The Food and Wine Quick From Scratch Italian Cookbook has amazing images. That is always the first thing that I look for. It was kind of disappointing to me that my own cookbook was to be without images (not my choice). The images in the Food and Wine cook book are big and close up. You get a good idea of what the dish should look like which is nice. Each recipe is on one page with a full size image on the facing page.

The recipes are imaginative. For example the Fennel and Red Onion Salad with Parmesan looks amazing. The steps are clearly and easily laid out, there are no real surprises or difficult techniques. The book will allow even the most inexperienced cook to make classic as well as classically inspired Italian dishes.

Most of the recipes will go together easily in 30 minutes or less and the emphasis is on fresh ingredients.

The one thing I did not like in the book was the dessert section. Each dessert is based on an ice cream or custard of some sort. Italian desserts are amazing and flavorful and I was disappointed in the desserts they chose.

I mean, that IS the most important part of the meal, right?

If you are looking for a cookbook to help you learn classic Italian cooking techniques this is not it. However, if you are looking for a cookbook that allows you to serve something besides Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on weeknights this may be exactly what you are looking for.

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

If you are looking for a fabulous main course, Italian dish that is easy to make, and freezes great try this Torta Rustica. There are so many ways to make it that the recipe is almost needless.

Add whatever cheese-vegetable-meat combo you want,( this one was vegetarian) and bake in your pizza crust until done. Serve warm, room temp, or cold. Store it well covered for up to two days in the fridge, or seal and freeze.

I love this with black olive bread, a leafy, mixed greens salad, some black olives, and if you want, maybe add this toffee, dark chocolate bundt cake for dessert.

Torta Rustica

One recipe for pizza dough
¼ cup olive oil, mixed use..you may not need this much
1 Onion, chopped
8 Ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 Large tomatoes, sliced, or 2 c marinara sauce

1/2 tsp salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb fresh, cleaned, spinach
1 lb eggplant
1 lb thinly sliced proscuitto, or ham, or cooked Italian sausage if desired
1 lb red peppers
1/2 lb sliced provolone cheese

1/2 lb mozzerella, sliced

Cut eggplant lengthwise in ¼ inch slices. Soak in salt water for 20 minutes.Pat the slices dry with paper towel, line baking sheets with parchment paper, brush eggplants slices with olive oil and bake in a 425F preheated oven for 10 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool.

Saute the onion, peppers and garlic in 3 tbs olive oil until tender.
Reduce the heat to medium add mushrooms, basil, oregano, and salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and mushrooms are limp .

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll out ¾ of the dough to a 16inch circle, approximately ½ inch thick. Place the dough in to a 9 x 3 spring form pan allowing a 1 inch overhang all around the pan. Layer each ingredient in the pan as desired, or dump them all in at once. Spinach does not need to be cooked prior to putting in Torta. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle to fit the top of the Torta Rustica. Lay it over the top and fold up the overhanging dough, crimping them together to seal the edges. Make 4 small slits in the top to let steam escape and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Place the Torta Rustica in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Let cool to room temp before cutting and serving, serves 12.

Image: (c) Marye Audet Apron Strings and Simmering Things

Content (c) Marye Audet Baking Delights

Post from: Baking Delights

1 envelope (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups warm water (100° to 110°F)
2 1/2 cups (about) all-purpose unbleached flour
2 cup whole whole wheat flour
1/2 c gluten
1 Tbs coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups flavorful black olives, such as Gaeta, pitted and coarsely chopped

Mix water, yeast, 2 c flour, pepper, and olives together and allow to stand up to 4 hours, longer will develop flavor.Mix in salt, oil, and remaining flour and gluten until an elastic dough is formed. Knead 15 minutes by hand or as directed on your mixer.FOrm into ball, oil, and let rise until doubled- about 1 1/2 hours.Punch down, form into oval or cloche and slash top.Let rise until doubled 30-45 minutes…for a golden glossy crust brust with beaten egg before baking.
Here the dough is almost ready to bake…

bake at 400 for 45 minutes or until loaf sound hollow when tapped.

Post from: Baking Delights