Archives for November 2013

Symbols of Plenty – Symbols of Tears

November 21, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 10 Comments

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The Thanksgiving table is exquisitely symbolic. Aside from pumpkin, and of course turkey, which clearly represent bounty, some other harvest symbols are fraught with ambiguities – and not only in American culture.

Read about them in my latest column for the Jewish Week:

Filed Under: Comfort food, Main Dish, Meat, Rosh Hashana, Thanksgiving Tagged With: alessandra rovati, comfort food, corn, cuisine, dinnerinvenice, Italian food, jewish italian recipes, kosher, meatloaf, symbols, Thanksgiving, Thanksgivukkah, turkey

Venetian Thanksgivukkah Fritters

November 19, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 17 Comments

With all the hype about Thanksgivukkah this year, I also received a challenge to post something that would be perfect for both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah – and it had to be made with some type of mashed food. I normally panic when I get this kind of requests, but this time it was really brainless. These pumpkin fritters are one of my favorite recipes, and always a huge hit with guests.

Venetian Thanksgivukkah Fritters

Ingredients

1 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, cleaned and diced small
2 eggs
grated zest of 2 oranges
¾ cup of sugar and a pinch of salt
1 and ½ cups flour
scarce tbsp baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon, if liked
1/3 cup Raisins or Sultanas
1/3 cup grappa or rhum
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup candied citron or lemon (optional), finely chopped
Rice bran oil, peanut oil or vegetable oil for deep-frying, at least 3 cups or more
Confectioner’s sugar for decorating

Directions

Plump the raisins in the liqueur.

Place the diced squash in a large platter and cover almost completely, leaving a small opening for the steam to come out, and microwave on high for 10 minutes or until very tender (or bake covered for 40 mins in the oven).

Beat the eggs in a food processor with the sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange zest; add the cooked squash and process until smooth.

Drain and pat dry the raisins, and add them to the mix.

Transfer to a large bowl and gradually add the flour (sifted with the baking powder), using an electric or manual whisk.

In a frying pan, heat the oil to frying temperature (you can test it by dropping a small piece of bread in the oil: if bubbles form around the bread, the temperature is right).

Take the batter with a tablespoon, filling it to about ½, and push the batter into the oil with your index finger or a second spoon.

Fry in small batches until golden all over, turning to cook evenly.

Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a platter lined with several layers of paper towel.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/11/19/venetian-thanksgivukkah-fritters/

Filed Under: Comfort food, Desserts, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving Tagged With: butternut squash, Chanukkah, cucina ebraica, fried treat, Hanukkah, Italian, Italian recipe, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, Jewish Italian recipe, pumpkin, Thanksgiving, Thanksgivukkah, Venice

Butternut Squash and Zucchini Frittata

November 6, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 20 Comments

This month my article in Joy of Kosher magazine reveals the secrets of cooking with cast iron, and carbon steel:

Cast iron is one of my favorites because it lasts forever (unless you drop it, in which case it will break – along with your foot).

Butternut Squash and Zucchini Frittata with Pink Peppercorns

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

17 minutes

serves 4

Ingredients

About 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
5 eggs
1 large slice butternut squash or pumpkin
1 zucchini
salt
½ tsp pink peppercorns
1 tsp fresh oregano
2-3 tbsp milk (optional
1-2 tbsp parmigiano cheese (optional)

Directions

Roast the slice of butternut squash wrapped in foil, in a 350 F oven for about 20-30 minutes or until soft but not mushy (you can also use leftover cooked squash). Allow to cool, cut into thinner slices and sprinkle with little salt.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy cast-iron skillet , add the garlic and the thinly sliced zucchini. Cook for about 5 minutes and discard the garlic.

??In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, salt and cheese if using. Pour into the skillet, add the slices of pumpkin (or butternut squash), sprinkle with the peppercorn t and transfer the skillet into the preheated oven. half way through the cooking, tp with the fresh oregano if using.

Cook for about 6-7 minutes (more if doubling the amounts), or until the eggs are set and the frittata is golden and just slightly browned. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/11/06/butternut-squash-and-zucchini-frittata-with-pink-peppercorns/

It also has a way of enhancing rustic flavors, and it’s perfect for eggs!

Filed Under: Appetizer, Comfort food, Dairy, Gluten Free, Quick/Easy, Vegetarian Tagged With: alessandra rovati, appetizer, butternut squash, cast iron, eggs, Fall, frittata, how to, Italian cooking expert, Italian food

Bittersweet Manicotti with Moscato Wine Sauce

November 1, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 12 Comments

This October my column in the Jewish Week featured a recipe for butternut squash manicotti with goat cheese and pumpkin. But there are so many versions of these, that I couldn’t resist posting one more! After all, for the past few weeks, I’ve been in a pumpkin frenzy. This time, I also added red radicchio, and a touch of Moscato wine. The result is slightly bitter, slightly sweet; buttery, creamy, and totally worth the splurge.

Bittersweet manicotti with Moscato Wine Sauce

Ingredients

12 lasagna rectangles
1 head radicchio (or just over 1/2 lb)
about 2 1/2 cups peeled cubed pumpkin (just over 1/2 lb)
1 cup whole milk ricotta (just over 1/2 lb)
1 scallion
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup moscato wine
3/4 cup clear (no tomato) vegetable broth
1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
2 to 3 tbsp slivered almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Chop the radicchio coarsely and cut the pumpkin (or butternut squash) into small cubes.

Heat 1/2 the butter in a skillet and add the minced scallion. Cook on medium/low for 3 minutes. Add The pumpkin and radicchio and cook on medium/high for 10 minutes, stirring often. Allow to cool and combine with the ricotta, salt and pepper.

In a saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar; add the flour, then gradually the wine and broth until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and cook in a bain marie (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Double-Boiler-(Bain-Marie) ) over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it thickens; at the end, add the remaining butter to the sauce. Keep warm.

In he meantime, cook the lasagnas according to instructions in a large pot of salted water.

Drain them with a slotted spoon, place them on paper towel (blot them dry on both sides. Spread one side with the ricotta/vegetable cream, leaving 1/2 " margins, and then roll the pasta up on itself into cylinders.

Arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment, brush them with little melted butter, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for about 15 minutes at 350F in a pre-heated oven. Serve warm, topped with the Moscato sauce and the slivered almonds. You can serve some parmigiano or grana for those who prefer to add some grated cheese on top.

*** if the semi-sweet egg sauce is not your thing, you can top the manicotti with a bechamel sauce or simply some melted butter and grated cheese.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/11/01/bittersweet-manicotti-with-moscato/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Comfort food, Dairy, First course, Pasta and Rice, Thanksgiving Tagged With: appetizer, cucina ebraica, dairy, delicious pasta, First course, Italian food expert, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, lasagna, manicotti, Northern Italian food, pasta, pumpkin, radicchio

Archives for November 2013

Symbols of Plenty – Symbols of Tears

Venetian Thanksgivukkah Fritters

Butternut Squash and Zucchini Frittata

Bittersweet Manicotti with Moscato Wine Sauce

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Archives for November 2013

Symbols of Plenty – Symbols of Tears

Venetian Thanksgivukkah Fritters

Butternut Squash and Zucchini Frittata

Bittersweet Manicotti with Moscato Wine Sauce

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Search recipes

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