3.26.2016

Arugula tagliatelle served with cherry tomatoes, zucchini and tuna sauce.

For the dough:

1 cup arugula
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup 00 flour (cake flour)
1 1/2 cup Semolina flour
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt

In a blender, blend the eggs with the arugula until is smooth green. In a bowl or on the table mix the eggs with the oil, salt and flour. Mix until the texture is similar to a play dough. Roll the dough in a pasta machine or by hand. If you have a Marcato pasta machine make the tagliatelli until the number 5.

For the sauce:

500g cherry tomatoes
2 zucchini
4 cloves of chopped garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup already cooked tuna (can or jar is fine)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
1 tbsp oregano (the best quality is the Sicilian or Greek)
Pinch of pepperoncino

Cut the tomatoes in half. The zucchini we will use just the hard green part, not the seeds. Chop the garlic.
In a big baking tray, mix the tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, olive oil, balsamic, oregano, Salt & Pepper and a little spicy if you would like. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven 200C. After baked, add the Tuna. Cook the pasta for about five minutes, mix the pasta with the sauce. Serve with balsamic vinegar reduction if you would like! :)

A very fun night of cooking!
 *You can substitute Tuna for already cooked shrimp, lobster, crabs, squid or octopus...




3.18.2016

Pasticcio di Radicchio

500g/ 1lb Radicchio rosso di Treviso
Olive oil
1000ml bechamel
1 clove of garlic
Salt & Pepper
Grana Padano
300g Asiago
Lasagne sheets

The first step is wash the radicchio very well and cut in little strips. In a frying pan, sauté the radicchio with olive oil and the clove of garlic. Leave the clove of garlic until turns brown, then discard. Leave the cooked radicchio in a colander because is better when the radicchio is not wet. Make your bechamel sauce.
Making the pasticcio: Add a little bit of bechamel in a lasagna baking tray. The sequence is: Bechamel+Pasta+Radicchio+Cheese+Pasta+Radicchio+Bechamel+Cheese+Pasta...

Curiosity about radicchio... If you like the non bitter radicchio, choose the young ones, the young ones are usually smaller and softer leafs.

3.11.2016

Gorgonzola and pear chicken with walnuts and prosecco sauce

Gorgonzola Pear Chicken
4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pear
(120g) 4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
Toothpicks
Preheat oven to 200 C,400F.
Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
Peel the pear and slice thin.
Slice the Gorgonzola into 5  1/4 inch strips, reserving 5th strip for the sauce.
Evenly divide pear slices among chicken breasts, laying them in the middle of each.
Place 1 Gorgonzola strip on top of pear slices.
Beginning at one end of the breast, roll each one up securing it with toothpicks. Place seam side down in prepared baking dish. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
Sauce
1 cup prosecco 
5th strip of Gorgonzola
2 tablespoons heavy cream or mascarpone
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water or milk
salt
freshly ground pepper
In a small saucepan, boil prosecco until there is about 1/2 cup in the pan.
Lower heat to medium, add the heavy cream and remaining Gorgonzola, stirring until cheese is melted.
Pour in cornstarch/water, whisking constantly until sauce is thickened.
Serve separately or pour over chicken.
Garnish with walnuts.