Ricotta and Spinach Strudel for the Holidays!

 

Ricotta and Spinach Strudel

1.     Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.     Add butter to a skillet, went hot, add the garlic and spinach. Cok over medium- high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the spinach is mostly wilted. Stir occasionally. Place the cooked
 spinach in a colander and drain to remove the excess liquid, if necessary, press it a little with a spoon, then let it cool.

3.     When the spinach is well drained, rough chop it with a knife then transfer to a large bowl, Add the grated cheese, the egg, the ricotta, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of salt if needed.

4.     Roll out the dough on a sheet of parchment paper, pour the filling only on one half of the dough giving it a rectangular shape. Leave about ½ inch edge from the lower and side edge where you have the filling. Fold the lower edge first, then the 2 side flaps. Using the parchment paper, turn the strudel upside down so that the filling is completely wrapped in the pastry, with the closure at the bottom.

5.     In a small bowl, combine an egg yolk, milk, and mix. Brush the surface of the strudel with the milk and egg yolk mixture. Make a few cuts on the surface of the strudel and transfer the strudel to the baking tray. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until evenly golden browned. Remove from the oven, let cool.

This is the classic delicious Italian Strudel, super simple and very appetizing!

Crusty Golden Scallops with Arugula Pesto

 

Crusty Golden Scallops with Arugula Pesto

3 tablespoons chopped almond or walnuts       

1-2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped     

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups packed baby arugula       

3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1⁄3 – ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 large sea scallops, muscles removed and dry         

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided  

1/2 cup white wine

1.     Arugula Pesto: Pulse the nuts, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until rustic ground. Add the arugula and pulse again. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the grated cheese and pulse to your liking either into a rustic or smooth paste. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

2.     Dry the Scallops be sure to place the scallops on paper towels early in the day to remove any excess liquid. Change the paper after 4 hours.

3.     Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter melts, add the scallops and sear until golden brown on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan. If using a small pan, cook in 2 batches. Add pieces of butter in the pan as needed if it is too dry. Cook first side until crusty golden brown, do not turn the scallops until first side is done. Remember to turn only once during the cooking process. Cook the other side to golden leaving a slight barely uncooked middle. Remove the scallops to a plate. Add the white wine and reduce to slightly creamy.

4.     To Serve: When ready, spoon the pesto over the scallops and serve warm.

I love to make this dish because it's really quick to make and absolutely tasty. 

It is a favorite in my cooking classes. 

 

Baked Honey Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Baked Honey Roasted Garlic Potatoes 

Baked Honey Roasted Garlic Potatoes

1-pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled 

1 head garlic

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

4 tablespoons honey 

½ - 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika 

1 ½ teaspoons minced rosemary 

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Handful minced fresh parsley, for topping

 

1.     Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.     Cut the potatoes into evenly sized wedges or in half if small, and transfer to a bowl.

3.     Separate the cloves from the head of garlic leaving the skin on. Cut a small slit on each clove and add it into bowl.

4.     Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and garlic, then add the honey, paprika, rosemary and season with salt and black pepper. Toss and mix well.

5.     Transfer the potatoes to the baking tray. Bake for 20-30 minutes depending on size of potatoes. Turn the potatoes over after 10 minutes. Test doneness by inserted a toothpick in the center of a potato.

6.     Gently mix the potatoes in the baking tray and remove the skins of the garlic before transferring into a serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.

  

 

Why keep the skin on the garlic?

On a culinary level, cooking garlic with the peel has the advantage of preserving the internal juice and therefore giving a more delicate flavor to the dish. Garlic with skin can withstand higher temperatures much longer without burning. In this recipe you will enjoy the roasted garlic as much as the delicious potatoes.

 

Delicata Squash in Balsamic and Sesame

1/2-pound delicata squash, cut into 2-inch pieces  

1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds

1/2 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

Salt and black pepper

 

1.     Place the toasted sesames in a mortar and lightly crush them.

2.     Blanch the pumpkin pieces in hot water for 2 minutes. Strain, cool, and completely dry.

3.     Pour the sugar and balsamic into a pan and melt over low heat. Add the pieces of pumpkin to the pan and let them flavor for a few minutes. Drizzle with oil and a few drops of water and cook for about 10 minutes until the cooking juices are slightly dry.

4.     When the pumpkin is soft and well caramelized, turn off the heat and let it cool. Distribute the pumpkin on individual plates, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Delicata Squash

You can make this recipe with any squash or pumpkin, just remember to peel them first. I used “delicata squash” because the skin is thin and soft, making it completely edible. When cooked, the skin of delicata squash becomes tender and caramelizes. Make sure to use good quality balsamic for this recipe!

Sgroppino Creamy Lemony Italian Cocktail

 

Sgroppino is a delicious creamy and lemony summer cocktail made with lemon sorbet, chilled prosecco, and vodka. It originated from the Italian region of Veneto around the beginning of the sixteenth century. The term sgroppino derives from the Venetian dialect,  "sgropparsi" which means to digest. It was enjoyed at the end of a sumptuous meal mainly by the wealthy classes of society. From generation to generation, this cocktail has been handed down to present day because of its bright refreshing flavors. This cocktail has remained popular all throughout Italy over the years. It is a delightful drink served to cleanse the palate between courses, a refreshing aperitif, and even an excellent drink to conclude a meal as a dessert especially for lemon lovers. Sgroppino is a very elegant drink best served either in champagne flutes or crystal wine glasses.

 

 

Recipe for 1 person

2-ounces chilled Prosecco

1-ounce cold Vodka

1 scoop lemon sorbet

Mint or basil leaves for decoration

Fresh lemon slices or zest for decoration

 

Add the first 3 ingredients in a cocktail shaker and gently shake. Decorate with fresh herbs and fresh lemon slices.

 

 

I am happy to share this recipe with you, not only because I know you will love this refreshing cocktail, but also because sgroppino is not your average drink that you can find in any bar or restaurant in USA. Enjoy making it especially on a hot summer day!

Chicken Strips with Fresh Oranges

2 small chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

Flour for dredging

salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Zest 1 large organic orange

juice of 2 large organic oranges

Fresh basil for topping

 

1.     Cut the chicken breast into 3-inch-long thin strips. Be sure to cut all strips about the same size for even cooking.

2.     Lightly and uniformly flour the chicken strips and place them in one layer on a tray. Be sure to shake off any excess flour or flour will burn in the skillet. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.

3.     In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil on medium heat. When hot, add half of the batch of the chicken strips and cook until golden on all sides. Transfer the first batch to a warm plate. Repeat the process with a drizzle of olive and the 2^nd batch of chicken strips. Transfer to the plate with the 1^st batch and cover.

4.     In the same skillet, add another drizzle of olive oil on medium, when warm, add the orange juice and zest. Cook for about a minute to start to thicken; add the chicken strips back in the skillet. Mix gently to coat the chicken. Warm the chicken until the orange sauce just thickens. Remove from heat, add the fresh basil, and serve warm. 

In this recipe, the orange gives a sweet and sour tone to the chicken dish, giving life to a unique and unparalleled taste!

Pan-Toasted Panino with Tapenade Sundried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

 

Pan-Toasted Panino with Tapenade Sundried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

4 slices sourdough or rustic bread, cut into ½ inch thick slices

6 tablespoons black-olive tapenade (see recipe below)

6 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, cut into strips ¼ inch wide, drained, reserve the oil

1 tablespoon chopped capers

4-6 thin slices mozzarella

 

1.      Place 2 slices of bread on a flat surface. Spread 1 tablespoon of tapenade on the top of each slice. Distribute the sundried tomatoes and capers over the tapenade. Cover the surface with the mozzarella slices and place the remaining two slices of bread on top.

2.      Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top slices of bread with the reserved oil from the sundried tomatoes. Invert the sandwiches and place the oiled sides of the sandwiches face down in the skillet.

3.      Cook until the bread is toasted golden. Brush the top of the sandwiches with sundried tomatoes olive oil and then, using a spatula, flip the sandwiches over to cook on the other side until toasted golden. Cook until both sides and the cheese has melted. To serve, cut the sandwich into halves or quarters.

 

Black Olive Tapenade

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and drained (place in small colander to drain)

8-10 small capers

1 clove of garlic, chopped

Zest of ½ lemon

Juice of ¼ - ½ lemon

Red Pepper Flakes

2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley

Black pepper

½ teaspoon anchovy paste, optional

1 - 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

 

In a food processor add all ingredients except the oil. Pulse to combine either a rustic or smooth paste. Slowly drizzling in the olive oil. Adjust for taste. Do not add any salt.

RICOTTA ZUCCHINE AL PROFUMO DI LIMONE QUICHE

 

Ricotta Zucchini Quiche with Scent of Lemon

2 medium zucchini, grated with skin on 

1 large leek, thoroughly rinsed and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces whole ricotta 

Zest 1 large lemon

1-2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley

2 whole eggs, lightly beaten

½ - ¾ cups grated Parmesan cheese

2-3 tablespoons milk

Salt and black pepper

2 rolls of pie pastry dough, thawed in frig.

1 egg for brushing pastry

Fresh Leeks

1.  Preheat oven to 350F. In a round tart pan (or pie pan) cut a round piece parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.

2.  Sauté the grated zucchini and the sliced leek in a pan with the olive oil. Once cooked, let them cool.

3.     In the meantime, whip the ricotta in a bowl until it becomes creamy, add the grated lemon zest, and parsley, mix well. Add the cooked zucchini and leeks to the ricotta mixture.

4.     In another bowl, beat 2 whole eggs with Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper and a few tablespoons of milk. Add to the ricotta and zucchini mixture.

5.     Place the dough on the base of the pan. With a fork, lightly prick the pastry surface.

6.     Put the ricotta mixture on the pastry. Cover the top with strips of pastry from the 2^nd piece. Lightly brush the pastry with the other beaten egg. Bake in a preheated oven, for 30-40 minutes, or until the surface is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly and serve.

   

 

Zucchini

 

This is a light ricotta and zucchini quiche, with a delicious lemon scent. Enjoy this rustic quiche Italian style, fresh and amazingly easy to prepare.

 

ALBA’S FOUR ONIONS ITALIAN ZUPPA

 

Four Onions Soup

  

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 large leeks, rinsed well and thinly sliced

6 cups hot vegetable broth or hot water

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Red pepper flakes

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Slices of toasted French bread (or rustic bread)

 

1.    Cook the onions on medium-low heat in a pot with the olive oil until soft and barely golden, about 10-15 minutes.

2.    Next, add a ladle of hot liquid. Cook over low heat for a few minutes and reduce this liquid by half. Add another ladle of hot liquid and allow it to be absorbed. Repeat until the last ladle. The last ladle does not need to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning, add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as needed.

3.    Preheat the oven to 350F.

4.    Pour the soup into two oven soup containers. Grate plenty of grated parmesan cheese on top and black pepper. Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve hot with toasted bread slices, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.

 

This soup is much simpler and healthier in essence than the famous version of French onion soup, which contains wine, butter, and flour among the ingredients. This soup is prepared with 4 types of stewed onions, a good EVOO and even plain water if you like. Enrich it with freshly grated Parmesan and toasted rustic bread and it is buonissima!