Dalla Mia Cucina

Apple Walnut Pull-Apart Bread Muffins with Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:42:00 +0000

There is a bakery in the San Diego area that sells the tastiest breakfast breads ever! They're filled with yummy goodness like lots of cinnamon sugar doused with butter, nuts and fruits.. and the dressing on top just drips with a sticky rich sugary glaze that is definitely finger licking good. But getting to San Diego on a weekly basis is pretty much out of the question for me with a busy family and schedule to keep so I knew I had to do the next best thing and replicate these breads in my own kitchen.

Success!! (This was my first attempt, Cherry Almond Bread) It really just came down to finding the right sweet yeast dough recipe and making the recipe my own from then on out with fillings, extracts, nuts and spices. I don't glaze them as much as the bakery does.. though my kids wish I would, but I make extra sugar glaze with the addition of cream cheese and have it in a separate bowl for dipping.

Here I made the bread loaf into muffins. It was really easy and the steps were all the same except that I used the lined muffin tins. I love the look of the extra paper as a liner, so I cut 5 inch squares of Parchment and filled the pans with that. I used the bottom of a juice glass to shape the papers until I was ready to fill them with the dough pieces and apple filling.

Enjoy!

Apple Walnut Filling

1 Can Apple Pie Filling

2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Cup chopped Walnuts

2 Tsp. Bourbon or Bourbon Vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Butter

1 Stick Regular Butter (room temp.)

1 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup

Blend all ingredients in a mini prep.

Refrigerate or use immediately.

Dough for Sweet Rolls and Breads

Dough Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)

1 teaspoon salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Dough Preparation

Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375˙

Line a muffin pan with papers. Spray lightly with non stick spray. Tear small chunks of dough and start layering them in the muffin liners interchanging with cinnamon sugar, nuts of your choice and fruit filling. After pan is filled 3/4 of the way up, let rise covered in a draft free location for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes depending on your ovens heat. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't over brown. Take out and let rest. Enjoy for breakfast or brunch!

Buon Appetitio..

Laurie

A Roasted Vegetable and Fontina Cheese Terrine in a Savory Basil Pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:40:00 +0000

This is one of those recipes that rarely leaves my mind but hardly ever makes an appearance to the table. It is so delicious, not to difficult to make, a family favorite and can be made ahead and served for a weekend brunch or a light dinner with a salad. I brought it out of my memory banks because of the esthetic beauty of this dish and how lovely I think it will be, placed on a holiday table with all the other wonderful side dishes, whether your making a home style turkey or an elegant prime rib.

I have been making pastry dough's for years. I've tried every recipe possible and have never had just one that I could say was my absolutely favorite.. until now. The combination of ice water and cold cream blended with very cold butter that is rubbed into a savory basil laced flour made for one of the most flaky aromatic dough's I have ever had. The trick always with pastry dough is keeping it cold. For this, I have two sets of flour at home. I have my cold flour for pastries kept in it's original bag and then placed in a tightly sealed freezer bag in my freezer and then I have my bread flour kept at room temperature in my pantry. When making pastry you will hear time and time again how important it is to use cold ingredients.. THIS IS KEY!

While preparing this recipe, after I rolled out my terrine layers I put them back into the freezer and covered them for 15 minutes while I did some clean up.

The other element to this dough that made it so flavorful was the incorporation of the julienne slices of basil mixed with the flour before the rest of the ingredients were combined.

This dough was a winner and it will find a comfy home in my tried and true recipe spot that will be handed down to the next generation of happy homemakers! :)

Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables & Fontina Cheese

2 Zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/4 -inch slices
2 red bell peppers cored, seeded & sliced
5 Roma Tomatoes Sliced ¼ inch thickness
1 Sweet Onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 Cipolini Onion
5 carrots sliced
1 garlic, top cut off for roasting
3 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs finely chopped
3 Fresh Thyme Sprigs finely chopped
10 – 12 large basil leaves cleaned and dried left whole
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

*Fontina Cheese 8 – 10 ¼ inch slices

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lay all sliced vegetables except herbs on baking sheets. You will probably need 4 large baking/cookie sheets. Sprinkle half of the vegetables with chopped rosemary and the other half with chopped thyme. Reserve some chopped thyme for roasting garlic. Place garlic with top cut off in a foil pouch. Sprinkle with kosher salt, fresh thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Close and seal pouch and place on one of the cookie sheets with vegetables surrounding. Drizzle all vegetables with olive oil, season with cracked black pepper and kosher salt.
Bake for 35- 45 minutes. Vegetables should be browned and caramelized. The tomatoes at this point will be beautifully sweet and almost dry.

BASIL LACED PASTRY DOUGH
(Makes Enough For 1 (9-INCH) Double Crust Pie)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 basil leaves clean and dried julienned
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2-teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons ice water
5 tablespoons cream or half and half

Preparation
Add julienned basil to flour. Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
Stir together cold water and cream.
Drizzle 5 to 6 Tbsp ice cold liquids evenly over mixture. Gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn't hold together, add more liquid, 1/2 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough. Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one. Press into a ball, then flatten into 2 (5-inch) disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, as least 1 hour.

I used my ravioli cutter to slice up the dough to fit perfectly in the terrine. Then I layered the vegetable ingredients and applied a good amount of weight to form good compression. The layering of this dish is really to your own liking. All you need to do is repeat your layering pattern with the vegetables and cheese. When all ingredients are used up, lay the last piece of dough on top and fold over edges and pinch to seal. Prick all over with fork. Brush an egg/milk wash on top and bake in a 400 degree oven till pastry is cooked through, 40 - 45 minutes.
(If pastry is browning to quickly cover with a foil tent)
When cool remove from terrine. Slice in 1/2 inch thicknesses.
Buon Appetito!
Laurie

A “Gluten Free” Fig and Frangipane Tart with a Peach Amaretto Glaze on an Almond Shortbread Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:57:00 +0000

A “Gluten Free” Fig and Frangipane Tart with a Peach Amaretto Glaze on an Almond Shortbread Crust

Does anyone else long for the time of year that figs are in season? I adore this fruit! I have a special affinity with figs.. growing up we had plenty of them, a fig tree right outside my bedroom window in our backyard. When ripe, this fruit would produce the most plump, gorgeous, raspberry colored, juicy fruit EVER!!!!

Unfortunately, I haven't had as much luck with fruit trees as my parents did.. 'I'm still waiting for my apple tree, after having it now for three years, to bear fruit'. So when at the market recently eyeing these luscious gems I quickly snapped up a dozen.. only to be disappointed with the lack of flavor and sweetness. I needed some idea to make this tart more fragrant so that's when I decided to glaze the fruits with the peach amaretto jelly. It was a beautiful save!

I also have been using an almond shortbread crust for tarts, pecan pies and cheesecakes now for quite a few years. Adapting this recipe to Gluten Free didn't change the taste or texture one bit. The almond shortbread crust is actually a cookie.. but one time I had a pecan torte with a regular shortbread cookie crust and have been hooked on "shortbread" as pie bases ever since.

What You’ll Need..
6-9 Figs cleaned, tips removed and sliced four ways lengthwise
Gluten Free Almond Shortbread Crust
Gluten Free Frangipane
Peach Amaretto Jelly
Recipes Follow;

Almond Shortbread Crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp. bourbon vanilla extract
2/3 cup “gluten free” *all purpose flour
1/3 cup blanched almonds or almond flour (meal)
2 tablespoons brown rice flour or cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt

Pre-Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Pulse almonds with sugar in a food processor till finely ground, add rice flour, gluten free flour and salt. Pulse till well combined. Add butter and vanilla, mix just enough for the dough to start gathering together. Lightly butter the bottom of a tart pan or a cheesecake pan and up the sides a quarter of an inch. Press the shortbread mixture on the bottom. Pierce with a fork. Bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. (It will cook again once the frangipane and figs are on top)

Frangipane
Adapted from the Foodie Handbook by Pim Techamuanvivit
½ cup blanched almonds
1/8 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup confectioner’s
7 tbsp. butter at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. Amaretto

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the almonds evenly on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Roast them for about 7-10 minutes,(kepp an eye on them) or until slightly toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

Put the cooled almonds and the sugar’s into a food processor and process until fine. Add the butter, egg and amaretto, pulse until well combined. Leftovers can be wrapped with plastic and left in the refrigerator for a few days and in the freezer for up to one month.

Peach Amaretto Jelly
½ cup peach jam or homemade peach preserves
2-3 Tbsp. Amaretto
1 rounded tsp. honey

Mix the honey and amaretto in a small bowl, add the peach preserves and blend well. The mixture should be thin enough to brush on the figs, if it is still to thick, add a bit of water till the consistency is just right.

Putting It All Together

Pre-heat oven to 350°
Lay the fig slices on a tray. Lightly glaze the figs with the peach amaretto jelly.
Spread the frangipane over the top of the prepared par-baked Almond Shortbread Crust.
Layer the figs on top of each other starting on the outside going in so that the last figs will sit higher and create a flower type look. Drizzle the top lightly with more of the peach amaretto jelly so the crust and the frangipane have some of it as well.
Bake the tart in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes.

*The recipe below is a blend to make your own gluten free all-purpose flour at home.

I buy mine pre packaged by Bob’s Red Mill.. only because it’s convenient at my local grocers.. but check out the link I provided for you below.. Living Without Magazine has a variety of flour blend recipes you can make at home.. Including a Gluten Free Pastry Flour blend!

Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
source Living Without Magazine

1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch

Two Toned Cocoa and Amaretto Pizzelles

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Pizzelles.. they are the quintessential Italian treat that look wonderful plated at an elegant dessert table with it's beautiful floral lace pattern and it's crisp texture. It is a quick an easy cookie to prepare that is the talk of the room at many school parties or family get-together's.

The traditional recipe calls for anise and anise seeds..yes, like my Spungna Di Biscotti Cake.. but also like the Biscotti, it works well with many flavorings. During the holidays I'll give Pizzelle cookies as gift's, side-dipped in a chocolate coating and for more of a festive look sometimes sprinkled with fine glittery candies.

Here I made a two toned pizzelle with cocoa on one side and a dousing of Amaretto in the lighter version. Oh so yummy and flavorful,
and according to my husband, addictive.

Amaretto Pizzelles
(Makes about 2-3 dozen)

3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur
1-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar.
Add the butter, vanilla, and amaretto.
Add the flour and baking powder and mix well.
The batter should be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon.
The batter can also be refrigerated for later use.

Cocoa Pizzelles
(Makes about 30)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa together in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth.

*Heat the pizzelle baker and follow the directions for How to Make a Pizzelle.
Put half a teaspoon of each, cocoa and amaretto, side by side onto the iron to achieve the two toned affect. It takes practice.. but the result is beautiful and delicious!

Chocolate Meringue Cookies (Gluten Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:59:00 +0000

I love all things meringue .. I have made rainbow colored meringue cookies, meringue nests, have floated them on a crema anglaise sauce.. made little mushrooms for a Bûche de Noël yule log, used them for a Pavlova,
made meringue sticks for my famous “Dalla Mia Cucina Style” Perfect Party Cake and my all time favorite use is for the dessert ‘Baked Alaska’. But, what has racked my brain for many a year has been those darn Chocolate Meringue Cookies.

I have tried many recipes.. even using my favorite meringue cookie recipe and swapping out some of the sugar with cocoa powder, just to end up with a deflated cookie.. and ego.

So will I ever learn.. I should have known that Nick Malgieri, my favorite pastry chef, would have the perfect recipe.. I adore his baking techniques and have used many of his recipes for years as a base to many of my pastry needs. So when I was looking thru endless magazines and cook books for THE recipe.. there it was “Chocolate” by Nick Malgieri.. and the perfect recipe for Chocolate Meringue Cookies.

What sets this recipe apart is the use of good quality unsweetened chocolate blocks.. not cocoa, and, beating the egg whites and sugar together over a hot water bath. This meringue base was like marshmallow cream, so smooth and satiny, a perfect foundation for the perfect cookie.

I hope you try this.. you’ll love-Love-LOVE them, if that is, you are looking for something not too sweet, something crisp, light, gluten free, and a low fat treat.

This recipe is from “Chocolate” by Nick Malgieri.
Recipe yields around ’34′ 2-inch cookies.

Ingredients
3 large egg whites
1 cup minus 2 tbsp of extra-fine granulated sugar
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 275 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a wide skillet, bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low.
In a bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, combine the whites and sugar, whisk to combine. Place the bowl into the skillet filled with hot water and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are heated to 130 F.
The process will take about 6-8 minutes.
Place the bowl onto a base of the stand mixer, or just use hand-held electric beaters to beat the whites until increased in volume and substantially cooled.
Beat on medium speed if you are using the stand mixer, and on high with the hand-held one. The mixture should be stiff and glossy but not dry and clotted.
Pour the chocolate over the meringue and fold it with a rubber spatula.
Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with 1⁄2 inch star tube and pipe S shapes, or use a larger star tip and pipe meringue rounds as I did in this recipe. Pipe about 1 1⁄2 inches apart, on the prepared pans.
Bake the meringues about 15-20 minutes, until crisp on the outside but still somewhat soft within.
*(Nick’s recipe sets the oven to 300 degrees, I like the cookies a bit more crisp and dry. So my recommendation here is 275. :)
Slide the cookies, still on the parchment, to a cooling rack. If the cookies do not release from the paper they are underdone and should be returned to the oven for a several minutes.
The cookies are the best on the day they are baked. But if you need you can keep them between sheets of parchment paper in an air-tight container.

Carmalized Onion, Potato and Eggplant Rustici" with a Pasta Frolla Dough

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:14:00 +0000

This Potato and Eggplant Rustici has boosted my moral at home.
Being a Foodie and using my family as the taste testers of my creations.. doesn't always fare well. I may think it's "fabulous", "noteworthy" and "darn ready for a cookbook", but unfortunately I have some picky eaters in my household.

For instance, I made Chicken Marsala a few weeks ago.. oh my gosh.. I LOVED it! But my husband said, too much Marsala taste.. and my daughter didn't like the mushrooms.
"What TO DO???"

One thing I know I will always get raves for with my husband and kids, is Empenada's and Rustici.
I posted an article recently on my Pistachio and Beef Savory Pastries.. that was an unexpected flavor hit for them. I was uncertain to what their response would be, but you know, something happens when a filling is wrapped in a Pasta Frolla Dough.. It's usually a hit!

This Italian Pasta Frolla recipe is the basic recipe you can find in almost any Italian cookbook or Nonna's kitchen collection.

Pasta Frolla

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 freshly grated lemons, zest of or 1 oranges
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1.In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and zest.
2.Cut in the butter, until it resembles coarse meal.
3.Add the egg and the vanilla and toss the mixture until incorporated.
4.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly, forming into a disk.
5.Chill, wrapped in plastic at least 1 hour or overnight.
6.Let the dough stand at room temperature until softened, but still firm enough to roll out.

The filling ingredients are as follows;

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Shallot finely chopped
3 Cloves Garlic finely minced
1 Stalk Celery finely chopped
1 Carrot Finely Chopped

2 Large Vidalia Sweet Onions thinly sliced
2 Large Eggplants cubed
3 Large Russet Potatoes cubed
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Rounded Teaspoon Turmeric
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Kosher Salt to taste

In a very large stainless steel pan I saute my shallots, garlic, celery and carrots in around 1/8 cup olive oil. When nicely browned set apart in a different dish.
In the same pan.. without washing it first, I then season and saute my main ingredients and cook them separately not to lose their individual flavors. When they are all done and fork tender but not to soft combine them all together adding the garlic, shallot, celery and carrot saute. (back into the large pan)

Season with cayenne and tumeric. I have never cooked with tumeric before.. but I wanted the drama of some gorgeous amber color. Thinking it would only lend to color, I was so pleasantly surprised at the flavor it lent. It was perfect with the potatoes, onions and eggplant!

Add the white wine and cook till the mix is moist but not sopping wet. Add more heat and season to taste if you would like. I love the extra cayenne.:)

I made individual rustici's for my family. They cooked beautifully this way and made a wonderful presentation on the individual plates.

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Cook until the dough is baked through and the filling is set, about 30 to 40 minutes.
For more detailed instructions Nick Malgirei has a great recipe here with instructions for another type of rustici.

Below is a close up picture of an apple blossom, from my tree not pictured..
Photo was enhanced in Photshop with added background texture! :)

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Apple Cinnamon Muffins and "my" Master Carpenter

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:29:00 +0000

The recipe.. easy, ingredients.. basic, prep work..a snap!

What I do in the home "IS" in comparison, easy to what my husband does out in the field and on the job sites on any given day. He grew up at his fathers side learning the trade as a Master Carpenter.. but as the years went by he grew even more in his art, adding residential building and custom home design to his resume. And.. as many more years progressed he changed hats all together and now builds in the commercial sector.

So when I say I am proud and exited at his latest project, it's because I miss seeing him pick up a piece of wood, prep it, shape it, sand it, paint it and present it as a finished piece of art work. And more so, I guess I can also say I'm exited because the presentation is in our home!

For a job most appreciated and all his hard work that I'm so grateful for, filling the house with scents of apple cinnamon and making sure there is an ample supply of muffins in the basket is the least and most simple thing I can do.
That is..compared to what he has been doing.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I have on my website for Zucchini Pineapple Bread. The cake recipe is basic, just exchanging chopped apples for the zucchini and pineapples. I also used bourbon vanilla instead of the rum, adding an 1/8 of a cup of apple juice to compensate for not having the pineapple.

For the streusel topping, I used 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons butter.
For the glaze topping, I used powdered sugar, a drizzle of milk, vanilla and cream cheese. Make sure it's thin enough to drizzle over the muffins when done.

*Often when I cook I don't use a recipe,
I do the taste and try test till it's just right! :)

This was a bonus room being turned in to a college girls suite.

Our youngest daughters room.
Called "Visions Of Lavender"

Had to add the visual.. lavenders from my kitchen window!

All the door and window casings, as well as the crown and baseboards are being redone throughout the whole house.

An arch and columns where there was none before..

Ciao for now.. please visit me when you get the chance at my photography blog..

Buon Appetito, Abbracci e Baci!
Laurie

Gnocchetti Sardi (Malloreddus)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Gnocchetti Sardi, or Malloreddus Sardi in the Sardinian language, is a pasta similar in shape to a cavatelli or gnocci, but made with durum wheat semolina and no eggs. It is a staple in Sardinia prepared usually with a heavy tomato based sauce with beef, lamb or sausage which clings to the heavy ridged pasta shape.

Growing up in our home making gnocci was a family event. The memories of my sister's and I sitting at the table with our mom and grandmother, rolling little pieces of pasta dough on a colander or gnocci board will forever grace my mind.

Over the years it has been wonderful collecting new recipes and trying old favorites with a twist from regions other than Calabria and Abruzzi.

Malloreddus
4 cups Semolina Flour
1 ½ cups Warm Water
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon ground Saffron

* Recipe and directions for homemade pasta are from Mario Batali.

Mound the semolina in the center of a large bowl or work surface.

Make a well in the center of the semolina and add the water; salt, and saffron. Using a fork, beat together the water, salt, and saffron, and then begin to incorporate the semolina, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. When half of the flour is incorporated, the dough will begin to come together. Start kneading the dough, using primarily the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, set the dough aside and scrape up and discard any dried bits of dough.

Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 10 more minutes, dusting the boards with more flour when necessary. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before using.

Cut the pasta into 4 pieces.

Roll each piece into ropes, and cut into ¼-inch-thick pieces.

Roll each piece down the back of a fork or against a gnocci board to give it the characteristic ridges, and set aside on a floured surface until ready to cook.

When pasta is ready to cook, have a pot of salted water ready at a rapid boil. Save your water to add to the pasta sauce later. When pasta is ready they will begin to float to the surface.

For the busy mom in me, I have been taking a few steps lately to save me some cooing time. At the beginning of the week, or at the end depending on my schedule, I have been preparing some of my garlic, onions and peppers a head of time. I normally use everything fresh, but I have been a bit more busy this school year than usual.

For my peppers, I have been grilling them ahead and then marinating them in olive oil and dried herbs in the re-fridge. When I'm ready to use them I take them out and slice what I need. These last for one week.

Likewise, for minced garlic I have been taking a whole head, separating and peeling the cloves, finely chopping them and putting them in a small preserve jar covered in olive oil so they don't oxidize. This I always use up within a week as well. If I am making something that calls for thinly sliced garlic I always have fresh garlic on hand. It really has helped me speed up my cooking time.

For this recipe I sauteed garlic, thinly sliced marinated peppers, red pepper flakes, steamed broccoli and fresh basil in olive oil. I added around 1 cup of the pasta water that I cooked the Malloreddus in(Beautiful flavor). I also added some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. When ready to serve, sprinkle a good amount of freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

When you get a chance.. I'd love to know what you think of my new Photo Blog!

Buon Appetito, Abbracci e Baci!
Laurie

Pistachio Beef "Rustico" Rustic Savory Pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:36:00 +0000

It is no secret that I have a love affair with pistachios, this aromatic nut is flavorful and holds its own when combined with meats such as beef and sheep, but is as gentle as a lamb when whipped into a gelato and candies or used as a base for my smooth and tasty pistachio pesto and cream sauce. But then again, you will often just find me eating them right out of a plain paper sack, satisfied to snack on instead of the alternative, oily roasted peanuts and potato chips.

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate pistachios into my home cooking, and when I found that I had a couple extra cups the same night I was making a collection of savory pastries I began combining flavors in my head. The pistachio and ground sirloin were definitely the stars, but they combined well with sauteed shallots, fennel and garlic, red pepper flakes, capers, raisins and a sweet port wine.

I first browned my ground sirloin, then added red pepper flakes as well as cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, salt, capers and raisins. In a food processor I ground my shelled pistachios and then added them to the beef mix.

In a separate saute pan in olive oil I lightly sauteed my chopped shallots and fennel till translucent. Then I added my finely chopped garlic and continued to saute till golden. This was then added to the pistachio beef mix. I approximately used 1 onion, 1 shallot and 3 cloves of garlic.

When all ingredients were combined I then added a few more teaspoons of olive oil, a 1/4 cup of wine and a dab of butter plus a few more seasonings for taste. A note on the wine.. I love a rich fortified wine with the beef to add a sweet and savory flavor. You can add any fruity white wine that would pair well with the raisins.. a Muscat Canelli would be wonderful! I had Port on hand and the sweet thickness of it goes so well with plums, prunes and raisins.. so this is what I happened to use for the raisins sake. :)
(The addition of a sweet wine is key to this flavorful savory tart)

The "pastry" is a post in itself. Pasta Frolla is the typical Southern Italian pastry for Rustici and Crostata's. It is by far my favorite pastry to use and is not too hard to make. It tastes like a combination of a shortbread crust and pie pastry dough, but in my opinion is better than both and holds up to many a pastry dessert.

I do love Nick Malgieri's pastry recipe's, and his are usually my "go to" recipes of choice.

But this Italian Pasta Frolla recipe is the basic recipe you can find in almost any Italian cookbook or Nonna's kitchen collection.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 freshly grated lemons, zest of or 1 oranges
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1.In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and zest.
2.Cut in the butter, until it resembles coarse meal.
3.Add the egg and the vanilla and toss the mixture until incorporated.
4.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly, forming into a disk.
5.Chill, wrapped in plastic at least 1 hour or overnight.
6.Let the dough stand at room temperature until softened, but still firm enough to roll out.

Buon Anno and Buon Appetito!!
I hope you and yours enjoy a Blessed New Year,
From My Kitchen..

Laurie

When a Cheesecake looks like the San Andreas Fault

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:47:00 +0000

It may not have looked pretty enough to serve.. but it was a taste masterpiece!

I had ingredients left over from my Pumpkin Marsala Spice Cake with a Cheesecake Surprise, so my intention was to reverse the dessert and make a simple cheesecake with a pumpkin swirl. It was in fact a good idea, I have made this type of cheesecake before and it has turned out wonderfully. But this time I wanted the pumpkin flavor to just be an accent, infusing the cake with just a slight taste of pumpkin.

I piped the cheese filling 1/4 of the way up the pan, then I dolloped a few teaspoons of pumpkin filling in the cheese and swirled it around, then adding more cheese filling to 3/4 of the way up the pan. I then dotted the pumpkin filling on top of the cheese filling so that I could run a toothpick through the dots creating a pretty design on the top of the cheesecake, as you see above.

It created San Andreas like faults in all the dotted places on my cake. Not so pretty.. but the slight infusion of pumpkin was the success I was hoping for.

Now let me tell you about the crust.. this was where most of the flavor punch came from. With an ingredient list of graham cracker crumbs, ginger snap cookie crumbs, ground cinnamon pecans, brown sugar, butter and a drizzle of marsala wine.. we were all in heaven. The combination of flavors were (and are) a perfect melding of holiday aromatics.

So while I may make a few adjustments for future swirly's that decorate the top of my cake, I won't change this crust!

An addition to our cheesecakes that my mom had taught us when we were young in the kitchen, was to take the cake out five minutes before it was done and add a sour cream topping, put it back in the oven and bake for an additional five minutes. For the sour cream topping we just mixed together sour cream, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, vanilla and a splash of lemon (if a lemon based cheesecake). This topping would for sure hide any of the cracks on the cake.. and it tastes so good!

While I don't have an exact recipe for the pumpkin filling, I added around;

Pumpkin Filling
15 oz. pureed pumpkin, 1 egg, 1/2 cup half and half, sugar, bourbon vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves to taste.

The rest of the recipe is as follows;

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup ground ginger snap cookies
1/4 cup finely chopped cinnamon or candied pecans
1/2 stick melted butter (more if needed)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. Marsala

Cheesecake
3 sticks of 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs. Flour
2 tbsp. Bourbon vanilla extract
1 tbsp Marsala wine

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees°.
In a food processor grind ginger snap cookies and pecans. Mix together with graham cracker crumbs and the remainder of crust ingredients. Lightly press into a spring-form pan going up an inch or so on the sides. Set crust aside.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla and Marsala, blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour 1/4 of the batter into prepared crust. Dollop some of the pumpkin and swirl around with a knife. Avoid cutting into the crust. Add the remainder of cheese filling and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Dot the cake all the way around.. in columns, with the pumpkin filling. With a toothpick, move slowly around the circle through the middle of the dots. Cover bottom securely with foil. I do this so butter from the crust does not drip in my oven. I almost think this also prevents the bottom from cooking to quickly while the thick middle is cooking.

* If you want to avoid the San Andreas Fault look.. you can limit your pumpkin filling to the middle section of your cake only. :)

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is a little jiggly in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Turn the heat off and open the door of the oven so it is ajar. Let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. At least 12 hours. I like to make my cheesecakes a whole day in advance to serving.

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Pumpkin Marsala Spice Cake with a Cheesecake Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Happy November to all my friends.. Holiday preparations are here! I'm in the kitchen testing out some new recipes.. I have been playing around with finely ground almonds in my cake batters. By eliminating some of the flour, and replacing it with the almond meal it adds such nice texture and eliminates some of the density from the gluten, at the same time creating a very moist cake. Almond meal in Italian baked goods is very common anyway.. and so delicious!

This cake is similar to the Pumpkin Cake with a Cheesecake Swirl that I have previously shared.. I played with the cheesecake layer a bit and added a bit more pumpkin to this recipe. My family.. as well as my picky eldest daughter LOVED the taste and moistness of this cake. I hope you do too!

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 1/3 cups flour
1 cup ground blanched almond meal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 ½ tsp salt
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup Marsala wine
18oz pumpkin, canned

Cheesecake Surprise Ingredients
1/2 pound Philadelphia Cream cheese at room temperature*
(*Very important for smooth filling)
1/4 cup sugar
1- tablespoons flour
1 teaspoons bourbon vanilla
1/4-cup sour cream
1 egg

Cheesecake Filling Directions
Mix cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed setting until well blended. Blend in sour cream. Add egg, mixing on low speed just until blended.

Pumpkin Marsala Spice Cake with a Cheesecake Surprise

Make Cake
1. Grease and dust with flour the bottom and 1/2 way up sides of 2 loaf pans; set aside.
In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour and almond meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cloves. Combine Marsala and water. Add flour mixture and marsala/water liquid alternately to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter 3/4 of the way into prepared pans.
Put dollops of cheesecake filling onto pumpkin batter till 1/4 of the pan is left free from batter. Push cheesecake dollops down into the pumpkin batter a bit.

3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans in the oven with door ajar. When cool, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Best if prepared a day ahead of serving. Cool completely before removing from pans. Test doneness of cake by piercing it in the center of the cake with a toothpick. It's finished when the toothpick comes out clean.

Buon Appetito, Abbracci e Baci!
Laurie

Green Beans and Potatoes in Broth

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 22:34:00 +0000

This is such a tasty way to serve vegetables poached in a wonderfully light broth infused with tomato, spices and wine. If you like hearty vegetable soups, this is along the same lines but the vegetables are poached just till a fork can pierce them and then they are sautéed in a bit of olive oil and herbs till golden. These go well with beef or poultry and can be served hot or at room temperature which makes them ideal for picnics and barbeques.
Ingredients

Vegeatables
1 lb fresh green beans cleaned and cut to 1 ½ inch length sizes
4 large baking potatoes cut into chunks

Broth
Water to cover vegetables in pot
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
2 tsp. vegetable or chicken bouillon
Yellow Onion sliced roughly
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Sauté
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
Poached Vegetables
Salt and pepper if needed
1 tsp. fresh rosemary finely minced
2 tsp. fresh basil chopped roughly
2 tsp. fresh thyme

Directions
In a stock pot, pour water over vegetables just to cover. Add tomato sauce and wine, yellow onion, bouillon and seasonings. Let come to a boil, lower heat and cook for around ten minutes. Just so they are slightly tender enough to pierce with a fork.

Remove vegetables from broth, reserving liquids for use in sauté.
In large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic till translucent. Add poached vegetables, toss or stir to coat and cook. Add fresh herbs and season to taste *if needed. They should have been seasoned adequately in poaching broth. Add around a ¼ of a cup of reserved liquid. Cook till well seasoned but don’t cook so long that the vegetables start to fall apart. The liquids will thicken a bit with the starch of the potatoes. This adds to the wonderful flavor. Serve hot or at room temperature. They taste great the next day as they sit in broth overnight!
Buon Appetito,
Laurie

Stuffed Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:38:00 +0000

If there's one side dish that is most requested by my children in our home.. it would have to be stuffed mushrooms. I love cooking with mushrooms and in my opinion they make a successful ingredient in almost everything. :) One of my first posts here on DMC was an onion and mushroom saute. Yumm! You can check it out here.

You can use white button mushrooms, which are also called agaricus, crimini mushrooms, portabello mushrooms or porcini mushrooms for the base. Did you know that portabello mushrooms are the same as crimini just on a larger scale.
For the stuffing I use bread crumbs, freshly ground from a stale loaf of bread or store bought crumbs are fine too. I add Parmesano Reggiano grated cheese, finely shredded mozzarella, melted butter, white wine and salt and pepper to taste. Very little black pepper for it will overwhelm the flavors if your not careful. I don't have exact quantities for this recipe but I do always start with the bread crumbs and cheese for the base and work from there. Add the liquids a little at a time. A few tablespoons of melted butter then a few tablespoons of the wine till the mixture is moist enough to hold together when pinched. Have your mushrooms ready, stems removed, mushrooms cleaned with a damp cloth or a dry brush. Don't ignore your stems from the mushrooms.. they will make a wonderful addition to your stuffing if finely mince and added to the rest of the ingredients.

Bake in a preheated 375° oven for approximately 12 - 15 minutes. They will be golden brown in color and the cheese from the inside should be oozingly delicious.

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Whole Grain Pecan Loaf and Fall in Temecula

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:16:00 +0000

There is something about the change in seasons that gives way to a breadth of newness.. the jewel tone hues of summer redesigned to shades of crimson, sienna and umber. The air thins out as the moisture from the humidity declines and the wisps of the wind blow gentle breezes across the plains here in my Temecula.

Sometimes words alone can't describe it.. not even the pictures captured through my lens. But the feeling I get with this sensation none the less is enough to brighten my countenance and fill me with a renewed vigor.

There is nothing I love more than to welcome the cooler season with scents of fresh baked breads and the nutty aromas of whole grains and nuts.. and cloves! Something about the scent of cloves in all it's allure and mystery speaks not just of Thanksgiving and Christmas, but of a quintessence that entertains a feeling of anticipation.

A much needed day of rest and relaxation as I strolled through the Vail Lake Resort off of Hwy 79.. I have a special spot that I often retreat to that overlooks the glen and the lake in the distance. I can't recall a time ever visiting my little haven without being greeted by the whistle of the wind rustling through the trees.

“Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us. It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little. When prayer is at its highest we wait in silence for God's voice to us; we linger in His presence for His peace and His power to flow over us and around us; we lean back in His everlasting arms and feel the serenity of perfect security in Him.”
Quote by William Barclay

Even my eldest daughter today made a remark about
the weather finally giving way to Fall..

This ridge in Temecula is along The Rainbow Gap, a valley way that brings cool air from San Diego's ocean through to the Temecula Valley.. the affect of this cool air is what gives the Temecula Vineyards it's plush flora and makes grape growing ideal. The moderate daytime temperatures and warm sunny days along with cool nights, are ideal conditions for the best wine grapes.

After a stroll on a crisp fall day there is nothing more comforting than a slice of fresh baked whole grain bread with yummy oats and pecans, scented with clove and drenched in homemade honey butter.

Beautiful sepia colors of dried out sunflowers..

Every year we look forward to a visit to Peltzer Farms for their annual fall festivities and gorgeous display of pumpkins.

Bella's choice..

...and mine!

Happy Fall 2010!!
Can't wait to unveil some hardy recipes and photo's..
Ciao, Abbracci e Baci!!

Laurie

Crumbly Delicious Blueberry Buckle

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:45:00 +0000

We have had such beautiful weather so far this year, unlike the typical 100 and up degree weather that we usually have. It has been perfect for baking and berry picking.. but alas, the berries at the local farm have faded and given their last bounty. I'm so glad that our grocery produce stalls are still full with these blue beauties, I think this gem has to be my favorite fruit of all!

This is a simply delicious recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry Crumb Cake.
It tasted just like you would think a moist coffee cake would, with lots of blueberries and cinnamony sugar goodness on top..
only to be enhanced by a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients
For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,
crumble the topping evenly over the batter.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home

Apricot Zabaione and Almond Shortbread Tartlets

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:12:00 +0000

With the heat of summer I haven't been cooking as much fancy fare.. but instead have been utilizing my indoor grill and then filling up our salad bowl with fresh lettuces and vegetables.

While staying close to the air conditioned kitchen though, I have had fun creating some new desserts while playing with some old Italian recipes to "up the flavor ante" and to add my own DMC style. (take a look at the address bar, Dalla Mia Cucina ~ DMC is now my sites domain) :)

Here with this Zabaione, I incorporated an apricot flavor by blending a puree I made by processing some sun dried apricots with a little bit of sweet fortified wine, then carefully mixing it with a bit of home made whipped cream. It gave it a mousse like texture.. light and airy and "oh so delicious".

I love the delicateness of a shortbread crust.. even more so.. an almond shortbread crust that pairs perfectly with apricots and amaretto.

This dessert has all the desired elements of a sweet craving, for an elegant dinner party or a gratifying end to a Sunday meal.

Hope you enjoy..

Buon Appetito!!
Laurie

Blackberry Wine & Coconut Cakes and a Contest Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:25:00 +0000

We have had a wonderful and eventful month of June thus far. Relatives in town for my daughters graduation plus an extended holiday has left us with the feeling of exuberance and excitement, but also a little sad knowing it will soon come to an end as my sister and her family head back to there little parcel of land in the Northern part of California. While my sister was hear we had a fun time of food, fellowship and shopping for fanciful items at the antique market. *Below are some pretty spoons and linens I picked up for literally pennies on the dollar.

This is a simple dessert I made with fresh, sweet blackberries and blackberry wine to make a syrup and then baked it into a yummy coconut pound cake batter. It was so delicious!

On our free time I captured some shots of new growth and foliage in the yard. This is a single pedal from a purple Agapanthus plant.

I also want to thank all of you who commented on my blog as well as on my Facebook page giving me some great ideas for my kitchen remodel. Using the Random Number Generator website the number chosen was 2. Lynn from Blue Skies is the winner of the $60.00 gift certificate to CSN Stores. "Congratulations Lynn"!!!! xoxo

Blackberry Wine Syrup

Ingredients
1 -1/2 cup Blackberry Wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Pint cleaned and dried blackberries

Preparation
Combine the wine, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low; cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid becomes syrupy and has reduced by about two-thirds. With heat on low add the blackberries stirring just till they begin to soften but keep there shape.

Coconut Pound Cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (6 oz), toasted and cooled

Preparation
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter 6 ramekins and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.

Whisk together flour (2 cups), baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 8 to 10 minutes with a hand held mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in coconut gently but thoroughly with a rubber spatula.

Spoon batter evenly into individual ramekins around 3/4 of the way up. Place ramekins on cookie sheet. With a large spoon, carefully place blackberries and syrup over cake batter not skimping on berries.
Bake until golden and bubbly and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into side comes out clean, 20 - 25 minutes

Cool individual cakes on a rack 15 minutes. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!!
Buon Appetito!!

Oatmeal "Orange Molasses" Raisin Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:46:00 +0000

Summer started with a flurry of activities and the excitement of a graduation. Our oldest daughter is now on her way to a collegiate course that may take another 8 years or so depending on whether or not she sticks with her plans! We are so proud of her and a little overwhelmed emotionally too.
Can you relate? :)

And now that their vacation has begun, I'm already realizing that with the kids home, writing and posting favorite recipes will probably come few and far between. This simple recipe was a perfect choice to start the kids' summer off with and to also share with visiting family in for the festivities. It may look like a simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookie..
but my play with ingredients gives it a complex flavor and texture.

You may have read my holiday cookie post a few years ago called the "Italian Filled Cookie". This cookie is my families version of the traditional Sicilian cookie called a Cucidati. It is so delicious and filled with yummy goodness in the form of chocolate, apple butter and rum soaked raisins. If you have never poached pears or soaked fruit.. you really need to try it. I don't normally enjoy raisins straight from the box, dry and shriveled, they, like prunes, really only remind me of growing old and "not so gracefully". :) So if I can help it.. smooth, plump and hydrate is my adage!

With this Oatmeal recipe I plump and hydrate the raisins. I was intending on using Rum or Marsala. I love those flavors together, they are a match made in heaven. But with none on hand I decided to improvise with what I did have. I had an assortment of juices.. apple, orange, pear.. but I also needed to have something that would intensify the flavor as the liquid and the raisins simmered. Molasses and raisins.. and with that, orange juice for the liquid became the perfect choice!

I wish I could bottle my husbands enthusiasm.. he is so kind and wonderful and gave these cookies the highest rating he has given any of my cookies before! I thought they were pretty good too, not so overpowering or bitter with molasses, but yet in my opinion not to sweet either. I say in my opinion, because my mom did say they were a little too sweet for her, but normally she adds very little sugar to anything. :)

As far as a recipe goes.. I took a generic oatmeal cookie recipe from one of my favorite wedding gift cookbooks and added my improv on ingredients from there. Chocolate pieces, coconut and walnuts were also added to my orange molasses soaked raisin oatmeal cookie batter. :) For a more intense orange flavor, I would add some zest of an orange. It all melded together so wonderfully!

You can either soak your raisins and molasses in a jar for 1 day or over night, or you can speed up the process by simmering them on low in the orange juice and molasses till they are plump. I used 2 cups of orange juice to a 1/4 cup of molasses. When they were done I drained them in a sieve before I added them to the cookie batter.

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Simple as an "Olive and Anchovy Crouton"

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:21:00 +0000

You've heard the phrase, "Less Is More", well this is a concept that applies here to a dinner salad simply prepared with a few ingredients. The star, being the crouton is so infused with flavor that it wows the taste buds. The trick here is to minimize flavors that would compete with the olive and anchovy in the crouton. Sunflower seeds, very mild and small, tomatoes, not too fruity or aromatic and mild Gorgonzola.. a smooth and mild cheese unlike a Blue or Roquefort that may steal the show.

I had the idea for this crouton when my leftover Kalamata Olive loaf was beginning to get stale and my leftover anchovies from my Gallette were sitting alone in the refrigerator. I hate to waste food.. waste not want not. So I gathered the anchovies and pulsed them in my mini food processor with a fruity olive oil, added some red pepper flakes and black pepper for a spicy infusion. Cubed the remainder of the olive loaf and tossed them in the oil mix to coat. I set my oven to 300 degrees. Any lower and they get too crisp for my liking. I like a bit of a chewy but dry texture to my croutons.. although if you like them extra crunchy I would definitely lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees.
While in the oven check every ten minutes turning them over repeatedly till they are a nice golden brown.

To dress up this salad I drizzled a nice fruity olive oil and a "little" red wine vinegar over it, and sprinkled a little sea salt on top. Growing up I remember my Calabrian grandmother preparing salads dressed with a simple dressing of olive oil, salt and a little red wine vinegar. I loved it this way. It really brings out the flavor and freshness of your salad ingredients.

Don't forget to give me your "Kitchen Remodel" ideas and enter my Kitchen Remodel contest for a chance to win a $60.00 gift certificate. You can enter here. Grazi!!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Summer Vegetable Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0000

There really isn't anything difficult or spectacular about this soup, only the fact of it's deliciousness and healing ability it seemed to have on my family! Soup is one of those meals that I crave all year long. I love rich broth's infused with fresh vegetables, onions, garlic and wine. I love starches in a soup because they are natural thickeners and even enhance flavor. Potatoes take on such beautiful flavor from stewed ripe tomatoes and bouillon seasonings, and corn still on it's cob is so yummy to munch on after it has cooked in the soup broth. So when my husband over the weekend needed something light and healthy after being inundated by restaurant and to-go food during his business week, I quickly ran out exited to purchase vegetables for a nice pot of hot summer soup!

Minestra Di Estate

Ingredients
Large Stock Pot filled 3/4 way up with water
2 -3 Tablespoons Vegetable bouillon to taste depending on your liquids
Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Large onion thinly sliced
2 Large garlic cloves crushed
1 1/2 cups White Wine
2 cups crushed tomatoes or cored and diced very fine
2 Large Carrots diced small or sliced into diagonals
2 Celery Stalks finely diced
2 Ears of Corn on the Cob cut into three pieces each
1 Large Plantain Banana cut into 1 inch slices
2 Potatoes cut into small chunks
2 Zucchini sliced
2 Yellow Squash sliced
2 Cups Fresh Green Beans cleaned and cut
Fresh Parsley finely chopped
Fresh Basil Leaves finely chopped
1 Lemon cut into slices

Preparation
This really is an easy preparation! Scrub and cut all your vegetables and set aside.
Bring pot of water to a boil. Add vegetable bouillon.
Add crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, plantain and corn on the cob.
Let cook for 20 minutes.
Add the white wine, the yellow and green squash, green beans, parsley and basil. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes plus around 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Let cook for half an hour more. Check the seasonings and adjust flavor if necessary with pepper, bouillon and wine. The soup will start to thicken a bit with the breakage of the potatoes. The plantain bananas will still be firm but this is normal and they are still good! When soup is finished serve in bowls with crusty bread and slices of lemon. Let each one squeeze their own amount of lemon to taste. Decorate with fresh basil and enjoy!

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

A Savory Galette with Gruyere, Anchovies, Arugula Olives and Capers.. and a Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:08:00 +0000

*Be sure to read the bottom of this post for the contest details!

I have had the hardest time posting this.. the picture doesn't do the end result justice. But if there is any time you are going to trust me.. now is it!

This Savory Gallete with the mix of olives, capers and anchovies.. plus the addition of lots of garlic and shallots had the most beautiful aroma and set the house a whirl. Talk about an intoxicating bouquet! Then enter in the arugula and Gruyere cheese.. so much flavor and texture that it will be a "tart recipe" worth keeping in the front of your recipe box.

The title of this recipe also limits some of the star ingredients for this Gallete, I used three different cheeses. Besides Gruyere, I used Fontina to blend with it and then topped the tart with Chevre goat cheese before putting it in the oven.

I started by making my dough. I love to add fresh herbs to my dry ingredients in the processor. They really impart beautiful aromas. This especially works well with a delicate and mild cheese tart when you want to make it a little more savory. Here is another recipe where I incorporate basil into my dough.

Crust Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cleaned and dried arugula leaves
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled non hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Crust Preparation
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Add arugula and pulse to incorporate. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. *DO NOT OVER MIX YOUR DOUGH. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before continuing.

I love all of these ingredients!

You don't want to add salt to your saute. There is plenty of flavor in these ingredients. For myself, I like to use olives cured in oil to eliminate some of the saltiness. If you can't find any or if you have olives and capers in a brine solution on hand I suggest you rinse them. The anchovies are very salty and will impart much flavor!

3/4 cups Manzanilla and Kalamatta Olives sliced in half and seeds removed (rinse well if in brine solution)
2 Tbp. Capers (also rinse)
Red pepper flakes
Fresh ground black pepper
1 large (or two small) shallots finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
5 anchovy fillets cut into small pieces
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
3/4 cups crumbled goat cheese

1 egg white
3 tablespoons milk for washing your pastry (whisked together)

Saute garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes and fresh ground black pepper in olive oil till golden.

Add olives, capers and anchovies. Saute for 3 minutes and turn heat off.

Add arugula and blend well. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350°.
Roll out dough and transfer to a round cookie sheet lined with non stick foil or parchment.

Sprinkle with grated Gruyere and Fontina blend.

Top with the arugula anchovy olive blend.

Dot on top with the crumbled goat cheese.

Fold up your dough in a non uniform rustic style. Brush with egg white/milk mixture. Bake in 350° oven for approximately 40 minutes - 50 minutes until dough is golden.
Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Now for the contest..

This last week being the memorial weekend we had all sorts of cooking tools, utensils and small electrics out on the counter. We were a busy family cooking and grilling! It had me thinking of all the items I still don't have.. and things I could still use. We are in the process of a house remodel. There are some things staying.. and many things going! Currently we have "can lighting" in my kitchen but are considering a new lighting system. Candice Olson, designs some of the beautiful rooms utilizing beautiful light fixtures like track lighting, sconces and hanging lights. What to do!!

We are also changing out the cabinetry and back splashes. I'm going all white! Woohoo.. I might regret it later, but we currently have stain grade and it's time for a change. Instead of white marble behind the stove though I think I'm going to use stainless as a back splash along the oven wall. We have all sorts of ideas.. but I can never have too many!
So your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is #1. To comment to this post with a link to a design element that would make my life in the kitchen much easier! :) That includes storage ideas and accessories too!

Also #2.. "link love" my friend! If you can just mention the contest with this link on your blog, twitter, or Facebook and leave me a message as to where I can see it, you will automatically be entered into the contest with a chance to win a $60.00 gift certificate to CSN Stores. That's it.. two things! The contest will last two weeks from today. The last day to submit a comment and a link to this post will be June 17th! If you enter anonymously be sure to add your name and email address to your comment.

*For the Winner.. with your purchase you will be expected to pay all tax, shipping and handling costs, so please take that into consideration when making your purchase choice. The winner will receive the certificate via their e-mail from
CSN Stores.

Thank you so much for taking my "remodel challenge".. so let the games begin!
P/S. The next contest will be a pasta and risotto exchange!

Ciao, abbracci e baci!
Laurie

Strawberry, Chocolate Hazelnut , Banana Cream Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Natasha from 5 Star Foodie has perfect timing!

This months 5 Star Makeover comes with the anticipation of being a winner of a the HealthMaster Blender. So here I made a smoothie just for the event.. "without a blender". I hope this counts as a smoothie with a twist. Last week I was cleaning out the cupboards and my blender jar tumbled out as I was pulling out the rest of the cabinet contents, shattered glass everywhere! "This isn't good.. we use our blender often". But not to fret, :) I have a mini and a large capacity food processor which worked well for this smoothie.

The layers go like this..
Strawberry on the bottom,
Chocolate Hazelnut in the middle
and Banana cream on top.

This is a yogurt and fresh fruit based smoothie with layers of fresh fruit between the flavor layers. I did add a little bit of whey protein to each filling.. besides the nutrient benefit, it also adds a creamy texture with a vanilla flavor enhancement. I use Jarrow Formula Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein which I purchase from Henry's Markets here in So. Cal.

Ingredients

Strawberry
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Strawberries (reserving 2 strawberries for slicing)
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

Chocolate Hazelnut
1/2 Cup Nutella
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

Banana
1 1/2 Bananas (reserving 6-7 thin slices)
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

2 tsp. Nutella & 2 tsp. cream warmed and heated for drizzling on top

* If you are using plain yogurt but would like some extra sweetness, honey is a good alternative.

Directions
Blend the individual fruits and flavors separately. Set aside.
With a spoon or small ladle pour Strawberry blend in the bottom of the glass.
Layer the reserved strawberry slices on top. This will ensure that the next layer will not blend into the first layer.
Next carefully ladle the chocolate blend onto the strawberries. Layer that with the thinly sliced bananas.
Next carefully ladle the banana blend on top. With your warmed nutella cream, drizzle a few swirls on top of the banana blend. If you have fresh whipped cream go all out and scoop a dollop on top. I was intending on doing tjhis but I was out of heavy whipping cream so I used the next best thing, Nutella!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Broccoli & Aged Gouda "Cheese Souffle"

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:53:00 +0000

We have a dairy not far away called the Winchester Cheese Co. I have posted about this farm and cheese purveyor before and expressed my favorable opinion of this cheese. I was reminded recently why I enjoyed their dairy products so much, while on a visit to the Temecula Farmers Market I happened to pick up some of their Super Aged Gouda. This is considered their ultimate superior cheese that is aged over one year. It has a very sharp taste, rich orange yellow color and makes an excellent and flavorful accent for recipes like this cheese souffle.

I used a recipe for a Cheese Souffle that I found in Aliza Green's cookbook called, “Starting With Ingredients”. Aliza has been recognized as a James Beard Award winning author for this book. This award winning cheese along with an award winning author's recipe made for an amazing souffle display!

I would normally include a recipe with a photo description but this recipe is from a published author and not my own nor an adaptation. From what recipes I have read it seems that souffle ingredients are very similar as far as egg, flour and liquid ratios are concerned with the difference occurring in cheeses, vegetables and seasonings. I think if you happen to have a good cookbook with a souffle recipe chances are you can enhance it with what you have on hand. That's usually what I do with a quiche or fritatta too. :)

I'm also exited to share that I will be a part of a food community called Foodierama.

Foodierama is designed as a portal front page containing teasers to the latest posts of all the best food blogs. With Foodierama users get a panoramic view of what's going on in the food blog-sphere all on one graphic page.
Foodierama also includes an intuitive logo-based directory of the best food sites on the web. Registered users can add their own personal links to the directory for easy access. Last but not least, Foodierama includes a specialized food search engine based on Google search. Using the search box at the top of the page users can perform either a regular Google search or a food related search that will only show results from the best food sources on the web.

Check it out here!

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

"Smokehouse Restaurant" at Ponte Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Imagine a setting of lush grounds inhabited by colorful roses, olive trees and a backdrop of vines that stretch along for miles and miles. Buildings with a country like architectural feel draped in foliage of green, and skies dotted with puffs of white clouds. Then close your eyes and listen carefully as the keys of a piano softly calm with jazzy notes and romantic interludes. And to think it can’t get any better, the senses being aroused by the aromas coming from the kitchen wafting throughout the restaurants courtyard.

No it’s not a dream nor a setting from a movie, but here in the Temecula Valley a restaurant resides on the Ponte Winery Family Estate called the Smokehouse Restaurant, serving up wonderful American, Mediterranean and Italian dishes you’ll look forward to coming back to for more. This Al Fresco dining experience is worth trying!

The first time we came to this restaurant was for our anniversary a few years ago in the month of June. Entering, we walked through a lane of manicured vines just coming into full bloom, the whole atmosphere was very inviting.

This particular time we had reservations, which I do suggest. If you do happen to arrive without reservations on a weekend, expect to wait for 45 minutes to over an hour. This has happened to us before, but we made good use of our time in the wine tasting room and gift shop. The wine tasting room is open Mon. - Thurs $10 per person or Fri. - Sun $15 per person.
Tasting includes 6 wine tastes and a souvenir Ponte logo glass
The last time we were there I was introduced to a red wine that will be on my “favorites” list called Beverino. I prefer a white wine, but this was very soft, smooth and lightly sweet.

If shopping and wine tasting doesn’t hold your attention long enough, a stroll around the beautiful grounds may be just what you’re looking for.

The Food
We have been very satisfied with our meals for all of our visits. My husband’s preference for a steak prepared medium rare has never left him disappointed. He has had their rib eye with a dollop of herb butter and also their Angus beef with a Cabernet demi glace and has always walked away with praise for it being perfectly done. I tend to order fish more often than naught and also have been completely satisfied. Seared Ahi Tuna was on the menu our first visit and I couldn’t be happier. Served with baby vegetables and fava beans perfectly cooked I was amazed and happy. Fava beans at the time weren’t a local harvest and were picked from a Northern California produce distributor that drove down to Southern California weekly to purvey his goods. Now here in Temecula, you can find a fresh harvest of Fava beans at our local Temecula Farmers Market.

Our most recent visit my husband and I both ordered the Cedar Planked Salmon with an Apricot Glaze. I have yet to do it, but I WILL replicate this at home. Not to sweet, and just the right dousing, it was fabulous! They prepare their planked salmon by first grilling it on both sides and then laying a cedar plank on top and placing it in the smoker along with the vegetables. It was also served with poblano goat cheese grits with a Graciela reduction. It didn’t taste like grits, it was much more appetizing than what I thought grits normally taste like. My expectations were exceeded.

We had the wine country salad. This was the only thing I wasn’t particularly thrilled about. I prefer a balance of acidity and sour. In my opinion there was too much tang. The Tahitian vanilla balsamic vinaigrette was a bit on the sour side as well as the feta cheese. I prefer a soft and mild goat cheese or a gorgonzola to balance out the flavors if the vinegar is strong. It had candied walnuts and dried cranberries as well, which I do like but in my opinion there was a flavor battle going on.

And on to the dessert.. superb!!
I have to try tiramisù at every restaurant that serves it. Whether it’s to get a new creative idea or to just revel in the pleasure of tiramisù, my husband and I are always game. With the first bite I was exploding in delight. Not your typical tiramisù, it had an extra surprise crunch. Oh my gosh.. I was ecstatically trying to discern which nut it was, and when we flagged the waiter down he must have thought I was a little quirky with my inquiries. But I thought it had to be --------- to follow in the Italian tradition and having a well rounding of rum in the dessert as well.. it was perfect! Although, he seemed a little hesitant to tell me the ingredient, but when he came back from the kitchen and quietly passed our table he whispered into our hearing the surprise ingredient. I think my excitement also came from my husband’s accolades for my discerning taste buds as he put it. It definitely doesn’t hurt having your husband as your most adoring admirer. ☺

This restaurant does make provisions for families and larger groups; it has a very classy but comfortable atmosphere.

Friday and Saturday evenings from 5:00pm - 8:00pm live music performances are provided ranging from classical guitar, jazz violin and romantic keyboard interludes.

The lunch menu and dinner menu are basically the same but differ in the price. For an evening meal expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $40 per person which would most likely include your salad, entrée and a glass of wine. Soon after you’re seated a complimentary basket of fresh baked rosemary and herb bread with a dipping sauce is brought to your table. So wonderful and aromatic.. but go easy, you won’t want to fill up before your meal arrives!

If you’ll be in the Temecula Wine Country I would definitely recommend you try The Smokehouse Restaurant and wine tasting at the Ponte Winery.
Smokehouse Restaurant at Ponte Winery
35053 RANCHO CALIFORNIA ROAD, TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA 92591
(951) 694-8855 (877) 314-WINE OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 5PM

Buon Appetito!
Laurie M. Vengoechea
Dalla Mia Cucina ©

Grilled Swordfish with a Parsley, Oregano & Thyme Marinade

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:56:00 +0000

Parsley, Oregano and Thyme, a beautiful combination of aromatics to excite the culinary senses. But when you blend these herbs with finely minced shallots and garlic, fresh cracked pepper, olive oil, lemon and wine, it's enough to drive the salivary glands crazy! But I was patient.. I mixed these ingredients together, poured them over the swordfish, put it in the refrigerator and waited.
But just for 30 - 40 minutes while I prepped the rest of dinner.

The potatoes were quite easy as well. I par boiled small red potatoes till a fork inserted easily. I then cut the potatoes in half and poured some of the herb marinade over them, tossing to coat and sauteed in a hot skillet till golden with a nice browned crust.

While the potatoes were sauteing I fired up the grill to medium high. With the fish on the grill, brush the extra marinade on it during it's cooking time. The swordfish should be cooked for approximately 4-5 minutes per side (It is recommended that a fish of a 1 inch thickness should be cooked for ten minutes).

Marinade Ingredients
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Juice from ripe Lemon
3/4 cup white wine (I like a Penot Grigio with fish)
1/2 cup packed finely chopped Parsley, Oregano, Thyme
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste (three - four twists of the mill on fine)
pinch of sea salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
1/2 of a shallot finely minced

Directions
Whisk ingredients well. Pour some over the swordfish steaks reserving some for the potatoes and for brushing on the steaks while grilling. Let steaks rest in refrigerator while your prepping your dinner.

Buon Appetito!
Laurie