Pizza on the grill

Posted on June 22nd, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: dinner, Intermediate, italian.

I got this recipe here.  My changes are below.

Ingredients

  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 pinch white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/4 cup roasted red peppers
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, and mix in sugar. Proof for ten minutes, or until frothy. Mix in the salt, olive oil, and flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, and knead in garlic and basil. Set aside to rise for 1 more hour, or until doubled again.
  2. Preheat grill for high heat, but arrange coals so they aren’t directly under where you will be cooking the pizza.  Heat olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Brush grill grate with garlic flavored olive oil. Carefully place one piece of dough on hot grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Working quickly, brush oil over crust, and then brush with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Arrange 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/8 cup sliced black olives, and 1/8 cup roasted red peppers over crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons basil. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the second pizza.

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Chocolate chip-orange cannoli

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: dessert, italian.

Mmmm Cannoli.  I found this reicpe here.  My changes are reflected below.

For dough

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 3/4 cup orange juice

For filling

  • 1 pound (2 cups) fresh sheep’s- or cow’s-milk ricotta, drained 1 hour in cheesecloth-lined sieve
  • 3/4 cup superfine sugar
  • 1/3 cup whole chocolate chips blended in the food processor
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To fry and serve

  • About 8 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
  • Special equipment: deep-fat thermometer, 4-inch diameter round cookie cutter, 6 (roughly 5 5/8-by-5/8-inch) metal cannoli tubes

Preparation

Make dough
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon. Using fingertips or pastry blender, blend in butter just until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Alternatively, pulse in food processor.) Drizzle limoncillo over mixture and gently stir with fork until incorporated.

Turn out dough onto sheet of plastic wrap. (Dough will still look somewhat dry and crumbly.) Gather together into ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Make filling
In medium mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Spoon mixture into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip and refrigerate until ready to use. (Filling can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered.)

Form, fry, and fill shells
Cut dough into 4 even pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece to 1/8-inch thick. Using floured cookie cutter, cut out 2 to 3 rounds from dough. Transfer rounds to baking sheet and keep covered with plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough and cut rounds in same manner, then gather scraps, roll out, and cut again.

Fill heavy 4-quart pot with oil to depth of 3 inches. Heat over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F.

Meanwhile, brush bottom edge of 1 dough round with egg white. Wrap dough around 1 cannoli tube with egg white–brushed end overlapping other end and gently press edges together to seal. Make 5 more shells in same manner. (Keep remaining rounds covered with plastic.)

Working in 2 batches, fry formed shells in hot oil until deep golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate to drain and cool 5 minutes. Stand tubes upright and tap gently against countertop to loosen shells. Twist molds to remove shells.

Wrap remaining dough around tubes and fry in same manner. (Shells may be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature, unfilled and uncovered.)

When ready to serve, pipe filling into 1 end of cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat to fill remaining shells. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.

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Parmesan Chicken

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: cheesey, chicken, dinner, italian.

I got this recipe from here.  It’s the best.  My changes are below.

  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 stick  butter
  • 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 2/3 cup if you are using a Microplane zester)
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 lbs of skinless, boneless, chicken meat, cut into pieces no larger than 2×2 inches

1 Preheat oven to 450°F.

2 In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the butter. Microwave until butter is melted.  In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.

3 Place coated chicken pieces on to a 9×13 baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

4. Serve over pasta with sauce or with just the drippings drizzled over.

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Cabbage Rolls

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: Beef, dinner, italian, sauce, sausage.

1 head of cabbage
1 lb ground beef
1 lb italian sausage
2 cups of minute rice
1 egg
1 onion diced
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
1 jar marinara sauce

With a knife, cut out the core of the cabbage.  Place in a large pot with about 3 inches of water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until leaves turn a little soft.  Drain water off and rinse with cool water to speed cooking process.

While cabbage is cooking prepare the 2 cups of rice.  Set off to the side.

In a bowl mix 2 lbs of meat with the 2 cups of cooked rice.  Add 1 egg, chopped onion and salt, pepper and herbs to your liking.  Mix everything well.

Seperate cabbage leaves apart and add some filling to each leaf then roll it like a burrito and put into a casserole dish that has 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom.  Line all rolls up close togehter and pour remaining sauce over the top.

Bake covered with foil for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

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Nane’s Clam sauce

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: clam, italian, sauce.

2 cans chopped clams
1 stick butter
3 cloves garlic
1 cup milk
2 Tbs. flour
parsley
Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

Saute garlic in 1 stick of butter until soft.  Add only juice from the clams and milk.  Bring to a boil & add flour to thicken.  Add clams and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Season with chopped parsley, cheese and salt and pepper. (If sauce is too thick, add more milk.)

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Nane’s spagetti sauce

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: Beef, italian, pasta, sauce.

1 onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 family size cans of tomato paste
3 tomato paste cans of water to every 1 can of paste
2 cans of tomato puree
1 can of tomato puree of water to every 1 can of puree
pepper
sugar
oregano
salt
baking powder

Brown garlic, onion, olive oil and meat in a pan, then salt the meat. Put meat in sauce pot on low. Ad tomato paste and 3 cans of water to 1 can of paste. Add tomato puree and 1 can of water to each can of puree.  Add pepper, sugar, oregano, salt and a pinch of baking powder to taste. Simer and stir for 1 hour until consistent.

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Nane’s Meatballs

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Danielle.
Categories: Beef, italian.

This is my nane’s recipe for meatballs.  I use it all the time for both spaghetti and for meatball sandwiches.

Meatballs:

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb hot italian sausage
1 egg
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine egg, water, crumbs, onion, salt and pepper.  Add ground beef and sausage and mush with your hands to mix.  Form into meatballs 1″ round and place on a broiler pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.

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