Holiday Decorations began coming down, today, at the country house.. the 6th of  January is the official end of the Holidays here…our tree was ‘stripped’ of its’ tinsel and home made garland..but it is being planted outside  so it will be close by….

What to  do  after the Holidays..see more friends that you were not able to catch up with during the Holidays…for light cocktails and Finger food at home… a nice, relaxing way to have a get -together..a welcome change after those elaborate Holiday meals.

My organic rosemary is still growing heartily in our giardino (even in January) and the country house was decorated today with bouquets of fresh rosemary and lavender from our bushes and the caminetto (fireplace) filled with logs..an elegant but simple way to fragrance and decorate.. Tonight’s cocktails will be non-alcoholic.. it is so flavorful you won’t even notice…here’s one that is exceptionally healthy..

Mango Passion

*3 tsps of assam tea or 3 teabags of black tea

*1 mango (about 1 lb)

*2 bananas (1/4 lb)

*16 ounces unsweeetened pineapple juice

*crushed ice

Bring to almost boiling-2 cups water. When almost boiling place in tea bags or loose tea in filter. Cover and let cool. Squeeze out the tea bags or remove filter. Place tea in refrigerator.

Peel mango, cut 4 small pieces from whole mango and set aside.  Place remaining pulp of mango, banana, pineapple juice, tea  in a food processor, blend. Divide int o4 tall glasses, place in crushed ice and garnish with mango slices.

Finger foods are in ‘fashion’ here in Italy! If you want to invite over a lot of guest but don’t have time to prepared different courses, ask each  guest to bring a finger food of their choice….makes a great casual buffet or supper.

Bruschetta  di Pollo & Curry ( Bruschetta with Chicken & Curry)

*1 lb chicken cutlets-boneless ,skinned

*1-2 tsps curry

*pinch of salt

*pinch of pepper

*juice of 1/2 lime

*2 tsps olive oil

*3/4 cup whipping cream

*2 ounces Cream or farmer’s cheese-lite or regular

*30 crostini or round crackers or melba toasts or bruschetta slices

*handful of fresh basil leaves

Wash chicken filets, dry.  Cut into small cubes. Place cubes in a bowl and add in curry, salt and pepper, lime juice and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Place oil in saute pan and palce in chicken,  fry for 5 minutes or until golden brown, constantly stirring. Remove from heat, let cool.  In another bowl, place   in softened  cream cheese and cream and mix till well blended. Add in chicken. Place mixture on toast or crackers and garnish with finely chopped basil. Serve.

For more recipes get your copy of the Award Winning Book selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

coyright 2010 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

La Befana is almost here or as tradition goes she should be ‘flying’ by on her broomstick sometime before dawn tomorrow morning, the 6th of January. And the streets are bustling with cars and people whizzing by.. under my office window here in the center of town. Fireworks can be heard from far and near signaling the last day of a long, (seemingly) never ending 12 day Holiday feast.
Tomorrow’s mid day meal will be just as special as the rest of  the Holidays. While the day after Chrsitmas was a day for ‘recupaerating’ from all the preaparations. People are anxious to  use up all their  leftovers on that day. But we have  had a few days of relaxation from the big feast on New Year’s Day so another feast is in order.

La Befana vien di notte (the Befana comes in the night)

con le scarpe tutte rotte (with tattered shoes)

con cappelle  alla Romana (A Roman style hat)

VIVA VIVA LA BEFANA! (Long Live La Befana)

Torta Principe Eugenio (Prince Eugenio’s Cake)

6 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (containing at least 60% cocoa)

1 1/2 cups crushed almonds

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter

6 eggs

1 tablespoon rum

1 tablespoon brandy

butter for pan

Topping

2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 ounces milk chocolate

½ cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Beat softened butter,sugar and egg yolks until creamy. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Add the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture,then add in ground almonds,brandy and rum.

Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Fold into the egg yolk mixture gently till well blended.. Butter and flour an 8″  cake pan and bake for 35 minutes in oven at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven. Leaving a 1 /12 “ border around cake, cut out some of  the interior cake , to make about ¼ cup of crumbs. Place crumbs in oven on cookie sheet  to dry and become crisp, set aside., to use as crumble on topping.

Cook raspberries and sugar over low heat for 2 minutes let sugar melt. Let cool. Place whipping cream and vanilla, sugar in bowl. Whip cream till peaks form, add in grated chocolate. Place cooled raspberry mixture in cavity of cake made from digging out crumbs. Top with whipped cream mixture in center of raspberries. Sprinkle with cake crumbs on top of whipped cream and serve.

 For more great Holiday recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd editon

copyright 2010, art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc 

Today, January 4^th, is the Birthday of Isaac Newtown.. so today, I am inspired, in honor of Isaac Newtown, by the thought of apples..even while here in Italy.. why where would the research of Isaac Newtown be without the apple.

With all the local apples in abundance, even here in Italy, there are so many things to do with them.  Torte di Mele (apple pies)  are everywhere..but you can also make biscotti (cookies) with apples…the fragrance from these little gems wafted through the house this morning and I hope will probably remain throughout most of the day..the best way to perfume a country house here in the mountains of Abruzzo..

Apple, Raisin & Pinoli Biscotti

(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)

(Biscotti con Mele, Uvetta, Pinoli)

 4 cups unbleached flour

1 cup brown sugar (fine)

½ cup butter

½ lb of peeled, grated apple

1/3 cup raisins (place in hot water for 3 minutes, drain and squeeze water out to dry)

3 tablespoons pinoli nuts

4 medium eggs

1 tsp baking soda

Zest of 1 organic lemon

¼ cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

water 

Place the flour on a wooden board or work surface, Make a well inside the flour and place inside softened butter, sugar, pinch of salt, grated zest of lemon, egg yolks and pinch of salt. Work all ingredients in by  hand. When ingredients are well blended add in grated apple and raisins. Mix by hand, until all ingredients are well blended in. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper

Separate dough into small balls, size of a quarter. Place on parchment paper, leaving some distance between each biscotti. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl, mix with enough warm to hot water to make a glaze. When biscotti are cool, drizzle glaze on top and sprinkle each biscotti with pinoli nuts. Let glaze dry for 15 minutes, serve.

For more great recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

copyright 2010 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

New Year’s Day Lunch/ Dinner was a meal filled ( of course) with  great food. and conversation…but also  with keywords to avoid.. words like-potatoes.. biscotti…. torrone…chocolate..panettone…particular cheeses..particular breads…any words that meant food -had to be avoided.

 As we sat down to eat a long 5 hour meal that seemed to be endless… anytime the mere mention of any food was heard in the conversation our gracious host would jump up and say..”wait a minute I have some of that, they make it specially in this particular town it is their specialty..you should try it” and automatically another course was added to the meal…So we began to realize that it was not a good idea to continue to speak about anything that was food related. Or if we continued to do so we would be sitting down to a meal that would last into the wee hours of the night and we could barely finish what had already been planned.

Not that the meal was anything but delicious,it was all delicious ..every last drop,, but there is only so much one person can eat! The Holidays in Italy are like a continuing 2 week meal..with one meal ending and one meal beginning immediately after..

 Breakfast, during the Holidays..other than a cup of coffee- to get you going for the day- is almost impossible to eat..the meal eaten the night before is enough to hold you over till the next day’s lunch..

Now that our Main meal of the day was  eaten… it is time to clear the dishes and set the table with new ones for our final meal of the day..a New Year’s Supper..let’s hope that this will be a light one.. oh well, only 5 more days to go of this constant feasting!

In the meantime, would love to hear your Holiday menus and stories,share them here..

Buon Anno, Happy New Year

Maria

copyright 2010 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

And the week continues on as one long Festa..today is Santo Stefano ( Saint Stephen).. this day has been a national Holiday here in Italy since 1946. But this is also non-officially known as the ‘day of leftovers’ and a day to relax from all the ’madness’ in the kitchen… besides everyone is usually ‘cooked out’ after Christmas….

And that is just fine with me..there is nothing better than leftover lasagna..and as I looked in the fridge this morning attempting to piece together a coordinated menu from all the leftovers (one never knows what one will find still in fridge with so many overnight guests at home)

Ahh… I am pleasantly surprised to find  3/4 pan of one lasagna .. sardines..fresh tomatoes..fresh arugula..fresh mushrooms..parmigiana-reggiano..locally made Pecorino from Abruzzo and a loaf of bread ( in the bread cupboard) from our local ‘forno’..

Menu:
*Lasagne

*Baked Mushrooms

*sardines

*Pecorino cheese

*Fresh arugula, tomato, salad topped with shaved parmigiana-reggiano cheese and drizzeld with extra virgin olive oil

*An opened, but half full, bottle of Prosecco (perfect to accompany the second course and side dishes)

Unlike my Christmas meals this one will come together quickly.. and I will still be able to get to the Santo Stefano Christmas Mercato (Market) in the piazza for a stroll,,,, but don’t forget the fresh fruit, Panettone and torrone for dessert..and the ever obligatory game of Tombola (Bingo) ..but Panettone always takes a central place on the table nop matter what is going on during these festive days..

 copyright 2010  art of living/PrimaMedia,Inc/ Maria Liberati

Posting on breaks between eating and cooking today…from the mountains of Abruzzo..from Vigilia( Christmas Eve) Feast of the Seven Fishes  (and almost no sleep) into a tradtional Christmas Day Dinner or lunch to dinner..well who can tell what is lunch or dinner when one runs right into the other.

My  Chrsitmas day meal began with -what we know here as a typical soup from Abruzzo- ( known as Italian wedding soup in the US ) to a meatless lasagne to ‘alla brace’  (grilled meats over the fireplace)  and oven roasted potatoes..to fresh fruits to a typical dessert from Pescara known as Parozzo and  torrone nougat from L’Aquila. And finally ending with a cup of espresso…but not officially ended because in another 2 hours another meal will begin…

But we are passing the 2 hours of waiting with our official game of Christmas Tombola (Bingo) to burn off  the calories.. Tombola is the official game for the Christmas Holidays and helps pass the time between meals. Grandmothers, Mothers and Aunts will only excuse you from the table for a game of Tombola or to go the bathroom..they are the only two allowable excuses! We are waiting for others to be invented.

 I am of the opinion that someone began this tradition to give those who wanted to have a break from eating for 24 hours, a way to divert their  attention to something else..not eating. And your host is not offended that you have taken a break from eating! In fact they will gladly join in. But be careful, Italians take a friendly game of  Tombola  just as serious as they do  driving and eating.

The next 10 day days or so will seem like one non-ending feast of food and walks in the piazza to encounter old friends that live here or have returned for the Holidays…tomorrow is the Feast of Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen) and another Holiday meal  is the tradition…Stay tuned for menus and recipes

For more stories and recipes to celebrate the Holidays get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

copyright 2010 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc.

Here it is..just in time  for the 12 Days of Christmas..our 2010 Annual Holiday Guide…filled with extra special ‘foodie’products ‘discovered’ by our  team of Editors (and me too!) while scouting for gifts. The Madame Alexander doll can be found at www.madamealexander.com

 We are hard at work already for the Spring Holiday Gift Guide, so if you have any gift or product suggestions email to us at editor@marialiberati.com If your product suggestion is selected you will receive a free ebook version of ‘ How to Make the Perfect Pizza’

and it’s not too early to plan your Feast of the Seven Fishes (for Christmas Eve)dinner..

Let us know what will be on your menu ..and tell us where you will be spending your Christams Eve or Holiday dinner,send jpegs as well..we will be selecting Holiday photos   to place on the blog. I’ll be spending my Christmas Eve in the mountains of Abruzzo and polsting photos and recipes as well!

Here’s a recipe from my Feast of the Seven Fishes menu…

Cod (Merluzzo) in AcquaPazza (Crazy Water) (for 2 people)

*Codfish  (fresh or fresh frozen) 1/2 pound divided into 2-3 pieces

*4 (fresh, red, ripe) medium size plum tomatoes or canned San Marzano  tomatoes (3 or 4 without the tomato juice) 

*2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

*2 garlic cloves

*1/2 t o3/4 cup dry white wine (or water) ‘

*3 tablespoons fresh chopped or torn parsley pinch of red hot

pepperoncino (red pepper )-optional

*2 thick slices of crusty bread-place under broiler till golden

Place in saute pan- olive oil, garlic saute for 1 minute, then tomatoes > fish, parsley and wine. Then cook 10-15 minutes or until fish is cooked.  Serve cod on top of bread slices and pour sauce on top. Garnish with  fresh parsley on side.

Don’t forget to enjoy  this year’s Annual Holiday Guide

Get more recipes for your Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner  in the Award Winning Holiday Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

My favorite thing in the kitchen has become my On Top of Spaghetti Doll (part of the Madame Alexander collection). If I need any ‘pasta inspiration’ she seems to give it to me.  Perched on a special shelf, she looks down at me and my work table as I create my pasta dishes.  ’She’ was selected  for  our Best of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking 2010  Annual Holiday Guide to be released soon…we couldn’t resist her..I think you’ll agree.. a skirt made of pasta, a chef’s hat and a dish full of  spaghetti…

ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI

She inspired this Spaghetti recipe..

This is from my Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special   Occasions-2nd edition and is perfect for a Feast of The Seven Fishes Christmas Eve Dinner.

Spaghetti ai Calamari

(Spaghetti with Calamari)

1 lb of spaghetti

1 lb of fresh octopus or squid- cleaned and soaked

4 tblsps extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 hot red dry pepper

1 cup of dry white wine

1 tblsp of tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop garlic and place in large frying pan with olive oil. Place over low heat. When oil just begins to bubble place in fresh squid or octopus, and tarragon (finely chopped). Place in ¾ cup wine, pinch of salt and pepper and cook all for about 10-15 minutes on high. Place spaghetti in boiling water, cook till al dente. Drain and toss in squid and sauce. Serve with fresh parsley.

It was George Bernard Shaw who once said “There is no sincerer love than the love of food “

Thanksgiving day is a day that is uniquely American ..a day we can truly call our own..and a day that fascinates many others around the world..In Italy it is called Festa del Ringraziamento and known as ‘the  Holiday that causes  Americans  to behave like Italians’-sit around the table eating all day with friends and family

The beverage of the first Thanksgiving and the Mayflower was beer..it wasn’t safe to drink the water.so beer was served..

In Honor of the First Thanksgiving beverage and the Italian American  Thanksgiving tradition of   serving a pasta dish before the turkey

Penne Pasta with Beer

1 pound penne pasta

1 glass beer

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 yellow pepper

6 red ripe tomatoes

10 pitted green olives

1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon marjoram chopped

1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano grated

salt to taste

Cut peppers into small cubes, cut tomatoes into strips, chop garlic. Place extra virgin olive oil in saute pan, place in peppers, tomatoes, and chopped garlic. Saute for 2 minutes, then add in beer a little at a time. Saute for 15 minutes on low heat. Then add in chopped olives, capers, parsley and marjoram.

Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook pasta till al dente. Drain. Add into sauce, toss. Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Friday-November 26th- 1-3 PM Bloomingdale’s at The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack, NJ- Cooking demo, sampling, book signings of the Award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition For info email: info@marialiberati.com

One  day  of the  week was always reserved for bread baking in most homes in Italy. From sunrise the loaves were kneaded and then left to rest and rise! The bread would be eaten all week and used and reused in so many delicious ways….

Bruschetta makes use of crusty bread that is day old..but it has become a new,  almost chic thing to make with so many ingredients. Years ago, Pane Cotto (literally means cooked bread) was invented as a recipe to make use of crusty day old bread.  And it too, is becoming fashionable to make.

Today, with the chill of Autumn here, Pane Cotto comes to mind..a dish that soothes the stomach and the soul..and takes away the chill of Autumn. This is a traditional soup from Abruzzo. The Tuscan version is known as Acquacotto and is similar. Either way they are sure to become one of your favorite comfort foods for a chilly autumn evening.

Pane Cotto

1/2 lb cauliflower (florets only)

2 ounces pancetta (optional)
1/2 medium onion

1/4 lb carrots

1/4 lb celery

1/2 lb potatoes

1/4 lb fresh zucchini

1/4 lb white beans

1/2 lb of red, ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lb of crusty day old bread

2 garlic cloves

pinch of thyme

marjoram

pinch of red pepper

sage leaf

Soak white beans overnight. Cook them in 8 cups boiling water with  1 tblsp olive oil, garlic cloves, sage leaf, cook till beans are tender but still al dente.

Wash remaining veggies and peel and cut into large cubes. In a large frying pan, place in pancetta and onion chopped finely. add in chopped veggies and saute for 10 minutes. Add in tomatoes that have been seeded and cut and lastly add in white beans  with cooking water. Cook till veggies are tender.

Cut bread into large cubes. Place under broiler til golden. Place soup in large soup pot and place in bread. Let sit for an hour. reheat to medium heat and serve boiling hot.

For more great recipes get your copy of the book selected as The Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

See you on NBC TV-!10 Show on October 22 at 11 AM

October 29-31-Gourmet Food & Wine Show-Valley Forge Convention Center

November 2nd- at 7 PM –Book signing- Fair Lakes Library, Fair Lakes NJ

-Share the Joy! share your favorite food memory here