First course Archives - Dinner in Venice

Bittersweet Manicotti with Moscato Wine Sauce

November 1, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 12 Comments

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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

Crespelle with Asparagus

February 18, 2013 By dinnerinvenice 14 Comments

This post is very special: it’s a virtual wedding surprise for a young and talented food blogger, Ali (check out her yummy recipes on AliBabka), who just tied the knot with her lucky and well-fed Matan yesterday.

A Jewish wedding is not complete without 7 special blessings over the couple (Sheva Brachot). At the ceremony, they are recited by friends and family members first under the chuppa (wedding canopy) before the breaking of the glass, and then again after the meal.

Among more traditional Jews, the Sheva Berachot are recited again for the whole week following the wedding, at festive meals that friends and family of the couple take turns throwing in their honor every night. While it’s impossible not to pack on a couple of extra pounds, and the honeymoon needs to be postponed, many Jewish couples remember the week of Sheva Berachot with more affection than the wedding itself, simply because it’s so nice to be cared for and pampered by the ones we love!

In this spirit, a group of kosher bloggers is throwing a virtual Sheva Berachot for Ali and Matan. Shhhhhh! It’s a big surprise. Each one of us is posting a favorite food as a blessing for a delicious life together.

Crespelle with Asparagus

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 hour

4 to 6 servings

calories: ignorance is Bliss

Ingredients

For the Crepes:
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 scant cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 lb fresh asparagus
1 lb fresh ricotta
freshly grated Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese, to taste
2 medium eggs
Pinch of salt
For the Bechamel sauce (if using) :
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup (4 oz) flour
6 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2-3 tablespoons grated parmigiano or grana cheese (or more, to taste)

Directions

Place all ingredients for the crespelle in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Allow to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes (in the meantime you can make the filling). Heat a nonstick pan brushed with butter or oil and pour 1 large tablespoon of mixture into the pan. Spread it and cook each crepe (turning it with the help of a large lid or platter) on both sides. Use up all the batter and set the crespelle aside.

Wash, clean, and steam or boil the asparagus, discarding the harder bottom part. Chop.

In a bowl, comine the ricotta with the grated cheese, eggs, asparagus, salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Blend and set aside.

Prepare the béchamel sauce: melt the butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Add the flour, whisking continuously to prevent clumps. Cook on low heat until the flour disappears into the butter, without letting the butter turn brow. Start adding warm (not hot!) milk to the mix, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring the sauce to a simmer, add salt and pepper and keep whisking almost constantly for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. If you still ended up with some lumps, strain through a sieve. Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Combine 1/3 of the béchamel sauce with the ricotta mixture, and use this mix to fill the crepes, which you will roll up manicotti-style.

Lightly grease a baking pan or casserole. Arrange the filled crespelle in the dish, top with more béchamel sauce and freshly grated cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/02/18/crespelle-with-asparagus/

Filed Under: Comfort food, Dairy, First course, Pasta and Rice Tagged With: appetizer, Asparagus, bechamel, crepes, crespelle, dairy, First course, Italian recipe, ricotta

Bread and Spinach Dumplings – Strangolapreti

December 1, 2012 By dinnerinvenice 3 Comments

In contrast with today’s rampant carb-phobia, bread was considered for many centuries the most sacred of foods. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, bread was always a symbol of God’s generosity toward mankind and of the fecundity of the earth- it’s still the center of countless religious rituals, not to mention superstitions and everyday idioms.

As a consequence, in many cultures there was always a stigma associated with wasting it or throwing it out, not only among the poor, but even in wealthier households; which is how bread became the main protagonist of the history of sustainable cooking.

Growing up in Italy, I learned how to store bread in paper bags so it wouldn’t become moldy. Rather, it dried out: after a couple of days it could be soaked in water, milk or broth and turn into thick soups or bread cakes, or add fluffiness to meatballs. If we waited a bit longer, we would simply grate it into crumbs. Each region has its traditional recipes, but it was during my vacations in the Italian Alps that I discovered what became my personal favorite.

In northeastern Italy, mountains and glaciers soar to almost 13,000 feet, contributing to a panorama so majestic that some say it makes you feel closer to God. My dad loved rock-climbing, and ever since I was a little girl, he would take me along for his more leisurely hikes. This was our special time together, while my mom would wait for us down in the chalet because she suffers from vertigo! That would give her plenty of time to experiment with the local cuisine, which she learned from the local women, in particular the phenomenal Nonna Plava, an old lady who used to run a small hotel with her son and daughter-in-law, and loved sharing her recipes. One of the best is the Strangolapreti, gnocchi-size stale bread and greens dumplings that are served with melted butter and cheese.

In the Italian Alps, especially in the Trentino region, you can find many different versions of dumplings made from stale bread; the most famous are canderli (similar to knoedels, and to matzah balls), and strangolapreti. This curious name, which literally means “priest-stranglers” (!) is also used to describe different types of pasta and dumplings in other regions. When I was little, I thought that the recipe must have been invented by some anti-clerical, communist grandmother!

I later learned that after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) prohibited the consumption of meat on Fridays, this became one of the traditional dishes for that day, and the legend goes that the clergy enjoyed it so much that they almost choked on it. Who could blame them? These dumplings are simply addictive, and I’ve risked the same fate more than once.

The most important thing to remember when making them (as with potato gnocchi) is to keep a light hand with the flour, and add it only a little at a time; if you add too much, rather than with priest-stranglers, you’ll end up with weapons.

Ingredients

1 lb Swiss chard or fresh spinach, hard stems removed
8 ounces stale bread, coarsely chopped in the food processor
1 ½ cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 to 6 tbsp white flour
2 pinches grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt, or to taste
black pepper to taste
4 to 6 tablespoons butter, or to taste
a few fresh sage leaves

Instructions

Place the bread in bowl, cover with the milk, and mix.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and the greens, and blanch for about 3 minutes. Drain, and dip in ice water to preserve the green color. Drain and squeeze well trough a colander and chop finely.

Squeeze any excess milk out of the bread; combine with the greens, eggs, flour and nutmeg until the mixture holds; if necessary, add more breadcrumbs rather than flour, but the mixture should be very wet. On a floured surface, divide the dough into 5 pieces. Dust your hands with flour, and roll the pieces into 1/2 inch thick logs. Cut the logs into 1-inch lengths, and place the dumplings onto a floured pan or parchment..

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add salt, and cook the dumplings in batches without overcrowding them. They are ready when they rise to the surface; remove them with a slotted spoon, and place on a sheet pan (in a single layer).

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat, toss the dumplings, and serve, garnishing with the whole sage leaves. Drizzle with remaining butter and top with little black pepper and abundant grated cheese.

Filed Under: Appetizer, Comfort food, Dairy, First course, Pasta and Rice, Vegetarian Tagged With: Alps, appetizer, authentic, bread, cuisine, dairy, dumplings, First course, food, Italian, kosher, Northern-italian, recipe, regional, sustainable, Trentino, Vegetarian

Orzotto: Barley “Risotto”

October 11, 2012 By dinnerinvenice 8 Comments

Last fall I gave a demo on healthful and elegant Italian cuisine at the JCC Manhattan during their Fitness for Everybody Fair. One of the ingredients I presented was barley, a grain with many beneficial properties. Unlike wheat, it contains a high amount of soluble fibers (betaglucans), which have a positive effect on cholesterol and provide an immediate sense of satiety – something that will be appreciated by those of you who are trying to keep their weight in check. It’s full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and has been shown to help liver and kidney function. What’s not to like? This way of cooking barley, with the same technique that Italians apply to rice in risottos, is typical of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in the North-East, and I tried it in dozens of variations when I was a student in Trieste.

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 or 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 a large onion, finely chopped
1½ cups pearl barley
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
6 cups hot vegetable stock or as needed
1 cup total diced vegetables (you can use 3 or 4 of your favorites, such as carrots, peppers, asparagus, zucchini, green peas, corn…)
about ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano or Grana cheese (optional, for a dairy version)
salt and pepper

Directions
Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed or non-stick pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and sauté until translucent, adding a tablespoon of water if it starts sticking to the bottom. Add any of the vegetables that require a longer cooking time, such as carrots, peppers or potatoes, and cook stirring for 4 minutes. Add the barley, and cook for 2 minutes on higher heat, stirring . Add the wine, and allow it to evaporate. Season with salt and pepper, and begin adding the hot stock ione or two ladlefuls at a time, stirring frequently, and adding more stock as soon as the liquid is absorbed. After about 10-15 minutes add the diced zucchini and/or asparagus (or any quick-cooking vegetables) and keep cooking, stirring and adding hot stock, until al dente, about 30-35 minutes. It should be creamy and not too thick: add enough liquid. When cooked, remove from the heat, season with more salt and pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of your best extra-virgin olive oil. If you are eating dairy, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of freshly grated parmigiano or grand cheese, and serve immediately.
(At the JCC I made this dish with onions and fennel, added at the start, and an exotic touch of saffron)

Filed Under: Appetizer, Dairy, First course, Non-Dairy, Pasta and Rice, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, barley, cooking light, dairy or parve, First course, healthy Italian recipe, Italian food, orzotto, Risotto, vegan, Vegetarian, world vegan day

Bucatini Pasta in Cheese sauce with Hazelnuts and Thyme

September 29, 2012 By dinnerinvenice 1 Comment

Ingredients (serves 4)

3/4 pounds bucatini* pasta
8 ounces of a sharp, creamy cheese that melts well (Italian Fontina/Fontal, or Brie or Camembert)
4 small leeks
2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk (or less)
1/2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
f1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced thyme
salt and pepper to taste

*(Bucatini are very thick spaghetti with a hole in the middle. Most major Italian brands make them, but if you can’t find them you can substitute linguine)

Clean the leeks, discarding the green and harder parts, and slice them thinly. Heat the oil or butter in a skillet, add the leeks and cook until soft. In the meantime, toast the hazelnuts in the oven for a few minutes, and grind them coarsely.
Place the cheese in a heavy or non-stick skillet with the milk and cream, and allow it to melt, stirring frequently. Remove the skillet from the heat, and combine the cream/cheese mix with the cooked leeks and the ground hazelnuts.
Cook the pasta ‘al dente’ (for instructions, check my article here) and drain it, setting aside a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and a little cooking water; sprinkle with pepper, decorate with thyme and serve hot.

** If you are watching your diet, you can play with the proportions of milk and cream (or just skip to one of my vegetable-based pasta sauces

Filed Under: Comfort food, Dairy, First course, Pasta and Rice Tagged With: appetizer, Cheese, dairy, First course, Italian, Pasta and Rice, Sauce

Buricche

February 6, 2012 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Buricche

Ingredients

Pastry:
1 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or as needed)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Directions

1 - FISH BUREKAS (Parve)

chop 1/2 pound cooked leftover fish (or cook 3/4 lbs. white fish fillets in some extra-virgin olive oil and garlic till opaque, and salt); add 4 chopped anchovies (oil- or salt-packed, and rinsed) 1 large egg yolk, a touch of nutmeg and a tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley, pepper to taste and more salt if necessary. You can add a small amount of breadcrumbs, only if the mixture is too soft and doesn't hold together. If too dry, add another 1/2 egg yolk.

Fill the discs of pastry with this mixture, fold them, seal them, and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

2 - MEAT BUREKAS

cook 3/4 lbs of ground beef or lamb in olive oil with 1 small chopped onion (cook the onion first until soft before adding the beef). With the beef, add salt, pepper, 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, a clove of garlic. When cooked, discard the garlic and let cool. If you like, you can add 1/4 a cup of pine nuts and 1/4 cup of raisins (soak the raisins in hot water or brandy for 30 minutes and drain before using). Add a beaten egg, and if necessary some bread crumbs and more salt. Stuff the burekas with this mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F.

3 - VEGETARIAN

cook 1 chopped onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1 lb chopped eggplant (previously salted and drained in a colander for an hour, rinsed, and patted dry), 1/2 lb of peeled and diced tomatoes, well drained (canned are fine), salt and pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon of freshly minced parsley. Cook until the vegetables are so soft that they fall apart. Break down further with a fork or use your mixer.

Let it cool and add some bread crumbs if the mixture is too liquid. Fill the burekas and bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes (if making a dairy meal, you can add 4 tablespoons of grated parmigiano to the filling).

TO MAKE THE PASTRY:

In a large bowl, combine the oil, warm water, salt, and gradually the flour (you will likely need between 5 and 6 cups to end up with a workable dough).

The dough should be elastic. Knead well, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece at a time, as thin as possible, and cut out rounds with a 3" cookie cutter or cup.

Place 1 tablespoon of filling on each round, fold into a half-moon and pinch the edges to seal. Place the rounds on a greased baking sheet lined with parchment paper; brush with the egg yolk, beaten with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.

Bake at 350 F in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes or till golden.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2012/02/06/buricche/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Light and Healthy, Meat, Non-Dairy, Purim, Quick/Easy, Side Dish Tagged With: appetizer, burekas, cucina ebraica, First course, fish, Italian, jewish italian, kosher, Meat, Non-Dairy, quick/easy, Vegetarian

Caponata

August 30, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Caponata

Ingredients

(serves 4)
2 Italian or Japanese eggplants
2 peppers
2 onions celery sticks
1 cup black olives
2 tbsps capers
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup raisins or currants, plumped in warm water
3 tbsps white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Dice the eggplants, salt them and drain them for 30 minutes in a colander to eliminate their bitter juice.

Rinse and pat dry.

Sprinkle with flour and deep-fry in olive oil in a skillet until golden on both sides.

Drain and set aside.

Discard most of the olive oil from the pan, leaving only about 4 tablespoons, add the diced onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables (all diced), the fried eggplant, salt and pepper to taste, the olives, capers and pine nuts, the vinegar and sugar, and cook until soft (20 to 30 minutes).

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature as an appetizer or side.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/08/30/caponata/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Jewish Italian Cuisine, Light/Diet, Non-Dairy, Quick/Easy, Rosh Hashana, Shabbat, Side Dish, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, black olives, caponata, cucina ebraica, Eggplant, First course, Italian, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, kosher Italian, Non-Dairy, parve, quick/easy, Sicily, vegetables

Spinach and Blueberry Salad

July 4, 2011 By dinnerinvenice 1 Comment

Spinach and Blueberry Salad

Ingredients

1/2 pound baby spinach
2/3 cup blueberries
5 ounces hard cheese (Montasio or Asiago; or a local artisanal kosher cheese)
1/3 cup shelled walnuts
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Serves 4

Wash and dry the spinach.

Place the spinach in a bowl and add the blackberries, the coarsely ground walnuts, and the cheese (sliced thin and then and then cut into small pieces. If using a harder cheese, you can also shave it).

In a small bowl, make the dressing: combine the honey with the mustard, add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and whisk together.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/07/04/spinach-and-blueberry-salad/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Light/Diet, salad, Side Dish, Special Diet Tagged With: appetizer, blueberry, First course, healthy, light, salad, Side dish, special diet, spinach

Tartines with Blue Cheese and Red Grapes

May 22, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Tartines with Blue Cheese and Red Grapes

Italian Jews have always enjoyed a wide variety of cheeses, both as a simple accompaniment to bread, and as an ingredient in our recipes. Ashkenazi Jews, on the other hand, historically had access to only a couple of kinds of the soft variety, and never developed a cuisine around them – or a real taste for them. In recent years, however, the kosher marketplace in Israel and (to a lesser degree) in the US has expanded to include an ever-increasing range of options.

The newer generations, in particular, have even learned how to appreciate more complex flavors. In this context, a reader emailed me last week to ask how she could serve blue cheese to her friends at a casual Golden Globes get-together, and the quick, easy recipe below (learned from a friend in Modena, who makes it with Gorgonzola) would be perfect for that type of party.
It also gives me the chance to chat about cheese pairings, which are a lot of fun because the possibilities are almost endless. Depending on their texture and flavor, cheeses can be accompanied by fresh fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, herbs, fruit preserves and compotes, and honey. Fruit and cheese, in particular, are a match made in heaven, because they highlight each other’s characteristics: the juiciness and fresh fragrance of fruit complements the creaminess and deep flavor of cheese, and vice versa.

Obviously, this perfect balance derives from the essence of these two foods – one, fat-free and sugar-based; the other, virtually sugar-free and full of fat, sort of a culinary Yin/Yang.
Some ideas of pairings with not-too-hard-to-find cheeses:
– Soft, creamy cheeses with strong, sharp flavor (like Brie, Camembert) with canteloupe or grapes;
– Soft, fresh cheese with bland, milky flavor (Cottage, Mozzarella): fresh tomatoes or oranges;
– Medium-hard and medium-strength (Asiago, Gouda, Edam, Cheddar): pears, apples, berries;
– Hard, strong (Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano, Cheddar): pears, red grapes, dried fruit, honey, preserves, fruit chutneys.
And now…..

Tartines with Blue Cheese and Red Grapes

Ingredients

8 to 12 slices of crunchy bread, depending on the size (pugliese, Ciabatta or Baguette)
½ pound blue cheese
1 ½ tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a small cluster of pale red grapes

Directions

Remove the crust from the bread slices (optional) and toast them in the oven or on a grill until crunchy.

In the meantime, cut the blue cheese into small pieces and mash it with a fork. It works perfectly on its own if it’s creamy. If it’s drier and crumbly, you can add a couple of tablespoons of greek yogurt or ricotta to it.

Spread the toasted slices with the blue cheese, and decorate with the sliced grapes.

Blend the mustard with the honey and drizzle over the top; end with a touch of black pepper.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/05/22/tartines-with-blue-cheese-and-red-grapes/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Dairy, Quick/Easy Tagged With: appetizer, blue cheese, Cheese, cucina ebraica, dairy, First course, grapes, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, kosher Italian, quick/easy, tartines

Stuffed and Fried Zucchini Flowers

March 30, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Stuffed Fried Zucchini Flowers (Dairy)

Stuffed and Fried Zucchini Flowers (Dairy)

Ingredients

12 zucchini flowers
1/2 cup of COLD dry white wine (120ml)
1 large Italian mozzarella ball, cut into strips
3 tablespoons parmigiano cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup pastry flour (best) or all-purpose flour
extra virgin olive oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Check inside the flowers for bugs and shake them out.

Wash the flowers very carefully or they will break.

Dry well with paper towel without rubbing. leave for a few minutes on paper towel so the inside will dry out as well.

Stuff each flower with a strip of mozzarella. If you eat fish with dairy (**many Jews of Sephardic and Italian origins do not) add an anchovy fillet.

If you don't, salt the mozzarella and add a touch of parmigiano cheese and maybe nutmeg.

For the batter, mix eggs, all purpose flour and wine together until smooth and even (a whisk works best).

Heat up the extra virgin olive oil in a deep pot, at least 3" deep, until hot; test it by throwing a small piece of bread in it - lots of small bubbles should form around it, but it should not burn.

Gently coat the stuffed flowers with batter.

Fry until golden brown. Place on several layers of paper towel to absorb the excess oil and immediately season with salt.

The flowers can also be fried in the same batter without stuffing, sprinkled with sugar and served as a dessert (a delightful idea for Purim and Hanukkah!)

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/03/30/stuffed-and-fried-zucchini-flowers-dairy/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Comfort food, Dairy, Side Dish, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, cucina ebraica, cuisine, dairy, easy, First course, Fried, kosher Italian, mozzarella, quick, quick & easy Italian, stuffed, zucchini

Marinated Zucchini

March 13, 2011 By dinnerinvenice 7 Comments

Marinated Zucchini

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh, small and firm organic zucchini
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsps white wine vinegar
2 lemons
1 tsp sugar
1 pinch red pepper flakes, or 2 chili peppers, cut into 3-4 pieces
2 garlic cloves
4 tsps coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
4 tsps coarsely chopped fresh parsley or mint leaves
salt and pepper

Directions

Using a mandoline or your food processor disc to make them even, cut the zucchini lengthwise into slices ¼-inch thick.

Place the slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and place at the bottom of your sink to drain for 1 hour.

Drain, rinse, and dry with paper towel. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and and the chili.

Place the zucchini slices flat in the jar, a few at a time, pouring some of the marinade, garlic slices, basil and mint between each layer.

Cover and marinate for at least 12 hours before serving.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/03/13/marinated-zucchini/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Quick/Easy, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, basil, easy, First course, garlic, Italian, jewish italian, kosher, marinate, quick, quick & easy Italian, zucchini

Fava Bean Soup with Peas and Arugola

February 28, 2011 By dinnerinvenice Leave a Comment

Fava Bean Soup with Peas and Arugola

Fava beans , also known as known broad beans, have been part of the human diet from time immemorial. They were probably one of the staples in ancient Israel, since they are mentioned more than once in the Mishnah. Archaeologists even found charred samples in Israel near Nazareth, dating back to 4900 BCE! They were also cultivated in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, and remained for a long time the only bean available in Europe – until other types were brought from the Americas in the 1500’s.
In Central and Southern Italy, fava beans announce the warm season, and people wait excitedly for their arrival at the local markets. When purchased fresh, the beans need to be removed from their pods, blanched, and then popped out of their skins, which is something I look forward to doing while watching the latest Mad Men episode. If you are not so patient, you can skip all these steps by buying them frozen. I never ate fava beans at home in Venice, they were always a treat that I enjoyed when visiting my grandmother in Tuscany: she gave them to me right out of the shell and dipped in olive oil, accompanied by a slice of fresh Pecorino cheese – a match made in heaven! In the winter, Nonna would also make a puree from dried fava beans with escarole, which she served with simple Tuscan bread.

Fava Bean Soup with Peas and Arugola

Ingredients

(serves 4)
12 oz peas (fresh or frozen)
12 oz fava beans (fresh or frozen)
1 packed cup arugola
1 qt vegetable stock
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 red onions
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mince one onion.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pot and cook the onion in it for 2 minutes.

Add the peas and fava beans and the chopped arugola.

Cook for 2 more minutes, add the stock and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the second onion into thin slices and sauté' them in the remaining oil until slightly crunchy. Serve the soup hot, drizzle with more oil to taste, and decorate with the sautéed onion and some fresh arugola.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/02/28/fava-bean-soup-with-peas-and-arugola/

Filed Under: First course, Non-Dairy, Soup Tagged With: arugola, Bean, cucina ebraica, fava bean, First course, Jewish Italian Cuisine1, kosher Italian, Non-Dairy, peas, quick/easy, soup

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