Searching4Zen

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  • Orecchiette

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    Orecchiette are small hand made pasta sometimes called “Puglian gnocchi.” They fit into the category of pasta court, or short pasta, but have the texture of handmade dumplings. The old women in Bari Vecchio produce these dumplings, by hand, at an impressive speed; watching them is amazing. Sometimes the dough will be made with semolina and regular […]

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  • Orecchiette with Rabbit Sausage and Padrón Peppers

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    Fresh orecchiette (translated as “little ears”) is a thing to behold, a taste that most people have never experienced. If any fresh pasta speaks to the importance of texture, especially when compared to lesser storebought versions, it’s orecchiette. The value of this pasta is found in its stretch marks, the hallmark of any hand-made orecchiette. […]

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  • Crespelle

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    Ingredients The Batter 1 cup milk ¾ cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs ⅛ teaspoon salt For Cooking the Crespelle 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons butter An 8-inch nonstick skillet Instructions Put the milk in a bowl and add the flour gradually, sifting it through a sieve if possible, while you mix steadily with a fork […]

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  • Baked Crespelle with Spinach, Prosciutto, and Parmesan Filling

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    Ingredients Crespelle (thin pancakes), produced with the recipe on page 267 1 pound fresh spinach OR 1 ten-ounce package frozen leaf spinach, thawed Béchamel Sauce, prepared as directed on page 39, using 2 cups milk, 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, 3 tablespoons flour, and ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter plus more for greasing and […]

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  • JW’s Liberty Duck & Fig Sausages

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    Ingredients 5 pounds duck meat 2 cups dried figs, stems removed and chopped juice of 2 oranges 2 cups red wine 1 tablespoon picked & minced thyme 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard 1 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoons onion powder 1 ½ teaspoons ground toasted fennel seed 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt casings or caul […]

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  • Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

    20 minutes
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    Ingredients 1 pound ground lamb 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives 1/4 cup feta cheese 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 6 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 to 3 egg whites ⅓ cup of panko, mixed in with the lamb and egg […]

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  • French Style Vanilla ice Cream

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    Everyone needs a terrific vanilla ice cream recipe in their repertoire, and here it is. Keeping a tub of homemade vanilla ice cream in my freezer is standard policy, since I can’t think of any dessert that isn’t made better with a soft scoop of vanilla ice cream melting alongside. Ingredients 1 cup (250 ml) whole […]

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  • Stir-Fried Asparagus with Bacon and Crispy Shallots

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    The pan-flip doesn’t just look cool, it ensures that food cooks evenly over high heat. Too learn how to flip like a pro. Ingredients ¼ cup black vinegar ¼ cup sherry vinegar 2 small shallots, thinly sliced into rings 4 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1x¼-inch pieces 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying […]

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  • Casatiello (Neapolitan Easter Bread)

    3 hours
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    Ingredients For the dough: 500g (1 lb.) flour 100g (4 oz.) lard 1 tsp yeast Salt and pepper Water, q.b. 100g grated parmesan cheese (optional) For the filling: 250-500g (1/2-1 lb.) mixed cured meats (salumi) and cheeses (see Notes) For the topping: 5 whole eggs Instructions In a mixer, mix together the dough ingredients with […]

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  • Pizza rustica (Easter Cheese and Salumi Pie)

    3 hours
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    Ingredients For the crust: 5oog (1 lb) flour (see Notes) 250g (1/2 lb) lard (or butter) Salt, to taste 100 ml (1/2 cup) tepid water, or enough to form a ball For the filling: 350g (12 oz) ricotta 5 medium eggs 350g (12 oz) mozzarella, cut into small cubes (see Notes) 150g (5 oz) prosciutto […]

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