INFORMATION

Phyllo strudel with honey

2 people
360 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Vegetarian recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
1 yellow apple
20 g butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 sheets of phyllo dough
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon liquid honey
1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts

PREPARATION
Wash the apple, remove core and cut into small pieces.
Put the butter in a saucepan, combine the apples, sprinkle with sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Place the sheets of phyllo dough on a sheet of baking paper, spread the filling area is shared between the two sheets. Combine the pine nuts and close a package.
Brush the surface with honey. If it is not fluid enough to put the jar in a water bath for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake at 180 ° C for 15 minutes.

This article courtesy of Ricette primi piatti “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Hazelnut Donut

8 people
415 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 1 hour
Vegetarian recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
100 g butter
200 g of shelled and toasted hazelnuts
200 g flour
1 package yeast
2 eggs
100 g sugar
50 ml milk
Butter and flour for the mold

PREPARATION
Cut the butter into cubes and melt in double boiler.
Finely chop the hazelnuts in a food processor.
Sift the flour into a large bowl with the yeast and mix. Make a hole in the center and break the eggs, then add sugar, nuts, butter and milk. Start stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly mix until the ingredients form a batter that smooth and soft.
Grease a pan 22 cm in diameter, with or without a hole in the center, or a loaf pan, sprinkle with a thin layer of flour and shake it to blow away the excess.
Put  into the batter and bake for 30 minutes at 180 ° C by placing the cake in the middle to bottom of the oven.
Remove the cake, let cool and remove.

This article courtesy of ricette dolci “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Skewers of mushrooms and tomatoes

2 people
70 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 20 minutes
Vegetarian and vegan recipe
Light recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
10 small tomatoes of Pachino
12 small mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

PREPARATION
Wash the tomatoes and mushrooms, after removal of the earthy part of stem with sprouts.
Skewer with toothpicks to skewer alternating tomatoes and mushrooms.
Heat the cast iron plate on the stove, grease it with a little oil and wipe dry with paper towels.
Cook for about 5 minutes turning first one side then the other.
When cooked, place on a serving platter, drizzle with a little oil and a pinch of salt.

PERFECT COMBINATION OF COURSES
Main courses of meat and fish.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Pasta with pepper cream

2 people
450 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Vegetarian recipe
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 small yellow pepper
1 small red bell pepper
250 ml vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion
Salt
Pepper
2 basil leaves
160 g pasta
Ricotta salata

PREPARATION
Wash the peppers, remove cores, seeds and white ribs and reduce them into cubes.
Heat the vegetable broth.
Place two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and finely chop the onion. Brown it over medium heat, then add the peppers. Put a pinch of salt, pepper and grated half a ladle of hot broth.
Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally. After the cooking time uncover and cook another 5 minutes. Combine a little vegetable broth if the sauce dries too.
Once cooked set aside two tablespoons of the rest of pepper and mix together with a spoonful of broth and two basil leaves washed and chopped.
Put the cream in a bowl.
Cook the pasta in salted water, drain and season without too much shake in the bowl, stirring thoroughly. Serve garnished with peppers and chips required by salted.

PASTA PERFECT COMBINATION
Fusilli, curls trofie, celentani, homemade.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Roulade of turkey with peppers

2 people
420 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
6 slices of turkey
1 red bell pepper
50 g of mozzarella
50 g cooked ham cubes
Oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup dry white wine
Salt
Pepper
4-5 basil leaves

PREPARATION
Flatten the slices of turkey with a meat mallet protecting them with a sheet of baking paper not to break them.
Wash the peppers, remove the stem and the white parts and cut into squares of two inches square.
Reducing the mozzarella into small cubes and mix it with ham.
Put the center of each slice of turkey ham and a tablespoon of mozzarella, a pinch of oregano and close the meat very well, thoroughly sealing the filling. Stop each roll with kitchen string or toothpicks.
In a large pan heat the oil with the peeled garlic.
Far brown garlic, then add the rolls. Brown well on all sides and add the peppers. Blanch them briefly and add the white wine, a pinch of salt, pepper and grated basil leaves washed and chopped.
Allow to resume the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
After the time indicated uncover, to dry the gravy over high heat and serve.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

Bucatini sauce swordfish

INFORMATION
2 people
490 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 slice of swordfish of about 100 g
4 green olives
4 black olives
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil and anchovies
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
150 g canned tomatoes with tomato juice stored
Salt
Oregano
160 g bucatini
Pepper

PREPARATION
Rinse the swordfish steak under running water, remove the skin and, if present, the bone. Cut into small cubes of 1 cm side.
Stone the olives and chop coarsely.
Drain the anchovies from the oil and dry with paper towel to remove excess liquid.
In a large pan put oil, garlic cloves peeled and anchovies. Light the fire and fry over high heat until the garlic will not brown.
Add the swordfish, mix and let it brown evenly.
Add the olives and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, then add the tomatoes with their juice storage, a large pinch of salt, a handful of oregano, mix the ingredients well, let it boil again, cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.
Cook the pasta in salted water, drain, and toss the sauce in the pan for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve immediately with a generous grinding of pepper.

This article courtesy of Ricette primi piatti “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

Panzanella crisp

INFORMATION
2 people
490 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 30 minutes
Vegetarian recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 red onion (60 g approximately)
100 grams of bread (Altamura, Apulia, Tuscany)
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Oregano
400 g tomatoes type Pachino
4-5 basil leaves
100 grams of mozzarella cherry

PREPARATION
Slice the onion thin, cut it further if it had to be very large and soak in a bowl with cold water for 4-5 minutes changing the water a couple of times and stirring occasionally.
Cut the bread into thick slices, rub with the garlic and reduce them into cubes of 1-2 cm from the side.
In a bowl, emulsify the oil, vinegar, water, a pinch of salt, a grating of pepper, a handful of oregano. Set aside two tablespoons of dressing and emulsion for use the remainder as evenly as possible to soak the bread cubes.
To place it on a sheet of parchment paper and toast them under the grill until they are golden brown. Collect and set aside.
Wash the tomatoes and halve them. Add salt and mix well.
Wash and chop the basil leaves, keep aside a few for garnish.
In a large bowl mix the tomatoes with the onion squeezed, the mozzarella, basil, sliced garlic, a pinch of salt and the emulsion of oil kept aside.
Merge the top of the bread, stir briefly, place on a plate and serve immediately.
Olive oil for those who want it.

NOTES
Variant “crunchy” in the typical Tuscan dish, which provides for bread soaked in water, oil and vinegar and use of cucumbers.
VEGAN VERSION
Replace the mozzarella with diced bean curd.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

After working in the catering industry, I have discovered that I have to be prepared to modify menus to fit my clients’ requests, palates and budgets.  It sounds challenging but this is the most creative aspect of my job! At Cassandra Fine Catering, requests for Italian style menus are very popular, especially for the clients that appreciate menus that are not consisted of typical Italian foods such as pasta topped with marinara sauce. It possible to have an Italian menu without any pasta or marinara sauce, and so much more healthy! Being open to suggestions and new flavor combinations will help foodies achieve this culinary goal.  I feel that incorporating appropriate wine pairings makes this journey so much more exciting. Here is one of my absolute favorite Italian menus created by Chef Juan Garrido with amazing wine pairings:

Canape: Cbicken Liver Bruschetta with Caper Gremolata

Suggested Wine: Cartizze DOC di Valdobbiadene

First Course: Baby Arugula & Organic Mache Salad with Fennel Pollen Braised Artichokes with Finochionna Salumi, Marcona Almonds & Truffle Vinaigrette

Suggested Wine: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Entree: Pan Roasted Wild Halibut with Crispy Pork Belly, Potato Gnocchi, Spring Peas & Blood Orange Citronette

Suggested Wine: La Ponderina Brunello Poggio Banale

Dessert: Espresso Panna Cotta with Pistachio Biscotti & Honey Lavender Creme Fraiche

Suggested Wine: Ceretto Moscato D’asti Vignailio Di Santo Stefano

The art of creating custom menus is really listening to your client and what they love or hate when they sit down to eat. My first question is to ask, “What are your thoughts on the menu?” and go from there. If they mention that they may love Sage but really don’t like Basil, I would suggest using an alternative herb such as Rosemary or Thyme. However, it is important to guide them on what flavors really “sing” together and what foods will be a disaster for their guests when impressing them is important. Sophisticated palates can be developed with a little bit of guidance and education – the key is to keep trying new foods!

Guest author, Kimberly Jameson, is a passionate menu creator for Cassandra Fine Catering in Dallas, Texas.

Cartizze DOC di Valdobbiadene - the perfect start to a wonderful Italian meal

Glazed summer salad fruit

INFORMATION
* 4 people
* 80 calories per serving
* Difficulty easy
* Ready in 20 minutes
* Vegetarian and vegan recipe
* Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
* 4 ripe peaches
*100 g strawberries
* 100 grams of blueberries
* 100 g currants
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

PREPARATION

Wash the peaches, cut in half, then again in half and remove the pulp from the core.
Cut the flesh into cloves not too thin.
Wash the berries and clean by removing twigs and leaves.
Place in a baking dish peaches, berries and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the oven very hot grill to melt the sugar that will caramelize slightly.
Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
Moments before serving, decorate with sugar in kernels.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

Pie bida

INFORMATION
* 2 people
* 400 calories per serving
* Difficulty easy
* Ready in 45 minutes
* Vegetarian recipe
* Light recipe
* Can be prepared in advance
* You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
* 1 kg of beet
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 6 shallots
* 200 ml vegetable broth
* Salt
* 4 eggs
* 40 g Parmesan cheese
* Nutmeg
* Pepper
* Butter and bread crumbs for the mold

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 200 ° C.
Separate the coasts of chard and rinse thoroughly. Remove the stems from the leaves and discard those that are too tough.
Steam for 20 minutes, or boil in salted water for 15 minutes.
Withdrawal, and if  it are boiling, place them in a colander and crush with a spoon to make her lose the excess water. Chop coarsely with the crescent on a cutting board.
Put the oil in a skillet, the shallots peeled and cut into cloves and brown at high heat. Combine then a ladle of broth and cook for 10 minutes over a gentle heat. Then cooked with salt.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork. Combine Parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg and a pepper. Combine the beets, scallions and mix.
Grease a 20×30 cm mold, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, blow away the excess, then put the mixture.
Sprinkle the surface even with the bread crumbs, some butter and bake at 200 ° C for 40 minutes.
Serve warm or cold.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .