3/06/2009, Gnocchi alla Ricotta e Salame al Cioccolato

Hope you all had a good time and enjoyed making Gnocchi.
Here are the pics and rececipes from Wednesday. Ciao!





















Gnocchi di Ricotta


Ingredients for 2 People

• 250 gr Ricotta
• 2 Tbsp fine Grate Parmesan
• 5 spoons of Flour
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp of Butter and a few leafs of Sage (for the sauce)


Directions

1. Mix the Ricotta cheese with one raw egg, parmesan and salt (use a spoon to mix)
2. Stir in the flour gently using a colander or strainer.
3. Place flour on the board and then take a spoon of the mix and place it on the board using the finger to help you.
4. Roll it into a stripe and cut it in small pieces. Repeat 3 and 4 until all the mix has been used.
5. Melt the butter with the sage in a small pan (do not burn)
6. Boil the gnocchi in water with salt and when they come to the surface strain them and serve with sauce and some parmesan on top.

13/05/2009, Spaghetti alle Vongole and Chocolate Pudding

Here are the pictures from the other night followed by my recipe for Spaghetti alle Vongole and Chocolate Pudding. Buon Appetito a tutti! Thank you all for coming along.

















Spaghetti alle Vongole


Ingredients for 2 people

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 400g clams
• 1 Tbs finely chopped parsley
• Small pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt
• 1/3 cup of dry white wine
• 300g of Spaghetti or Linguini


Directions

1. Sauté the garlic in oil in a large skillet, over a medium-high heat until the garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes. Do not let the garlic brown.
2. Slowly stir the clams. Cover and cook over low heat 4 minutes.
3. Add white wine. Stir occasionally, until the alcohol evaporates. (The steam will no longer tickle your nose.)
4. Remove from the heat once most of the Vongole have opened up
5. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1 tbs of salt, and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring until the strands are submerged. If you have a smaller pot, you can use less than 4 quarts of water, but you must constantly stir the spaghetti for one minute.
6. When the pasta is molto al dente (about 1 minute away from being al dente), drain.
7. Return the skillet with the clams to a medium heat and add the drained pasta so that it finishes cooking in the skillet. Cook until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid in the skillet is evaporated.
8. Add some more oil and parsley to garnish



Budino al Cioccolato


Ingredients for 6 people

• 3 eggs (yoke only)
• 3/4 table spoon of sugar
• 75g of butter
• 4 spoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup of Rhum or Marsala
• 100g of dry Buiscuits
• Finely chopped walnuts or Amaretti (optional)


DIRECTIONS

Combine egg yolks and sugar. Whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
Add cocoa and butter partially melted. Beat until combined.
Add the crumbled biscuits and transfer the mixture into a metal foil.
Use hands to shape a ‘salame’ and wrap with the metal foil.
Put in the freezer for about one hour.

04/04/2009, Asparagus Risotto and Tiramisu

Hope you all had a good time and enjoyed cooking the Risotto.
Here are the pics and rececipes from Saturday. Ciao!



























Asparagus Risotto

INGREDIENTS for 4 persons

• 1 and half liter of broth,
• 5 tablespoons olive oil,
• 1 clove of garlic sliced.
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 10 chopped asparagus
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1.Boil the asparagus for about 5 minutes.
2.Drain the asparagus (keep the water as it will be used as broth later on) and in a new pan stir fry them for about 6-8 minutes, with some oil and garlic. Once done then set aside.
3.In a new pan add 2-3 tablespoon olive oil and stir in the onion. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, for about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
4.Stir in asparagus and cook for another 6-8 minutes or when ‘al dente’.
5.Add parmesan, butter and pepper to taste before you serve.

Tiramisu'

INGREDIENTS for 5-6 persons

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 table spoons of white sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 egg whites (“snow” whipped)
• 500g mascarpone cheese
• 2 packages ladyfingers
• 2 espressos + ¼ cup of “Amaretto di Saronno” liqueur
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

DIRECTIONS
1.Combine egg yolks and sugar. Whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
2.Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip the whites with a pinch of salt. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
3.Dip the lady fingers biscuits in the coffee and liqueur mixture and lay them in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat ladyfingers, and filling layers. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Garnish with cocoa powder only when ready to serve.