enjoy the most authentic Italian recipes

enjoy the most authentic Italian recipes

Italianpot


Recent Posts

Wine Pairing

Wine Pairing

To apply the Wine Pairing rule, it is important to note that certain flavors cause pleasant sensations, while others cause unpleasant feelings (even unconscious). Matching by concordance is when wine “accompanies” the pleasant feelings of a dish. Matching, by contrast, is when the wine expresses […]

Casatiello

Casatiello

The Casatiello is a rustic cake typical of the Easter tradition in Neapolitan cuisine, filled with meats and cheeses and decorated with whole eggs. Tradition has that it is prepared on Friday evening, left to yeast the entire Friday night, only to be fired the […]

Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

The Neapolitan Pizza Dough always starts with the water, whether this be for technical or traditional reasons. So which water is best to use? Even tap water is fine – if it is potable of course.

The first times making this dough it is better to keep everything standard, so this way it is easier to learn to make adjustments or any modifications.

After a while, it will become habitual to be able to “feel” the consistency and elasticity of the dough in your hands and knowing if it is correct.

The Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough

 

Pizza Dough

March 30, 2017
: 5 Dough of 300gr each
: 11 hr 12 min
: Moderate

By:

Pizza Dough
Ingredients
  • 0.5 Liter of Water
  • 3 gr of Fresh Yeast or 1 gr of Dry Yeast
  • 850 gr of 00 Flour or other type of Medium Strength Flour
  • 25 gr salt
Directions
  • Step 1 Pour all the water in a large mixing bowl.
  • Step 2 Add the yeast and turn with a spoon until it has completely melted. Do the same with the salt, stir it vigorously with a spoon in a separate container with with about four five tablespoons of the water (best if this is room temperature to luke-warm) until it has completely dissolved.
  • Step 3 Gradually add a little less than half of the flour, mixing it in with the yeast and water until it has obtained a smooth homogeneous cream-like texture.
  • Step 4 Now add in the salt water mixture, mixing it thoroughly in the dough to make it blend in with the dense mixture and melt into it.
  • Step 5 Use the electric mixer during this phase of the dough process. It quickly and incorporates the flour and the water together in a smooth silky textured cream without all the mess. However, true pizza dough is done with the hands, so this may be a heresy for traditional pizza makers! If the dough is mixed right away when it is most “hydrated,” this will enable the eventual lumps that form to gradually disappear. If you wait until the dough “cream” is more pasty and dense, this will cause the chains of gluten to be more consistent (but remember to not overdo it! With this type of dough, the process of “agglutination” is not accelerated, but the contrary!).
  • Step 6 Now the true dough-making process commences: Add in the flour little by little, by fistfuls, over the mixture. The dough’s density will increase. Now the mixing action becomes more intense as both hands will be occupied. With one hand turn the bowl, while with the other, scoop the dough from the bottom inwards, in an enveloping movement.
  • Step 7 This movement should be strong and graceful, and does not “crush” the dough, but “motivates” it to rise. These two movements done together increase the density and allows for the gluten to form its nice web within the composition.
  • Step 8 IMPORTANT: Here follows the part where caution must be used. When the dough has reached a certain plastic consistency, but it still sticky, it is pertinent to reduce the flour you use. This is because when the dough toughens, contrary to what is thought, its absorbency is reduced. It is for this reason that the flour is to be used minimally at this stage.
  • Step 9 It is best to sprinkle on a bit of flour with your fingers, and follow with a lot of arm action and movement with the dough. This is to stimulate it instead of toughening it up with excess flour which will decrease the chances of it becoming elastic, which is what we want. If the dough still seems sticky after a few minutes of constant movement of being turned in the bowl, sprinkle some more flour – but sparsely. The dough will most likely still feel moist after three or four times after turning it, but the flour goes decreased in quantity each time. We are at the end: the dough is soft and smooth beneath your hands, just a little bit elastic (but not too much!), is not sticky, and finally, the bowl is “clean” from all remnants of the mixture. Now sprinkle some flour lightly on a flat smooth surface where you will then dump the mass of dough. Without poking it, shape it with circular plunging movements on the surface, then finish by rounding off the form to give it a certain uniformity.
  • Step 10 Okay, well done!! Return the dough to the container and cut a cross in it, then cover it with a lid and a moistened cloth.
  • Step 11 NOTE: One of the secrets to good pizza is the hydration of the dough. An optimal grade of Water absorbency is from 58 to 65% of the water. If everything has worked out as planned, there will be leftover flour. Weigh this. If it reaches to be close to 100 gr, it is sure that the dough came out as it should. Now it is time for the dough to rise, then to be cut, and shaped into individual pizza rounds.

 

Enjoy Our Pizza Dough!

 

Pasta Soup

Pasta Soup

After a holiday vacation full of treats and fast-food, when I got home my body felt overwhelmed and my stomach bloated. I needed something healthy, soothing, and warm to eat. I decided on some soup with small pasta (pastina), which is not only an ideal post-holiday […]

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan

The Eggplant parmesan is a classic traditional cuisine of Southern Italy, at least apparently, of its name, is a typical traditional dish of Neapolitan cuisine. You can consume it freshly baked and cold, alternating with good bread. Enjoy our Eggplant Parmesan!  

Crostoli (Chiacchiere, Frappe)

Crostoli (Chiacchiere, Frappe)

The Crostoli (Chiacchiere, Frappe) are one of the most popular desserts for the days of Carnival, which takes different names depending on the region of origin, but which in essence have in common the light pastry dough and a good balance of ingredients.

Enjoy our Crostoli!

Crostoli (Chiacchiere, Frappe)

March 21, 2017
: 3
: Easy

By:

Crostoli (Chiacchiere, Frappe)
Ingredients
  • 350 gr. Flour
  • 50 gr. Sugar
  • 50 gr. Butter
  • 2/3 spoon Anise or Grappa liqueur
  • Salt
  • Icing sugar
  • oil for frying
  • 2 eggs
Directions
  • Step 1 Place the flour on the table and in the center the sugar, 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks, salt, melted butter and anise liqueur or grappa.
  • Step 2 Knead the dough, form a ball, cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Form a thin sheet with a rolling pin, then with a knife or with the appropriate wheel, get thin strips.
  • Step 3 Make some incisions in each strip to stick the dough and obtain various forms, or knot them. Fry the crostoli in the oil in small quantities, drain them well and then pass them in powdered sugar.

 

Photo Credit: Błażej Pieczyński (buari.com)

 

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta

The Tomato Bruschetta, is a typical appetizer of Italian cuisine. Is known throughout Italy as a starter, prepared in many different versions. It is a very popular snack before meals or between courses. Easy, tasty and strictly Mediterranean! Enjoy our Tomato Bruschetta

The authentic Fettuccine Alfredo

The authentic Fettuccine Alfredo

The Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo, one of the most famous dishes and appreciated in the States. Born in a Restaurant in Rome, we are giving you the original and traditional recipe. But first we added some historical background. Alfredo Di Lelio opened the restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 […]

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad

The Caprese Salad is a light and delicious dish that can be served as an antipasto (a hors d’oeuvre) or as a tasty but light main meal. This tomato and mozzarella salad is a classic traditional cuisine of Southern Italy, especially in the Naples area. It is best when made fresh and enjoyed with some fresh bread with a more crusty crust, such as a baguette, a loaf of French bread, or whole grain bread.

Enjoy a Caprese Salad!

Caprese salad

March 18, 2017
: 4-6
: easy

By:

Ingredients
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • EVOO
  • Fresh basil 15/20 leaves
  • 3 Tomatoes
  • 300 gr. Mozzarella cheese
Directions
  • Step 1 Wash the tomatoes, pat dry and slice eliminating the part near the stem. Drain the mozzarella and cut it into slices, let it drip a little bit more and then divide it into 4 servings.
  • Step 2 Take 4 plates and in each alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella and basil if you like. Season with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil and if you want to add black olives.
  • Step 3 Special Tip! For the mozzarella, it is best when original Mozzarella di Bufala is used (Mozzarella made from buffalo milk versus cow milk). However, this can be very hard to find unless you are in New York, so in that case just add a little extra salt. The Caprese salad is also excellent if the ingredients are all mixed in one bowl together, and not simply placed on the plates. This spreads the flavors and makes for a more savory and pleasing dish. Garnish with more basil leaves and a sprinkling of Oregano if desired. Also, if you have leftovers, why not enjoy it is some pasta the next day? Buonissimo!!!
Broad Beans Pasta

Broad Beans Pasta

Broad Beans Pasta is an old family favorite, typically made in the spring when fava beans or broad beans are in season. There are a few variations to this dish, such as omitting the meat, but with a little patience (as with most Italian dishes), […]


My Diary

How to cook pasta

How to cook pasta

How to cook pasta

How do you cook pasta perfectly and tell when drain?

The first tip that I can give you is to taste your food, the instinct helps a lot. But I think to make good dishes must put love and passion and even taste, so that you can add salt or pepper, fix a salty dish etc.
Today we explain how to cook different types of pasta perfectly. Simple but important rules to enjoy a real Italian pasta cooked to perfection. Cook the pasta in plenty of water.
First of all, it is important since the amount of water in which the pasta cook: the relationship between pasta and water must be of 1 to 10 (for example, for 500 g of pasta, 5 liters of water are needed. Pour the pasta in boiling water only. The water should be boiling from the early stages of cooking, so the pasta is placed in salt water only when it bubbles vigorously. Do not forget to stir the pasta. After 20-30 seconds maximum pasta should be stirred with a scoop. The operation must be repeated if it is smooth paste, while if it is egg pasta is fine stir only in the first stage of cooking, to avoid breaking it. The egg pasta, in fact, is more delicate than that of semolina.

Important: today many prefer the pasta not fully cooked, for more substantial to chew. A pasta of excellent quality should be cooked so that when tasting proves fully cooked, so you can best appreciate the taste and texture. Remember that less you cook the pasta, and the lower will be the : 100 g of uncooked pasta to 60-70% of the real time become ca. 220 g of cooked pasta, and if cooked at the correct time the weight increases by a further 10-15%.


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