Focaccia (Italian flat bread)

(with rosemary and olives)

Ingredients :
2 sachets dry yeast
2 cups tepid water
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon table salt
5 1/2 cups unbleached white bread flour
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil for topping
12 pitted, halved black olives
1/2 cup little rosemary sprigs
1 tablespoon course salt

Method :
Dissolve the yeast in tepid water. Add the sugar, olive oil, salad oil, and table salt.
Mix in 3 cups of flour and whip until the dough begins to leave the sides of the mixing bowl, about 10 minutes.
Mix in the remaining flour by hand and knead the dough until it is smooth.
Allow the dough to rise twice in the bowl, and press down after each rising.
Grease two baking trays and divide the dough between the two trays.
Using your fingers, press the dough out to the edges of each pan.
Cover and allow to rise for about 30 minutes.
Insert the rosemary sprigs and partly press in the halved olives (spacing evenly), then brush with a mixture of the crushed garlic and oil reserved for topping.
Sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 180C for 30 minutes or until done.

recipe Focaccia Italian

Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti

Serves 4

Ingredients :
Meatballs :
250g beef mince
250g pork mince
1 egg
250g ricotta
3 garlic cloves
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup chopped basil
1 onion, finely chopped
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup olive oil

For serving :
2 cups ready-made spaghetti sauce (Puttanesca sauce)
Spaghetti cooked al dente
Parmesan, grated
Olives (optional)

Method :
Mix all the meatball ingredients, except the olive oil, together and roll into small balls.
Heat the olive oil and fry the meatballs until golden brown on both sides.
Heat the sauce and toss in the meatballs, turn out over spaghetti and top with Parmesan (and olives, if desired).

recipe Italian meatballs spaghetti

Risotto alla Parmigiano

Ingredients :
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound Arborio rice
6 cups warm chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
100g grated Parmesan(or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese.

Method :
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan.
Add the onion, and saute until soft, without browning.
Add the rice, and saute for 2 minutes until the rice is well−coated.
Ladle 1/2 cup of stock into the rice, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is almost dry.
Add more stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until it's all absorbed by the rice and the rice is al dente.
The rice should be very moist and creamy, but should still be firm but tender, not crunchy.
Remove from heat, and stir in the raw butter and the Parmesan cheese (hold some of the cheese back for sprinkling on top of the risotto when serving).
Add salt to taste, and serve immediately.

recipe risotto parmigiano Italian parmesan

Pizza (Thin Crust Dough)

Ingredients :

1 sachet dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 3/4 cups all−purpose or bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Tomato pizza topping (puree)
Mozzarella cheese (and some cheddar cheese, if desired)

Method :

Stir yeast and sugar into water and leave for about 8 minutes.
In a bowl (or food processor) mix the flour and salt.
After the yeast has been standing for about 8 minutes, add the yeast mixture to the flour. If using food processor, continue mixing until dough forms a ball, should take about 10−20 seconds. If mixing by hand, mix with a sturdy spoon until ready to knead.

On a floured surface turn out the dough and knead for about 2 minutes.
If dough is a little sticky, dust your fingers and counter with flour.
Roll out by hand to fit into a 30cm-sized pizza and place in a lightly oiled pizza pan, using your fingertips to press up to the edge and forming a shallow lip.

Add tomato pizza spread, cheese, and top with desired ingredients (green peppers, olives, chopped mushrooms, bacon, pepperoni, anchovies etc.).
Bake at 260C in pre−heated oven for 8−12 minutes, the edges will turn a nice golden brown when done and the dough will be firm and crispy.

recipe pizza Italian

Lasagne

by Janet Anderson

Ingredients :
Meat Sauce :
500 gms lean minced beef
2 onions, diced
1 punnet button mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, grated
½ green pepper, diced
½ red pepper, diced
2 Tsp olive oil
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 small tin of tomato puree
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp origanum
1 Tsp sugar
250 mls red wine
250 mls beef stock
one cup of grated cheese (mixture of mozzarella & cheddar) - for the topping.
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method :
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peppers and sliced mushrooms and saute until the onions become translucent.
Add the beef mince and cook until brown.
Add the wine and tomatoes and cook on medium to high heat for 15 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, beef stock, origanum, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer for a further 15 mins.

White sauce :
120 gms butter
200ml plain flour
1 litre of milk, warmed
salt and pepper to taste

Method :
Melt the butter in a suitably- sized saucepan and add the flour to make a roux.
Slowly add the warmed milk, stirring continuously to make a smooth sauce.
Add the salt and pepper.

Assembly :
In a large oven proof dish, start with a layer of meat sauce and top with lasagne sheets.
Add another layer of meat sauce and a 1/3 of the white sauce and top once again with lasagne sheets.
Add a final layer of meat sauce and lasagne sheets, topping with the balance of the white sauce.
Sprinkle on the grated cheese and bake at 180C in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes
Once baked, allow the dished to stand for 20 to 30 mins so that the sauce may thicken.
Serve with a tossed green salad and garlic bread.

recipe beef lasagne

Tiramisu

(In Italian, literally means "pick me up")

Ingredients :
1/2 cup espresso coffee
1 Tsp Tia Maria (or Kahlua)
1 Tsp rum (or brandy)
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
250g Marscapone cheese
24 Sponge-finger biscuits
30g sweet chocolate, grated

Method :
In a small bowl, combine the coffee, Tia Maria (or Kahlua) and rum and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until well blended and thick.
Add the Marscapone cheese and blend.
Gently fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture.
Place half of the biscuits in the bottom of a 25cm square baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of the coffee mixture.
Cover with half of the cheese mixture, and repeat process.
Refrigerate tiramisu for 4 hours before serving with grated chocolate.

Note: The original recipe specifies Grappa (instead of the Tia Maria and rum) to be used in this dessert and Marscapone cheese, but as Grappa and Marscapone cheese may not be readily available in certain parts of the world, Tia Maria/rum and cream cheese (or ricotta), blended with some double cream, could be used instead.

recipe Tiramisu dessert Italian