Buongiorno miei amata amici!

"Un po 'd'olio d'oliva e un po' di vino equivale a un cuore sano e felice!"

This Italian proverb means "A bit of olive oil and a little wine equals a healthy and happy heart!"

When it comes to cooking, most Italians can name off four essential fats they employ in the kitchen.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Butter
• Oil/Lard from Pork
• Grape Seed Oil (or other seed oils)

All of these can be easily purchased in Northern America as well.
Olive Oil can have many flavors to it, but you want one that embellishes not detracts from the dish you are preparing. It is important to store your Olive and Seed oil in a dark and cool area to keep them from going rancid. The oil will keep for about a year once opened if stored properly, though in our home it will never last that long.
If you are trying to avoid the influence of olive in your dish, you will want to try a seed oil. While we have many options in the USA, my advice would be to use Grape Seed Oil, as it is healthier than most options.
Butter can be salted or unsalted, but be sure to adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly. If using butter over a higher heat, I mix in some oil with a high smoking point (such as EVOO or Grape Seed Oil). EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Butter should be stored in the refrigerator except when bringing it to room temperature for baking.
Both oils also work well for seasoning cast iron because of their high smoking point.
While some people buy Lard, I tend to drain the grease off from our meat and use it fresh. I know my grandmother always kept a container of bacon grease on her stove top and we never did get ill from it. Maybe it was because she always used cast iron and it gets so hot that surely any bacteria would die. However, my fear keeps me using fresh pork when I need the flavor of pork oil.
In most Italian dishes the fats are interchangeable and will simply alter the flavor to create a variant of the usual recipe. As time moves forward, I have my favorite oils to use in preparation of dishes and it has become second nature.
*An added note: In our family, the ones who use these types of oils do not have high cholesterol, but the ones who use margarine, shortening, and vegetable oil (mostly made from soybean oil today) have high cholesterol. Perhaps this has no bearing on the results, but it leads me to believe natural fats are healthier.

Panino alla Margherita Recipe

Buongiorno miei amata amici! This, cari miei lettori, is my favorite panino (Italian for sandwich). My mouth salivates when I hear the name spoken or set eyes upon a fresh loaf of ciabatta. Such a simple recipe, yet such exquisite flavors that meld together to bring a taste of Italy to my taste buds.

Who is Margherita one may ask? Ah, let me tell you her story. Margherita of Savoy, was the Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Italy. Her paternal grandmother was the Princess of Tuscany. Margherita was well loved for her encouragement of artists and writers. She founded cultural societies and institutions such as Casa di Dante. She was the beloved benefactor of charities, including the Red Cross.

In 1889, during a royal visit to Naples, the Queen was served a pizza that represented the colors of the Italian flag: Red Tomatoes, Green Basil, and White Mozzarella. Since then food that has these three as their main ingredients is named after Margherita. Thus we have Pizza alla Margherita, Panino alla Margherita, etc.

Panino alla Margherita Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions:

Simply take one slice of your choice of bread, place a slice of creamy, fresh Mozzarella, slices of Roma tomatoes, fresh Genovese Basil, another slice of Mozzarella, and the final slice of bread. Brush both outer sides of the bread with EVOO (extra virgin Olive Oil) and sear on a hot, cast iron grill until golden brown on both sides. Be sure to use two slices of mozzarella, as it holds the sandwich together and all the ingredients inside.

Pesto di Mandorle Recipe (Almond Pesto) Ingredients

Buongiorno miei amata amici! Nora Ephron wrote,

"Pesto is the quiche of the '80s"

and the line was used in Harry Met Sally becoming an instant famous movie quote with foodies. Somehow, pesto has yet to go out of style. Everybody seems to love Pesto. And the fantastic thing about Pesto, is with so many varieties, there is one to please almost anybody.

Pesto is a basil based sauce originating in Genoa, thus using Genovese Sweet Basil as its primary ingredient. The word Pesto comes from the Latin word "pesta" to pound or crust, and thus we also get the word Pestle in English. What is a pestle some may ask? It is the instrument used to grind in a mortar, made of marble, wood, or steel.

Today many cooks use their food processor and I certainly will not fault you if you so choose. However, in our casa, we use a marble mortar and pestle. Traditionally, Basil, coarse sea salt, pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan are the ingredients. However, in our recipe, we substitute raw almonds for the pine nuts and add garlic.

• 1 bunch of organic, Genovese sweet basil
• 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (Trader Joe's)
• 2 organic garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tablespoons of organic, raw almonds, ground fine or Trader Joe's Almond Meal
• 3 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 dash of coarse sea salt (fine salt will work too)

Directions:

Remove the stems from the basil leaves, and rinse them thoroughly under cold water. Place basil in a mortar or food processor. If using a mortar, grind a small amount at a time and add more using a pestle until finely ground. If using a mortar, add olive oil after grinding basil.

Pesto di Mandorle Recipe (Almond Pesto)

If using a food processor add olive oil at the same time as the basil and process until smooth. Combine garlic, nuts, cheese, and salt and continue mixing until well blended.

Depending on your purpose, you can add more olive oil if needed.

Pesto makes a delicious addition to Italian sauces, served as the main sauce, or as a dip.

Buongiorno miei amata amici! As I was preparing last night's supper consisting of Sweet Basil & Cheese Manicotti (as pictured), it occurred to me that I have not shared a few simple tips when baking pasta dishes.

First, you do NOT have to precook your pasta by boiling it first. In fact, boiling it first makes it more difficult to work with and it loses the al dente texture by the time if completes baking, turning your hard work to mush in the mouth. Just one more reason I was disappointed when I made lasagna in our slow cooker/crock pot.

Whether constructing lasagna or manicotti, I simply use the dehydrated noodles from the store just as they are when layering or filling. You have two options, you can either just allow the pasta to derive its tenderness from the fillings or layers or you can add about 1 cup of water to every 2 cups of pasta sauce. I add water, then cover it with foil while baking, until the last 10 minutes when I am browning the cheese on top. An additional 15 minutes in the oven ensures the pasta is done to al dente perfection.

Also when filling manicotti or cannoli noodles, you can actually put the mixture into a pastry bag or ziploc baggie with the end snipped off and squeeze them full of cheese, meat, or cream.

Further, baked pasta dishes can be prepared a day or two before baking. How do you think Nonna always had lasagna baking for lunch on Sunday's family gatherings right after church?

Another thing, I almost always have left overs of the raw cheese center from manicotti and I put it in a ziploc freezer bag, label it, stick it in the freezer, and save it to add to a future lasagna.

For a cheese topping, if you want it to show more of the pasta and sauce, be sure to use a fine grate on the cheese and sprinkle lightly. My family consists of cheese lusters, so I use the large grate and smother it. However, I do use the fine grate for garlic cheese bread.

One last thing, always spray your pan with olive oil to make the release and clean up of your scrumptious meals a snap.



~Glass Bakeware above is by Pyrex~

Buongiorno miei amata amici! Have you ever allowed yourself the sensation of a granule of sea salt dissolving on your tongue? There is something refreshingly pure about the taste, unlike common table salt. Thus, imagine my delight when I received a box of Fattorie & Pandea Fornini (with sesame and sea salt) to review.

Made in Verona and Parma, Italy, these snacks offer a taste of the motherland. Interestingly, Pandea also makes a line of gluten free and low-protein snacks for those with dietary concerns.

How do I explain the texture? I dare say, my family thought it resembles a crackerstick, instead of a breadstick. It has a nice, crisp snap to it. They are ribbed sticks with sprinkles of sea salt and sesame seeds on top. The sesame seeds add a nice flavor without a noticeable chewiness that so often accompanies them. These oven baked snacks use olive oil and sea salt, keeping the saturated fat to a minimum and the trans fat to zero. Heart healthy fats, 30 calories, and 5 grams of carbs, they are a welcome treat.

I served them on a tray with some salami, mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, and fresh, organic basil. My children enjoyed them and were enthusiastic about their shape. I relished them for their crisp and flavorful addition to my lunch. My local grocery stores carry these refreshments above their rye crackers and other specialty crackers. If you cannot find them, feel free to contact Liberty Richter, the distributor in the USA.