Some of the fondest memories of my upbringing in southern Italy revolve around food, specifically, around mom's baking. As a stay-at-home mom, her favorite pastime was baking, and as her family, we were more than happy to oblige with tasting her treats! Frequently, we weren't done eating one batch of something, and a new batch would be prepared. Such was the sacrifice for the rest of us!!
Merenda, or snack-time, at school was always a treat, not surprisingly so, it was my favorite part of the school day! Our home was across the street from our elementary school, literally steps away, and there were times where I could swear I was smelling my mom's baked goods! Ok, it was likely my imagination, but more often than not, when I got home, there would be a fresh batch of some type of cookies ready to be devoured! Some of my favorites include her S cookies, and these braided lemon cookies. While the shape changed occasionally, my preferred way is this braid. They are a simple treat, delicate really, and utilize everyday ingredients. We frequently baked cookies that called for olive oil instead of butter, since olive oil is the fat of choice in southern Italy. But strong EVOO is far too strong for these, so when we moved here from Italy, we started using vegetable oil. It works just as well, is cheaper and doesn't leave a savory flavor the way some oils can when baking. This makes a large batch, so they are ideal for those gatherings requiring you to bring some treats. Italians have a lot of these gatherings, so these are frequently seen on dessert tables at Italian parties such as Communions and Baptisms. They are also wonderful for Christmas and Easter. Or just to have on hand for coffee and tea time! This recipe makes about 45 cookies, depending on the size you make them. As you can see, mines are a bit on the large size, so I get about 40 cookies for each batch. These are easy to decorate with some simple icing and decorative sprinkles. Be sure to add these to your upcoming Easter dessert table! Here, I made them with lemon, but you can easily substitute orange instead. 
I love a little mound of lemon zest! I use a microplane to grate it, it's easy and efficient!
Sift the dry ingredients and add the lemon zest and set them aside. We will come back to these in a few minutes.
Beat the eggs for several minutes until lightly and frothy, then add the sugar and mix well until combined. Add the rest of the wet ingredients, then slowly add the dry mix.
Invert the dough on a floured surface, this dough will be very sticky, so dust your hands as you work with it.
Create ropes about 5 inches long and braid into twists. Place on baking sheet that has been prepped with parchment paper. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, until they are golden at the bottom. Smaller cookies will take a few minutes less.
While the cookies are baking, prep a sugar glaze using confectioners sugar, milk and lemon extract.
Ready to be iced and decorated! These are a bit on the large size, you can certainly go smaller and reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
I like to simply dunk them in the icing, you could also use a spoon, but this is so much easier and faster! Love that golden color on the bottom, they're perfect!
Drying off before plating. Make sure they are completely dry so they don't stick to each other on the serving dish.
Mom's Italian Braided Cookies
Recipe for 40 large cookies Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder pinch of salt zest of 2 large lemons 4 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup milk (whole, 1% or skim) juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons) Glaze (amounts are approximate, adjust as needed) 2 cups confectioners sugar 2 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons lemon extracts Instructions
Glaze To make the glaze, mix all of the glaze ingredients well until they are smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add a few additional tablespoons of sugar, likewise, if it's too thick, add a few teaspoons of milk until you have the right consistency. Ice cookies by dunking them in the glaze and allow excess to drip. Add decorative sprinkles, as desired. 
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Whether its coffee gelato, mousse, pastry cream or just in a plain ol' cup, if it's coffee or espresso flavored, chances are, I will love it! I love the smell of freshly brewed espresso, nothing can compare to it for me. It really reminds me of my days growing up in Italy. And it brings me back to my Sundays in Italy.
You see, during the week, mornings were a matter of getting ready for school, my dad would go to the central market to buy fresh produce for his small business, my mom busy prepping us kids for the day ahead, and there wasn't much time for lingering. But Sundays? Sundays were days of sleeping in, and waking up to the smell of freshly brewed espresso, and sauce simmering. On some Sundays, my dad would go to the local panificio, or bread shop, and buy us ladies in the house a freshly baked cornetto, and he'd prepare some espresso for us all. Yes, even us kids got an espresso, with milk, of course, lots and lots of milk in it. Sometimes as an extra treat, we'd get a caffe al zabaglione. So every time I smell espresso brewing, it brings me back to those Sundays in Italy. If you wonder how much I love Sundays, be sure to read this post by clicking here. But I digress, as I often do on this page! Let's get back to this cake... It's not shocking that I love this cake and everything about it. The ease of preparation and the espresso flavor make this one of my favorites. It's dairy free and a great accompaniment to, well, coffee, of course! This makes a great hostess gift, a treat for the office party, and yes, it's even great for breakfast. Go for it, I won't judge! ;) 
A few basic ingredients are all you need! Start by brewing some espresso, you will want it cooled off by the time you add it to the rest of the ingredients.
A small mountain of freshly sifted flour and baking powder, to be added to the wet ingredients.
As the eggs and sugar are being whipped, we prep the rest of the ingredients: Espresso, oil and flour with baking powder.
Add the batter to a bundt pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and off in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes!
Unglazed! You could just dust it off with some confectioners sugar, but of course, an espresso glaze adds even more coffee flavor!
Espresso Bundt Cake
Ingredients Cake 2 cups All Purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup of sugar 3 medium eggs 1/2 cup extra light tasting olive oil 1 cup freshly brewed espresso, cooled Glaze 2 cups confectioners sugar 3 -4 tablespoons hot espresso Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a Bundt pan with non-fat cooking spray, set aside. 2) In a medium bowl, sift the flour and baking powder, set aside 3) Using a stand mixer, or hand-held mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until they are light and frothy, about 3 minutes. 4) Lower the mixer to low and slowly stream in the oil. Once the oil is incorporated, add the cooled espresso and mix well. 5) Still with the mixer on low, add the flour and baking powder mixture. Mix well but do not overbeat. 6) Add batter to prepared pan and bake in pre-heated over for 40 minutes. Test cake with a toothpick for doneness. Invert cake on a serving plate and cool cake completely before glazing. To prepare the glaze mix the sugar with a few tablespoons of hot espresso. If the glaze is too thick, add another teaspoon of coffee, likewise, if it's too thin, add some more sugar. Drizzle icing over cake. Allow at least 1 hour for glaze to harden before slicing and serving. 
That glaze! I could just eat that by the spoonful!
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Summers in Southern Italy are magical for many reasons. One of which, of course, is the food!
The bounty of summer produce is second to none. The tomatoes, so sweet that require little else but salt and a drizzle of oil, the figs, the zucchini blossoms, and of course, the green beans. Few are the vegetables that I love more than fresh green beans, and in the summer, well, they are at their peak. I enjoy them simple blanched with some EVOO, or in salads, or mashed with some potatoes and lots of basil leaves. Or with freshly stewed tomatoes, onions and mixed with some pasta. Oh, yes, that is for sure my favorite way. But it's still winter, and we're not in Italy...... All that said, there are great substitutes we can find in the US, and even in the winter, to make an alternate version of the one we have in Italy. And we're in Lent, so it's the ideal time to try some meatless dishes! Aside from a basic tomato sauce, you need just two more ingredients, pasta and some frozen green beans. And that's it. It's the perfect meatless Friday supper for Lent season! Also, it's worth noting that frozen vegetables have come a long way. They are a great alternative to fresh, especially in winter months, when the selection of fresh vegetables isn't very exciting. As you can see from my serving below, I like a combo that is heavier on the beans and less on the pasta. You can opt for adding more pasta when you make it yourself. I just really love the green beans more than the pasta, so it's more of 75/25 dish, whereas traditionally, it's closer to 50/50, or even more pasta than beans, really. There are no exact measurements here, it's all about taste and what you prefer. 
Pasta with Green Beans in Red Sauce
Serves 4 - 6 Ingredients 3 cups homemade tomato sauce (see recipe here) 2 12oz bags flat Italian green beans (Bird's Eye and Wegman's brand work very well) 8 - 12 oz short pasta such as ziti or rigatoni Salt to taste Directions 1) In a sauté pan, prepare the sauce according to the recipe on the link above. 2) Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in salted water for about 10 - 12 minutes. 3) While the beans and sauce are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the box instructs. 4) Drain the beans and add them to the sauce pan, lower heat to low and cook the sauce and beans together for several minutes so the beans gain some flavor from the sauce. 5) Drain the pasta and add that to the pan, cook everything for several minutes. Mixing gently so nothing sticks to the pan. 6) Top with grated Parmigiano cheese, if desired. 
Mixing the green beans with the sauce so they gain some flavor. Mix gently, and on low heat, you don't want to break up the beans.
Can I just grab a spoon now? I don't even need the pasta!
Ok, lets add the few ounces of cooked pasta in. This dish is homey, comforting and so delicious and healthy too!
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