I am sharing with you some of my most favorite and popular party foods. They will quickly disappear. Try some of them for your next get-together.
Mixed Olives, Sliced Cheese and Breadsticks
Serve with your favorite cheese, cut into slices, and breadsticks.
Olives
1 cup mixed Italian olives
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, (flat-leaf parsley, basil, oregano)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
To prepare the olives:
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 1 hour. Serve at room temperature. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Deviled Eggs and Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
6 large eggs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
6 oz smoked salmon slices
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Place the eggs in a saucepan just large enough to hold the six eggs. Cover with cold water and place the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and cover the saucepan.
Let the eggs rest in the hot water for 12 minutes. Drain the water from the pot and add some ice cubes and cold water to cover the cooked eggs.
Let them cool until you can handle the eggs without burning your fingers.
Gently tap the eggs in several places and remove the shells. Place the peeled eggs on paper towels to dry.
Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks and place in a mixing bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork. Add the onion, celery, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper. Mix well.
With a spoon fill each egg where the yolk had been with some of the mixture.
Place the eggs on a platter and chill.
To serve:
Arrange the eggs and salmon on a serving platter. Sprinkle chives over both and serve.
Asian Meatballs
To make this ahead: cook the meatballs and prepare the sauce separately. Refrigerate separately until serving time. Then reheat the sauce, add the meatballs and cook until the meatballs are hot. Pour into a serving bowl.
For the Meatballs
1 lb organic ground pork
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup almond flour
1 egg
Peanut oil
For the Sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
4 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
1 tablespoon Gochujang (red chili paste)
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
To make the meatballs:
Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
Using a cookie scoop form into 21-22 one inch balls and saute in peanut oil over medium heat until cooked through and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
To make the sauce:
Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauces, chili paste, water, sugar and arrowroot in a small saucepan. Reserve the scallions.
Whisk until combined and bring to a boil.
Simmer for five minutes until thickened.
To serve:
Add the cooked meatballs and scallions to the thickened sauce and stir to coat. Heat for a few minutes. Pour into a shallow serving dish.
Tuna Dip
Serve with fresh celery and carrot sticks and thinly cut radish rounds.
Makes 8 servings.
8-ounces canned tuna
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, washed and drained
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, parsley, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the tuna in a food processor and pulse to break it up.
Turn the speed to low-speed and add the olive oil mixture, a little at a time, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth.
Pour into a small serving bowl and chill. Serve with fresh-cut vegetables and crackers on the side.
Mediterranean Bruschetta
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for the bread
1 clove minced garlic
2 large tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped oil cured Italian olives
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 baguette, cut diagonally into 1/4 inch-thick slices
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl; except the bread slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Lightly grill the bread slices and then brush them with olive oil. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the tomato mixture onto each bread slice and arrange on a serving plate.
Brownies
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon cold leftover brewed coffee
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Position rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Use an 8 by 8 silicone baking pan or line a similar sized metal or glass baking dish with foil or parchment paper so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch. Spray the prepared pan completely with cooking spray.
Put the butter, oil and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
Stir the brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and coffee and beat vigorously by hand until fully incorporated and the batter is thick and glossy. Add the cocoa, flour and baking soda and stir just until it disappears.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if not using a silicone pan).
Cool the brownies in the pan on the counter. Lift brownies out of the pan by the foil, if needed. Peel off the foil and cut into 16-2-inch squares.
Store extra brownies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Summer is a wonderful time to entertain and enjoy the outdoors with your friends. Serving appetizers and drinks are a great way to entertain when it is hot. You want easy to prepare recipes so you are not in the kitchen for hours and you want to use simple, common ingredients that you usually have in your pantry or refrigerator. Below are a few of my easy to make suggestions.
Mediterranean Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for the bread
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 2 large tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped oil cured Italian olives
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 1 baguette, cut diagonally into 1/4 inch-thick slices
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl; except the bread slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Lightly grill the bread slices and then brush them with olive oil. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the tomato mixture onto each bread slice and arrange on a serving plate.
Oven Fried Zucchini and Yellow Squash Rounds
Ingredients
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Homemade Marinara Sauce, (see recipe here)
- 2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
- 2 medium yellow squash, ends and neck trimmed
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Cut the squash into ¼ inch thick slices.
In a plastic bag, combine the flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.
In another shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and cheese.
Place the squash slices in the bag with the flour and shake until they are coated.
Next, place each slice in the egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
Place the squash rounds on the prepared baking pan and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy.
Serve with warm marinara sauce.
Marinated Cheese
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4-ounces of cream cheese, quartered
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 packed teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pitted black and green Italian olives
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Toasted crostini, pita chips or crackers for serving
Directions
Place the cheese quarters in a medium container. Sprinkle the thyme, lemon zest, olives and sun-dried tomatoes over and around the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese with a little sea salt.
Pour the olive oil over the mixture. Squash the mixture with a fork and cover the container. Let the cheese marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Bring the cheese mixture to room temperature about 45 minutes before serving. Put the marinated cheese mixture into a serving dish.
Arrange crostini, pita or crackers around the dish with a couple of small knives for serving.
Tuna Dip
Serve with fresh celery, radishes, carrots and thin, crispy crackers.
Makes 8 servings.
- 8-ounces canned tuna
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup chopped red onion
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, washed and drained
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, parsley, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the tuna in a food processor and pulse to break it up.
Turn the speed to low speed and add the olive oil mixture, a little at a time, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth.
Pour into a small serving bowl and chill. Serve with fresh-cut vegetables and crackers on the side.
Italy is surrounded by the sea where there is an abundance of fresh fish. Seafood is a very important part of the Italian cuisine and fresh seafood is the key to the best tasting Italian meals. Regional recipes for salt-water fish—and sometimes for fresh-water fish from Italy’s many lakes, rivers, and streams—are some of the most celebrated dishes in Italian cuisine. One of the reasons that the Mediterranean people and their diet is so healthy is that they eat a lot more fish than they eat meat. Fish such as tuna, herring, salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and shellfish including mussels, oysters, and clams have similar benefits for the brain and heart health.
Adding Italian flavors to your fish, makes dinner so much more interesting. Try these out next time you are cooking fish.
Shrimp Bruschetta
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound large peeled fresh or frozen (thawed) cooked shrimp
- 1 pint yellow and/or red cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup tomato (marinara) sauce
- 1 small baguette or small loaf of Italian bread
- 4 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (chili)
Directions
Remove the tails from the shrimp, if present. Combine the shrimp, tomatoes, parsley and marinara sauce in a saucepan and heat just until warm.
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and then crosswise, so you have four pieces. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes or until light, golden brown.
Spread the ricotta on the toasted bread and top with the warmed shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes and parsley before serving.
Tuna Club Sandwiches
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup creamy Italian salad dressing, recipe below
- 1/2 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained
- One 12 ounce can solid white tuna, drained and broken in chunks
- One 8 3/4 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
- 12 extra-thin slices sandwich bread, lightly toasted
- Butter head lettuce leaves
Directions
For the roasted red pepper sauce:
In a blender container combine the salad dressing and half the roasted red sweet peppers; process until nearly smooth.
For tuna filling:
Chop the remaining peppers. In a mixing bowl combine the chopped peppers with the tuna, corn and 1/4 cup of the roasted red pepper sauce.
For each club sandwich: spread two slices of toasted bread with tuna filling, layer with lettuce leaves, stack the two slices, then top with a third slice of toast.
Cut in half diagonally. Serve with remaining roasted red pepper sauce as a dipping sauce.
Light Creamy Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Use immediately or store in a jar in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Sea Bass with Fennel Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Dash ground black pepper
Fish and Salad
- 3 fennel bulbs, trimmed, thinly sliced and then cut into thin strips (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
- 1 lb fresh or frozen sea bass or grouper fillets, cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh fennel tops
Directions
To make the dressing:
In a screw-top jar, combine vinegar, oil, oregano, mustard, the 1/8 teaspoon salt and a dash black pepper. Cover and shake well. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a small container with a cover and chill until serving time.
For the salad:
In a large bowl, combine the fennel strips and carrot. Pour the remaining dressing over the fennel mixture. Toss lightly to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.
For the fish:
Pat the fish dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the crushed fennel seeds, the 1/2 teaspoon salt and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fish.
Heat a stove top grill ( or use the broiler).
Grill for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Carefully turn fish once halfway through grilling.
Drizzle the reserved 1 tablespoon dressing over the grilled fish. Cut the fish into four pieces and serve with the fennel salad. Garnish with fennel tops.
Pasta Bowl
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh white fish fillets, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash
- 1 large carrot
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 8 ounces dried pappardelle pasta (wide noodles)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (chili)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling.
Trim zucchini. Trim and peel carrot. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini and carrot lengthwise into thin ribbons. Set aside.
Cook pappardelle pasta al dente according to the package directions and add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta and broccoli.
In a large skillet, heat oil and cook the fillets about three minutes on each side. Place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
In the same skillet, combine the wine, broth, Italian seasoning, the salt and the crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, uncovered, about 4 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the reserved 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Bring back to boiling.
Add drained pasta, broccoli and vegetable ribbons to the skillet. Gently cook and stir until the pasta is coated with the sauce mixture and thickens slightly.
Stir in the cherry tomatoes, the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and half of the parsley. Heat until the cheese is incorporated and the tomatoes are slightly softened.
Divide pasta, vegetables and sauce into four individual pasta bowls. Break fish into large chunks and place on top of each pasta serving. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
Swordfish with Citrus Salsa
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh or frozen swordfish or tuna steaks, cut 1 inch thick and divided into 4 steaks
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 blood oranges or red grapefruit
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- Asparagus
Directions
Pat fish dry with paper towels. Set aside.
In a small saucepan cook the green onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the onions soften. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Crumble saffron threads into the mixture; stir. Let stand to infuse the saffron.
Cut a thin slice from one end of each orange or grapefruit and the lemon, so the fruit will sit level. Working on a cutting board, cut down from the top of the fruit to remove the peel and white part of the rind.
Working over a bowl to catch the juices, remove the fruit sections by cutting into the center of the fruit between one section and the membrane; cut along the other side of each section next to the membrane to free the section. Remove seeds.
Add saffron mixture to the bowl with the fruit sections and juices. Stir in the mint, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Lightly brush both sides of the swordfish steaks with the remaining olive oil; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Grill fish on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes or just until fish flakes when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through cooking time. Or use a stove top grill or a broiler.
Add some asparagus spears to the grill with the fish. Turn the asparagus several times during the grilling time.
Gently stir fruit-mint mixture to combine and spoon over the fish. Serve the asparagus on the side.
Springtime is a great reason to throw a fun-filled party full of happy colors and delectable treats. Between graduations, wedding engagements, bridal and baby showers, you’re bound to play hostess at some point. With a little preparation, you can save yourself a lot of headache at the party. Start a few days in advance to ensure you have everything—including time to yourself to relax.
The most important question when hosting any party is how many guests to invite. Plan according to your space limitations and budget. If you’re having a family oriented get-together, be aware of kids’ vacation schedules. For birthday parties, get your invitations out three weeks in advance; two weeks for informal backyard gatherings or picnics. As a rough rule of thumb for other gatherings—graduations, bridal showers, engagement parties—send an invitation six weeks in advance.
The decor of your party sets the tone. Light pastel colors always work for spring—think lavender, yellow, pink, sage green—and soft orange and turquoise are particularly popular. Always stick to two colors: one light/neutral color and one bright shade that pops.
For centerpiece ideas – Fresh fruit is beautiful, simple…and ultimately tasty for the guests! Choose fruit people can eat easily: mounds of cherries, strawberries, apricots and grapes. White unscented candles are classic and affordable. Buy them in different shapes and sizes—tea lights, floating votives, pillars—and crowd them together in groups on tables. Just be sure to avoid scented varieties, as guests may be allergic and the smell will conflict with the food.
Set up a self-serve bar with one signature drink as well as beer, wine and soft drinks. Some people are uncomfortable at parties, especially when they don’t know people. Having a self-serve bar gives them something to do and is a way for them to meet people.
Forgo catering. My favorite appetizer suggestion is to serve antipasto platters, bread and a few simple desserts. Antipasto plates are colorful offerings of marinated vegetables—think artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers or pickled radishes—salty olives, rustic artisan breads, natural deli meats, small bites of seafood and rich cheeses. With antipasto, it’s always best to keep things simple and incorporate a few fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables and you’re set. Try these simple ideas:
- Jarred marinated artichoke hearts served with water crackers and Camembert cheese
- Sliced tomatoes marinated in Italian dressing, served with slices of havarti cheese and garlic-stuffed green olives
- Thinly sliced Genoa salami and Cacio de Roma cheese served with crusty bread
- Shaved prosciutto with chunks of fresh cantaloupe and a bowl of mixed roasted nuts
- Jarred roasted red and yellow peppers, garlic hummus and pita bread
- Toasted focaccia bread with sardines and sweet onions
- Olives, capers, sweet pickles and natural pepperoni or smoked peppered turkey breast
- Roasted almonds, walnuts and pine nuts served with dried and fresh figs in season
- Homemade garlic bread served with marinated cubed tomatoes and cold shrimp
- Grilled vegetables with marinated fresh mozzarella
When planning for a large group or party, set out platters that mix and match an assortment of antipasto or other types of appetizer items, like this:
Meat: Start with a selection of natural deli meats—maybe pepperoni, salami and prosciutto—then add mixed olives, a wheel of creamy brie, deviled eggs, roasted vegetables and crackers.
Vegetarian: Present marinated olives or olive tapenade, sliced semolina bread, fire-roasted peppers, vegetarian stuffed dolmas and roasted garlic hummus.
Seafood: Consider a plate of thin crackers or crostini served with sardines, anchovies, Italian tuna and smoked salmon, then add cream cheese, sliced marinated onions and capers.
Fresh Fruit and Nuts: Serve chunks of fresh cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon alongside natural deli meats, cheese and add toasted walnuts and roasted, salted pistachios.
Roasted Vegetables with Cheese: Pair roasted vegetables with tangy cheeses like feta, Gruyère or aged Manchego. For the roasted veggies, think about eggplant, beets, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, onions and garlic. Simply toss raw veggies with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a 450°F oven until tender.
Cheese and More Cheese: Look for out-of-the-ordinary cheeses like cheese made with red peppers or black peppercorns, rosemary coated Manchego, Caciotta cheese with green olives, Gouda with mustard seeds or cumin, goat cheese made with red wine and Sottocenere cheese with truffles and a hint of cinnamon. Then combine them with a few traditional ones like provolone or fresh mozzarella. Serve with slices of fresh crusty country bread.
Here are a few other ideas for appetizers for your next party. What are your favorite party foods?
Tortellini Salad Skewers
Any vegetable can be substituted for the sugar snap peas.
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 (8-oz.) package frozen sugar snap peas
- 68 (4-inch) wooden skewers
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 pressed garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- 1 1/4 cups olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook tortellini according to package directions.
Place sugar snap peas in a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes.
Make the vinaigrette:
Whisk together vinegar, fresh dill, Dijon mustard, garlic and sugar. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until thoroughly combined. Whisk in kosher salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Thread each skewer with 1 sugar snap pea, 1 tortellini and 1 tomato half. Place skewers in a 13×9 inch baking dish.
Pour Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette over skewers, turning to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours. Transfer skewers to a decorative serving platter.
Chicken Salad-Stuffed Eggs
Makes 48 appetizer servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 24 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled
- 1 cup mayonnaise (light works fine)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill on an outdoor grill, covered with the lid, over high heat (400° to 500°) for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 15 minutes; cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
Slice hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise; carefully remove yolks, keeping egg white halves intact. Arrange them on serving platters. Set yolks aside.
Stir together mayonnaise, the next 4 ingredients (onion-lemon) and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
Pulse cooled chicken and egg yolks, in batches, in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until chunky; stir into mayonnaise mixture.
Spoon chicken mixture evenly into egg white halves. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
Basil-Cheese Roulade
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package light cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces Roquefort cheese, softened
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
- 3/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Garnishes: fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh basil, edible flowers
- Assorted crackers
Directions
Beat cream cheese and Roquefort cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread cheese mixture into an 11×8 inch rectangle onthe parchment paper. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Process spinach and the next 4 ingredients (parsley-oil) in a food processor until smooth.
Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese, chopped toasted walnuts and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Spread spinach mixture evenly over cheese rectangle on the parchment covered pan. Using the parchment paper as a guide, roll up, jelly roll fashion.
Wrap in parchment paper,twisting the ends to seal and chill at least 2 hours.
Remove paper and garnish, if desired, with parsley and flowers. Serve with assorted crackers.
Mushroom and Parmigiano Bruschetta
12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 30 thinly sliced basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
- 1 cup sliced baby portobello mushroom caps
- 3/4 cup chopped green onions
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 24 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut baguette, toasted
- 3/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
Combine the first 7 ingredients (tomatoes-basil) in a medium bowl; set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic; cook until tender, stirring frequently. Add mushroom mixture tothe tomato mixture; toss well to combine.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mushroom mixture onto each bread slice. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Serve immediately.
Shrimp and Boursin Cheese Melts
Makes: 28 melts
Ingredients
- 2 (150 grams) boursin cheese containers
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 28 (1/2″ thick) slices of baguette, 2½” wide
- 1 pound small shrimp, cooked and patted dry
- Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the boursin cheese, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper and lemon juice in a bowl and mix until well combined. Divide and spread the mixture on the baguette slices and set on the baking sheet.
Top the cheese mixture with one whole shrimp. (Can be made to this point several hours in advance; refrigerate until ready to bake.)
Bake the melts in a preheated 425 degrees F oven for 10 minutes or until the bread is lightly toasted on the edges and bottom.
Arrange on a large platter, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Polenta Cups with Braised Beef
Not a quick dish but all the preparation can be done well in advance.
Servings: 12
ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups polenta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into small cubes
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup shallots, minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
- 5 thyme sprigs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
To make the polenta:
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Whisk in polenta. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender, whisking frequently. Add butter. Line a deep-rimmed cookie sheet with wax paper. Pour polenta onto the baking pan and spread evenly to 1″ thick. Allow to cool at room temperature; transfer to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of two hours.
Remove polenta from the refrigerator when completely chilled and firm. Cut circles into the polenta using a 2″ cookie cutter. Scoop out the centers of each polenta circle with a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, taking care not to make a hole in the bottom of the circle. Polenta cups may be prepared up to 2 days in advance at this point.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the braised beef:
Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat to pot, searing on all sides until dark brown. Remove meat from pot to a bowl and reserve.
Add shallots and garlic to the Dutch oven. If necessary, add remaining oil. Sweat for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until paste becomes fragrant and dark red, approximately 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the flour. Whisk in the beef broth, breaking up any lumps. Add wine, Italian seasoning, thyme and peppercorns. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Add the reserved browned beef to the sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven. Cook until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (Sauce should continue to be at a light simmer while in the oven. If the sauce stops simmering bring it back to a simmer on the stove top and return to the oven.) Remove the beef from the sauce, cover and reserve.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and reserve.
Shred beef while warm, discarding any pieces of fat. Toss shredded beef with some of the reserved sauce to coat and keep warm.
Warm polenta cups in a 250 degrees F and fill with shredded beef. Serve.
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La Lingua Della Cucina
The passion that Italians bring to the kitchen is reflected in the language that they use to describe techniques and individual ingredients or recipes. Since Americans first started cooking spaghetti and tomato sauce in their homes in the early part of the twentieth century, they have expanded their preparation of Italian foods within the home. Lasagna, risotto, chicken cacciatore, minestrone, tiramisu – just to name a few; all came to be commonly prepared in the homes of Americans over the last century.
At the time when Julia Child caused a sensation by convincing American cooks that they could create the wonders of classic French cuisine in their own kitchens, Italian food was already a loved and accepted mainstay of the American diet. Today, it seems more popular than ever. America’s steady love of Italian food, in recent years fueled by a host of cookbooks and television shows, has thrust Italian home cooking once again into the spotlight. Attracted to “authentic” Italian food’s simplicity and affordability, Americans have taken to cooking Italian food at home.
Here are some of the culinary terms, you will most often come in contact with in your Italian cooking.
Aioli – A garlic mayonnaise is a delicious accompaniment to cold or hot grilled vegetables, steamed or boiled artichokes, boiled potatoes and grilled or baked fish and shellfish.
Al dente – “To the teeth.” The expression is used to describe pasta that is still firm and chewy when bitten into. When pasta is al dente, it is considered fully cooked and ready to eat.
Al forno – an expression used for baked or roasted in the forno (oven). Pasta al forno is a layered pasta, much like lasagna, but made with a shorter shaped pasta, such as penne or ziti.
Antipasto – Translates as before the meal, i.e. pasto, and not before the pasta, as some mistakenly believe. A selection of antipasti can be modest or extravagant, but in all aspects of Italian food, quality is always more important than quantity.
Arancine – ‘little oranges” are rice croquettes, perhaps stuffed with veal or a soft cheese such as caciocavallo or a cow’s milk mozzarella. Their orange hue originates from the addition of saffron to the rice and the subsequent frying in vegetable oil.
Arrabbiata – “Angry.” A tomato-based pasta sauce spiced with chilis and Amatriciano is a similar spicy sauce with the addition of pancetta.
Bagna Cauda – a warm anchovy–olive oil sauce served as a dip for vegetables.
Battuto – The action of the knife striking ingredients against the cutting board, in short, the first stage of the preparation of any dish, which requires basic and efficient skills with a sharp blade.
Besciamella – More commonly referred to in the French form, béchamel, this cooked sauce of butter, flour, milk and some nutmeg is often used in baked pasta dishes and as a sauce for vegetable side dishes, such as cauliflower.
Bolognese – A pasta sauce native to the Bologna area of Italy. It traditionally features finely chopped meats and a soffrito of onions, celery and carrots with a small amount of tomato paste.
Bufala – The water buffalo of the southern region of Campania produce the milk for the softest, creamiest form of mozzarella cheese. So very delicate in flavor that it is better used in a salad (Caprese Salad) instead of on a cooked dish, such as pizza.
Burro – Butter is traditionally viewed as the favored fat in northern italy where it is used for sautéing.
Capelli d’agelo – “Angel hair.” Long, thin strands of pasta that are thinner than capellini.
Carbonara – a spaghetti sauce based on eggs, cheese (Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano), bacon (guanciale or pancetta) and black pepper.
Contorni – Accompaniment to the meat or fish course of the meal, usually consisting of prepared vegetables such, as green beans, spinach or braised fennel.
Crostini – toasted bread, but usually topped with chopped tomatoes or porcini mushrooms or roasted peppers or chicken livers – called crostini in Tuscany and bruschetta in Rome.
Dolce -or the plural form, i dolci, on restaurant menus, refers to the sweet or dessert course of the meal, such as zabaglione, tiramisu and gelato (ice cream).
Fiorentina -a substantial slab of meat roughly equating to an American T bone steak. Not to be tackled without a hearty appetite.
Formaggio – cheese.
Insalata – The salad course, usually positioned between the main (meat or fish) course and the dessert, can consist of a simple bowl of greens or something more elaborate. Olive oil combined with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little seasoning, or perhaps balsamic vinegar used sparingly, is all that is required to make the perfect dressing.
Polpette – meatballs.
Pomodoro – a meatless tomato sauce. The name means “golden apple” and refers to tomatoes that are yellow in color. Yes, I know – tomatoes are red. Here is the story:
David Gentilcore, professor of early modern history at the University of Leicester, writes, “ When explorers first brought tomatoes to Europe from the New World, they also brought over tomatillos. Tomatoes and tomatillos were considered interchangeable (they are botanical and culinary cousins) and many tomatillos are yellow. Italy and most of the rest of Europe soon took a pass on the tomatillo, but the name stuck. “Pomodoro” it was.”
Primavera – “Spring.” A pasta sauce traditionally made in the spring that features fresh vegetables as the main ingredient.
Primo – The first course (after the antipasto), hence the name, it usually involves a risotto or pasta dish.
Puttanesca – (literally “a la whore” in Italian) is a tangy, somewhat salty pasta sauce containing tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers and garlic.
Saltimbocca -( literally “jump into the mouth”). In Rome this dish is prepared with veal and prosciutto crudo, or cured meat, and sage, all held together by a skewer in a sauce of white wine or marsala. Chicken and pork cutlets work just as well.
Secondo – the main dish of the menu that usually consists of meat or fish.
Semolina – A coarse flour made from durum wheat: a hard wheat with a high protein/low moisture content and a long shelf life.
Soffritto – the foundation of many Italian recipes, especially a pasta sauce or a braise of beef or lamb. It consists of finely diced carrots, onion, garlic and celery, or any combination of them depending on the recipe.
Below are a few sample courses to get you started.
Antipasto
Bruschetta with Mozzarella and Favas Beans
4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups canned fava beans (Progresso is a good brand), rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 16 grilled baguette slices
- 1/4 pound buffalo mozzarella, torn into thin strips
- Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves
Directions
Transfer the favas to a food processor and add the oil, lemon juice and zest and pulse to a coarse puree. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the fava-bean puree on the toasts and top with the mozzarella strips. Drizzle the toasts with the balsamic vinegar and scatter the basil on top.
Primo
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 red or orange bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 pound thin spaghetti or linguine
- 3/4 cup half-and-half
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Shaved Parmesan
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and green beans; cook 4 minutes. Add peppers and cook 1 more minute. Scoop out vegetables with a large slotted spoon and place in a colander.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook to the al dente stage, about 7-8 minutes. Drain; return to the pot.
In a mixing bowl, combine half-and-half, chicken broth, cornstarch, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the half-and-half mixture and simmer for a few minutes, stirring until slightly thickened.
Add cooked vegetables and tomatoes. Cook, stirring a few times, for about 2 minutes.
Pour into the pot with the pasta and stir gently. Add grated Parmesan and parsley. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Serve in pasta bowls with shaved Parmesan on top.
Secondo
Chicken Scarpariello
4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (2 pounds)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
- 4 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup spicy Italian pickled peppers, sliced
Directions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty on both sides, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the rosemary and garlic in the skillet.
Add the stock to the skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and butter and swirl until emulsified.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Add the peppers and cook, turning the chicken until coated in the sauce, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the chicken and sauce to a platter and serve.
Spinach Salad with Bagna Cauda Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 anchovies, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
- 3 thyme sprigs
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup coarse dry bread crumbs (see tip below)
- 10 ounces baby spinach
- Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
Directions
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat until foaming. Add the anchovies and cook until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Add the thyme sprigs and let steep for 20 minutes. Discard the thyme and season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, in a small dry skillet, toast the bread crumbs over moderate heat, tossing, until golden, about 4 minutes. Let the bread crumbs cool.
In a large bowl, toss the spinach with half of the dressing and half of the bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the salad to plates or a platter and top with the remaining bread crumbs and the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Pass the remaining dressing at the table and serve with lemon wedges.
MAKE AHEAD
The bagna cauda dressing can be refrigerated overnight. Warm gently before using.
To make bread crumbs, tear 2 slices of day-old white bread into pieces, spread on a baking sheet and toast in a 300°F oven until dried but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a food processor and pulse a few times until coarse crumbs form.
Dolce
Almond Crusted Limoncello Pound Cake
16 servings
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3/4 cups sliced almonds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- Grated zest & juice of 2 large lemons, divided
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons Limoncello
- Oil for coating the pan
Glaze:
- 1/4 cup Limoncello
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Use a pastry brush to thoroughly oil a 12 cup bundt pan, then sprinkle almonds evenly in the pan and set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest, reserving the lemon juice for later use, with the mixer on low speed until creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 cup of cake flour, blending well, then add the salt and remaining eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the remaining flour with 3 tablespoons Limoncello, beating just until mixture is well blended.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, gently tapping the filled pan on the counter a few times.
Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes.
Just before the cake is done, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, blend Limoncello, reserved lemon juice, sugar and butter. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 2 minutes.
Remove cake from oven after it tests done, then pour the glaze mixture over the top of the hot cake while still in the pan.
Let cake cool in the pan, placed on a wire rack. The glaze will be absorbed into the cake as it cools.
When the cake is cooled, invert it onto a serving plate and serve.
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In doing research for this post, I was sure that Italian immigrants found their way to Detroit because it was a major industrial center that offered job opportunities the immigrants were seeking in coming to America. What totally surprised me was the number of immigrants who settled in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The land is totally different from the warm Mediterranean country that the Italian immigrants had left behind. As you read, you will see why.
The Eastern Market was established in 1891.
Italian Americans in Detroit
For more than 350 years, Italian immigrants played important roles in the opening and development of the land that is now Michigan, from their participation in the French fur trade up to the present day. People of Italian descent have been present in Detroit since Alfonso Tonti, second-in-command to Antoine Cadillac, participated in the founding of the city in 1701. By the close of the 19th century, the trickle of Italian immigrants had become a torrent, as thousands rushed to the growing industrial centers. They worked in stone and cement, paving, produce, tile work, at small groceries, as merchants and, of course, as part of the labor force in the auto shops around Detroit. Settling on the lower east side, the community grew rapidly, especially north and east into Macomb County. Italians in Detroit did not remain in a “little Italy,” but mingled with the diverse population of the city. Through a combination of hard work, strong family connections, and community ties, the Italians of Detroit achieved their dreams of a better life. They met the challenges of living in a new land while nurturing the culture of the old country. Most Italians came to Detroit between 1880-1920. Detroit’s original “Little Italy” started from the lower east side (Eastern Market area) along Gratiot and Riopelle Streets near Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. They also settled in considerable numbers along Oakwood Blvd. in SW Detroit and in Dearborn early in their residency here. As they prospered, Detroit Italians in the 1950s eventually moved into neighborhoods across Detroit and their cultural and religious institutions dotted the landscape. Their affiliations were Catholic and other Christian religions.
Church of the Holy Family
On the right is a photo of the yellow-hued church that is very visible when you exit the Chrysler Expressway in downtown Detroit, or drive west on East Jefferson toward the Renaissance Center. It is also Detroit’s first Italian Catholic church. Shortly after 1900, immigrants from Sicily and southern Italy settled in northeast Detroit. They began to worship at Sts. Peter and Paul on East Jefferson, but in 1907, Father Giovanni Boschi arrived from Italy and sought to establish an Italian parish here. In 1908, Bishop Foley gave him permission to do so and named the parish La Chiesa Della Sacra Famiglia or the Church of the Holy Family. In 1909, construction began on a modest Italian Renaissance-style, basilica-type church. More than one hundred years after its founding, this parish is in operation with an Italian language Mass said every Sunday. There are about 300,000 Italian Americans in Metro Detroit, today. If you are in Detroit and looking for a restaurant with authentic Italian food and history related to the immigrant’s experience head to Giovanni’s Ristorante, 330 S. Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, MI 48219.
Giovanni Cannarsa was 14 years old when he embarked on a journey from Termoli– a town on the Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, the region of Molise to the United States of America. Giovanni met a young woman, Rose Tonkery and in 1927 they were married. They moved from New York to Detroit, Michigan so Giovanni could go to work for Henry Ford. Giovanni and Rose settled in a neighborhood near the Rouge River plant, where the assembly line was first introduced during the immerging age of manufacturing. There the young couple started and raised their family, two sons and one daughter – her name is Frances. She and her brothers were born in Detroit. Frances had a best friend, Marie. She came from an Italian family that lived across the street from the Cannarsa family. It was her older brother – Olindo Truant who captured the heart of young Frances. In 1953 she married her sweetheart. Frances and Olindo had three sons, Chris – Michael and Randy. Olindo worked for Detroit Edison and Frances opened a carryout pizzeria, Givoanni’s Pizza Parlor. It was 1968. It didn’t take long for Frances to start taking charge and making changes – it was 1972. Frances decided the family style pizza parlor would one day be an elegant, award winning five-star class restaurant. Everyone thought she was crazy… but the night Frank Sinatra held a private dinner party in the back room of what was now called Giovanni’s Ristorante, was the night the whole family knew Frances meant business.
Italian-Americans in Wyandotte
Just after the turn of the 20th century, jobs were opening up at the J. B. Ford Company and the Michigan Alkali Company. The Italian settlement in East Detroit was bulging with a steady influx of friends and relatives coming to Michigan from Italy. Many young men sought work, and Wyandotte the bustling downriver town, offered the opportunity for jobs. A streetcar from Detroit brought the first Italian laborers to the city. Others joined the workforce and brought their families. Statistics show that in 1890 there were only 338 Italians living in Detroit and downriver and, by 1920, the number had swelled to 29,047. In 1914, a large group of Italian workers and their families were residing in what was then called Ford City. The community had formed in an area bounded by Antoine, Hudson, 2nd Street, and the railroad tracks. The families built large sturdy homes and planted gardens. Many of those early family residences still stand as testimony to the skillful construction techniques shown by those first immigrant workers. Most of the families knew each other from Palermo, Sicily in Italy, and interacted socially. During the summer evenings, the men could be seen playing bocce (lawn bowling) or playing card games.
In 1915, a concert band was organized. Maestro Pellegrino’s Italian Ford City Band attracted musicians from ages 15 to 25 and, in a relatively short time, the new musical group was presenting concerts for the entire community to enjoy. The camaraderie enjoyed by the band also gave birth to two early Italian social organizations. The San Giuseppi Society was a club that assisted many newly arrived Italian immigrants and helped them transition to the American way of life. The second organization, Santa Fara, was formed in Wyandotte in 1924 and named after the patron saint of the small Sicilian village of Cinisi. In order to become a member, one must be a “Cinisarii” or be married to one. Other organizations were formed over the years to serve the Italian community. In the 1930s, the Non-Partisan Progressive Club was organized. One of the first projects of this club was to host a war bond drive in early 1945. Americans of Italian descent in Wayne County, under the leadership of Anthony D’Anna of Wyandotte, raised $16,000,000 to build a ship. The U.S.S. Gosselin was commissioned on October 19, 1945, in memory of Seaman Joseph Polizzi, an Italian-American from Detroit killed earlier during the war. In 1970 fourteen members organized a new Italian organization, the Downriver Italian club, and built a hall to host events.
Italian Americans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Our knowledge of the Italian community in the Copper Country is credited to the research of Russell Magnaghi and to Cristina Menghini’s thesis: “Examining Patterns of Italian Immigration to Michigan’s Houghton County, 1860-1930”. Menghini’s study, the most detailed migration study of any immigrant group in the Copper Country, uncovered specific chain migration links between sending communities in northern Italy and receiving communities in Houghton County. Half of the Italians in Houghton County had emigrated from the province of Torino, in Italy’s Piedmont region and another quarter had emigrated from the province of Lucca, in the Tuscany region. Thus, three-quarters of Italians in Houghton County had emigrated from just two of Italy’s 110 provinces. Not surprisingly, Menghini found that nearly three-quarters of Italians in Houghton County in 1910 worked either in the mines or mine-related occupations. Source: Recorded in Stone is a collection of the oral histories of immigrants to the Marquette Iron Range in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Produced by the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives and funded in part with a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council. Italians were attracted to Marquette County through the efforts of “barista” or what is known as chain migration: Immigrants arrived at a location and then sent letters back to Italy, which then brought their friends and relatives to America. At first, the Italians who were from northern Italy: Lombardy, Piedmont, Venice and the Tyrol settled in Negaunee. Initially 50 Italians arrived; followed in the spring of 1888 by an additional 100. Although they inherited the jobs at the lowest end of the employment scale as trammers (miners) or iron ore shovelers, they wrote back to Italy and encouraged others to join them. The wages and living conditions on the Marquette Iron Range were a great improvement over economic and work conditions in Italy. In the 1890’s southern Italians, primarily from Calabria but also from Naples and Sicily, settled in Ishpeming. They experienced a similar migration process. By 1910 Italians comprised 15% – 16% of the labor force on the Range. In 1910, of the 907 Italians with occupations, 741 or 81.6% were miners. There were also 51 Italians (6%) working on the railroad, 24 (2.8%) listed as laborers, and 20 working in the iron furnaces in Marquette.
Copper Miners; Calumet, Michigan; between 1907 – 1920.
The first Italians who arrived on the Marquette Range were usually single men, who once they got settled, sent for their wives or got married. At first, many lived in company housing but, as soon as was possible, they purchased their own homes. Families took in boarders from the same Italian village and/or family members, as a means of providing housing and adding to the family income. Most of the Italian businessmen were located in Negaunee and Gwinn at that time. There were 16 boardinghouse keepers, 11 saloon keepers, 5 merchants, 5 bakers, and 3 shoemakers. Each family maintained a garden which provided the household with much of the vegetables that the household needed during the year. Besides what was planted, the women and children gathered fruits and berries and made jams and preserves from them. If possible families kept a pig and cow. In November the pig was usually butchered and prime pieces were preserved in a crock jar, covered with liquefied lard, and the small pieces were processed into different types of sausage. The cow provided milk, butter, and cheese for the family, and, if there was a surplus, it was sold to neighbors. The Italian family became self-sufficient so that they only had to purchase certain items, like coffee, sugar or olive oil. Pasta and Italian bread were often made at home but were sometimes purchased. In the late summer, orders were taken for grapes, and beginning in September trainloads of grapes arrived at railroad sidings in Negaunee and Ishpeming. Most families made as many as 150-200 gallons of wine, which would last them through the year. Most of the Italian immigrants who settled on the Marquette Range were literate. As a result, many of them kept in touch with the news through Italian-language newspapers. Some subscribed to papers published in New York City, like the popular Il Progresso, while others read the Il Minatore Italiano (The Italian Miner) which was published in Laurium, MI between 1896 and the 1930s, or the transient papers, such as La Democrazione Italiana of Hancock or La Sentinella (The Sentinel) published in Calumet, MI.
Portrait of an Italian Musician
From the collection of the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives
The Italian love for music is well known. As early as 1884, the Marquette Mining Journal noted that an Italian band provided excellent dance music in Marquette County. A number of Italian music teachers appeared in the various communities, such as Nettie R. Calamata, who in 1906 offered mandolin, guitar and banjo lessons. The Italian Band of Negaunee was organized by January 9, 1907, when it provided music for Mike Marrietti’s saloon, called Hogan’s Place and in the summer, it provided music for picnic dances. The most famous band in Ishpeming’s history was Vampa’s Band. Professor Vampa arrived in the community in 1915 and organized the band. He was able to get even the most musically illiterate to read music and, by January 1916, his band with thirty-four members, played for the first time and was an immediate success. Vampa’s Band played at the Marquette County Fair, Memorial Day, and Columbus Day celebrations and at other dances and festivals given by local clubs and lodges. The local Italians directed their entertainment and recreation toward their families. Home parties were popular with an accordion and violin or guitar providing the music on a Saturday night. The men played bocce in their backyards or saloon-side courts or played the Italian card game, morra. Some of the Italians fished and hunted both as recreation and also as a means of augmenting their families’ food supply. The mutual beneficial societies were a characteristic feature of all Italian communities, wherever the immigrants settled. At a time when there were no Social Security benefits for unemployment or disability insurance or death benefits, the Italians established these societies. The oldest of the Italian fraternal organization in Marquette County was Società Fratellanza e Mútuo Soccórso/Fraternal and Mutual Aid Society which was established in Negaunee in 1890. The biggest activity for the lodge was the annual picnic ,where there was boating, swimming and athletic events, eating contests and card games. Over the years a number of fraternal organizations were formed in Negaunee. Società Italiana di Mútuo Soccórso Giuseppe Mazzini/Italian Mutual Aid Society Giuseppe Mazzini was founded on June 24, 1908. They built a series of Italian Halls, which were used for meetings and social events. Like many benefit societies, the Italian Mutual Beneficial Society transformed itself in a social organization. It was through such organizations that Italian immigrants and their children located housing, found work, organized political blocks and met their prospective mates.
Calumet’s Italian Hall
Funeral of the Victims of the Italian Hall Disaster, Calumet, Michigan, December 1913.
On Christmas Eve, 1913, members of the Upper Peninsula mining community of Calumet, Michigan gathered in the upstairs of the Italian Hall for a party. The gathering was supposed to be one of a few happy times for the town, which was ravaged by a bitter strike between miners and owners. Popular history has it that someone ran into the party and yelled “fire”, causing a stampede down the stairs into doors that opened inward, resulting in a deadly pile-up. Some claim the incident was plotted by local copper bosses. So was it murder or an accident? Author and lawyer, Steve Lehto, goes back to find the answer in his book, Death’s Door: The Truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder. Lehto uses his skills as a lawyer to investigate the deaths of 74 people, mostly children. His research led him to the conclusion that the doors opened out and were purposely held closed, resulting in the murder of the party-goers. Claims that the tragedy was an accident, Lehto believes, were the result of carefully placed stories in the mine-controlled newspapers.
The cuisine of the Early Italian Families in Michigan
Antipasto of Italian vegetables and fish Baccala – Italian dried codfish Bagna Cauda – garlic, olive oil dip Rustic Bread Cornetti -Italian rolls Grissini – Italian breadsticks Porchetta, Abruzzi Style Salame Milanese for sandwiches Cudighi Italian Sausage – Italian sausage originating in northern Italy and made in the homes of many Michigan Italian Americans. It is made from pork meat on the hind section of the hog, this sausage is a combination of coarse ground pork, pork fat, red wine, and seasonings such as salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. The meat is then typically aged only for only a few days before being served. (See recipe below) Sautissa Piedmontese Sausage – pork sausage from the Piedmont region of Italy that uses cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves to impart a unique flavor. Often used as a filling ingredient for ravioli. Suppress – Italian cured meats Garden Vegetables Pasta Torchetti cookies Cookies: biscotti, pizzelle, cialde Grappa – Italian brandy Homemade wine
Try Some Michigan-Italian Inspired Recipes At Home
Northern Michigan Cherry Bruschetta
Ingredients:
- 18 1/2 inch thick slices of small baguette-style bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 1/2 cups pitted fresh sweet cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup each diced yellow sweet bell peppers and green onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
Directions: Toast one side of baguette slices at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Turn slices, brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and bake 5 minutes longer. Combine cherries, bell pepper, green onions, lime juice, salt, pepper and remaining olive oil; mix well. Top each slice of baguette with a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, a heaping tablespoon of cherry mixture, and sliced basil.
Homemade Cudighi Sausage
Unique to the central part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the cudighi is an excellent example of the Italian-American food of this region. This one is made the more modern way, dressed like pizza. The classic sandwich is sausage with mustard and onions. (Paisano’s in Negaunee, MI, an Italian-American restaurant on the shore of Lake Teal in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) Ingredients:
- 6 lb coarsely ground pork butt
- 1 clove of garlic chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 6 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons fennel seed
Mix well and refrigerate for 24 hours. Directions: Form into thin, 1/2 thick patties into oblong shapes. Brown in oil, cover, and simmer in a little water to help with the dryness, for 25-30 minutes or until no red shows and the pork is fully cooked. Serve on a Ciabatta roll or Italian bread with grilled green pepper rings and grilled sliced onion, mustard, ketchup, pizza sauce, or mozzarella cheese. Freeze extra cooked patties. Some other serving suggestions: You can make this into links or leave it in bulk. Use it in Italian cooking for lasagna, pizza, etc. You can also serve this as a sandwich, either grilled or pan-fried. Can be served with mustard and onions, but the most popular way is to top with mozzarella cheese and some spaghetti sauce. You could add some green peppers and mushrooms also. Can be served as an appetizer with cheese and crackers. Roll the sausage into a log. Wrap in foil and boil in water for 45 minutes. Let cool and serve sliced.
Iron Mountain Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup of fresh peas
- 2 cups fresh asparagus, cut on the bias
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups besciamella (recipe follows)
- 8 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
- 1 -16-ounce package of lasagna noodles (or use fresh)
For besciamella sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups milk, heated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For the vegetable filling: Heat oil in a skillet and lightly saute vegetables, in steps if needed, until vegetables are just tender. Cool to room temperature. For besciamella sauce: In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, not allowing the mixture to brown. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and bring just to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Allow cooling for a few minutes before using. For the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook lasagna noodles to desired tenderness, drain. In a 12-by-18-inch pan assemble the lasagna, beginning with a layer of besciamella in the bottom of the pan, followed by a layer of pasta, a scattering of vegetables, a layer of besciamella, a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano, until all sauce, vegetables, and pasta are used up. The top layer should be pasta with besciamella over it. Top the lasagna with grated Parmigiano and bake, loosely covered with foil in the oven, until the sauce is bubbling about 45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Pork Roast alla Porchetta
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds boneless pork loin roast
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bulb fennel, fronds chopped and reserved, bulb thinly sliced
- 2 pounds ground pork or Italian sausage with casing removed
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 red onions, halved
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have your butcher butterfly the pork to an even 1-inch thickness, you should have a flat piece of meat about 8 inches by 14 inches. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil until smoking. Add the onion and fennel bulb and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add ground pork, fennel seeds, pepper, rosemary, and garlic, and cook until the mixture assumes a light color, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes. Allow cooling. Add chopped fennel leaves and eggs and mix well. Spread the mixture over the pork loin and roll up like a jelly roll. Tie with butcher’s twine and place in roast pan on top of halved red onions. Place in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Remove and allow to rest for 10 to 20 minutes. Slice into 1 inch thick pieces and serve.
Northern Michigan’s Mario Batali Shares His Recipe for Ciambella with Summer Berry Compote
The chef summers in Northern Michigan. By: Mario Batali A ciambella is a simple ring-shaped bread made of egg, shortening and sugar. Ciambelle were for a long time a symbol of luxury in Italian culture; a fancy bread pictured next to royalty and aristocracy in Renaissance painting. Today, ciambelle are often served as an afternoon snack at a bar or cafe. They can be dressed with glazes, syrups, or, in this case, a berry compote. In this recipe, I incorporate berries abundant in this area, but you can easily substitute whatever berries are available at your farmers’ market. With the listed ingredients, this ciambella makes the perfect summer dessert in this fertile area that I’ve come to love—Mario Batali (www.mynorth.com) Serves 8 Ingredients:
- 1-pint blueberries
- 1-pint blackberries
- 1-pint raspberries
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup cold milk
Directions: In a large saucepan, combine the berries, lemon juice,and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Place over medium heat and heat just to the boiling point, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a cookie sheet. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and baking powder in a food processor and pulse quickly to blend. Add the cold butter and pulse quickly until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, almond extract, and milk until smooth. With the food processor running, add the liquid all at once and blend for 10 to 15 seconds, until the dough just forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a well-floured cutting board and shape it into a log about 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Form the log into a ring in the center of the cookie sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove, transfer to a rack, and cool to room temperature. Cut the cake into slices about 1 inch thick, top with 2 tablespoons of berry compote, and serve.
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There was a time when strawberries were a rare treat – just the wild ones you occasionally came across as you hiked in the woods or the ones sold in the supermarket only during the month of June. Not any more!
Strawberries originally came from the Alpine regions where they have been growing wildly for thousands of years. They have a history that goes back over 2,200 years. The strawberry, a member of the rose family, is unique in that it is the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than the inside.
There are many explanations about how strawberries got their name. Some believe that the name came from the practice of placing straw around the growing plants for protection and others believe the name originated over 1000 years ago because of the runners which spread outward from the plant. The name may have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon verb to strew (spread) and the fruit came to be known as streabergen, straberry, streberie, straibery, straubery and finally, “STRAWBERRY’ to the English.
Most likely due to the fact that their shape vaguely recalls that of a heart, strawberries have always been considered a symbol of love. According to an ancient legend, strawberries were created out of the tragic love the goddess Venus had for Adonis. There is another famous story about strawberries that occurred during the time of Louis XIV, King of France. At that time, the ladies of the court used strawberries as a symbol of their affection. If a woman wanted to let a man know that she was interested in him, all she had to do was eat strawberries in his presence.
Perhaps this is the reason the French court was the first to try to cultivate strawberries. Until the middle of the XVII century, in fact, strawberries grew exclusively in the wild. The botanists of the Sun King variety were the first to cultivate them. They transplanted wild plants into the royal garden and then crossed the European varieties with South American varieties. The new strawberries were larger, less delicate and easier to grow.
Strawberries were discovered in Virginia by the first Europeans when their ships landed there in 1588. Early settlers in Massachusetts enjoyed eating strawberries grown by local Native Americans who cultivated strawberries as early as 1643. Strawberries have been grown in California since the early 1900’s. Today, over 25,000 acres of strawberries are planted each year in California and the state produces over 80% of the strawberries grown in the United States. On average, each acre produces about 21 tons of strawberries and the state produces one billion pounds of strawberries a year.
Strawberry Jar
Strawberry varieties are one of three types: the June-bearing, the everbearing or the day-neutral. The difference among the types is the time during the growing season that the plants produce fruit. The June-bearing varieties flourish in the spring and produce one crop. Everbearing plants yield fruit several times, usually at the beginning and the end of the growing season. The day-neutral varieties produce an ongoing crop throughout the summer months as long as the weather is not too hot.
Packed with vitamins, fiber and high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food. They are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. Just one serving — about eight strawberries — provides more vitamin C than an orange.
Purchasing and Storing Strawberries
The berries should be a shiny scarlet and blemish free. If the tips are paler, or green, the berries are probably not ripe and could be tasteless. The berries should also look firm. If their color is dull, or if they look dry or soft, they may well be old.
If you’re buying a plastic container of strawberries turn it over to check the berries underneath, as well, because they easily become moldy. As a final check, sniff the strawberries: a strong strawberry aroma should greet you. If it does not, the chances are that the strawberries won’t have much taste.
When you get them home store, them in the refrigerator; they’ll keep a couple of days. Do not wash them until you are ready to use them. Store fresh strawberries in a colander in the refrigerator. This allows the cold air to circulate around them. Do not cover them.
Remove caps (stems/leaves) from strawberries only after washing because the caps keep the water from breaking down the texture and flavor inside the strawberries.
Prepare strawberries for serving by rinsing under a gentle spray of cool water; pat dry with a paper towel.
Remove the green caps (stems) with a light twisting motion or with the point of a paring knife. It’s as easy as a twist of the wrist.
You can also purchase a strawberry de-stemmer/huller at your local kitchen store or online (see photo).
Strawberry Huller
When you have more strawberries than you can eat or when strawberries can be obtained at a reasonable cost, freeze them to eat later or for use in pies and other baked goods.
Fresh Strawberry Measurements:
1 tray or flat of strawberries = 12 baskets or pints.
1 small basket = 1 pint strawberries = 12 large strawberries = 24 medium strawberries = 36 small strawberries.
1 pint = 2 to 2.5 cups sliced (1/4-inch thick slices) strawberries.
1 pint = 1.25 to 1.5 cups pureed (mashed) strawberries.
Frozen Strawberries
20-ounce bag frozen whole strawberries = 4 cups whole strawberries = 2.5 cup sliced strawberries = 2.25 cups pureed (mashed) strawberries.
10-ounce package frozen sliced sweetened strawberries = 1.25 cups frozen strawberries in syrup.

Wild Italian Strawberries
Strawberries grew wild in Italy as long ago as 234 B.C. and in Ancient Rome, these red fruits were considered valuable. They believed that the berries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers, throat infections, kidney stones, halitosis, attacks of gout and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen.
In Italy one of the most famous places for strawberries is Lago di Nemi, a crater lake in the Alban Hills overlooking Rome; the crater walls capture the warmth of the sun and because the crater rim is unbroken the basin is shielded from cool winds. Italians celebrate the season with a festival in June and Nemi’s strawberries do not last long, since they are scooped up by the Romans.
In Italy, fresh strawberries are often served as dessert, not usually with cream but more often sprinkled with sugar, or splashed with lemon juice or sometimes dipped in wine. While we think of strawberries as a sweet course, they can be turned into a savory dish by including them in salads made with an extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
The traditional Italian method for serving strawberries is with wine: fragole al vino. Hull the strawberries, quarter them lengthwise, sprinkle them with wine, dust them with a little sugar and put them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The wine of choice for this recipe is usually a red Chianti or an Asti or Prosecco sparkling wine.
Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 12 slices Italian bread
- Olive oil for brushing on bread
- 1 pound strawberries, washed and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- 1 cup goat cheese, room temperature
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat vinegar in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer until reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Prepare an indoor or outdoor grill for high heat. Place bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil.
Combine strawberries and basil in a small bowl and set aside.
Grill bread on the preheated grill until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
Spread goat cheese on toasted bread. Add black pepper, salt,and reduced vinegar to the strawberry mixture. Spoon over the goat cheese topped bruschetta. Garnish with additional basil.
Strawberry Italian Ice
5 Servings
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup thawed unsweetened apple juice concentrate
- 1 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- Fresh mint
Directions:
In a blender, combine the apple juice concentrate, lemon juice and strawberries; cover and process until blended. Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square dish. Cover and freeze for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until partially set.
Spoon into a large bowl; beat on medium speed for 1-1/2 minutes.
Return to dish; freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm.
Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with mint if desired.
Strawberry Cannoli
Ingredients:
- 1 pint (12 oz) strawberries, rinsed, hulled and halved
- 2 tablespoons)granulated sugar
- 15 oz. skim-milk ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces mascarpone cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered (confectioners’) sugar, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup chocolate mini chips
- 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 box (8) cannoli shells
- Garnish: sliced strawberries
Directions:
At least 1 day before serving; Line a colander and a medium-size strainer with a sturdy paper towel; set each in a bowl.
Pulse strawberries and granulated sugar in food processor until coarsely chopped. Scrape into colander, top with a paper towel and refrigerate overnight to drain well (this is important).
Clean processor.
Put ricotta, cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in processor; pulse until smooth. Transfer to strainer, cover with a paper towel and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving: Fold drained berries, mini chocolate chips and almond extract into ricotta mixture. Spoon into a gallon-size ziptop bag. Cut 1⁄2 inch off a corner; pipe filling into cannoli shells and garnish with powdered sugar and extra sliced strawberries..
Italian Strawberry Shortcakes
Ingredients:
For the Shortcakes
- 2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting board or counter
- 1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
For the Berry Mixture:
- 4 cups fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
For the Ricotta Cream:
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
For the Shortcakes
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Whisk cake flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in butter using two knives or a pastry cutter until the pieces are about the size of peas. Cut in cream cheese until it’s the size of peas. Drizzle oil over the mixture; stir with a fork until just combined (the mixture will be crumbly). Make a well in the center and add egg and buttermilk. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a fork until the mixture is evenly moist. Knead the mixture in the bowl two or three times until it holds together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust with flour and roll into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the edges square using a butter knife. Cut the dough into 12 equal shortcakes. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Bake the shortcakes until puffed and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
For the Ricotta Cream
Combine the ricotta cheese, sour cream, honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve shortcakes.
For the Berries
While the shortcakes bake, wash and hull (remove the stem) from the strawberries. Slice them lengthwise. Remove the mint leaves from their stem and thinly slice. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and mint to the strawberries. Let the mixture stand for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
To serve: split the shortcakes horizontally. Spoon the berries and juice onto the bottoms, top with the ricotta mixture and replace the shortcake tops. Garnish with more strawberries.
Italian Strawberry Tart
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or Eagle Brand Ultra Grain flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir by hand until just moistened. Do not overmix.
Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press strawberry halves deeply into the dough in a circular pattern of 2 or 3 rings.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Strawberry Fields
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