Timballo

 

TIMBALLO

     I know what you are thinking, "What is this Timballo?", well a Timballo or Timpano depending on Italian dialect or location is a baked mound of dough stuffed with a bunch of goodness inside. The internal items can range from meats, cheeses, pasta, fish, vegetables, etc. Anything you truly prefer. I used a small metal oven proof bowl to bake this in but a ceramic one would work too. The dish was showcased in a 1996 movie Big Night about an Italian restaurant owned by 2 brothers struggling during the holidays. This dish my family has decided to add to our Christmas Eve Feast along with a bunch of different seafoods to accompany our Feast of the Seven Fishes meal. It seemed daunting and hard to put together, however I found it quite simple once I got the hand of it. Please enjoy my Timballo.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup water

Filling:

• 2 cups diced salami
• 2 cups provolone cheese
• 6 hard boiled eggs sliced
• 2 cups mini meatballs
• 4 cups homemade red sauce
• 1 1/2 lb baked rigatoni
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs

1. Start by making the dough. Combine flour, eggs, salt, olive oil and water in a mixer and mix until dough forms a ball. Kneed by hand for 10 minutes or with dough hook for roughly 3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Grease with butter the inside of the baking bowl.

2. Roll out onto floured surface until large enough to fill the bowl you are baking it in as well as cover the bottom of your creation.

3. Prepare the inside. (Some of this can be done ahead of time so you can easily fill like a assembly line. I made this even easier on myself by buying store bought mini Italian meatballs. I know, Sacrilege).

4. Start filling the dough lined bowl. I started with some rigatoni then followed by the salami, then the provolone, eggs, meatballs, provolone again and then some sauce. Repeat again until the mixture fills to the top of the dome. Take the last 3 eggs, scramble and pour over the top so it filters down through the fillings. Fold over the hanging dough and seal with a little water. You can trim some if there is too much.

5. Bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour uncovered. Cover with tinfoil and bake again for roughly 30-45 minutes.

6. After resting for 30+ minutes carefully turn upside onto serving platter and the Timballo should slip out and is ready to slice and serve.

This little Timballo was perfect and just enough to serve my whole family at roughly 5+ people. Enjoy!!

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

Serves: 5+ 

Eleanor Frittata

 

 

    Each year our family gathers together to have an Easter Brunch. Each member makes a separate dish to bring to one's house, (whomever is the host that year), we eat, drink, and have a good afternoon. My Aunt Eleanor has made a few frittata's for this special occasion. For those not sure what a frittata is, it is simply an Italian version of an omelette or quiche. Typically this dish is fried on the stove over low heat until the egg mixture comes together. This version is even easier and less stressful through the use of baking in the oven. This is my version of her original dish. Eleanor Frittata.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Italian sausage links casing removed
• 1/4 diced onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1 handful baby spinach
• Handful left over grilled asparagus
• 5 eggs
• Handful Italian mixture of cheese; (provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan)
• Salt/pepper

 

1. In a large pan brown the Italian sausage.

 

2. Stir in the diced onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and baby spinach. Saute until all is tender and spinach has wilted.

 

3. Mix in the already cooked left over asparagus.

 

4. Now whisk together the eggs in a large bowl.

 

5. In a round baking pan coated with cooking spray, sprinkle some of the cheese mixture.

 

6. Pour in the sausage vegetable mixture.

 

7 Gently pour the eggs over the mixture and top with remaining cheese.

 

8. Cook in 350 degree oven for roughly 30-40 minutes or until top has browned and is set firm.

 

This delicious frittata is so full of flavor that it will quickly become a favorite for everyone. This can even be eaten cold for a light snack or reheated for an on the go breakfast.

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes including saute
Serves: 3+

 

 

Momma's Macaroni Salad

Momma's Macaroni Salad

 

 

     What says summer better than an old fashioned BBQ? Right! You gather together with friends or family. Everyone prepares something. There is the chicken, burgers or dogs on the grill, the potato salad, the fries and the brews, but what about the favorite standby of macaroni salad? Who is going to make it this year? Is it mom with her amazing yet so simple recipe or your best friend? How about you this time! Well here is a simple yet delicious recipe that is actually my mother’s. She has always made this. So easy and so delicious that once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. This macaroni salad will definitely become your go to dish for summer gatherings and picnics. Please enjoy my Momma’s Macaroni Salad.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked macaroni pasta
• 1 hardboiled egg
• 4 small sweet pickles
• 1 tomato
• splash of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup miracle whip
• 1 tbs yellow mustard
• salt/pepper
• dash of paprika

1.       Cook macaroni as directed and rinse under cold water

2.       Boil egg and dice up

3.       Dice tomato and pickle up into small chunks

4.       In a large bowl combine macaroni, egg, pickle and tomato

5.       Mix in the miracle whip, yellow mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

6.       Dash some paprika on top for looks.

Simple, delicious, and will definitely become your macaroni salad favorite. Enjoy!

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

 

 

Coffee Almond Biscotti

Biscotti

 

       Was craving cookies this evening and decided to make my homemade biscotti again. Didn't want to do the old standby of chocolate and orange so thought how good it would be to make traditional biscotti, one with almonds. What would go good with almonds other than coffee? So, I decided to create my own Coffee Almond Biscotti. This recipe makes about 15 individual biscotti. I used the same recipe as the one for my chocolate orange but instead of adding the chocolate chips and the orange zest I used sliced almonds and instant coffee. Add a little dash of brewed coffee and viola; you have delicious moist coffee almond flavored cookies that you will definitely gobble up. Coffee Almond Biscotti.

 

 

Ingredients:

• Biscotti recipe below
• 2 tbs instant coffee crystals
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tbs brewed coffee
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Powdered sugar
• Milk

 

     Follow the recipe for the biscotti cookies listed above. In the recipe above you will take the 2 tbs of instant coffee and mix it into the butter sugar mixture prior to adding the dry ingredients. Next pour in the brewed coffee.  After adding the dry ingredients stir in the sliced almonds. Mold into a log and bake according to above recipe. 

    

     In a small bowl mix powdered sugar and milk until you have the nice icing consistency you want. Mix in the little bit of almond extract for that extra almond flavoring. Once cookies have been baked and cooled. Dip one end into the icing and let dry. Simple and delicious.  Hope you enjoy.

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 40 minutes

Cool Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 15

 

Biscotti recipe: http://www.recipesiliveby.blogspot.com/2013/12/Chocolate-Chip-Biscotti.html

 



Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Pudding

       Another dish based on a book for the month of September and my Foodies+ community. I chose this dish because it represented two of my favorite books. One is the classic Great Expectations and the other has started on its way to becoming a classic in its own right the Harry Potter series. Now I'm not quite sure if this dish is ever mentioned in Expectations but I assume that it was a dish served in Miss Havisham's home as she appeared to be of upper English decent. It is mentioned a few times in the Potter series as it does take place in England.

 

     This dish is a traditional English item often found on the dinner table during Sunday meal served with roast beef and potatoes. It can also be made into a dessert if needed. It is a simple pastry dish made from equal parts egg, milk, and flour. It has the texture of a slight crispy outside and sort of soft custard type inside. You can pour gravy over it and eat it right away. Now I will admit that it was good, but not my cup of tea. My parents however ate 2 1/2 a piece at our roast beef Sunday dinner. Please give this a try it is simple and easy. Yorkshire Pudding.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• Vegetable oil
• 12 hole mini muffin tin

     Turn your oven to 375 degrees and place the muffin tin in it to heat up. Now whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the flour and milk until you have a nice smooth batter. Remove the tin from the oven and pour in each hole 1/4 of the way up some oil. Carefully pour in each section some of the batter just before it reaches the top. Place in the oven and bake for roughly 20-25 minutes. Do not open the oven while it is cooking or the batter could fall. Hope you enjoy Yorkshire Pudding.

Serves: 5-8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Katia's Parmigiana

Katia's Parmigiana

      I already have another recipe on here for Eggplant Parmesan but after traveling to Italy and seeing family and trying my cousins own version of Parmigiana di Melanzane, I was hooked. This dish was so delicious and unusual that I fell madly in love with it. She utilized something’s as simple as hardboiled eggs, prosciutto, and a quick tomato mixture that it was amazing how delicious and simple this dish was. It does take some time preparing but once it is out of the oven and ready to be served you will be so thankful you took the extra steps to build this dish. Grazie cugina per la ricetta!!! Please enjoy Katia's Parmigiana

Ingredients:

• 1 lg eggplant
• 8 slices prosciutto cooked
• 6 hardboiled eggs sliced
• 2 12 oz cans diced tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Small handful fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• Parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Flour
• Salt/pepper

     Now I prepped the eggs, prosciutto, and the tomato mixture the night before but it can all be done the day of. Start out by boiling the six eggs. Cover once the water boils, turn off the heat, and let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove, rinse under cold water, peel, and slice. Now for the prosciutto, quickly and easily pan fry the slices just until they turn a bit brown. Next in a sauce pan take some olive oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Toss in the diced tomatoes and fresh diced basil. Smash up some of the tomatoes until practically a nice smooth mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for roughly 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

     Remove the peel from the eggplant. Slice and dredge each piece in a little flour. One large eggplant cuts into roughly 8 slices. Fry each slice in a little olive oil until browned.

     Now for the fun part, spread a little of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 9 glass pan. Layer a few of the slices of the eggplant. Top with a few slices of prosciutto and then the sliced eggs.

 

     Top with a bit more tomato mixture and then spread some parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Start over with the layering process in the same manner until you fill the dish. Place some more mozzarella and parmesan on the very top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool until you slice and serve it up.

Serves 4-5
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Katia far right

Easter Sausage Bread

Easter Sausage Bread

     Since it is Easter time, some of my family get together for an Easter Brunch.  This year it was my turn to host in my little apartment.  There was a total of 17 people at my house for brunch today.  I cooked the standard scrambled eggs, bacon, and some toast. Everyone else brought different dishes ranging from French toast to cake and fruit.  I also made a very good "breakfast in one" bread that now has become a tradition in its own right.  Sausage Bread.  This bread is so simple to make and only requires a few easy ingredients.  I used store bought pizza dough from the roll, some Italian sausage, fresh spinach, egg, and cheese.  That is it.  Quick, simple, and very delicious.  Sausage Bread will definitely start to show up on your brunch or breakfast table in the near future. 

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough in the roll
• 1/2 lb Italian Sausage
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 bag fresh spinach
• 1/2 bag fresh shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 15oz ricotta
• Oregano

      Preheat oven to 425F.  In a sauté pan over high heat brown the Italian sausage.  Before it starts to finish its cooking mix in the fresh spinach and wilt.  In a side bowl scramble the eggs together and toss into the sausage mixture.  Cook by scrambling just until they are almost completely done as they will finish in the oven.  Remove from heat.  Meanwhile spread the pizza dough out on a greased baking sheet to make a rectangle. Spread the ricotta over the dough evenly leaving a little room around the edge. Sprinkle with some oregano.  Next sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the ricotta.  Now spread the sausage and egg mixture over the cheeses.  Fold in all four sides of the pizza dough in one inch.  Now bring one long side halfway in to the center then the other side on top of it until you have a loaf shape.  Quickly and carefully flip over so the seems are side down.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Slice and serve warm or cold the next day.  Breakfast in one bite!  Enjoy this delicious Sausage Bread.