Carpaccio Di Carciofi ~ Artichoke Carpaccio
Courtesy of our Secret Garden Positano
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4-6 Artichokes, cleaned and remove outside leaves
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as needed
- Lemon Juice, as needed
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Parmesan Cheese, shavings
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Slice artichokes finely and place on a serving plate.
- Splash with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the artichoke slices a couple of times to gently marinate.
- Allow to marinate for 3-5 minutes.
- Top with Parmesan shavings and chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Pumpkin Parmesan
If you’ve never tried this delicious twist on eggplant parmesan, you don’t know what you’re missing. Remember however, that pumpkins tend to release water as they cook, thus the need for breadcrumbs. Similarly, if you choose to use the smoked mozzarella, make sure it’s not too fresh. One last word: do try to use a rich, flavorsome tomato sauce. I once made this with a sauce made from oven-roasted tomatoes and the final result was spectacular.
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- 800g pumpkin or butternut squash
- 3 Eggs, beaten
- 75g Flour
- Salt and Pepper
- Freshly ground Nutmeg
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
- 600g Tomato Sauce
- Two generous handfuls of Breadcrumbs
- 500g smoked mozzarella (not too fresh) or caciocavallo, sliced thinly
- 50g Parmesan Cheese, grated
- Few leaves of fresh Basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Peel pumpkin and cut into slices approximately 1 cm thick.
- Spread the flour on a shallow plate and season generously with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan then dip each slice of pumpkin first into the beaten egg then into the seasoned flour and fry until light golden brown on each side.
- Working in batches, fry only a few slices at a time. Drain pumpkin on kitchen paper.
- Layer half the pumpkin on the bottom of a rectangular ovenproof dish, season lightly with salt, cover with half the breadcrumbs then with half of the tomato sauce and a few basil leaves, followed by half of the cheese.
- Repeat one more time.
- Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
- Leave to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Farro & Porcini Mushroom Soup
Farro is a grain also known as spelt, but it is in fact emmer wheat. Most types don’t need to be pre-soaked, but read the instructions on the packet just in case. Farro is available in specialty shops and some supermarkets, but pearl barley would make a good substitute.
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- 50 g dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 1 small Celery rib, finely chopped
- 50 g Pancetta, diced
- 50 ml Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 medium Potato, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Concentrate
- Bouquet garni with Rosemary, Sage, Bay leaf and Thyme
- 200g Farro
- 1 litre Vegetable Stock, boiling
- Handful of Parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the porcini in a small bowl and cover with hot water.
- Leave to soak for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large earthenware pot, and add the chopped onion, celery and pancetta.
- Cook over a low heat, stirring often, until the onions are transparent.
- Squeeze the extra liquid from the porcini mushrooms and chop roughly, reserving the liquid.
- Add the porcini, the chopped potato, the tomato concentrate, the herbs and the farro to the pot and toss together for a couple of minutes.
- Filter the porcini liquid through a strainer into the hot vegetable broth and pour over the contents of the pot.
- Simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until farro is just tender, adding more hot water if necessary.
- Garnish with the chopped parsley and a final drizzling of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Pappardelle Con Fungi ~ Pappardelle (long, thin flat pasta) With Mushrooms
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- 400 g of Pappardelle
- 300 g of Fresh Porcini Mushrooms
- 2 cloves of Garlic
- 6 tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Handful of Mint or Mentuccia, chopped
- 50 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- Meat Broth, as required
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and cut into slices.
- In a frying pan heat the olive oil and brown the garlic, add chopped mint (or mentuccia) and mushrooms.
- Sauté for a few minutes and then add the broth, salt and pepper.
- Continue cooking over a low heat until reduced.
- Bring a pot of water to boil with plenty of salt.
- Add the pappardelle and a spoonful of olive oil.
- Once cooked drain the pasta and add the mushroom sauce.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
Mamma Marie Lucia’s Zeppole
My Mom’s Zeppole. You can never eat just one! That is what we say in Italy. This easy and healthy way of making Zeppole, without frying, gives you even more reason to not count while eating the tasty bites!
Number of servings: Makes about 18 to 20 Zeppole
Ingredients
For the Zeppole:
- 1 cup hot water
- 8 tbsp butter
- 8 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the Filling – yellow cream:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 6 to 8 tsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Put the milk and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Beat the eggs very well and add the vanilla.
- Add the flour last and mix well.
- Then cook slowly over a low, low heat and keep stirring.
- Wait until the cream cools, put in fridge for at least one hour, before filling the Zeppole.
- It will not get thick until it is cold in the fridge.
- To fill the Zeppole, open the Zeppole three quarters way round and fill.
- Preheat the oven at 450F.
- Grease your pan.
- Mix the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to high heat and boil.
- As soon as the butter melts, add the flour and stir well.This process will only be a few seconds.
- Add the eggs, one by one and beat well.
- Add the zests. Mix well until very smooth.
- Spoon out the mixture on the pan, keeping them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350F and continue to bake another 15 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Fill and sprinkle with Confectioner’s sugar.