Bruschetta Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
2 slices fresh bread 10 cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp/15 gr olive oil 1 tsp/5 gr oregano ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt fresh basil
Preparation 5 minutes
Baking 2 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Wash the tomatoes and cut in very small cubes. Put in a bowl with olive oil, oregano, sea salt and chopped basil and mix all ingredients together. Slice the bread and bake for 2 minutes at 180°C/350°F and pour on top the tomatoes with extra basil.
Peppered Mussels Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
2 dozen mussels 1 cup/250ml water ½ tsp/2 gr black pepper 1 lemon tAo squeeze on top after cook
Preparation 5minutes
Baking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Soak the mussels in water to remove all the sand. Add the mussels in a large pan, add water and pepper. Cover and cook for 6 minutes until all mussels open. Remove from heat, garnish with lemon.
Mussels soup Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
2 dozen mussels 1 clove garlic ¼ cup/60gr tomato sauce 5 tbsp/75gr olive oil 1 tsp/5gr chopped parsley Hot chili pepper (optional)
Preparation 5minutes
Baking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Soak the mussels in water to remove all the sand. Sauté the garlic and a little of hot chili pepper in olive oil. Add the clams, the tomato sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Cover and cook for 6 minutes until all mussels open. Remove from heat, garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve with grilled bread slices.
Clam sauté Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
2 dozen clams 5 tbsp/75gr olive of oil 1 tbsp/15gr chopped parsley 1 glove garlic hot chili pepper (optional)
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Soak the clams in salted water to remove all the sand. Drain well. Sauté the garlic and a little of hot chili pepper in olive oil. Add the clams, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Cover and cook for 6 minutes until all clams open. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with grilled bread slices.
My friend and I attended a cooking class while visiting Sorrento- we had the best time and the food was delicious!! Other guests were fun and class was interactive. Highly recommend!
Squid Casserole Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
6 to 8 cherry tomatoes 1 large squid 1 garlic clove 2 tbls/30gr olive oil 1 tbsp/15gr chopped parsley 1 tsp/5 gr sea salt ¼ cup/60ml white wine 1 hot chili pepper
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 15 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Brown the garlic and chili pepper in very hot olive oil. Clean and cut squid into small rings and sauté until golden brown together with the cherry tomatoes. Then add the white wine and cook until wine reduce for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
Tips & Tricks The dish can be served as a starter on top of grilled sliced bread or like pasta sauce
Squid / Shrimp Chef Carmen Style Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 squid or 10 shrimp 1 tbls/15 gr olive oil 1 tsp/5 gr sea salt 1 tsp/5 gr black pepper ¼ cup/60gr breadcrumb
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Clean and cut squid into small rings or clean the shrimp. Put in frying pan with hot olive oil, add salt and pepper. Sauté for few minutes and sprinkle with approx. 1 cup breadcrumb.
Buon Appetito!
Eggplant/aubergine Parmigiana Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 eggplant / aubergine 1 cup/220gr tomatoes sauce (puree) ½ cup/120gr chopped Mozzarella cheese ¼ cup/60gr parmesan cheese Mozzarella cheese Sunflower oil to fry Fresh basil
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 15 minutes
Serving 1 person
Steps
Peel the eggplant / aubergine and slice very thin. Sprinkle with sea salt to eliminate the bitterness. Let sit for approx 15 minutes and wash and dry them. (this is a step suggested only when you buy your vegetables in a supermarket). Fry the eggplant/aubergine slices in sunflower oil until lightly browned and then drain on paper towels. Put a spoon of tomato sauce on the bottom of an oven-proof dish. Put a layer of eggplant/aubergine and add chopped mozzarella cheese, chopped basil, parmesan cheese. Add an extra layer of eggplant/aubergine, the remaining tomato sauce and parmesan cheese o top. Bake for approx. 15 minutes at 350°F/180°C
Tips & Tricks Best eggplant to use is the japanese
Buon Appetito!
Zucchini/courgettes Parmigiana Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 zucchini/courgette 1 cup/250 ml sunflower oil ½ cup/120 gr chopped Mozzarella cheese 1 tbsp/15 gr parmesan cheese 1 tbsp/15 gr of butter at room temperature chopped fresh basil
Preparation 15 minutes
Baking 8 minutes
Serving 1 person
Steps Cut off both of ends and slice the zucchini / courgette lengthwise. Fry gently until browned and drain on paper towels to remove excess suflower oil. Spread half of butter to the bottom of an oven-proof dish. Place the first layer of zucchini/courgette. Add chopped basil, parmesan cheese and chopped mozzarella. Cover with an extra layer of zucchini/courgette and add the butter on the top with parmesan cheese. Bake for approx. 10 minutes at 350 F/180°C
Buon Appetito!
Stuffed Zucchini flowers Difficulty easy
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking
5 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps
Ingredients 4 zucchini flowers 1 medium sized egg sunflower oil to fry grated lemon 2 tbsp/30 gr ricotta cheese 2 tbsp/30 gr ham finely chopped ½ tsp/2gr sea salt ½ tsp/2gr black pepper ½ cup/ 120gr breadcrumb
Mix together the ricotta cheese, ham, a pinch of salt and pepper and the grated lemon. Fill each flower with the mixture and close it well. Toss each flower in the beaten egg and then in breadcrumb. Fry them in hot sunflower oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess olive oil.
Had an amazing time. Made gnocchi, fettuccine, eggplant parmesan. Carmen is a wonderful host and teaches the class with a lot of fun and jokes. Highly recommend!
Buon Appetito!
Artichoke Parmigiana Difficulty medium
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 2 people
Ingredients 1 artichoke 2 slices mozzarella cheese 1 egg 1 cup/250 ml sunflower oil to fry ½ cup/120 flour ¼ cup/60gr parmesan cheese fresh basil
Neapolitan style Artichokes Difficulty medium
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking
45 minutes
Serving 1 person
Ingredients 1 artichoke 1 piece of pork sausage 1 potato 4 tbsp/60gr olive oil 1 tpsp/15 gr chopped parsley 1 tsp/4gr chopped garlic 1 tsp /4gr sea salt 1 tsp /4gr black pepper
Steps
Steps
Clean and peel the artichoke. Slice off the bottom and flat it. Cut into slices and put in a bowl with water and lemon for 10 minutes. Dry the artichoke slices and deep in flour and beaten egg. Fry for 5 minutes in sunflower oil and dry the artichokes on paper towel to remove excess oil. Place the frist layer of artichoke in a baking dish adding parmesan cheese, a slice of mozzarella, basil. Cover with a second layer of fried artichokes and sprinkle on top extra parmesan cheese. Bake at 350°F/180°C for 5 minutes, until mozzarella melt.
Clean the artichoke, put in a bowl with water and lemon for 10 minutes. Remove from water and stuff the artichoke with finely chopped parsley, uncooked porl sausage, chopped garlic, sea salt and pepper. Close the artichoke with the stalk. Put in a pan with olive oil. Peel the potato, chop into small pieces and place around the artichoke. Add enough water (approx 3cups/750ml) to cover the potato and cook gently for approx 45 minutes.
Buon Appetito!
Gnocchi Sorrentina Difficulty
Ingredients
simple
Gnocchi ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt 1 cup / 250gr flour 1 medium sized potato 1 egg yolk
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 5 minutes
Tips & Tricks Sorrento style ½ cup/120 gr of chopped mozzarella ¼ cup/60gr parmesan cheese 2 cups/450gr tomato sauce Fresh basil
Serving 4 people
Steps Wash the potato. Boil in salted water until cooked (about 40 minutes). Peel the potato, mash it and leave to cool on the work surface. Make a well in the center of the potato; add part of the flour all around, put the egg yolk in the well, add salt. Mix lightly to obtain a dough. Roll into long rolls and then cut into small pieces. Toss them in a sieve to remove excess flour. Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for approx. 3 minutes or until they rise to the water surface. Drain and then rinse with cold water. If you want use the gnocchi right away, after cooked put in the sauce; instead in you want keep the gnocchi in the fridge for one week, after boiled set the gnocchi in ice bath. Drain the gnocchi and place in a large dish with enough olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) to prevent them from sticking.
Buon Appetito!
Best potato to use: Russet, Yukon gold or Brown skin Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour
Sorrento Style preparation: In a fry pan, put the tomato sauce you prepared before and add your desired amount of gnocchi. Mix and add the mozzarella until melted. At the last moment add basil and some parmesan cheese.
Spinach Gnocchi with clam and lemon zest Difficulty
Ingredients
simple
Gnocchi 1 medium sized potato 1cup/250gr of flour ½ tsp/2gr sea salt 1 egg yolk Spinach chopped finely
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 4 people
Clam Sauce 1 cup of fresh clams 1 garlic clove 1 chili pepper 4 tbsp/60gr olive oil 1 tbsp/15gr chopped parsley
Tips & Tricks Best potato to use: Russet, Yukon gold or Brown skin Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour
Steps Wash the potato. Boil in salted water until cooked (about 40 minutes). Peel the potato, mash it, and leave to cool on the work surface. (Can use a ricer and then squeeze into a mound.). Make a well in the centre of the potato; add part of the flour all around outside edge, put the egg yolk in the well, salt and chopped spinach. Mix lightly with hand to obtain a dough uniform in colour. Roll into ball with no cracks. Roll in flour. Slice ball into 4 or 5 pieces. Roll into “sausages” long thin rolls about the diameter of a finger with minimal flour on work surface. Dust with flour. Then cut into small pieces. Toss them in a sieve to remove excess flour. Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for approx 3 minute, or until they rise to the water surface. If you want use the gnocchi right away, after cooked put in the sauce; instead in you want keep the gnocchi in the fridge for one week, after boiled set the gnocchi in ice bath. Drain the gnocchi and place in a large dish with enough olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) to prevent them from sticking. Clam Sauce preparation: In a fry pan, put garlic, olive oil and chili pepper and cook for 2 minutes until garlic brow. Add all clams and cover until sea food opens completely. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Add in the sauce some gnocchi and sauté. Add al last lemon zest.
Buon Appetito!
Fettuccine Difficulty
Ingredients
simple
flour: ½ cup/120gr (to start) + 5 tbsp/75gr (to complete the process) ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt 1 medium sized egg
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 4 people
Steps Place ½ cup flour on the work surface. Make a hole in the center and add egg and salt. Mix together by hand and knead lightly until smooth. Add the leftover flour slowly. Please note that the amount of flour change concerning: egg size, room and body temperature, pressure used during the kneading Roll out and trim the edges to form a square, then cut into strips. Cook the fettuccine in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes and sauté directly in the sauce which was previously prepared.
Tips & Tricks Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour Chef Carmen suggest make the dough one day before and keep overnight in the frige.
Caprese Style Ravioli Difficulty
high
Preparation
1 hour
Cooking
5 minutes
Serving
2 people
Tips & Tricks
Ingredients
Filling
Pasta flour: ½ cup/120gr (to start) + 5 tbsp/75gr (to complete the process) ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt 1 medium sized egg
¼cup/60gr ricotta cheese ½cup/120gr chopped mozzarella cheese 1 tbls/15gr grated parmesan cheese Fresh basil
Steps Place ½ cup flour on the work surface and add the egg and sea salt. Knead the dough until smooth; keep adding the rest of flour. Roll the dough until a thin base is obtained. Brush half of the base with beaten egg. Place teaspoonfuls of the filling at regular intervals on the base (you can also do little balls) and fold the dough in two. Cut out the ravioli using a ravioli cutter or shot glass. To cook: Place the ravioli in a pot of boiling salted water. After a few minutes the ravioli will rise to the surface. Using a skimming ladle, remove the ravioli and add to the previously prepared tomato sauce. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Buon Appetito!
Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour Chef Carmen suggest make the dough one day before and keep overnight in the fridge.
Lasagne Difficulty
medium
Preparation
2 hour
Baking
Tips & Tricks Ingredients Pasta 2 cups/450gr flour 1 medium sized egg ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt
30 minutes
Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour
Serving
Chef Carmen suggest make the dough on day before and keep overnight in the fridge.
Steps
Italian lasagna: NO ricotta / NO cream
Put the flour on the work table. Make a large hole in the center and add the egg and sea salt. Mix all the ingredients together with one hand, slowly incorporating the flour. Knead lightly to obtain a smooth dough. Create a ball on cleaned surface. Dust with flour on top, and push down. With heel of palm, push and fold repeat, until smooth. Create a mushroom cap shape with no cracks on top. Flour rolling pin. (Never use water on wooden rolling pin, scrape.) Roll out very thin in round shape. Flour both sides and surface. To turn pasta, roll on rolling pin and unroll on other side. Trim the edges to form squares or rectangles. Boil it in salty water for 3 minutes. After cooked, put pasta in ice water to stop cooking process. Dry the pasta on a clean napkin. Take a baking dish and layer pasta, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, basil adding bolognese sauce previously prepared and make 2 to 3 layers the same way. On the top only add sauce and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350°F/180°C for 30 minutes.
Buon Appetito!
2 people
Lemon Risotto Difficulty
easy
Baking rice
18 minutes
Risotto cooking
5 minutes
Serving
2 people
Ingredients
Tips & Tricks
½cup/120gr of rice 4cups/1 liter of vegetable stock 1 chopped onion 5 tbls/75gr of butter ¼ cup/60 ml of dry white wine 2 lemons for zest ¼ cup/60 gr parmesan cheese
Best rice to use are: Aborio Carnaroli Vialone Nano
Steps First thing we do, is to bake the rice. * Melt the butter in a large pan and put in, the whole onion. Once the butter is melted completely, put rice in and toast it until all the butter is absorbed. Add wine and cook until wine is reduced completely. Add ½ of the vegetable stock and bake 350/180° for 18 minutes until all the liquid is reduced. Put the already cooked rice on a cold surface. Take a pot and put in lemon zest, rice and the remaining vegetable stock and cook for 2 minutes on the flame mixing and adding if necessary extra liquid. Once it is done, finish with parmesan cheese and serve it. * On that way, you can keep the rice already cooked 1 week in the fridge. Anytime you decide to make any kind of risotto, you just make your favorite sauce and mix with the rice already baked.
Today’s class was INCREDIBLE! Carmen and her team are so talented and hosted us beautifully. We made aubergine parmigiana, bolognese and limoncello tiramisù. We picked up great tips and honestly some of the best food I’ve ever had. Thank you for such a special experience and memory, you are so warm and generous. Made us feel so comfortable!
Buon Appetito!
Cherry Tomato sauce
Chef Carmen Tomato sauces
Difficulty
Ingredients
Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 bunch cherry tomatoes (approx. 20) 2 tbsp/30 gr olive oil 1 tsp/5 gr sea salt 1 clove of garlic fresh basil
medium
40 San Marzano tomatoes 1 tbsp/15 gr sea salt 10 basil leaves
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Serving
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 4 hours
Serving
2 people
2 people
Steps
Steps
Remove the tops and cut the cherry tomatoes in half or smaller Sauté garlic in olive oil (do not let the olive oil burn or smoke) and add the tomatoes to the frying pan with half of the fresh basil and a pinch of salt. While simmering, mash with large fork. After approx. 10 minutes this delicious sauce will be ready to taste with a piece of bread. Add more salt as needed.
Wash tomatoes and cube. Boil with skin on for 4 hours “piano piano” Squeeze tomatoes with hand before boiling. Remove any extra water that comes to top while boiling. Pass through food mill or food processor. At bottom of jar put 2 basil leaves and 1 tsp of sea salt. Fill jar with tomatoes. Screw on lid tightly! Boil in water bath for 40 minutes. Remove and let jar come to room temperature to seal the lid. Will last for about 2 years.
Buon Appetito!
Bolognese Sauce Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 cup/250 gr minced meat 4 cups/1 L fresh tomato sauce ½ cup/120 gr chopped onion ½ cup/120 gr chopped carrot ¼ cup/60 gr chopped celery ¼ cup/60 ml dry white wine 1 tsp/4 gr sea salt 4 tbsp/60 gr olive oil fresh basil
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 2 hours
Serving 2 people
Steps Chop the onion, celery and carrots and put in a large pot with olive oil. Sauté for 10 minutes until all vegetables soften. Add the meat and cook for 15 minutes until brown; then the white wine and cook until evaporate completely. Add tomato sauce and basil. Cook for a minimum of 2 hours on a low heat.
Tips & Tricks You can also use pork or veal
Buon Appetito!
Neapolitan Ragù sauce Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
4 tbls/60 gr olive oil 2 pork ribs 2 pork sausage 4 cups/1L tomato sauce ¼ cup/60 gr chopped onion ½ cup/120 ml dry white wine 1 tbsp/15gr sea salt fresh basil
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 8 hours
Serving 2 people
Steps Place olive oil, chopped onion, ribs and sausage in a pot. Cook for 15 minutes until the onion and meat are golden brown. Add white wine and cook for 5 minutes until reduced completely add tomato sauce, sea salt and basil. Cook for about 8 hours on a low heat.
Tips & Tricks The secret to get a perfect sauce is the slow cooking on a low heat.
Buon Appetito!
Puttanesca sauce Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 clove garlic 1 cup/250 gr of tomato sauce ¼ cup/60 gr black olives ¼ cup /60 gr capers 2 tbsp/30 gr olive oil 1 tbsp/15 gr chopped parsley
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Sauté garlic with olive oil in frying pan for 2 minutes and add capers and black olives. Add the tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes and add chopped parsley. Boil the spaghetti or linguine in salty water for about 8 minutes and pour the pot of pasta and water through a colander set in your sink. Very important to keep some of the pasta water to finish your dish. Put the pasta in the pan with prepared puttanesca sauce, add extra pasta water and keep cooking until you get the perfect “al dente” consistency.
This cooking school is amazing. We had a wonderful time with Carmen. She made cooking very easy and fun!
Porcini mushroom sauce Difficulty
easy
Preparation
20 minutes
Baking
10 minutes
Serving
2 people
Tips & Tricks
Ingredients 3 fresh porcini mushrooms or 1 cup/230 gr of dry porcini mushrooms ½ cup/120 ml white wine ¼ cup/60 gr heavy cream 1 tbsp/15 gr chopped parsley 4 tbsp/60 gr olive oil
1 tsp/5 gr sea salt 1 tsp/5 gr black pepper 1 clove garlic
Steps Sauté the garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes slowly. Add wine and cook for about 5 minutes until completely reduced. Add the heavy cream and chopped parsley . In the meantime, cook the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the frying pan and mix well, adding some parmesan cheese and pasta water until you get a smooth and creamy result.
Highlight of our trip in Sorrento! We had so much fun! Fantastic atmosphere, delicious food and plenty of good wine! Highly recommend this class!
If you use the dry porcini mushroom, put in cold water for 20 minutes before cooking.
Buon Appetito!
Polpette di Mamma Titina Difficulty medium
Preparation 30 minutes
Frying time 5 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour
Steps
Ingredients 1Kg / 2.2 pounds minced meat 500 gr / 1 pound wet breadcrumbs (soaked in water before and squeezed) 4 medium sized eggs 1 tsp/ 5 gr black pepper 1 Tsp / 5 gr sea salt 120 gr/ ½ cup parmesan cheese 2 cups/ 500 ml sunflower oil to fry 4 cups / 1 liter Tomatoes sauce
First thing to do is to make the tomatoes sauce In a large sauce pan saute onion with 5 tbsp / 80 gr olive oil and add 4 cups/1 liter of passata Add sea salt and fresh basil and cook it for 45 minutes. In the mean time, make your meatballs in a large bowl mix toghetr all ingredients mentioned above until you get a smooth consistency taste to decide if extra salt or parmesan cheese is required concerning your personal taste roll medium sized balls and place in a large dish. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes Time now to fry in a large frypan with sunflower oil for about 5 minutes “piano piano” and after place all the meatballs in the sauce already prepared and cook all togheter for about 30 minutes extra
Buon Appetito!
Eggplant/aubergine Balls Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
1 eggplant/aubergine 1 cup/250ml sunflower oil to fry 4 tbsp/60gr parmesan cheese 3 tbsp/45gr breadcrumb 1 tbsp/15gr finely chopped parsley ½ tsp/2gr sea salt 1 egg yolk Chopped fresh basil
Preparation 30 minutes
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Chop the eggplant into pieces without peeling. Boil in salted water for 25 minutes. Drain and mash with a fork to eliminate excess water. Spread out on a cold work surface and mash again with a fork, then let cool. Mix the eggplant with finely chopped basil, parsley, parmesan cheese, egg yolk and breadcrumb. Mix the ingredients well. Should the mixture be a little grunny, add more parmesan cheese or breadcrumb. Roll the mixture into small balls, slightly flattened on both sides. Dip in flour and egg and toss in the breadcrumb. Fry in hot sunflower oil for 3 minutes until golden brown.
Buon Appetito!
Fresh Fish in potato crust Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 fresh fish or a fillet (seabass) 1 peeled raw potato 2 tbsp/30gr olive oil ½ tsp/2gr sea salt ½ tsp/2gr black pepper rosemary (optional)
Preparation 15 minutes
Baking 20 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Fillet the fish and lay it in an oven proof dish. Slice the potato finely with a mandolin and cover the fish with potatoes as fish scales, adding salt , olive oil, pepper and rosemary. Bake 350°F/180°C for approx. 20 minutes.
Fresh Fish Acqua pazza Style
Tips & Tricks
Best potato to use: Russet, Yukon gold, Brown skin
Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
6 cherry tomatoes 1 fresh fish or a fillet 1 tbsp/15gr of capers 1 tbsp/15gr black olives 2 tbsp/30gr olive oil ½ tsp/2gr black pepper 1 tsp/4gr chopped parsleyv ¼ cup/60ml of water 1 garlic clove
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps
Fillet the fish and lay it in a large frying pan. Add all ingredients and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
Buon Appetito!
Boiled Baccalà / Cod fish Difficulty easy
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps
Ingredients Baccalà 5 tbsp/75gr olive oil 1tsp/4gr chopped parsley 1 garlic clove lemon juice
Tips & Tricks Before cooking be sure the salt disappears completely.
If you buy a big piece of baccalà in salt, it has to be soaked in water for minimum of 3 days changing water 4 times each day until the salt disappears. To boil the baccala cut in big pieces and simmer in salted water for 3 minutes. Use a skimmer and put it on a plate gently Mince the garlic and parsley and spread on top. Pour olive oil all around and squeeze lemon juice on top.
Neapolitan Baccalà Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
Baccalà 1tbsp/15gr black olives 1tbsp/15gr capers 2tbsp/30gr olive oil 1tsp/4gr chopped parsley 1 garlic clove 6 cherry tomatoes ½ cup/120ml water
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps
Buon Appetito!
If you buy a big piece of Baccalà in salt, it has to be soaked in water for minimum of 3 days changing water 4 times each day until the salt disappears. Sautè garlic, black olives, capers and sliced cherry tomatoes for 2 minutes. Add baccalà and water. Cover and cook for 10 minues
Braciola (rolled stuffed steak)
Tips & Tricks
Difficulty
Ingredients
Sauce
easy
2 thin slices of steak 1 garlic clove finely chopped ½ tsp/2 gr black pepper 1 tsp/4 gr parsley finely chopped 1 tbsp/15 gr pine-nuts 1 tbsp/15 gr raisins 1 tbsp/15 gr grated parmesan cheese
Suggested meat to use: 2 cups/500ml Flank steak pulped tomatoes 1 tsp/4gr sea salt 4 tbsb/60gr extra virgin olive oil ½ cup/120ml white wine ½ chopped onion
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 2 hours
Serving 1 person
Steps Pound the steak until thin. Sprinkle the steak with parsley, sea salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Add chopped garlic, chopped parsely, pine-nuts and raisins. Roll up each steak and secure with toothpicks or cooking string. Brown the rolled meat in a saucepan with olive oil and the onion. Cook until golden brown and then add the wine. Cook until the wine is reduced and add the pulped tomato. Simmer for at least 2 hours on low heat.
Buon Appetito!
Rolled stuffed bell pepper Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
1 bell pepper (red or yellow) 1tbs/15 gr breadcrumb 1 tbsp/15 gr capers 1 tbsp/15 gr chopped black olives 1 tbsp/15 gr parmesan cheese ¼ cup/60 gr soaked crumb ¼ cup/60 gr chopped mozzarella cheese
Preparation 1 hour
Baking 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps Wash and dry the pepper. Place in an oven proof dish and bake at 350°F/180°C for approx 45 minutes. In the meantime prepare the stuffing mixture. Finely chop the black olives and mozzarella. Rinse the capers and add to the mixture. Soak the crumb in water, squeeze out excess water and add to the other ingredients add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix everything with your hands (squeeze all ingredients together). The pepper should be baked. Remove it from the oven and transfer it to a dish. Cover with a lid or clean cloth for about 10 minutes so that it swells a little as it begins to cool. Remove the pepper from the dish, skin it, cut in half and remove the seeds. Fill one half with the prepared stuffing mixture and then close with the other half of the pepper. Place in an oven proof dish with a little olive oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350°F/180°C 10 minutes.
Tips & Tricks You can also stuff the pepper with ground beef or pasta
Chicken Roll
Tips & Tricks
Difficulty
Ingredients
For cooking
easy
1 slice boneless chicken breast 1 garlic clove finely chopped 1 tbsp/15 gr pine-nuts 1 tbsp/15 gr raisins 1 tbsp/15 gr grated parmesan cheese ½ tsp/2 gr black pepper 1 tsp/4 gr parsley finely chopped
1 chopped carrot 2 tbsp/30 gr chopped cellery 4 tbsp/60 gr olive oil ½ cup/120 ml dry white wine ½ cup/120 ml water ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt ½ tsp/2 gr black pepper ½ chopped onion
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 25 minutes
Serving 1 person
Steps
Sprinkle the chicken breast with parsley, sea salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Add chopped garlic, chopped parsely, pine-nuts and raisins. Roll up each chiken and secure with toothpicks or cooking string. In the meantime, finely chop the carrot, cellery and onion. Add to pot with olive oil and chicken. Cook for 10 minutes, gently, until golden brown. Add wine and water, salt and pepper, and cook slowly for 25 minutes.
I can’t speak highly enough about our morning cooking with Carmen. It was absolutely fantastic, we learned so much and I can’t wait to recreate the dishes now back home. It was so much fun and is a must for any one visiting sorrento with a love of food!
You can substitute the chicken with veal or pork.
Buon Appetito!
Chicken Sorrentina Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
1 boneless chicken breast 1 slice mozzarella 1 slice ham 3 cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp/30 gr flour 2 tbsp/30 gr olive oil 1 tbsp/15 gr parmesan cheese ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt ¼ cup/60 ml dry white wine
Preparation 20 minutes
Baking 10 minutes
Serving 1 person
Steps
Tips & Tricks You can substitute the chicken with veal or pork.
Buon Appetito!
Bread the chicken in flour and saute in pan with olive oil for 2 minutes on each side slowly. Add salt and white wine, cook until wine evaporates. Put the cooked chicken in a baking dish and add on top a slice of mozzarella and prosciutto. Cut the cherry tomatoes and put on top with parmesan cheese. Bake 350°F/180°C for 10 minutes until mozzarella melts.
Stuffed potato Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
1 medium sized potato ¼ cup/60 gr chopped ham ¼ cup/60 gr chopped mozzarella cheese 1 tbsp/15 gr egg yolk 1 tbsp/15 gr parmesan cheese 1 tbsp/15 ml spoon milk 1 tbsp/15 gr butter (room temperature)
Preparation 50 minutes
Baking
15 minutes
Serving 2 people
Steps
Boil the potato with the skin on for approx. 15 minutes in salted water. Let it cool and remove skin. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a small knife and a small teaspoon, carefully remove the center mashing with a fork. Finely chop all the other ingredients (ham, mozzarella, basil) and add a little at a time to the mashed potato. Finally add the egg, milk, grated parmesan, melted butter and salt and pepper. Mix well. Should the mixture be a little sloppy, add more parmesan cheese. Fill the potato halves with the mixture occasionally wetting hands in milk to prevent the mixture sticking to them. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan and breadcrumbs. Place the potato halves in a buttered oven-proof dish and bake at 350°F/180°C for approx 15 minutes.
½ tsp/2 gr sea Salt ½ tsp/2 gr Pepper ½ tsp/2 gr Breadcrumb (on the top) Fresh Basil
Tips & Tricks Best potato to use: Russet, Yukon gold, Brown skin
Buon Appetito!
Potato croquettes
Tips & Tricks
Difficulty
Ingredients
To bread croquttes:
medium
500 gr/ 2 cups mashed potatoes 2 medium sized egg yolk 1 tsp/ 5 gr sea salt ½ tsp /2 gr black pepper ½ cup/ 120 gr parmesan cheese 1 cup/ 250 gr chopped mozzarella
¼ cup/60 gr flour 2 medium sized eggs 1 tsp/ 5 gr sea salt ½ tsp /2 gr black pepper ¼ cup/ 60 gr breadcrumbs
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 4 people (15 pc)
Best potato to use: Russet, Yukon gold or Brown skin Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour
Steps Wash the potato. Boil in salted water until cooked (about 40 minutes). Peel the potato, mash it, and leave to cool on the work surface. Make a well in the centre of the potato; add part of the flour all around outside edge, put the egg yolk in the well, salt and chopped spinach. Mix lightly with hand to obtain a dough uniform in colour. Add eggs, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and mozarella cheese. Mix all ingredients together until you get a very smooth result. If the consistency seems to dry you can add 1 extra egg; if instead seems to fost add extra parmesan cheese Ready to make small croquettes of about 40 gr /14 cup each oval shape. Beat eggs with salt and pepper and dip the croquettes first in the flour, then egg and breadcrumbs. Repeat this step at least two times to get a ticker consistency Fry in sunflower oil for about 5 minutes on a medium hit
Buon Appetito!
Pizza dough Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
¼ cup/60ml room temperature water ½ cup/120 gr flour ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt 1 tsp/5gr olive oil 1 tsp/5 gr yeast (pressed into tsp)
Preparation 10 minutes
Rising 2 hours
Baking 20 minutes
Serving 1 person
Steps Mix together in a bowl yeast with water until yeast melts completely. Add olive oil, sea salt and the flour. Mix all ingredients together kneading the dough for few minutes Wait approx 2 hours until the dough rises. Now you are ready to prepare your pizza, using any topping you like more!
Tips & Tricks Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour You can also use bread flour
Buon Appetito!
Neapolitan Panzarotti Difficulty
Ingredients
high
½ cup/120 gr flour ¼ cup/60 ml room temperature water 1 tsp/5 gr olive oil 1 tsp/5 gr yeast ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt
Preparation 20 minutes
Rising 50 minutes
Baking 10 minutes
Tips & Tricks Stuffing: ¼ cup/60 gr chopped mozzarella cheese ¼ cup/60 gr ricotta cheese 1 tbsp/15 gr tomatoes sauce ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt ½ tsp/2 gr black pepper 1 medium sized egg
Best flour to use: 00 flour (Italian flower) Unbleached all purpose flour White plain flour You can also use bread flour
Serving 2 people
Steps Stir yeast into water until dissolved. Make a mound with flour with a center hole and add olive oil. With one hand, mix the olive oil incorporating the flour and adding yeast water until all of the flour is incorporated. Work for 5 minutes until you have a homogeneous mixture. Place the dough in a plate and cover with a wet napkin for 40 minutes. While the dough rises, prepare the stuffing.
Stuffing: Finely chop ham, mozzarella and put in a bowl with salt, pepper, and egg. Mix everything together. Roll the dough into a circle with a rolling pin. The dough will be in two pieces, one for the bottom and one to top the stuffing. Brush the bottom with egg and place a little quantity of the stuffing, like a teaspoon, and place on the dough, separating about the space of 2 fingers. Cover with the second sheet of pasta. Cut with a pasta cutter and seal the edges so the stuffing will not come out. Fry in very hot sunflower oil for 5 minutes until golden brown.
Limoncello Difficulty
Ingredients
easy
6 organic lemons 5 cups/1 L ethyl alcohol 1 cup/200 gr sugar 5 cups/1 L water
Preparation 15 minutes
Maceration 72 hours
Serving
Steps
Tips & Tricks If your lemons are not very tasty use more then 6.
o begin, you need a glass jar with a lid. Wash the lemons, pat them dry and remove the zest. A vegetable peeler does the job best; it gives you long wide strips of zest with hardly any of bitter white pith. If you do get some of the pith with the zest, carefully scrape it away with the tip of a knife. Fill the jar with the alcohol and, as you remove the zest, add it to the jar. Mix the ingredients, cover the jar and store it. Now all you need to do is wait. After 48/72 hours combine the sugar and the water in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, and cook until thickened, about five minutes. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the limoncello mixture. Then simply strain the limoncello into bottles and discard the lemon zest. Keep the bottles in the freezer and serve very cold.
Ceers!
Tiramisù: Coffee or Limoncello Ingredients
Difficulty easy
Preparation 10 minutes
Serving 2 people
4 lady finger cookies 1 egg ½ cup/120 gr of whipped cream ½ cup/120 ml espresso coffee ½ cup/120 gr mascarpone cheese (optional)
2 tbsp/30 gr white sugar 1 tbsp/15 gr cocoa on top 2 tbsp/30 gr dark chocolate chip 1 tbsp/15 ml amaretto di saronno or Kalua
Steps Beat sugar and egg until white & fluffy. Then add mascarpone cheese (optional) In a clean bowl whip the cream and fold it gently into the sugar, egg and mascarpone mixture until smooth. Meanwhile prepare espresso coffee and put it in a bowl to cool. Soak the lady fingers in the coffee and layer them in a rectangular glass bowl. Add a layer of cream, then grated dark chocolate and sprinkle cocoa on top. Repeat to give a second layer if you like a larger portion. Chill the Tiramisu in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Can be saved up to 2 days.
Buon Appetito!
To make limoncello tiramisù is really easy, just substitute few ingredients: • Limoncello instead of amaretto or kalua • Limoncello and water instead of coffee to soak lady finger cookies • Lemon zest on top instead of chocolate chips and cocoa
Chocolate profiteroles Difficulty
Steps
high
Cream puff pastry
Preparation
¼ cup/60 ml water 3 tbsp/45 gr butter ¾ cup/175 gr flour ½ tsp/2 gr sea salt 2 medium sized egg 1 tsp/5 gr white sugar
1 hours
Cooking 15 minutes
Serving 6 people
In a sauce pan add water, butter, sugar, salt and bring to a boil. Remove from the flame and add the flour. Mix quickly with a wooden spoon. Wait until it gets very cold and add eggs one by one. Once you obtain a very smooth cream put it in a pastry bag and prepare an oven pan where you can put small cream puffs and bake it at 400°F/200°C for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Chocolate sauce for the topping 1 cup/220 ml whole milk 1 cup/220 gr cocoa ¼ cup/60 gr flour 1 cup/ 220 gr white sugar 1 tbps/15 ml Rum 2 tbsp/30 gr butter 4 oz/100 gr dark chocolate
Put all the ingredients in a pot and boil. Mix the cream continuously and cook until thick. Let the cream cool down. Fill the cream puffs with whipped cream and cover with chocolate sauce.
Buon Appetito!
Multi lava chocolate Cake Difficulty easy
Preparation 15 minutes
Baking
7 minutes
Serving
12 people
Ingredients 12 tbsp/180 gr room temperature Butter 2 cups/480 gr powdered sugar 1 cup/240 ml heavy cream 1 cup/240 gr cocoa ¾ cups/180 gr flour 3 whole eggs 3 egg yolks
Steps Mix butter and powdered sugar for about 3 minutes in a mixer. Add 3 eggs, 3 egg yolks, cream and mix again 3 minutes. Add flower and cocoa and mix until the mixture is foamy. Using a pastry bag, fill the heart molds that have been greased and floured. Bake in a 400°F/200°C for 7 minutes.
Pastry dough
for cookies and pies Difficulty
Ingredients
medium
1 medium sized egg 1 cup + ½ cup/350 gr flour ¾ cup/180 gr powdered sugar ½ cup/120 gr room temperature butter
Preparation 1 hour
Baking 20 minutes
Serving 4 people
Steps Flour on the table as a fountain with powdered sugar. Add egg and butter in the center. Start kneading the dough until smooth. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour and maximum of 1 week.
Buon Appetito!
Panna cotta with strawberry coulis Difficulty easy
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Serving
Panna cotta 4 gelatin sheets 2 + ¼ cups/500 ml whole milk 2 + ¼ cups/500 m fresh cream ¼ cup/60 gr white sugar 1 tbsp/15 gr vanilla extract (optional)
6 people
Steps Immerse the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes. Put the milk, vanilla and sugar in a pot and cook on low heat until it boils. Remove from the fire and add the gelatine and cream. Mix until the gelatine is dissolved completely. Filter the mixture through a strainer and pour the mixture into 6 individual molds. Refrigerate for 5 hours.
Strawberry coulis ¼ cup/60 gr powder sugar ½ cup/120 gr berries
Tips & Tricks
Puree the strawberries and the powder sugar in a blender. Strain and garnish with few pieces of fresh strawberries.
Strawberries coulis can be substitute with chocolate, caramel or any sauce you prefer
Buon Appetito!
Cannoli Difficulty
Cannoli
high
1 medium sized egg 3 tbsp/45 gr room temperature butter 2 tbsp/30 gr white sugar ¼ cup/60 ml dry white wine 1 + ¼ cup/300 gr flour to start ½ cup/120 gr flour to knead the dough
Preparation 2 hours
Cooking 5 minutes
Serving 10 people
Steps Place flour on the work surface. Make a hole in the center and add egg, sugar, butter. Mix together by hand and knead lightly until smooth adding the wine little by little. Add the leftover flour slowly. Please note that the amount of flour change concerning: egg size, room and body temperature, pressure used during the kneading. Mix all ingredients together working for 30 minutes stretching the dough. Once ready, roll very thin slices of pasta then cut with a knife a small square of dough to roll all over the small pastry form (cylinder). Close the two ends with water or egg white, then deep fry in sunflower oil.
White & Chocolate Cream 5 egg yolks 4 cups/1 L milk ½ cup/120 gr hazelnuts 5 tbsp/75 gr white sugar 5 tbsp/75 gr flour 4 oz/100 gr dark chocolate
Buon Appetito!
Mix eggs and sugar and add flour 1 tbsp at a time. Add milk little by little and cook for about 10 minutes mixing gently. When thick, the cream is ready. Split it in 2 bowls, in one add shaved dark chocolate to get the chocolate cream. Fill the cannoli half with white and half with chocolate. To finish dip the edges in hazelnut grain.