Recipes From Our Kitchen

Verdura Fritta in Pastella~ Fried Battered Vegetables

In a bowl mix the flour, salt and pepper. Add the brewers yeast with warm water, mix with the hands to make a smooth and elastic paste.

Put a lot of oil in a pan, immerse the vegetables in the batter and when the oil is very hot drop the vegetables in.

Pair with San Salvatore Gioì, spumante brut rosé.

http://www.sansalvatore1988.it/en/prodotto/joi/

Fresine Con Pesce Azzurro Al Limone ~ Pasta With Blue Fish & Lemon

Serves 4

First, fillet the fish, cutting off head and tail and deboning it. Slice the meat into little cubes.

In a pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil with the crushed garlic cloves. Sauté until the garlic becomes golden and add the cubes of fish, the salt and the chili pepper, as desired.

Once the fish is colored add the white wine to blend the flavors together and cook until the wine has almost evaporated. Then add the parsley and the grated lemon zest. When it is almost ready, finish the cooking by adding the juice of the lemon.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce that you have already prepared. Add a splash of pasta water, as needed if it is dry.

Serve hot with a garnish of lemon zest curls and a pinch of chopped fresh parsley.

Pair with San Salvatore Pino di Stio white.

http://www.sansalvatore1988.it/en/prodotto/pino-di-stio/

Tortino Di Alici ~ Baked Small Blue Fish

Serves 4

Carefully clean the anchovies, removing the head and inner spine under running water and splay them open.

In a food processor, combine toasted bread, lemon & orange zest, bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili pepper, parsley, white wine and a couple of anchovies and blend to form a smooth mixture.

In individual size baking dishes, place a slice of orange at the bottom, then line the sides with anchovies. Fill with a spoon of the bread mixture, a layer of anchovies, bread mixture and close with a second slice of orange.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170° C (350° F) for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve hot with a garnish of chopped cherry tomatoes, arugula and Pantelleria capers.

Pair with Elea Paestum Bianco,

http://www.sansalvatore1988.it/en/prodotto/elea/

Amalfi Coast Biscotti ~ Almond & Lemon Cookies

Serves 4

Whip egg yolks with sugar until the color becomes light, almost white. Add almonds, flavor extract lemon zest, and honey and mix well.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Keep a small bowl with water to wet your hands frequently so the mixture doesn’t stick. Shape into balls about 1-in round. It is important that the cookies are relatively the same size, so they bake evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160 ° C or about 325 ° F until golden, about 15-17 minutes.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet and serve. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Variations: Roll the balls in cocoa powder, dried coconut or ground hazelnuts before baking.

Porcini Croccanti in Zuppa di Borlotti al Rosmarino ~ Crispy Porcini Mushroom and Rosemary Soup with Borlotti Beans

Courtesy of Chef Alberto
This savory soup is made with crispy, flour-fried porcini mushrooms and seasoned with rosemary. A fabulous predecessor to our main course of beef fillets with rosemary potatoes, below.

Serves 6

In a large pan, heat olive oil and add the garlic clove, parsley and tomato paste with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté for a few minutes, until cooked thoroughly, then turn heat off.

In a separate pot, add the water, beans, potatoes, carrot, celery stalk, and onion. Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat and allow to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours.

In the meantime, cut the porcini mushrooms in slices of about ½ cm thick. Coat in flour and in a pan with hot oil, fry procini slices until crispy.

Towards the end of the soup’s cooking time add the soffritto mixture and rosemary sprig to the soup. Mix well and allow to continue simmering for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup to a food mill or processor and puree the soup until smooth.

Serve soup hot in individual bowls placing a few “floating” porcini crisps with an addition swirl of extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary bundle for garnish.

Pair with Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

http://www.argiano.net/i-vini-en/brunello-di-montalcino-docg/?lang=en

The Sangiovese grapes used to make this mid-level red begins to ripen in September and October, making this the perfect wine for early Autumn. With natural acidity and a savory finish, this bottle pairs well with fried porcini mushrooms with a the hint of rosemary.

Gli Gnudi (Ravioli Nudi) ~ Naked Ravioli

Savory, delicious, and easy to make – gli gnudi “naked ravioli” is true to its name, is prepared with spinach and sheep’s milk ricotta, rather than a more traditional tomato sauce.

Serves 6

It is best to use day-old Ricotta that has been chilling in the fridge; it will have released some of the excess moisture.

Wash and cook the spinach in a pan with a little salted water. Drain and allow to cool.

Meanwhile in a bowl mix the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Squeeze the spinach, chop well and add to the mix. Thoroughly mix the ingredients.

Bring to a boil a large pot of water. Form balls with the mixture into large ping-pong size and roll them in flour. Drop them into the boiling water and cook until they float to the top.

In a large pan melt the butter with the sage. Transfer the gnudi to the pan and coat with the butter, adding salt if necessary. Serve hot with a heavy sprinkle of Parmesan.

Pair with Rosso di Montepulciano

https://www.wine.com/product/dei-rosso-di-montepulciano-2015

Rosso di Montepulciano is a fresher, fruitier version of its cousin, Brunello di Montepulciano, which is why we chose it to go with this classic spin on traditional ravioli. Together these lighter versions of their well-known cousins make for a fabulous pairing, as a sip of Rosso is rarely overpowered by the spinach and ricotta used in this dish.

Filetto Di Vitellone Alla Chiantigiana ~ Beef Fillets with Chianti Wine Sauce & Rosemary Potatoes

Serves 4

For the beef fillets:
In a wide plate add the corn flour and season with salt and pepper. Drench the fillets in the flour mixture.

In a pan melt the butter being sure to not let it burn. Add the sage, rosemary spring, and the whole garlic clove. Then add the fillets allowing them to cook gently until they brown on both sides. Drain the fat from the pan and pour in the wine. Cook until the sauce become creamy. Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot with the potatoes.

For the potatoes:
Preheat oven to 180° C or 350° F.

Finely chop the sage, rosemary, and garlic. Peel and slice the potatoes into wedges. Wash the wedges and drain well. Season with the chopped herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and coat with olive oil. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes.

Pair with Chianti Classico

https://www.xtrawine.com/wine/Barone-Ricasoli-Chianti-Classico-Brolio-Bettino-2013/8122

A bold red typical of the Chianti region, made from red sangiovese grapes. When we think of Tuscan wine, this is the image we conjure in our mind, and the flavors familiar to the tongue. Use this bottle as part of your recipe or served on the side with dinner. Of particular interest in this bottle are the notes of ripe red fruit and spicy herbs that pair well with the rosemary potatoes.prodotto/pino-di-stio/”>http://www.sansalvatore1988.it/en/prodotto/pino-di-stio/

Torta Di Mele ~ Apple Cake

Autumn conjures images of orange and red trees, shorter days, pumpkins and the Harvest Moon. But perhaps most famous of all is the celebration of autumn apples! This delicious Tuscan recipe is a fabulous finale to your favorite fall dinner with a hint of vanilla, raisins and pine nuts.

Makes 1 large cake

• 3 Eggs
• 1 ½ cups Sugar + 2-3 tbsp to sprinkle on top
• 4 tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups ‘00’ Flour
• 1 tsp Vanilla or Zest of 1 Lemon, as you prefer
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt

• ½ cup Pine nuts
• ½ cup Raisins
• 5-6 Rennet Apples depending on size, or baking apple, peeled and sliced thin

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs with the sugar until foamy. Add the melted butter, flour, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix well and divide in half.

Mix half of the dough with the pine nuts, raisins, and the slices of about 4 apples (save about 1 apple to put on top).

Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan and pour apple mixture into the pan. Spread the rest of the dough on top, then top with the rest of the apple slices and sprinkle with a generous layer of sugar (a couple of tablespoons).

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about one hour. Use a toothpick to test if it is done, if it comes out dry it is ready.

Pair with Vino Passito ~ Muffato della Sala

http://www.wineandspirits1868.com/wine_gallery.php?bottle=2562&wine=Muffato+Della+Sala&mk=Marchesi+Antinori&l=it

This white dessert wine pairs well with the tart Reinette apple and highlights notes of vanilla in your dessert recipe. A typical wine of the Chianti region, it is always made from dried grapes with higher sugar content, delivering the perfect compliment to any tart dessert on your Autumn table.