ITALIAN APPETIZERS

Italian women all seem to share a passion for food, which is probably why life in Italy has always revolved around the kitchen. An Italian grandmother can throw together a meal at the drop of a hat, and often out of just a few ingredients, sometimes even leftovers. They use the freshest ingredients they can find, which is why Italian cooking is so seasonal. Even today, there are women who go to the market each morning to see what is fresh before planning their evening meals for their families. They express their love for their families with the food they prepare to fill their stomachs, which is probably why they always seem to be chasing family members around encouraging them to eat.

It seems that no matter when you stop by an Italian household, you are brought to the kitchen or dining room, and then offered first a beverage, and then some type of food. Often dish after dish is presented, regardless of the time of day. It’s amazing that even for unexpected visitors, they always seem to have a vast selection of food to offer.

Here are some savory Italian appetizers you can offer to unexpected guests:
ACQUASALE
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 garlic clove, finely minced
3 red bell peppers, roasted, ribs, membranes & seeds removed & cut into 1/2" slices
2 medium tomatoes, seeded & cut into chunks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs (optional)

Preparation:
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy sauté pot. Add the red onion & sauté over a low heat until the onion becomes limp & translucent. Add the garlic & sauté briefly. Stir in the pepper strips & sweat them over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the tomatoes & salt & cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Put the mixture in a food processor & pulse several times. Do not puree. If it seems too moist, add the breadcrumbs. Serve either as an antipasto, or as a main dish with pasta or polenta, or, add stock & serve as a soup.

ANTIPASTO DI VERONA
Ingredients:
2 medium radicchio heads
1/4 lb prosciutto or bresaola in thin strips
1 medium celery root, in thin sticks
1/4 lb Parmesan cheese, in wedges
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:
Line individual salad bowls with radicchio leaves. Add equal portions of prosciutto and celery roots. Top with wedges of Parmesan. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil.

SEASONED TUNA MOUSSE
Ingredients:
2 cans white tuna in olive oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 lemon zest, grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:
With a fork, flake the tuna in the can. Transfer, oil and all, to the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning. Transfer to a medium-size bowl and serve at room temperature. (The mousse can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.)

Spread on toasted Italian bread, place atop a bed of crisp, dressed greens, or serve alongside a salad of green beans.

Note:
If tuna packed in olive oil is unavailable, use top-quality white tuna and add an additional tablespoon of olive oil

ITALIAN TUNA PATE
Simple and quick, this spread is perfect to nibble on when you are preparing the rest of the meal. Celery sticks are great for dipping.
Ingredients:
1 can tuna, packed in olive oil (6 oz) lightly drained
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves - (tightly packed)
1 stick unsalted butter softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a food processor, pulse tuna and parsley until parsley is finely chopped. Add butter and lemon juice; process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with blanched vegetables or crackers.

ITALIAN MACKEREL PATE
Ingredients:
4 small fillets smoked mackerel, skinned.
3 oz low fat cottage cheese
juice of half lemon
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch oregano

Preparation:
Puré mackerel and cottage cheese together in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Turn into a suitable container and chill well before serving garnished with chopped parsley

SALMON Crostini
Ingredients:
1 tbl capers
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbl Dijon mustard
2 tbl black mustard seeds, divided
8 oz fresh salmon filet, skin and bones removed
8 slices baguette - (1/4" thk), toasted
1/4 cup pesto sauce
2 scallions thinly sliced on a long bias
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a blender, mix capers, lemon juice and lemon zest, extra-virgin olive oil, mustard and 1 tablespoon of the black mustard seeds until smooth (about 1 minute) and set aside.
Cut salmon by hand into 1/4-inch dice and place in mixing bowl. Add caper mixture and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spread each piece of toasted bread with 1 teaspoon pesto and place 2 heaping tablespoons of salmon mixture on each one. Sprinkle with remaining black mustard seeds and thinly sliced scallion and serve immediately.

STUFFED BABY ZUCCHINI
Ingredients:
12 small miniature zucchini, - with blossoms
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Italian plum tomatoes, - seeded and cut into cubes
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
pepper to taste

Preparation:
Cut each zucchini lengthwise in half, leaving any blossoms on one of the halves. With the tip of a vegetable peeler, carefully scoop out the pulp, making a little shell. Reserve the pulp.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and sautee one minute. Add the zucchini pulp, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, the thyme, and black pepper to taste. Cook stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Spoon the filling into the zucchini shells. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Arrange on a flat basket or platter and serve at room temperature.

MARINATED CALAMARI AND ATICHOKES
Ingredients:
2 cups cleaned and chopped calamari, with tentacles and tubes (abt 2 1/2 lbs raw)
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup black olive paste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 baby artichokes, outer leaves removed and trimmed
2 frisee salad heads washed, and spun dry - (about 2 cups)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Bring 6 quarts water to boil. Prepare a large mixing bowl of ice water. Plunge cleaned calamari into boiling water and cook until just opaque, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain calamari and plunge into ice water to refresh. Drain and set aside in mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk red onion, vinegar, black olive paste and olive oil until well mixed. Slice the artichokes paper thin and place into a dressing bowl. Add calamari to dressing and toss until well mixed and set aside one half hour in refrigerator. To serve, toss calamari mixture with frisee, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Divide among 4 plates and serve.

MUSHROOM AND CHICKEN SPIEDINI
Ingredients:
8 oz chicken livers rinsed, drained
8 medium white mushrooms, brushed clean
8 medium oyster mushrooms, brushed clean
8 medium shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean
4 tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbl pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch cinnamon
salt to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Preheat broiler. Cut chicken livers into 16 equal pieces. On four skewers, thread two of each mushrooms and four pieces of chicken livers, alternating mushroom and chicken livers until all are used.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the vinegar, Dijon mustard and pine nuts. Still stirring, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil to create an emulsion. Add a pinch of cinnamon and salt and pepper.

Place four skewers on a broiler pan and broil 5 inches from heat until chicken livers are just cooked through (about 4 minutes per side). Place on rectangular serving platter, spoon pine nut vinaigrette over and serve hot.

CARPACCIO PIEMONTESE
Ingredients:
12 oz beef top round trimmed of all fat, and sliced as thin as possible
1 bunch arugula cleaned, washed, and spun dry
4 oz raw porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano peeled into shards
1 oz white truffle
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Place sliced beef between sheets of oiled aluminum foil and pound them with a meat mallet until they are paper thin. Place beef on cool plates. Sprinkle with arugula.
Thinly slice mushrooms and arrange around plate. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and drape with Parmigiano shards. Dust with white truffle shavings and season with salt and pepper.

Buon appetito!

 

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