Simple Summer Crepes

Chef Titina makes marvelous savory crepes.  Stuffed with Italian ham and cheese and topped with white sauce, they are a rich and delicious main dish.  http://fromtitinaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/prosciutto-made-simple-and-then-some.html

But sweet crepes, especially this time of year, are remarkably light and easy.  Roll them around jams, Nutella, or Chestnut Cream from the Capri Flavors retail store and top with berries.  The results are  as beautiful as they are tasty. 

 

Here's how to make 4 crepes in 10 minutes or less. 
First:  Get over your crepe fear.  They're just thin pancakes--probably one of the first things most American kids learn to cook.  You can do it, even with company hanging around the kitchen. 

• Melt 1 Tbs of butter in a 8-9 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• While the butter melts, whisk  one egg, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/3 cup flour until smooth. 
• Whisk melted butter into batter.  Meanwhile, return skillet to stove and increase heat to med/high. 
• Ladle 1/4 of the batter into pan and turn to spread.  Watch the edges of your crepe.  In about a minute, they'll start to brown and curl.  Flip it and brown the other side. 
•  Spread with Nutella or jam.  Top with berries and enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

Titina says Time to Pinch Back your Basil

It's high summer and Chef Titina is taking a break from her popular cooking classes until the 15th of August.  But that doesn't mean she's not cooking.  Lots of classic Italian summer dishes  are on the menu in Titina's Kitchen and many of them call for basil.

When it comes to this wonderful herb, Capri Flavors Chef Titina is a true master.  Descended from a long line of famous Capri chefs, she has always known, grown and cooked with basil. 

An easy-to-grow annual, basil completes its life cycle in a single season, growing, flowering and producing new seed before being killed by autumn frosts. 

Titina says the herb's flavor is at it's peak just before the plant flowers, so to extend the season, she regularly pinches the blossoms off.

If you're growing basil, start pinching now.  You'll enjoy the best flavor longer that way. 

Here are a  few more tips from Chef Titina for dealing with this wonderful herb: 

•  Home grown is best.  Titina tends basil plants in pots and her small but productive garden at the Capri Flavors retail store. 
• Basil likes warm temperatures, full sun, and lots of water.  Given those, it's really easy to grow. 
• Wash and dry at room temperature.  Titina cuts and washes  branches several hours before she plans to use them, then wraps in kitchen towels, which are left on the counter to dry. 
• Never refrigerate basil. 
• Finally, basil makes wonderful pesto.  Here's a link to instructions in an earlier post http://fromtitinaskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/last-taste-of-summer-from-titinas.html. 
• Or grind basil in the food processor and mix with olive oil.  Freeze it jars to preserve the taste of summer all year long. 

Spring Classes in Titina's Kitchen

The new schedule is in!  April 3 til July 14, Let's Cook with Titina offers four rotating menus based on cooking class favorites:
Lobster, Calamari, Tiramisu--all the Southern Italian classics are in Titina's  Spring Class Schedule--

So dine out in Capri, Napoli, Sorrento or Almafi--without leaving the triangle.

But book early.  Titina's classes have been setting records since last fall fall.    Lots of students, lots of gift certificates and lots of feedback from happy customers who say they can't wait to book another class.

Call Capri Flavors  (919-462-9255) or sign up on line to enjoy a great night out Cooking with Titina at Capri Flavors

SORRENTO Menu
Gnocchi al Ragu’    Gnocchi in Meat Sauce
Involtini      Braciole
Crocchette di Patate     Potatoes Croquettes
Tiramisu’

Sorrento Dates
Monday: 5/9, 6/6, 7/4,,
Friday: 5/13 6/10, 7/8,

AMALFI Menu
Linguine con Calamari    Linguine with Calamari
Pollo alla Cacciatora    Chicken Cacciatora
Cavolofiore Stufato    Cauliflower Saute
Crema Caramellata   Creme Caramel

Amalfi Dates
Monday:5/16, 6/13, 7/11,
Friday: 5/20, 6/17, 7/15,

NAPOLI Menu
Spaghetti “Sciue’-Sciue’”    Spaghetti in Cherry Tomatoe Sauce
Aragosta Marinara      Lobster in red Sauce
Peperoni Saltati      Bell Peppers Saute’
Insalata di Arance      Orange Salad

Napoli Dates
Monday: 5/2 , 5/30, 6/27,
Friday: 5/6, 6/3, 7/1,

CAPRI Menu
Penne alle Zucchine    Pasta with Zucchine
Aragosta Marinara     Lobster in red Sauce
Melenzane alla Parmigiana     Eggplant Parmigiana
Torta di Capri    Almond and Chocolate Cake

Capri Dates
Monday: 4/25, 5/23, 6/20,
Friday: 4/29, 5/27, 6/24,

Simple But Special--Two Cakes that Win Compliments

Dinner from appetizer to desert--all cooked from scratch in a leisurely hour and a half. How does Capri Flavors Chef Titina do it? She keeps the recipes for her popular cooking classes simple. Not a hard task since the best Italian food is simple fare. Think Pizza Margarita--a few beautifully matched ingredients--all the highest quality. Now, translate that approach to a desert. Titina's Torte Caprese showcases almonds, chocolate, and fresh eggs. This is a simple, rustic, but elegant cake.

For an even simpler desert, try Capri Flavors cooking student Christine's favorite Olive Oil Polenta Cake. It's easy to make, needs no special ingredients and great with summer berries. Baking with oilve oil and polenta are techniques she learned in Capri Flavors classes.



-Titina’s Recipe--
Torta Caprese (Almond and Chocolate Cake)
Ingredients:
¾ cup CapriFlavors extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup water
12 oz. sugar
1½ cup of whole almonds with skin
1 cup semi sweet chocolate in block
6 extra large eggs

Serves: 10; preparation: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 50 minutes;
Level of Difficulty: Simple

Grease a 9” or 10” pan with olive oil, dust with flour and line with wax paper.
Coarsely chop chocolate with a large knife. Coarsely cut almonds in blender, not fine. Set both the chocolate and almonds aside.Beat sugar and eggs together for about4 minutes, then add olive oil very slowly and the water. Turn mixer to slow and add almonds and chocolate until mixed. Pour mixture into pan. Bake in a preheated over at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes.

Olive Oil, Polenta Cake
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup soft wheat flour
1/4 cup polenta
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup Capri Flavors olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
Zest of one lemon

Stir together dry ingredients( flour, polenta, baking powder, salt and vanilla powder) in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, Beat eggs at medium speed for 3-4 minutes until creamy and lemon colored. With mixer running, add sugar in a slow stream. Then add oil in a thin, steady stream. Beat in zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract if using.
Turn off mixer and add dry ingredients in three batches, gently folding in with a wooden spoon. Do not over mix. Bake in grease and floured 9 inch pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the crusty top is well browned. Cool on a wire rack serve with berries and or gelato and a drizzle of chocolate Vincotto.

Note from Christine: I use Italian flour (Farina) in this recipe. The vanilla powder comes from Capri Flavors and I also like to use their Paneangel Lievito (Italian Baking Powder) for a more authentic result. It's strong stuff, so use 3/4 tsp instead of the full 1-1/2 tsp. Alao-- a nod to William Sonoma's excellent cookbook, Essentials of Italian for the original olive oil cake recipe which I adapted. This is a great book. I give it 5 stars.

Worth Growing your own--Titina Plants Her Basil Crop

The soil has been turned and the plants are on order from a local farmer. In a few days Chef Titina will plant her basil crop in the kitchen garden outside the Capri Flavors retail store.

A mainstay in Titina's cooking, this classic Italian herb gets a lot of space in her garden.

When plants mature, she will use them in her classes, cutting branches early in the day, then washing and wrapping the basil in a towel to drain and dry on the counter.

After students arrive at 6 pm, the basil is chopped into Titina's delicious bruschetta, ground into her classic pesto or layered on a fabulous Caprese Salad.

It is the flavor of Southern Italy--

Titina also makes basil pesto to freeze and sell in the store. And she sometimes grinds and freezes a simple fresh basil, olive oil combination to use in other dishes.

But the best basil is fresh from the garden. And it's an easy crop to grow. Just add sun, soil, and water. Even a large pot will do if you have no garden space. Transplants are readily available. Look for four-packs in the garden center.

Basil likes heat, so wait until days and nights warm up. Then in a few weeks, fresh basil for your kitchen, just like Titina's. For recipes, click on one of the blog links above.

Back to the Roots of Pizza

With Super Bowl snacks still weighing heavy--It's time to forget those take out pizzas and get back to the real thing--Pure. Simple. Italian. The original pizza--Neapolitan Style.

So while Capri Flavors Chef Titina continues to recuperated from her recent surgery, here's a classic recipe from her cooking class collection.

If you've never made a yeast dough, don't let that stop you. Titina's crust is easy enough for a beginner. The dough comes together at the start of class and rises on the counter while students prepare other dishes. It's not fussy. And kneading is fun. Use it to take out your frustrations.

Titina uses a rectangular pan. Her crust is soft and not too thin.

A note about Titina's recovery. She's making very good progress, but her surgery was less than a month ago, and it's still too soon to tell when classes will resume. Titina wants to come back ASAP, but she wants to come back at full speed. So if you're holding gift cards, please be patient a little longer. We'll let you know as soon as classes are rescheduled. And thanks for your understanding.

Pizza Margherita
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 envelope of drive active yeast (not rapid rise)
1 and 1/2 cups Farina (Italian flour) or all purpose flour
1 pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
For the topping
1/2 bunch of fresh basil
5 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 TBS grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
4 TBS olive oil
Salt and ground pepper

For the pizza dough: In a small bowl mix the yeast and the sugar, 2 TBS lukewarm water, olive oil and 2 TBS of flour. Allow starter to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

On a work surface, pour the rest of the flour and make a well in the middle. Add the starter to the flour and sprinkle with the salt. Gradually adding 1 cup of lukewarm water, knead to a smooth and silky dough. Knead vigorously and occasionally beat the dough onto the work surface. Sprinkle some extra flour if necessary. Shape the dough into a loaf, place in a large bowl, cover with dishcloth and let it rise for at least one hour or until doubled in size. The dough also needs to be soft.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush a pizza pan with 1 TBS of olive oil. Vigorously knead the dough one more time. Roll it out and place on the pan. by hand finish stretching the dough by pressing it into the pan, leaving it thicker around the rim.

Drain the canned tomatoes and set the juice aside. Slice the tomatoes, distribute them evenly on top of the pizza and crush them lightly with a fork. Leave a 1 inch wide rim around the walls of the pan. Layer the sliced mozzarella over the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Place the pizza on the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pizza and sprinkle it with grated cheese and fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil return to oven on the middle rack and bake 10 more minutes. Serve hot.

Feeling Grateful? Make Soup

Thrifty cooks make soup. And Italian cooks are notoriously thrifty. Not that they would ever compromise on quality. Still--they can make a lot out of a little--gnocchi from potatoes and water, Panzanella from stale bread.

Capri Flavors Chef Titna never wastes in her kitchen. If she's dredging in flour, she uses all the flour, all the bread crumbs, every speck of chopped parsley. Nothing is thrown away.

A lot of this thriftiness dates from WWII and the terrible shortages in Italy. (You can read more about Costanzo's war time experiences in this weeks upcoming Capri Flavors e-newsletter).

Hunger was everywhere in Southern Italy during the war. And even all these years later, Titina and husband Costanzo always feel a special gratefulness when they sit down to a nice meal.

This week they are feeling even more grateful because Titina is cooking at home. She is still very limited after her hip-replacement surgery but feeling well enough to do the thing she loves most--make wonderful food.

Here's one of those wonderful dishes--Titina's recipe for Pasta and Bean soup. It's super easy, very nutritious and a great way to make just 4oz of meat go a long, long way.

Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta with Beans
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 oz chopped Negroni pancetta
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large glove garlic, minced
1 can “Annalisa” pomodorini di collina (cherry tomatoes) 400 grams
1 can “D’Amico” fagioli cannellini (white beans) 400 grams
2 cups plain water
1 cup ditali pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
salt and chili pepper

Serves 4; Preparation Time:10 minutes: Cooking Time: 25 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Simple

Set a 3-quart (3 liter) soup kettle over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the chopped pancetta and let it cook for 3 minutes. Add the diced carrots and celery as well as the minced garlic. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Add the beans and the water, bring the soup to a gentle simmer and add the pasta, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt and chili pepper to taste. At this point the pasta is “al dente,” sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately.

Chef Titina Out of the Hospital

She's not back in her Capri Flavors kitchen yet--but she is smiling again.

All signs are positive after Titina's joint replacement surgery and she is now recovering at home.

Husband Costanzo says she's feeling well and very upbeat about her rehab--

Titina expects to resume teaching her popular Italian cooking classes in late winter. It's too soon for an exact date...but we'll keep her students posted.

In the meantime, here's a kitchen staple that shows up in many of Titina's classes. Carote alla Scapece (translated boiled carrots with white wine vinegar) is a super-versatile side dish that is best when made ahead. It's usually sitting on the table when students arrive. In cooler months Titina like to serve it at room temperature.

Carote alla Scapece (boiled carrots with white wine vinegar)

Ingredients:

Carrots

Salt

White Wine Vinegar

Chopped garlic

Chopped basil

Chopped mint

Dry oregano

Chopped Parsley

Hot Pepper to taste (optional)

Boil carrots in lightly salted water until they are al dente. Drain well. While carrots are still warm add vinegar and seasonings. Mix well, cover and refrigerate. Best served cold or room temperature one day to one week after preparation.

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

If you can make pancakes....Classic Crepes

One Recipe--a few ingredients--endless adaptations and they're all elegant. This week, Capri Flavors Chef Titina is teaching students one of her most versatile techniques--how to make crepes.

If you're already intimidated, stop. Lets translate. Crepes are simply pancakes and we all learned to make pancakes as kids, right? Well, Crepes are just thin pancakes. Titina makes them with flour, milk and eggs and a little oil. For the savory version-- a delicious part of her Parma menu--filled with ham and cheese--she adds chopped parsley to the batter. But the beauty of crepes is that you can fill them with anything. For a sweet breakfast or desert treat, try fresh or frozen (thawed) berries on top of a little Nutella folded inside your crepe. But buy your Nutella from Capri Flavors (There's a new shipment arriving from Italy next month) The imported version of this super-popular chocolate and hazelnut spread doesn't taste over-sweet and has no palm oil like it's American cousin.

Don't forget to let the batter rest for 15 minutes. And use a good non-stick pan for your pancakes.

Here's the rest of this week's cooking class menu, followed by the Cheese and Ham Crepe recipe.
It's so popular it was featuring in an earlier posting. So click this link for more information about the recipe and its ingredients.

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)

RECIPE: 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.