Apple strudel

This is a typical dessert from the Alto Adige region. Ideally, Renetta Ruggine apples should be used because they contain little water and do not soften the dough during cooking. Apple strudel is both a summer and winter dish.

Time

1 hour and 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For pasta

• 1 lb all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup water

For filling

• 2 lb apples
• 3 ½ oz breadcrumbs
• 1 ¾ oz butter
• 1 ¾ oz pine nuts
• 1 ¾ oz raisins
• lemon zest, grated
• 2 teaspoons Rum
• 3 ½ oz sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Method:

40 minutes preparation + 40 minutes cooking

Step 1

Make a well in the center of the flour, place the egg inside and add the water.

Step 2

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Step 3

Make a dough which is smooth and solid.

Step 4

Melt the butter in a pan, add the bread crumbs and brown well.

Step 5

Cut the apples into segments.

Step 6

Mix the apples with the bread crumbs, pine kernels, raisins, grated lemon, cinnamon and the remaining ingredients. Leave it all to gain flavor.

Step 7

Roll out the dough and lay the filling on top.

Step 8

Close the dough by wrapping up the filling carefully, prick all over with a fork, brush with sunflower oil and sprinkle some pine kernels on top. Put the strudel into the oven for about 40 minutes at a temperature of 425°F.

CHEF'S TIPS

The filling must be made some hours before to exalt the flavor.

Seal the dough well and bake in a preheated oven.

Food History:

Even if people generally think that strudel is an Austrian dish, this sweet is originally Turkish. In fact, the precursor to the strudel is baklava, a Turkish dessert stuffed with dried fruit and spices. The Hungarians and Austrians were introduced to baklava during the invasion of Eastern Europe by the Ottoman Empire during the 16th century. From 1526 to 1699, the Turks dominated the Hungary and, during these two centuries, the Hungarians adopted many different aspects of the Ottoman culture, including various Turkish recipes.
In 1699, when the Turks lost their power over Hungary to the Hapsburgs, the recipe for baklava spread throughout Austria and became known as strudel. Unlike traditional baklava, strudel was made with the apples that grew across Europe.
During the Congress of Vienna in 1816, Austria gained control of Venice and the surrounding region and strudel spread throughout Northeastern Italy.

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Chicken Scarpariello

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2-3 lb) roasting chickens, Cut Into Pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, Peeled & Sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
•  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the flour and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces, and then dredge them lightly in the seasoned flour mixture.
2. In a heavy, ovenproof skillet, large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, heat the olive oil, and then brown the chicken well on all sides over medium heat; be careful not to burn the oil by using too hot of a heat. Once all of the pieces are well browned, remove them to a plate.
3. Pour out the left over oil in the pan, leaving just a tablespoon or two with the browned bits at the bottom; add the onion and cook until soft, and then add the garlic. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the wine, and stir the browned bits at the bottom while you reduce the wine by half over medium high heat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Break up the rosemary into pieces, and add it to the sauce.
4. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over top; bake the chicken until done, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a warmed platter, and bring the remaining sauce to a boil; add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Mix the tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter; add the remaining butter to the sauce in the skillet, and mix well. Remove the rosemary pieces from the sauce; if the sauce is thin, stir in a little of the flour and butter mixture, whisking continuously to prevent lumps; once the sauce has thickened, add the chopped parsley, and pour the sauce over the chicken on the platter. Serve immediately.

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Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1  package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1  cup  warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 12.38  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 2 3/4 cups), divided
• 1/4  cup  yellow cornmeal
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2  precooked mild Italian chicken sausages (about 6 ounces), casings removed, chopped
• 1  (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh oregano
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh basil
• 2  cups  thinly sliced mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4  cup  chopped green bell pepper
• 3/4  cup  chopped red bell pepper

Method:

1. To make Chicago deep dish pizza, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Mix in olive oil.
2. Mix together 2 ½ cups flour, cornmeal and salt in a bowl. Combine yeast mixture into flour mixture until it forms a dough. Lightly flour a surface and transfer dough to it. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add remaining flour gradually (1tbsp at a time) to prevent the famous Chicago deep dish pizza dough from sticking to hands.
3. Put the dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover the bowl and leave the Chicago deep-dish pizza dough to rise in a warm place (85) free from any air flow. Keep the dough for 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size. Check by pressing the dough with two fingers if the indentation stays it means the dough has risen enough.  Kneed the dough again to reduce the volume. Cover and leave aside for 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 11×15 inch rectangle.
4. Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish pressing it up the sides of dish. Top with 1 ½ cups cheese evenly over dough. Spread chopped sausage evenly over cheese.
5. Set the oven temperature at 400.
6. Cut the tomatoes and mix in oregano and basil. Put the tomatoes in a sieve and let the mixture drain for 10 minutes.
7. Spray a large non stick skillet. Place over medium heat. Cook mushrooms in this pan for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Put in bell peppers, cook until tender. It may take about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Assemble vegetables over the sausages. Spread the remaining ½ cup cheese evenly at the top.  Bake for 25 minutes at 400. When the cheese starts bubbling and crust browns take out the Chicago deep dish pizza. Let it cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

Gluten Free - Italian Breaded Chicken Patties With Mozzarella Frozen - 12 x 16 Oz

Zaiqa - Monaliz Active Dry Yeast - 1 oz

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Quick Shrimp Scampi

You’d think shrimp scampi is complicated and too fancy to make, but this recipe is actually one of the easiest I’ve ever tried and is absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large, raw shrimp (peeled)
• 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Method: 

1. In a large, heated, saute pan, add butter and garlic and cook until butter melts.
2. Add garlic and sautee for 1 minute.
3. Add wine, lemon juice, shrimp, and salt and pepper.
4. Cook until shrimp turns opaque or pink, occasionally stirring.
5. Add Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
6. You can serve this either plain or over pasta or rice.
7. ENJOY!

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Italian Tiramisu Recipes

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfinger cookies
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder.

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Whisk mascarpone into yolk mixture until smooth.
3. In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise and drizzle with coffee mixture.
4. Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a 7×11 inch dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.

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