CLASSIC CHICKEN PICCATA

Chicken Piccata is on the menu in most Italian restaurants, and it is so easy to prepare at home. The recipe originated in Italy with veal. Serve this with Risotto or pasta and a green salad.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 T Parmigiana cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T olive oil or avocado oil

1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 cup chicken stock or broth

Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 T capers, drained
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature

Pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of granulated chicken bouillon 
2 T chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

1 lemon, cut into thin circles and cut in half, for garnish

Cut each chicken breast in half, through the middle, then through the thickness.  

You will have 4 pieces.

Remove any fat and discard.

Pound them between plastic wrap to even thickness.

In a shallow bowl, add the flour, Parmigiana cheese, and season generously with salt and pepper. 

Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and set aside on a platter or pizza pan. 

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron skillet.
Add the chicken to the skillet and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden. 
Transfer chicken to a platter or pizza pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the shallot for a couple of minutes.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan while stirring.

Pour in the chicken stock and simmer a couple of minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and capers and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, to reduce slightly.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in the butter and allow to melt. 

Add the pinch of granulated chicken bouillon.

Place chicken back in skillet and simmer another minute to heat through.

Serve the chicken and sauce with a side of spaghetti or risotto, if desired.

Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve.

Serves 2 to 4

FARFALLE PASTA SALAD

Farfalle (butterflies or bowties) are one of my favorite pasta types.  Serve with grilled salmon or chicken. . .even as a complete entree.

1 lb farfalle pasta or your favorite pasta

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup toasted pine nuts (toast in a dry skillet)

¼ cup chopped black Italian olives or kalamata

¼ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, in oil

1 T drained capers

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced

¼ cup fennel fronds, chopped

2 T chopped basil

2 T chopped Italian parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the vinegar, olive oil, pine nuts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, lemon zest and juice.

Mix together to combine.

Add the pasta, fennel, fennel fronds, basil, and parsley.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the grated cheese, gently mix to combine.

Serves 4 to 6

TUSCAN PANZANELLA SALAD

Panzanella roughly translates to bread (pane) small basket (zanella). This salad is especially wonderful when tomatoes are in season. If you want the salad to be a complete meal, add a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans to the salad for protein.

Croutons

2 cups roughly chopped Italian bread

Place bread croutons on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree F oven. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove and set aside.

Salad

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

½ English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

½ red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

¼ cup drained capers

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

1 T chopped oregano leaves

1 T chopped basil leaves

In a large salad bowl, add the above salad ingredients and the bread croutons. 

Toss to combine.

Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced

½ t Dijon mustard

¼ cup white wine or champagne vinegar

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a canning jar, add the above vinaigrette ingredients, screw on the top, and shake vigorously.

Pour as much as you want over the salad and gently toss to combine. You will have enough salad dressing for another salad.

Serves 4

LEMON SORBET WITH PROSECCO - Sgroppino al Limone

Traditionally, sgroppino is a refreshing aperitif that is said to have originated in Venice, Italy and is served blended, but this is another way to serve it as a dessert. With the abundance of lemons on the Amalfi Coast, I think it could have been invented there. This is so refreshing on a warm summer or autumn evening.

1 cup chilled Prosecco
¼ cup chilled limoncello

¼ cup chilled plain or lemon-flavored vodka 

Good-quality lemon sorbet


Fresh mint leaves

Pour ½ cup Prosecco into each champagne flute or Irish coffee glass. 

Equally, divide the limoncello and vodka into each flute or glass.

Add 2 to 3 scoops of lemon sorbet.


Top with mint and serve immediately.

Serves 2 

ULTIMATE TIRAMISÙ

Tiramisù roughly translated means "pick me up" or "lift me up". It is a traditional dessert from Italy made with espresso, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, Savoiardi (ladyfingers), and a custard called zabaglione. Every Italian mamma has her own recipe. I was fortunate enough to enjoy one made by my friend Giuseppina Cappiello in Positano.

Espresso Syrup
8 oz brewed espresso, or 2 T instant espresso powder dissolved in 8 oz boiling water
2 T marsala wine 

Zabaglione
4 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar

2 T marsala wine 
2 cups mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

24 Savoiardi Ladyfingers 
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix together the espresso and marsala and let cool.

Make a double boiler by placing a heat-resistant bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
Do not let the bowl touch the simmering water.
Beat egg yolks and sugar in the double boiler using a whisk or a hand-held electric mixer until tripled in volume, about 6 - 7 minutes.

Carefully remove bowl from heat and place on a tea towel.

Beat in the marsala wine and mascarpone, on slow speed until combined, about 1 -2 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream until well combined.

Spread a thin but even layer of mascarpone mixture on bottom of a 8 by 8-inch pan.

Quickly dip half of the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture.
Place the ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone mixture. 

You will have to cut some to completely fill the pan, but don't crowd them.

12 fit into an 8-inch square pan perfectly with some cut up.
Spread half of the mascarpone filling on top.
Dip the rest of the ladyfingers in coffee and arrange over the filling.
Spread the remaining mascarpone filling on top.
Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

If you don't have a snap-on lid, use 4 toothpicks and gently stick in top.

cover with plastic wrap.

Let tiramisu stand a room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Dust with cocoa and garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Serves 9

BAKED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

This recipe for eggplant Parmigiana resembles southern-style fried green tomatoes, with all the crunch, and they are not fried. You stack them together and bake a final time for about 10 minutes until the cheese melts. I was inspired to make it this way after I had (one stack only) for lunch at Ristorante Tre Sorelle (Three Sisters) in Positano, Italy. 

1 recipe for marinara or tomato sauce

1 cup all-purpose flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

2 T water or milk

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 ½ cups dry plain breadcrumbs

2 T chopped Italian parsley

2 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh oregano

2 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh basil

Extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

2 large, heavy eggplants, peeled and sliced crosswise into 12 slices, ¼-inch thick

1 lb mozzarella cheese, cut into 12 slices

Place flour into a shallow bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl with the water and ¼ cup of the Parmigiano cheese.

Combine the panko, dry breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, and basil in a shallow bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle some oil on a large baking sheet and spread it around with a brush.

Dip eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg mixture and finally in breadcrumb mixture.

Place eggplant slices on the baking sheet and drizzle a little more oil on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, flip each one over and bake an additional 15 minutes.

On the same baking sheet, arrange four of the baked slices (not touching each other) in a row.

Add a spoonful of sauce, then some grated Parmigiano and a slice of mozzarella cheese.

Place another slice of eggplant on each and repeat one more time (each stack contains three slices) and place back 

in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheeses.

Garnish with a couple of basil leaves and serve.

Serves 2 to 4

PASTA & BEANS - Pasta e Fagioli

This is the classic soup of pasta and beans from Southern Italy, especially popular in Napoli and the Amalfi coast.  Don't be a fool...eat pasta fazool!  It is truly amore!

If you can't find pancetta, you can use a couple of strips of unflavored bacon.

2 oz pancetta, diced 

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
2 T tomato paste
2 quarts chicken stock
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind 
2 (14 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ditalini or ditali pasta
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large pot or Dutch oven, fry the pancetta over medium heat until golden.
Add the oil to the pot and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. 

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté another minute.
Add wine and simmer 3 minutes.
Add tomato paste, chicken stock, sprig of thyme, bay leaf, and cheese rind.
Simmer 20 minutes. 
Add beans and simmer 10 more minutes.
Remove the sprig of thyme, bay leaf, and cheese rind; season to taste with salt and 

pepper. 
Add pasta and simmer another 5 to 6 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some grated Parmigiano cheese. 

Serves 4 to 6