Alley's Recipe Book: italian

Showing posts with label italian. Show all posts

Lola and Giuseppe's Restaurant Review

Lola and Giuseppe's is one of those hidden gems of a restaurant find... literally hidden! I have been driving by it for years and never noticed it. Then when looking on Urbanspoon (so sad that the app is gone) I noticed this 5-star rated Italian place near us.

Tucked back in a little shopping strip center, the restaurant is very inconspicuous. When you walk in, it's a tight fit... 12 tables max. Everyone seems to know everyone else and hugs are given out as you leave, likely with a pile of leftovers. Lola comes to everyone's table to make sure everything is perfect.

Too bad they do not take reservations, because if you don't time it right, you'll be waiting forever for a seat or may even be out of luck altogether (like the first time we attempted to eat at Lola's)!

The reason for such a long wait is that the food is excellent. Our first time actually getting a seat at Lola's was right after our trip to Europe, so we were in the mood for some real Italian food after getting a taste of it in Rome. This is as close as you'll get without leaving the country (maybe even better)!

Seafood, marinara, pancetta, noodles, cream sauce... you name it, doesn't matter the region, Lola has it on the menu. So come hungry because you'll want to eat everything! You can definitely smell, taste, and feel the Italian passion.

Chicken Parm Paninis - total time 45 minutes

If you live in Ohio, you have probably heard of Melt Bar & Grilled. Even if you don't live in Ohio, you may have heard about these huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches on shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. The first one opened in Columbus last winter (original is based in Cleveland) and I had a Parma, Italy which is chicken parmesan between two slices of Texas toast with a side of fries. While it was really, really good... I kind of feel like I might have a heart attack afterward! So I have been wanting to make a healthier version ever since.

So when Food Network teamed up with Sargento to do the Chopped at Home challenge, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to recreate this sandwich. I buy a lot of local cheeses, but I also love Sargento and their artisanal cheese wedges. I also like their commercials about how they are "real cheese people"... that cheese slices shouldn't come wrapped in plastic and I couldn't agree more!

Shredded cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich can get a little messy, but it's the best way to get all of those Italian flavors without tons and tons of cheese. Some other big differences between my sandwich and Melt's is that the chicken just has a light breading instead of being fried and the sauce is for dipping (kind of like tomato soup) because I hate, hate, hate soggy bread (can't have condiments of any sort actually touching the bread, ew). With the garlic butter, the bread ends up becoming garlic bread, so this really is a complete Italian meal without the pasta. Buon Appetito!

When people found out we were going to Europe, and more specifically going to Italy... almost everyone said that we were going to love the food. That it may even be the best part. And for someone who loves to cook and loves to learn and talk about food, I was ready to eat.

Good thing Rome doesn't have much public transportation because we were able to walk off all of the pastries, pasta, and gelato. We ate at a wide variety of places including touristy (we were too hungry to walk further) to places at the end of alleys with only a few tables.

The slow food movement is strong in Italy, but breakfast is quite the opposite. Italians zoom by on their scooters in their suits stopping for a few moments to order an espresso and a pastry then consume it faster than it took to order and off they go. Not sure if it is just the ancient capital city's way of life or if it is an Italian thing, but the first day we enjoyed our cafe lattes and pastries on the patio and took our time... everyone knew we were tourists. By day three, we were downing espresso at the bar as fast as the Romans. You know, when in Rome...

Speaking of that old cliche, it really does carry a lot of merit. After a couple meals closer to touristy areas, you must look at who is already dining. If no one, including the waiters, look Italian... chances are you should keep walking even if your feet are tired and your tummy grumbling. You only need to get a block or two away to find something more authentic. And you won't find any Italians eating lunch at noon or dinner at 6:00 (or 18:00), meals seem to start about two hours later than our usual American schedule and last much longer.

......

After a long day of flying (and three hours of delays) we finally arrived in Rome. Tired and hungry, we stopped at a little pizzeria and ordered some cafe lattes. Italian pizza is a crispy thin crust and usually has some fresh produce on top, kind of like a flatbread. We sat on the patio and watched as people walked by ruins that were unearthed in the 1700s where they were planning to build apartment building. Now the ruins are an alley cat paradise.

Enjoying cafe lattes while Italians rush past our table on their way to work. Oh, and then enjoying some gelato. Tip, always get gelato in a cup, it melts quickly in the Roman heat.

The first day we wanted to get our bearings on the layout of Rome. We stayed near the Pantheon and then a downhill walk to the Roman Forum and Coliseum. There was a restaurant with a beautiful grapevine canopy. Although it was touristy, the restaurant was packed and the food was good, also, surprisingly reasonably priced.

At the end of the alley we were renting an apartment at was another restaurant with a grapevine canopy. Off the beaten path, the place was certainly more authentic and quite delicious. Wine and champagne, homemade noodles, and fresh seafood. We finished it off with some tiramisu while a street musician strummed his guitar and then walked about 20 meters to our door.

The next day, while we waited for our Coliseum tour time we found a little pub squeezed between all of the wine bars. Although I cook with wine, I haven't developed to taste for drinking it, so we were glad to have a couple brews.

On our way back from the Vatican, we stopped for some gelato. You can watch them make their gelato from the window so you know if is prepared fresh and in house. This gelateria has won several awards and been featured on several travel shows. It also has a cute little alley area for sitting and enjoying your treat.

Oh man did we get suckered into this one. We were checking out some of Bernini's fountains at night in Piazza Navona and got some excellent photos. However, we were trying to find a place to eat and the waiters were ushering us into this restaurant that had a giant fish tank (so maybe fresh fish?). I mean, it was good... but like, Italian food in America good, not Italian food in Italy good. Too bad we learned this mistake in Italy, but at least we didn't make it again the remainder of our trip.

Seriously, the pastries are outstanding in Europe. I will definitely be trying to recreate this little Nutella tart. We also poked around in the grocery store near our apartment... not nearly the size of a Kroger or even Trader Joes. This place had noodles, meats, cheeses, oils, and wine... that's all you need... because that's all you seem to eat in Rome. :)

After finding the Trevi fountain and Spanish Step under renovation, we did some window shopping and found a cute little panini shop for lunch.

Our last dinner in Rome was maybe the most traditional. The menu was handwritten and there wasn't any english. We used our phones to translate and speak to the waiter/owner who spoke very little english and was our first of two times we had a language barrier in Europe. While we ate, the skies opened up and started raining on the city and cooling the temperatures. The bruchetta was basic and so so good. The pasta was homemade and just perfect. A great last meal.

Oh, and I have another picture of gelato, but can't remember where in the timeline it fell... so here it is at the end. :)

** For more information on the restaurants, please click the hyperlinks in each description.

Zucchini Stuffed Shells - total time 45 minutes

If you have a vegetable garden, chance are you are swimming in zucchini right now! Ours are coming in spurts... I don't notice any in the garden... and then all of a sudden there are a dozen... and half of them are giants! Eep! What to do... what to do?

The great thing about zucchini (besides the fact one plant could feed a neighborhood) is that it doesn't have a distinct flavor, so it works well "hidden" in a ton of dishes.

So of course I'm going to put zucchini in some stuffed shells. I always feel just a little bit guilty eating stuffed shells with all of that cheese. This recipe subs out half of that cheese for some shredded zucchini. That's a great way to reduce the dairy and increase the vitamin A and C, potassium, and fiber. Plus, it's a green veggie... extra healthy points! And you really don't taste it... it's just like normal stuffed shells. You have to try this, it is win-win!

My husband and I both accepted new jobs back in December. His requires him to be at work early (and also home early) and mine some times requires late nights. This difference in work schedules has impacted our life schedules too. We're no longer waking up at the same time, which means there's an even wider gap between 'bedtimes' than there used to be. It also means he is home (usually) hours before me at night... waiting for dinner.

Can't blame him... he is usually eating lunch by the time I'm finishing my morning coffee. That's a long time to wait between meals.

So, the dinner goal is often... the faster the better! Those 8pm dinners don't work when he is going to bed right after.

This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner. And it tastes sooo good too! Not much of a mess to clean up afterward either (always a winner in my book). Salmon and a cream sauce go hand-in-hand, quite delectable. The broccoli gives it a slight crunch for texture. And the herbs brighten the dish since cream sauces can feel a little heavy. Yum! I'm ready for a second serving!

Seems like every night this week I've been rushing to get dinner on the table before 9:00! Whether it's work, after work activities, working on our fitness, or running after kids, we all need a quick go to meal. My first mainstay is tacos, but sometimes get tacoed out (it takes a lot of tacos to get there, but occasionally I reach that tipping point). So my plan B menu item... pizza, of course!

I always have a ball of whole wheat dough in my fridge just waiting to be made into a pizza, stromboli, or calzone thanks to GreenBEAN delivery. It makes homemade pizza night sooo easy!

Usually we stick to traditional red sauce with mostly traditional toppings. But this time I changed things up a bit by making a white pizza! And what goes best with alfredo sauce? Chicken and broccoli! This pizza has become the new favorite in our household. Can't wait to make it again. :)

I can't remember what I first saw Jamie Oliver in, but I became a pretty big fan of his after watching Food Revolution where he tried to make an impact on healthier school lunches in America. I don't think I ever saw an episode of the Naked Chef, which was Jamie's first US cooking show, but I saw several episodes of Jamie at Home. Love the way he says the word basil... makes me giggle every time.

Now he has a show that airs on CBS every Saturday morning called Jamie's 15-minute meals. I LOVE this show! Not only does he make home cooked meals in 15 minutes flat (there is a timer and everything), he shares tons of tips on how to get dinner ready faster and easier (like having a garlic press or the fastest way to cut a bell pepper). The show is 30 minutes long... that means he cooks two complete dinners that are healthy and made from whole ingredients.

15 minutes... everyone has 15 minutes to make something delicious to eat.

So do the meals really take only 15 minutes? Well, it's pretty darn close. I've made 3-4 of his 15-minute recipes now and it does take me longer than 15 minutes... but not much longer. Jamie Oliver has a bit more skill in the kitchen than I do or any other home cook. But I did buy a garlic press because garlic is in just about everything I make. It probably saves me a good 3 minutes! (I also bought a nifty parm grater like the ones they have in restaurants and they ask is you would like any fresh cracked pepper or parmesan. It doesn't really save any time, but I think it is sooo cool!)

I was a little apprehensive about trying these ricotta fritters at first. Just thought it sounded a little strange. They are kind of creamy and fluffy at the same time. If you have had ricotta pancakes, they are kind of the same concept with less flour (and for dinner). Give 'em a go and you'll be glad you did! :)

Several years ago, we went to Fisherman's Wharf for dinner (I think it may have been my birthday, I can't remember). What I do remember about the meal was getting scallops for the first time ever. I'm still not completely sure what they are from this Wikipedia answer... kind of looks like it should taste like an oyster or clam, but scallops are definitely better.

Back to the meal... it was like $30 for a couple scallops! I mean they were good... like, melt in your mouth like butter good... but that's about $7 per scallop!

It's not like scallops are hard to cook either. In fact, there one of the fastest, simplest things I cook. All you need is some melted butter, a pan, and some scallops. This recipe is fully from scratch (some times I "cheat" and use a jar of alfredo) and costs about $10-12 for 3-4 servings. That's like 50 cents per scallop and you get pasta with it. If that isn't proof that you can save money cooking at home, then I don't know what is!

There are zero veggies in this dish, so be sure to pair it with a salad or steamed broccoli for a complete meal (get your greens in!). :)

Just like the Dark Knight movies, sometimes classics need a reboot to make them cool again. Lasagna is a classic dinner in my family for sure. We have even had lasagna for Thanksgiving meals... you know... with ground turkey for Turkey Day. And it never fails, when my husband is at an Italian restaurant, he orders the lasagna. You might call him a lasagna aficionado.

I've tried making lasagna a lot of different ways (with butternut squash, spinach & artichoke, pesto chicken, broccoli chicken, and the classic rollup that we're improving upon today)... this recipe is the best. You don't have to make it all rolled up either if you prefer regular pan style. I like the rollups because they make the perfect serving size and you don't have to worry about cutting it up and layers sliding around... plus they look cute! And if you wanted to make extra, the rollups freeze well... perfect for individual servings to heat up in the microwave or freeze a tray of them for a weeknight dinner or busy friend.

So what makes this recipe so cool now after it has been rebooted? I think it is the sun-dried tomatoes. A little bit goes a long way for flavor with these babies! Also, adding some of the sauce to the rollup filling just makes sense when you look at regular pan-style lasagna.

This recipe will be in heavy rotation at our house, especially while it is cold out... it's the perfect Italian comfort food. Hope you enjoy it too!

We ate quite a bit of seafood last week while we were in the Seattle area... salmon, Dungeness crab, black cod, mussels, and more. Almost got tired of it... almost... but when seafood is that fresh, you have to enjoy it while you can! I mean, we saw the salmon swimming upstream. We watched the fish get thrown around at Pike Place Fish Market. And we walked down the spit of the Dungeness crab refuge. You can't get fresher than that unless you caught it yourself!

Considering all the seafood, we didn't have my husband's favorite... shrimps! This recipe is so easy and flavorful and is almost a one-pot meal. And the fact that we're making the sauce from scratch and getting dinner on the table in 40 minutes makes it a perfect weeknight dinner! The cream in the sauce adds the perfect richness, the wine adds some complexity, and cooking the shrimp in the sauce means you keep all of that shrimp flavor. This is definitely one to keep in frequent rotation!

Zucchini season is winding down, so maybe you're working with a bumper crop or just noticed that zucchini under all of those leaves that is practically the size of your leg. This recipe is a quick one that could be a great afternoon snack or part of your lunch or dinner. It's like mini pizzas, just without the carbs!

It is eggplant season... and if you're like me, eggplant is one of those vegetables that you don't use often. There aren't a lot of recipes out there for eggplant. At least not like there are for zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, or other home garden vegetables. Outside of eggplant parmesan and ratatouille, it can be difficult to find something to make for dinner. And if you have a bumper crop of eggplant (or just want to try something different) that can be a problem!

One thing you will find with all eggplant recipes... it calls for "sweating" the eggplant. If you have had eggplant before and didn't like it, maybe it tested bitter, it is probably because they didn't take the time to sweat the eggplant. Essentially it is just letting salt remove some of the moisture from the eggplant before cooking it. The larger the eggplant, the more important this process is. If you pick your eggplant young or select some of the smaller asian varieties, you can get away without it, but miss an opportunity to really add some flavor with the salt.

This recipe uses sauteed eggplant essentially as noodles. You could do steps one through two and make a number of noodle dishes, like lasagna or slice into strips for spaghetti. I always felt eggplant seemed like an Italian vegetable and this may be why! The eggplant noodles take on a buttery flavor and the filling is creamy and garlicy. This will be a new summer recipe staple at our house!

The first time I gave up meat for Lent, I thought it was going to be difficult to find enough recipes to keep from getting bored. That part ended up being pretty easy. It was eating at restaurants that ended up being complicated. If there were any vegetarian options, it was usually limited to something super cheesy and probably pretty unhealthy, which seems like an oxymoron... unhealthy vegetarian. Most menus (at the time) didn't have vegetarian selections, so I would ask the waitress for something without meat.. and they would always give me a blank stare and then ask me if I wanted a different kind of meat instead.

Now when I go out to eat at restaurants, I notice there are more vegetarian sections in the menus... and they usually have more than one item listed... and some of them are actually healthy and not loaded with cheese. I'm not sure if I am just noticing it more frequently now because I am looking for it more often, the restaurants I go to now are more likely to have vegetarian, or if it really is a trend (probably helped by Meatless Mondays).

So back to that first time going meatless... We were welcoming a new associate to our team and went to this family run Italian restaurant. It was a Friday during Lent and the only vegetarian item on the menu was eggplant parmesan. Nearly everyone at our table ended up with this dish. It made me wonder if everyone really liked eggplant parmesan or if there had been other meatless dishes would there have been more variety at our table. And really, why weren't their more vegetarian options at an Italian restaurant?! There are so many to choose from... baked ravioli, tortelini soup, gnocchi, baked broccoli alfredo, manicotti... just to name a few.

I haven't had eggplant parmesan since that day, not because I don't like it, actually I do really like it. There are just so many recipes out there! So, with it being eggplant season, I decided to make this vegetarian Italian classic.

Beets... some people love them, some people hate them. I guess I'm not really on either side. Although I do not like beets from a can, all mushy and gross. I ordered a sandwich with these canned beets on it while on vacay in San Fran... made me never want to try beets again. But then last year I got them in my CSA order... they were yellow though. I tried making a roasted beet soup with them... I must not have cooked them quite right. It reminded me of baby food... gross.

Not long after the soup fiasco, I was standing in line with my friend... actually, I don't remember what we were waiting for... but I do remember the people in front of us. This guy in front of us was talking to another guy about how kids do not eat their vegetables and that one day people will not remember what beets are. This struck me as kind of funny. First, this man was not much older than us to be having one of those "when I was your age" moments. Second, my friend I was with happens to love vegetables (including beets), she also has a passion for cooking. And third, how does one just forget a vegetable? I guess we have lost many varieties from core vegetables and fruits, but they all still exist, right? Losing a variety of apples does not make everyone forget apples still exist.

So, with anything, I always give it three strikes before ruling it out and beets only had two against it (neither were their fault). I have always wanted to make my own ravioli and I saw something on Pinterest about colored pasta dough (the recipe used food coloring, but mentioned you could use beets). Again, they came in my CSA delivery... this time they were traditional red. ** You need some time to make this between roasting and cooling and kneading and cooling the dough, but really the recipe is quite simple. **

For those of you that think bacon makes everything better... here is a dish for you! I have never been that into bacon. I mean, it is good in small amounts on occasion. This dish kind of changes my mind. The bacon gives it a salty, rich flavor with the crunch of the pan toasted ravioli tossed in some delicious veggies. Basically, I can't wait to make this again!

I have developed a Nat Geo addiction over the past week or so. Last weekend I watched too many hours of The 80s: The Decade That Made Us which I thought was fascinating. Two things kept crossing my mind while I stared at the screen... 'how did I not know any of this was going on while I was growing up?' and 'wow, I can't believe we lived without ___ 20 years ago'. Things I take for granted now, like computers that fit on a desk, internet, cell phones, etc. Now I do remember the progression of all this technology... the green and black computer screens, getting on the internet for the first time in fourth grade, using my dad's cell phone for the first time in eighth grade... but it is hard to think of life without these things now.

And now Nat Geo has me hooked on Brain Games and I am sure I'll get hooked on The Numbers Game. Can't multi-task and watch these shows... they take you're full attention. At least one network has something interesting to watch. I used to default to Cooking Channel or Food Network (are you surprised?), but now those channels are full of reality cooking/baking crap. I tried to sit through an episode of Cupcake Wars (while doing other things, mind you) and had to change the channel...

Any way... here is a recipe that you can prepare on a night you have time to cook and save it for a night you don't want to or don't have time to cook but still want a home-cooked meal!

My husband thinks that the reason Mexican restaurants are able to get you your food so quickly is because everything on the menu is a variation of the same thing. Pick your shell (tortilla for burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, hard shell for tacos, chalupas, and salads), pick your meat/veggies, and pick your sauce (cheese, red, verde) then wrap it up and serve with some rice and beans. Seems like it should be the same for Italian restaurants... pick the type of noodle, cheese or meat, and type of sauce... done... but it never comes out quite that fast.

I used to think manicotti was the superior Italian entree until I started making it myself and realized manicotti is just stuffed shells in tubular form. Still delicious!

One of the less fun things about cooking a lot at home is the mess that needs to be cleaned up afterward. It doesn't matter how simple the meal is, my kitchen looks a wreck every night. I don't know how I manage to be so messy and use so many bowls, pots, pans, spoons, and knives. I seem to fill up the dish washer every night... and there is only two of us!

This meal actually had minimal clean up. It is almost a one pot meal (you need one to boil pasta in, but that isn't hard to clean up after). Everything else is just sauted, tossed, and served in one pot. Soak the pot while you eat and you're pretty much done cleaning!

There is this place called Sarefino's at North Market in Columbus that serves up the best strombolis I've ever had. So delicious, we get some every time, even if it is to take it home and eat later. There are a couple must stop at vendors at North Market... I always come home with a bag full of tasty treasures after even a quick trip.

Any way, I know I could never recreate their veggie stromboli perfectly, so I made some modification (not to improve upon their recipe, but to prevent mine from turning out soggy). I used the same concept I did for my Italian Chicken Braid, but used most of Sarefino's ingredients (I know they use ricotta, but I have no idea how they make that work).

I feel like I say this all the time, but I just tried gnocchi for the first time two years ago. Just like pretty much every other recipe or ingredient that is now commonplace in my kitchen today (like pesto, chard, taquitos, pierogies, winter squash, zucchini... I could keep going). I think your palate is really shaped by your parents preferences until you are out on your own and you decide you want to try new things. I was convinced bell peppers were spicy until senior year of college when I finally decided to try one (after some convincing from my roommate). It is kind of crazy to about how much other people's opinion and preferences can shape our own opinions and preferences, even without trying it for ourselves. It just reminds me to keep trying new things. Your favorite meal, sport, hobby, etc could still be out there waiting for you to come try it!

So, if you want to impress someone with your chef skills, make your own gnocchi! It really isn't hard, it is just a little time consuming. But you have the satisfaction of knowing you made the little dumplings from scratch. You could go ten steps further and make your own tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese (I haven't yet, but I hear it is one of the easiest cheese to make yourself).

Gnocchi
2 lbs potatoes (cut into one inch squares if not fingerlings)
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves
1 stem rosemary, minced
1 cup flour
salt and pepper

1 cup tomato sauce
.5 cup fresh mozzarella
2 tbsp parm, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil potatoes for about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from water and let cool. Skin should easily peel off (the skin helps keep nutrients and color in the potato while boiling).
2. Use the grater attachment on food processor to grate the potatoes. Saute garlic in pan with a little olive oil.
3. Combine grated potatoes, eggs, garlic, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and one cup of flour in a medium mixing bowl. Stir together until dough forms. If dough is still sticky, add about two tablespoons of flour at a time until it is no longer sticky.
4. Roll dough with hands into thin strips, between a half inch to one inch thick. Cut off piece that are about the size of your thumbprint. Shape the little dough ball with fork tines to give the sauce something to stick to.
5. Sprinkle flour over the dough balls and boil for about two minutes.
5. In four ramekins, spoon enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom. Fill ramekin with gnocchi, cover gnocchis with half cup of tomato sauce, and top with fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of parm. Bake fore 25 minutes or until mozzarella starts to get golden brown on top.