Pasta with Olives and Ricotta

Are you in a hurry?!? Here a quick solution for your meal!

Persons: 4

Preparation: 20 min

Ingredients:

400g pasta

1 jar of black olives

4 full soup spoons of Ricotta

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Steps:

1. Cut the Olives in pieces taking away bones and place them in a pan with 3 spoons of oil, salt and pepper for 2 min.
2. Meanwhile, start cooking pasta in boiling water.
3. When pasta is ready add it in the pan with the Olives, ricotta and a spoon of the boiling water from the pasta.
4. Stir all together for 2 min.

Potatoes and Mushrooms Soup

Persons: 2

Preparation time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

2 table spoons of olive oil

1/2 litre of vegetable stock

parsley

250 grams mushrooms

2 potatoes

pepper 

salt

half onion 

Steps:

1. Clean mushrooms and cut them in pieces.
2. Clean, peel and cut the potatoes in square (nearly 1cmx1cm).
3. Heat the Stock in a big pan.
4. Meanwhile, in a fry pan heat the oil and add the onion finely chopped, mushrooms and potatoes.
5. Add the vegetables to the stock and cook them for nearly 15/20 min.
6. When it is ready, add salt, pepper and parsley.

Spaghetti puttanesca

Persons: 4 (hungry)
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15 min

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti (I love the thick one)
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 handful capers
2 handfuls big black olives
12 anchovy fillets chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
400 gr cans tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

1. Cook the spaghetti in salted and boiling water. 
2. Fry the garlic, capers, olives, anchovies in a little olive oil for a 2 minutes. 
3. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and continue to cook for 10 minutes low heat.
4. Remove from the heat, plunge the drained spaghetti into it, toss it over, and cover with the sauce. 

Suggestions: You can put on the top either black pepper or hot pepper and extra olive oil.

Risotto with mushrooms

Persons: 4

Preparation time: 30 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

320gr rice (Arborio)

400gr mushrooms

Olive oil

Half Onion

50gr Parmesan cheese (grated)

Salt

Stock (vegetables or meat)

Steps: 

1. Cook in a deep pan oil and half onion cut in pieces for 1 min.
2. Then, add the mushrooms, rice and salt and stir for 1 more min.
3. Add the stock, a 1/2 cup at a time, stir and wait for most of the stock to be absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup.
4. Once the rice is cooked (approximately 20 min) add the Parmesan cheese. 
5. Let it cook for 1 more minute. 
6. Let stand the rice in the pan (without stir) for 2/3 mins.

Suggestions: you can use the stock left from the bollito.

Fennel, potato and onion soup

This is my mum's new soup recipe. It is excellent and extremely easy to prepare.

Persons: 6
Preparation time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h

Ingredients:
2 fennel (large)
2 big onions
2 potato
100 ml milk
1 cup of water
1 clove of garlic
500 ml vegetable stock

Steps:

1. Cut the fennel, onions and potatoes in small pieces.
2. Place the veggies and all the other ingredients in a big pan.
3. Cover with the lid and cook for 1 hour at low heat.

Suggestions: Toast some bread slides with a teaspoon of olive oil and rosemary. Cut it small pieces and place on the top of the soup.

Beef bollito

Persons: 6
Preparation time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h

Ingredients:
4 pounds beef brisket or top round
4 cups water (enough to cover the beef)
2 onions
4 celery stalks
4 carrots
1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1. Place in a braising pot the beef, with the carrots, onions and celery.
2. Add the water and salt.
3. Cover and cook at low heat for 2 hours.

Suggestions: 

1. You can add different types of meat (such as chicken), 
2. You can use the stock left in the pot to prepare a risotto (the recipe is coming soon!)

Pasta with broccoli and anchovies

Persons: 6
Preparation time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:
2 broccoli
1 anchovies
1 lb short pasta
1 garlic
salt
1 teaspoon of olive oil
hot pepper

Steps

1. Place broccoli in small pieces into a big pan with salt and at least 2 l of water. 
2. When the water boils and the broccoli have changed color (they are greener than before) add the pasta.
3. In a different pan place the olive oil, garlic and anchovies at low heat.
4. When the pasta is cooked (around 10 minutes), add the pasta and broccoli to the anchovies mix and cook for 1 more minutes.

 Suggestions: before serving you might add some hot pepper and olive oil on the top.

Pasta with tomatoes and aubergines

Persons: 4

Preparation: 30 min

Ingredients: 

400 gr pasta

1 aubergine

half onion

400 ml of chopped tomatoes sauce 

Olive Oil

Salt

Sugar

Basil

Steps: 

1. Cut the aubergine in small slices.
2. Add the chopped onion and the aubergine with warm olive oil in the pan adding salt.
3. Cook for 15 min and add the tomatoes sauce with half tea spoon of sugar and some basil.
4. Cook the sauce for 5 mins.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water.
6. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir for less than a minute.

Spezzatino/Beef with Mushrooms

Persons: 2

Preparation time:  30 min

Cook time: 60 min

Ingredients: 

600g of beef cut in cubes

10/15 mushrooms 

Vegetable Stock

Salt

Olive Oil

Onion

Garlic

White wine

Pepper

Steps:

1. In a large stewing pan, heat extra virgin olive oil with half chopped onion and a clove of garlic.
2. Add the beef and cook it for a couple of minutes and add half glass of white wine.
3. Add two glasses of stock and let reduce.
4. Add the mushrooms cut in pieces and salt and pepper.
5. Let the liquid come to boil and cook at low heat. Simmer for an hour adding stock if need.

Suggestion: you can eat it with rice, potatoes or polenta.

Zucchini Cake

A tasty recipe from Federica!

Persons: 4/6 

Preparation time: 40 min

Cook time: 35/40 min

Ingredients:

500 gr pasta brise '

800g courgettes

150 g tomato pulp

3 eggs

1 onion

50 g butter

50 of Parmesan, 

basil

olive oil 

salt

Steps:

1. Fry in a large pan the chopped onion with 40 grams of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil 
2. Cut the zucchini and add them ​​with the chopped tomatoes and few basil leaves
3. Add a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat until the zucchini are almost defeats. 
4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 
5. Meanwhile, roll out the dough and place it in a greased baking pan. 
6. Mix the egg yolks with the Parmesan and the zucchini, then complete the compound with the albumen. 
7. Place the mix on the pasta and cook it in the oven at 180 C for 35-40 minutes.

Lamb with potatoes and peas

This is a traditional Italian recipe for lamb. My grandfather from Sicily used to prepare it for Easter but I think it is good anytime.

Persons: 4
Preparation time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min

Ingredients:
1 lb of lamb
2 cups peas
5 small potatoes
1/4 cup onion, sliced
Olive oil
1 garlic clove
Salt
Pepper

Steps:

1. Season the lamb with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions and garlic for 1 minute.
3. Add the lamb and the potatoes to the pan and fry for 1 minute.
4. (at this point you can add 1/4 cup of white dry wine, if you like)
5. Then continue to cook at low heat for 40 minutes.
6. Add the peas and cook for 10 more minutes (check if the peas are cooked)
7. Remove from the heat and serve with lots of good toasted bread.

Risotto with Royal Shrimps

Risotto, my favorite meal for Saturday lunch!

Persons: 2

Preparation time: 30 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

2 glasses of rice

10/15 Royal Shrimps

Oil

Half onion

Butter

Salt

Stock

Steps: 

1. Cook in a deep pan oil and half onion cut in pieces for 1 min.
2. Then, add the shrimps, the rice and salt and stir for 1 more min.
3. Add the stock, a 1/2 cup at a time, stir and wait for most of the stock to be absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup.
4. Once the rice is cooked (approximately 20 min) add a teaspoon of butter. 
5. Let it cook for 1 more minute. 
6. Let stand the rice in the pan (without stir) for 2/3 min.

Vegetable Balls with Provola/Smoked Cheese

Persons: 3

Preparation time: 40 min

Cook time: 20/25 min

Ingredients:

1 zucchini

1 carrot

2 potatoes

1 egg

2 spoons of peas

3 spoons bread crumbs

Smoked Cheese

Oil

Salt

Steps:

1. Boil in a pan the carrot, zucchini, peas and potatoes (as they require different time, you can either use different pans or place them in the pan at different time).
2. When all vegetables are soft enough cut them in small pieces.
3. In a bowl mix the vegetables with 1 egg and the bread crumbs.
4. Add oil and salt to the mix.
5. With your hands prepare small balls using the vegetables mix.
6. Add a piece of cheese inside the ball and cover with more bread crumbs.
7. Cook in oven for 20/25 min at 200°C.

Potato Gateau - Gatto' di patate

Persons: 6
Preparation time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min

Ingredients
1 kg potatoes
50 gr grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste
200 gr mozzarella sliced
100 gr cooked ham (cut)
nutmeg

Steps

1. Place potatoes  in a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until very tender (either you can microwave them for 10 minutes). 
2. Preheat oven at 180C (350F).
3. Drain, then mash the potatoes with a fork. 
4. Mix the potatoes with the eggs, 3/4 of grated Parmesan, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
5. Add to the mix the mozzarella and the ham.
6. Layer the mix on a oven plate.
7. Dust the top with 1/4 of grated Parmesan.
8. Cover with an aluminium paper and place in the oven.
9. After 20 minutes remove the aluminium paper and broil for 5 minutes. 

Fish Fillet au gratin

Persons: 2
Preparation time: 20 min
Cook time: 20/25 min

Ingredients:
2 white fish fillets
breadcrumbs
oil
capers
salt
sage

Steps:

1. Cover the upper side of the fish fillets with olive oil, now add the breadcrumbs to cover fillets.
2. Add salt, 2 teaspoons of capers and sage.
3. Cook in oven at 180C for 20/25 min.

Suggestion: As side dish, cook with the fish some potatoes (cut in small pieces) so they can be ready at the same time.

Pomodori ripieni / stuffed tomatoes

Persons: 2
Preparation: 30 min

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes
8 anchovies in oil
breadcrumbs
half mozzarella
oil
salt
oregano

Steps:

1. Cut the upper part of the tomatoes and remove their internal part
2. In a bowl place 8 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, anchovies, a teaspoon of olive oil, half mozzarella cut into small pieces, salt and oregano.
3. Fill the tomatoes with this mixture and add a piece of mozzarella on the top of each tomato.
4. Cook in oven for 20 min at 180°C.

Bigoli in salsa - Spaghetti with anchovies

This a traditional sauce for pasta in Venice. It requires few ingredients and it is excellent in many occasions. The best type of pasta for this sauce are "bigoli" although, it is not easy to find them outside Italy. A good alternative are thick spaghetti.

Persons: 4
Preparation time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 anchovies
500 grams of spaghetti (bigoli, bucatini or other thick pasta)
1 bunch flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1/4 dry white wine

Steps:

1. Finely chop the onions (the onion should melt into the sauce).
2. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the very finely chopped onion over a low heat until you have a soft, golden mush - about 15/20 minutes. 
3. Add the anchovies finely chopped and the wine, stir it in and let the mixture cook for 20 minutes at very low heat.
4. When this has come together as a puree, take the pan off the heat.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in abundant salted water according to the packet instructions, removing a ladleful of cooking liquid just before you drain it.
6. Tip the drained pasta into the anchovy and onion sauce and add the reserved cooking water to help lubricate the pasta. 

Option: you can sprinkle over the parsley, just roughly chopped or some ground pepper.

Frittata with potatoes

Person: 2
Preparation: 20min

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
4 eggs
1 onion
Oli
Salt
Peper

Steps:

1. Cut the potatoes and cook them in boiling water for around 10 min.
2. Meanwhile, cook onions in small pieces in a pan with a teaspoon of oil.
3. Add the potatoes to the onion and cook all together for 5 min.
4. In a bowl, stir 4 eggs with salt and pepper.
5. Add the mix to the potatoes and onions.
6. Cook for 5 min and after it, with the help of a plate turn up side down and cook for other 5 min.

Branzino al forno con patate, pomodorini e olive taggiasche - Branzino with potatoes, cherry tomatos and black olives

Persons: 2

Preparation: 20 min

Ingredients:
1 Branzino
4 big potatoes (you can use even more, potatoes are delicious with fish)
1 piece of garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt
ground pepper
12 whole Kalamata olives
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup dry white wine

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut in slices potatoes and place them in a baking pan covered with a bake paper.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes, olives and the garlic. 
4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
5. Check that the oil is everywhere in the pan.
6. Add the fish to the baking pan and drizzle with white wine.
7. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the branzino is just opaque in center, about 40 minutes. 

Suggestions: I would avoid the use of lemon in order to better taste the branzino itself.

Linguine al salmone - Linguine with Salmon

Persons: 2

Preparation time: 30 min

Ingredients: 

2 fresh salmon fillets

200 gr of linguine or spaghetti

Oil 

Lemon

Salt 

Pepper

Parsley

Steps:

1. Cut the salmon fillets in small pieces
2. Place them in a pan with two table spoons of olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley and cook for nearly 5 min. After that, add 2 teaspoon of lemon juice and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook linguine in boiling water (do not overcook).
4. When ready, add them to the salmon and cook all together for 1 min.