Stuffed focaccia, is a meal in itself, filled with sweet onions, green leafy escarole, grana padana and fried mortadella. I topped the focaccia with juicy red tomatoes, roasted yellow bell peppers and seasoned with dry oregano. Serve this any time of the day for a satisfying snack or meal!
Stuffed Focaccia
2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
Fillings
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red onion, sliced thin
4 cups escarole chopped
1 tomato, sliced
5 ounces grana padano cheese, grated
1 1/2" slice of mortadella, cubed
2 teaspoons dry oregano
Add 1 tablespoon of yeast to warm water and sugar, stir. Let sit for 7 minutes (until foamy). Place 4 1/2 cups of flour into food processor with salt. Slowly pour yeast mixture into processor, add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Process till a ball forms if too wet add another 1/2 cup flour. Dust a cutting board with flour and knead dough for 3 minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil place dough
in and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area for 1 to 2 hours.
Meanwhile char pepper over a gas burner turn frequently until black. Place in a bowl cover with saran wrap for 15 minutes. Peel pepper discard seeds and cut into strips. In a large frying pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil saute onions and chunks of mortadella a few minutes, add escarole and salt saute an additional 3 minutes.
Oil a 11x11 pan, when dough becomes 2-3 times it's original size, take out, cut in half and spread half onto flour dusted cutting board until it fits into 11"x11" baking pan, stretching over the sides. Fill in with onions, escarole, cheese and mortadella. Roll out other half of dough lay on top and pinch edges together. Arrange tomatoes and peppers on top sprinkle with oregano and bake at 480 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes, cut and enjoy!
Monococco waffles are made from Einkorn wheat, which is an ancient wheat.This particular Monococco is unique because it comes from Italy's famous Po Valley, which lies beneath the Italian Alps! These waffles were bursting with blueberries and are a very healthy choice. I served these with 100% maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Monococco Waffles
2 1/2 cups monococco flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 eggs
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup blueberries
100% maple syrup
powdered sugar
Combine all dry ingredients, whisk in water, eggs, honey and olive oil just till combined. Gently stir in blueberries. Cook according to your waffle maker, if you don't have one make pancakes. Serve with real maple syrup and powdered sugar. Makes about 12.
Handmade fresh pasta filled with Gorgonzola Cheese and Walnuts, served with a cherry tomato sauce. Produced by Italy's superior pasta maker, Leonardo Salvini, from Tradizioni Padane, our friend and partner. Soft and delicate, this hand folded pasta was an gastronomic experience. The quality of flavors are maintained using Italian cherry tomatoes and superb extra virgin olive oil from, Antico Casale dei Conti, our friends too!
Ravioli with Cherry Tomatoes
12 ounces ravioli or
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dry oregano
or 2 teaspoons fresh
salt and pepper
parmigiano cheese, grated
In a large pan heat olive oil add garlic for a minute, pour in tomatoes and sauce, oregano, salt and pepper. Place a lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Boil water add salt and cook pasta according to directions, I usually cook a minute or two less. This fresh pasta was ready in two minutes! Add pasta to sauce, combine and grate parmigiano cheese over the dish.
I chose Salmon for Friday night dinner with these caper fruits, black riviera olives and sweet plump cherry tomatoes. The combination gave the sauce a perfect balance to compliment the salmon.
Salmon and Capers
2 Salmon Steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons capers
12 small black olives
1 teaspoon dry oregano
salt and pepper
Wash and pat dry salmon steaks, salt and pepper. In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute shallots till translucent. Add in tomatoes and sauce, oregano, salt and pepper. Then add capers and olives, stir gently and simmer with lid on for 5 minutes. Place in salmon skin side down cover and simmer for about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness.
Chick pea soup is a great vegetarian dish, and a popular soup found in Italy.
A wonderful compliment to any meal or it can be the main dish.
Add red hot pepper flakes to give this soup some spice.
Chick Pea Soup
2 cups chick pea's,
drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup whole tomatoes, crushed
in a can
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon thyme
parmigiano cheese, grated
red hot pepper flakes
1 cup small pasta
Saute carrots, celery and onions in olive oil and butter for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, add tomatoes season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour in vegetable broth and add crushed thyme bring to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer, add chick peas's place a lid on and cook for 20 minutes.
In a separate pot cook pasta in boiling salted water till al dente. Drain and coat lightly with olive oil set aside. Prepare each bowl with a little pasta and pour soup over add grated cheese and red hot pepper flakes.
I would like you to know a little something about myself.
My name is Chef Chuck from Chef Chuck's Cucina.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
My objective is bringing families around the dinner table, to share, laugh and eat!
Chef Chuck's Cucina is proud in bringing healthy Italian products into the kitchens across the world. These unique foods consist of only artisan handcrafted foods, using the freshest ingredients that Italy is famous for. Many of these food products come from the enriched soils of famous northern Italy region, which is proven in the wonderful flavors of these foods.
The pride involved in producing these foods is unsurpassed in the world !
For one example, the stuffed pasta's are carefully hand made, a long forgotten art.
The fact that I am now importing these fabulous foods, is only an extension of what my family roots was doing many years ago on the Amalfi coast in Italy in 15th century.
We were noble importers of olive oils, grains and spices plus other items.
I am also a regular on NBC for many years showing my passion for food to millions of my viewers and teaching them how to cook simple yet healthy Italian foods.
At this blog is where you will find over 350 great Italian recipes, some new and traditional.
I have dedicated my life to food, and this allows me in exposing to families and communities how to live healthy. I am also a culinary instructor within many school districts Internationally. I enjoy demonstrating to young people good eating habits. As we all come to realize we have an obesity problem in America. Recently a student came to me and cried as she explained to me how sad she feels about her weight and about her mother's bad case of diabetes. She was looking to me for some answers. She wanted to know how to bring healthy foods into her families life. She also wanted a better way of life. This motivates me to help the younger generation.
That is why I partnered with local families that produce healthy foods in Italy. I am now bringing these healthy foods into each of our homes. I am very proud to be associated with being a true ambassador of "Made in Italy " food product's.
Simply doing what my family has done in the past.
Sharing wonderful foods and sharing a way of life!
This chicken recipe was very aromatic and so gratifying in taste. Whats not to love bacon cooking in olive oil, then succulent sweet onions added, chicken and Chianti! With little effort and time this dish was easily prepared and so enjoyed.
Chicken Chianti
Chicken thighs and legs
10 - 12 pieces
1 cup Chianti wine
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon
1 onion, sliced
salt and pepper
In a large frying pan heat olive oil add bacon and cook for a few minutes. Remove and add onions saute till soft. Remove onions and brown chicken on all sides. Place bacon and onions back in pan and pour wine over the chicken. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook with lid on for half an hour, turn chicken and cook an additional half hour. Serve over pasta or rice.
