Recipes By Cuisine - Italian
- Spiedini of Mozzarella and Two Tomatoes with Basil Oil
- Strawberries with Zabaione (Fragole allo Zabaione)
- Tian of Parmigiano and Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Compote, Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and Roasted Eggplant with Pesto
- Zuppa di Tuscany
- Tuscan Mussel Soup with White Beans (Guazzetto di Cozze e Cannellini)
- Herb Caprice Sandwich
- Broccoli Rabe Aglio Olio
- Bittersweet Cannoli
- Bread Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
- Roasted Garlic and Sweet Pepper Bruschetta
- Sauteed Lamb Chops Glazed in Balsamic Vinegar (Agnello all'Aceto Balsamico)
- Italian Melt
Ingredients
- 2 3/4-pound balls fresh mozzarella
- 1 large yellow tomato
- 1 large vine-ripe red tomato
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 basil leaves, julienned
- salt and pepper
- 4 8-inch wooden skewers
Directions
- Cut mozzarella balls and tomatoes in half. Set each half on flat side, square off ends, and cut into two 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- On each skewer, arrange two slices of mozzarella, a slice of red tomato and a slice of yellow tomato, alternating cheese and tomato.
To Serve:
- Set on a plate and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sprinkle julienned basil over the dish and serve.
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- 4 teaspoons butter
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons Vin Santo, or substitute Marsala
Zabaione
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons Vin Santo, or substitute Marsala
- 4 tablespoons sugar
Directions
Strawberries
- Saute strawberry slices in butter with sugar. Glaze with Vin Santo and place in a martini glass.
Zabaione
- Place all ingredients in a double boiler over moderate heat. Whisk until frothy and shiny. Make sure heat is not so high that it scrambles the yolks.
To Serve
- Pour zabaione over strawberries and serve immediately.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon diced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced thyme
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 yellow tomato
- 1 red tomato
- 1 zucchini
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- salt and cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons tapenade (pureed black olives; for garnish)
- 2 cups mixed greens (for garnish)
Eggplant and Mozzarella:
- 4 1/4-inch-thick slices eggplant
- 4 3/4-inch-thick slices fresh mozzarella
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- salt and pepper
Yellow Tomato Compote:
- 2 cups yellow tomatoes, including reserved scraps
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and white pepper
Red Tomato Compote:
- 2 cups red tomatoes, including reserved scraps
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and white pepper
Sherry Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pesto Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons garlic puree in oil
- 5 cups basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Eggplant and Mozzarella:
Yellow Tomato Compote:
Red Tomato Compote:
Sherry Vinaigrette:
Pesto Sauce:
Directions
- In a bowl, mix garlic, shallots, thyme, vinegar and oil with seasonings.
- Roast and peel bell peppers.
- Cut them with a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter and grill on an Oster® Indoor Grill.
- Cut the hearts of tomatoes in the same round and place in garlic mixture. (Reserve tomato scraps for tomato compotes; recipes follow.)
- Cut zucchini in the same fashion and grill over mesquite until tender.
- Place grilled vegetables in marinade with tomato. Reserve.
- Drop grated Parmesan by tablespoons onto a hot nonstick skillet.
- When melted and beginning to brown, remove carefully and cool.
- Makes 12 cheese crisps. Reserve.
Eggplant and Mozzarella:
- Salt and drain eggplant.
- Grill eggplant slices.
- Roll slices of mozzarella in herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Wrap cheese in layer of sliced grilled eggplant. Reserved, chilled, until needed.
Red and Yellow Tomato Compote:
- In an Oster® Blender, puree pulp of each type of tomato separately.
- Separately, season and cook each, reducing volume by half over low flame.
- Finish with vinegar and oil.
- Pass through a chinois.
Sherry Vinaigrette:
- Whisk together liquid ingredients. Reserve.
Pesto Sauce:
- In an Oster® Blender, puree garlic with basil, toasted pine nuts and cheese at slow speed.
- Add olive oil in a steady stream and emulsify until smooth.
- Finish with lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve at room temperature.
To Serve:
- Paint plates with compotes, pesto and tapenade.
- Toss greens in some of the sherry vinaigrette.
- Layer vegetables with cheese crisps moments before serving.
- Cheese crisps must remain crispy.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 stalk fennel, cut in 1/4-inch slices
- 2 carrots, cut in 1/4-inch slices
- 2 small Italian eggplants, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup canned whole tomatoes, chopped
- 30 ounces canned cannellini, navy or great northern beans
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/2 cup escarole, chopped
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Garlic toast and fennel tops, for garnish
- 1 roasted pepper, cut into strips
Directions
- Open broth, tomato and bean cans with Oster® Can Opener.
- In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the oil, onion, fennel, carrots, eggplants and garlic and saute for five minutes.
- Add the broth, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the parsley and escarole. Simmer for 5 more minutes and pepper to taste.
- Pour soup into bowls and garnish with 1 piece garlic toast, fennel top, shaved Parmesan cheese and a twist of red pepper.
Ingredients
- 4 1-inch cubes peasant bread
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt
Mussel Soup:
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 48 mussels, washed
- 1-1/2 cups dry white wine
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup cannellini beans boiled (reserve 1/2 cup of liquid)
- 4 tomatoes, blanched, seeded and diced
- 4 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley
- salt and white pepper
Directions
- Toast bread cubes lightly in an Oster® Toaster Oven until golden brown.
- Rub toasted croutons with garlic clove.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Set aside.
Mussel Soup:
- In a saucepan, gently saute minced garlic and bay leaves in oil and butter; do not brown.
- Add mussels, white wine and red pepper flakes.
- Cover, and steam open mussels.
- Off heat, remove mussels from pan and extract them from their shells. Set aside.
- Add the reserved cannellini bean liquid to pan.
- Add beans, diced tomato and chopped parsley.
- Add salt and white pepper to taste.
To Serve:
- Heat soup bowls.
- Place one crouton in each.
- Add cleaned mussels to soup, ladle over croutons and serve immediately.
Ingredients
- 4 focaccia bread, cut into large squares
- 4 beefsteak tomatoes, 2 yellow and 2 red
- 16 ounces fresh "buffalo" mozzarella
- 20 leaves fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Black olives (optional)
Directions
- Warm or lightly toast focaccia bread in Oster® Toaster Oven.
- Place one focaccia bread on each serving plate.
- Slice the tomatoes to about 1/4 inch thickness and arrange on top of bread alternating red and yellow tomatoes.
- Slice the mozzarella about the same width and layer it between the tomatoes.
- Place basil, rosemary and olive oil in blender or food processor. Process until well blended. Drizzle over plates.
- Garnish with olives, fresh basil and rosemary.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- In an Oster® Food Steamer, steam broccoli rabe until it just turns tender and set aside. In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Let garlic cook until it begins to brown. Add white wine and bring to a rapid simmer. Let mixture simmer until it reduces in volume by half; salt and pepper to taste. Add broccoli rabe and simmer about 3 minutes. Serve warm.
Ingredients
- 1 package cannoli shells or Italian almond cookies
- 1 cup lowfat ricotta
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp superfine sugar
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate
Directions
- Combine ricotta, orange juice, zest and sugar. Leave 1/3 of chocolate aside. Chop the 2/3 of chocolate and add to ricotta mixture. Pour filling into shells until just full and grate remaining chocoate over tops and ends of cannoli.
If using the almond cookies, top each one with one small spoonful of mixture and top with grated chocolate.
Notes: Use an Oster® Hand Mixer to make the delicious filling of lowfat ricotta, orange and chocolate for this Italian classic. Fill ready-made cannoli shells or top almond cookies and experience la dolce vita.