This is a lovely #Spring #Italian pasta dish, Straw and Hay Pasta, featuring green peas, garlic, scallions, crispy pancetta, heavy cream and parmesan cheese over spinach linguine and egg linguine. The flavors are bright and fresh with a velvety cream sauce topped with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh parsley. And best of all, you can do it all in one pot mixing the cooked pasta in with the sauce in a large saucepan.
Easy pea-sy. (no pun intended 🙂
You can also substitute fettuccine for the linguine and you can try some crispy bacon or prosciutto in place of the pancetta….or throw in some asparagus spears and leeks if you wish, too. Any way you make it I guarantee it will be delicious and easy to make for a Spring weeknight dinner.
This is a lovely Spring Italian pasta dish featuring green peas, garlic, pancetta, cream and parmesan cheese over spinach linguine and egg linguine. The flavors are bright and fresh with a velvety cheese cream sauce topped with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup frozen baby peas, defrosted
4 ounces (1/2 cup) diced pancetta
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/2 pound dry egg fettuccine or linguine
1/2 pound dry spinach fettuccine or linguine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Trim the scallions and slice into thin strips and then crosswise about 3 inches long. Add the scallions to the pan and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Stir in the peas and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the diced pancetta, and cook for about 5 minutes or so until it gets crispy and browned.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer another 2-3 minutes.
Stir the pasta into the salted boiling water and let return to a boil, then cook for 9 minutes until al dente (slightly firm and chewy).
Remove the cooked pasta from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce in the skillet, stirring to coat. Cook over high heat until liquid reduces to a creamy sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Garnish with black pepper and freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Hey guys! Exciting news! I am mentioned in the NY Times Food Section today in an article by food writer Julia Moskin about Chicken French (Francaise).
I had the opportunity to do an interview with her (since I am originally from Rochester NY where the recipe is VERY popular and ubiquitous on every menu!) to discuss it’s origins and history, as well as discuss my Chicken French recipe and way of cooking and styling it, as well as variations on the recipe in different restaurants in Rochester and NY state.
If you have never tried Chicken French, you absolutely must – it’s made with thinly pounded chicken (cutlets) sautéed in a light flour and egg batter, then bathed in a luscious lemony butter sauce with fresh parsley and garlic, served over pasta or green vegetables. It’s simply divine. And one of my favorite dishes to make from my hometown!
So Fall is finally here guys! My absolute favorite time of the year – cooler temperatures, the leaves changing, sweaters, jeans and boots, leather jackets, crickets late in the day along with spectacular sunsets… and especially the FOOD!
I had some gorgeous porcini linguine that I bought at the RochesterDowntown Farmer’s Market on hand, and thought a Spicy Beef and Mushroom Ragu sauce would be the perfect compliment for a savory tasty Fall pasta dish.
I added someCrushed Hot Chili Pepper Spread to the beef and mushroom mixture sautéed with shallots and garlic, which took the flavor and heat up just a notch…then added a little spicy marinara sauce, but not too much…
After I cooked the pasta, I mixed the beef and mushroom ragu back into the pot, and tossed it all together with some of the reserved pasta water and lots of parmesan cheese, just because.
Of course I topped it all of with a generous sprinkle of freshparsley and torn mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper… and it happily made my day.
This pasta dish has a savory umami flavor from the porcini mushroom linguine, along with a spicy beef and mushroom ragu zested up with some red chile pepper paste, shallots and garlic. Super healthy and delicious with some crusty Italian bread and olive oil and a glass of red wine.
Ingredients
* 1 pound porcini mushroom linguine
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 3/4 pound ground beef
* 6-8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
* 2 shallots, sliced thin
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons spicy hot chili pepper paste (Colavita)
* 3/4 cup marinara sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 2-3 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 9-10 minutes until al dente, drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat, cook the ground beef, about 5-7 minutes, drain and set aside.
Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil and cook garlic, mushrooms and shallots for another 5 minutes or so until soft and cooked through. Mix into the cooked ground beef mixture and add spicy chili pepper paste and marinara sauce with some of the reserved pasta water until it's soft and mixes together into a sauce (but not overly saucy). Feel free to add more sauce and water to your liking for the desired consistency and thickness / thinness of the sauce.
Toss the meat ragu in with the cooked pasta, add parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve pasta with fresh torn mozzarella and chopped fresh parsley.
I had the opportunity to attend a special preview tasting of Olive Garden‘s new ‘Tastes of the Mediterranean’ menu this week at a lovely event held at Haven’s Kitchen in NYC with a group of other food bloggers, writers and journalists.
We sampled a (generous!) variety of delicious food and wine, and learned more about the new menu ideas and inspiration from the Olive Garden team and Executive Chef, Jim Nuetzi.
Inspired by the flavors of Italy’s Mediterranean Coast, Olive Garden is evolving its popular Lighter Italian Fare menu to the new ‘Tastes of the Mediterranean’ menu, which celebrates the flavors and cooking styles from the popular Mediterranean region of Italy with all entrees under 600 calories.
Beginning Jan. 2, two new entrees – Chicken Margherita and
Linguine di Mare – will be available in restaurants. Following, the fully evolved ‘Tastes of the Mediterranean’ rebranded menu section, which includes guest favorites as well as the new entrees, will be introduced on Jan. 23.
“Healthier dishes at restaurants can often be perceived as boring or unsatisfying. However, our Mediterranean-inspired Shrimp Scampi with its flavorful ingredients was our second most popular entrée on the entire menu last summer,” said Jim Nuetzi, Executive Chef for Olive Garden. “The positive reaction from our guests further showed that we could create indulgent and craveable entrees that just happen to have the added benefit of lower calorie counts.”
The guest-favorite Shrimp Scampi, which was introduced to the Olive Garden menu last year, has exceeded any other Olive Garden lighter fare entrée in popularity. Many guests were surprised that the flavorful and satisfying dish was only500 calories.
The guest reaction to the Shrimp Scampi inspired chefs to explore additional ingredients that would excite guests in the same way, leading them to the cuisine of Italy’s Mediterranean coast. The region is long known for healthier lifestyles and cooking with light, flavorful ingredients such as seafood, olive oil, fresh vegetables, whole grains and Italian spices.
The ‘Tastes of the Mediterranean’ menu features:
NEW! Chicken Margherita: Grilled chicken breasts topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil pesto and a lemon garlic sauce. Served with parmesan crusted zucchini.
Shrimp Scampi: Shrimp sautéed in a garlic sauce, tossed with asparagus, tomatoes and angel hair pasta.
NEW! Linguine di Mare: Shrimp and mussels sautéed with homemade pomodoro sauce and whole grain linguine.
Herb-Grilled Salmon: Filet grilled to perfection and topped with garlic-herb butter. Served with parmesan-garlic broccoli.
Chicken Piccata: Grilled chicken topped with a lemon garlic butter sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Served with parmesan crusted zucchini.
Tilapia Piccata: Delicate white fish baked in a lemon garlic butter sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Served with parmesan crusted zucchini.
Entrees on the rebranded menu start at $14.29.
And last but not least, we enjoyed a gorgeous dessert, Warm Chocolate Baci Cake with coffee..simply divine.
..and got some take home goodie bags with a bottle of wine and some wine glasses!
———–
ABOUT OLIVE GARDEN
Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with more than 800 restaurants, more than 96,000 employees and more than $3.8 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants, Inc., (NYSE: DRI), which owns and operates more than 1,500 restaurants that generate over $6.8 billion in annual sales. Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., and employing more than 150,000 people, Darden is recognized for a culture that rewards caring for and responding to people. Olive Garden is committed to making a difference in the lives of others in the local community. As part of this commitment, Olive Garden restaurants have donated more than 35 million pounds of food to local community food banks across the country.
Ah, it’s almost the end of Summer and I keep thinking, where has it gone? Along with Summer comes lots of fresh veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms and yellow squash that I just can’t get enough of!
I recently received a lovely care package from my client Colavita, who sent me some delicious pasta, sauces, olive oils and vinegars to sample, which inspired me to make this Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies.
I used their Colavita Tomato Basil sauce mixed in to the pasta and veggies along with fresh oregano and basil. AND it has three (3!!) cheeses: ricotta, parmesan/asiago and mozzarella to make it super creamy and cheesy – all baked into a big pot of bubbly goodness.
Look. At. This. Cheesy Baked Pasta Goodness. YUM.
It’s the perfect dish for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner – and is great served with a green salad and some crusty Italian bread (dipped in Colavita olive oil and vinegar of course!) Enjoy!
This is a tasty and healthy twist on traditional Baked Ziti, using Colavita Rotini pasta with Italian Sausage and lots of colorful summer veggies like zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onions and garlic! It also features Colavita Tomato Basil sauce mixed with three cheeses: ricotta, parmesan/asiago and mozzarella to make it super creamy and cheesy baked into a big pot of bubbly goodness. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served with a green salad and crusty Italian bread.
Ingredients
1 pound Colavita Fusilli pasta, uncooked
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, ground
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Colavita Chardonnay White Balsamic vinegar
1 cup yellow squash, chopped
1 cup zucchini, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-16 ounce jar Colavita Tomato Basil sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan/Asiago cheese, grated
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt (add more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (add more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions (about 9 minutes for al dente), drain.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook sausage until no longer pink, drain fat and set aside.
Add additional tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and add squash, zucchini, mushrooms and bell pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute or two. Add the cooked sausage back into the pan.
Stir in the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan/Asiago cheese and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, add the ricotta cheese to a mixing bowl and stir in beaten egg, fresh herbs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Place the cooked pasta in a large pot and add the sausage-veggie-tomato sauce mixture, stirring well. Fold in the ricotta-egg-herbs mixture until thoroughly combined.
Spoon the pasta mixture into an 8x8 square glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan/Asiago cheese evenly over the top.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.
Let cool for a few minutes, serve hot with a green salad and crusty Italian bread.
Notes
You can also substitute Colavita penne, shells, farfalle or ziti for the fusilli pasta.
Colavita has a great line of Italian gourmet food, olive oils, vinegars, pastas, condiments and other specialty foods, which makes them one of my favorite brands for quality Italian cooking.
Note: I received complimentary products from Colavita but was not compensated for this post. All photos, copy, recipes and opinions are my own. Please do not share, distribute or use any content without my permission.
So it’s Friday. And a lovely Spring day. I was in the mood to make something lovely to eat, preferably with a sweet and savory twist. I’ve also been on a baking kick lately, not sure why but I’m loving experimenting with different flavors and textures of pizzas and tarts and pies.
I decided to make a delicious rustic pizza made with some redgrapes, shallots, sharp white cheddar and mozzarellacheese, and some thin cut Italianham. I simply rolled out some refrigerated pizza dough and then topped it off with some olive oil, all the pizza ingredients, and some fresh thyme.
I popped it into a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes until all the cheese and crust was bubbly and golden brown, then finished this beauty off with some sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, some fresh basil and drizzles of honey.
This is the best thing I have ever tasted in my life. Seriously. The contrast of the sweet grapes, shallots and honey with the sharp and tangy cheddar cheese and salty, crispy ham are like a true love affair…in Paris.
I’m thinking the only thing better than this would be an actual trip to Paris..on the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset. With a chocolate croissant and cafe au lait in hand. With a really cute French guy. Ooh La La.
Aaah – a girl can dream, can’t she? (Happy Friday!)
Rustic Pizza with Ham, Grapes, Shallots, Cheese, Honey & Thyme
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8
Serving Size: 1 slice/wedge
Ingredients
1 package of refrigerated pizza dough (or homemade if you prefer)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere or Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp White Cheddar cheese
4-6 thin slices Italian ham or prosciutto
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Honey for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Spray a pizza sheet with oil and stretch out pizza dough to the edges making a thin crust.
Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the shredded Mozzarella cheese. Add the sliced shallots, ham, grapes and White cheddar cheese on to the dough evenly. Top with some fresh thyme leaves and red pepper flakes.
Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
Top with fresh basil, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and drizzle with honey.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Notes
You can also substitute prosciutto or bacon for the ham, and top with some fresh ricotta cheese if desired.
Spring is on the way, and there’s nothing I love to cook more than fresh greens. Broccoli rabe is one of my favorites, also known as cime di rapa (meaning “turnip tops”), rapini, broccoli di rapa and broccoletti in Italy. The young leaves of the plant are used in cooking along with the clusters of green buds that resemble small heads of broccoli. The flavor of the vegetable is slightly nutty, bitter and pungent and has tons of vitamin A, potassium, calcium and iron, with its peak season from fall to spring.
I decided to incorporate it into a cheesy baked pasta dish made with fresh sweet Italian sausage and three cheeses (ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mozzarella), along with some fun mushroom flavored pasta, tossed in truffle oil. I picked up some fresh broccoli rabe at the farmers market and sautéed it with some garlic, red pepper flakes and extra virgin olive oil until aromatic, then tossed it into a big casserole dish with the pasta, cheeses and a dash of nutmeg and lemon zest, and baked it into a big pot of golden bubbly brown goodness.
The dish is a perfect light one-pot dish, and is superb served with a glass of crisp Italian white wine, a simple Arugula salad tossed with lemon, S&P, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and crusty Italian bread with olive oil and red pepper flakes for dipping. Andiamo a mangiare!
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed, chopped into large pieces
1 pound of pasta (dried ziti or penne, or chunky pasta of your choice)
2 tablespoons white truffle oil
Extra Virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced or sliced
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 pound ground sweet or hot Italian sausage
1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 egg, whisked
A dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
Fresh ground black pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x13” or 10” round casserole dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set up an ice bath in a large bowl to the side. Cook the broccoli rabe in the boiling water for 1 minute and immediately remove and plunge into ice bath to cool for another few minutes. Pat dry and set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and let cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta in cool water to stop cooking, while reserving ¼ cup of hot pasta water. Toss with white truffle oil and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan with olive oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. Sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes for about a minute or two, until soft and aromatic. Add the broccoli rabe and toss with olive oil, add salt and heat through. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat more olive oil over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 3-5 minutes until soft and light golden brown. Add ground sausage and cook until browned, drain off any excess fat.
Return the cooked pasta and broccoli rabe into the large sauté pan with the sausage and onion mixture.
Toss the ricotta cheese with whisked egg, nutmeg, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the cooked pasta, broccoli rabe and sausage-onion mixture in the large sauté pan, mixing ingredients together well. Stir in ¼ cup of pasta water to make a light sauce.
Place the pasta mixture into the greased casserole dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.
Serve with a glass of crisp Italian white wine, a simple Arugula salad tossed with lemon, S&P, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and crusty Italian bread with olive oil and red pepper flakes for dipping.
I recently took a really fun and cool pizza making class to learn the secrets of making a true Neapolitan Pizza (Vera Napoletana) with the Food Bloggers NYC Meetup Group sponsored by Vimbly.com.
We sat around a big table in a private room upstairs and learned the techniques, traditions and passions behind producing a perfectly thin crispy Neapolitan pizza while sipping on Italian wines and making new friends.
We learned the intricacies behind making and kneading our own dough accustom to the Neapolitan style by making wells of flour filled with yeast water and the patient process of kneading using only 2 fingers as the dough slowly came together by kneading, mixing and adding more flour and water.
We watched Chef Chris toss pizza dough in the air and even tried it ourselves (too fun!).
We then made our own Margherita sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, and topped off the pizzas with cubes of fresh cow’s milk Mozzarella and fresh basil before our pizzas were thrown delicately into a 900 degree oven on a pizza peel to reveal a perfectly crispy gorgeous pizza of bubbly cheesy goodness.
Layer the dough with sauce…
Add some delicious Fresh Cow’s Milk Mozzarella and Basil…
Patiently waiting for the oven…
And let the deliciousness devouring begin.
The story behind Neapolitan pizza goes like this: In June 1889, a Neapolitan tavern owner Raffaele Esposito served the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, a special dish named in her honor. The wood-fired Flatbread was topped with Melted Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce and Basil leaves, symbolizing the colors of the Italian Flag. The Queen was so pleased with her meal that she had a wood-fired “flat-bread oven” built into the palace. And history was made.
The art behind making a perfect, true Neapolitan pizza has become a standard practice with strict rules of approval. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana is a non-profit official governing association in Italy that maintains the standards and regulations of all Pizzaioli and Establshments serving Vera Napoletana Pizza. It was founded in Naples in 1984 by the oldest and well-known Neapolitan pizzaioli, and according to the “rules” proposed by them, there are specific ingredients and techniques that must be used to pass the official Italian seal of approval.
So just what are the secrets behind making that crispy crust with gooey cheese and succulent sauce? Here’s a few secrets from Restaurateur/Chef and native New Yorker, Nick Accardi of Tavola in Hell’s Kitchen:
Measure by weight rather than volume to get the perfect water to flour ratio for your crust. Many elements can change the density of ingredients such as age, storage temperature, or environmental climate. Measuring by weight assures the perfect hydration ratio.
Use double zero (type 00) flour which is a highly refined flour that has been milled to a standard “00” and completely free of bran or germ.
Use natural Neapolitan yeast or brewer’s yeast, sea salt and water. (New York City tap water is the BEST secret ingredient in making the perfect pizza dough!)
Keep yeast refrigerated and check the expiration date on the package to make sure it’s fresh.
The dough must be kneaded by hand or with a low-speed mixer.
Allow the dough to rise for 24 hours at room temperature. The bare minimum standard is 6 hours (after mixing let the dough rise for 2 hours, then hand cut and roll into small balls, let rise for 4 more hours).
After the rising process, the dough must be formed by hand without the help of a rolling pin or other machine, and may be no more than 3 millimeters (0.12 in) thick. Use your hands to gently work the dough from the center outward.
Use San Marzano tomatoes, which grow on the volcanic plains to the south of Mount Vesuvius, for the pizza sauce like a bona fide pro (easy to find in grocery stores or Italian markets).
Vera Napoletana Pizza must be made using only fresh, all-natural, non-processed ingredients including Fior di Latte (Cow’s Milk) or Bufala Mozzarella, fresh basil and drizzled with real Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You can find Genuine imported EVOO also at Italian markets such as Eataly or Tavola in NYC.
Less is More: Don’t drown a pizza in sauce and toppings. The most delicious pies use smaller portions of the highest quality of fresh ingredients.
A thin crust is the signature trait of Neapolitan pizza. While having a wood fired oven at home is not common these days, making your crust as thin as possible will allow for fast cooking time, which intensifies and seals in the flavors of each ingredient. Note: The Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana requires the thickness of the crust to be 1-2 cm.
The pizza must be baked for 60-90 seconds in a 905°F stone oven with an oak-wood fire. When cooked, it should be crispy, tender and fragrant.
There are three official variants to Neapolitan pizza: Pizza Marinara, which is made with tomato, garlic, oregano and extra virgin olive oil, Pizza Margherita, made with tomato, sliced mozzarella, basil and extra-virgin olive oil, and Pizza Margherita Extra made with tomato, mozzarella from Campania in fillets, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, passed with juices through a food mill
12 ounces Mozzarella di Bufala (see note) or mozzarella fior di latte cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 large or 8 small basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Medium coarse sea salt
Special equipment: a pizza stone and peel
Instructions
Make the dough: Sprinkle yeast over water; let stand until yeast is creamy, 5 to 10 minutes. (If yeast does not become creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt; form a well in center. Add yeast mixture and warm water; stir until dough just comes together. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead vigorously, for 10 minutes. Cover with a damp dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes, then knead vigorously for 10 minutes more. Lightly oil a large bowl. Form dough into a ball, transfer to bowl and turn to lightly coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Punch down dough with your fist (dough will be stiff), then fold sides over one another, turn dough, tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
Divide dough into 4 pieces; shape pieces into balls and place on a lightly floured work surface, leaving a few inches between balls. Loosely cover with a damp dish towel (not terry cloth) and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours; time may vary depending on room temperature and freshness of yeast. If skin forms on dough while rising, lightly spray surface with water.
Heat Stone While Dough Rises: Position rack in lower third of oven. Place pizza stone on rack. At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, heat oven to maximum temperature (500 to 550 degrees).
Assemble Pizza: On a lightly floured work surface, press 1 dough ball with your fingers to begin to shape into a round. Use your fist and hands to gently stretch dough to a 10-inch round. (A floured rolling pin can be used to help roll out dough.) Transfer dough to a lightly floured peel; gently shake peel to make sure dough does not stick.
Working fairly quickly, spread a 1/3 cup sauce over dough, leaving about a 1/2 -inch border. Tear 3 ounces cheese into pieces and arrange on top of sauce. Tear 1 or 2 basil leaves into small pieces and arrange on top. Drizzle very lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt. Slide pizza onto stone. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling in spots and edge of dough is crisp and golden, about 7 minutes. Using the peel and a large spatula or pair of tongs, transfer pizza to a plate and serve. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Notes
Note: Soft “00” flour produces a pliable, easy-to-work-with pizza dough and a tender yet sturdy crust with a crisp yet not too dry edge. Mozzarella fior di latte has a firmer texture than Mozzarella di Bufala, which falls apart when cut, though both cheeses are creamy when melted. You can find “00” flour, San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, mozzarella fior di latte at Italian markets, specialty stores, and online.
Hey guys! I was just featured in the NY Times Food Section yesterday (online and print versions) talking about Chicken French from my hometown Rochester NY!
Here’s a link to the article online discussing where it’s from and how it’s made, and a recipe from staff food writer Julia Moskin, and a few quotes from me and my sister Jen who lives and works in a few Rochester restaurants!
Chicken French is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Rochester, NY and on almost every menu. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe also known as Chicken Francaise, uses lightly-floured chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parmesan cheese and egg batter, then sauteed until golden brown. The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. You can serve the dish over pasta (my favorite is a linguine) or rice or a green veggie, and I decided to serve this with broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and topped it with the lemon butter sauce and an extra splash of fresh lemon juice for a light and healthy dinner.
This dish has a lovely tangy, buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the flour coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman’s Pan-Searing Flour, or you could use Wondra flour), and I seasoned it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne. If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made my sauce with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.
Serve the chicken and broccolini with some crusty french bread or some fresh pasta (i love linguine with more lemon-butter sauce, parmesan cheese and parsley over the top!) and a glass of dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinto Grigio. Enjoy!
Mince the parsley for the egg, cheese and parsley mix.
Prep the wet and dry ingredients to dip the chicken in (flour first, egg-cheese-parsley mixture second).
Saute the chicken in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat for approx. 4 minutes on one side.
Flip chicken over and saute another 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside, covered in a foil tent. Discard the cooking oil except for 1 tablespoon.
Saute the minced garlic on medium low for about a minute until lightly browned, being careful not to burn.
Add the wine, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and let cook for approx. 5-7 minutes to reduce liquid by half. Stir in the cold butter and red pepper flakes (if using).
Return chicken to the pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 4-5 minutes to let liquid reduce further and infuse flavors in the chicken. Throw in some extra chopped parsley. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Insert steamer basket with broccolini and steam covered for about 5 minutes.
Remove cover and let cook over boiling water for another 5 minutes or so, until broccolini is fork tender but still bright green.
Plate the chicken and broccolini and spoon the lemony wine and garlic butter sauce over the top of both. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh lemons and additional chopped parsley, if desired.
Enjoy with a glass of dry or fruity white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) and some crusty Italian bread or pasta (with some of that luscious buttery-lemon-wine sauce over the top).
This is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Upstate Rochester, NY. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe stems from the French Veal Francaise or Chicken Francaise dish, which uses lightly-floured thin veal or chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parsley-parmesan cheese-egg mixture and sauteed until golden brown.
The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. I decided to serve this with steamed broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and then topped it with the lemon butter sauce for a fresh and healthy Sunday dinner. It has a lovely tangy and buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman's Pan-Searing Flour) or you could use Wondra, or a regular flour then season it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne.
If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will also give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made this with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.
Ingredients
CHICKEN FRENCH:
1/4 cup olive oil/canola oil blend for sauteing (I used Colavita Garlic Oil Blend)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
2-3 eggs
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup of superfine flour (Wegmans Pan Searing flour or Wondra)
LEMON BUTTER WINE SAUCE:
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup white wine (or sherry for a sweeter flavor)
1 cup chicken broth
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
Lemon wedges, for garnish
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
BROCCOLINI:
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
Lemon Butter Wine sauce (see above)
Fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper, for garnish
Instructions
CHICKEN FRENCH:
Heat oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cheese, salt and pepper, cayenne (if using) and fresh parsley in a large mixing bowl.
Place flour in another flat bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, then dredge each one in flour first (left hand), then egg mixture (right hand).
Place chicken into the heated saute pan and cook for 4 minutes on one side. Flip chicken over and saute for another 4 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from pan and set aside, covered with a foil tent.
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
In the same skillet, saute the minced garlic for 1 minute, being careful not to burn.
Add the wine and bring liquid to a boil over high heat, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice and red pepper flakes (if using) and let reduce by half, another 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the cold butter and whisk until it melts and creates a velvety sauce and consistency.
Reduce the heat, and add the cooked chicken back into the pan with the sauce, let simmer another 4-5 minutes.
Place chicken on serving plate with the steamed broccolini (and/or cooked pasta) and spoon the lemon butter sauce over the top of the dish.
Garnish with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
BROCCOLINI:
Steam broccolini for about 5 minutes, covered. Remove lid and steam for another 5 minutes until fork tender but still bright green.
Top broccolini with Lemon Butter sauce, additional lemon, salt and pepper to taste.
We had the opportunity to create our own Baci chocolate confections, including
Baci Chocolates,
Baci Pie,
Chocolate Cups,
and Chocolate Dessert Pasta
while sampling bubbly Italian Prosecco.
Baci, which means “kisses” in Italian, are still made from a coveted original recipe and consist of a dark, silky chocolate exterior that envelopes gianduia, a sensuous whipped chocolate filling blended with finely chopped hazelnuts, then topped with a whole hazelnut.
Baci was created by Luisa Spagnoli, co-founder of Perugina in 1922. Inspired by pure passion, she set out to create a unique confection as grand as her deep feelings of love for a special someone. Legend says that Luisa would lovingly wrap secret love messages around the Baci she created for her lover. Once introduced to the public, Baci became extremely popular, appealing to young lovers browsing sweet shops of Perugia, Italy. Nearly 100 years later, the original recipe remains unchanged, and each Baci remains ensconced in a love note that reflects the sentiments of love, affection and friendship – and is the Italian way to say “I Love You” worldwide.
Check out the great photos and recipes from the class below and keep scrolling to enter to win the Baci chocolate giveaway (2 lucky winners will receive a 15-piece box of Baci Dark Chocolates!)
In a food processor, blend the Gianduia chocolate and ground hazelnuts together at low speed until they are well blended and a paste is created.
Roll the paste into a rope about the width of a wine cork. Cut into 12 cylindrical pieces.
Melt dark chocolate and heat to 104 degrees F. Drop 3/4 of the dark chocolate on to a marble or steel table. Temper the chocolate by melting it continuously with 2 spatulas until the temperature has reached 80.6 degrees F.
Add the cooler tempered chocolate to the 1/4 tempered chocolate and mix well. The combined chocolate should have a temperature of 87.8 degrees F.
Place a whole hazelnut on top of each cylinder of gianduia.
With a fork, dip each confection into the dark chocolate twice before placing it on a piece of wax paper. Let it rest for about 5 minutes until the shininess has disappeared and the chocolate looks darker and crisp.
Baci are tossed with hot pasta, creating a rich, silky sauce, which pops with roasted hazelnut flavor. It's wonderful plain, but you can dress it up with a splash of hazelnut liqueur and a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients
1/2 pound spaghetti
12 Perugina Baci candies
Whipped cream or mascarpone cheese; hazelnut liqueur such as Frangelico (optional)
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Put 1 whole Baci in each of 4 coffee cups, wine glasses or dessert bowls.
Divide the hot pasta among them and top each with 2 more coarsely crushed Baci.
Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone cheese and splash with some hazelnut liqueur.
*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED – CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2 WINNERS, TROY AND SIMON!
I’m proud to host a giveaway for 2 lucky winners to receive a 15-piece box of Baci Perugina Dark Chocolates courtesy of Baci Perugina and Bender Hammerling Group! All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me why you love chocolate and your favorite chocolate recipe idea.
*For additional entries,follow Artful Gourmet on Facebook and Twitter and let me know you’ve done so.
**Follow Baci Perugina on Facebook and Pinterest for even more giveaway entries, leaving separate comments below that you have done so.
Make sure to enter your email address (not public) with your comments so I can contact the winners to receive their Baci chocolates.
***Giveaway begins on Saturday, October 20th and 2 winners will randomly be chosen from the comment entries below on Thursday, November 1st at 12 pm EST.
Good luck and enjoy the recipes!
Look for Perugina and Baci Chocolate at Eataly and other fine shops, or online at Colavitastore.com