copyright 2011 Maria Liberati

On the road again”….that winsome, Willie Nelson tune just seems to pop out at me as my book tour unfolds. An invitation to appear at the Utah Humanities Festival found me in Salt Lake City this past weekend. After a long flight, the calm relaxing pace of that city as well as a landscape filled with mountains and sky provided a bit of tranquility.

And even though Salt Lake City is certainly not a hop,skip and a jump from the east coast, it reminded me in some ways of home in the mountains of Abruzzo. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, fresh spring water,fresh air. It was almost like I was there in my little town in Abruzzo but supersized with multi lane highways instead of 2 lane highways going through town, skyscrapers instead of old country villas and terracotta glazed buildings.

But no need to look too far for great food, I was scheduled to do another event (A book signing and recipe demo from the book) at Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli. I call this place a little piece of Italy in the West. With am Italian market, a deli, a fresh fish market and restaurant, I didn’t need to look any further. The recipe was a Risotto with fresh porcini mushrooms and truffles and Caputo’s had all the perfect ingredients that are not always so easy to find. Ingredients like carnaroli rice, frozen porcini mushrooms from Umbria, Italy and black truffles from Burgundy, France, butter from Parma ,Italy and Olive Oil from Tuscany..The ultimate ingredients like this always make for an ultimate food experience

P.S. Only use a pinch of truffles to top off this dish, truffles are wonderful only when used correctly, not over used.. And if you can’t find a truffle, a drizzle of truffle infused oil on a finished risotto will work as a substitute.

.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Truffles

(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:DaVinci Style, published by art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

*4 cups vegetable broth

*3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

*2 leeks chopped finely

*1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice

*1 tablespoon unsalted butter

*1 cup dry white wine or Prosecco

*1 ounce dried procini mushroom

*1-2 tswps grated truffles

*2-4 tablespoons freshly shaved or grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

Place dried porcini mushrooms in small dish of warm water and let soak for 30 minutes, set aside. Heat vegetable broth till boiling, then simmer. Place olive oil in large saute pan, place in leeks and saute till leeks become transparent. Place in soaked porcini mushrooms and set water they soaked in aside. Saute for a minute. Place in rice and toast til rice is coated with oil. Add in dry white wine, wtir till liquid is all absorbed,then add in liquid from porcini mushrooms, stir and then when liquid is absorbed, add in another ¾ cup broth and repeat this till rice is al dente (about 18 minutes). When finished, remove from heat and place butter on top, stir in and then plate the rice and serve with grated or shaved parmigiana-reggiano on top.

Serve with the wine you added into the risotto for cooking, if you’re not sure, Est!Est!Est!,Falenghina, Pecorino, dry Prosecco all make great white wines for a risotto dish-to cook with and pair with at dinner

*Join me in Italy on an all inclusive luxury cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean. We will explore the sights and tastes with visits to vineyards, on board culinary events and more. Only a few spots left. Call Julie at Rosenbluth Travel at 1-800-257-8270

*October 12th at 9:30 AM if you are in Philadelphia, listen in to WBEN 95.7 FM radio as Marilyn Russell interviews me for her Woman of the Week show and hear about my latest book and special projects.

*October 21-23-Suburban Home Show at the greater Philadelphia Convention Center in Oaks Pennsylvania. Join me for on stage cooking demos of my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style and find out how you can join me on my upcoming luxury cruise to Italy. For more info email:events@marialiberati.com

Happy” top o’ the mornin to ya”…for Saint Patrick’s Day. Today the Irish claim him as their own, but did you know that even the Italians claim him as one of their own. He was born in Britain when it was ruled and owned by the Romans, so the Italians  consider him a Roman-not Irish.

One thing all Americans can usually agree on is to celebrate the day..And no one celebrates the day bigger and better than Americans.

In Italy, today, March 17^th, is Festa Nazionale (national Feast Day) for the Unification of Italy (to celebrate the 150 yrs that Italy has been a unified nation)..no matter what you want to celebrate..Celebrate!

In honor of both occasions, here’s an Italian style dish that includes cabbage and potatoes with Filet of Sole.  Serve with a dry white wine, a sparkling Prosecco or even beer.

Filet of Sole with Cabbage and Potatoes

copyright 2011, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Serves 4.

• 1 pound cabbage
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 pound filet of sole
• 1 teaspoon dried leeks
• 1 teaspoon dried fennel

Clean cabbage and chop into large pieces. Boil in 2 quarts of water. Add in coarse salt and boil for 7 minutes. Drain.

Peel and cut potatoes into pieces. Boil for 10 minutes. Puree in food processor and place in puree bowl.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Place in cooked cabbage and stir for 3 minutes on low to medium heat. Add in mashed potatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 more minutes.

Wash fish with fresh water. Cook in a steamer. Place water to boil in the bottom of steamer with dried herbs. Place sole in basket on top, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Serve fish on individual plates with potato mixture on side. Decorate plates with the tops of the leeks and dried herbs.

 For more great recipes, get your copy of  the book selected as Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA-

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

copyright 2011 Maria Liberati/art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

This weekend, the terrible tragedy in Japan, forced me to recognize  all the things in my life I have to be thankful for, no matter how small..it is all good..but most of all I found myself thankful for not having to endure the horrendous earthquake in Japan. My heartfelt wishes goes out to everyone that had to endure this.  It was also a weekend that made me realize that we all (myself included) take for granted many things in our lives that we should be thankful for.  We should  find a way to celebrate anything we feel we should celebrate.   But most of all if you are  able to celebrate, that alone can give cause to celebrate! Of course we all have to live our lives and can’t stop every moment of the day to celebrate, but once in awhile..stop and think about it!

Lasagna is usually a meal that is reserved for those special Occasions-Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter..but I’ve decided to make it this  Sunday and have my own special occasion..it’s Sunday..I can relax a bit..I can enjoy a delicious meal..a glass of wine.. and that alone gives me reason to celebrate!

Also remember, not all lasagne is made with  mozzarella and ricotta..the last time I posted a lasagna with beschamel sauce I had a ton of emails asking if we forgot to include the ricotta cheese..but no we didn’t . This is a lasagna typically made in the North of Italy, no ricotta in the recipe.

Lasagna Con Beschamel e Spinaci (Lasagne with Beschamel & Spinach)

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

½ lb (250 gr) fresh spinach,washed ,cleaned and chopped

2 cups beschamel sauce

5 tblsps (75 gr) freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese

1 lb (500 gr) scamorza cheese

1 tblsp (15 grams) butter

1 lb (500 gr) fresh or dry pasta for lasagna

2 tblsps (30 gr) plain breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Wash and dry fresh spinach, chop, Place beschamel in saucepan and add in freshly chopped spinach, 3 tblsps (45 gr) parmigiana-reggiano cheese. Heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cut scamorza cheese into thin slices

Butter a lasagna pan and place  2 tablespoons of beschamel sauce in bottom of pan, cover with one layer of pasta, Place 2 tblsps (30 gr) of beschamel sauce on top of pasta and top that with scamorza slices. Cover with another layer of pasta and repeat till ingredients are finished. Last layer on top should be pasta topped with beshcamel sauce and remaining parmigiana reggiano cheese. Sprinkle with plain breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

Let us know what you are going to celebrate! Post here or email..

 Get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition  winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

 Peace, Love &  Pasta,

Maria

executiveeditor@marialiberati.com

Carnevale..the feast that marks the 40 days filled with other Holidays approaching Easter.. Venice is one of the most famous cities in the world for its’ illustrious Carnevale..the colors, the costumes .the elegant balls…the food.

Venice, also made famous by the Victorian era duo—Gilbert & Sullivan for their operetta The Gondoliers..a comedy that takes place in Venice and is about the fictional King of Barataria. And through various mishaps a gondolier is mistakenly appointed to the Royal throne of this fictional comedy.

Venice also brings to mind other colorful characters who at one time or another used this unique city for their inspiration… Mozart, Shakespeare, Da Vinci, the Doges.

But alas Venice, Carnevale is not your possession, it is celebrated throughout Italy, with some cities like Via Reggio that organize grand productions and parades in honor of Carnevale. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday marks the end of Carnevale in almost every city in Italy except Milan. That city has the tradition of celebrating till Saturday because of the legend of a St Ambrosius who was to return to the city on this particular Saturday,

And besides the costumes and colors, the most memorable part of Carnevale is the food..the specialty sweets made for this Holiday.

I always pay a visit to the center of Rome after Valentine’s Day but before Easter to glance in the windows of some of Romes’ most elegant coffee bars to find the frappe (as they are called in Rome) displayed beautifully in their glass cases just waiting to be savored….here’s a recipe to try at home if you can’t get to Rome.. These are called chicchiare in other parts of Italy, chiacchiare means ‘to gossip’.

Chiacchiare

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

3 eggs

powdered sugar for dusting

½ cup grappa

1 tsp vanilla

3 tblsps milk

3 tblsps unsalted butter, softened

Place flour on a wooden board. First beat eggs with milk with a fork. Make a well in the center of flour and place in the eggs and all other ingredients. Blend by hand , then place in mixing bowl or food processor till smooth dough is formed. Roll dough out to 1 inch thickness. Form chiacchiare by cutting with jagged edge cutter or knife or cookie cutter forms that are square in shape. Bake in preheated oven to 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar when cool.

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

copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”                                                                                       William  Shakespeare in  “As You Like It”

Hmm..maybe Shakespeare knew something we didn’t ..the world was also  his stage and he was merely one of the players..

Have you heard the news coming from ‘across the pond’ (as the British say)?  Research presented at the Book Fair in Turin Italy last year claims that William Shakespeare, aka- Michelangelo Florio was really born in Sicily and his family was forced to flee to England because of his father publishing writings against the  Vatican. That was how he became the ‘British Bard’

 He came from an aristocratic family, father was  Giovanni Florio and  ultimately took his mother’s maiden name and translated it into English. His mother was Guglielma Crollalanza. Croallalanza means shake spear in engllish..added an ‘e’ at the end and..voila!! The first name  William  comes from  a young cousin that was born in England and died young. His mother was a cousin of Guglielma and had already translated her last name to Shakespeare but named her young son William. That William died very young.  So upon the arrival of young Michelangelo Florio (Aka the Bard) into Stratford-on-the-Avon, he took the name of his deceased cousin-William Shakespeare. Also it is eerily noted that Shakespeare, at the age of 16, while traveling throughout Europe, fell in love with a girl named Giulietta (Juliet) and his family opposed the union,  Giuletta  was so distraught that she committed suicide ( does this story bring to mind a balcony, Verona and one named Romeo?)….if you need to sit down to ‘digest’ all this..have a glass of  Marsala wine with this traditional Sicilian cannoli recipe..while reading more about the real ’Bard’ here

This recipe uses a typical dessert wine made in Sicily known as Marsala. The Florio family is a famous Marsala making family..who knows maybe Michleangelo Florio,aka William Shakespeare may be a relative.

Sicilian Cannoli

Shell

(you will need a cannoli form to make these. Many gourmet stores sell these. But if you can’t find send me an email: maria@marialiberati.com)

1 cup flour

1 1/2  tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg white

2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine

Oil for frying (canola, peanut oils are best)

Melt butter and place in bowl. A little at a time, blend in sugar,flour and Marsala wine. Mix by hand till you have gotten a smooth but firm dough. Let stand for 15 minutes and roll out, cut to round circular discs that are 4″ in width.  Heat oil in deep frying pan or fryer.  Oil the cannoli form and place dough on top. Close the opening of the cannoli where dough meets and place beaten egg white to firm the closure. Fry till golden.

Filling

2 cups ricotta cheese(freshly made if possible

1 cup powdered sugar

16 ounces  dark chocolate (at leas 65% cocoa)pieces or cut into small pieces or bits

Place ricotta in bowl, add in sugar and chocolate pieces, belnd with wooden spoon till well blended. Fill cooked shells when cool and dust with powdered sugar.

For more authentic Italian recipes, stories on Italian life get your copy of the book selected as best Italian cuisine book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Peace, Love &  Pasta…Maria xoxo

  copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

Scarpediem…has become one of my favorite new stores in the center of town here..okay,it has nothing to do with food or the kitchen but is a play on words for the Italian word for shoes-scarpe and the Latin Phrase Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)..all of the Italian designer shoes in one place makes you want to ‘seize the day’ and purchase all the shoes or better yet ‘seize the shoes’….

Italian have an artistic penchant for creating new words to express clearly an idea like

*Capri Diem-(instead of Carpe Diem) expressing love of enjoying the island of Capri

*Cinepanettone ( Combining cine for cinema or movie and panettone-the traditional Holiday bread at Christmas time) to describe films that are released for Christmas.

*Decembrini-to discuss things that are’ December-ish’..for instance a fruit that is not totally mature yet in December can be described as Decembrini or the weather that is typical for December,

*Settembrini-something that may come out in September or is ‘September-ish’. For instance fig trees bear fruit in August  and September..those figs of September  can be described as Settembrini or even the change of the weather or coolness that usually begins in the air to describe the weather as Settembrini.

and there are many others…

 Today I am preparing a chocolate-orange cake..my own version of a Sacher Torte for a dinner on Sunday. The Austrians combine apricot with chocolate in their traditional cake. But Italians love the combination of chocolate and orange..and if you taste them together you will quickly understand why..

Here’s the recipe

Torte di Cioccalata all’Arancia (Chocolate and Orange Cake)

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

*8 ounces baking chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content

*3 tblsps milk

*3/4 cup butter

*3/4 cup sugar

*5 eggs

*1 tsp baking powder

*grated zest of 1 orange

*1 cup flour

Filling:
*1 ½ cups orange marmelade

*1 tsp brandy

Topping:

*8 ounces baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
* 1 cup powdered sugar

*1 cup whipping cream

In a double boiler, melt chocolate with milk, stirring with a wooden spoon. When melted remove from heat and cool. Place softened butter in a bowl and whip with electric beater till creamy mousse consistency. Add in sugar and beat it until you get a creamy blend. Add in cooled, melted chocolate, and flour and baking powder a spoonful at a time. Mix till well blended. Add in eggs, one at a time. Blend well after adding each one. Then add in orange peel. Butter and flour an 8 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes in an oven preheated to350 degrees. Place toothpick in center to be sure cake is done. Remove from oven. Remove cake from pan and let cool. When cool, slice cake in center in half so as to get tow layers.

Warm orange marmelade with brandy. Remove from heat. Spread mixture on one half of cake. Top with other half., Spread orange mixture on top of cake. Let sit.

In double boiler melt chocolate for topping, add in powdered sugar and a few spoons of water. Mix with wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Let cool to warm. Spread on top of marmelade on top of cake and cover sides and entire cake with chocolate mixture. Let cool and chocolate harden. Whip whipping cream and serve each slice with a spoonful of whipped cream

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

The book was selected as Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

  copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

What does Chianti have in common with cornflakes..well not  much. But this past summer when I was invited to spend some time at Castello D’Albola in Chianti and made my way to all the little towns I found a particular cookie in many of the ‘forno’ (bakeries) there that I have been wanting to test out in my test kitchen here in Italy.

The cookie got my attention when I quickly spotted it in the window of a little bakery in the chic little town of Radda in Chianti, next to all the cantucci biscotti (the local biscotti produced in that region) The reason..it is very similar to a cookie that I remember from my childhood in the US that is made with cornflakes..and really delicious.

If you purchase them in Chianti they sell for 15 (about $22US) Euro a kilo (2 pounds), but you can make them at home for much less. Who would have thought that a little infamous cornflake cookie from the US would be featured in a bakery next to the famed cantucci biscotti.?

While spending time in my test kitchen here I was finally able to put together a recipe and added other flavors to make them decidedly Italian-dark Italian chocolate and peel of fresh oranges, another delicious memory of Chianti….

Cornflakes in Chianti Cookies

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

*2 cups flour

*3/4 cup sugar

*2 eggs

*1/2 cup butter

*1 tsp vanilla

*16 ounces dark baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)

*grated peel of one fresh orange

*approximately 2 cups of cornflakes for coating cookies

*1 tsp baking powder

Sift flour and baking powder together. In separate bowl blend together sugar and eggs. Add in softened butter and sifted flour/baking powder-1/2 cup at a time. When blended, add in vanilla, chocolate and orange peel. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cornflakes on flat dish. Separate dough into small balls, roll in cornflakes, flatten cookie, place on cookie sheet, be sure to leave space between each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.

 For more great recipees get yoru 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

Today was  filled with peace and quiet..a walk in the serene mountains of Abruzzo…my Tibet..I know  when I  have reached the top  the moment I see my favorite sign..La pace nasce nel silenzio (Peace is born in Silence) at the top of the mountain…and nothing can describe being at  the top…  where it is peaceful and eerily quiet at 2 in the afternoon when everyone else is at home feasting on  a  Sunday afternoon.
The perfect way to clear out all the cobwebs mulling around in your thoughts and take in some clean fresh air.. But a 2 hour trek in the mountains brings about a ravenous appetite also..

Today’s Lunch and  Recipe

Risotto della Volpe ( Risotto of the Wolf)

*2 cups of arborio rice
*1 cup of fresh or frozen peas
*1 cup of speckled beans
*5 tablespoons plain tomato sauce
*4 slices of fontina cheese sliced in strips
*2 slices of provolone cut into strips
*1 small onion
*1/2 tblsp unsalted butter
*1/2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
*3-4 tablespoons parmigiana-reggiano cheese grated
*pinch of salt
For the broth
*4 cups water
*1 celery stick
*1 carrot
*1 onion

Place water in large pot.Add in vegetables (all except onion) that have been washed, and cook for 20 minutes. Chop onion and place in saute pan with olive oil. When golden, add in rice and toast the rice for a few minutes. Then add in fresh peas and ½ cup broth. After approx 9 minutes add in speckled beans and tomato sauce. Keep adding in broth ½ cup at a time as needed, till rice is al dente (approx 18 minutes total). When finished, add in cheese and stir till melted. Salt to taste, sprinkle on grated parmigiana cheese, add in butter, stir and serve.

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

In our American culture we tend to consider things that are not  pristine and spanking brand new less than worthy..but if you are planning a trip to Italy you will need to change your frame of mind… Italy is like a woman that has aged  beautifully..yes there are wrinkles and the foundation is not perfect but the history she has lived through and experienced all contribute to a different type of beauty. It is a type of beauty that you can’t purchase in a makeup bottle.. a beauty that is not achieved  easily..one that takes years to develop..like a fine bottle of wine or aged cheese.

ahh..fine aged cheese..gruyere cheese and potatoes and the perfect ‘pranzo’ (lunch)…working on this easy recipe for lunch for our first course..a change instead of pasta..great with a bottle of chilled Prosecco. You can also have these as a ‘chic’ appetizer…

Crostatine di Patate e Gruviera (Potato & Gruyere Tarts)

1 lb of gold potatoes

1 cup flour (unbleached)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1 egg

1/4 lb of gruyere cheese (Or substitute fresh mozzarella cheese) cut into small pieces.

Homemade breadcrumbs (put day old bread in food processor,grind to crumbs and place in oven on cookie sheet till toasted)

dash of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Peel, clean potatoes,place in boiling water and boil till tender-approximately 20 minutes). Place in food processor and mash. Place in bowl while still hot and add in butter, parmigiana-reggiano, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend with a wooden spoon, add in some breadcrumbs to make the mixture firm.  Divide mixture into small meatballs-the size of small peach. pat down slightly to make small pizza shapes.  Place on cookie sheet or grill pan that has been lightly coated with olive oil.Cover top of patties  with gruyere cheese. place under broiler for approximately 4 minutes or until cheese has melted and slightly golden. Serve hot with some freshly chopped parsley leaves and or top each little pizza with some chopped ,fresh tomatoes.

Buon Appetito!
Serve with a chilled white wine,Prosecco or Champagne

As Napoleon once said “one needs to drink champagne to celebrate  victory or to console oneself  upon defeat” .

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

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Sept 9-12-see you at Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY. I will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking to center stage with cooking demos, wine pairings from the latest book release.  For info or to sponsor on stage apperances email us at: info@marialiberati

I’m really not fond of pate..are you? But I am always on the lookout for ways to make a non-traditional type of pate.

At our country house in Abruzzo-we have an organic garden that I love to tend to-we had so much thyme one year..I made some bouquets of thyme and placed in the kitchen or la cucina..but wanted to use it up before the bouquets dried.

A fridge full of fresh mushrooms..a quick trip to the local cheese store on Via Corradini.  I look forward to my walks to Via Corradini.  A principal street in the center of town..one can find a local coffee bar,a fresh pasta store, a forno (or pizza & Bread oven), a bakery and a small local grocery store. If you pick the perfect hour  and if the wind is blowing just the right way your nose will be entertained by the fragrance of fresh bread baking or pizza just dancing it’s way out of the oven.

As you continue your walk the mountains of Abruzzo provide a live painting to view as you make your way the sight of an old church steeple..no need to bring a watch..you can depend on the church bells to ring out the time on the hour, every hour.

When the stores begin to lock their doors and close their lights it is time to head home to prepare the afternoon meal. But that’s okay..by this time you are ravenous from the sights, smells and sounds.

A bottle of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo will make this a perfect summer meal..add a plate of fresh fruit for dessert.

Crostini with Mushroom Pate

1 egg

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms-washed and sliced

1 branch of fresh thyme

1 head of lettuce

2 slices of thinly sliced (American style sliced) bread with crusts taken off

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt

½ tablespoon of butter (unsalted)

dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place butter in a non-stick pan, add in mushrooms, pinch o f salt, and 4 washed lettuce leaves. Cover and saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Boil egg in water for 10 minutes. Place under running cold water and peel. Remove mushrooms from heat, set aside a few slices for decoration. In food processor or blender place in mushrooms mix, egg, yogurt, ½ tsp finely chopped thyme, mayonnaise. Belnd till smotth cream. Cut out 8 circles from bread slices.. Toast till golden under broiler. Remove from oven and spread with cream mixture.

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

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