True Taste of Italy

When nonna comes to visit, Apple Cake (Torta di Mele) is on the menu nearly every night.  It is so simple to make and absolutely delicious.  The kids devour it without realizing they are actually eating fruit in their cake.  You can try this recipe with different varieties of apples, but we love to make this cake using Granny Smith apples as they add just the right amount of tartness mixed with the sweetness of the cake.

Ingredients for Apple Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon cake yeast
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• powdered sugar

Directions for Apple Cake:

• Combine flour, milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add butter and stir to mix well.
• Add lemon rind and cake yeast.  Mix until all ingredients blend well.
• Preheat oven to 300° F.
• Prepare 9″ bundt pan with non-stick spray.  Pour in cake batter and spread evenly in pan.  Place apple slices over batter and push in some slices into the batter.
• Place in oven and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes.  Insert toothpick in center of cake.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
• Remove from oven and cool before removing from pan.  To enhance presentation, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.  Add whipped cream for extra fun.

This Apple Cake recipes serves 4 to 6.

Pesto Sauce is a uniquely flavored sauce that enhances any pasta meal.  The fresh aroma of the basil appeals to the senses and entices the appetite.  Compared to some of the other sauce recipes, pesto is extremely easy and quick to make.  Try pesto over pasta for you next family meal.

Ingredients for Pesto Sauce:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• salt to taste
• 1 package fresh basil
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese

Directions for Pesto Sauce:

• Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until you have a creamy, smooth texture.
• Serve over pasta of choice such as spaghetti or other long pasta.

This Pesto Sauce recipe serves 4 to 6.

Our Pizza with Potato and Rosemary (Pizza con Patate e Rosmarino) is not your typical American pizza.  As you will notice in the recipe, there are no tomatoes or cheese.  But, don’t let the omission of those ingredients fool you.  This pizza recipe is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients for Pizza with Potato and Rosemary:

• 1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough, rolled out
• olive oil
• 1 large Yukon or Russett potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions for Pizaa with Potato and Rosemary:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Brush some of the olive oil on pizza dough.  Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and arrange potatoes and rosemary.  Place in oven.
• Bake about 30 minutes, remove from oven, and cool slightly.  Cut into wedges.

This recipe for Pizaa with Potato and Rosemary serves 4.

Making your own Basic Pizza Dough (Impasto per la Pizza) can be a lot of fun and hard work depending on the method that you use.  Dough can be made in a bread machine, food processor, or simply by hand.  Whichever method you choose, the end result will be spectacular and there are endless possibilities as to the toppings you can use to dress up your pizza.

Ingredients for Basic Pizza Dough:

• 3 ½ cups flour, divided
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough in a Bread Machine:

• (Please refer to your user’s manual for best settings.)  Add ingredients to bread machine bin in the order listed above unless user’s manual specifies otherwise.
• Select the dough setting, push start and complete full cycle.  When complete, place dough on a floured surface in in a floured bowl and cool to room temperature before rolling out.

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough in a Food Processor:

• Use dough blade or cutting blade.  Pour 1 cup warm water (at least 85° F) in processor.  Add sugar and salt and mix on low for about 15 to 20 seconds.
• Add yeast and mix on low again for about 5 to 10 seconds.  Add 1 cup flour and mix on low for 10 to 15 seconds.
• Add olive oil and mix until they blend well.  Add remaining flour and mix on high until the dough turns into a ball.
• Turn machine off, open it and touch dough to check its texture.  If dough is too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour and mix again on high.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time until dough is right consistency.
• If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon warm water and mix again on high.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon water at a time until dough is the right consistency.
• Remove dough from food processor and place on floured surface.  Knead dough for about 1 to 2 minutes, form into a ball, and place in floured bowl covered with a lightly moist paper towel.  Store bowl in warm, dry area to rise for about 45 minutes.
• When dough doubles, punch it down to release air and knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Place covered bowl with dough in warm, dry area for additional 1 to 1½ hours to rise again.  Dough is ready to roll out.

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough by hand:

• Pour warm water into a bowl.  Add sugar and salt and mix until they blend well.  Add yeast and mix again.  Set aside for about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 cup flour and olive oil and blend well.  Add remaining flour and mix well until dough turns into a ball.
• If dough is too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour and mix well.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time until dough is the right consistency.
• If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon warm water and mix well.  Continue add 1 tablespoon warm water until dough is the right consistency.
• Place dough on floured surface and knead dough about 1 to 2 minutes.  Form into ball, place into lightly floured bowl and cover with lightly moist paper towel.  Store bowl in warm, dry area for about 45 minutes to rise.
• When dough doubles in size, punch down to release air and knead for additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Place covered bowl with dough in warm, dry area for additional for 1 to 1 ½ hours to rise again.  Dough is now ready to roll.

Directions for rolling Basic Pizza Dough:

• Place dough on floured surface.
• If mixture appears too sticky, sprinkle extra flour over top.  Place both hands in center and press outward and turn clockwise.  Continue process until dough is about 1/2 inch thick.
• Use rolling pin to roll to about 1/4 inch thick.  Carefully transfer dough to greased baking sheet prepared with non-stick spray or paddle to transfer to pizza stone.
• Use fork to puncture some holes in dough to prevent bubbling.  Dough is ready for toppings.

Zucchini with Lemon (Zucchini con Limone) is an alternative to our Steamed Spinach with Lemon recipe.  The zucchini has a milder taste than spinach and is pleasing to most children.  We use zucchini a lot in our everyday cooking such as a vegetable side dish, in soups, and even as a stuffing in some of our meat dishes.  It is a very versatile vegetable.

Ingredients for Zucchini with Lemon:

• 4 to 5 zucchini
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions for Zucchini with Lemon:

• Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Steam zucchini for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove and drain.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• Combine zucchini slices with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon in a serving bowl.
• Mix well and serve.  Zucchini may be served at room temperature or chilled.

This Zucchini with Lemon recipe serves 4 to 6.

For an alternative to this recipe, try Steamed Spinach with Lemon.