To all Italians! and others?

Question

I am a New Zealander and am wanting to cook an Italian feast for my family and since you Italians eat heaps of delicious foods I thought you could give me a few things I could make including dinner and dessert, the recipie would be good too!

Cheers

Answer 1

Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo

1 – 8 oz. Package Philly Cream Cheese (I use the light version – 1/3 less fat), cubed
¾ cup (3 oz.) fresh grated Parmesan cheese (I like De Giorno, don’t use Kraft)
½ cup margarine (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light)
½ cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat)
8 oz. fettuccini, cooked, drained (I use the fresh Contadina low fat one)

In large saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, margarine and milk.
Stir over low heat until smooth. Add to drained fettuccini and toss lightly. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Serving Suggestions:
I serve this with chicken Parmesan, salad, and garlic bread.



Quick Chicken Parmesan

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, pounded flat
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Prego mushroom and garlic)
3 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, grated
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
2 oz. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 egg, plus 1 tbs water, slightly beaten

Mix Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt together in bowl. Beat 1 egg in another bowl, 1 tbs water and a dash of garlic salt. Dip chicken in egg, then in crumbs and fry in oil until brown on each side (10 – 15 min each side). Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese, cover so cheese melts and serve. Makes 4 servings

This one is real easy and so delicious. Enjoy!

Answer 2

Most of these answers are REALLY complicated for a first timer!!! This is really good, and very easy and will impress the heck out of everyone. I make this for family christmas every year.

You will need:

1 box of lasagna noodles, cooked and separated until using
2 pounds ground round
2 jars spaghetti sauce (any that you like)
1 large bag shredded mozzerella cheese
1 container ricotta
1 medium onion, diced
1 can mushrooms, chopped up
crushed garlic (as much as you want to use)
salt and pepper
Dried: Parsley, Italian Seasoning. About 3 tablespoons of Parsley and 2 of the other.


Cook and drain the noodles, separate until ready to use. In a large pan, heat some olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onions and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, don't burn the garlic. Add the meat, brown and drain off the oil. Add some salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and 1.5 tablespoons of italian seasoning. Add the sauce and the mushrooms and heat until hot.

In a large bowl mix the ricotta with the mozzerella and season with salt, pepper and the rest of the dried ingredints.

In a large baking pan, add some sauce to the bottom (so the noodles dont stick) and then do a layer of noodles. Top that with a layer of sauce then a layer of cheese. The cheese will be tricky to spread as it is going to be thick but you can do it!!! Then another layer of noodles, sauce and cheese. The final top layer should just be sauce on noodles.

Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until nice and bubbly. Let sit for at least 10 minutes so it "sets".

Serve with a nice salad and some garlic bread straight out of the freezer section. Or you could buy some bagettes and cut them in half. In a sauce pan, heat some olive oil and add about 12 garlic cloves, let the cloves simmer in the oil for about 20 minutes and then brush the garlic oil you made on the bread and bake it until it is crisp. About 10 minutes at 375.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time, and your a doll for wanting to do this for them!!!!

Answer 3

First I would like to thank you for the compliment you gave to us italians!

Italian Chopped Salad
1 head Romaine Lettuce, finely chopped
1/3 head Cabbage, finely chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Red or Yellow Pepper, chopped
1/3 lb. Dry Salami, cut up
1 can drained Garbanzo Beans
1 can drained Black Olive
1/3 lb. Swiss cheese, cut up
4 stalks Celery, thinly sliced
3 large pieces cooked (smoke) chicken chopped

Dressing:
½ c. Olive Oil
2 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
Dash Balsamic Vinegar or 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp. dry mixed Italian Seasoning
Cracked Pepper

Mix together salad ingredients, then mix dressing and pour over just before serving.




Italian Sausage Stew
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 to 1 ½ lbs. fresh Italian Sausage Links (hot or mild) sliced into 1 in pieces
1 large Onion, coarsely chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded coarsely chopped
1 sweet Red Bell Pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 sweet Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 15 oz. can Italian Stewed Tomatoes
2 tsp. fresh Basil, chopped
¼ tsp. dried Oregano
¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
¼ tsp. Salt
12 oz. Corkscrew or Bow Tie Pasta, cooked
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, grated

In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion, and peppers. Cook, turning often, until sausage is browned and veggies are tender-crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic during last 2 minutes. If the sausage produces excessive fat, pour off all but 2 Tbs.

Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, cover the skillet with lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15-29 minutes, until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and the veggies are tender.

Serve over pasta and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Serves 4.



These Italian cookies are delicious and delicate.

Italian Wedding Cookies
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon anise see or extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sugar


Beat eggs and sugar. Add butter, vanilla, and anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon. Spoon onto pizzelle iron and bake. Batter can be refrigerated to be used at a later time.



There you go and you and your family enjoy!

Answer 4

here are some recipes with specialty flour for pizza ...have not tried yet..

Pizza Dough (from the Italian oo dough website)

Basic Vera Pizza Napoletana Dough Recipe

Ingredients

By Volume
4 cups Molino Caputo Tipo 00 flour
1 ½, plus 2 TBL water (or 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cup)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry active yeast

By Weight
500gr Molino Caputo Tipo 00 flour
325gr water (65% hydration)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry active yeast

We highly recommend cooking by weight. It is fast, and easy to get the exact hydration (water to flour ratio) and dough ball size you want. Personally, I do not use recipes or a mixing cups when I cook dinner for the family, but pizza and bread dough is different. Being exact really counts, and nothing works better than a digital scale.
Mix the dough in a stand mixer, by hand or in a bread machine. If you are using a stand mixer, mix it slowly for two minutes, faster for 5 minutes, and slow again for 2 minutes.
Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until double. Punch it down and push out the air bubbles. Form the dough into a large ball, then cut it into 4-5 equal pieces.
To make your pizza balls, shape each piece of dough into a ball. Gently roll your dough into a ball, then stretch the top of the ball down and around the rest of the ball, until the outer layer wraps around the other side. Pinch the two ends together to make a smooth ball with a tight outer "skin." Set your ball seam-side down where it can rest. Dust your pizza balls with flour, and store them under a damp towel, in a proofing tray, or under plastic wrap. This will prevent the outside of the ball from drying out and creating a crust, and becoming difficult to work with. The top of the pizza ball should be soft and silky.
Your pizza balls will need to rest for about an hour to become soft and elastic, so that they can be easily stretched into a thin crust pizza.
If you won't need your dough for more than an hour, refrigerate it until you are ready to start.
If you won't have an hour to let your dough rest, read our Dough in a Hurry strategy. By cutting back each phase of dough preparation by the right amount, you can make great pizza or focaccia dough in as little as an hour.
http://www.fornobravo.com/pizza/pizza_dough.html

Pizza Sauce Recipe

You can use canned San Marzano tomatoes (Pomodori Pellati) to create a wonderful, and simple pizza tomato base. Use a potato masher to get a good sauce consistency. Don’t use a food processor or hand mixer, as those will break the seeds and give your sauce a bitter flavor. If you are using a brick oven, you should not cook the sauce. The hot oven will cook the sauce perfectly. If you are using a pizza stone in your oven, you might want to try cooking the sauce first. Try it both ways to see what you like.

Smashed Tomato Sauce
1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of oregano

Options
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons of fresh basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil – done forget to swirl excellent EVOO on your pizza right before you put it in the oven
http://www.fornobravo.com/pizza/pizza_sauce_recipe.html

Answer 5

Sicilian Lemon Chicken
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil
1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
4 sprigs fresh basil
DIRECTIONS
Soak the raisins in warm water until they plump, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, pine nuts, and olives. Season with bay leaves, oregano, and cayenne. Cook until the onions have softened and begun to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; cook for 5 more minutes. Add the raisins, balsamic vinegar, and sugar; cook, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 5 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves, and stir in the julienned basil. Cover and keep warm.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, toss the chicken with the lemon juice to coat (the lemon zest will be used later). Cook the chicken on both sides until golden brown and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate, and allow to rest for about five minutes.
To serve, slice each chicken breast against the grain into thin slices. Divide the pasta into four wide, shallow bowls. Fan the chicken slices out over top of the pasta, and spoon the tomato sauce over them. Sprinkle with lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, and a sprig of basil to garnish.

Answer 6

For dessert
RICOTTA CHEESE PIE

3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 lb ricotta
3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 250 gram pkg. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 deep pie shells
dough for topping

Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil, turn down heat and add cornmeal slowly. Keep stiring until it thickens. Let it cool a little then add cream cheese, ricotta, and Parmesan, mixing well. Finally, add beaten eggs. season with salt as needed. If filling is too thick, add milk to desired smoothness. Fill pie shells, apply toppings. Pierce topping five places with a fork.

For Dinner
STUFFED VEAL BREAST

Stuffing:

1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, washed and chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
1/3 teaspoon oregano flakes
1/3 teaspoon basil flakes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
pinch of powdered sage or Bell Seasoning
pinch of salt
1/4 grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup black oil cured olives, pitted and finely chopped

Pour olive oil into a medium bowl. Add herbs, chopped garlic, and other stuffing ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese. Allow to sit 10 minutes to infuse the herbs.
Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mixture should be a consistency which allows you to make a smooth round ball out of the stuffing which doesn't break apart and yet it should not be too liquid to hold this shape.

If mixture is too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of hot water or chicken broth at a time until you've reached the right consistency. If mixture is too liquid, add a few tablespoons of bread crumbs.


Preparing the Veal:

1 4-5 lb veal breast with pocket
olive oil spray
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika
salt
pepper

Have the butcher make a large pocket in the side of a 4-5 lb veal breast. Rinse the veal and dry.
Open the pocket and pat on the stuffing, with the largest portion in the center. Close the pocket with wooden toothpicks, tie shut with kitchen twine, or simply leave as is.

Brush or spray the veal breast thoroughly with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with with a light coating of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper.

Roast at 300F degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until tender and juice no longer runs pink, spraying every 45 minutes or so with olive oil spray.

It's better to slightly undercook this than to overcook, because if the veal is overcooked it will become tough and dry. If you suspect the veal is nearly cooked but hasn't browned yet,spray with olive oil one last time, turn up the heat to 375 and finish it for 10-15 minutes to brown.

Sprinkle with a light dusting of paprika down the center and garnish with fresh parsley.


ITALIAN POTATO SALAD

Dressing:

1 1/2 cups olive oil
3/4 cup wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each basil and oregano (or to taste)
pinch of red pepper flakes


Salad:

2-3 lbs baby new potatoes
2 large red sweet vinegar peppers
1 large red onion, sliced into rings

Combine ingredients for salad dressing. Slice vinegar peppers into strips. Slice onions into thin rings.
Scrub potatoes and remove eyes. Do not peel.

Steam or boil gently in their jackets until nearly tender. Remove from heat and drain. Cover and let sit 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces and set aside in a serving bowl.

In the same pan, bring remaining ingredients to a boil, then remove from heat. Allow to cool several minutes and add cooked potatoes (they should still be hot).

Allow potatoes to marinate for 10 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Save remaining dressing to use as a marinade for chicken or beef.

For a different taste, add 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage and chopped rosemary or summer savory.

Up to 1/4 cup of the wine vinegar can be substituted with either balsamic or tarragon vinegar.

Serve warm or cold.

Answer 7

if you want to email me I will share some very special italian recipes with you....my husband is Italian and his parents and grandparents came from Italy....they have taught me some wonderful things....

Answer 8

Try this website and choose what you want to make:

http://www.theitaliantaste.com/italian-cooking/recipes-index.shtml