Chiacchere Di Carnevale--the Napoli Way

On the menu for family and friends sometime this week you'll probably find Chiacchere, the traditional sugar-dusted fried dough made just for Carnival in Italy.   

There are many names and variations of this festive treat.  Titina and husband Costanzo prefer Napoli style.  It's what they grew up eating on Capri across the bay from the ancient city of Naples. 

Check out the great video Costanzo  found which gives instructions for Chiacchere made the Naples way.

Don't let the Italian instructions up you off.  The recipe is simple, the pictures are easy to follow.

Even if you don't plan to make Chiacchere, this is a great example of mixing and kneading a dough in the same way Capri Flavors Chef Titina makes pasta in her popular Italian cooking classes.  Take a look and learn a new technique. 

Need a Special Business Lunch? Cook with Titina

Lots of private classes in Titina's kitchen recently--many at lunchtime.  Cooking together is a great way for office teams to celebrate, bond or entertain a special guest.  It builds relationships and memories that you just can't get ordering off a restaurant  menu. 

There are three private class menus to choose from, each made up of Titina's classroom favorites and featuring fresh-from-scratch, classic Italian dishes. 
Here's a sample, followed by one of her most popular side dish  recipes that's easy enough for anyone to make to at home-- Peas with Prosciutto

Private Class Menu #1

Pasta alla Norma- Pasta with Eggplants

Maiale al Finocchio- Pork Tenderloin with Fennel


Piselli al Prosciutto- Peas with Prosciutto


Torta Caprese Almond- and Chocolate Cake

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Titina's recipe:  Peas with Prosciutto

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb (750 g) fresh or frozen peas

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ cups (12 oz/350 g) prosciutto, diced; or pancetta

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped; or ¼ cup

onion, chopped

1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) water & 1 cube beef

bouillon

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper



Sauté the prosciutto in the oil in a large skillet

(frying pan) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let

the oil cool, and then add the peas, garlic, parsley,

and water with the added beef bouillon. Partially

cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season

with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.



Serves: 4;

Preparation Time: 15 minutes;

cooking time: 25 minutes

Level of Difficulty: simple

Classes off to Great Start--With Meat and Potatoes Italian Style

Good things are happening in Titina's kitchen lately--Those classic ingredients tomatoes, basil and eggplants are in season and after a summer break, Titina is teaching more people the joys of cooking (and eating) Italian style. This week the menu is from Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance and the leading city of Tuscany. Last week, it was meat and potatoes Italian style.

While everyone knows pasta, few people outside of Italy know gnocchi, a star of Titina's popular Sorrento menu. These tender little potato dumplings have ancient roots and qualify as Italian comfort food. Here's a link to an earlier post on this classic, including Titina's recipe.

Gnocchi has few ingredients but technique is important. If you've never experienced this dish, take a class or get your feet wet with the already cooked Emilla Gnocchi sold in the Capri Flavors store. It is very good.

The meat in the equation is Braciole is another Southern Italian classic. Titina stuffs these tender rolls of beef with cheese and pine nuts. Then cooks them until fork tender. Delicious.

Make Friends with a Farmer--And Titina's New Class Schedule

Freshness matters in Titina's kitchen. It matters a lot. And while she may have a month off from classes, that doesn't mean Titina isn't cooking. Titina is always cooking. Lined up on the kitchen counter yesterday--pounds of heirloom tomatoes and three fresh melons, all off a local farm.

Not farm stand or farmer's market-Titina has a relationship with a local farmer who picks her produce right from the fields. He's a good friend to have--because summer vegetables start losing flavor as soon as they are harvested.

The farmer grows peaches too. Titina will freeze these juicy summer fruits in vacuum packs to use through out the year in her popular cooking classes--which resume in August.

Let's Cook with Titina menus and dates follow--plus a cool-off recipe for summer--from this fall's Sorrento Menu, Ice Cream Drowned Espresso

CAPRI Menu

Limoncello Lemon Liquor

Spaghetti Sciue’-Sciue’ Spaghetti in Marinara

Aragosta Marinara Lobster in Red Sauce

Carciofi e Patate Artichoke and Potato Saute

Torta di Capri Almond and Chocolate Cake

Capri Dates Monday: 8/2, 8/30, 9/27, 10/27 Friday: 8/6, 9/3, 10/1, 10/29

Firenze Menu

Crespelle al Formaggio e Prosciutto Cheese and Ham filled Crepes

Pollo al Finocchio Chicken with Fennel

Cavolofiori Gratinati Cauliflower Au Gratin

Torta della Nonna Grandmother Apple Cake

Firenze Dates Monday: 8/16, 9/13, 10/11, 11/8, Friday: 8/20, 9/17, 10/15, 11/12

Genova Menu

Penne alla Genovese Penne with Genovese Sauce

Filetto di Manzo alle Castagne Fillet of Beef with Chestnuts

Piselli al Prosciutto Peas with Prosciutto

Crema Caramellata Cream Caramel

Genova Dates Monday: 8/23, 9/20, 10/18, 11/15 Friday: 8/27, 9/24, 10/22, 11/19

Sorrento Menu

Gnocchi con Ragu’ Gnocchi in Heavy Sauce

Braciole al Ragu’ Beef Rolls in Heavy Sauce

Cannellini e Scarole Cannellini Beans and Escarole Saute’

Affogato al Caffe’ Espresso Espresso Drowned Ice Cream

Sorrento Dates Monday: 8/9, 9/6, 10/4, 11/1 Friday: 8/13, 9/10, 10/8, 11/5

Affogato al Caffe Espresso
Ice Cream drowned in Espresso

4 eggs, separated
4 ounces icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ pint double cream, whipped
Espresso
cognac or brandy


Serves 8; Preparation: 30 minutes; Cooking: 20 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Medium


Whisk the egg whites until stiff in a bowl. Add the icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time with the vanilla essence.

Carefully fold in the cream.

Pour the mixture into a large container or into 8 small dishes. Cover and freeze until firm. If frozen in a large container, transfer to the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving and scoop round balls of ice cream into serving bowls. Top with espresso mixed with cognac or brandy.

A Menu Staple with a Mountain Twist

Peas and Prosciutto is probably Chef Titina's favorite side dish. It's a delicious pairing, easy to make, and it goes well chicken, pork or beef. This week, she's serving it with Braciole al Ragu (beef rolls in heavy sauce), the centerpiece of her popular Napoli cooking class menu.

But her husband, Capri Flavors owner, Costanzo won't be there for dinner. He's off in the Italian Alps (photo 2 above) , attending the annual Speckfest. Speck is regional speciality from the beautiful mountains of South Tyrol, that part of Italy that was in Austria until about 90 years ago.

A choice cut of pork that is air-dried like prosciutto, speck has one big difference--it's smoked.

Try its unique flavor in place of prosciutto in favorite dishes like Chef Titina's peas. (recipe follows) Or go to http://www.speckfest.it/ and click on the English language tab, then search recipes. You'll be putting a new flavor on the table, one that brings to mind beautiful vistas, cool temperatures and clear mountain air scented with wood smoke.

Here's Titina's recipe. Give it a mountain twist with speck.

Piselli al Prosciutto

Spring Peas with Prosciutto

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb (750 g) fresh or frozen peas

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ cups (12 oz/350 g) prosciutto, diced

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped; or ¼ cup onion, chopped

1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) water & 1 cube beef bouillon

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4; Preparation: 15 minutes; Cooking: 25 minutes; Level of difficulty: Simple

Sauté the prosciutto in the oil in a large skillet (frying pan) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the oil cool, and then add the peas, garlic, parsley, and water with the added beef bouillon. Partially cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.

Love that Risotto

If only stirring risotto was always this much fun. The photo above is one of Capri Flavors Chef Titina's favorites. It shows the perfect cooking class moment--wine, food and love.

But how often can we cook like this at home? On Friday, Chef Titina broke from the recipe and gave her class a hurry up tip for risotto. After stirring in all the stock and bringing the rice back to a simmer, they covered the pot and put it in a 450 degree oven. 20 minutes later, the risotto was done and ready for the final additions. The results were delicious, and the risotto makers got to relax.

And while the mushrooms were great with the pork and fennel on the menu (below), feel free to stream line with easier additions. Peas and cheese are great.

Just remember--if you're having a lot of fun stirring, by all means, stick with recipe. But if you have other things to do, pop it in the oven while you great the cheese or make a salad. You'll still have great risotto.

Risotto alla Milanese - Risotto with Mushrooms

1,1/3 cup dried wild mushrooms, preferably porcini
2 cups fresh cultivated mushrooms
Juice of 2 lemons
l/3 cup butter
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsiey
4 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably home-made
2 Tbsp. olive oil
I small onion, finely chopped
2 cups medium-grain risotto rice, such as Arborio
2 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Chopped parsley

Serves 3-4; Preparation: 45 minutes; CookingTime: 35 minutes;

Level of difficuty: Medium

Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl with about 2 cups warrn
water. Soak for at least 40 minutes. Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly.
Filter the soaking water through a strainer lined with paper towels, and reserve. Wipe the
fresh mushrooms with a damp cloth, and slice finely. Place in a bowl and toss with the
lemon juice.

In a large heavy frying pan or casserole melt one third of the butter. Stir in the
fresh sliced mushrooms and cook over moderate heat until they give up their juices, and begin
to brown. Stir in the parsley, cook for 30 seconds more, and remove to a side dish. Place
the stock in a saucepan. Add the mushroom water, and simmer until needed. Heat another
third of the butter with the olive oil in the same pan the mushrooms were cooked in. Stir in
the onion, and cook until it is soft and golden. Add the rice, stirring for 1-2 minutes to coat
it with the oils. Add the soaked and sauted mushrooms, and mix well Pour in the wine,
raise the heat slightly, and cook until the wine evaporates.

At this point you can add all the hot stock, bring back to a simmer, cover and place in a 450 degreee oven for 20 minues or continue with the steps below.

Add one small ladleful of the hot stock. Over moderate heat cook until the stock is absorbed or evaporates, stirring the rice with a wooden spoon to prevent it from
sticking to the pan. Add a little more stock, and stir until the rice dries out again. Continue
stirring and adding the liquid a little at a time. Add salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring
and adding the liquid until the rice is aldente, or tender but still firm to the bite. The
total cooking time of the risotto is 20 minutes.

Both methods reume here: Remove the risotto pan from the heat. Stir
in the remaining butter, parsley, and the Parmesan or Roman. Grind in a little black pepper,
and taste again for salt. Allow the risotto to rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.

Here's the rest of Friday night's menu

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, 11/30

Fridays : 8/21, 9/25, 10/30, 12/4.

No Fear Eggplant

By the time Capri Flavors Chef Titina’s students arrive for the evening class, the eggplant has already been draining for hours. Eggplant is easy if you remember to start early in the day. A lot of cooks shy away from this beautiful vegetable because they’ve heard (or learned the hard way) that it can be bitter. Titina handles this by buying fresh, using it quickly and salting and draining or purging eggplant before she cooks it.

Think--slice it, salt it and walk away.

Not so hard and more than worth the trouble for this classic Italian taste.

This week, Titina is teaching students to fry eggplant with bell peppers and garlic, adding a chopped tomato near the end of cooking. Peperoni Saltati is a big hit on her Fiesole menu. (the pork with fennel is also delicious)

But when it comes to eggplant, the headliner is, of course, Eggplant Parmesan. Lots of students sign up just to learn the secrets of this dish that is so well know in America. Here’s Titina’s authentic recipe. Just don’t forget to slice, drain and walk away.

Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Eggplant Parmigian

Ingredients:
2 lbs eggplants
2 eggs, whisked
Oil, for frying
1 lb mozzarella sliced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt
Fresh basil
Sciuè-Sciuè sauce (see following page for recipe)
1/2 lb asiago cheese

Serves 4; Preparation: 30 minutes; Cooking: 45 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Wash the eggplants. Cut into long slices about 1/2 inch wide, sprinkle with salt, and leave to drain for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce (Chiummezzana or Sciuè-Sciuè sauce).
Pat the sliced eggplant dry with paper towels. Coat in whisked eggs. Heat the oil in a large frying pan (non stick) add one layer of eggplant, and cook over low to moderate heat, turn and cook on the other side. Remove from the pan, and repeat with the remaining slices.
Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. In a wide shallow baking pan spread a little tomato sauce in the bottom, cover with a layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with parmesan and cover with a layer of mozzarella and asiago, spoon on some tomato sauce and add the basil.
Repeat until all the ingredients are used up ending with a covering of tomato sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes.