New Recipes & New Regions In Titina's Kitchen this Fall

Fall has begun in Titina's Capri Flavors kitchen with great menus for new and returning students. 

Featured are 3 of Italy's culinary capitals and Titina's home island, the lovely Capri, where she grew up in a famous family restaurant. 

From Bologna, the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, a signature lasagna, followed by a rich main dish typical of the sophisticated region:  Prosciutto and Peas with Quail.

From the seafaring capital of Genoa, classic basil pesto (called Genovese) on pasta, and Calamari with tomatoes. 

From the ancient city of Rome, food with ancient roots starting with a semolina dumpling  and ending with a cake made with dried fruits. 

And finally,  from one of the world's most beautiful islands, Capri,  a new menu featuring world-class seafood and citrus.

Students participate in the cooking and may bring or purchase wine to enjoy with the meal. 

Class sizes are very limited, (classes must fit around Titina's big Italian table), so book early. 

Full menus and dates are listed below. 

Bologna Menu
Lasagne alla Bolognese (Lasagne Bologna Style)
Piselli al Prosciutto con Quaglie (Prosciutto and Peas with Quails)
Insalata Mista (Mixed Salad)
Sorbetto al Limoncello (Sorbet with Lemoncello)
Mondays: 9/5, 10/3, 10/31, 11/28
Fridays: 9/9, 10/7, 11/14, 12/2

Genova Menu
Linguine al Pesto  (Linguine with Pesto Sauce)
Calamari alla Marinara  (Calamari “Marinara” Style)
Scarole Sautee’ (Escaroles Sautee’)
Torta della Nonna (Grand Mother Cake)
Mondays: 8/29, 9/26, 10/24, 11/21
Fridays: 9/2, 9/30, 10/28, 11/25

Roma Menu
Gnocchi di Semolina alla Romana (Semolino Gnocchi Roman Style)
Pollo Speziato al Curry (Chicken with Curry)
Cavolofiori  Sautee’ (Cauliflower Sautee’)
Crostata di Frutta Essiccata (Dry Fruits Cake)
Mondays: 8/22, 9/19, 10/17, 11/14
Fridays: 8/26,  9/23,  10/21, 11/18

CAPRI Menu
Limoncello
Gnocchi di Patate con Aragosta (Potato Gnocchi with Lobster)
Melenzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplants Parmigiana)
Orange Salad
Torta di Capri (Almond and Chocolate Cake)
Mondays: 8/15, 9/12, 10/10, 11/7
Fridays: 8/19, 9/16, 10/14, 11/11

Titina's Sardinian Menu plus a Bonus Recipe

Sardinia is dramatic, ancient and beautiful. The second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, this meeting of rugged mountains and blue water is one of the oldest inhabited lands in Europe.

It is famous for its wines. The island is also known for a hearty shepherd's flat bread, fresh, light seafood, lamb and sheep-milk cheeses.

Fregola is another Sardinian specialty. Called the couscous of Sardinia, this tiny semolina pasta was hardly known and hard to find in American until Giadia DeLaurentiis featured fregola on her popular Food Network show. Capri Flavors sold out almost over night. (They have since restocked)

A Fregola recipe from the Capri Flavors e-newsletter follows (sign up at http://www.capriflavors.com). Chef Titina's Sardinian menu along with her full Winter Class Schedule are also listed below.

Her Sardinian primi or first course features another unusual pasta--this time with sausage. Mussels follow and if you've ever wanted to know how to cook artichokes, this is your chance. A sweet ravioli rounds out the meal.

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)

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)

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

Fregola with Shrimp and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound Fregola pasta from Capri Flavors
2 Knorr Chicken bouillon cubes
½ onion diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
A pinch of red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) Titina’s Tomatoes from Capri Flavors
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 pounds of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt, pepper and olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onion until soft. Add red pepper flakes, garlic and sherry. Cook until blended and fragrant. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your spoon. Return to a boil. Add half the parsley and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

Fill a large pot with water and add the bouillon cubes. Boil until cubes have dissolved, then slowly add the Fergola and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and simmer until just pink and firm. Remove from heat. (They will continue to cook in the hot sauce)

Drain cooked pasta, toss with more olive oil and the remaining parsley. Pour shrimp and tomato sauce over. Stir and serve.

Fried Peppers--No Recipe Required

Capri Flavors Chef Titina often makes Peperoni Saltati or Bell Pepper Saute in her cooking classes. It is beautiful and flavorful side dish and it's so adaptable. In summer, she may add chopped, drained eggplants and a fresh tomato from her garden. In winter, the eggplant might be omitted, and the peppers and tomato come from a jar.


But this time of year, as late summer gardens are winding down, the bulls horn-type peppers Italians love for frying (photo above) are in abundance.

If you're lucky enough to have a plant, it will might give you peppers until first frost (November here in North Carolina). If you're shopping at local farmers markets, there are several varieties to look for--cubanelle, sweet banana. The names are not really that important. What you want is an elongated pepper (think bulls horn shape) with a thin skin. Unlike bell peppers, these frying peppers don't need peeling. And cooking them is so simple--there's really no recipe required.

Here's how Capri Flavors Chef Titina deals with a bumper crop of frying peppers--

• Wash and dry peppers. Cut in half and remove stems and seeds.



• Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Then add peppers and fry until golden brown.



• Reduce heat. Add chopped garlic, a chopped tomato, salt and pepper.



• Cover and cook about 10 minutes, until peppers and tomatoes soften and blend.



• Sprinkle with fresh basil or a pinch of oregano. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Titina's Classic Family Recipe

Quick--before the summer is over--grab some fresh tomatoes and make a Caprese Salad. Capri Flavors Chef Titina has been making this Italian classic all her life. And why not. It was invented in her mother's restaurant kitchen on the island of Capri.
So simple, and yet so innovative in it's time, this delicious paring of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil is a cooking class favorite. You can dress it up or down, adapt it to pasta, pizza, bread or mushroom caps like the photo above. And it's a no-brainer. If you own a knife. a cutting board and can gather a few choice ingredients, you have the perfect summer time starter or light meal.
Here is Chef Titina's original recipe. Enjoy it quick...before summer is gone.

4 ripe tomatoes sliced
1 lb fresh mozzarella sliced
A small handful of chopped fresh basil
Salt, pepper and olive oil

Slice and layer tomatoes and mozzarella alternately. Top with basil, salt and pepper , then dress liberally with extra virgin olive oil. (To adapt to pasta or pizza, chop the ingredients and toss)

Prosciutto Made Simple--And Then Some

Prosciutto makes everything better. There's really nothing like this delicious dried Italian ham in America. Monday night--It was the star of the meal in Titian's kitchen at Capri Flavors when her recipe for Crespelle al Formaggio e Prosciutto took the classic combination of ham and cheese to new heights. Her cooking class students said these wonderful crepes (recipe follows) even out shined the lobster in the her popular menu from the Parma region.

But you don't even have to turn on the stove to impress with prosciutto. It is good enough to stand alone--even better paired with something cool and sweet. In Italy, Prosciutto and Melon is a classic summer starter. You'll find it on almost every restaurant menu.

In Titina's Kitchen, she loves to serve prosciutto with her home grown figs this time of year. (Her dog also loves to eat the figs, by the way, and steals them right off the bush.) These fragile fruit are worth searching for at your local farmers' market. Sliced open with prosciutto on the side they are the perfect contrast of sweet and salty flavors and a great way to celebrate the lazy days of summer.

But if you're feeling a bit ambitious, make some crepes. Here's the recipe that wowed Titina's cooking class this week.

Crespelle al Formaggio e Prosciutto (Cheese and Ham Crepes)

Ingredients:For the batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 cup milk

½cup parsley chopped

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

For the Bechamel Sauce:

5 Tbsp butter

3 cups milk

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

salt

For the Filling:

1 lb. Of mixed cheeses (Provolone, Fontina, Asiago)

1 lb. chopped mozzarella

½lb. prosciutto cotto (ham) chopped

Serves:8; Preparation Time: 35 minutes: Cooking time: 15 minutes;

Difficulty: medium

To make the batter mix the flour with the eggs, a pinch of salt, the olive oil, milk, chopped parsley and leave to stand for at least 15 minutes

To make the Bechamel

Melt the butter, add the flour, stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt.

Melt a little butter in a non-stick shallow pan and make thin pancake with the batter.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, prosciutto and béchamel mix well. Spread the pancakes with 2 Tbsp of filling and roll them up, and into pieces approximately 1to 2 inches long. Grease a soufflé dish and lay the pieces of pancake in it. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 Degrees F for 15 minutes.

A Simple Classic-Gnocchi

Last week Titina's cooking class enjoyed making and eating delicious gnocchi in cream sauce. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of the dish. Gnocchi may have been around since Roman times in Italy, but it's not well known in America. Many of Titina's students are also new to these little potato dumplings and a little intimidated until they get their hands in the dough.

They soon learn--gnocchi is not difficult at all.

First thing to remember--the"G" is silent. Say, "no-key" just like you would say those two short words in the states.

Number two--gnocchi has only three ingredients: Potatoes, flour and salt. It's easier to make than pasta...no eggs or machine required...but treated much the same way. The gnocchi are dropped in boiling water, then sauced.

Like a lot of Italian classics, gnocchi relies on a simple recipe and time honored technique. So it's a real education to make it with Capri Flavors Chef Titina. Here's the link for her popular Gnocchi di Patate which she learned in the family restaurant on the beautiful Isle of Capri.

A Great Time for a Great Appetizer--Bruschetta

Because there's nothing like fresh basil, Capri Flavors Chef Titina grows two large patches of this classic Italian herb every summer. It's a prime ingredient in one of her cooking class favorites, bruschetta. Fresh tomatoes are also at their peak right now, making it the perfect time to try this elegant but easy starter. Since the preparation is simple enough for even a novice cook, Titina likes to use it as a warm up for her classes. Here's how she makes her famous bruschetta-

• Slice a baguette into 1/2 inch pieces and toast them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes



• Finely chop tomatoes and basil (which have been washed and dried wrapped in kitchen towels)



• Mince or press 2-3 cloves of garlic (Titina uses and nifty and inexpensive garlic press that Capri Flavors sells)



• Combine tomatoes, herbs, and dress with salt and pepper and lots of olive oil (Titina uses Basso Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a Capri Flavors favorite)



• Then spoon over crispy bread and serve.

Like most classic Italian food, it is a simple dish that relies on the best ingredients. Enjoy.

And for Titina's new class schedule, just click. You'll find them all in an early blog posting.

Local Peaches at their Peak

Like all great Italian cooks, Titina prizes fresh, local ingredients. So when North Carolina peaches reached their peak last week, she was a local orchard picking out the best of crop.

Her peaches made the trip from the tree to the freezer in a day. Titina has a vacuum pack machine and she uses it often, freezing fruits, vegetables and summer herbs for the winter months ahead.

Last week's peaches will end up in a Capri Flavors cooking class favorite--Bellini's. You can find many recipes for this popular cocktail but Titina makes it the simplest and most traditional way.

She insists the cocktail needs no garnish. It fact the color is said to be the beauty of the drink. The Italian bartender who invented it supposedly named his hit drink after a favorite background color in the paintings of the great artist Bellini.

Fresh peaches make great Bellini's also...and this is the perfect season for enjoying them. Here are Titina's instructions:

3 ripe white peaches peeled and pureed in the food processor

Mixed with one bottle very cold Procecco (Italian champagne) and enjoy!!

New class schedule

Since opening the Capri Flavors retail store and classroom kitchen in Morrisville, North Carolina, Titina has taught thousands of people of all ages and skill levels how to cook and enjoy great Italian food. Here are her new 2009 menus for late summer and fall classes.




New Class Menus and Dates





Capri Menu
Limoncello (Lemon Liquor)


Bomboloni Capresi (Friters Filled with Mozzarella and Ham)


Pollo alle Castagne (Chicken with Chestnut Sauce)


Cavolfiori al Gratinati (Cauliflower Gratin)


Torta Caprese (Almond and Chocolate Cake)



Capri Menu Schedule
Capri DatesMonday: 7/20, 8/24, 9/28, 11/2Friday: 7/24, 8/24, 9/28, 11/2



Napoli Menu


Gnocchi di Patate (potato dumplings)


Braciole al Ragu’(Beef Rolls in Heavy Sauce)


Piselli al Prosciutto (Peas and Prosciutto)


Pastiera Napoletana (Italian Easter Cake)

Napoli Menu Schedule
Napoli DatesMonday: 7/27, 8/31, 10/5, 11/9Friday: 7/31, 9/4 , 10/9, 11/3



Parma Menu
Crespelle al Formaggio e Prosciutto (Cheese and Ham Crepes)


Aragosta al Balsamico (Lobster in Balsamic Sauce)


Melenzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan)


Torta di Capri al limoncello (Capri Cake with Lemoncello)

Parma Menu Schedule
Parma DatesMonday: 8/3, 9/7, 10/12, 11/6Friday: 8/7, 9/11, 10/16, 11/20



Cremona Menu
Polenta ai Funghi (Polenta with Mushrooms)


Anatra in Salsa (Duck in Cognac Sauce)


Escarole con Pinoli (Spinach Sauteed with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts)


Crema Caramellata (Creme Caramel)

Cremona Menu Schedule
Cremona DatesMonday:8 /10, 9/14, 10/19,11/23Friday: 8/14, 9/18, 10/23, 11/27



Fiesole Menu
Risotto alla Milanese (Risotto with Mushrooms)


Maiale al Finocchio (Pork with Fennel)


Peperoni Saltati (Bell Pepper Saute)


Tiramisu (Classic Italian Dessert)

Fiesole Menu schedule
Mondays : 8/17, 9/21, 10/20, 11/30Fridays : 8/21, 9/25, 10/30, 12/4.

Private Classes with Titina

Titina's Private cooking classes are also very popular and a great way for 10-14 people to celebrate a special occasion. Gift Certificates for private classes are often given in honor of birthdays, anniversaries, or a job well done. These special meals can be scheduled at lunch (prefect for co-workers) or dinner. Three menus are available to choose from. Call Jennifer at Capri Flavors 1-800-861-5440 or 919-462-9255 , (ext.706) to find out more.

• 
  Private Class Menu I
  
  Pasta alla Norma - Pasta with Fried Eggplant
  Maiale al Finocchio- Pork Tenderloin with Fennel
  Piselli al Prosciutto - Spring Peas with Prosciutto
  Torta Caprese - Almond and Chocolate Cake
• 
  Private Class Menu II
  
  Risotto alla Milanese- Risotto with Mushrooms
  Pollo alla Cacciatore - Chicken Cacciatore
  Cannellini e Scarole - Cannellini and Escarole Saute
  Tiramisu - Classic Italian Dessert
• 
  Private Class Menu III
  
  Spaghetti Crespati - Crispy Spaghetti
  Melenzane alla Parmigiana - Eggplant Parmesan
• Gamberetti e Fagioli Cannellini-Shrimp with white Beans
  Affogato al Caffe Espresso - Espresso Drowned Ice Cream