copyright 2010, art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

In honor of the official release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition (ISBN 978-1928911-19-7) the award winning recipe novel that includes recipes and Holiday food memories- we will be posting one story a week from our readers about their favorite food memory and why it holds a special place in their heart. This is the first, and we will be posting one new story each week till December 31st. Thanks Jennifer for sharing this great story with us!

From:  Jennifer Reich, co author of the new book The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth and cofounder of www.MommyMDGuides.com

“My husband and I honeymooned at Walt Disney World in 2002. We were married in their beautiful wedding pavilion with a view of Cinderella Castle. That night , we enjoyed a great meal at the Italian restaurant in Epcot. I had their delicious Fettuccine Alfredo, one of the best meals I’ve ever had. A few weeks after we got home, I found the recipe online for that restaurant’s fettuccini alfredo. Now I’m not the best cook ever–a passable cook at best. But there must have been a little pixie dust included with that recipe because I managed to recreate dish just as I remembered it from my honeymoon!”

 Here’s a Recipe for a Lighter version of Fettucini Alfredo

Be a Guest Writer:If you have a special food memory and would like to share it with our 100,000+ subscribers from all over the world, email the story to: sharethejoy@marialiberati.com  For more details

Get your copy of the book that was selected as Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Filled with recipes, charming stories and food memories from a country house in the mountains of Italy and Holiday ideas.

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Days are filled with much to do here..from tending our little farm..to planning out the day’s meals using the freshest ingredients or should I say creating recipes around the ‘pick of the day’. Lots and lots of fresh tomatoes, fresh carrots,fresh parsley..all I need to add is  some red  garlic (from a town nearby-Sulmona) ….fresh eggplant..combine that with some locally produced fresh mozzarella and today will be a penne gratinate con melanzana (penne pasta baked with fresh eggplant). It is basically a layered eggplant parmigiana baked and made  with penne pasta…. the food is always real, uncomplicated and most importantly-delicious.

Not all tomatoes are created equal ..we have two types of tomatoes..one that has a lot of liquid inside and the other that is ‘fleshy’ inside with little liquid..The fleshy ones are the best for sugo (sauce)..more flavorful..but they must be ripe and red to insure a sweet sauce arrives at the table.

The only thing that will take a bit of time is grilling the eggplant..but it is worth the extra flavor..

Baked Penne Pasta with Eggplant (Penne Gratinate con Melanzane)

1 lb of whole wheat penne pasta

1 lb of fresh,red ripe tomatoes for sauce

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

handful of fresh parsley leaves

1 fresh carrot

1 small stalk  celery with leaves on top

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

1/4 cup freshly grated parmigian-reggiano cheese

1 lb fresh eggplant

Wash clean and slice eggplant into 1/4” slices. Grill each slice with a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly torn parsley leaves and set aside. Clean and filet tomatoes, remove seeds. Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 cloves garlic in saute pan, saute for 1 minute or until garlic is just beginning to become golden. Place in  tomatoes, saute ,after 5 minutes place in cleaned whole carrot and one small stalk of celery,saute for approx 20 minutes or till most of the liquid has disappeared. Remove from heat. Set aside. Boil water for pasta and cook till al dente (should be approximately 11-12 minutes). Drain. Place in tomato sauce and toss lightly till all pasta is coated with tomato.

Cover baking dish with baking paper. Lightly drizzle olive oil on bottom of pan. Layer penne pasta, then layer of grilled eggplant slices, then some slices or torn pieces of fresh mozzarella, a sprinkling of parmigiana-reggiano cheese, and repeat. Top layer should be pasta topped with fresh mozzarella and grated cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven of 425 degrees and for place under broiler for another 5 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Serve with a Chianti or Montepulciano..

After a plate of this you will see the rest of your day or evening through rose colored glasses…’la vie en rose’….or a t least for a few hours while the flavors still linger…

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

Appearances coming up:
Sept 9-12-Hudson Valley Wine Fest- Rhinebeck, NY, Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Maria Liberati and The Basic Art of Italian Cooking take center stage for 2 on stage cooking demos from the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition.  To attend or for sponsorship info email :info@marialiberati.com

October 3rd-Sacramento California, Sacramento Italian Cultural Center

October 14th-Lower Southampton Library, Featerville, Pa- Book Signing and Olive oil tasting

October 29-30-Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Fest-Valley Forge Convention Center-Book signing and cooking demos for mMaria Liberati and The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

November 2nd-Franklin Lakes Public Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 7 PM- Book Signing and cooking demo

 copyright 2010, Maria Liberati

August 15th is the most loved Holiday in Italy..especially when the sun is bright and temps are hot..no better way to enjoy  the last of summer or a day at the beach or in the sun or eating outdoors…nothing beats eating watermelon outside on a hot summer day in August.. Italians are more passionate about this Holiday then Christmas….which is also a day to enjoy great food with family and friends..but in August you can feast outside  under the glow of the sun, the moon and the stars on the beach or on outside

But my favorite way of ending the 15th, is sitting around a large picnic table with family and friends for a plate of Spaghetti at Midnight..sometimes it is spaghetti with garlic and olive oil..this year it was Spaghetti al Tartufo (Spaghetti with truffles). After a day of eating from afternoon to evening…you always have to remember to somehow leave room for this delectable dish..a small serving just to celebrate summer’s ending with friends and family.

It’s easy to make and if you can’t find truffles, drizzle pasta with truffle oil before serving.

Spaghetti al Tartufo

(serves 8-10 people)

1 lb spaghetti

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small black truffle

pinch of salt to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain. Place in bowl,drizzle with olive oil and shave 1/4 of truffle on top (you only need a little to get a lot of flavor) Toss. Seerve hot with grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese. Pair with a chilled white wine (Falenghina, or Est!Est!Est! make great choices)

Get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

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Saturday has always been one of my favorite days..it is market day..and I  always am too excited to sleep the night before anticipating  an early cappuccino and cornetto (Italian version of the croissant) at our local coffee bar..the best way to wake up for the long ..and continually growing market… and also pondering  what particular treasure (s) I may come upon.

Fresh speckled beans, zucchini, basil ,parsley,  tomatoes,celery, cucumbers and zucchini..the fragrance was hypnotizing as  I returned home on foot, carrying bags filled with these ultra fresh, local veggies…

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On a lazy summer Saturday..decisions are not easy to make..the brain isn’t in full focus..the sun,the fresh air, the fragrances..when will we be going to the beach house…all of  what seems to be (at least for the moment) summer’s most important decisions..but no, now the difficult choice of selecting today’s lunch.

A summer light pasta dish with an uncooked tomato sauce made with fresh red, ripe tomatoes, chopped (farm fresh) celery and celery leaves, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and pinch of salt. Let that all marinade..like a summer day marinates in the bright sunshine,fresh air and quiet…

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

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Sept 9-12 Hudson Valley Wine Festival

Oct 29-Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

Evenings here always include a walk in the piazza to chat with old friends, make new ones, catch up on town gossip, and share recipes. The best excuse to take a walk after dinner….going to the piazza. Last night, besides some fluff type conversation of ‘how are you doing?” and “how is the family?” we also caught up with an old friend of ours that runs a local trattoria and also has a small farm that produces many of the vegetables served there. He bragged about his  eggplant (melanzane) this year  and he shared a recipe for a specialty dish they are serving at the trattoria in honor of his successful crop of eggplants.

But even better yet, since I had such a ‘voglio’ to make this dish  for today’s lunch….this morning I was gifted with 3 fresh eggplants from Mario’s small farm…and am feverishly working on the recipe now….serve with a glass of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and eat al fresco (if possible).

(So glad we went to the piazza last night!)  Please write and let me know if you get to try this easy recipe!

Pennette Alla Melanzane (Small Penne Pasta with Eggplant)

1 lb of pennette (small penne pasta)

1 lb of fresh eggplant-washed and cut into cubes

1 lb fresh plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion-finely chopped

‘1 tsp of capers

1/4 cup black olives ,pitted and chopped

handful fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Place pennete in a pot of boiling water and cook for time indicated on package-till al dente.

Place olive oil in saute pan, place in chopped onion, saute till just before golden, place in cubed eggplant, diced tomatoes, add in pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Saute for 5 minutes ,add in chopped black olives and capers. Saute for 15 minutes over low heat ,covered.  Uncover and stir with wooden spoon every 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat, place in drained pasta toss. Serve hot ,cold or warm with a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil leaves.

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

Looking for Guest writers to Share the Joy. Do you have a favorite food memory of a Holiday you would like to share with our readers? Stories are being selected now  for publication

Visit me at OpenSky

Sept 9-12 –see you at  Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY.  Join me for onstage demos of recipes from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking series.  For more info or for sponsorship info email: info@marialiberati.com

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

Have you ever thought of substituting melon for tomatoes in your pasta dish? Try this refreshing, cool, summertime pasta dish.Hope you can get locally grown cantaloupes for this one!

Farfalle al Melone (farfalle pasta with cantaloupe)

*1/2 (medium) cantaloupe

*Juice of ½ fresh lemon

*1 lb farfalle pasta

*1 handful fresh arugula

*5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

*freshly ground black pepper

*Optional-2 ozs. Prosciutto ham

Cook pasta according to package directions till al dente.  Peel and cut cantaloupe into cubes. Cut prosciutto into long, thin strips. Clean, wash and gently dry, fresh arugula. When pasta is al dente, drain and quickly run cold water on the pasta. Drain and place in a large serving dish or bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top, then pour in fresh lemon juice. Toss pasta. Add in fresh cantaloupe cubes, prosciutto, arugula. Toss gently to mix. Grate fresh black pepper on top and serve.

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

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Maria

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

As temperatures hover over 100 in most of the USA a cold dish of pasta is a perfect way to have A cool evening meal..or take it to work for a healthy lunch. A cold pasta dish is not just about throwing cold pasta together with anything you find in the fridge.

There are some chef secrets to the art of cold pasta dishes and here they are, making cold pasta dishes is a simple, basic art….easy to do but you must follow specific rules to have the perfect summer dish…and experience the most flavor.

*As with all pasta dishes –hot or cold-always use pasta made of 100% durum semolina wheat cooked to ‘al dente’

*Use one principal ingredient-a meat, or cheese, or tuna or other seafood, then 1 or 2 other secondary ingredients-vegetables make good choices..i.e. tomatoes, peppers,  eggplant, peas, zucchini, or even olives. For optimum taste choose veggies that you can find grown locally and in season.

There are so many combinations for any palate and you can mix and match using those rules..Farfalle Primavera, cold pasta with vegetables, fusilli pasta with eggplant and fontina cheese, penne pasta with mackerel, celery and olives and the list continues. But keep it simple, pasta plus 2-3 other ingredients. Of course don’t forget to drizzle with extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

*My last secret…once pasta is cooked to ‘al dente’ no need to add ingredients in immediately. best to add in ingredients a half hour before serving. Did you know that after an hour of being cut-tomatoes lose most of their original flavor..so best not to keep your tomatoes or pasta dish waiting around..

Make your cold pasta dish an eating experience!

For more tips and recipes get a copy of the book selected as the Best Italian Cusine Book in  the USA-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition.http://www.marialiberati.com/products-page

Visit me at OpenSky

Sept 9-12-Hudson Valley Wine Fest, Rhinebeck, NY at Dutchess County Fairgrounds-Maria Liberati will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking to center stage with cooking demos from the award winning new book release and a book signing. For more info or to sponsor this appearance email: info@marialiberati.com

Oct 29-31-Philadelphia Food & Wine Festival at Valley Forge Convention Center. Maria Liberati will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking to center stage at this Gourmet Food and Wine event. For info or to sponsor this appearance email: info@marialiberati.com

Maria

www.marialiberati.com

where food meets art, travel and life!

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

As we are enjoying our evening meal alfresco with fireworks bursting below us…patriotic thoughts of one of my favorite signers of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson….he was so inspired by his travels to Italy that he gave a Tuscan winemaker some land contiguous to Monticello to cultivate. He also hired many vintners from Italy to cultivate his gardens..he illegally  ‘smuggled’ rice in his coat pockets on one trip back from Italy and he also carefully researched the olive production in Italy and recommended their cultivation to acquaintances in South Carolina.

So inspired by the works of architect Andrea Palladio that he consulted his books as bibles for the construction of Monticello.   Palladio was an admirer of ancient Rome as was Jefferson and he said that   “Roman taste, genius and magnificence excite ideas”

Also inspired by the Italian language ,he taught it to himself while a student at William and Mary but he made sure it was included in the languages studied at the University of Virginia in 1764.

While Ambassador to France he toured much of Italy-especially the north and spent some time finding out how Parmigiano-Reggiano was produced,he even looked for a machine to make macaroni to bring back to the US..

One of Jefferson’s favorite wines was a Montepulciano.So who would have thought that this pasta dish served with a Montepulciano could be considered patriotic? it is if you are  celebrating the Fourth with Jefferson in mind!

Pasta with Fresh Zucchini

2 ounces ricotta

2 cups white flour

1 ½ cups cold water

pinch of salt and pepper to taste

2 zucchini

10 cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons plain tomato sauce

Preparation:

Place flour on wooden board and shape into a well. Place water and salt in center of wekk. Blend by hand and work the dough till smooth and well blended. Let rest for 2 hours covered with a clean towel.

Divide pasta ball into 4 portions. Roll out each portion on well floured board. Cut into noodles that are ½ inch thick with the help of a pasta machine or by hand.

Cut each noodle into smaller strips. Sprinkle with flour, let sit.

Place olive oil in saute pan with the zucchini that has been cut into quarters. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Place in tomatoes that have been cut in quarters with the plain tomato sauce. Let simmer together for 5 minutes. Add in salt as desired. Turn off heat.

Boil water ion pasta pot. Place in fresh pasta, cook for 2 -4 minutes (taste after 3 minutes do not overcook). Drain. Place in saute pan with zucchini, toss, serve with grated dried ricotta

In honor of our founding fathers, serve with a Montepulciano and don’t forget the fireworks

For more 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.

Visit OpenSky

Sept 9-12 ,see you at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY

Maria

“No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention”.  ~Christopher Morley

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

Cold Spaghetti..to warm the heart for a  summer evening  meal or lunch al fresco..or take  it with you to the office or the beach …healthy and inexpensive..so simple to make..

Pasta Al Fresco

1 lb of spaghetti

1 lb of cherry or grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

small handful fresh basil leaves chopped

4 tablespoons Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Wash and cut tomatoes in half, place in bowl, add in minced garlic, olive oil, toss gently, season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta according to package directions,drain and cool. Place in bowl with tomatoes, toss gently. Add in torn basil leaves and toss. Serve . Sprinkle freshly grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese on top

Serve with chilled white wine..

Sept 9-12-Hudson Valley Wine Festival- Rhinebeck, NY, Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Maria Liberati & the Basic Art of Italian Cooking will take center stage to demo recipes from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. For more info or to sponsor the appearance contact: info@marialiberati.com

For more recipes, get your copy of the 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

Visit me at OpenSky

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

Maria

www.marialiberati.com

where food meets art, travel & life!

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

They say that the  guitar is a  romantic instrument…this could not be truer than in Abruzzo..where every kitchen has one..well sort of ..I mean’ la chitarra’ the instrument called so because of it’s similar wooden frame and steel thin wires.. responsible for some of my great loves..’pasta a la chitarra’ the dish that began my love affair with pasta..and…(well wait more to come)…

On special Sunday mornings I would watch as my nonna..’strummed  that pasta  dough into a culinary creation..with the dexterity of a musician.(not to mention the passion).each piece would look like a perfect piece of art..I remember the dishes of ‘pasta a la chitarra’ covered with just a splash of tomato sauce and a dusting of parmigiana-reggiano..a prettier picture there could not be…

Flash forward to…..A warm summer night.. in the mountains of Abruzzo..eating al fresco on the terrace of a mountainside resort…’pasta a la chitarra con tartufi’ (with truffles)..the first meal I had with my fiance…it was love at first sight..the pasta or him..or both..

Here’s a recipe..

2 cups semoilina flour

2 cups all purpose flour

4 eggs

4 tblsps extra virgin olive oil

tepid water as needed

On pastry board, place flour and make a well in center. Place in eggs, olive oil and pinch of salt, spoonful of water. Begin to work in the ingredients by hand. Working the dough until a smooth ball is formed. If needed add a little more water to make dough smooth. If dough is too sticky sprinkle a bit more flour on the surface. Knead dough for 15 minutes. Form into a ball and leave covered in bowl for 15 minutes. Sprinkle semolina flour on pastry board and roll dough out to a thin pasta dough. Once the dough is rolled out cut it into sheets the length of your ‘chitarra’. Place sheet on top of chitarra and roll with a rolling pin. Run your fingers over exposed strings at end of chitarra and pasta will fall to bottom of the chitarra. Let pasta dry on sheet sprinkled with semolina flour for approximately 1 hour. Then cook pasta for a 2-3 minutes or until al dente in lightly salted boiling water. Top with your favorite sauce.

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

Hope to see you on Sept 9-12 at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival

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http://twitter.com/marialiberati

Maria

www.marilaiberati.com

where food meets art, travel & life!