Mardi Gras Muffaletta Fritters

If Trombone Shorty had a taste, this would be it, baby!

Packs the flavor punch of a muffaletta in one little bite!

Award-Winning, Sicilian Pizza Cannoli

First Place Prize-Winning, Pizza Cannoli

Siciliano Pasta e Caponata

Made with eggplants from my very own garden!

Caponata is typically a sailor's dish of eggplant and chopped vegetables steeped in oil and vinegar and served as an appetizer. I combined this traditional Sicilian dish with my homemade marinara and served it with pasta. I love orrecchiette for this dish because it has a nice tooth to it and captures the body of the caponata perfectly, without being dominated by it. Great marriage!

INGREDIENTS:

*4 cups chopped eggplant, (about 2 medium, chopped into ½ inch cubes )
*1  28 ounce can of San Marzano crushed  plum tomatoes
*1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
*1 medium yellow onion, chopped
*3 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
*6 cloves garlic, minced  (4 for caponata, 2 for  marinara sauce)

Fairytale Eggplants from my garden,  2011

*2 tablespoons capers, drained
*1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
*1 tablespoon, natural cane sugar

*1/3 cup red wine vinegar
*3-4 basil leaves, torn
*1/4  teaspoon, plus additional ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
 * Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for topping
* ¼ teaspoon of chili pepper flakes
*1/2 cup green Sicilian olives, minced for garnish
* 1 pound of orrecchiette pasta

PREPARATION:

1.)Toss chopped eggplant with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of sea salt.

2) In a large sauté pan laced with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat, sauté eggplant, onion, and 4 cloves of garlic until onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add capers, pine nuts, sugar, vinegar.  Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until eggplant is tender and melding together.

3.)While caponata is developing, in a large pot, heat extra-virgin olive with the remaining  2 minced garlic cloves and red chili pepper flakes  on low heat for about a minute. This infuses the garlic and pepper  into the oil before you add the tomatoes.

4.)Add the crushed tomatoes and  ¼ teaspoon of  sea salt.  Allow to simmer on very low heat for about 5 minutes.

5.)In a large pot with salted water, cook the orrecchiette pasta until el dente.

6.) While pasta is cooking, toss the caponata into the pot of marinara sauce, add the torn basil and mix thoroughly.

7.)Turn off heat and stir in the gorgonzola cheese.

8.)Drain pasta and toss in to the caponata and sauce mixture. Garnish with grated cheese and Sicilian green olives.

Sausage & Gorgonzola Arancini

Arancini, (literally, means "little oranges," in Italian, for their shape) harkens back to the old street markets of Sicily, as the "fritto guy" would dole out newspaper cones filled with addictive, little, fried treats.

Italians have so many ways of using leftovers. Day-old risotto is a leftover’s dearest companion, as it is the best way to make arancini.  Traditionally, arancini are made with leftover risotto, and are meant to have a center-filling of either ground beef and peas, or simply a mozzarella center. But, I wanted the sausage to really shine by mixing sweet Italian sausage crumbles throughout the entire gorgonzola risotto mixture. The creaminess of the gorgonzola cheese is a nice counterpoint to the hearty sausage laced throughout.

The addition of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, breadcrumbs, and one beaten egg, will firm the mixture enough to shape into little, tennis ball-sized rice balls, and ready to fry in canola or pomace oil. The panko breadcrumbs and crushed, smoked almond coating results in an intensely flavorful and earthy crunch.

 I once made a five-course meal for friends, and these arancini were the star of the show! If you can make a simple, gorgonzola risotto, and add sausage, then you can replicate these little guys at home, like I did!

 

Ingredients for the Risotto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup of  Pino Grigio
• ¾  cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 4  beaten eggs (2 for risotto + 2 for breading)
• 1 ½  cups of browned Italian sausage
• 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
• 3 cups of canola oil for frying

How to Make the Risotto:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook until soft.
3. Add the 2 cups of rice all at once, add the wine, stir and simmer for a few minutes.
4. Add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring the rice until the broth has been absorbed between each addition.
5. In large sauté pan on medium heat, brown the sausage and transfer to a paper towel- lined plate.
6. Once the risotto is cooked and creamy, remove from heat, add the gorgonzola cheese and stir to incorporate.
7. Transfer the risotto to a large bowl, add the sausage to rice, add the beaten eggs, and mix well.
8. Allow mixture to cool.
9. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cold risotto will be easier to handle when shaping the arancini     
   
   
    To shape the Arancini, you'll need: 
   
   
   Ingredients: 
   2 egg, beaten 
   2 cups panko breadcrumbs ( or more) 
   1 cup of smoked almonds (crushed)
   cooking oil (vegetable or canola)

Method for shaping Arancini:

1. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl.
2. Add the breadcrumb/almond mixture to a large plate.
3. Line a large tray with paper towels.
4. Remove risotto from the fridge. Place 1/2 cup of rice in the palm of your hand and shape into a cup.
5. Roll the arancino in the beaten eggs and then in roll in the breadcrumbs.
6. Set on the tray.
7. Continue to make the arancini using this method until all the risotto has been used.
8. Heat the oil on medium high in a large fry pan
9. Carefully drop the arancini in the oil and turn to fry all sides.
10. Return to a paper towel-lined tray to absorb any oil.       
11. There should be 16-18 arancini