Time is Only Ingredient in Short Supply,,,

Even though time is spent at such a slow pace here, it is in short supply. Before I know it it is 1 PM or a Holiday and all stores close down. So if you need any ingredients that you may have forgotten you can't get them until the re-opening of the store which can be in 3 hours or a day or two-depending on time of year and date of year.
Yesterday for instance -the 15th of August and a big Holiday here in Italy. I planned on making a chocolate ricotta cheesecake- so Friday ingredients were purchased-well all ingredients- but the dark chocolate pieces needed to mix into the ricotta. But someone must have chocolate bars-perhaps a coffee bar or small grocery store?
The difficult part was first to find something that was open on the 15th of August. Next did they have chocolate. Found 2 coffee bars that were (surprisingly) open. But they told us that even though they normally carry chocolate bars throughout the year, they don't have them this time of the year for fear that they may melt..

So the chocolate cheesecake would have to wait for one more day and it was a ciambellone classico for dessert. And yes, was able to find a small, local, candy store open today that did have the Dark chocolate bars. And the cheesecake will have to wait until tomorrow. Here is the recipe for the ciambellone and stay tuned for the cheesecake recipe in the next few days.
http://www.marilaiberati.com/blog2

Memories of 'La Befana' or the Epiphany...

I can remember 'Little Christmas' with my nonni (grandparents) in the South Philadlephia neighborhhod that they lived in.. I knew they called it Little Christmas. Even though all my friends would take down their Christmas trees right after New Years' Day.. we had to leave our Christmas decorations up until January 6th. We would even go to Mass on January 6th for this 'Little Christmas'.
We would celebrate sometimes with a special dinner but I never really understood where this holiday of 'Little Christmas' came from.
Many years have passed and now that I call Italy my second home I understand what Little Christmas means. It is really the feast of La Befana that they were celebrating, the Epiphany. The last official day of the Christmas Holidays and about now I am ready for the Holidays to end here in Italy..what seemed like two solid weeks of non-stop eating will finally be coming to an end.

La Befana is the good Christmas witch who although tied to the Christian feast of Christmas also has pagan orgins.
She comes to good boys and girls on January 6th because that is when the 3 Wise Men brought gifts to the baby Jesus. She delivers gifts flying around on her broom.

But the pagans knew La Befana as a manifestation of Mother Nature. She was what Mother Nature became for winter solstice,an old witch and marked the end of this winter and the new beginning of the new sun. She was something that was old and the new weather would soon begin..and she was ready to be reborn with a new life and get rid of all of her wrinkles. But before she could be reborn into this new life she had to leave sweets and fruits so that the seeds of the fruits could be planted for the new year.
Today, as every holiday has become commercial,even in Italy-she only represents another holiday to receive and give gifts with most of La Befana's meaning and spirit forgotten about.

But no matter what religion you believe in, you can capture the original meaning of La Befana in your heart and make January 6th a day to think of new beginnings, the Spring that will come soon and the new weather it will bring and new beginnings that the New Year brings. She (La Befana) can bring you new beginnings and a way to get rid of the worn out things in your life to make room for the new,fresh possibilities.

As we say here in Italy "Buona Befana" for more thoughts and recipes on La Befana go to http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
For more recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

San Valentino and more....

Thanks to everyone that attended my roundtable interview and discussion on Athena Isle at Second Life. That was my first experience on Second Life and a fun one!!

In honor of San Valentino, here are two more recipes from my upcoming book

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions (copyright 2008 Maria Liberati) to be released later this year..

Let me know how you celebrated your Saint Valentine's Day. San Valentino represented love, so you can celebrate this day with any one special in your life-your friends, your parents ,siblings, somoene that is special in your life..

Cocktail di Mare (seafood Cocktail)

*6 jumbo shrimp(steamed)
*12 large scallops (steamed)
*2-3 drops of Tabasco sauce
*6 tablespoons of olive oil
*1 tablespoon of vodka
*2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
*6 hot red peppers
*10-12 leaves of romaine lettuce
*1 tsp of powdered red pepper
*2 tsps of salt
*6 shish kabob type wooden sticks

Place on sticks first-one scallop then one shrimp (vertically) then one scallop. Repeat using all 6 sticks. In small bowl place vodka, salt powdered red pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce , olive oil. Beat wit ha fork until all ingredients are blended.
In tall glass, arrange a few lettuce leaves on side of glass. Alternate in each glass, 3 hot red peppers and 3 shish kebabs. Drizzle sauce on top and serve.


Cuori di Pane

*Pre made pizza dough-1/2 lb (uncooked)
*3 tablespoons of flour
*2 tablespoons of dried tomatoes
*1 tsp of Sapori D’Italia Spice Blend or Rosemary
*4 dried red peppers
*3 tablespoons of olive oil
*2 tsps of chopped scallion
*

Drain dried tomatoes and chop into small squares. In separate bowl, crush 3 dried red peppers with wooden spoon, place in chopped dried tomatoes, chopped scallops. Blend. Place ball of pizza dough in bowl and work in mixture. Knead pizza dough for 5 minutes until all ingredients are blended into dough.
Dust wooden board with 1 tablespoon of flour. Place pizza dough on top. Flatten dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter in shape of heart.
Place sheet of baking paper on cookie sheet. Place hearts on baking sheet. Crush remaining pepper in small dish, mix with ½ tsp of Sapori D’Italia or Rosemary. Drizzle hearts with teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle remaining crushed pepper mix on top. Let hearts sit for 30 minutes. Then cook in oven preheated to 450 degrees or until crisp and golden (about 15 minutes).

Happy Carnevale!!!

copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

I could not let this colorful festive Holiday pass us by without a noble mention on my blog. Here is an excerpt from the book to be published in late 2008-

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions, copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

Did you know that Carnevale originated in Rome?
It began in ancient Rome, the term comes from the latin word “carnem levare”. This referred to the period of fasting from meat. The feast lasts for about 10 days But the ancient Romans celebrated it for about 180 days of the year. It was their way of celebrating their victories. After the fall of the Roman empire, Carnevale was still celebrated by the Roman people. It always included a period of fasting, and joy


Carnevale is made up of some any colors- from the beautiful fireworks displays to the costumes to the colored papers and streamers used during this Holiday. To stay in the Carnevale spirit, keep your foods, tableware colorful and festive.

In the spirit of the decadent Romans a masked ball with decadent desserts is the perfect way to celebrate.

Dolce Cioccolata

6 eggs
½ cup sugar
16 ounces of unsweetend baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
2 /12 cups whipped cream
¼ cup Cointreau
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie pan and coat with baking paper. Dip finger tips in olive oil and oil baking paper.

With electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar of 5 minutes – until creamy and well blended. Melt chocolate in glass dish in microwave (approx 2 minutes depending on settings).

With rubber spatula, fold melted chocolate into egg mixture. Im separate bowl whip cream, fold in Cointreau. Gently fold this into egg/chocolate mixture until well blended.

Place pie pan coated with baking paper in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Place water in baking dish to reach half height of pie plate.

Bake for 30 minutes this way in oven. Take out. Place sheet of baking paper on top and bake for another 30 minutes this way. Remove from oven, Uncover and let cool. When cool, refrigerate overnight. Serve garnished with fresh raspberries and dust with powdered cocoa.

Form ore recipes and info on Carnevale:
http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Carnevale-in-Italy-and-a-Recipe-to-Celebrate-This-Holiday.66860

http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Winter-in-Italy-with-Winter-Recipes.66858

For more recipes, go to the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, copyright 2005,2006,2007,2008, Maria Liberati . Purchase at http://www.marialiberati.com and receive free shipping and $5 off retail price.

Ciao for now!!
Maria Liberati

http://www.marilaiberati.com

http://www.marilaiberati.com/blog2

http://www.mliberati.diaryland.com

Buona La Befana!

And the Holidays continue here (in Italy) we are now coming to our last Holiday of the Christmas season- the Epiphany or La Befana..
La Befana, the good Christmas witch will fill your stockings with candies and fruits and little presents but if you have been bad she is more likely to fill your stocking with 'carbone' or coal.
As I have been continuing with excerpts from my upcoming book
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions (to be released in 2008)
Here is the chapter on La Befana;

I have had an unbelievable holiday season at my grandfather's vineyard in Italy. While in the USA, the Holiday Season is over. We can remain basking in the glow of the Holiday spirit for one last day.

I still have one more holiday to celebrate- La Befana.

“La Befana e propria brava” ( roughly translated means: “the Befana is a wonderful person) said Sofia as all listened intently. We had just finished a sumptuous afternoon Holiday dinner. It all began with a traditional Italian wedding soup, followed by homemade ravioli filled with fresh ricotta and spinach mixture topped with a homemade tomato sugo (sauce). And as if that wasn’t enough..next came roasted chicken with roasted potatoes, insalata russa (similar to an American potato salad- potatoes, peas, chopped carrots, mayonnaise) then came the cheese plate with locally made bread, then the fresh fruit and nut plate then dessert-oh did I forget to mention the sparkling white Prosecco.

Sofia continued recounting the story about how she had grown up overnight because La Befana came in the middle of the night to her room and took her pacifier and left her a stocking full of gifts-as it is customary to do for the Epiphany or La Befana Sofia is 3 ½ yrs old and her mother has been thinking of a way to get her to stop using her pacifier.

This holiday had come with perfect timing. Sofia was happy because she had a delightful story to tell at dinner and had gotten a stocking full of gifts. She knew that mamma and nonna were happy that she would no longer be with pacifier as well

La Befana, (The Christmas Witch) or The Epiphany is celebrated in Italy and throughout Europeon January 6th. La Befana rides through the night sky on her broom carrying presents and sweets for children


Her name is derived from the celebration of The Epiphany, which is the "climax of the Christmas season and the Twelve Days of Christmas...usually counted from December 25th through January 5th," culminating in a feast and celebration on January 6th.
Being a fine housekeeper, and having a broom with which to ride, some say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The family, in anticipation of her arrival, typically sets out a small glass of wine and few morsels of food for their Christmas Witch.
La Befana is typically portrayed as a witch, only she is smiling and has a bag full of candy and gifts for good girls and boys. And like Santa Claus, she leaves behind "coal" for those who are bad. Except often, it's a piece of hard rock candy instead!
There is a poem about La Befana, which is well-known throughout Italy:
La Befana vien di notte (La Befana comes at night)Con le scarpe (With the broken shoes)Tutte rotte vien vestita (She comes dressed in)Alla romana (Peasant Roman style)Viva, Viva La Befana! (Long live La Befana!)
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking also makes a great gift for La Befana or any Holiday..
You can still get a $5 discount off retail price and free shipping and handling if you order at http://www.marialiberati.com/ A portion of your purchase price goes to Gilda's

Happy New Year from the Mountains of Abruzzo

(copyright, Maria Liberati 2007)

Here's wishing that you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you were able to include some of the special recipes we have included this past month.

I am writing from my office in Italy- high in the mountains of Abruzzo.
The Holiday season still goes on here. While you are waiting to ring in the New Year as we are here as well, we will be celebrating until the 6th of January. This last Holiday is the Epiphany or La Befana and marks the end of the Christmas Holidays.
Here the Holidays are the topic of conversation for everyone for at least 4-6 weeks. I was really tired and not too awake when we landed in Rome. But I really realized I was here when I had to stop at customs to show my passport. No, showing my passport didn't wake me up. The customs officers- there were 3- that had to look at my passport were discussing a recipe that they had for Christmas Eve dinner (Vigilia) as they glanced at my passport- paying more attention to the details of the recipe than the looking over of passports. And unfortunately I did not hear the entire recipe. Although as tempted as I was to ask, I decided it was best not to ask.
Besides, I knew that the sooner I left the airport the sooner we would be having a cappuccino and cornetti at Palombini-in EUR (a neighborhood in Rome) right in front of the 'square coliseum'-that alone is sight for sore tired eyes.
And as I have been continuing this series, here is an excerpt from my upcoming book- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions (to be released in late 2008). This chapter is about our New Year's Eve last year -to bring in 2007.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

(excerpt from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions

copyright, Maria Liberati 2007, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc.)
Never plan for anything..As all the highways were closed because of icy conditions and two terrible accidents on the A24 highway (the highway that goes from Abruzzo to Rome)–we had to quickly think on our feet to save the festivities for New Year’s Eve. Which we did….
As luck has it we found out this morning that we could not get out of town safely so we had just enough time to grab all of the ingredients we needed to make a 7 course New Year’s Eve fest fit for a king.. for 25 people….

Menu
Primi (first course)
Spaghetti lightly tossed with fresh shrimp and calamari in an ‘aglio e olio’ (garlic and oil) topped at the end with fresh parsley.

Secondi (second course)
Zuppa di lenticchie (lentil soup) with freshly made crostini (croutons)
Served with Cotechino (a type of ham)

Terzo (third course)
Fresh baked salmone

Quarto (fourth course)
Frittata made with fresh escarole and grated parmigiano cheese

Contorni (side dishes)
*Fresh swiss chard- cooked and lightly tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
*Fresh mozzarella

All of this was served with Vino Novello. This is the new wine that comes out about this time of the year. It is called vino novello (new wine) because it is only aged for 3 months versus aging for at least 1 year.

Dolci (desserts)
*Torte di panettone (see recipe in my next blog later this week)
*Artisanal chocolate torrone made here in Abruzzo. (It contains 80% cocoa and hazelnuts grown locally. This is a specialty here in the province of Abruzzo).

Fruit course
Fresh grapes (you must eat at least 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve for good luck).
Fresh apples

To bring in the New Year, Braccchetto D’Acqui was served. It is a sparkling red wine that is delicate and with just a hint of sweetness

Torte di panettone recipe
(Copyright 2005- Maria Liberati)
Many of you who have been at my book signings have savored this torte (cake). We make it around Christmas time because it is made with panettone (an Italian sweet bread made for Christmas). We usually have so much panettone left over and try to think of creative things to do with it. So I came up with this recipe with a friend of mine that is a pastry chef here in Abruzzo. It is really very easy to make but is so yummy they will think you were baking all day.

And as I always recommend in all of my cookbooks- use only the best ingredients you can find for this torte. Since there are only a few ingredients each and everyone is important.


*1/3 to ½ of a pannettone (most gourmet stores carry these now, if you are lucky you may be able to find a fresh baked one as well).
*1- 4 ounce chocolate bar (must be 70-80% cocoa)
*4 large dried figs
*2 cups whole milk
*1/2 cup sugar
*¼ tsp vanilla
*2 whole eggs
Baking paper
1- 8” shallow cake pan
Small piece of solid chocolate to shave into chocolate curls on top
Confectioner’s Sugar

Instructions…
If panettone is a few days old it should be dry. If it is not dry, tear panettone into small cubes, preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. When oven is preheated place panettone cubes on flat baking sheet and bake till begins to turn golden and becomes dry.

Line shallow cake pan with baking paper. Chop 4 ounces of dark chocolate into small pieces. Chop four figs into small pieces. Set these aside.

Cover pan with one layer of panettone cubes. Press cubes gently to fit form of pan. Sprinkle chopped chocolate and figs on panettone cubes. Place another layer of panettone cubes on top, again press gently to cover the first layer and to fit form of pan.

With wire whisk, whisk together 2 cups milk and 2 eggs. Then little by little add in the sugar and whisk and then add in vanilla and whisk for 1 minute or until well blended.

With soup ladle gently pour this mixture over panettone cubes and then gently press down to form panettone and mixture to pan and then let
sit for 10 minutes so all is absorbed. Then place in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 40 -50 minutes.

Top should be golden and all liquid should be absorbed.

When cool, take out of pan by edges of baking paper. Garnish top with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and chocolate curls shaved from chocolate bar.

Should be kept in refrigerator and best if made the night before.

Serve with Bracchetto D’Acqui sparkling wine.

Tanti Auguri for a safe and Happy 2008!

You can purchase the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and still receive $5 off retail price and free shipping at http://www.marialiberati.com/
and portion of proceeds go to Gilda's Club.

The Basic Art of the bubbly....

Now that the holiday seasons are upon us cocktail parties and feasts surround us. While food is one of the most important ingredients to these events and the cocktails and even those wine pairings with food are fun and festive- did you know that those imported mineral waters can also be paired with foods and courses.

Water tastings and pairings have become as important as the wine tastings in Itally. Many fine dining places have not only wine menus but also water menus.

So, if you would like to add an interesting touch to your holiday event- add in water tasting or pairing with imported mineral waters- certainly a healthy touch to any meal.
And while in the US we may think of water as all virtually the same- in Europe- waters come from many different mineral springs. The quality and quantity and types of minerals depend on the spring that the waters come from. They do have many different qualities and health benefits and are even prescribed for various ailments.
But also many of the waters- especially the ones that are naturally carbonated do really aid in digestion. So while you may want to drink a plain (uncorroborated water) to quench your thirst- if you are enjoying a heavy meal -you might want to consider adding a few glasses of mineral water between courses this holiday season.
To practice the fine art of water tasting this season, here are some tips for your holiday table;
*Place two water glasses at each place setting- one for non-carbonated and one for naturally carbonated water.
*To really appreciate the fine art of mineral water-serve naturally carbonated imported waters. These waters were carbonated naturally by the springs they come from. Serving plain soda water that has been carbonated by a factory is not the same thing.

*Serve the naturally carbonated mineral water chilled to a temperature of about 45 degrees. Serve non-carbonated water chilled to about 50 degrees.

* Do not add ice cubes to the water-this will diminish the true flavor of the mineral water. chill the water itself.
*Encourage your guests to drink the naturally carbonated mineral water between courses during your meal, this will naturally aid in digestion.
This is another healthy addition to any meal or party and no calories either!!