Sunday At the Giacomettis

With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to remind everyone of this lovely Italian Cheese cake.  This is an older post.  Enjoy! I came across a variation of this wonderful cake made by many Italian Mom's in the 1960's.   My mother's version was baked and enough for an army of relatives.  It was traditonally served after dinner/lunch  during Easter and 4th of July celebrations.    This version is a no-bake version.  The light, flufffy texture of ricotta in combination with the cream cheese adds a whole new dimension to this cake. Any fresh  fruit topping will do.  Buon Appetito~ Ingredients 1 pound Whole Milk Ricotta cheese 11 0z of Cream cheese 3 tablespoons of vanilla extract 3/4 cup sugar One 9 inch springform pan 1 pint Heavy Whipping cream 3 packages of lady fingers ( more or less to line the springform pan and enough to layer your ricotta cake) For the glaze: Use any fresh fruit in Season I used ...

Ingredients: 3 cups unbleached flour plus 1/2 cup extra flour for your counter 1 teaspoon plus a half of active, dry yeast 1 cup plus 1/2 cup of warm (to the touch), water One tablespoon olive oil One teaspoon salt This basic bread dough is something I use all the time.  Whether for focaccia or pizza dough, simple baguettes or Panella bread, you will never forget such a great combination of ingredients.  The Italian kitchen is quite versatile, that is all you need to remember. The secret to successful breads is always in the rise.  The length of time the dough is resting and working to create a tasty end result. The night before you plan on making these baguettes, combine your yeast and 1/2 cup water. This is a "no Knead method" that requires very little work.  Don't be alarmed.  Just follow these directions. I have been around bread making all of my life, and there is nothing complicated about it.  Just takes patience.  You will be glad y...

                                           With fresh Artichokes showing up at many local markets, I found it appropriate to re post this recipe. I hope you enjoy it.   Many people find it so intimidating to make risotto at home.  Once you have mastered the technique,  it's easy to do.  I am sure you will be looking for an excuse to make risotto again.  I made lots of mistakes in the beginning.   You should never rush risotto and please don't keep your flame up high.  This is a slow process that can't be rushed.  You need to give the flavors time to combine and your rice time to cook and rest before taking it to the table. As you all know, I live in an area where fresh fish in non existent.     This...

"I Pomodorini freschi ci cantano,"  translation, little, fresh tomatoes  are singing.   On a night that we just didn't know what to cook, being Italian came in handy.  A usual Friday night recipe, during this season of Lent, this recipe is delicious and easy to prepare.  My husband recalls his best friends mom,  used to make this and add mushrooms (Caldarelle) fresh from the country, outside Ascoli Piceno.  They are similar to chiodini or oyster mushrooms here in the States.  You can even make them without mushrooms, as we did this evening. Ingredients for 4 people 1 pound  of spaghetti 3 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons garlic (I use elephant garlic, as it is milder in taste). chopped fine.  Or you can leave them large and remove them before serving.  1 /12 oz can of tuna 1 can of black olives drained 2 tablespoons salted capers 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional) 2 cups of...

If you live in the United States, the ingredients in this classic flan are probably in your pantry right now.  I must admit, they were not in mine as I avoid anything having to do with a can as much as possible.  Sweetened condensed milk is nothing but milk and sugar that is thickened.   It should be illegal but I must admit, so delicious. I hope you can find it to give it a try.    I think my husband's Flan is a close second.  (We won't tell him).  This version,  I had never tried.  My husband's mother used to shop at Castroni in Rome begging them to carry the product with no such luck.  These days it has magically appeared on the shelf.   I figured it had been tested long before I was born, so why not try.  It just can't be any easier.  I must also admit that I burned the sugar and had to start over.  If this happens to you, don't pour it down the drain, as your pipes will harden ...

Since our cooking class was all about Eggplants, I thought it appropriate to show everyone how easy it is to make a great sauce with eggplants. If using small, Japanese eggplants or any smaller sweet, variety, they can be sliced and cooked. If using larger varieties, like Black Beauty, you may want to place them under salt for an hour or two to help extract the bitterness away from the eggplant.  You can oven roast them as we discussed in class by salting them, brushing them with olive oil and placing them into a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Oven roasting intensifies flavor. Whichever way, it's all delicious.  What a great idea for a pasta sauce.  My mother could always make a meal for us out of very little and very few ingredients, life's simple pleasures.  It doesn't take much to make a fantastic pasta sauce.  INGREDIENTS: 4 People 2 medium Japanese eggplants, (peeled if store bought, cut up and diced, skin...