Seasoned Artichoke Hearts Roasted

Preheat oven to 375


Drain artichokes and rinse in a colander and remove brine.

Pour artichoke hearts to a bowl and freely add olive oil,  garlic and pepper, sprinkle with parsley, coating well.

Gently place artichoke into a metal roasting pan for about one hour,  toss them every 20 minutes so that they roast evenly.

Optional:
Sprinkle with lemon juice and  2 tablespoons of butter

Sicilian bread dip

1/4 teaspoon of rosemary

1/4 teaspoon of oregano

Sprinkle of Sicilian sea salt

Sprinkle of peppercorn 

1/4 cup of olive oil

Crushed Rosemary, oregano, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.

This is a one person serving double and triple as needed.  This can be made in individual same dishes per person.


 Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Pumpkin Cheesecake

38 finely crushed ginger Snaps
1/4 cup butter melted
4 packages of Cream Cheese soften  8 ounces each (Do not use lite)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 18 ounce of spice pumpkin pie
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup cool whip (thaw)  or use real cream
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/8 cinnamon


Heat oven 325

Mix ginger snaps and butter, and then press onto bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a nine inch springform  pan.  Beat cream cheese and slowly add sugar with mixer until well blended.  Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla, mix together until well blended.  Pour into springform pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, check to make sure center is almost set.  If not bake another 10 minutes.  Loosen cake from rim of pan, and cool before removing it from rim.  Refrigerate about 4 hours.  Serve with cool whip or real cream.

Spaghetti with Garlic & Oil Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

10-12 tablespoons of Olive Oil
12 garlic cloves peeled and Chopped
1/2 teaspoon of Black pepper  (you can also use red pepper)
1/2 cup washed and chopped fresh parsley
1 cup of Parmigiano cheese or Pecorino Cheese (The cheese is optional but a great touch)
 


1 pound of thin Spaghetti, or Spaghettini/Vermicelli 
Salt pinch

Bring to boil about 6 quarts of salted water,add pasta to water and boil semi cover, stir occasionally until cooked and firm.

In a large saute pan, medium heat.   Heat olive oil, add garlic, fresh parsley.  Cook until garlic is a golden color for about 2 minutes, add 1/2 cup cheese.

Scoop pasta out of water, and add to a deep bowl.  Pour the Olive oil sauce over the drained pasta, toss the pasta until the sauce covers it, the sprinkle rest of cheese.  Serve while still hot.

When my Mom made this dish she added anchovy fillets to it.  They can be added to the garlic and parley. (also optional is capers, also added to the garlic saute)

Serve with Red wine.


Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

101 pound spaghettini or vermicelli
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional) - See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/807#sthash.sEF0DGPq.dpuf

1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional) - See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/807#sthash.sEF0DGPq.dpuf

1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional) - See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/807#sthash.sEF0DGPq.dpuf

1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional) - See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/807#sthash.sEF0DGPq.dpuf

Artichoke Chicken

4 chicken skinless/boneless breast halves

4 tablespoons butter

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

1 small can of slice olives drained

1 jar  (about 14 ounces) marinated artichokes, drained
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

 In a large skillet, brown chicken lightly in the butter.

Transfer the chicken into a  deep baking dish.

Add mushrooms and olives to skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned remove from stove and and pour over the chicken pieces.

Pour drained artichoke hearts over the chicken pieces.

Add flour to the remaining butter and stir to blend, Add broth and cook until thickened, pour over chicken.



 Bake the casserole at 350 degrees for about 40-50 minutes. 

Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Italian Oven fried Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

1 cup fine dry Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup Italian lite or regular salad dressing

1/4 cup unsalted butter

Dip chicken into beaten eggs, combine cheese and bread crumbs and pepper. Coat chicken with crumb mixture. Place coated chicken on greased baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with salad dressing and place slices of butter on each piece of chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.


 Serve it with  rice pilaf and garlic bread,and white wine.



 Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Maria's lazy, Chicken Parm Made Easy

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 egg

1/2 cup milk

seasoned Italian bread crumbs

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

10 slices mozzarella cheese

1 jar (16 oz) spaghetti sauce or your own homemade

Parmesan cheese

Whisk the egg and milk together then dip the boneless chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook the chicken until golden, in the hot oil on both sides for, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a deep baking dish.

Slice 8 pieces of mozzarella cheese and put two on each chicken breast.
Pour 1 jar of  spaghetti sauce or your own home made over chicken/mozzarella.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and left over mozzarella.

Bake at 350°  for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.


 Serve with garlic bread, spaghetti and red wine.
 Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo
 

Italian expresso with a twist

1/4 cup of orange juice
1/8 cup of sugar
1 ounce of tequila
1 ounce of kahlua
1 ounce of Cointreau
2 ounces of cold Italian expresso

Place orange juice and the sugar in two different bowls. 
dip the shot glasses in the orange and then the sugar
In a pitcher add ice, and then add, tequila, Kahlua, Cointreau, and Italian Expresso.  Mix it really well, and then pour into shot glasses.  Makes 4-5 shots.

Limoncello

 2 bottles of vodka (100 proof)
 2 cups of water
 2 cups of sugar
 12 medium lemons with bright yellow skins (organic lemons are the best)

If your going to make Limoncello, its best to make a larger amount. you will need a vegetable peeler, or microplane grater, a glass jar for infusing about 1 gallon, and a large mixing bowl, cheesecloth, a funnel and bottle for finished product.


Wash and drys lemons, and then remove the yellow zest do not remove the white just the zest, microplane grater is best for this. 

Place the lemon zest in the glass jar and add one bottle of vodka, seal well and let the mixture infuse shaking it daily to mix, you will notice that the peels lose color and the liquid will turn a bright yellow and the aroma will be picked up from the lemon.  This will take 2 weeks.

After two weeks, strain the mixture through a double moistened cheesecloth into a clean glass jar or a bowl and squeeze every drop of the flavored liquid from the peel, which gives you the intense flavor, slowly add the second bottle of vodka.  Mix in the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil, then remove and let cool naturally.  Once cooled add the syrup to the infused vodka mix.

Using your funnel pour the Limoncello into clean bottles, seal tight, and have it sit for 7 days, by letting it rest another 7 days, you will notice a smoother flavor of the limoncello, it will go down as such.

You can serve it chilled or from the freezer, can be stored about 1 1/2-2 years

Mom's Easter Pie (Pizzagaine)

 1 Lb Ricotta cheese
 3 eggs and another for the egg wash
 1/4 Lb Provolone - Sharp
 1/4 Lb Mozzarella
 4 Tbs Grated Parmesan cheese 
 1/4 Lb Prosciutto
 1/4 Lb salami
 1/4 Lb Mortadella

Cut all the meats & cheeses into cube size pieces, and put in a large bowl add grated Parmesan  and mix well, fold in the eggs and mix well again..    Fold in the ricotta and mix together.


Preheat the oven at 350F

Making Dough:  If you do not have time, frozen deep piecrusts are fine and Pillsbury pie crusts to make you strips across the top.

In a large bowl, or mixer, add the flour, salt , butter that has been cut into cubes.    Flour  should be mixed into butter. Add the eggs  mix well add eggs, and milk, 1/4  or more if needed,  until you have a firm dough.

Butter and flour  9" springform pan or a pan that would be of equal size.

 

Cut about a  1/3 of the dough and set it to one side

Roll dough in a thin pie circle, place it into pan so the it covers over the pan border, add your filling and spread to make an even topping.  Cut the extra dough from around the pan border.  With your leftover dough roll it thin and with a ravioli of pizza cutter, cut strips to make a crisscross pattern over the top of the pie.  Wet wash the strips with egg and bake for about 1hour 20 minutes, until it has a golden color.  Watch it for the last 20 minutes so that it achieves the color.

 

 

Maria's Italian Easter Bread (Reposted for this weeks Holiday!)

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

4 eggs

1 teaspoon  almond extract 

1 1/2 teaspoons  vanilla extract

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,  more if needed

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of granulated sugar. Let stand for 15 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, except the flour.

                    Stir in flour, one cup at a time to form a wet and  noticeable sticky dough.

Turn dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 7 minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from remaining sticking on the surface of the area.  You will  form a smooth and elastic dough feeling dough.

 Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Lightly oil  surface of the dough, and cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Place in the oven and turn the light in the oven on. Let the dough rise until doubled in size,  8-12 hours.

                  This is a  slow rising dough so I would make it and let it rise overnight. 

In the morning the dough will be doubled,  punch dough down, and then turn onto a lightly floured surface again.  

Divide in four pieces, and shape into four small oval loaves or each piece can be cut into three strips and braided in order to make  traditional Easter bread. You can also add boiled colored Easter eggs to these. Add them to the braid before baking.

Place loaves on parchment lined baking sheets. Cover very loosely with  saran wrap, and let rise for 2 hours more.

        Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes  until golden brown, once baked cool on wire racks.



 There is a saying in Italian: Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con qui voi. Which means: Christmas with your family, but Easter with whoever you want!   Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Mom's Angel Food Cake

 

 
1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups  egg whites at room temperature (12 large eggs)

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3  teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

In a large bowl sift together 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the sifted cake flour.

In mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they are foamy, slowly add  cream of tartar, lemon juice, and salt and  beat until soft peaks form, slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, about tablespoon at a time, until glossy stiff peaks form. Scrape sides of the bowl so the all mixture is being mixed well. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract. Now sift the flour mixture over the egg whites just about one quarter of the flour mixture at a time, quickly fold together do not stir  the flour into the egg whites. I use a medium wire whisk and medium rubber spatula. Do not over mix it.

 

Pour the batter into the pan cut spatula through the batter and even off the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 - 45 minutes. The cake is done when springs back when gently pressed and the top of the cake will have cracks and have a golden color.   Pour the batter into the pan and run a metal spatula or knife through the batter to get rid of any air pockets. Smooth the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 - 45 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when gently pressed. The top of the cake will have cracks.  After you remove the pan invert it and cool for 1-2 hours.
 
Once totally cooled. run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake and remove the cake from the pan.  I loosen the round the sides first, then around the middle, and then I pull the middle of the pan out, the I run the knife around the bottom of the pan to loosen it and place it on a cake dish.
You can serve this cake with whipped cream, ice cream, strawberry or a raspberry topping, a chocolate sauce or my favorite, a confectionary sugar icing flavored with almond.

 

 

 

Easter Ham with Apple & Maple Sauce

4 tablespoons of packed brown sugar

4 teaspoons of minced garlic

6 pound ham

½ cup ginger ale  (cuts the salt from the ham)

½ cup mustard (Dijon)

¼ cup of apple cider

¼ cup of maple syrup (not low cal)

Black pepper

Sliced apples (optional)

 

Preheat oven 325 degree

Before rubbing the ham, pour the ginger ale over the ham.

In a small bowl mix together garlic, brown sugar.  With your fingers rub ham evenly with this mixture, place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Bake for about 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hours to avoid the ham getting too brown cover loose with foil in last 45 minutes of cooking. 

 

In a small bowl stir together mustard, cider and maple syrup.  If you like you can season with pepper, and serve with apple slices, sauce can be put in a gravy boat for serving.