Arancini (Sicilian Stuffed Rice Balls)

I remember my last visit to Sicily.  I enjoyed the food and the people in this beautiful Island.  I never tasted Arancini (Riced Stuffed Balls) that were as delicious as the ones I ate in Sicily.  I have searched through the Internet to find the best recipe for Arancini that were as close as to the Arancini I enjoyed in Sicily.  I came across a recipe in Lidia's Italy and thought I'd try it out.  I made and served the Arancini and they were an instant hit.  Thought I'd share this recipe with you as the recipe is every easy to follow.

Ingredients:  Makes about 15 to 20 Arancini, depending on size.

For the Ragu 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
salt
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots, grated
14 ounce can Italian plum tomotoes, crushed
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 tsp hot red pepper, crushed
1 cup fresh peas or frozen peas.

Note:  You may prepare the Ragu up to 3 days in advance.
Also cut up approximately 15 small cubes of mozzarella. This you will need to add to the ragu when forming the Rice Balls.

For the Rice
5 cups chicken stock, canned reduced sodium chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups arborio rice, or other short grain rice
4 large eggs
2 cups Pecorino Romano, grated

To Coat and Fry the Rice Balls
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs.  I purchased the "Italian Seasoned" Breadcrumbs.
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for frying

Directions

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Crumble in the meat and add the onions.  Cook, stirring often, until the water given off by the meat is evaporated and the meat and onion begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

2.  Season the beef and onion lightly with the salt.  Stir in the carrots and celery and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper, and salt to taste.  Adjust the heat to simmering and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.  If the sauce starts sticking to the pan at any time during cooking, stir in a few tablespoons of water.  Stir in the peas and cook until they are tender, about 10 minutes for frozen peas and 20 minutes for fresh peas. The finished ragu should be dense and reduced. Remove and cool to room temperature.

3.  While the ragu is cooling, make the rice.  Bring the stock or water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan.  Stir in the rice, return the water to boil, then adjust the heat to simmering.  Cook the rice uncovered, until al dente, about 12 minutes.  Drain the rice and spread out on a tray to cool at room temperature.  When the rice is cool, scrape it into a mixing bowl and beat in the 4 eggs and the grated cheese.

4.  Take a handful of the cooled rice mixture and shape it into a small ball in the palm of your hand.  Make a wall in the centre of the ball and drop in 1 tablespoon of the ragu. NOTE:  I add a small cube of mozzarella as well.  Work the rice so that it completely encloses the ragu and mozzarella and re-form the rice into a smooth ball.  Continue forming arancine with the remaining rice, ragu and mozzarella.

5.  Whisk the 2 large eggs in a  mixing bowl.  Spread the flour on one plate and the bread crumbs on another, in an even layer.

6.  Dredge a few of the rice balls in the flour to coat all sides. Tap off excess flour. Roll the rice balls in the beaten egg to coat, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl.  Finally, roll the rice balls in the bread crums, pressing slightly to coat evenly with the crumbs.  Remove to a clean baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining rice balls.

7.  Heat the 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil and 1/3 cup olive oil into a deep skillet.  Insert  deep-frying thermometre into the oil and heat the oil over medium heat to 375 degrees F.  Test the temperature of the oil by dipping the rice ball in.  It should give off a lively but steady sizzle.  If nothing happens, the oil isn't hot enough.  If the oil around the bread-crumb coating boils and sputters, the oil is too hot.  Adjust accordingly.

8.  When the oil comes to temperature, carefully slip about a third of the rice balls into the oil.  Fry, turning as necessary with tongs or a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove to the paper towel-lined baking sheet, keeping them hot in the pre-heated 200 degrees F oven if you like.  Fry the remaining balls.  The arancine can be served hot or at room temperature.  Buona Appetito.

Sicilian Cassadedde

Growing up as a child I remember my mom together with my nonna and aunts making the traditional Sicilian Cassadedde.  This pastry is well known in the community of a small Town called Vita in Sicily, Province of Trapani.  It's an Italian turnover filled with ricotta cheese.  It was fun making these pastries as a child.  Sometimes for fun we would fill them with just dough and the joke was on the person who grabbed that one.  Little things like this brought family together.  Here is the recipe for those who would like to make them. 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup shortening

1/8 of espresso

1 large egg slightly beaten

1/2 tsp., vanilla extract

1/2 tbsp., cocoa powder

Mix with white wine.

Vegetable Oil for frying

3 cups Ricotta cheese (drained)

1 lemon (grated finely)

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

Plate with granulated sugar

In a large bowl, cut in the shortening into the flour until it resembles small peas.  Add the cocoa powder and blend with hands.  Make a well and pour in the slightly beaten egg, vanilla extract and espresso and about 1/4 cup of wine and stir with fingers until dough forms into a ball, not too sticky and not to hard, and easy to manage.  Then turn dough onto a board and knead for about 5 minutes.  You could make them right away or you could refrigerate the dough overnight to make them next day.  Remember to leave dough (if refrigerated) 1 hour before starting.  Or you could freeze the dough up to 1 week.

Cut dough into 2 inch slices and pass each slice through pasta machine, starting at Dial No. 1 to No. 6.  Place dough onto working board.  Starting from bottom of lasagna dough, place 1 tbsp of ricotta filling (see recipe below) about 2 inches from edge and roll dough over filling to cover it.  Press firmly to form a turnover.  Cut with pastry cutter (with fancy ridges) and then press edges of turnover with fork to ensure complete closure.  Place on a towel and cover them before frying.  Complete procedure with remaining dough.  When all turnovers are complete, poke them with a toothpick on both sides before frying and cover.

Pour about 5 cups of oil into heavy bottom saucepan and heat at medium for 20 minutes. Drop 3 turnovers at a time and fry until golden on both sides.  Remove with slotted spatula onto a paper towel and immediately roll them with granuated sugar and place them on a tray.  Once all turnovers are fried and sugar coated, you may eat them right away.  Very delicious warm and cool them and refrigerate and then serve.  Enjoy.

Ricotta Filling:

3 cups Ricotta (drained)

1 grated lemon peel

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

Blend all of the 3 ingredient in a bowl with a blender until smooth.

Bomboloni - Italian Cream-Filled Donuts

I was looking for a particular recipe of a pastry I enjoyed very much during my visit to Italy.  This pastry is a donut-like pastry called "Bomboloni" filled either with Italian Pastry Cream, Nutella or Jelly.  They are simply delicious.  I finally came across a great recipe which I found easy to follow and decided to try it out.  To my surprise it was a success.

Ingredients:

250 g (2 cups) bread flour
250 g (2 cups) Italian "00" (doppio zero) flour or plan all purpose flour
50 g (about 1/4 cup) caster (superfine granules) sugar
8 g (1 package) instant yeast or 25 g fresh yeast
Seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean
Zest of 1 Lemon or 1 Orange (or 1/2 Lemon and 1/2 Orange)
Pinch of Salt
250 ml (about 8 1/2 ounces) warm milk, temperature between (105 to 110 F)
3 large eggs
50 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces softened
Vegetable or Canola Oil for frying
Caster (superfine granules) sugar, extra, for rolling


Directions:

Place flours, sugar, instant yeast, vanilla bean seeds, zest of your choice and salt in a large bowl.  Using a whisk, whisk to well combine.

Make a well in the centre; pour in the warm milk.  Work together the milk and the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers.

Add the eggs all at once, work together the ingredients until you have a rough ball of dough.

Gradually add the butter, one-piece-at-a-time, working each piece of butter into the dough before adding the next.

Transfer dough to a clean, light floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic (not sticky) about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer dough back to the large bowl; cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

When the dough has doubled in volume, transfer to a clean, floured work surface.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1 cm (a little less than 1/2 inch); using a cookie cutter or glass cut out rounds about 7-cm to 7 1/2 cm (2 3/4 inch to 3-inch) in diameter (keep the cuts as close together as possible. (Gather up the leftover pieces, give a quick knead to bring the pieces together, return dough to the bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until double in volume, about 1/2 hour and proceed to roll out and cut out rounds. At this point if you have any remaining dough, gather to re-roll and cut rounds until all of the dough has been used.

Place the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet lighty sprayed with vegetable spray, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (they should appear full of air) about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  It's easier to remove the rounds from the parchment paper when you lightly coat the paper with vegetable spray opposed to flouring the parchment paper sheet.  I used a large deep pan instead of a baking sheet to place the rounds in to rise so that the plastic wrap wouldn't stick to them when removed. Note:  I place each rounds onto a cut-up parchment paper so that when I dip them in the oil for frying, its easy to remove the parchment paper with tongs, leaving the shape of the bombolone undisturbed.

Heat oil in a 6-litre/quart heavy-bottom saucepan over mediium heat to between about 320 to 340 F), about 20 minutes.

Prepare 2 large plates for daining and rolling of bombolini.  Layer one plate with 3 to 4 sheets of paper towels for draining and the other plate with a thin layer of caster sugar, for rolling, setting aside until ready to use.

Fry four to six bombolone at a time to ensure even frying.  Fry until golding on both sides about 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove bombolone one at a time with a slotted soon, drain on paper towels and immediately roll in caster sugar until evenly coated.

While bomboloni are still warm fill with Italian Cream Pastry.  To fill bomboloni, transfer the cream to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 cm to 1 cm plain round tip.  Use a sharp paring knife to make a small hole in the centre on the top of each bombolone.  Insert pastry tip into the hole of the bombolone and pipe cream until the bombolone feels heavy; continue to fill until you have a mound of pastry cream visual on the top of the bombolone.  Enjoy.

Taralli Recipe

The tarallo is a traditional Italian bread, the dough for which is shaped into rings, then boiled briefly before being well-baked until crispy. You can think of taralli as a type of bread, roll or cracker—kind of like an Italian small crunchy bagel. Taralli are enjoyed with a piece of cheese, black olives and sopressata and of course with a fine glass of wine.  They are nice to take along to picnics.  They last for days without spoiling, and may be quickly “revived” by dunking them for a moment in soup or wine, or just throwing them in a nice juicy tomato salad.

Taralli Recipe

7 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup of olive oil

1 cup of white wine

1 cup of water - warm

1 tbsp. Salt

1 tbsp. Fennel Seeds or Anice Seeds

1 tsp. of grounded black pepper (optional)

½ tsp., crushed hot chili (optional)

1 tbsp. Of yeast

1 tsp. Sugar

In a bowl, pour 1 cup of warm water.  Stir in 1 tsp. of sugar and scatter 1 tbsp. of yeast.  Cover and let rest for 10 mins.

In blender mixing bowl, combine 7 cups of  flour, 1 tbsp of Salt, 1 tbsp. of fennel seeds (or anice seeds, pepper and crushed chili peppers).  Make a well.  Add yeast mixture, 1 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of white wine (and I add a drop and a bit of anise oil if using Anice Seeds instead of fennel seeds).  Put kneading paddle on blender and knead until incorporated. 

Shape them about 2 inches thick ropes and line them up on a tray.  Then shape them into circles.  Boil them (place them for a few seconds on a clean tea towel to absorb water) and bake them at 350 until golden brown.  I bake the Taralli right on the rack (second from bottom). Enjoy.

Ricetta per Taralli:

 

875 gr., di farina

250 ml. di olio d'oliva

250 ml. di vino bianco
250 ml. di acqua - caldo

15 gr. di sale

15 gr. di semi di finocchio o di semi di Anice

15 gr. di Teori pepe nero (opzionale)

7.5 gr, peperoncino tritato (opzionale)

15 gr., Di lievito

15 gr. di zucchero

In una ciotola, versare 1 tazza di acqua calda. Mantecare con 1 cucchiaio di zucchero e 1 cucchiaio di lievito a dispersione. Coprite e lasciate riposare per 10 minuti.

In una terrina frullatore, combinare 7 tazze di farina, 1 cucchiaio di sale, 1 cucchiaio di finocchio semi (o semi di anice, pepe e peperoncino tritato). Fare un pozzo. Aggiungere la miscela di lievito, 1 tazza di olio d'oliva, 1 tazza di vino bianco (e aggiungere una goccia e un po' di olio di anice se utilizza semi di Anice, invece di semi di finocchio). Indossò impastamento paddle frullatore e impastare fino a quando non incorporato.

Li forma circa 2 centimetri spesse corde e li si allineano su un vassoio. Poi li forma in cerchi. Lessateli (posto loro per pochi secondi su un canovaccio pulito di assorbire acqua) e fate cuocere a 350 fino a doratura. Cuocere i Taralli al forno 180 Celsius sul rack (secondo da fondo). Buon Apetit!

Original

In a bowl, pour 1 cup of warm water.

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.