Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A Taste of Sicily and other Winter Class Menus



Sicily has always been irresistible. Strategically placed at the boot of Italy, surrounded by the sapphire-blue Mediterranean sea, this balmy island has weathered all sorts of invasions-- Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish--

All have left their imprint on the land, people,culture and food.

In fact, Sicilians say they were the world's first multi-cultural society. So it's no surprise to see Pollo al Curry (Chicken Curry) headlining Chef Titina's Sicily cooking class menu (scheduled for Winter 2010 in her Capri Flavors kitchen). Students shouldn't expect the hot Currys of India though. Titina prepares the Italian version--widely known in restaurants throughout her home country, including the one she grew up in on the island of Capri.

Sicily is also famous for its eggplant or aubergine which Titina showcases in her Anellini con Melenzane. Anellini is a small ring-shaped pasta and the dish is a wonderful first course.

Here's the complete Sicily menu, plus Titina's other winter classes that begin after the first of the year.

But book early--cooking class gift cards have been really big sellers this Christmas and spots are expected to fill up fast.


“Let’s Cook with Titina” Winter 2010

SICILIA Menu
Anellini con Melenzane (Anellini with Eggplant)
Pollo al Curry (Chicken Curry)
Piselli al Prosciutto (Peas with Prosciutto)
San Giuseppe Zeppole (Saint Joseph Cream Puffs)

SARDEGNA Menu
Malloreddus Con Dalsiccia (Malloreddus with Sausage)
Cozze Gratinate (Mussels au Gratin)
Carciofi alla Sarda (Sardinian Artichokes)
Sabadas’ (Ravioli with Honey)

PIEMONTE Menu
Pasta e Cannellini (Cannellini Beans with Pasta)
Roast-Beef con le Castagne (Roast Beef with Chestnuts)
Fava alla Piemontese (Piemontese Fava Beans)
Nodi D’Amore (Love Knots)

CAPRI Menu
Limoncello (Lemon Liquor)
Suffle di Formaggio (Cheese Souffle)
Aragosta alla Crema (Lobster in Cream Sauce)
Radicchio al Parmigiano (Radicchio with Parmesan)
Torta di Capri al Limoncello (Capri Cake with Limoncello)

Capri Dates--Monday: 1/4, 2/15, 3/1-- Friday: 1/8, 2/5, 3/5
Sicilia Dates--Monday: 1/18, 2/15, 3/15-- Friday: 1/22, 2/19, 3/19
Sardegna Dates-- Monday: 1/25, 2/22, 3/22--Friday: 1/29, 2/26, 3/26
Piemonte Dates--Monday: 1/11, 2//8, 3/8--Friday: 1/15, 2/12, 3/12

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Chef Titina Chooses Winter Class Menus


Beef from the snowy Alps, seafood from Sardinia and curry from balmy Sicily, Chef Titina's Winter Class Menus showcase the great variety of the Italian peninsula.

Students will learn authentic recipes and techniques as they help Titina (who grew up in a family restaurant on the Isle of Capri) prepare the entire meal, from appetizer to desert, in her Capri Flavors kitchen in Morrisville, NC.

Once the cooking is done, everyone eats family-style around a big Italian table. And for the first time, the menus come with regional wine suggestions from the Capri Flavors store.

Students may sign up for individual classes or packages of multiple classes at a discount. And classes make great gifts. Call Capri Flavors at (919) 462-9255 for more info.

“Let’s Cook with Titina” Winter 2010

SICILIA Menu
Anellini con Melenzane (Anellini with Eggplant)
Pollo al Curry (Chicken Curry)
Piselli al Prosciutto (Peas with Prosciutto)
San Giuseppe Zeppole (Saint Joseph Cream Puffs)

SARDEGNA Menu
Malloreddus Con Dalsiccia (Malloreddus with Sausage)
Cozze Gratinate (Mussels au Gratin)
Carciofi alla Sarda (Sardinian Artichokes)
Sabadas’ (Ravioli with Honey)

PIEMONTE Menu
Pasta e Cannellini (Cannellini Beans with Pasta)
Roast-Beef con le Castagne (Roast Beef with Chestnuts)
Fava alla Piemontese (Piemontese Fava Beans)
Nodi D’Amore (Love Knots)

CAPRI Menu
Limoncello (Lemon Liquor)
Suffle di Formaggio (Cheese Souffle)
Aragosta alla Crema (Lobster in Cream Sauce)
Radicchio al Parmigiano (Radicchio with Parmesan)
Torta di Capri al Limoncello (Capri Cake with Limoncello)

Capri Dates--Monday: 1/4, 2/15, 3/1-- Friday: 1/8, 2/5, 3/5
Sicilia Dates--Monday: 1/18, 2/15, 3/15-- Friday: 1/22, 2/19, 3/19
Sardegna Dates-- Monday: 1/25, 2/22, 3/22--Friday: 1/29, 2/26, 3/26
Piemonte Dates--Monday: 1/11, 2//8, 3/8--Friday: 1/15, 2/12, 3/12

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Keep It Simple--

It's not just great advice for this crazy-busy season, it's one of THE main principals of authentic Italian cooking--keep it simple. In Chef Titina's kitchen, this means selecting the best ingredients (she shops the Capri Flavors store shelves before each class) then letting those flavors shine.



Her recipe for Chicken Cacciatore is a great example of a simple dish with shinning flavors. If you're thinking the Americanized peppers, onions and heavy tomato sauce, think again. Rosemary and a light touch of canned cherry tomatoes make Titina's version something special. Capers and olives also add lots of flavor straight from the jar.



So open a bottle of wine, invite a few friends into the kitchen, cook a little pasta and make a great one dish meal. Like the recipe says, Level of Difficulty:Simple--



This is a recipe you'll cook again and again.




Chicken Cacciatore (Pollo alla Cacciatora)


Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-3 to 3 ½ pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and each breast cut in half crosswise)
1 medium onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced, or 3 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
¾ teaspoon salt
big pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 can 400 grams “Annalisa” cherry tomatoes
¼ cup black olives
¼ cup capers


Serves 4; Preparation: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 55 minutes; Level of difficulty: Simple


In a 10 to 12 inch sauté pan with cover, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and when it is hot, brown the chicken on the skin side first, then the underside. Do not crowd the pan. Brown the chicken in batches if necessary, setting aside the browned chicken on a plate until the rest is done. When the last few pieces of chicken are almost browned and still in the pan, add the onion (or garlic) and rosemary and sauté until the onion is tender.
Arrange all the browned chicken in the pan, skin side up, and add the white wine. Season with salt and hot red pepper flakes, then let the wine cook until it has almost entirely evaporated, just a couple of minutes. While it is reducing, turn the chicken in the liquid once or twice, but leave it skin side up at the end. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and let cook at a gentle simmer, without turning, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is done.
Remove the chicken to a serving platter, increase the heat to high, and let the sauce reduce for about 2 minutes. In the end, the sauce will be a creamy pink.
Pour the sauce over the chicken or use it to dress pasta (reserving some for the chicken) and serve immediately.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New Menus--Coming Soon



This week in Titina's Kitchen, it's all about geography as the Capri Flavors chef and cooking instructor starts to pull together her winter class menus.


Why geography? Because when it comes to Italian food, the landscape is key. A small country, only three quarters the size of California, Italy is made up of 20 very distinct regions. Just look at the map. Islands, mountains, river valleys, rolling hills--the landscape changes quickly and dramatically. You can travel from 90 miles north of Africa almost to Innsbruck, Austria and still be on Italian soil.


Combine this unique landscape with Italy's rural past and you have not one but many celebrated cuisines, that rely on fresh, local ingredients. Titina showcases these differences in her cooking class menus which change from season to season, and are based on favorite recipes from her life in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant.


Her husband, Capri Flavors owner, Costanzo is glad she's working on the winter class schedule. He thinks cooking class gift certificates will do really well this Christmas and reports there have already been many calls. If you're interested, phone 919-462-9255 for more information and special deals on multiple classes. These make great holiday gifts. And look the Titina's winter class schedule--coming soon.