4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or “00” flour, or a combinationYou can also close the ravioli using a fork. - 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Dump the flour in a pile on a work surface. Make a deep, wide well in the center and pour in the eggs, olive oil, and salt. Begin mixing the eggs with a fork, staying in the center and being careful that the eggs don’t breach the wall. Little by little, mix in flour from the sides until the dough starts to move as a unit and is too stiff to mix with a fork. Continue mixing by hand, incorporating more flour to stiffen the dough. When it doesn’t easily absorb more flour (one signal is floury, dried bits of dough flaking off the mass), set the dough aside; scrape up all the remaining flour and pass it through a sieve to sift out any dried-up bits. Discard the bits and keep the cup or two of sifted flour on the work surface to use during kneading if necessary.
Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough on the lightly floured surface until it’s a smooth, homogenous ball of dough, firm but resilient, neither too dry nor too soft, about 5 minutes; it should no longer stick to the surface. Poke it and it should spring right back; press your finger into the center and it should feel just a bit tacky. If it’s very sticky, knead in more flour.
Wrap the dough loosely in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
for the stuffing:
- 8 oz (225 gr) ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup (25 gr) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg grated
- salt
- 10 oz (280 gr) of cooked spinach
Chop the spinach and add to a large bowl, with the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and a bit of salt. Mix well.
Cut ravioli sheets with a ravioli cutter. Using a brush, brush with egg yolk around each ravioli. Place 1 teaspoon filling in the center, close to expelling the air, sealing the edges properly.
1.27.2017
Ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach
Ravioli filled with Asiago served with cherry tomatoes sauce
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or “00” flour, or a combinationYou can also close the ravioli using a fork. - 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Dump the flour in a pile on a work surface. Make a deep, wide well in the center and pour in the eggs, olive oil, and salt. Begin mixing the eggs with a fork, staying in the center and being careful that the eggs don’t breach the wall. Little by little, mix in flour from the sides until the dough starts to move as a unit and is too stiff to mix with a fork. Continue mixing by hand, incorporating more flour to stiffen the dough. When it doesn’t easily absorb more flour (one signal is floury, dried bits of dough flaking off the mass), set the dough aside; scrape up all the remaining flour and pass it through a sieve to sift out any dried-up bits. Discard the bits and keep the cup or two of sifted flour on the work surface to use during kneading if necessary.
Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough on the lightly floured surface until it’s a smooth, homogenous ball of dough, firm but resilient, neither too dry nor too soft, about 5 minutes; it should no longer stick to the surface. Poke it and it should spring right back; press your finger into the center and it should feel just a bit tacky. If it’s very sticky, knead in more flour.Wrap the dough loosely in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
For the Filling
1 cup ricotta
1 cup asiago mezzano (grated)
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch black pepper
Salt to taste
Mix with a fork the ricotta and the grated Asiago. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
In a ramekin, mix egg yolk with a little water. Cut ravioli sheets with a ravioli cutter. Using a brush, brush with egg yolk around each ravioli. Place 1 teaspoon filling in the center, close to expelling the air, sealing the edges properly. - Cherry tomato sauce Recipe
500g / 1lb cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup chopped raw almonds
4 garlic cloves chopped
A bunch of basil leafs
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
A good pouring of olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
In a baking tray, add all the ingredients together except the basil. Bake everything for about 25 minutes in the convection oven on for 180C or 360F.
When the raviolis are cooked, mix the sauce and add the fresh basil. Serve with your favorite cheese on the top. My favourite for this recipe is smoked ricotta.
1.26.2017
Bigoli with walnuts and gorgonzola
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
150ml/5fl oz double cream
50g/2oz Gorgonzola (preferably dolce, the softer milder variety)
300g/10oz Bigoli
Bigoli alla Montanara
Bigoli alla Montanara
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
brown add the wine and let reduce in half. Add the tomato sauce and oregano and let cook for 10 minutes. Add Salt and Pepper.
Turn off the fire and add the Swiss chard or Kale.
Bigoli in Squid Ink Sauce
Bigoli in Squid Ink Sauce
4 squids
2 bags of squid ink
4 ripe tomatoes or 1 can chopped tomatoes1 cup white wine
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
500gr Bigoli
1 Lemon
A bunch of parsley
Quality flaked red peppers
Squids are members of the baggy animal kingdom. Their whole body is organised in bags, which the cook needs to extract one by one by putting his fingers into the beast and remove them. Then you have to find the transparent 'bone' that keeps the bag straight and remove it too. You can then cut 0.5''/1cm rings and set them aside.
In a big frying pan, fry the onions and garlic until brown. Add the squid and fry for not more than 2 minutes than add wine and let evaporate, then add tomato sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes in medium heat. After the 10 minutes passed add the squid ink and the peppers and cook for more 5 minutes in medium high. Just before mixing the bigoli, squeeze the lemons and add the parsley.
Bigoli recipes
1.11.2017
Spiced ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper tea
Here are the tea benefits:
*Anti-inflamatory
*Anti-depressant
*Helps Arthritis
*Pain Killer
*Anti-coagulant *High anti-oxidant
*Helps your hearth
*Helps with stop craving for sweets
*Helps your brain
*Reduces chances of cancer
*Fight infections and virus
*Fresh your breath
*Can help to prevent Candida infection
*Helps your skin
*Improves your metabolism
*Higher immunity system
*Prevent diabetes
*Fresh your breath and kill bad bacteria in your mouth
Recipe for the Turmeric tea
Spiced ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper tea
1/2 cup powder ginger1/2 cup cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup turmeric
1/3 cup black pepper
30 caffeine pills
Using a mixer or pesto mortar, just add caffeine pills, cinnamon and the black pepper and transform them into a powder. Mix very well all the ingredients with the ginger and the turmeric.
For making the tea, just add half tea spoon of this tea with hot water and if you like to drink tea with a little bit of milk like me add a little bit of milk with it.
The text below comes from the website: http://www.turmericforhealth.com
Health Benefits Of Black Pepper And Turmeric
1. Black pepper enhances bioavailability of Turmeric
What it means: Thus, if one takes turmeric, most of it is unutilized unless supplemented by addons such as black pepper.
2. Help in reducing pain
3. Is Anti-inflammatory
4. Cancer benefits
5. Controlling Obesity
6. Other benefits:
Dosage
Precautions
Bigoli
Bigoli - The Bigoli is a long, fat pasta (solid in the middle), like a big spaghetti of Venetian origin. It is spread throughout the region and is also found in East Lombardy.
The recipe for bigoli is traditionally prepared with wheat flour, water, and salt.
Bigoli Al'anatra |
There are different recipe variations of bigoli that are obtained by varying the type of flour used. Saracen flour is black and is used to make darker (brown) bigoli. Some recipes also call for duck eggs to be used instead of water.
There are so many traditional sauces with bigoli, however, the most common is from the mountainous areas of Veneto, "Bigoli All'Anatra" - bigoli with duck sauce. Other common recipes are: Bigoli al Baccala - from Vicenza; or Bigoli con Sardele - from Venice.
Every year, on the last week of April, the so-called "party of the bigoi Torcio" is held in Limena (Padova province). Every Saturday and Sunday in May is "The Feast of Bigoli in Rovolon" (also in Padova) in the vicinity of Carbonara. There is another festival held in May on the third weekend, also held in Abano Terme in Monterosso.
Bigoli dough recipe
Bigoli dough
400g (3cups) of flour ("00" or cake flour)
3 eggs (you can also use duck eggs, however their eggs a slightly bigger and modifies the recipe)
Water (small amount, appx 2-Tbsp)
Salt - 1 Tsp
In a bowl mix the flour and eggs with a fork until it has formed clumps in the flour. Switch to using your hand(s) and mix rigorously. When the dough has become one large ball, move to tabletop (preferably a wood surface) and continue to work and mix the dough with your hands just like any other pasta dough. Bigoli is traditionally made using a torchio, make sure you load your pasta with it floured into the cylinder. Begin to twist and cut twice for one cylinder load of dough. flour liberally and ensure the pasta is not sticking while coming out.
Duck Sauce
500g Bigoli
400 duck meat minced
1 tbsp butter
1 cup broth
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
1 cup oz red wine
4 tbs of heavy cream
thyme to taste
marjoram to taste
1 bay leaf
Grana Padano to taste
parsley to taste
Bigoli alla Montanara
Baked Zuchinni flowers
1 eggplant
1/4 cup Parmiggiano Raggiano
1 cup ricotta
10 leaves of fresh basil
10 Kalamata olives
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Cut the blossom lengthwise then gently open it up and remove the pistil. The flower is very delicate, so take care not to break it.
Cut the eggplant in small cubes and sauté with olive oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar.
Mix all the ingredients together to create the flower stuffing. Stuff the flowers and drizzle some olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes in 350F or 180C.
11.02.2016
Sugestion for Fall classes
All the classes includes wine as coffee
Classic meal
-Focaccia with rosemary
-Fresh pasta with sauce (Bolognese, Carbonara, Amatriciana, Putanesca, Pesto Genovese)
-Baked chicken with vegetables, olives and sausages
-Tiramisu
Menu del Castello
-Pesto bread filled with asiago cheese and walnuts
-The best bruschetta will you ever had!
-Bigoli with duck sauce
-Apple strudel served with gelato or poached pears with red wine served with gelato
Lasagna class
-Salad with pears, walnuts, truffle oil and cheese
-Traditional lasagna with homemade spinach pasta
-Pannacotta with berries
-Homemade limoncello (you will bring home what we prepare)
The tower menu
-Sage bread
-Lentil soup with chestnuts
-Ravioli filled with pears, served in cheese and walnuts sauce
-Amaretti and chocolate mousse
Menu Zucca
-Zucca Focaccia
-Zucca Ravioli with butter and sage
-Zucca Cappellacci with Sausage ragu
-Zucca Tiramisu
Sicilian menu
-Deep fried calzone with ham, cheese, oregano, olives and tomato sauce
-Arancini (risotto balls made with saffron, filled with meat and cheese deep fried)
-Cannoli
Menu del Sud
-Garlic, cheese and oregano grissini
-Deep fried Pizza
-Homemade Amaretti and chocolate Semifreddo (the grandma of gelato)
Fall in Europe
-Homemade grissini with Parmiggiano cheese and walnuts
-Zucca ravioli with butter and sage or sausage ragu
-Pork fillet mignon served with mushroom sauce and healthy veggi mash
-Tarte Tatin (French Apple pie)
Brazilian fall
-Empanadas with cheese, meat and sqash
-Coconut shrimp served inside a pumpkin (Cooked with cilantro, ginger, lime, tomato, peppers, coconut milk)
-Rice
-Fried Cassava
-Brazilian carrot cake with chocolate served with vanilla ice cream or Lime dessert
East European
-Poppy seeds bread
-Slovakian soup (Kapustnica)
-Homemade pierogi (Polish Style)
-Cheese Blintz
Greek Party
-Spanakopita
-Skordalia with shrimps
-Stifado with potatoes
-Loukomades
10.03.2016
Touring Italy with Lucas
Touring Italy with Lucas
10 days of traveling in beautiful cities, drinking good wine and eating good food.
1st day:
We will meet in Vicenza, a beautiful medium size city out of the tourist track. We will arrange for you a nice hotel with a accomodation so you can rest of your long trip from United States.
In order to help you to get adjusted on the Italian time zone we will go for a bar hopping. We will visit one of the best coffee shops of Italy and three different bars around downtown and in each bar we will drink a local wine and talk about it like on a wine tasting.
After the bar hopping we go for a dinner where we will get to know eachother.
2nd day:
The second day you are maybe still jet lagged, but don't worry. We will take it easy. We will go to a Small family owned Frantoio (Olive oil Farm)- On the Frantoio you will learn how Olive oil is made and ba able to taste different kinds of Olive oil and products made with Olive oil. After the olive oil tour we will go to have lunch on a small family run Osteria and then for 'dessert' we will move towards Valpolicella where we will go to two wineries and taste one of the best wines prodeced in the world, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone.
For this night we will go all for a goumet pizza on a beautiful restaurant downtown Vicenza.
3rd day:
After our breakfast we will take a train to the city that is on my opinion the most beautifull city in this world, Venice.
Arriving in Venice I will take you to a workers class bar where you can have the real feel of Venitians and taste the working class wine.
After the wine we will visit the Jewish Ghetto and move towards the Saint Mark Square.
We will walk around downtown and have luch on a very good restaurant. On the afternoon we will go for a cicchetti on a very cool little bar where just locals know about it.
On this day we will walk a lot. In Venice pretty much everything is by foot or boat, so prepare yourself with comfortable shoes.
4th day:
After an intensive day of walking around Venice this day will Sparkle your trip. We will do the prosecco road and visit the beautiful hills of Valdobiadene.
5th day:
Very early we will say bye to Vicenza and board on a nice comfortable bus to the food heaven. On this day we will visit the Parmigiano cheese factory, Parma ham factory, a small producer of Balsamic vinegar and we will finish our trip in Bologna where we will stay on a nice hotel downtown.
6th day:
We will be waking up on the food capital of Italy. On this day Lucas will bring you to a food tour around Bologna. We will walk around downtown, visit a historical stock market, the oldest college of the world and visit the oldest bar of Italy and taste a delicious Lambrusco with local ham cuts and cheeses then we will go to Lucas favorite restaurant and have a real lasagne Bolognese with a very good of San Giovese wine. On the afternoon we will taste one of the best gelatos of Italy as well, another historical place. Bologna is a very interesting city and is completely out of the tourist beaten path. At the night for the people that are still hungry we will go to a rustic and traditional osteria where they just have three things on the menu and one is the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.
7th day:
After breakfast we will move towards the train station to catch the most modern and fastest train in Europe, Italo. Our ride to Florence will be just 37 minutes and we will be on the first class drinking prosecco. The trip is so short that we might have just enough time for one glass.
Arriving in Florence we will check in on a nice hotel right in front of Duomo. Your windows will likely have a view to one of the most prettiest churches in Italy. After checking in we will go again for a tour around the city and have lunch on a whole in the wall where they make simple but delicious food. We will walk around the city and taste a typical wine from Tuscany with cantucci. Vin santo.
8th day:
9.09.2016
Nutella Cookies
1 egg
2 tbsp bitter chocolate powder
150g Nutella for the filling
1. Mix the egg, flour, chocolate and Nutella in a bowl. Start mixing with a spoon.
2. Then mix with your hands until is soft. Put inside the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Make little balls and make a little hole in the middle using a wood spoon for example.
4. Bake in the convection oven in 180C for about 8-10 minutes.
5. Take out of the oven and let it cool down. Add as well the nutella on the hole. And that's it! Very simple!
Grissini al Parmigiano
1 yeast cube
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cup semolina
1 1/2 cup 00 flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup parmigiano
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
In a bowl mix the yeast and sugar. The yeast and sugar will become liquid. Add water and mix. Add the flour, semolina, salt and rosemary. Mix with spoon. Add the butter in your hands and mix with your hands this time, add cheese. If is too stick add a little more semolina or flour. Let raise for about 45 minutes in a bowl. Make little snakes, and add cheese and olive oil around them. Bake for about 20 min in 180C or 450F. Spinkle more cheese on the top if you would like.