Italy

Let’s get started

Today we’ll start with And Italian Meal. A Starter, Main course and Dessert.

I’ll post the ingredients and how to make them.

Starter: Bruschetta

Main: Classic Tomato Spaghetti

Dessert: Biscotti

Bruschetta

Serves: 4

Total Time: 12 min

Ingredients:

• ·      ½ Baguette (12 pieces)
• ·      2 Garlic Cloves
• ·      Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ·      2 tomatoes
• ·      Handful of fresh Basil
• ·      Salt

1. Recipe:
2.    Chop your Baguette into 12 pieces and put under grill for about 2 minutes
3.  Chop the tomatoes into large chunks ( add more tomatoes if you think necessary)
4.  Put the Tomatoes, chopped garlic, basil, salt and a drizzle of olive oil in a bowl and mix
5. Take out the bread drizzle with olive oil and place a spoonful of tomatoes onto each slice
6.   Serve

Classic Tomato Spaghetti

Serves: 6

Total time: 35 min

• Ingredients:
• ·      Bunch of fresh basil
• ·      ½ onion
• ·      1 clove of garlic
• ·      400g of tinned chopped tomatoes
• ·      olive oil
• ·      Balsamic vinegar

Recipe:

1. Chop basil leaves and stalks. (save some for garnish)
2. Slice garlic and onion open tins of tomatoes
3. Put a saucepan on medium heat, add ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions cook for about 7 mins till light gold
4.  Stir in garlic and basil stalks. Then add tinned tomatoes and a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar
5. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook for another 15 mins ocassionallt stirring
6.  Add basil leaves and reduce to a low heat
7.   Fill a large pot with boiling water add a pinch of salt. Add the spaghetti as it says on the packet
8.   Once pasta done drain in, put back in pot and stir the tomato sauce in,
9.  Serve with a sprinkling of basil leaves and some grated parmesan cheese.

Biscotti

Makes: 3-4 dozen

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

• ·      ½ cup of vegetable oil
• ·      1 cup white sugar
• ·      3 ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• ·      3 eggs
• ·      1 tbs baking powder
• ·      1 tbs ansie extract
• ·      chopped almonds (optional)

1. Recipe:
2. preheat oven to 190 degrees C. line tin with parchment paper
3. beat eggs, sugar and ansie extract
4. add flour and baking powder until a heavy dough is formed (add some chopped almonds if you want)
5. divide dough into 2 form each piece into a role as long as you cookie sheet. Press down until about 12 inch thick
6.   bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown
7.  remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool
8.    when cool slice crosswise into ½ inch slices. Put back on baking sheet to brown for about 6-10 mins. Until lightly toasted.

Italian food: Bruchetta is an antipasto from italy. At first only oil was used on the lightly toasted bread but over the years topping like tomatoes, garlic, cheese, raw pork and prosciutto. Spaghetti what discoved when the italians formed long thin pieces of gnocchi (little dumplings) it was dried and stored. Biscotti was originally a food that travellers carried as it was dry and had little fat.  But todays biscotti are very different from the originals. It is assosiated with the tuscan region of italy.

http://www.everything-biscotti.com/ http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Biscotti/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/classic-tomato-spaghetti/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/bruschetta.html

http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/question8472.html

Hope you enjoyed these recipes check back next week for more.

Boydie x