an italian cook around the world
Italian Croccante is one of the things because Italian kids are waiting for December! This simple sweet is so good, and sold at the corner of the streets, along with roasted chestnuts and other candies. The dried fruit is caramelized into a mixture of sugar and honey, then shaped into bars: crunchy and delicious!
Castagnaccio is a super famous Italian chestnuts flour cake, traditional in several regions with some variations. Thanks to its ingredients, easy to find in the Italian woods, in the past, this recipe was particularly popular among the poor people. Today, I made the Tuscan variation of Castagnaccio with walnuts, pine nuts, and raisin. This cake is very easy to prepare: just 10 minutes for the batter and 40 minutes in the oven. A classic winter recipe from Italy ready for you: vegan, healthy, and tasty!
I created these squash puffs duchess potatoes style the day after I prepared for the first time my Buttercup squash and blue cheese puree. It has been a great solution to make use of the remaining puree. The result has been so tasty, and often I prepare them as the main recipe, without waiting to have leftovers! This recipe is easy to make, and the puffs are perfect both as an appetizer and as a side dish. A crispy crust with a tender heart!
I love preparing this buttercup squash “pumpkin” puree for my family and friends for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or New Year’s eve! The mild sweetness of the squash is perfectly balanced by the taste of the blue cheese. I particularly like using Gorgonzola, but any semi-soft blue cheese fits good: the only critical thing is the cheese have to easy to melt along with the milk.
Pomegranate steak tartare is a variation of the classic recipe: fresh and merry! I love serving this particular beef tartare as an appetizer of my gatherings: at Thanksgiving or the Christmas dinner is always a success!
Struffoli recipe, along with Babà, “Pastiera”, and “Zeppole di San Giuseppe”, is a classic sweet of the Neapolitan cuisine. Crispy honey balls with a tender heart seasoned with candied fruit, and sugar decorations. In Naples, this is traditionally a Christmas dessert, but in the rest of Italy, these delicious hone balls are a delicacy for all major festivities!
Homemade Limoncello is a recipe very easy to prepare, a must for any Italian festivity! Even if, the traditional method needs a long time for the infusion, scientifically the taste of this delicious Italian after-dinner spirit made with lemons will be perfect in just three days!
Smoked salmon tartine is a classic recipe for party and gatherings! Today I paired salmon with fluffy asparagus whipped butter and finished with crumbled almonds. My choice for these tartines is delicious rye bread, but it is possible prepare the smoked salmon tartine with any bread you prefer!
Pan roasted rabbit is a great Easter recipe. The rabbit is quickly seared until crispy, then braised slowly with white wine, shallots and green olives. This pan roasted rabbit is very good just cooked, but even more delicious re-hated the day after. For this reason this is a perfect dish to prepare in advance!
