Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua) in Italian

Pane di Pasqua

Godo navigando attraverso vari siti web di cottura alla ricerca di grandi ricette. Ultima Pasqua ho voluto cuocere un pane di Pasqua e trovato una grande ricetta che vorrei condividere. Ho provato altre ricette di pane di Pasqua, ma hanno trovato che, una volta al forno, il pane era asciutto e non molto gustoso. Questa ricetta è un custode. Il pane di Pasqua al forno, una volta è molto umido e molto gustoso. Questo è un custode nella mia famiglia.

Pasta:
1/2 tazza (120 ml) di acqua calda (45 Celsius)
1/2 tazza di latte (120 ml) (45 Celsius)
2 pacchetti, attiva a secco lievito (40 gr).
125 gr di zucchero
2 uova di grandi dimensioni, leggermente battute
20 gr di limone grattugiata
113 gr di burro senza sale, fuso e raffreddato
10 gr, sale
500 – 625 gr di farina

Farcitura:
1 tuorlo
10 gr di acqua
120 ml slivered mandorle
50 gr di zucchero
30 gr di rum

Lemone di zucchero a velo
128 gr di zucchero a velo
scorza di limone (20 gr)
succo di limone (10 gr)
1/2 cucchiaino Estratto di vaniglia
3-4 cucchiaino latte

Pasta:

In una grande ciotola (di miscelazione stand), unire l'acqua calda, latte caldo e lievito. Mescolare bene e lasciate riposare per 10 minuti.

Aggiungere lo zucchero, uova leggermente battute, scorza di limone, burro fuso (& raffreddato) e sale e sbattere con collegamento della pala fino al liscio. Aggiungere 250 gr di farina (a mescolare impostazione) e mescolare. Mescolare altre 150 gr di farina fino ad ottenere una consistenza morbida (non aggiungere tutta la farina). Quando prepararlo, ho aggiunto 375 gr e poi trasferito a bordo di lavoro e versato oltre 75 gr di farina e iniziato lavorando mio impasto finché morbida e setosa (ma non appiccicoso e non troppo duro). 625 gr di farina e troppo, ma esso era tutto dipende la farina tua usando. Impastare per circa 8-10 minuti, poi posto in una grande ciotola unta di olio e pasta girare sopra (ingrassati entrambi i lati), coprire con una pesanti asciugapiatti e lasciate riposare per 1-2 ore.

Preparare 2 infornate (o 1 teglia molto grande) e ungere un po di strutto di sotto e mettere da parte.
A bordo di lavoro, aggiungere un po' di farina e pasta di perforazione e impastare per circa 4-5 minuti. Dividere l'impasto in 4 parti. Prendere una parte e rotoli in una corda circa 92 cm lungo ". Prendere la seconda parte e tirare ancora e poi pizzicare le 2 corde nella parte superiore e fare una treccia. Formano un cerchio e un pizzico di estremità. Posto su teglia da forno unta. Continuare con l'ultimo 2 restanti parti della pasta.

Preparare il condimento: In una piccola ciotola, luogo il tuorlo e l’acqua e sbatti insieme. Spennellare il pane con il lavaggio dell'uovo. In un'altra ciotola, unire il rum, zucchero e slivered mandorle e mescolare fino a quando ben combinati. Cospargere sopra i 2 tipi di pane. Ancora una volta coprire con un canovaccio e lasciar riposare per circa 35-40 minuti.

Preriscaldare il forno a 180 Celsius gradi  e cuocere in forno per 25-30 minuti sulla seconda di cremagliera scorso fino a doratura e quando colpite, si sente un suono vuoto. Posizionare sul raffreddamento rack per raffreddare.

Preparare la glassa: In una ciotola, unire lo zucchero, scorza di limone, succo di limone e vaniglia e iniziare ad aggiungere 1 cucchiaino di latte alla volta fino a raggiungere una buona consistenza a piovigginare. Mentre il pane è ancora caldo, pioviggine sopra i pani.

Ho deciso di colore poche uova bollite per rendere il mio pane Pasqua presentabile, ma questa è un'opzione. Godere.

Easter Bread

I enjoy surfing through various baking websites looking for great recipes.  Last Easter I wanted to bake an Easter Bread and found a great recipe which I would like to share.  I have tried other Easter Bread recipes but have found that once baked, the bread was dry and not very tasty.  This recipe is a keeper.  The Easter Bread once baked, is very moist and extremely tasty.  This one is a keeper in my family.

Dough:
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup milk (110 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs., active dry yeast (4 tsp.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp., salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups of all purpose flour

Topping:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoon rum

Lemong Icing Sugar
1 cup Icing sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 teaspoon milk

Dough: 

In a large bowl (of mixing stand), combine warm water, warm milk and yeast. Stir well and let stand for 10 mins.

Add sugar, slightly beaten eggs, lemon zest, melted (&cooled) butter and salt and beat with paddle attachment until smooth.  Add 2 cups flour (at Stir setting) and mix.  Mix enough flour until you get a soft consistency (do not add all of the flour). When I prepare it, I added 3 1/2 cups and then transferred to working board and poured remaining 1/2 of flour and started kneading my dough until soft and silky (but not sticky and not too hard).  5 cups was to much but it all depends on the flour your using.  Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, then place in a large bowl greased with oil and turn dough over (greased both sides), cover with saran wrap and heavy tea towel and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.

Prepare 2 baking sheets (or 1 very large baking sheet) and grease with shortening and set aside.

On working board, add a bit of flour and punch down dough and knead for about 4 to 5 minutes.  Divide the dough into 4 parts.  Take one part and roll into a rope about 36" long.  Take the second part and roll again and then pinch the 2 ropes at the top and make a braid.  Form a circle and pinch ends.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Continue with the last 2 remaining parts of dough. 

Prepare your topping:  In a small bowl, place 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water and whisk together.  Brush your bread with the egg wash.  In another bowl, combine slivered almonds, sugar and rum and stir until well combined.  Sprinkle over your 2 breads. Cover again with a tea towel and let stand for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven at 350 Degrees F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on second to last rack until golden brown and when you tap it, you hear a hollow sound. Place on cooling rack to cool.

Prepare Icing:  In a bowl, combine icing sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and start adding 1 tsp of milk at a time until you reach a good consistency to drizzle.  While bread is still warm, drizzle over breads.

I decided to colour a few boiled eggs to make my Easter Bread presentable but this is an option.  Enjoy.

Pizza (as Appetizers)

Normally Friday nights is Pizza night at my house.  However when I have guests over I find that pizza can be a great pleasing appetizer when made very thin and cut up into small pieces.

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe
(2 thin pizzas or 1 thick pizza)

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons traditional active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspon salt
Warm water (as needed)

Pizza Sauce
Bacon or Pancetta (optional) cut up or Pepperoni
Grated Asiago Cheese (I love adding Asiago Cheese on just about any pizza I make)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Orange Pepper cut up into cubes
Salt
Black Pepper
Rosemary spice
Oregano

Directions:

In a small bowl, place 1 cup warm water and stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the yeast, cover and let stand for 10 minutes  until yeast is dissolved and throthy.

In blender mixing bowl, add flour, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and make a small well.  Add the yeast mixture, 1/4 cup olive oil and place in mixing stand with hook attachment for kneading.  At low dial, stir the mixture and add about 1/4 cup of warm water, a bit at a time until you reach the right consistency.  Not too hard and not too soft.  Knead for about 5 minutes.  Grease a big bowl with olive oil and place dough in greased bowl and turn dough upside down so that both sides are greased.   Cover with saran wrap and place tea towels on top and let rest for about 1 hour. After the dough has risen, divide into 2 for 2 thin pizzas or just make 1 large round pizza.

Preheat oven at 400F (place rack second from bottom)

If preparing the tomato pizza, spread 1/2 of the risen dough on rectangular pizza pan greased with shortening.  Dip your fingers in the olive oil to help you spread out the pizza dough.  Add the pizza sauce (I love using the pizza sauce purchased at your local grocery store).  Sprinkle the asiago, parmesan and mozzarella cheese and then place your toppings, ie., cut up bacon or pancetta, pineapple, cut up peppers, etc.  Place in oven for about 40 minutes or until crispy.  Pizza will be thin.  Cut into miniature strips for appetizers.  Note:  If you would like the wood oven style pizza, then spread the entire risen dough onto a round greased pizza pan with holes and follow the recipe in this paragraph and place in oven at temperature of 500F for about 15 minutes. 

If preparing white pizza, spread out the remaining dough on rectangular pizza pan greased with shortening.  Sprinkle salt to taste, black pepper, oregano, rosemary, grated asiago cheese, grated parmesan cheese and bake in oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until crispy.  Cut into small pieces.  The white pizza is great served with Goat Cheese and roasted red pepper or green pepper jams on top.

Blueberry Pie from Scratch

Blueberries are one of my favourite fruits.  I enjoy baking any recipe that contains blueberries in it.  I bake a lot of pies but the Pie that's a hit in my family is the Blueberry Pie.  I have tried a million of on-line recipes in preparing pie crust from scratch but I found the following to be the most flakiest.

Blueberry Pie from Scratch
9" Pie pan

Ingredients:
2 - 4 tablespoons ice water
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (however I prefer using Tenderflake Shortening)
Egg wash of 1 yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon water

Filling:
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoon of all purpose flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together one cup of flour, sugar and salt.  With a hand-held pastry blender, cut butter into flour until butter is dime-sized.  Add shortening, cut into mixture till dime-sized.  Lightly stir in remaining flour.  Sprinkle with half the water.  With a full palm, squeeze flour together against the side of bowl.  Rub hands together to drop damp flour into mixture.  Drops at a time, add just enough water to hold together; the less water the better, dry crumbs on the bottom are good.  Refrigerate while making your desired filling.

Preheat oven at 375F.

Prepare filling:  In a large bowl, mix together the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour until thoroughly well blended.  Set aside.

Prepare Crust:  Place silicone mat on counter or work on working board; sprinkle flour.  Cut dough in half, return second piece to frig. Sprinkle dough with flour.  Working in just one direction, roll dough into an oval the diameter of the pie plate plus its sides.  Slip a bench knife beneath the dough to loosen, turn 90 degrees.  Roll again to form a circle.  Brush off excess flour.  Place pie plate to left.  Palm up, place right hand below silicone mat and gently flip dough onto pie plate.  If needed, gently flip resposition and patch pastry.  Brush off excess flour.  Refrigerate.

Roll out top crust.  Fill bottom crust with your filling.  Add about 5 small thin-cut pieces of butter (here and there) on the filling.  This prevents filling to drip.  Gently flip top crust over filling, brush off excess flour.  Trim excess pastry, then turn under and press to form and seal the edge.  I use a fork to seal the pie edge.  Slice top to vent.  Brush (but not edges) with egg wash.  Bake at 375F for about 45 to 55 minutes, on middle rach depending on your oven.

NOTE:  You could use same recipe to bake an applie pie.  Apple filling:  Normally the granny smith apples are best used for  pies.  However I love baking my applie pie using the MacIntosh Apples.  Apple Filling:  6 large apples, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 4 tablespoon flour and 1 tsp of lemon juice.  Stir thoroughly and fill pie and don't forget to add a bit of butter drops here and there before placing the top crust for baking.

Italian Egg Rolls

I have a great recipe for an Appetizer that I'm sure will be a hit.  Italian filled Egg Rolls!!!

You will need:
.0388 kg of grounded pork (1 small package purchased at your local grocery store)
1 cup of roasted red peppers, cut into small pieces
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 clove of crushed garlic
Grated Asiago Cheese (1/2 cup)
Shredded Mozzarella (1 cup)
12 Egg Roll Wraps
Water to seal

Add a bit of oil in a pan, slightly heat and add your ground park.  Sautee it with the crushed garlic, salt and black pepper (to your taste) and thoroughly cook the ground park on medium heat.  About 10 minutes, stirring often.  Once cooked, drain the oil and let cool. Placed cooled pork in a bowl and add the red peppers, asiago cheese and mozzarella.  Stir thoroughly.

Take out your egg roll wraps and place a bit of the pork filling in a straight line form diagonally cross, from one corner of the wrap to the other corner. See Picture.  Brush water with finger alongside the border of the entire Wrap.  Fold the 2 opposite corners where filling is and then bring up one end of the Wrap, firmly press down and roll until Wrap is sealed.  See Picture.  Fry in oil (at medium heat) until golden brown.  These rolls are best served with plumb sauce (but I prefer the Balsamic Vinegar).

Another alternative which is a hit in preparing Italian filled Egg Rolls:
Cut Roasted Red Peppers into long strips, depending how many you are making.  12 strips for 12 rolls or 18 strips for 18 rolls, etc.  Take Egg Roll Wrap and add 1/2 tsp of pesto from one corner to the other.  Add 1 strip of the roasted red pepper, a bit of shredded prosciuto and a small slice of Swiss Cheese, then wrap and fry.  This recipe is served with Balsimic Vinegar for dipping. Note:  This recipe given to me by my cousin.

Baby Shells with Zucchini

Ever get tired thinking of what to make for dinner?  Here is a simple recipe to prepare and very tasty.  This recipe was given to me by my aunt and it's been a hit at my home.

Baby Shells with Zucchini
(Serving:  4 persons)

4 Zucchinis, washed, ends removed and cut into small cubes
1 crushed garlic clove (or 2 whatever your taste)
NOTE:  If you have home made pesto (basil & garlic), then omit the crushed garlic above and and about 2 tsp of your home made pesto
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Pecorino Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Place oil in a pan big enough to add your pasta once cooked.  Heat at medium heat, add zucchinis, garlic (or pesto), salt and ground pepper to taste and sautee until the zucchinis are cooked.  About 5 to 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Fill pan with water, add 1 tsp of salt and bring to boil.  Add pasta (baby shells) enough for 4 people (about 1/2 package) and let cook until ardente.  Drain pasta in strainer and add to your zucchini mixture.  Add grated pecorino cheese and parmesan cheese and gently stir.  Dinner is ready.  Enjoy.

Sicilian Cannoli di Ricotta

Today's recipe is Cannoli with Ricotta.  I remember as a child growing up in a Sicilian family, this pastry was a tradition on certain occasions or sometimes they were prepared just for fun. I always enjoyed polishing up the spoon with the leftover Ricotta cream.

Cannoli di Ricotta:

for 6 persons/6 persone

Per le scorze / for the Shells:
300 gr di farina / 2 cups all purpose flour
50 gr di strutto / 1/4 cup of shortening
30 gr di zucchero / 1/8 cup granulated sugar
2 cucchiai di miele / 2 tsp of honey
2 cucchiai di aceto / 2 tsp of white vinegar
Pizzico di cannella / Pinch of Cinnamon
Olio per friggere / Oil to fry

Per il ripieno / For the filling:
500 gr di Ricotta / 500 gr package of unripened Ricotta Cheese
Una tazza (250 ml) di zucchero di vielo / 1 cup Icing Sugar
Scorze di uno limone / Grated lemon peel (1 tsp)

Mescolate la farina con lo strutto, lo zucchero, un pizzico di cannella e impastate tutto con un po' d'acqua, aceto e il miele finche otterrete un composto consistente.

Blend the shortening into the flour with hands, blend in sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon and add the vinegar and honey. Add enough water until you reach a good consistency -- not too hard and not too sticky.

Col mattarello tirate dei quadrati spessi qualche millimetro e larghi circa 12 cm Arrotolateli obliquamente sulle apposite canne imburrate, pressando sui due angoli sovrapposti.  Friggete le scorze in abbondante olio finche saranno dorate.  Passatele su carta assorbente.  Fate raffreddare quindi estraete le scorze dalle canne.  farcite i cannoli con la crema di ricotta, spolverizzate con lo zucchero di velo.

With the Pasta maker (lasagna attachment) pass through first on No. 1 about 3 times, then turn dial to No. 4 and with a cookie cutter about 14' in diameter, cut out circles.  Wrap each circle around a Cannoli Steel Form (purchased at any baking shop) and with finger dip a bit of egg white on one side of the dough then wrap the other side of the form to close up and form cannoli.  Fry in an abundance of oil on medium heat (reached at 180 Celsius) and when lightly brown, place in strainer, remove the Cannoli form and place shaped Cannoli on paper towel to absorb the oil.  Let cool and fill with Ricotta Cheese.  Check out my Cannolis.  Yummy. 

Zeppole

I recently baked Zeppole, an Italian tradition pastry prepared for St. Joseph's Day.

Ingredients:

1 cup of all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup of water

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 eggs

Directions:

1.  Place water and butter in a pan and bring to a boil
2.  Add flour and salt and stir until it forms a ball
3.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
4.  Place parchment paper on baking sheet
5.  Bake at 450F for 10-15 mins and then 15 min at 325F

When finished making batter, you will need a piping bag and large star baking tip to shape the Zeppole.  Please a smidge of batter at the four corner of your baking tray and and place parchment paper.  The batter will serve as an adhesive so that parchment paper remains still.  Place batter on parchment paper and shape your Zeppole.  From this Recipe, you will make either 12 large Zeppole or 15 small Zeppole.  You can also make them just round with no custard in the middle. See image.  When baking, bake at 450F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325F for another 15 mins.  Turn OFF oven and leave oven door open and let stand in oven for another 20 mins to dry the inside of the pastry.  I will soon post the Recipes for the Fillings. P.S. You could also use the Zeppole Recipe to make Cream Puffs. Enjoy!