Risotto Giuseppe Verdi

The dish was created by the French chef Henry-Paul Pellaprat (1869-1952) and dedicated to the Maestro.

Ingredients

• ¾ lb Carnaroli rice 
• 2 oz butter
• 3 oz mushrooms
• 3 oz asparagus tips
• 3 oz Prosciutto di Parma
• 3 oz canned tomatoes
• 3 ½ tablespoons light cream
• 4 cups meat broth
• 80 grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to taste
• ½ onion, thinly sliced

 Directions

 

25 minutes preparation + 16 minutes cooking

Clean and finely mince the onion.
Clean and thinly slice the mushrooms.
Clean and blanch the asparagus in salted water: cool them in water and ice.
Finely mince the Prosciutto.
Blanch the tomatoes, peel, seed and cut them into cubes.
In a pot melt ¼ of the butter, add the onion and slowly cook it until soft and golden.
Add the rice and toast it for about 1 minutes.
Add the stock, 1 ladle at the time, waiting until has been absorbed before adding the next one.
After 8/10 minutes add mushrooms, Prosciutto, asparagus and tomatoes.
Stir well, cook fopr another 2 minutes and add the cream.
When the rice is “al dente” (about 18 minutes) add butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir well and cover with a lid. Let it rest for 2 minutes and serve.

Buon Appetito!

Tiramisù

Tiramisù is one of the most famous dessert in the world.

Ingredients

-1lb of Mascarpone cheese
-1 cup of sugar
-6 eggs (yolks and whites will be used separete)
-1 box of ladyfingers cookies
-1/4 cup of heavy cream
-2 tablespoons kirschwasser (if you want it bit stronger taste you could use more up to 4)
-1 1/2 cups of strong brewed coffee
-1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 

Directions

First beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar. Next mix the cheese, cream, kirschwasser and beaten egg whites. Make sure to stir it until the mixture become smooth.

 In the other bowl put remaining 2/3 cup sugar add in coffee dissolve sugar and wait until gets cold. Then dip the ladyfingers in cold sweetened coffe. Place ladyfingers in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish and pour a layer of cheese mixture over the ladyfingers. Repeat layers, ending with cheese mixture.

 Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Once ready to serve sprinkle with cocoa. 

Buon Appetito!

Cannelloni

A hearty and satisfying italian pasta dish.

Ingredients
(4 pers.)

 

For pasta 

-7 oz all-purpose flour 

-2 eggs

 

For filling 

-10 oz ground beef 

-1 carrot 

-1 onion, small 

-1 stalk celery 

-1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 

-2 oz ham 

-½ oz white truffle

-1 oz dried porcini mushrooms 

-4 tomatoes 

-½ cup dry white wine 

-1 oz all-purpose flour 

-nutmeg to taste

 

Sauce

-3 oz butter 

-½ cup meat sauce

-3 ½ oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

-salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

1 hour and 30 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking

To begin, place the dried mushrooms in a bowl of warm water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Then, pour the flour out onto a flat work surface and shape it into a well. Add the eggs to the center and incorporate the flour into the eggs by hand. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Work the dough until it is smooth and even, then let it rest for 20 minutes covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.  
Use a rolling pin or pasta machine to roll out the dough into very thin sheets. Cut out about 30, 4-inch squares. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 or 3 pasta squares at a time and cook for about 30 seconds. 
Once the squares have been cooked, remove them from the water and place them on a damp cloth to cool. Repeat with all the squares. Then, peel and finely chop the carrot, onion and celery. Place a pan over medium heat, add ¾ oz of butter to the pan and, once the butter has melted, add the chopped vegetables and chopped parsley. Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Next add the ground meat to the pan. Stir and let brown for a couple of minutes, then add chopped prosciutto crudo, a dusting of finely sliced white truffle, and previously-soaked mushrooms. Finish with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. 
Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the wine and cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir the sauce while adding the flour. Also add chopped tomatoes and one or two tbsp of meat sauce. Cook for over medium heat for an additional 40 minutes. Once the sauce is fairly dense, remove it from the heat and spread it across a baking dish to cool. Place a tbsp. of sauce in the center of each pasta square. Roll the squares to make the cannelloni. 
Place the cannelloni in a single layer in a baking dish that is either greased with butter or lined with parchment paper. Cover the cannelloni with the remaining sauce, a dusting of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and small pieces of butter. 
Bake the cannelloni in a 350°F for about 20 minutes or until they are nicely browned on the top.
Serve hot.

Buon Appetito!

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

The most famous legend about steak and the origin of the name of the dish comes from the beginning of the 16th century. The term bistecca was created in Florence on Saint Lorenzo’s day. Traditionally, the city celebrates the day by lighting large torches and eating large quantities of veal served free along the streets. Two English ambassadors happened to be in Florence during the occasion and began dancing, singing and eating with the locals. Apparently they shouted “beef steak, beef steak”, asking for more meat. According the legend, some Florentines had made friends with the Englishmen and began imitating them when they heard their shouts, responding “bistecca, bistecca” – giving birth to the name of this famous cut of meat.
Succulent and flavorful when cooked on the grill, the Fiorentina is  Italy's most famous steak.


Ingredients 
-2 T-bone steaks, of at least 2.2/2.6 pounds 
-salt to taste

Directions
The club steak must be at least one and a half inches thick and have its fillet. Put it onto a barbecue with live coals but no flame.
Grill for 6/7 minutes then turn the steak and cook the other side for the same amount of time, then turn it again, season with salt and serve.
Do not add oil or lemon juice.

Buon Appetito!

Costolette di Vitello alla Fontina

This meat dish has an intense flavor, typical of the Aosta Valley.

20 min. Preparation + 5 min. Cooking

Ingredients
(4 Pers.) 
-4 veal chops, (veal slices sirloin with bone)
-Fontina cheese, from Valle d'Aosta 
-3 ½ oz butter 
-7 oz breadcrumbs 
-3 ½ oz all-purpose flour 
-2 eggs 
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cut the chops in two, horizontally, leaving them attached along the bone side.
Cut the Fontina cheese into thin slices and insert into the meat, and then tap gently with a meat pounder.
Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste and dip the chops first in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs.
Fry in abundant butter, until the chops become golden and crunchy.
Serve hot with boiling melted butter.

Buon Appetito!