08/25/10 Farfalle with Asparagus, Hazelnuts, and Mascarpone
"The bowls have arrived. They take my breath away. So beautiful! Thank you so much for your above and beyond effort to make our wish come true." Marie and Richard F. (Phoenix, Arizona)
"Un belle gioco dura poco." (A good game lasts a short time. Jokes should not be carried too far.) Welcome to another recipe edition from Angela's Organic Oregano Farm!
This week's Italian recipes:
-Arugula and Peach Salad
-Farfalle with Asparagus, Hazelnuts, and Mascarpone
-Chocolate-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
Enjoy your recipes and the rest of the summer season.
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Yours Truly,
Angela Reina
Recipe: Arugula and Peach Salad
Arugula and Peach Salad
Insalata di Rucola e Pesca
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 firm-ripe peaches (1 and 1/2 lbs total)
24 thin slices pancetta (1 and 1/4 lbs)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 oz baby arugula (6 cups)
2 and 1/2 oz finely crumbled ricotta salata (1/2 cup)
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Whisk together vinegar, juice, and salt, then add extra-virgin oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cut an "X" in bottom of each peach and immerse in boiling water 15 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of ice water.
Peel peaches and cut each into 6 wedges, then unroll pancetta slices and wrap one slice around each wedge, overlapping ends of pancetta.
Heat remaining olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook peaches in 2 batches, turning over occasionally with tongs, until pancetta is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per batch.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered loosely with foil.
Divide arugula and warm pancetta-wrapped peaches among 8 salad plates.
Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with ricotta salata and pepper.
Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
Notes: Dressing can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. Peaches can be peeled, tossed with an additional teaspoon lemon juice, and wrapped with pancetta 1 hour ahead. Keep chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
That's it!
Recipe: Farfalle with Asparagus, Hazelnuts, and Mascarpone
Farfalle with Asparagus, Hazelnuts, and Mascarpone
Farfalle con Asparagi, Nocciole e Mascarpone
Ingredients:
2 lbs slender asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 2-inch lengths (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
One 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Parmigiano cheese shavings
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place asparagus on prepared sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Toss to coat; spread in single layer.
Roast until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature.)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until 'al dente', stirring occasionally.
Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.
Return pasta to pot.
Stir in mascarpone, grated Parmigiano cheese, and asparagus.
Toss over medium-low heat until pasta is coated with sauce and mixture is heated through, adding reserved pasta water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 3 minutes.
Mound pasta in large shallow serving bowl.
Sprinkle with hazelnuts, chives, and Parmigiano cheese shavings. Makes 4 servings.
That's it!
Recipe: Chocolate-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
Chocolate-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
Biscotti Al Nocciola e Cioccolato Ripiene
Ingredients:
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted , any loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and cooled
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, well softened
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened; preferably 70% cacao), chopped
Parchment paper
Directions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Grind nuts with confectioners sugar in a food processor until powdery (be careful not to process to a paste).
Beat together butter, zest, salt, and nut mixture in a large bowl with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until creamy, then add flour, stirring until just incorporated (do not overwork).
Roll level 1/2 teaspoons of dough into tiny balls (the size of marbles) and arrange 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until very pale golden, 12 to 14 minutes, then slide parchment with cookies onto a rack to cool completely.
Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Spoon melted chocolate into a small plastic bag and seal bag, forcing out excess air.
Snip off 1 bottom corner of bag with scissors to form a small hole.
Pipe a small mound (about 1/8 teaspoon) of melted chocolate onto flat sides of 10 cookies, then top with 10 more cookies, pressing flat sides together to help adhere.
Repeat procedure with remaining cookies. Makes 50 to 60 assembled cookies
Notes: Cookies can be baked and cooled, but not filled, 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
That's it!
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Italian Cookie Gifts Shipped Worldwide! Imagine the look on that special someone's face when they receive your homemade Italian cookie gifts, made to order, fresh and…straight from Italy! These gifts of great Sicilian taste are sure to please.
"I received my cookies and they are wonderful. I've been serving them to my friends and they think they're the best they've ever had. I served some to my 91 year old uncle who is Italian (as we all are) and he ate as many as he could and took the rest home. He said that at Christmas he doesn't want cigars, he just wants a box of your cookies. Ciao!" Mary Lou K. (Binghamton, New York)
Only In Italy!
"Only In Italy" is a daily news column that translates & 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:
Mafia Mobster Captured While Attempting To Stay In Shape
Rome – July 29, 2010 – Police said they have ended a convicted mafioso's 11-year flight from justice by literally catching him on the run, apprehending him on his daily jog.
Vito Zappala, 61, had been a fugitive since 1999 following a conviction for drug dealing and trafficking with Mafia methods.
The man, who was captured in a town near the northern city of Treviso, is considered part of a gang handling drugs deals between Belgium and Italy that is linked to the Laudani Mafia clan from the Sicilian city of Catania.
Ah, no more wine-flavored Gatorade, "'fanculo!" Sharing jogging tips with other organized criminal members can be gratifying after you have experienced it. So, let the spirit of life on the run spread:1) Before getting started with jogging, consulting your clan boss is important if the massive earnings from your drug trafficking could be compromised…and if you're overweight.2) Even though the drugs you sell could kill, it's essential to give up smoking which, in any case, is detrimental to cardiovascular fitness.3) Loosen up first. The perfect method is to swill a full glass of homemade wine. If the urge to jog persists, double the loosening exercise.4) Choose an unspotted place to jog like the basement or the North Pole.5) Leave the iPod and carry a police scanner along. The whereabouts of legal forces helps relax the mind.6) Check your resting pulse. If you can't find your pulse, check the pulse of one you routinely extort from. Do not press too hard on his neck, as it can stimulate a reflex mechanism like peeing in your pants.7) If you are using jogging equipment like a treadmill, do NOT keep it near an open window where there is a clear shot of your head.