Asparagi al cartoccio...

Asparagi al cartoccio

Asparagus in parchment

Ingredients:

2 1/4 pounds aparagus, trimmed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk, heated to a simmer

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Fine sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 ounces Emmental cheese, thinly sliced

3 1/2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds. Cut 8 pieces of parchment paper into rectangles measuring 12 by 14 inches.

2. Steam the asparagus, covered, in a steamer set over boiling water or using an asparagus pot until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the stalks with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat them dry. 

3. Put one-quarter of the asparagus in the center of piece of parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining asparagus, using 4 of the 8 pieces of parchment all together. Reserve the remaining paper.

4. To make a béchamel, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until melted, then add the flour and cook over low heat, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the hot milk little by little, whisking to incorporate between additions, then bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, whisking, until the béchamel is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon the béchamel over the asparagus, then top with the Emmental and prosciutto; cut the remaining 1 tablespoon butter into small pieces and scatter them over the asparagus; sprinkle Parmigiano Reggiano over all. Top each portion with one of the reserved parchment pieces, then crimp the edges to form sealed packets. Put the packets on baking sheets and bake until heated through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the packets to plates, cut them open, and serve immediately. 

Serve 4   Cooking Time: 20 minutes

~Bella

Crespelle di ceci...

Crespelle di ceci

Chickpea flour crespelle

Ingredients:

Crespelle:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chickpea flour

3/4 cup whole milk, plus more if needed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fine sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Filling and sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 to 4 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, and marjoram, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup diced mozzarella cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

Fine sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes

Yellow bell pepper strips for garnish

A few leaves of butter lettuce for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the crespelle, sift together the all-purpose flour and the chickpea flour into a large bowl. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then whisk in the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. (The mixture should have a pourable consistency. If not, whisk in a little additional milk until it does.) Cover and set aside to rest for 1 hour, then whisk in the oil. 

2. Heat a 10-inche nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet and coat it very lightly with oil by rubbing a dab of oil over the surface with a paper towel, wiping away any excess. Pour in a sixth of the batter, about 1/2 cup. Roll the pan in all directions to cat the surface, and then place it over medium heat until the batter has cooked into a thin crepe. Use a spatula to remove it from the pan and repeat the process, very lightly oiling the pan with the piece of paper towel each time. Set the crepes aside: do not stack them.

3. For the filling, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook the zucchini until tender, then sprinkle on the minced herbs.

4. Combine the zucchini mixture with the mozzarella and ricotta, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Make a tomato sauce by first peeling the tomatoes (see page 205), then seeding and pureeing them in a blender or through a food mill with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Distribute the cheese filling equally onto the centers of the crespelle, then roll them up jelly roll style and cut them into 1 1/4- inch pinwheel slices. Serve them at room temperature with the tomato sauce and garnish them with additional minced herbs, bell pepper strips, and a few lettuce leaves.

Serve 6   Cooking Time: 1 hour

~Bella


Ps: I won't be posting Friday, or next week as I'm in a moving process. I don't think I'll be able to post anything. 

Sformato di ceci con la zucca...

Sformato di ceci con la zucca

chickpea tart with a winter squash crust

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

3 sage leaves, lightly crushed

Leaves of 1 sprig rosemary

1 small winter squash, quartered,

or 1 wedge of a large winter squash, peel

left on, seeds and strings removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 (15-ounces) cans chickpeas

2 large eggs

About 1/2 cup whole milk

Fine sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup grated aged cheese such as

Parmigiano Reggiano, grated on the 

large holes of a box grater. 

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Combine the olive oil with the garlic, sage, and rosemary in a small saucepan. Cook gently over low heat to infuse the oil, then set the mixture aside.

2. Cut the whole squash or large wedge of squash into slices, wrap them in aluminum foil, and roast them until soft, about 40 minutes. Leave the oven on when the squash is cooked. 

3. Butter a round or oval springform pan. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper as well. Cut the cooked squash into thin slices and use them to line the bottom and sides of the pan, bending them slightly to fit and overlapping them. 

4. Drain the chickpeas, rinse, drain again, and puree in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, along with the eggs and enough milk to make a thick puree. (Gradually drizzle the milk in through the feed tube with the machine running.) Season with salt and pepper.

5. Pour the olive oil through a small sieve to remove the garlic, sage, and rosemary. Pour the flavored oil into the chickpea mixture and puree or blend to combine.

6. Transfer the chickpea mixture to the springform pan and spread it evenly over the squash. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and bake until the top is browned and crusty and the chickpea mixture is set, about 40 minutes. Allow the tart to cool slightly before un-molding it. Serve it warm or at room temperature. 

Serve 8     Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

~Bella

Comfort food alert!!!!

I know I added too many "!" but we just can't get enough of them! Please, don't judge.

COMFORT FOOD:
Food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.

My definition: Typically unhealthy food that becomes healthy because it makes you happy!

Comfort food is usually something that brings back memories or some type of sentimental value to someone. It could be specific to one person or to a culture itself!

My comfort food has to be multiple different things and no it isn't just one but a few...


*Tiramisu being the first top choice if I can get it, I'll get it! It may be my favourite desert and the most Italian one you could get, but eating one brings me back home. Not physically home, but it's a homey feeling that I don't want to ever lose.

*Boxty which is an Irish dish happens to be one of the most perfect comfort food there is, for me obviously. It's a potato dish that looks like pancakes, so Irish Potato Pancakes)... If you aren't like me and loving potatoes, then sorry, this isn't for you! 

* Runny boiled eggs and toast soldiers. It brings back your childhood. I know Europeans are good friends with this sort of dish or whatever you want to call it, but Americans, I've never really met anyone that does it, so if you do, I'm proud. :) 

*Crepes, alright, mum's crepes. She always made them for us when we were kids and still today. It's from Brittany and you can't just despise the dish, I mean you could make salty ones as well as sweet ones. You can add Nutella as well. Can't go wrong with that, but be careful, don't eat five in just fifteen minutes like me, take your time cause you'll be sure that you'll gain a pound in a day or two. 

*Fish and chips! I know very British, but I love it! I've always lived by the sea, always had some type of preference on how you call "fries", I prefer chips! Plus, I can actually finish the entire dish in one course, so whatever type of comments you going to say, I don't care, to me fish and chip are comfort food. 
  *Shortbread with tea... I couldn't get more British than this except for crumpets, maybe... I've been eating shortbread whenever I could get my hands on them, usually, it happens when I'm feeling down. It doesn't sound like a comfort food, but it is to me. 

*Vanilla gelato with a side of a chocolate cake. Don't judge just appreciate the fact that I may have a sweet tooth as well! 


I'll stop with my comfort food as I do have two or three more, but I specifically wrote down the ones that bring me "home" in a way. Everyone has their own comfort food, the ones they instantly go to when they aren't feeling well. I've known many people that go and get bags of snacks, but the unhealthy kind that now that I've written down what I go to, it's more like home cook meals, parts of it. 

Comfort food is there whenever you are feeling nostalgic or lonely, but does it change your mood? No! It makes you feel better, yes, since you are eating something you highly enjoy, your mind is preoccupied to think. When the dish or snack is over, you've eaten it all, your mind goes back to whatever stressed you out in the first place. Typically, as my definition went to, it's unhealthy food that we choose to eat because we made the unconscious thought that chocolate was to be in our life when a breakup occurs. Let me laugh, your body isn't going to be great at the end of the day. When we feel sad, we eat (some do), and not just small portions, a lot, meaning there's danger ahead. Gaining weight, gaining health issues and so on. But comfort food is comfort food and we cannot let go. It's our best friend! 

Many experiments happened, each result were similar which means that food or no food, each person can get better. Food, comfort food, does not affect our moods, but we like to think so. I like the idea that after eating what I enjoy, my comfort food, I feel better, so let's not kill the dream, et's continue to eat whatever makes believe we are better! 

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort." - Norman Kolpas

~Bella

Spinach Tomato Tortellini...

A new Italian recipe....

Spinach Tomato Tortellini...

Ingredients: 

-1 package cheese tortellini (16 ounces)
-1 can of diced tomatoes with garlic and onions, but if you are like me and prefer to cut about 3 tomatoes, cut them in little cubes.
-1 cup chopped fresh spinach, again if you are like me add more than just a cup...
- 1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1 1/2  tsp dried basil
-1 tsp minced garlic
-2 tbsp all-purpose flour
-3/4 cup milk
-3/4 heavy cream
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini, and cook until tender, about ten minutes. 

2. While you get the tortellini going combine the tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, pepper, garlic and basil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. 

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, and cream. Stir this mixture into the saucepan along with the parmesan cheese. Heat through, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, about two minutes. 

4. Drain the tortellini, but do not rinse, then pour them into the saucepan with the sauce. Stir to coat, and serve.

Best recipe for tortellini if you are in love with spinach! You should give it a try whenever you are bored and hungry! It's not that long, simple enough, and delicious! I might actually give the recipe to my mum... 

"Italian food is all about ingredients and it's not fussy and it's not fancy." - Wolfgang Puck

~Bella

Mozzarella in carozza ai carciofi...

Fried mozzarella stuffed with artichokes!

Ingredients: 

- 3 balls fresh mozzarella, about 
  7 ounces each
- 4 artichokes
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 shallots, minced
- 1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups fine dry bread crumbs
- 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil for frying

Directions:

1. Cut 16 equal slices out of the mozzarella balls and reserve the scraps for another use. Spread the slices in a single layer on a plate and set them aside so that the cheese can give off some of its liquid. Meanwhile, trim the artichokes and cut them into thin wedges. Place a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, white wine, garlic, shallots, parsley, artichokes, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated and the artichokes are beginning to brown. Remove all but 4 of the artichokes wedges and remove the parsley sprig; leave everything else in the pot. 

2. Pat the mozzarella slices dry (reserve the liquid they have given off) and dredge both sides in the flour. Sandwich 2 slices of the cheese around about 1 tablespoons of the cooked artichokes removed from the pot. 

3. Once you have prepared all 8 of these "sandwiches," press around their edges with floured hands to seal them. Return any leftovers artichokes filling to the cooking pot. 

4. Dredge the sealed sandwiches in the beaten eggs, then in the bread crumbs, then again in the eggs, and finally, in the breadcrumbs for a second time. They should be thoroughly coated. 

5. Return the pot with the artichokes in it to medium heat; add the anchovy fillets, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water. Boil for 3 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it, incorporating the liquid given off by the mozzarella. 

6. Fry the mozzarella sandwiches in a generous amount of hot oil, then serve them with the artichokes and anchovy puree. 

"There's nothing more romantic than Italian food." - Elisa Cuthbert

~Bella

Even from far there's always an European by my side...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a friend/twin back in Italy who is like two years older than me, but that doesn't stop us from being amazing... I know it is far, an entire ocean separating us, and yet we find a way to stay close to each other, kind of, in our own ways. Thank you mostly for Whatsapp and Skype!

Being two hopeless romantics, who happens to help one another, smile even when mad at each other is what one may call a strong bond.
Let me tell you all about our friendship because how far as being funny, it's also sweet!

We've known each other for quite some time now, more than a year for sure, and still laugh at our stupidity. We both love soccer and yet we managed to hate each other on the fact that we love two different teams, I'm a Juventus fan and he's more a Torino fan... We ALL know that Juventus is way better than Torino, I mean they are both from Torino (Turin), but my team is better! And I don't miss an opportunity to tease him about it, deep down he loves it ;). I must say I really enjoy showing him my Juventus scarf, it's amazing and warm... And hurtful to his eyes. Ha-ha
Our bond is usually really strong when it comes to EVERYTHING! The sweet messages, and the truth being said, I don't think you can ask anything else. I mean, who wouldn't want to receive a message saying "Sei la cosa più dolce che mi sia mai capitata." Which roughly means, " You are the sweetest thing that ever happened to me." How can you stop talking to someone who is sweet and there for you? It's impossible! 

A few weeks ago, I managed to get worried about him, to the point where I got really angry, and still to this day want to slap him for making me worried sick! When two people are far from each other, it's easy to get worried, so if you are reading this, don't be mad... I just care! We even disappointed each other... Hey, we all make mistakes, I'm still an angel with a little devil inside, it won't be coming out soon, no worries.

What's funny about our friendship is that even from a long distance we know exactly how the other person is feeling. I know it's sounds odd, but let me tell you, he knows when something is wrong with me, but he won't push me to tell him what's up. Which somehow makes me smile quite big, I don't need to tell him much, he knows...
Yesterday, Sunday 22nd of May, we skyped for about an hour, laughing and talking about pretty much everything. It was passed two in the morning for him, oh but let me share how energetic he was! After telling me how many coffees he had during the day, I understood why he couldn't stay put.  Behind the Italian accent and the way he talks with his hands... I couldn't stop laughing! I'm used to hearing his very cute accent, but I love how he makes tiny mistakes when he speaks English. No matter how hard I try not to laugh, sometimes I can't hold it in, he will look for certain words forever, and if I don't figure it out, he will just drop the subject or just say it in Italian. Lucky him, I'm not too horrible when it comes to understanding it, reading is easier, though!
So, usually I eat something during our video chats, I'm not sure why, but I always have something in my mouth, either candy or just cookies, but yesterday beside my very tired face and my messy hair, nothing much happened. I was not such a great mood, mostly depressed, and didn't really feel like talking about myself, so he ended up making me laugh without doing anything. By the way, have you ever had trouble zipping a jacket? Because he did! Me, being sarcastic, offered a hand, I couldn't stop laughing, he couldn't zip his jacket, and even took two minutes to finally zip it up. What a great look, though! I really liked that jacket!
Friendships are easy, and you know you can count on certain ones to make you smile. Fights end quickly, and you may end up laughing at nothing. Even yesterday, I'm not sure if I was making a face or not, as he often says that I have millions of facial expressions, he was laughing and trying to imitate me. Apparently he has a new favorite face, the one I look mad, but not like crazy mad, just slightly frowning and looking at him like "What is wrong with you"... Santa Cleopatra, it's hard to imitate my facial expressions and I end up laughing at him if he does try. The best part is that no matter how bad you may look, he always says "You're beautiful". Honestly, it's a boost of confidence that rush in, and I cannot complain! 

To end this post, I want to thank him for everything that he has been doing for me, from being serious to stupid. Yes, he is blond, dirty blond, but he is far from stupid. I just love to tease him... Just like I love to be myself in front of him. I love how I pick up on his accent and end up saying his sayings like " Don't say baloney". It's part of my daily speech. I have come up with the weirdest expressions ever and if I say it in front of an American, they look at me like I'm an alien. Like the one he said yesterday, it's not the first time I heard it because I know I've used it before but " I have a fresh brain." I'm sure Americans have a similar expression, but this one, come on, it must be Italian expressions. It's funny, but I have to thank him for that! If you are still reading this post, you have all the credits!

Little side note... There's so much to talk about, that I highly think I'm going to have to post quite a lot about our strong bonds, and there'll be other post about my friend and myself. So don't think it's the end because it's not :). 

" ... Strong bonds are forged in high emotional temperatures. " -Dervla Murphy
~Bella

Do you have a twin because I technically don't have one...

Twins are either of two people closely related to or closely resembling each other...

I do have siblings, but I'm the oldest and sadly, I ain't a twin. I wish, though!

A couple weeks ago, I realized that I do have a twin, well technically nota twin but a friend that is kind of just like me, when it comes to love!
Despite the fact that I'm very angry at him, and even though, he is all the way in Italy, I cannot stop thinking how similar we are when it comes to love. 
He once told me "Chi si definisce ultimo romantico, crede nel''amore vero, quello che dura per sempre. Crede che quando ci si innamore si hanno occhi solamente per quella persona... Un amore passionale, sfrenato, portato al limite ma con una base di rispetto reciproco." 
Which pretty much roughly translate as, " Who defines the ultimate romantic, believes in true love, the one that lasts forever. He believes that when you fall in love you only have eyes for that person... A passionate love, unbridled, brought to the limit, but with a base of mutual respect." 
Now I skipped a few passage of the message because it didn't seem that important. 

He calls it the ultimate romantic while we call it the hopeless romantic. Either way, it means the same thing. I've always defined myself as a hopeless romantic, and it won't change anytime soon as I love, love itself. What it means, is it's a person who is in love with love, who believes in fairy tales and happy endings. They are defined as sentimental dreamers that spend their time thinking about spending the rest of their lives with a person. To them, it's not just about one person being loved, it's about giving and receiving love. Hopeless romantics give 100% of their time. 

They are to the person they love, and they hope for the same in return. 

My friend, who is Italian, happen to be the exact same way! Let's start by saying that we love to give and receive flowers, a box of chocolates, it may seem old style, but we love it! 
We give everything we have to the person we care and love, then we are the one to get brutally hurt. Being a hopeless romantic isn't easy at all, it usually ends in heartbreaks and disappointments. I've seen heartbreaks many times before, but the ones that are the hardest to overcome are the ones who are deeply, romantically involved! They hold on to the hope that things will get better, that love will conquer all, and overlook the truth, believe that their partner is better than they really are. Sadly, it's just a fantasy of them. 

I've been dealing with my friend and his broken heart for over a month now and trust me it's the most difficult thing to do. You can't just tell a hopeless romantic "It's over, move on, she wasn't good enough for you, you're better off without her around..." It will make it worse for them as they still hold on to that hope of something working out! Being careful around them and giving your time to try and make them happy is all you can do. They will realize what you are saying, but it does take time. I see myself in him, a lot, and it opens my eyes to the fact that hopeless romantic are meant to be with other hopeless romantics. I'm glad to have him as a friend because we can understand each other and help one another through difficult times. We know we can count on each other for little sweet messages... It's not every day that your Italian friend says, "Ricevere il tuo messaggio questa mattina è stata una delle cose più belle che mi siano capitate negli ultimi tempi..." " Receving your message this morning was one of the best things that happened in recent times."
Heartbreaks and being a hopeless romantic is one of the most difficult obstacles of life.
After being heartbroken so many times before, I bottle every bit of my feelings inside, nothing gets let out. Holding on to a hope that disappear each minute that passes by. I'm sure all my feelings are going to explode, one day, and it will be a huge disaster that I won't be able to control of. Romance... Such a beautiful and terrifying thing. 

Quick note, don't think we don't have any issues, here's some that only hopeless romantics have to deal with once in their lives. 
1. Santa, Cleopatra, we give ourselves completely to the other person and give 100% of what we have to the relationship! 
2. We wear our heart on our sleeves, we give it too easily and so openly that it gets broken in an instant! 
3. If someone says something cute, romantic or cheesy, it stays with us for the rest of our lives. We don't forget what you have said, it's still in our mind! Watch out we might bring it up to you. 
4. We already know what our wedding will be like! Yes, we have been thinking about it, and us, girls already looked for a wedding dress... 

See we've got issues :P 

Don't try to change or destroy a hopeless romantic. Let them be who they are, but don't try and change yourself either, if you aren't a romantic, just don't it push! 

"I will always be the hopeless romantic, more often pathetic than heroic."- Chris Lowell

~Bella