ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

These almond flavored cookies remind my husband of his "Mamaw" (Nonna).  If you love almond flavoring and like those expensive, hard amaretti cookies in a tin, you will really love the soft-chewiness of these cookies.  

If you'd like, you can add ½ teaspoon of Amaretto liqueur.

2 cups almond flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ t sea salt

Zest of 1 large orange

2 large egg whites

¾ t almond extract

1 cup sliced almonds

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Spray a large cookie sheet with vegetable oil.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Stir in almond extract.

Gently fold the eggs white mixture into the almond flour mixture until a sticky dough forms.

In a salad plate or something similar, add the sliced almonds.

Form dough into small balls.

Press each ball into the almonds to flatten slightly, and place on the cookie sheet.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Remove with a spatula, while warm onto a wire rack to cool, or just loosen while on cookie sheet and let cool.

Let cool for 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioners' sugar and store in a container with a tight fitted lid.

Makes 24 cookies

ROMAN CACIO e PEPE WITH PANCETTA & LEMON

Cacio e Pepe is a pasta dish from Rome. It translates to "cheese and pepper". I added pancetta for extra crunch and flavor. I also added lemon zest and juice to brighten up the dish. This is a simple dish but you must add pancetta and Pecorino Romano cheese to make this authentic. I also added Parmigiano cheese because I like the combination of the two kinds of cheese. This could become your favorite quick pasta dish.

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 T freshly ground black pepper

1 T sea salt (for the pasta water)

1 lb spaghetti or bucatini

4 oz pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 T minced Italian parsley

In a bowl mix together the grated cheeses with the black pepper and set aside.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Add the salt and the spaghetti or bucatini and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a towel-lined plate and set aside.

Drain off most of the fat but leave the brown bits in the pan.

Lower heat and add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the cheese mixture and cook until cheeses are melted and smooth.

Drain the pasta but save 1 cup of the pasta water.

Add the drained pasta to the pan along with some of the pasta water.

Heat through then add half of the pancetta, lemon zest, and juice.

Transfer to 4 warm pasta bowls, sprinkle on the rest of the pancetta, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4

MARINATED MOZZARELLA BALLS

This is a delicious appetizer for a small group or a crowd.

2 T minced fresh parsley

1 t minced fresh chives

1 t minced fresh rosemary

1 T minced sundried tomatoes, in oil

Zest of ½ medium lemon

Juice of ½ medium lemon

¼ t red pepper flakes

¼ t sea salt

12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese balls, drained and patted dry

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, stir together the first eight ingredients.

Place mozzarella cheese balls in a 12 oz jar fitted with a lid.

Pour in the the mixture in the bowl.

Add as much of the olive oil as needed to cover the cheese balls.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Remove from refrigerator an hour before serving to let olive oil come to room temperature.

SPAGHETTI ALL'AMATRICIANA

This is one of the simplest and most delicious pasta sauces. In Rome this tomato sauce is served with bucatini, which is a hollow version of spaghetti; it's like a straw with a tiny hole. The sauce originated in the small town of Amatrice, about 2 hours northeast of Rome. In Amatrice, they prefer spaghetti. Sadly, an earthquake destroyed almost the entire historic town.

6 oz guanciale or pancetta, diced
1 T extra-light olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, diced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28-oz) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes
¼ cup Pino Grigio or other dry white wine

2 t chopped fresh basil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ lb bucatini or spaghetti

2 T freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the pancetta and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the oil and sauté the onion and red pepper flakes for 3 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and hand-crush them, removing any hard center cores.

Alternatively, use an immersion blender to chop the tomatoes.

To the saucepan, add the crushed tomatoes, wine, basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Save a little of the pasta water to add to the sauce.

When the sauce is finished simmering, stir in a little of the pasta water and the grated cheese.

Pour the drained pasta back into the pot and add some of the tomato sauce, as needed.

Toss to combine and spoon pasta into 2 warm pasta bowls.

Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle on a little more cheese, and garnish with basil.

Buon appetito!

Serves 2 with plenty of sauce left over.

CHICKEN MARSALA - Pollo al Marsala

In Italy you usually see Veal Marsala on the menu in restaurants.  Some people believe this recipe was originally created because Marsala wine (a fortified wine) was produced around the city of Marsala in Sicily.

This recipe is made with boneless chicken breasts and is prepared in under 45 minutes.  This is a classic Italian-American recipe.

2 small or medium size boneless chicken breasts halves

½ cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 T peanut oil or avocado oil, for frying

8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced

½ yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

2 T unsalted butter

½ cup Marsala wine

¼ cup chicken broth or stock

Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise.

Cut each half in half, crosswise.  Now you have 4 cutlets.

Gently pound chicken between layers of plastic wrap to an even thickness.

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

Dredge chicken pieces in flour and place on a clean plate or platter.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Fry the chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Place chicken back on the plate or platter and set aside.

Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Melt in the butter and stir to combine.

Add the wine and chicken broth.

Place the chicken back in the skillet, spoon some of the sauce over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.

Serve with buttered noodles or roasted potatoes.

Serves 2

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

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 T Parmigiana cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T olive oil or avocado oil

1 large shallot or small yellow onion, 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, per breast.

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