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

Watching scenes of the recent wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco brings me back to many trips along the Riviera from Italy to Monaco and the South of France in the summertime..besides thoughts of picturesque little towns like-Beaulieu Sur La Mer and Saint  Jean Cap Ferrat-my other favorite memories of the Riviera is the fresh,flavorful food in the summertime.

This is a popular recipe served along the Riviera in the summertime…

Spaghetti al Fresco Riviera style

1 lb. of spaghetti

1 lb. red, ripe, fresh tomatoes

1 celery heart

4 anchovies packed in olive oil

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Boil tomatoes for 1 minute, peel, remove the seeds and cut in small cubes. Place olive oil in a pan and heat till warm, place in anchovies and stir until they have dissolved, add in cubed tomatoes, stir. Remove from heat and cool.

Cook spaghetti till al dente (look at package directions for proper cooking time). Drain spaghetti and place under cold running water while still in colander for 3 seconds.

Drain off all water and place in pan with sauce. Sprinkle on lemon juice a twist of freshly grated white pepper. Toss spaghetti. Then add in chopped celery heart. Toss again. Place on serving plate and serve immediately.

In honor of Independence Day, a recipe that may have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson’s love for many Italian things- he was the  first to bring  over the maccheroni machine and parmigiano -reggiano cheese from Italy from his European travels .One of the first to plant tomatoes at his gardens in Monticello. So here  is  a recipe our Founding Father would have loved. It’s summer, so I didn’t think that you would want to labor over making maccheroni by hand, so this recipe calls for store bought spaghetti- but be sure to get 100% durum wheat pasta. makes  a great eating ‘al fresco’ pasta dish. This is from my upcoming book The Basic Art of Pasta:

Spaghetti Primavera

1  lb spaghetti

4 red, ripe tomatoes

1 handful freshly chopped basil

1 handful freshly chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiana -reggiano cheese

Cook pasta till al dente. While pasta is cooking, prepare the  sauce.  Chop tomatoes , basil, garlic, parsley. Drain pasta and place in serving dish. Place tomato mixture on top. Place olive oil in saute pan to heat or just until oil begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Pour over pasta and cover bowl for 1 minute. Toss and serve with freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese.

Happy 4th of July!

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

Cassola is traditionally a Jewish dessert, but because the main ingredient is fresh ricotta cheese it is also a traditional cheesecake served in Italy. Simple, sweet and delicious as all Italian dishes are, this one only has 5 ingredients and is easy for even the novice cook to whip up. The trick to its’ creamy consistency is using freshly made  ricotta not ricotta that has been made in a processing plant or sitting in the refrigerated aisle of a large supermarket for many days.  Fresh ricotta is creamy, and smooth, and almost nothing like it’s factory made version.

Cassola

*2 pounds freshly made  ricotta cheese

*5 whole eggs

*1 1/3 cups sugar

* grated zest of one fresh lemon

*1/2 fresh vanilla bean, ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place riocotta cheese i na food processor and belnd with a steel balde until smooth. In another bowl, place in eggs, sugar, ground vanilla bean, grated lemon zest. Beat until a  smooth and creamy mixture.  Place into ricotta (already in food processor) about 2 tablesponns at a time.

Butter the bottom of 9 1/2 inch springform pan, then ocntinue ot line with parchment paper. Pour in mixture and place into the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes. When finished the outer edges will be firm but inside will be a bit soft and will not be firm. Turn off oven when done and continue to leave in oven for 15 minutes. Open oven door and let cool for 15 minutes in oven. This dessert can be eaten warm or cool.

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

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

 Anticipating my Christmas in Italy this year and planning my menu…I am reflecting  (for lack of a better word)on(what will be) a  continuing 24 hour meal, from Christmas Eve to the end of Christmas Day. One feels as though they have just finished one meal and soon  starts another without a pause in between.  Christmas Day dinner ,which is usually eaten around 1 or 2 pm begins with a light soup. Although I know this soup as  Stracciatella- different regions have their own names for this dish as well as their own variations. This is a welcome  dish to start a meal on a cold, blustery day. This year, in many parts of the World, Christmas Day should be  a  snowy one..and   this soup (an Italian comfort food) always a ‘comfort food’ )adds to the warmth of the Holiday season..

Stracciatella Soup

This soup serves 4-6

*4 egg yolks

*¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

*½ cup homemade breadcrumbs (no spices added)

*pinch of salt

*pinch of nutmeg

*grated zest of one lemon

8 cups chicken broth (can also use vegetable broth for vegetarians). Homemade broth is always best. (Check out The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition- for a recipes for Homemade Broth)

Blend together in a bowl the first 6 ingredients. Work them until they are well blended and a form mixture is formed. Simmer broth in a large pot. When broth is simmering whisk in egg yolk mixture with a wire whisk. Simmer for 4 minutes and serve immediately with freshly grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese and finely chopped parsley on top.

 For  easy and festive Holiday recipes 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

 copyright 2010, Maria Liberati/artofliving,PrimaMedia,Inc

Those who travel have many a tale to tell …or something like that… as an old saying goes..not only stories of places and sights but of foods and new flavors experienced. Thomas Jefferson who not only served as President but also an international ambassador. He  had a knack for great food and wine… Just think of the stories he told of his journeys in Italy, and his love of Italian pasta so much that he is credited with bringing the first pasta or maccheroni machine to the US and  the first Italian winemakers to the US.

Oce can only imagine his tales of far off foods and wines from a far off land (Italy) and how fascinating those tales may have been back in the day or should I say his day..Thanks to the former Prez… pasta machines and Italian wines are very well known in the US.

But local regional specialties in many a small town  have still not made their way here. Make it a point to find them wherever you go and you will also have many a tale to tell and cook for friends and family.

Here’s one of my favorites..I think President T.J. would have loved it, don’t you? It’s from a region rich with culinary history-Emilia Romagna. It’s a perfect treat for this time of year-Pampepato and if you are fortunate to travel to Emilia Romagna and find a local bakery that makes this-be sure to savor the experience there! You can find this in some gourmet stores in the US-but just not the same as experiencing the flavor in it’s hometown..

This recipe serves 6

PAMPEPATO

1 cup flour

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup powdered unsweetened Dutch cocoa

1/3 cup candied fruit

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp chopped cloves

milk or water

Icing:

16 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl-except chocolate for icing. Add milk or water until the dough is smooth  and sticky with some substance to it. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and place dough in shape of a round ‘cupola’. Or place in small cake pan covered with parchment paper. Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 90 minutes. Remove from oven. Place in a cool,humid place covered for 10-15 days. Then melt the dark baking chocolate in a double boiler and spread the chocolate on  tops and sides of the Pampepato  Serve when chocolate has hardened to form an icing.

Hope to see you at:

December 3rd-Copper Fish Restaurant- 6PM_ cape May NJ for a Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner and book signing from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

December 4th-Borders, Mount Laurel NJ at 1 PM

Visit OpenSky

Peace, Love & Pasta!
Maria

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copyroght 2010 Maria Liberati, art of living, Prima Media Inc.

It’s autumn!! Just in case you haven’t noticed the chill in the air..and a bowl of warm soup make a wonderful dinner companion on a brisk Fall evening. Here’s one that combines two of my favorite  ‘good for you’ ingredients-  fresh pumpkin and mushrooms

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

1 lb of  of fresh pumpkin (peeled and seeded and  cut into small cubes)

4 ounces of button mushrooms

1/2 cup cream (or substitute fat free half and half)

1 small onion finely chopped

1 scallion finely chopped

1 clove of garlic

2 tsps of freshly chopped parsley

1 bouillion cube

2 tblsps pine nuts

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop onion and scallion. Clean mushrooms and cut into large pieces, removing stems. Cut pumpkin into cubes..

I na saute pan, place in 2 tblsps olive oil, chopped onion and scallion and saute over low heat. When just  golden place in pumpkin and saute using a wooden spoon to turn.  Add in cream and 1 cup of warm water along with one bouillion cube (crumbled).. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 25 minutes.

In another saute pan, place 1 tblsp olive oil and place in mushrooms. Add in chopped parsley and pine nuts. Saute until water from mushrooms has just about evaporated.

When pumpkin is tender, remove from heat and when warm (not too hot) place in food processor or potato masher to make  a creamy mixture. If you like your soup steaming hot, place in soup pan for a few minutes till just boiling.Place in bowl and add in mushrooms, stir.Place in individual serving dishes and serve..Grate some fresh black pepper on top.

Hope to see you at the following events coming up, for more info on any of these events or to sponsor these events, email: info@marialiberati.com

November 13th-Borders Express, Woodbridge Center, Woodbridge NJ at 1 PM. Nook Signing and sampling

December 3rd- Copper Fish Restaurant, Cape May NJ-Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner and book signing with  executive Chef Geoff Johnson

December 4th-Borders, Mount Laurel NJ-2PM- Book Signing and Sampling

Peace , Love & Pasta.

Maria

Favorite thing I enjoy  about  being on my book tour for my latest release The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition  is meeting so many ..and hearing of new little towns and places and traditions and foods..most Italian and some from other parts of the World..every culture in the World is somehow related to food.

At an event last weekend someone shared with me their Romanian grandmother’s recipe for a type of eggplant dip..A pizza maker,so proud of his pizza told me  a story of how he found out that one of his customers enjoyed his pizza with ketchup on it..so insulted he was that he told this customer he would never sell him pizza again…and on and on the food stories go…

My second favorite part is that I get to share my knowledge of wines and cooking with wine recipes and tips.. And when speaking about wines..my first suggestion is to read the label of the wine..just as if you would read a food label.. But I realized that many terms used on wine labels are in Italian and some terms are technical similar to  musical terms…you know Allegro…con vivace…con dolcezza…and not always easy  to decipher.

Here are some of my favorite wine terms you can find on bottles or  or you may over hear these terms at your next wine tasting:

Abboccato- lightly sweet

Amabile-semi sweet

Azienda Agricola or Vitivinicola-the farm or estate that produces all or most of the grapes for wine sold under its’ label

Cerasuolo- cherry-hued rose wine

Chiaretto-deep rose

Dolce- sweet

Consorzio-consortium of producers

Enologo-an enologist with a university degree

Fattoria-farm or estate

Invecchiato-aged

Frizzante-bubbly,sparkling

Imbottigliata- bottled

Passito or Passita-partially dried grapes and the strong sweet wines made from them

Rosso-red wine

Secco-dry

Spumante-sparkling dry or sweet wine

Uva-grape

Vino Novello- literally means new wine. But it is a wine that must be bottled and sold within the year of it’s harvest.

Vino da Tavola-table wine, not usually with a DOC or trademark. Most homemade wines are vino da tavola

Vendemmia- harvest

See you: 

November 13th at Borders Express in Woodbridge, NJ

December 3rd -Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner and Book signing at Copper Fish Restaurant in Cape May, NJ

Peace, Love & Pasta,

Maria

 

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

My suitcases were small (all that my airline would allow) but I brought back a lot, (things that are too special to carry in a suitcase) my souvenirs are made up of memories and flavors that I experienced while in Sacramento, California. One of my book tour appearances, last week)  brought me to the Italian Cultural Center there….a short visit that brought a long list of more memories filled with flavors and an experience of history that I never knew…

Large amounts of Italians emigrated from Italy to California during the Gold Rush  Many worked as miners, began hotels for the miners and helped in many other ways during that time….seems to be a fact hidden away in the history of the US and something I never knew. But one of my favorite things about Northern, California is a recipe that, is an Italian one,but adapted a bit to California style. It is Cioppino and one that California  call their very own. Legend has it that this recipe, in the 1850′s was brought there by an Italian named Buzarro, who had a restaurant  on a boat anchored off Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Although Californians proudly acknowledge it as one of their own recipes it was brought there and adapted by this Italian and became a popular one to this day. It is an Italian version of Bouillabaise or a fish chowder. Serve over toasty slices of day old Italian bread and you have a delicious meal!  Serve with a dry white wine from Napa Valley..

Cioppino

 

* 1 1/2 lbs firm flesh fish (fish like sea bass, shark, etc.)

*1/2 lb shrimp

12 -clams or oysters or mussels or combination thereof

*1 large or 2 small crabs

1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil

*2 cloves garlic whole

*3 lbs fresh red ripe plum tomatoes, fileted-or two cans of plum tomatoes

*1 small onion chopped finely

*2 cups of dry red wine (Chianti, Montepulciano,etc)

*1 small handful fresh parsley chopped

*1 small greeen pepper chopped

*Salt and ground pepper to taste

Clean, shell and devein shrimp, clean clams, crabs and mussels but leave in their shells. Place olive oil in large pot, add in garlic cloves, chopped onion, chopped pepper, tomatoes, saute for approximately 10 minutes. Then place in fish, layering with clams, oysters or mussels on top, then top with chopped parsley, ground pepper, pinch of sea salt. Cook for 30 minutes, or until fish is done. Top again with fresh parsley and ground pepper. ladle over crusty Italian bread slices. For an extra great taste, drizzle with Meyer Lemon Oil..   Enjoy.

 

For info on any of these upcoming appearances email:events@marialiberati.com

October   14th, 7 PM-  Lower Southampton Twp.  Library, Feasterville, Pa. for a demo on Olive oils and tasting and a book signing of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd ed. For more info or to make a reservation call  the Library 215) 355-1183 X104. Reservations are needed, this usually sells out fast!

October 29-31-See you at the Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show at the Valley Forge Convention Center, Valley Forge , Pennsylvania

Nov 2, Franklin Lakes Library for a book signing, reading and sampling from the latest award winning cookbook

Get your copy of the book selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book

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

Share your favorite food memory and Share the Joy! See your favorite story in Print

Try some of my new oils and Balsamic Vinegars..great for a special recipe or just drizzled on salads and bruschetta!

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

Tonight, August 10th is known as the night of San Lorenzo and the night of the ‘stelle cadente’ or falling stars. Saint Lorenzo was a martyr and legend has it that on this night his tears shoot out of the sky as falling stars.

Every August 10th, wherever I may be here in Italy..as long as weather permits we eat dinner outside  after the sun sets..and while eating we watch the shooting stars,the beauty of the night adds so much to the meal….hope you can do the same wherever you are..and here is a recipe from tonight’s dinner table..this is served cold and refreshing for a hot summer night to watch the stars:

Tartare Di Mango e Verdure (Tartare of Mango & Vegetables)

(Serves 4 people)

1 mango

1 fresh beet ,cooked till tender and peeled

1/2 cup dried lentils, soaked overnight and cooked till tender

2 carrots

3 leeks

juice of one fresh lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Clean carrots and cut into little sticks about 2 inches long, 1/4 inch wide.Set aside, Cut beet into sticks same dimension of carrots.Peel mango and cut into small cubes. Clean leeks and cut into small pieces. I nab owl place in 3 tblsps olive oil and lemon juice,salt and pepper. Add in chopped leeks, blend with fork.  On a plate, make a small tower in this way- arrange in the center of plate  a layer of lentils, then a layer of carrot sticks, then beet sticks, then mango cubes,top with olive oil dressing and repeat in 3 more plates,serve as an appetizer with a glass of chilled Friuli Grave Doc

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