MANGIA ITALIANO!

Umbrian-Style Grape Pizza

Ingredients: Pizza Dough

  • 1 package rapid rise yeast
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 20 to 30 seedless red grapes, stemmed, rinsed and dried

Pizza Dough: In a measuring cup, dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water. Place the dough blade in the food processor bowl. Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Add the dissolved yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Close the lid and turn on the food processor. While the food processor is running, very slowly add the ice water through the feed tube until the dough forms a ball. Do not let the dough become too wet. Let the processor knead the dough for about 10 seconds. Stop, turn the dough over and knead for 10 seconds more. (If the dough should become excessively warm during this process, stop the processor and allow it to cool down before continuing.) The dough should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and form it into a ball. Cover the dough with a towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Coat a 9 x 12-inch baking dish with 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Roll the dough out to fit the baking dish. Place the dough in the olive oil coated baking dish. Let the dough rise for 20 to 30 minutes, just until puffy. Press the grapes, stem end down, into the dough.

Bake the pizza in a 500 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the dough is lightly browned and cooked through. Serves 6.

Recipe for Umbrian-Style Grape Pizza by Jayni Carey © Copyright, 2004.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Marsala wine
  • 12 small button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • salt & black pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley sprigs

Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a smooth mallet to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut the pounded chicken breasts in half. Lightly coat the chicken pieces with flour, shaking off the excess. Melt 1/2 cup of the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Put some of the chicken pieces in the skillet (do not crowd), lower the heat to medium and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and brown for 2 minutes more, or until the chicken is cooked through. Brown the chicken in approximately 3 batches, adding more butter as needed. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a platter and set aside.

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and saut the shallots over medium heat until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and saut until softened, about 2 minutes more. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid by half, stirring often, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and return the chicken to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, turning the chicken pieces to coat them with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange the chicken pieces on four dinner plates and spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs. Serves 4.

Option: Veal scallops may be substituted for the chicken breasts.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Herbs

Ingredients

  • 8 to 12 small red potatoes (B size)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Cook the potatoes in their jackets in boiling water until cooked through, but not mushy. When cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half and place them in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, rosemary, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Spoon the potatoes into a jelly-roll pan or large baking dish. Pour the oil and herb mixture over top. Roast the potatoes in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned and crispy. Serves 4 to 6.

Pineapple Ricotta Pie

Ingredients: Pie Pastry

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chilled butter, cubed 1/4 cup chilled vegetable shortening 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Ingredients: Filling

  • 2 15-ounce cartons ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 6-ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained

Pie Pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the chilled butter and shortening into the flour until crumbly. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together. Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. When chilled, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to fit a 9-inch pie plate, about 1/8-inch thick. Pick up the dough, fold it loosely in half and place it in the pie plate Unfold and gently press the pastry into the plate. Crimp the edges.

Filling: Place the ricotta cheese in a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Stir in the drained pineapple. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Pour the filling into the pastry shell.

Bake the pie in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more, until lightly browned and an inserted toothpick come out clean. Cool the pie on a wire rack and at serve room temperature or chilled. Serves 8.

Recipes for Chicken Marsala, Roasted Red Potatoes with Herbs, and Pineapple Ricotta Pie by Sheryle D'Amico.

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