Passion ignites tastebuds
Italian cooking is about love and passion. Every ingredient is grown, picked and purchased with love. Every action to create a meal is done with heartfelt care – whether that be kneading dough, whisking eggs, sautéing vegetables, preparing fish, meat or poultry and everything else that is required to serve a family style meal.
Sydney based chef and food lecturer, John Pellicano has over 20 years’ experience in the food industry. It has long been his dream to publish a book about sharing the secrets of cooking using his family’s traditional, homemade Italian food.
“All the recipes in Authentic Homemade Italian Cooking are from our family vault of secrets handed down from our Nonna Domenica in Italy (who celebrates her 100th birthday in 2016), to my mother Maria, and then to me.” – John Pellicano
Beautifully illustrated, this delightful hardback book covers entrees, pastas, pizzas, sauces, mains and desserts and includes well-known classics such as Bolognese and lasagne as well as mamma’s special pasta and veal saltimbocca.
Using ingredients that are readily available, the recipes are easy to understand and follow and in no time you will be whipping up the likes of fresh pesto sauce, veal saltimbocca, peri peri chicken pizza or lemon gelato.
To get you started, John has allowed PRODIJEE to publish some of his recipes – enjoy.
Authentic Homemade Italian Cooking is an excellent addition to any kitchen and certainly something that would make a wonderful Christmas gift.
Prepare to be transported to the Mediterranean with each turn of the page – RRP AU$40.00
Seafood Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients:
750 ml (25 fl oz) fish stock
375ml (12.5 fl oz) hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
350 g (11 oz) arborio rice
400 g (13 oz) black mussels, cleaned and debearded
300 g (10.5 oz) prawns
500 g (16 oz) Atlantic salmon, diced in 2x2cm (0.8×0.8in) cubes
2 blue swimmer crabs
Salt and pepper
Method:
Place the fish stock and water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil, leave on a low heat at a gentle simmer.
In a large frying pan heat the oil over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes or until soft.
Add the rice to onion and cook until the grains are glassy, slowly add a quarter of your
liquid, stirring with wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed, continue to add the stock repeating until all the liquid is used, making sure you stir constantly.
Add the mussels, prawns, salmon and crabs and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20–25 minutes. Make sure all the mussels are open, discard any that
are not.
Serve immediately.
Coffee and Nougat Crème
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 eggs
35 g (1.3 oz) caster sugar
275 ml (9.3 fl oz) thickened cream
2 teaspoons coffee essence
225 g (7 oz) soft fruit and nut nougat, cut into 1cm (0.4in) pieces
30 g (1 oz) chocolate, grated
30 g (1 oz) mixed nuts, roughly chopped
Method:
Place the eggs and sugar into an electric mixer. Beat together for 5 minutes or until thick and creamy.
In a clean bowl, beat the cream and coffee essence together until soft peaks form.
Fold the cream mixture and nougat chunks into the egg mixture. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into cocktail cups.
Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, top with grated chocolate and nuts.
Serve with a spoon of whipped cream.
Caramelized Onion Pizza
Makes 1 Pizza
Ingredients:
1 pizza base
125 ml (4 fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1.9 kg (4¼ lb) Spanish onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves
5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves stripped from the stems
1 bay leaf
75 g (2.5 oz) mushrooms, sliced
225 g (8 oz) goat’s cheese
Salt and pepper
Method:
Put the olive oil, onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a terracotta bowl. Push the bowl into a corner of a preheated wood-fired oven and stir occasionally until the oil has evaporated and the onions are soft. Remove the bay leaf.
Cover the pizza base with the onion mix and the sliced mushrooms then drizzle with some more olive oil.
Put the pizza straight onto the pavers in the preheated wood-fired oven using the paddle.
Allow to cook for 10–15 minutes, rotating occasionally, until the base is golden brown.
Crumble with goat’s cheese. Cut and serve.*
* Note: Drizzle with balsamic glaze to give a zingy taste, if you like.
