We’re currently in that strange week between Christmas and New Years in which the days get confusing. You wake up in the morning wondering, is it a weekday or a week-end, a holiday, or not yet? Whether you are working or not doesn’t easily help in adjusting to telling the days, it’s still an odd week!
With one major holiday behind us, it’s time to start thinking about food preparation for New Years! And, if for Italians, Christmas Eve has the majestic feast of the seven fishes, than New Years has its lentils… Ooohh, the lentils…Hardly the glory that the seven fishes receive, but nonetheless, should be adhered to just as much as the fish on Christmas Eve. As such, lentils are a must for your New Years Day menu. Don’t we all go into the New Year with renewed confidence that no matter how great the previous year was; the one to come will be better, more prosperous and even luckier? Why not increase your odds by serving a hardy bowl of lentil soup? What do lentils have to do with luck, you ask? Thought to resemble Roman coins, lentils symbolize money and prosperity and are the meal of choice for Italians in Italy, as well as Italians living here in the U.S., such as myself. But just lentils hardly make for a full meal, especially for Italians, so on New Years Day; they are generally paired with pork of some kind. Usually “cotechino” is served on January First, which very much resembles a large, stuffed sausage, requiring a bit of time to cook. Pork is considered lucky because its rotundness, richness and high-fat content, which can represent prosperity and wealth. I will likely be preparing a pork loin for New Years Day, easier than the cotechino and just as lucky! Other lucky foods include leafy greens, because they resemble paper cash (hey, there’s spinach in this soup!) and ring shaped cakes, because they resemble coming full circle, so the new one can begin. Try my orange and olive oil cake to really have a lucky new year!!
Lentil, spinach and sausage soup
Serves 4 1 cup dry lentils 1 small onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 – 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 – 3 pre-cooked sausages, thinly sliced (choice of pork, chicken, sweet, hot) 1 cup canned tomato sauce 12- 16 oz fresh baby spinach, washed ½ large vegetable bullion cube Directions
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There are some cookies and desserts that are a bit pretentious. They call for a laundry list of ingredients, expensive nuts, numerous steps and hours of time. They are considered “special occasions” treats. Those are best saved for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Then you have anginetti. The little, humble anginetti. They are so easy and versatile, that I am almost guaranteed that when the mood strikes for something sweet, I am certain to have all the ingredients in the house. Don’t like or have lemon in the house? No problem, you can make these with orange, vanilla, anise, rum… They are surprisingly soft and airy that when scooping them out after they have been chilled, you might think that they will be hard, but they are not at all. So soft and melt in your mouth…They go great with a good cup of coffee or a nice, hot tea. These are so easy and generally liked by everyone that these are perfect for those (dreaded!) office parties! Bring a tray of these and you’re sure to please all your co-workers and bosses. These can be baked a few days in advanced, stored in an airtight container and iced the day of your party or get-together.
Lemon Anginetti - Yields 32 cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder Zest of one lemon Pinch of salt 1⁄2 cup sugar 1 stick butter, softened 3 large eggs 1 1⁄2 teaspoons lemon extract Glaze 3 cups confectioners' sugar 2 – 4 teaspoons milk 1 teaspoon lemon extract Sprinkles of your choosing Directions:
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Ready to make your 2020 Italian Travel Dreams come true? Consider joining us in one of our Culinary Adventures! CHIANTI: MAY 1 - MAY 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! AMALFI: MAY 10 - 17, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! EMILIA ROMAGNA: MAY 19 - 26, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! SICILY: SEPTEMBER 1 - 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! CHRISTMAS in TUSCANY: DECEMBER 4 - 11, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure!
What would an Italian Christmas be without Struffoli? It certainly would be lighter, that’s for sure! These little things are addictive, calorie filled, baby bombs of deliciousness and they are only permitted in my household at Christmastime. Why? Because there’s no restraint around them, so best to not make them too often!
As I love baking, I am always trying new things, inventing new desserts, consulting with mom (of course!) on what might work and what not, but there are a handful of staples you can’t mess around with at Christmas. Of course, got to have some biscotti, anise cookies, the pizzelle, butterballs, a jam crostata and the struffoli. Anything more than that and we’re just being greedy, which, of course, we are, no reason to hide it. Thankfully, the New Year is right around the corner and we all promise we will do better in the New Year, right? Ha! These are not so hard to make, but the do require a bit more work than some of my lazier recipes. But they are worth the effort, if only once a year. These are festive, as unlike the other treats mentioned above, these are only generally prepared around Christmas. While any week-end is worthy of a crostata or quick anise cookies, these are saved for just this time of year. So put aside an hour or two this holiday season and make your family some delicious Struffoli!
Struffoli di Natale Ingredients 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 ½ to 4 Cups all purpose flour 3 ½ Tablespoons sugar 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt Zest of 1 orange 1 – 2 Tablespoons orange juice / anisette liquor / limoncello 3 – 4 Cups vegetable or peanut oil for frying Topping: 1 Cup honey Decorative sprinkles of your choosing Directions:
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Ready to make your 2020 Italian Travel Dreams come true? Consider joining us in one of our Culinary Adventures! CHIANTI: MAY 1 - MAY 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! AMALFI: MAY 10 - 17, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! EMILIA ROMAGNA: MAY 19 - 26, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! SICILY: SEPTEMBER 1 - 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! CHRISTMAS in TUSCANY: DECEMBER 4 - 11, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure!
Poor fruitcake..... It really does have a bad reputation....The mass-produced version is loaded with ingredients, some questionable at best, artificial at worst, and it has so much sugar that your dentist would cringe if he or she only knew...It's the butt of holiday jokes and hated by most people who are on the receiving end when gifted.
But much like anything, the homemade version is so much better! But that's another story....Instead, let's focus on something most everyone loves: biscotti! I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like a good biscotto. Dipped in an espresso, anisette liquor or glass of vin santo, and you have yourself a most perfect treat! But how can we change it up a bit and make them more "Christmassy?" Hazelnut and anise biscotti are great and all, but they are so "everyday" that they hardly scream "holidays." So how about some fruitcake biscotti!? Now, I know what you might be thinking.... But "I HATE fruitcake!" But unlike the dreaded fruitcake, these are delicious, crisp, but not rock hard, eggy and hit the spot during this time of year! Other than the candid fruit, the rest of the ingredients are very basic and you likely already have them in the fridge and pantry. For the fruit mix, I use Paradise Old English Fruit and Peel Mix. It's cut just right in size, very small and perfect for these biscotti. And amazingly, the mix is not overly sweet. Double-baked, as biscotti usually are, these crisp up and get a bit chewy, from all the fruit. Left un-toasted, and they remain a bit cake-like and a bit softer. Be sure to add these to your holiday baking list this year for a new twist on a classic treat!
Fruitcake Biscotti
Ingredients 3 ½ tablespoons butter 3 cups flour + 1 tablespoon 1 ½ cups sugar pinch of salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ cups fruit cake mix (mix of candid citrus peel, cherries, pineapple) 2 eggs 4 egg yolks, divided Zest of 1 orange 1 tablespoon honey Directions
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Ready to make your 2020 Italian Travel Dreams come true? Consider joining us in one of our Culinary Adventures! CHIANTI: MAY 1 - MAY 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! AMALFI: MAY 10 - 17, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! EMILIA ROMAGNA: MAY 19 - 26, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! SICILY: SEPTEMBER 1 - 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! CHRISTMAS in TUSCANY: DECEMBER 4 - 11, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! |
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December 2020
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