FOOD WINE ITALIAN  Antipasti Caldo -- Hot Appetizers for the Italian Table

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Mozzarella in a carriage-Carrozza with Anchovy Butter Sauce

Clams Oreganato

Crispy wrapped anchorAsparagus

Crunchy Stuffed Zucchini

Crispy Polenta E Codagino     

Fried Squid CALAMARI

Mussles Lemon and parsley

INVOLTINI DI CAVOLO
Savoy Cabbage Rolls

PEPERONI RIPIENI CON PANE e VERDURA
Peppers Stuffed with Bread and vegetables

Rolled Eggplant on Crustini

Salmon and Shrimp with a Pink Peppercorn Sauce

Our hot Antipasti truly warms the appetite. Take it from me Cuoco Magnifico.

A great hearty Little Italy dish that is prepared light and fluffy.

Serves 4

Vegetable oil for frying, not olive

12 1/4 inch Slices of white Italian Bread

1/2 lb. of Hand Made Fresh Mozzarella  

5 extra large eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Put 2 inches of oil in a frying pan and heat to fry. (About 350 Deg.)

Cut the crust off the bread, and cut into 2&1/2-inch squares. Slice the mozzarella about 1/8 of an inch thick and cut into 2&1/2-inch squares. Place a slice of bread on the table, place a slice of cheese on top of the bread, place a slice of bread on the cheese, place a 2nd slice of cheese on the bread and place 3rd slice of bread on the cheese. A Triple-Decker sandwich. Make three more sandwiches.

Put the Parmesan cheese in a bowl and scramble the eggs in another bowl. Dip the mozzarella sandwiches in the eggs; roll them in the Parma cheese. Carefully place the sandwiches into the hot fat; fry golden brown on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper taste. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side. When frying, the oil should bobble moderately at 350 Dig

A very popular Antipasto, and properly prepared a true classic.

Serves 4

In a mixing bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, the olive oil and all the herbs thoroughly. Place the clams in their shells and top with the bread crumbs. If you prefer chopped clams, chop the clams; return them to their shells, then top the clams. With a little water on the bottom of a baking pan, bake the clams golden brown.

*Some folks boil or steam the clams open. This will bring about double cooking and overcooking the clams-a procedure that will probably yield rubbery clams.

CRISPY WRAPED ASPARAGUS

• 1 Bunch Medium Asparagus
• Prosciutto Di Parma - Trimmed to wrap asparagus
• Puff pastry that is store bought or home made.
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 egg

Remove the purple at the stem end of the asparagus, and wash the asparagus. Blanch the asparagus in steam or boiling salted water to cook the asparagus extra al dente-crunchy. Then remove them from the blanching pot into ice water to shock them, stop the cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees f.

 Wrap each asparagus with a slice of proscuitto. Lay a sheet of puff pastry on the table and roll it to one inch thickness. With a fork prick holes into the puff pastry. Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and lightly brush the puff pastry with the egg. Sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese over the pastry dough. Cut the pastry dough into 1 X 4 inch strips. Starting at one end of the asparagus, wind a pastry strip around, covering the length of the spear. Cut in half. Brush with the egg and place on a baking dish. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

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Crunchy Stuffed Zucchini

• 6 Small zucchini
• 1 sheet puff pastry that is home made or store bought
•  
• For the Filling:
• 1/4 cup olive oil or 8 tablespoons of butter (Your preference, or 1/2 oil & 1/2 butter)
• 3 zucchini
• 2 tablespoons of dried mushrooms
• 1/2 cup of marsala wine
• 1/2 medium eggplant
• 1 medium onion
• 2 scallions
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup of pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Hollow out the zucchini, set the flesh from the zucchini aside. Cut the zucchini into 1&1/2 inches lengthwise, blanch and shock the zucchini or bake half cooked in the oven.

Break up the dry mushrooms and soak them in the wine. Put the butter and or oil in a large saute and heat. Skin and dice the eggplant and add to hot oil. Chop the onion and add it to the wilited eggplant, slice the scallions thin, and add them to the eggplant. Strain the mushrooms reserving the Marsalla wine and add them to the eggplant. Dice the zucchini flesh, and them to the eggplant. When the zucchini begins to cook add the wine, and allow the wine to simmer about I minute. Remove the pan from fire. Add enough breadcrumbs to bind all the ingredients. Add a 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and the salt and pepper to taste. The cooked filing will hold a few days in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees f

. Fill the hollow zucchini with the cooked stuffing. Lay a sheet of puff pastry on a table and prick with a fork. Cut 1 inch by 3 inch strips. Wrap each zucchini with a strip of puff pastry. Glue the puff pastry together with the egg wash and pinch the tips together. Paint the puff pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle grated parmigiano on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

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• 8 thick slices of Codagino sausage/salami
• 3 tbspoons Olive oil
• 12 oz. cooked polenta (best when saved from yesterday’s meal)
• About 1/4 cup red wine

Cut the polenta into 8 slices. Put a little oil in a hot pan and carefully brown the polenta in the pan. Fry the slices of codagino in a pan with a bit of oil and sprinkle with red wine.

Place the polenta slices on a plate, and then top with the braised codagini. A nice touch is to decorate with red leaf lettuce

If codagino is not available an other Italian sausage may be used.

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CALAMARI FRITTI

Fried Squid

• 1 lb. baby squid
• 1 pint of lemon water
• 3 tablespoon fine ground corn meal
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• Fry oil.
• 2 lemons
• salt

Clean the squid well removing the ink bladder, the bone, the eyes and the yellow liquid from the head. Wash, cut them diagonally into strips to form small rings, leaving the tentacles whole, and place them in the lemon water. Mix the cornmeal, flour and salt to taste. Strain the squid and roll them in the flour, and fry the squid in hot oil until golden – about 30 to 40 seconds.

Place on paper towel or paper doily, add salt and serve garnished with lemon wedges.

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Cozze con Limone e Petrosemolo                                                         Mussels with Lemon and parsley

• 1 pound of mussels cleaned and beards removed
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 finally chopped clove of garlic
• 1/3 cup clam juice
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• pepper to taste
• 1 lemon cut in wedges

Heat a 12 inch saute’ pan and add the oil and the garlic.  When garlic begins to brown add the mussels, clam juice , lemon juice. Cover and steam  the mussels open. As soon as the mussels open, remove them from fire and sprinkle the mussels with the parsley and pepper to taste. Serve with the wedges of lemon.

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INVOLTINI DI CAVOLO
Savoy Cabbage Rolls

Generally made small for antipasto, but may be made large for a main course.

12.large Savoy cabbage leaves
1 lb. cooked meat (chicken, veal and pork is best)
2 egg
1/4 cup Ricotta Di Buffala cheese
¼ cup mascapone cheese or American cream cheese
¼ cup. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 cup meat broth
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 oz. Pancetta diced small
11/2 small onion, chopped
4 tbs. butter
2 sage leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 glass dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven 400 degrees

Boil the cabbage leaves for about 3 minutes. in salted water, being careful not to break the leaves. Drain and place them in ice water to chill about 10 minutes. Drain again and dry them by laying the leaves on a cloth and covering them with a cloth. Gently press down on the leaves to blot and then let them dry.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan, and cook 1/3 of the chopped onion in the butter until it is translucent. Put the meat and cooked onion through a grinder. Mix the meat, egg, ricotta, Parmigiano, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Lay small cabbage leaves (3” by 3”) on a work surface. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in the middle of the cabbage. Roll tightly and fasten with toothpicks.

Melt the butter in a pan and cook the panchetta, chopped onion and garlic until the garlic begins to brown, add the sage to wilt. Place the cabbage rolls in an ovenproof pan, add the sauté, sprinkle with white wine, and add the broth. Cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the heated oven. Serve hot.

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PEPERONI RIPIENI CON PANE e VERDURA
Peppers Stuffed with Bread and vegetables fix

A favorite and god knows how many times I prepared these stuffed peppers.

8 small bell peppers
3 tbs. regular olive oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped eggplant
3 salted anchovies
2 oz. green olives
1/3cup chopped zucchini
1 oz. capers
2 cups breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
About 1 to 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup tomato sauce
Pre heat the oven 400degF

Clean the peppers; remove the stem and the seeds. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and eggplant until the eggplant is soft. Prepare the stuffing by mixing the sauté with the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Regiano, zucchini, parsley, anchovies, capers and olives. Stuff the peppers without packing them too tightly, place them in a baking pan, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the peppers and bake for about one hour at 400degF.

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PEPERONI RIPIENI CON PANE e VERDURA
Peppers Stuffed with Bread and vegetables fix

A favorite and god knows how many times I prepared these stuffed peppers.

8 small bell peppers
3 tbs.regular olive oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped eggplant
3 salted anchovies
2 oz. green olives
1/3cup chopped zucchini
1 oz. capers
2 cups breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
About 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup tomato sauce
Pre heat the oven 400degF

Clean the peppers; remove the stem and the seeds. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and eggplant until the eggplant is soft. Prepare the stuffing by mixing the sauté with the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Regiano, zucchini, parsley, anchovies, capers and olives. Stuff the peppers without packing them too tightly, place them in a baking pan, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the peppers and bake for about one hour at 400degF.

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Rolled Eggplant on Crustini

One medium size eggplant
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying

For the filling:
1 pound Ricotta Di Buffala
1/2 cup cooked chopped spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup shredded Hand Made Fresh Mozzarella
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Place the flour in a dish. Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of milk.

In a frying pan place about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil and heat. Coat the eggplant lightly with the flour and dip the floured eggplant into the beaten egg. Carefully place the eggplant into the heated oil and brown on both sides. (To turn and remove the eggplant use a slotted spatula or tongs)

Place the ricotta, chopped spinach, pine nuts, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded Mozzerella and the salt & pepper to taste in a bowl and mix well. Put a tablespoon of the ricotta filling on each browned eggplant and roll the eggplant around the filling. Placed the eggplant on a crustini and serve.

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Salmon and Shrimp with a Pink Peppercorn Sauce

Severs 6 appetizers or 4 entrees

1 LB Salmon filets
12 medium shrimp (20/25 count)
2 lemons
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
1/4 cup white wine for drizzling
1 cup fresh parsley leave and stems
1 cup fresh basil leaves and stems
About 1/3 cup pink peppercorn
Salt to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley and basil

This dish may be cooked on individual ovenproof dishes or on an ovenproof platter to serve family style.

Pre heat oven 420 F.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on the platter. Going with the grain, slice the salmon thin about 1/8 of an inch thin and 2 or 3 inches long. Place the sliced salmon on an ovenproof the platter. Drizzle the wine over the salmon, add the shrimp, red pepper corn, and salt to taste; cover with the stemmed parsley and basil. Cook for about 4 minutes, until shrimp are pink yet tender. Remove stemmed parsley and basil from the dish and sprinkle with the chopped herbs.