In Italy we have the habit of eating fish when we are by the seaside and meat when we are inland. I know that nowadays thanks to fast modern transportation we can have fresh fish, even sushi grade anywhere, but in Italy we are traditional people so I still eat the best fish when I am by the seaside. Scampi are one of the delicacies of my area in Forte dei Marmi. They are delicious simply grilled, or in a risotto,  with pasta… Here I present them with Tagliatelle.

1 pound Tagliatelle

2 garlic cloves chopped

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

16 raw scampi with the shell

1/2 cup white wine or 1/3 cup cognac

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 small tomatoes finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan pour olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes.  Add shrimp then the white wine, let it evaporate then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for 5 -6 minutes. Add parsley. When pasta is 3 minutes from being ready, remove it from water with pasta fork and add it to the pan with the sauce, making sure you are transferring some of its cooking water with you (or if you have it you can add fish stock.) Let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce, add a little more cooking water if it gets too dry. In Italy we NEVER add cheese to seafood pasta . Serve immediately!

Cook with your heart! Rima

Many of you are fans of our 5 Minute Focaccia Mix.  For a flavorful twist, put these Caramelized Onions on top of the focaccia before you bake it.

Saute’ 1/2 onion – chopped fine, 1 clove garlic – minced and 2-3 short sprigs of fresh rosemary in 2 Tbs of olive oil for just a few minutes.  Place on top of the focaccia dough after you have spread it into the baking sheet.  Let rise per directions and bake.

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

To make Panzerotti, also called Sgabei, we use pizza dough.

Panzerotti are a typical dish of Toscana and Liguria. To be exact, the recipe originates from the Lunigiana area. This is what the peasant’s wifes used to make with the left over pizza or bread dough. Nowadays Panzerotti are served in Trattorie, not in fancy restaurants. I asked my friend and wonderful chef Elena to share with us her recipe.

To make pizza dough you will need:

3 cups of flour plus extra for working surface (because this recipe was made in Italy we used “00” flour)

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 teasoon sea salt

15 gr beer yeast (the kind you find in the fridge-aka brewer’s yeast)

Vegetable frying oil

Place yeast in a cup of water to melt. In a medium bowl mix flour, oil, water (with yeast) and salt. Mix with your hands. When all ingredients are combined, cover with a wet kitchen cloth and let it rest for one hour at room temperature.

Place a little flour on your work surface, cut dough in 3 parts. Work one piece at the time, make a disk 1/3 inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut dough in 2 inches long by 3 inches wide.  Repeat with the other two pieces of dough.

Preheat frying oil, when the oil is ready, fry pieces of dough. Before you put in a piece, stretch it with your fingers, this will help it will fluff up.

Panzerotti are delicious eaten by themselves, but they can also be eaten with cheese or salame. You can also have them sweet, with nutella, or honey and cinnamon…

watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kTULXiyb8

With Pizza dough you usually make:

Pizza comes in different sizes, but in Italy it comes also in different shapes! If you ever go to La Cantina in the mountains behind Forte dei Marmi, localita` Strettoia, you will taste the most delicious and delicate pizza ever! It’s called “pizza al metro” because it is as long as a meter (a little more than 3 feet). It is thin, crunchy on the edges but soft in the middle.

Cook with your heart. Rima

We have been asked by the producers of the show Sacramento and Co. ABC  channel 10 to demonstrate on TV a typical family dinner. Now that school is back, parents are preoccupied planning meals that are easy to make, nutritious for the kids and easy to clean up! It did not take me long to decide what to make. I was going to make exactly what I made for my family that same night.  Tomato, Avocado and Red Onion Salad, a staple in our house during this season, Spinach Frittata, cooked fresh spinach is a very good kid friendly food, and chicken Drumsticks.

This Drumstick recipe is an adaptation of Susie Zumout’s fantastic, world famous “Drummets” recipe.  If you want the original recipe, and I really suggest you check it out, go on her blog  www.justforlicks.com.  

Chicken Drumsticks

2 pounds chicken drumsticks

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a flat pan with aluminum foil. Place chicken in a single layer in pan. Sprinkle half the garlic salt and lemon pepper on one side of chicken. Bake for 25 minutes. Flip drumsticks and sprinkle the other side with the remaining seasoning and bake for another 20 minutes. Chicken taste better if crispy. Enjoy!

Spinach Frittata

Page 55 of “Cooking Dinner” Simple Family Recipes Everyone Can Make 

Tomato, Avocado and Red Onion Salad

2 large ripe tomatoes sliced 1/3 inch wide

1 large avocado, sliced

1/2 small red onion, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices

1-1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl pour vinegar, salt and pepper, olive oil and mix. Half an hour before serving the salad, place in a large plate the tomatoes, avocado, and the onions. Sprinkle dressing on vegetables and let it sit at room temperature. Buon appetito!

Cook with your heart! Rima

I am back in California and still struggling with jet lag and culture shock. That happens every time I go back home and stay longer than a week! The good thing is that I always get over it. As promised, during my trip I badgered many of my friends and asked them for a recipe, any recipe they wanted, just one of their family recipe. I would like to say Grazie to them for sharing so generously their cherished family secrets. Many of these are recipes that have been passed on for generations.

Today we will make Pappa al Pomodoro with Burrata.

Pappa al Pomodoro is one of the many Italian poor man’s soups. In the old days it was made with left over bread so not to waste anything.  It’s a simple fresh tomato and old bread soup. It can be served warm or room temperature, this version will be served warm.

Burrata is a delicious kind of mozzarella cheese. The center is soft and buttery and the outside shell is solid. The name Burrata comes from the word “Burro” (Butter in Italian, not to be mixed up with the word “Burro” in Spanish which means donkey. I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago in a restaurant in Spain when I asked to have some Burro with my bread!!)

You will need:

1/4 cup oil – 2 garlic cloves chopped – 1 pd fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped – 6 leaves of basil – salt pepper – 2 1/2 cups hot broth (bouillon will do) – 3 slices of hard artesian bread torn in small pieces – 1/2 Burrata.

In a medium size pan put oil and garlic and sauté. As soon as the garlic starts changing color add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes.

Add hot broth and bread and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off fire and stir, keep stirring every once in a while until bread is all broken up. At this point the dish is ready, but we are making a variation of the original recipe so keep reading.

Preheat oven to 350. Divide the soup in 4 ramekins, place 3 small pieces of Burrata in the middle of every dish and bake for 3 or 4 minutes or until mozzarella starts melting. Sprinkle a little extra virgin olive and enjoy!

Cook with your heart!  Rima.

I promised Jackie, owner of Taste of Heaven on School St. in Downtown Lodi that I would post this recipe.  Use leftover 5-minute Chocolate Focaccia for a scrumptious Chocolate Bread Pudding dessert.

Place 3 cups cubed chocolate focaccia in the bottom of a buttered 9 x 9-inch baking pan.  Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips with 2 cups milk. Beat together with  2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 Tbs cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Pour over chocolate focaccia cubes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.  Bake 40  mins at 325° or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm with Powdered Sugar, Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

The possibilities are endless for our 5 Minute Focaccia Mix.  Make this Cherry Focaccia and enjoy any time of the day.
Use the original flavor and mix as directed. Let rise at room temperature. When doubled in size, spread dough into a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with 2 Tbs melted butter. Flip dough to coat both sides with butter. (omit olive oil.)  Top with 24 pitted fresh cherries then sprinkle with 2 tsp sugar.  Bake in a preheated 435*F. oven for 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes and serve.

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Rima’s good friends all know that one reason she remains in Stockton is because she loves the fresh, local cherries! Here is a great cobbler for all you cherry lovers.

Fresh Cherry Cobbler

Preheat oven to 350*. Place 2 cups pitted cherries in a saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, pour 1/2 cup melted butter into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp cream of tartar. Stir in 1 cup milk and pour batter evenly over melted butter.  Add cherries to form another layer.  Bake  45-55 minutes or until cooked. Garnish with powdered sugar. Serve warm with Ice Cream

Cook, Eat, Laugh..Claudia

June 11 to July 11 2010 is the most wonderful period of time, a time that happens once every four years. It’s a very big deal for billions of people from all over the world! At this time all differences are set aside, race, gender, social status… nothing matters when our country is playing!  It’s FIFA, “real” football, soccer, call it whatever you want, it’s 2010 World Cup time!

In every corner of the globe, people gather and watch the games as a group. It’s more fun to scream from joy or frustration and jump around when we are surrounded by friends. And when people gather, they need something to munch on, no matter what time a day it is even if the games (at least in the US of A) are earlier in the day. Since we want to spend the least time possible preparing food and most of the time watching the games,  so here are some fast, healthy snack ideas for “World Cup Parties.” Homemade Labne with pita  – Vegetable Pinzimonio  – Homemade – Guacamole “my way”  

Homemade Labne with pita Labne is simply strained whole milk yogurt! Buy a 32 oz of the best quality whole milk yogurt or Greek style yogurt you can find. Line a colander with a stack of 4 paper towels and pour the yogurt in the colander. Place the colander in a large bowl and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 hours. The water will separate from the yogurt. Discard water, place drained yogurt in the bowl, add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and with a spoon mix well (taste if more salt is needed). Now you have made Labne! Spread the Labne on a flat plate. Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil on the Labne and enjoy either with fresh pita or pita chips.

ps: to eat Labne the original Middle Eastern way, sprinkle on it a little of dried mint before drizzling the oil!

Vegetable Pinzimonio Pinzimonio is a typical Italian appetizer that is not on many people’s radar! It’s the easiest, healthies most delicious way to eat raw vegetables. Chose your favorite mix of vegetable, from bell peppers, to radishes, carrots, fennels, fresh onions, celery, broccoli, coliflour, whatever you like. Wash the vegetables, dry them and cut them in two/three bite sizes. Place the veggies in a large serving bowl. In a small bowl mix ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Mix well with a fork. Pick your vegetable, dip it in the oil mixture and enjoy!

Guacamole “my way” There are many different ways of making Guacamole, and everybody has their favorite way, but being a lover of genuine flavors I make the guacamole by simply crushing with a fork the avocado meat and adding sea salt to it! All you will taste is the real, fresh, simple flavor of the fruit enhanced by a little salt. Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips.

Happy WORLD CUP to everybody…    and as we say in Italian VINCA IL MIGLIORE (I think in English it would be: May the best one win!)

Rima –  A Tavola Together

Father’s day is around the corner and nothing makes our daddies happier that knowing that their families are cooking up something delicious for them. Daddies are known for not having the sweetest tooth, so here I suggest a delicious, not to sweet cake that every dad will love! I had to ask my mom for this recipe because this was my wonderful, beloved father’s favorite cake. As I write these words I wish that every one of you that still has a father enjoys him as much as possible. Here is to all the wonderful fathers of the world.

Torta di ricotta con gocce di cioccolata/Cake of ricotta with chocolate chip

1 stick butter

1 ½ cup sugar

3 eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla

16 oz Ricotta cheese

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup chocolate chip

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour your dad’s favorite 10 cup bundt cake pan. Melt butter and place in a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat with electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at the time, then the vanilla and beat well. Add ricotta cheese and keep mixing.  Add flour and baking powder, mix until ingredients are blended together. Add chocolate chips and mix gently. Place the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Tanti auguri a tutti i papa`!

Rima – A Tavola Together