Delicious and Chewy Almond and Amarena Cookies from Sicily! Italian gourmet almond, fig and pistachio cookies baked and shipped from our little bakery in Italy to you; all natural, fresh, and made to order. Soft and chewy cookies with a crisp outside and tender inside. Your cookies are made exclusively from our own homegrown natural almonds, figs, pistachio, the freshest farm eggs, flour, and sugar. "Adriana, The cookies have arrived just in time to have a couple with my early afternoon Espresso. The orange flavored are magnificent! My wife's mother is with us for the summer and she says that they are truly wonderful! Thanks again for the great products and superlative service!" Joe S. (South Dennis, Massachusetts) Whatever your favorite Italian gourmet cookie is Adriana's bakery will satisfy. Only from CookiesFromItaly.com!

"L'occhio del padrone ingrassa il cavallo." (The eye of the owner fattens the horse. Nobody takes care of one's business as does its owner.) Welcome to another recipe edition from Angela's Organic Oregano Farm!

This week's Italian recipes:
  -Bruschette con Pomodoro e Finocchio
  -Risotto alla Milanese
  -Manicotti Tradizionale

Enjoy the recipes and the complimentary news article report from "Only In Italy.com".

Thanks again for subscribing!

Yours Truly,              
Angela Reina       

Bruschette con Pomodoro e Finocchio
Tomato and Fennel Bruschette

Ingredients:

1/2 lb plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh fennel
12 tablespoon minced fennel tops
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 slices 4x6 sourdough or French bread
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill or toast bread. Brush with olive oil.

Season generously with pepper.

Top with tomato mixture.

Cut each slice into 4 pieces and serve immediately. Serves 4.

That's it!

Recipe: Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese

Ingredients:

5-6 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups rice
1/2 cup white wine
3 or more cups stock
1 teaspoon salt
Saffron
Grated Parmigiano cheese

Directions:

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet. When it is bubbling, add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes; do not allow the onion to brown.

Add the rice and stir it well with a spatula; do not allow it to color. Be certain that the onion and rice are well coated with the butter.

Add the wine and let it almost cook away.

Start to add stock, a cup at a time. Let each cup of stock cook away before adding more.

As the rice becomes tender, stir it with a fork to keep it from sticking to the pan. Add salt and a touch of saffron.

When the rice is done, stir in the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of butter and a little grated Parmigiano cheese. Serve at once. Serves 4.

That's it!

Recipe: Manicotti Tradizionale

Manicotti Tradizionale
Traditional Manicotti

Ingredients:

For the marinara sauce:
2 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
5 fresh basil leaves, cut julienne
1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
2 eggs, beaten to blend
1/4 lb prosciutto, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

16 Manicotti Crepes
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4 x 1/4 x 3-inch strips

5 fresh basil leaves
Additional freshly grated Romano cheese

3 eggs
1 cup water
1 and 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

For the sauce:
Chop tomatoes in processor.

Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft (do not brown), about 1 and 1/2 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes, basil and salt. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

For the filling:
Beat ricotta in medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix in 1 cup Romano cheese, eggs, prosciutto and minced fresh parsley.

For the crepes:
Mix eggs and water in blender. Add flour and blend batter until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Heat crepe pan or heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Brush pan lightly with olive oil. Remove pan from heat. Stir batter and ladle 2 tablespoons into corner of pan, tilting so batter just coats bottom. Return excess batter to bowl. Cook crepe until bottom is set (do not brown), about 5 seconds.

Loosen edges with knife. Turn crepe and cook until second side is set (do not brown), about 5 seconds. Repeat with remaining batter, stirring occasionally. (Can be prepared ahead. Layer crepes between sheets of waxed paper and cool completely. Wrap tightly and refrigerate 3 days or freeze 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using.)

For the assembly:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spoon 2 and 1/2 tablespoons filling down center of crepe.

Place 1 mozzarella strip atop filling.

Fold both sides of crepe over filling.

Arrange seam side down in large baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling and crepes. (Can be prepared ahead. Cover crepes and sauce separately and refrigerate 1 day or freeze up to 2 weeks. Bring crepes to room temperature before baking. Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally.)

Stir whole basil leaves into sauce. Pour sauce over crepes.

Sprinkle lightly with additional Romano cheese. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through, about 35 minutes. Serves 8.

That's it!

Submit Your Thoughts

 

Italian Sterling Silver Tableware at 50-60% off! At a glance you will notice we have the most exquisite line of Italian sterling silver giftware. Each piece has been chosen for its unique craftsmanship and tasteful Italian styles. Caterina Collezione includes a full range of classics, as well as an exclusive collection of contemporary styles. Our collection consists of flatware, tea sets, platters, bowls, serving pieces and much more. We have the perfect gift for every occasion to please our most discriminating customers, We are committed to prompt, efficient and courteous service. "Mrs. Cannavaro enjoyed your wonderful silver. She is out of the hospital now and has recovered from her illness. She was so happy to get this silver gift from Sicily since that is where her ancestors are from. Ciao." Priscilla T. (Tampa, Florida) It is with utmost pride that we would like to present to you our unique outstanding Italian silver gift collection. Visit the Caterina Collezione catalog exclusively at SilverFromItaly.com!

"Only In Italy" is a daily news column that translates and reports on funny but true news items from legitimate Italian news resources in Italy. Each story is slapped with our wild, often ironic, and sometimes rather opinionated comments. And now, for your reading pleasure, a sample of today's edition:

Venice Waterbus Service Off Limits To Tourists

Venice - January 21, 2008 - A new waterbus service reserved for Venetians only started plying up and down the Grand Canal on Monday, allowing residents to avoid bustling groups of tourists.

The number 3 'vaporetto' line, from the main station to St Mark's Square, has been introduced a week ahead of the Venice carnival, when thousands of tourists are expected to pour into the lagoon city. One of the first passengers on the No.3 was Mayor Massimo Cacciari, who said the initiative would help eliminate the riotous stampedes of tourists and residents during rush hour on the Grand Canal.

There were a few protests earlier this month when it was announced that Venetians were to get their own waterbuses, run for them by crews sporting a distinctive blue rosette on their uniforms.

One local consumers' association compared the 'residents only' rule to the apartheid of "1960s Alabama". Critics also said that launching an untested system just before Carnival, when the entire transport network was under maximum strain, was "incomprehensible".

But generally, residents seemed happy at the innovation, which will put an extra seven boats on Venice's main waterway.

Francesco Trevis, head of a St Mark's Square residents' association, said: "For us workers and residents, not having to stand in queues with tourists for half an hour is certainly positive. They have time to waste. For us it means getting to work every day".

Alabama? Oh, "porca di quella troja", how did the notion of apartheid seep into a lagoon city?

It appears that tourists who spend thousands of hard earned currencies and walk around ankle-deep in water did not read the fine print on their Venice tour guide books where it states that Mayor Massimo Jefferson Davis had declared the city an independent lagoon confederacy:

"In the name of the greatest Italians that ever floated down these canals, I draw the line in the water and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny and I say: Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation for ever."

What if Rosa Parks were alive today to visit the sinking city? Would she have been arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a Venetian? Would she have been told to "go to the back of the vaporetto"?

Italy desperately needs an Italian Martin Luther King Jr to march in support of civil rights for Venice tourists. What a great dream it would be to eat a gelato while riding a fully integrated water bus.

"We are on the move now ... and no wave of racism or a lagoon can stop us."

"Only In Italy" Subscribe for free and day in and day out, 5 days a week, you'll have laughter, tears and intelligent commentary all blaring at you from your stupid little monitor. Click Here to Subscribe!

 
 OreganoFromItaly.com

 
 CookiesFromItaly.com

 
 Only In Italy.com

 Read Past Issues
 What's New?
 Order Our Oregano!
 People are Talking!
 History of Oregano
 Uses of Oregano
 Tour Our Oregano Farm
 Shipping
 Customer Service
 Our Certification
 About Angela
 Our Privacy Policy

 Submit Your Thoughts
 Email Angela

Recipe Feeds

  Subscribe!
 
 
 

Recipes

 Antipasto di Verona
 Bucatini in Salsa Bianca
 Gnocchi di Ricotta
 Linguine ai Ricci di Mare
 Mousse di Cioccolato
 Peperoni Ripieni
 Risotto con le Cozze
 Trippa alla Romana

 More Recipes!

More From Italy Newsletters!

Questions: Need more Italian recipes? How about Italian gift ideas? Or just plain Italian fun?

Subscribe to these interesting newsletters from our closest and trustworthy Italian affiliates located here in Italy? Just click the sites that may interest you and sign up:

 Silver From Italy.com
 Cookies From Italy.com
 Only In Italy.com

OreganoFromItaly

Copyright ©2000-2007 FromItaly di Ciccarello. ISSN: 1724-7977. All Rights Reserved. Please read our Privacy Policy