Italia a tavola-Penne with Smoked Salmon

Penne al Salmone

Penne with Smoked Salmon

Ingredients for 4 servings

12 oz of Penne Lisce

4 oz of Smoked Salmon

one cup of heavy cream

1 oz of butter

½ shot of Whisky

The Juice of ½ Lemon

Salt, White Pepper

While the pasta is cooking, In a large pan melt the butter at slow heat, add the smoked salmon slices chopped, stir lightly for less than a minute and add the lemon juice.  After the lemon Juice has thickened add the cream and whisky, salt and pepper. Let cook for less than 5 minutes and add the penne cooked and drained.  Do not use any cheese!

Italia a tavola-Tomato Sauce

Pomarola

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients for 6 servings

2 cans (32 oz each) of organic Roma tomatoes (or 4Lbs of fresh tomatoes)

1 clove of garlic

1 stick of celery

1 small carrot

1 quarter of a red onion

1/3 of a bunch of fresh parsley 

Salt and pepper to taste

The leaves of 4 sprigs of fresh basil

Preparation:

Mince the garlic, celery, carrot, onion and parsley together finely; lightly sauté in olive oil at a lively heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and cook for about 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

When finished cooking turn off the heat and add the basil leaves chopped and 2 TbS of fresh olive oil.

This sauce is delicious, but remember…it is only as delicious as the tomatoes you use!

Italia a tavola-Florentine Crepes

Crespelle alla Fiorentina

Ingredients for 4 servings

For the Crespelle:

3oz. of white flour

2 eggs

12 oz. of milk

butter, salt

Filling:

14 oz of lightly cooked spinach

7oz of Ricotta cheese

2 TbS of grated Parmesan Cheese

1 egg

Nutmeg

Salt, Pepper

Dressing:

Tomato sauce, Additional Parmesan cheese and butter.

Mix all the crespelle’s ingredients together to make a smooth batter and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Mix the spinach, ricotta, parmesan, egg, and spices together and store in the refrigerator.

In a 8 inch pan cook the crespelle, one at the time.  They should be very thin, so if they are too thick you might need to add more milk to the batter.  You should have enough batter to cook at least 8 crespelle.  As you cook them fill them with the ricotta mix and roll them as if it was a cannelloni. 

Place each crespella in a buttered baking pan side by side.  Finally cover them all with tomato sauce, parmesan cheese and a few dots of fresh butter; cover with the pan lid or aluminum foil and cook at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is a favorite of most  

Italia a tavola-De-boned chicken in oil and lemon sauce

Pollo Disossato in Olio e Limone

De-boned chicken in Olive oil and Lemon Juice

Ingredients for 4 Servings

1 medium chicken

1 small carrot

1 small onion

1 celery stalk

4 TbS of olive oil

1 Lemon

Salt and pepper

Boil the chicken, carrot, celery and small onion for one hour. After this time, take it out of its broth, put it on the cutting board on its back and, with a very sharp knife, chisel the bones out making sure not to break the skin.

Place the de-boned chicken on a deep plate, whip the oil with the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper and pour it on the chicken, flip the chicken a few times making sure to cover the whole skin with the lemon sauce. Rest the chicken, breast upward, stretching and tucking the skin underneath its back. Place a flat plate on the chicken, large enough to cover it, and place it in the refrigerator with 2 weights of at least 1.5 lb each. Let rest for 12 or more hours.

When ready cut it in thick slices and serve.

An excellent meal for summer day; serve with mixed green salad and/or a variety of raw vegetables.

Italia a tavola-Chef's chicken

Pollo dello Chef

Chef’s chicken

Ingredients for 4 Servings

1 medium chicken

Fresh or dry Tarragon

Olive oil

1 shut of Cognac

2 TbS of Madera or Marsala wine

1 oz of heavy cream

salt and pepper

Chop an abundant amount of tarragon, mix it with salt and pepper and rub it inside the chicken then saw the chicken shut.

Put some olive oil in a pan and lightly fry the chicken until golden, then pour the cognac and flame it.

Put the chicken in the hot oven at about 350 degrees and continue cooking for about 45 minutes, getting it wet with its own juices, often.

When ready take the chicken out, cut it in pieces and keep it warm.

Scrape all the chicken juices with a spatula and put it in a small pot, add the heavy cream, while cooking a very slow heat stirring well. When Thicker add the Madera or Marsala wine, cook for a few minutes and cover the chicken with it right before you serve.

Serve with roasted potatoes or rice and steamed vegetables of your taste.

Italia a Tavola-Wined chicken

Pollo al Vino

Wined chicken

Ingredients for 6 people

1chicken cut in 8 to 10 pieces

7oz. of pancetta  or prosciutto cut in strips

Ollive oil, 1 TbS of butter

12 Cipolline Onions

7oz of fresh mushrooms or 2oz of dried one. If you use dried mushrooms soak them in lukewarm water for 10 minutes

1 small glass of cognac

1 liter of good red wine

White flour

Garlic, Thyme, Laurel, salt, pepper

In a pot lightly stir fry the pancetta or prosciutto in olive oil; after a few minutes add he cipolline onions and the mushrooms.

Dust the chicken pieces with the flour and lightly fry them in some oil and the butter in another pan. When the chicken is golden put it with the onion and mushrooms, adjust the salt add pepper. Add the cognac and flame it; after the cognac evaporated add the wine, 2 garlic cloves chopped, a bit of Thyme, and a leaf of laurel, and when it starts boiling lower the heat and let cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

After this time take the chicken out of the pot, put it on a serving platter and store it in a warm oven. Add a little flour and a tS of butter to the wine sauce to thicken it. Pour it on the chicken and serve it accompanied with fresh Como or Ciabatta bread.