny, and transfer to a bowl with garlic, peeled and quatered, season with olive oil, salt and fresh basil, hand chopped.
Now, slice bread (about 1/2" thick) and toast it in a toaster oven or under the broiler, until lightly golden on both sides.
Peel another garlic clove and halve it crosswise, rub it on your bread slices: their roughness will act as a grater and you'll have the garlic juice but not the pieces. Drizzle with olive oil.
Finish the tomato bruschetta by evenly dividing the tomatoes on the bread slices along with their juices, but not the garlic.
Serve in a mix appetizer or even as the only one.
- These 2 are the only ones that can be called "Bruschetta": all the other similar dishes fall in the "crostini" category.
- Because of the few ingredients needed to prepare this dish, ALL of them must be of real high quality, like our olive oils and Sicilian sea salt
- It's vegan/vegetarian and lactose-free.
Italian bread (round, ciabatta, pugliese)
Italian extra virgin olive oil
Ripe fresh tomatoes
Italian sea salt
Fresh garlic and basil
Prepare tomatoes first: dice them, not too big nor tiny, and transfer to a bowl with garlic, peeled and quatered, season with olive oil, salt and fresh basil, hand chopped.
Now, slice bread (about 1/2" thick) and toast it in a toaster oven or under the broiler, until lightly golden on both sides.
Peel another garlic clove and halve it crosswise, rub it on your bread slices: their roughness will act as a grater and you'll have the garlic juice but not the pieces. Drizzle with olive oil.
Finish the tomato bruschetta by evenly dividing the tomatoes on the bread slices along with their juices, but not the garlic.
Serve in a mix appetizer or even as the only one.
- These 2 are the only ones that can be called "Bruschetta": all the other similar dishes fall in the "crostini" category.
- Because of the few ingredients needed to prepare this dish, ALL of them must be of real high quality, like our olive oils and Sicilian sea salt
- It's vegan/vegetarian and lactose-free.
lunedì 2 giugno 2014
BEEF CUTLETS
Entree - Lactose free
6 slices beef round steak (or other cuts)
2 eggs
00 Italian flour
REAL Italian breadcrumbs (NOT seasoned or flavored)
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Pound meat, if needed, and pat it dry with paper towel.
Lightly beat eggs with a pinch of salt and milk.
Dredge beeft in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs, pressing with your hand so that breadcrumbs stick firmly to your meat.
Warm up enough olive oil to fry.
Fry your cutlets (few at a time), turning them in order to get golden on both sides.
Transfer on paper towel to absorb eccess oil.
Serve immediately.
Serving depends on size of slices.
- While you're frying, keep your cutlets warm in the oven.
- DON'T sprinkle with salt while frying or you won't have a crisp cutlet.
- I often add milk to my eggs, when I beat them.
- It's lactose free.
6 slices beef round steak (or other cuts)
2 eggs
00 Italian flour
REAL Italian breadcrumbs (NOT seasoned or flavored)
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Pound meat, if needed, and pat it dry with paper towel.
Lightly beat eggs with a pinch of salt and milk.
Dredge beeft in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs, pressing with your hand so that breadcrumbs stick firmly to your meat.
Warm up enough olive oil to fry.
Fry your cutlets (few at a time), turning them in order to get golden on both sides.
Transfer on paper towel to absorb eccess oil.
Serve immediately.
Serving depends on size of slices.
- While you're frying, keep your cutlets warm in the oven.
- DON'T sprinkle with salt while frying or you won't have a crisp cutlet.
- I often add milk to my eggs, when I beat them.
- It's lactose free.
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