MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALLS (POLPETTE MEDITERRANEE)

This is a light meal and very tasty, my daughters as I have already said they do not like the meat, then prepare these meatballs with vegetables and have much success.
To enrich this recipe, add hot croutons and pass up the vegetables for the girls.
A dish that's okay for the whole family.


Ingredients


For the meatballs


12,3 oz. (350g) minced veal
parmesan cheese
salt
bread crumbs
2 slices of ham
2 eggs


For vegetable broth


1 potato
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 zucchini
a few leaves of parsley
ten cherry tomatoes
1,76oz. (50g) spinach
oil and salt
croutons




Fill a large pot of water (I use a pressure cooker).
Wash the vegetables and pour in the pot.
Salt.
Cook for 30 minutes.
In a food processor mix all the ingredients for the meatballs
Obtained from the compound of the balls pass them in bread crumbs and pour in the broth.
Add a little olive oil.
Cook for a further 25/30 minutes.
Serve as desired with croutons hot.



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SAINT NICHOLAS OF BARI

May 9, as every year, Bari through the alleys of the old town and the beautiful waterfront is celebrating St. Nicholas.
Several days of feast, shows and liturgical celebrations to commemorate the arrival of the saint's relics to Bari.
There are pilgrims who come from all parts ready to discover the habits and tastes of the past, popular spirituality and values​​.
The most characteristic moment of the feast is consumed at dusk when the statue of the saint from the sea in the caravel reaches the mainland.
The city shines through the festive lights that adorn the main streets, the smell of "sgagliozze" fried food prepared by street vendors, boys who patiently await the hot focaccia from the bakery open for most of the night.
Obviously you can not miss the coffee and croissant at midnight, to Bari is a tradition for everyone.
The last day we proceed to the solemn removal of the Manna, which is the liquid that was found near the relics of the saint.
The ceremony ends with the expected fireworks and the statue of the saint, returns in the Basilica.


Sgagliozze Baresi (fried polenta)

Ingredients
8, 81 oz. (250g) polenta
water
salt
Mixed seed oil

Boil a pot with salted water, slowly pour the polenta and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once ready pour it onto a work surface and spread it.
Allow to cool and cut into squares and fry in a pan with hot oil.
Freshly fried on both sides, drain and sprinkle with a generous handful of salt.

MR OLIVE OIL

Olive oil is rich in beneficial properties, besides being appreciated on our tables is also widely used in beauty care.
Its virtues are many, helps fight cholesterol and prevent cancer, regulates metabolism and helps prevent cardiovascular disease.
The condiment is definitely healthier, although as always we should not exaggerate, the recommended daily dose is three tablespoons a day.
In the cosmetic field is used to give light to the hair to nourish the skin and softening functions.
The oil from Puglia is certainly among the most popular oils, has a color deep green, slightly spicy and fruity,
Bio oil 2012 event in which they are comparing the best extra virgin olive oils in the world, Puglia has won four awards,two in the province of Bari. Apulia produces nearly a fifth of the Italian organic products, with peaks that reach to 50 percent in the olive oil sector.
And more. "The oil from Puglia triumphs during the Vinitaly exhibition in Verona last 25 to 28 March 2012"
The land of Puglia, beauty, colors and flavors.

If you want to have on your table extra virgin olive oil from Puglia contact me, I'll be glad to help.



BODY SCRUB CREAM


Ingredients


1 small jar
brown sugar
extra virgin olive oil
few drops of essential oil (optional)

Fill the jar of sugar, cover up the brim with olive oil and if want to a particular scent, add a few drops of essential oil of your choice.
Close with a lid, and here is a ready economic and natural scrub cream.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Tonight Carbonara!
This is a typical dish from Lazio, my husband has lived in Rome for a while and one day when I tried to prepare it I must say he did not like very
I found this recipe on the blog vickyart, and who knows, maybe this time I can surprise my husband .....

Photos and recipe are vickyart. it (http://www.vickyart.it/arte-in-cucina/2011/09/25/carbonara-primo-piatto/)

Ingredients

4, 58 oz. (130g) spaghetti

1, 41 oz (40g) bacon

1 egg

pecorino Romano

½ cup dry white wine

extra virgin olive oil

pepper 

Fry the bacon in a little oil.

Deglaze with white wine and let evaporate.

In a bowl combine the egg and chees.

Drain the pasta and off the heat,  join in the mixture and the bacon, mix well and add plenty of black pepper grated at the peppermill.

SARTU'

The sartù is a dish made ​​of rice rather processed and most popular of the traditional Neapolitan cuisine. It is cooked into a mold shaped like a donut   and is a good idea for a special dinner, as it is very scenographic.
What you see my mother-in-law has prepared, in Naples is prepared during the Easter.

Serves 6/8 people:24, 6 oz. (700g) of rice for risotto
bread crumbs;  3 hard boiled eggs
for the filling:
2 or 3 mozzarella
5, 29 oz. (150g) peas
  grated parmesan cheese
For the meatballs:
10, 5 oz. (300g) ground beef
2 slices of stale bread
1 egg
grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
for the tomato sauce:
17, 6 oz. (500g) peeled tomatoes
33, 8 fl. oz. (1bottle) tomato sauce
1 onion, olive oil

Cook rice in abundant salted water.

In a bowl pour the oil and the peas, add salt add a few tablespoons of water and cook until done.

In another pan fry with olive oil and a teaspoon of water, the onion, pour the tomato sauce and peeled tomatoes. Add salt and cook for about 15 minutes.

In a bowl mix ground beef, egg, parsley, garlic, cheese and stale bread previously soaked in milk and squeezed.

Shape into balls pass them in bread crumbs and pour the sauce continue to simmer for another 20 \ 25 minutes.

Take only the meatballs and set aside.

Grease a cake pan with center hole and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Season the rice with tomato sauce and peas.

Put on the bottom a layer of rice, then a layer of filling ingredients, with scatter

plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and continue alternating a layer of rice and a filling ingredients are used. Finish with a layer of rice.

Bake in oven preheated to 392 ° F (200°).Invert the sartù on a plate (do not invert when it is too hot) and put the meatballs in the centre, decorated with boiled eggs.

RUM CAKE AND STRAWBERRY (TORTA FRAGOLE E RUM)

This is the period of strawberries and we all are greedy.
I like them in  fruit salads or just sliced ​​and seasoned with sugar, lemon juice and few drops of orange, of course if you want garnish a cake are very decorative.
Luckily I managed to take a picture ... they devoured in an instant!!!

Ingredients


sponge cake (recipe here http://italiangoodness.blogspot.it/2011/10/coconut-and-chocolate-cupcakes.html)
16, 9 fl. oz (500ml) whipping cream
17, 6 oz. (500g) strawberries
pastry cream (recipe here http://italiangoodness.blogspot.it/2011/10/crema-pasticcera.html)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
1 cup milk 
1 tablespoon rum (or rum flavoring)  

After thoroughly washed strawberries cut them into 4 (or leave them whole, depending on how you want to decorate your cake) and season with sugar, orange, lemon and rum.
Let them macerated for at least an hour in the fridge.
Strain the juice and set aside.
Divide the sponge cake and wet with the strawberry juice and if you also want some milk.
Pour the cream and cover with the second disc of sponge cake.
Still wet with a few tablespoons of milk or strawberry juice if it is advanced and garnish with whipped cream.
Decorated with strawberries.

FOCACCIA BARESE

If you are in Italy and want to eat the real cake, or go to Genoa, where the cakeis their distinctive white or Bari, where the thin and crispy prepared with lots oftomatoes and black olives.
This I am presenting today is the basic recipe of pasta I just changed the dressing, I put less tomatoes and add the ham and mozzarella.
The oil we use is produced by us (the oil Corato), which gives a slightly spicy taste when used raw, and while cooking makes the food tastier.
Try a little '...

Ingredients
12, 3 oz.  (350g) flour
8, 50 fl.oz. (250ml) tiepid water
0, 63 oz. (18g) yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 boiled potato
tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, olive oil

Put the flour, salt, oil, crumbled potato warm, salt, in the food processor. (otherwise knead the dough by hand for at least ten minutes)
Gradually add the warm water, the mixture should be soft not liquid.
Cover the dough and let rise for about two hours.
Take a pan with plenty of oil, and pour the mixture.
Add a little salt and another drizzle of olive oil and let it rest again for another 15 minutes.
Bake in oven preheated to 356 ° F (180 degrees) for about 25/35 minutes.
Recommendation: it is best to add salt to the dough at the end; you can use the water where you boiled the potatoes, the important that is tiepid.

SCARCELLA PUGLIESE

I read on a blog (http://italyfromtheinside.com) hat covers topics that concern Italy and Italians, that in America you do not celebrate the Pasquetta that is the Monday after Easter.
The Italians love this holiday organizing picnics, trips, or simply enjoy the sea..
Everything I say this because the recipe that I am giving you is preparing at Easter, for all children: the Scarcella Pugliese.
Is a biscuit, which can be decorated with colored sugar or white frosting.
On a cardboard I drew a dove that I used as a form for my scarcelle,with egg yolk sprinkle the surface of the dough. I decorated with balls and hearts of sugar and confetti aniseed.
Before baking put an egg in the center of the biscuit arrested with two of the same lump ties put on the cross.
I have avoided because of my daughters do not like.
The recipe is that of biscuits Apulia.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2717642096571328834#editor/target=post;postID=7389178724023142466

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE (TORTA AL CIOCCOLATO MESSICANA)

The spring did not want to arrive, these continuous rains I have made you want to make a cake. But which one? Then I searched the web and I found this beguiling chocolate cake and this convinced me is special about the ingredients.
I write the link of the blog where you will find the original recipe, I made ​​some small changes and that what you see in the picture is the result.
http://menuturistico.blogspot.it/2010/12/mexican-spiced-chocolate-cake-feat.html


Ingredients


1  2 / 3 cup (175g) flour
1 1 / 8 cup (225g) caster sugar
1 / 2 cup (60g) cocoa
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
7.43 fl. oz (220ml) cold water (about)
1.69 fl.oz (50ml) seed oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
vanilla flavor
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
icing sugar

The preparation is very simple, in a bowl mix the dry ingredients, in another those liquid.

They join, you distribute the mixture into a baking pan and bake at 356 ° F (180 degrees) for about 30 minutes.

SOFT SWEET APPLE (DOLCE MORBIDO ALLE MELE SENZA GLUTINE))

FOTO TRATTA DA www.unduetre.com

After talking of the transmission i menù di benedetta, now comes the turn of another protagonist of our Italian TV: Antonella Clerici, and its prova del cuoco.
I chose a recipe I tried, easy to prepare gluten free satisfies all.
Here's the video of the recipe
http://www.laprovadelcuoco.rai.it/dl/portali/site/articolo/ContentItem-bf9d1f0f-f7bd-41a8-9cf9-861a6e25011c.html?refresh_ce


Ingredients


35.2 oz. (1 kg) apples
1/2 cup (100g.) sugar
1/4 cup (50g.) sugar for caramel
3 eggs
  ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder
2-3 drops of vinegar


Preheat the oven to 356 °F (180°). Melt 1 /4 cup (50g.) of sugar with 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan. When the mixture becomes a golden color, add 2/3 drops of vinegar and remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon of boiling water and stir.
Pour the caramel into the charlotte mold to coat the sides and bottom. Allow to cool then buttering the corners where the caramel is not a party. Peel apples, cut into 4 wedges and cook over high heat with a glass of water in a saucepan, stirring constantly to reduce them.
Remove from heat, add sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
When the apples are lukewarm, stir in the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously.
Pour the mixture into the mold with the caramel and bake in water bath for about 15-20 minutes.
Let the cake cool then sformatelo before serving.

CHICORY AND CELERY IN BATTER (CICORIA E SEDANO IN PASTELLA)

Here I am, has been a while that I do not update my blog but I was very much engaged, the baptism of my nephew, the school and the pool of my daughters ... that hard!
To forgive me, here for you a recipe flavor "peasant"
My neighbor brought me a plate of mixed vegetables, celery and chicory homemade batter and fried.
A must try.


Ingredients


4/5 tablespoons of flour
2 eggs
carbonated cold water
celery leaves and chicory

In a bowl beat the eggs, a pinch of salt, flour, andmix a few tablespoons of water until creamy nor too liquid nor too soloda.
Clean the vegetables, dip in batter and fry in hot oil.
Tip: you should only use the leaves of chicory andcelery because the stem is the harder it sizzleswith more difficulty.