Tag Archives: fresh mozzarella

In a rush? Try this delicious Homemade Pizza

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You ever think about wanting to eat a pizza, but would like it to be healthier? Lighter? Not as fattening as the ones you order out? Maybe more vegetables or only with certain ingredients? Real mozzarella? Well, you can have it.

My husband and I do love to indulge in pizza here in Italy they make it with really thin crust, fresh ingredients and with just about anything you want on it. One night we decided that we were going to make it at home, we didn’t have the time to make the dough from scratch but you can find fresh pizza dough in just about any grocery store, (especially here in Italy) although while in the USA I found it in quite a few grocery stores, just ask for it.
He loves his pizza with Mozzarella, Pomodoro (Tomato) and Salame Piccante (Hot Salami) and I like it with less cheese and with any vegetable offered, from Mushrooms, Artichokes, Radicchio, Cherry Tomatoes, Eggplant and always topped off with Rucola. (I do love Prosciutto Crudo on it also).

Now I think that when you make it at home you get to each prep it and make it just the way you like and it is not as complicated or as time consuming as it seems. It is not something unhealthy or bad for you when made at home because you pick the ingredients, the size and you know exactly what is going in it. (and that is always a plus)

I hope that you enjoy my simple explanation and ingredients and just remember this is easy, fun and great for any evening; whether it’s an activity with your kids, something fun for an at home date night, girls night as something to munch on, friends night or while having friends over for a dinner party as an appetizer you can do it whenever and look as if you worked for hours. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

2 Balls of Pizza dough

Flour for dusting

1 qt. lb Fresh Mozzarella, grated

1  4oz can of fresh Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

And then you pick the rest of ingredients

Preheat your oven at 350°. In the meantime roll out your pizza over a floured surface to desired thickness, lay on parchment paper over a pizza tin.

Open your can of tomato sauce and ladle over the dough about 1/4 in away from edges (not too much, just enough to cover bottom evenly), sprinkle with a little bit of salt and 1 tbsp. of Olive oil. Get your mozzarella and evenly layer of the tomato sauce and then finish adding your ingredients, don’t over do it (remember healthy does it).

Put in the oven and bake in the center for about 20 minutes. You want to make sure that the cheese is melted and that the bottom in golden brown. Pull out of oven and if you ae adding rucola add it on top and serve.

*I added Tomato sauce, radicchio, proscuitto, salame and rucola.
**My Husband added tomato sauce, moazzarella, chilli flakes, prosciutto and rucola.

 

 

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Something YUM!!…My twist on Shepard’s Pie, you’ll love it!

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I had Shepard’s Pie a couple of times while growing up, as a child it’s a delicious dish….meat, mashed potatoes and a lot of cheese. Growing up I don’t think I ever ate it but I have often thought back on the times that as a child I did like it whenever it was made. However fond I was of it I couldn’t bring myself to make it, I would think about it but then a better recipe would come to mind or something healthier or just something else.

So, as you know it’s winter time and it’s cold, and in times like this one might think of lots of comfort food and in those thoughts there might be Shepard’s Pie. Well, I decided that I would make it with an Italian twist. Off to the store I went and I decided that I would put Mozzarella in it, and that I would not mash the Potatoes but keep them whole and sliced, then all of a sudden I got the brilliant idea that I would go ahead and make it kinda like a Eggplant Parmigiana or Lasagna, but maintaining the English ingredients minus the mozzarella. My Husband wasn’t fond of the thought of Shepard’s Pie; but I am lucky that he trusts me and will try new things. So, with him on board and my mind set to surprise him I made the following meal and it was delicious. It filled us up to perfection, we didn’t feel heavy and it turned out to actually be a healthier version and lighter as well.

So, here is the recipe and I hope that you enjoy it! It’s especially perfect for this whether.

Ingredients:

5  medium Potatoes

1 large Eggplant

1 lb Ground Chuck*

1/2 lb Mozzarella

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Slice your potatoes a little thicker than 1/4 inch thick. Place in a medium sized pot covered with salt water and allow to boil for about 10 – 15 minutes, do not allow to cook completely, just under cooked is perfect, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, slice your eggplant in 1/4 inch rounds and place in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and allow to get golden on both sides, once you are done cooking all of the eggplant set aside.

At this point you may turn on your oven to 350° F (180° C).

Put your ground chuck in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and allow to brown completely, add some salt and pepper, turn off once meat is cooked. Slice you Mozzarella really thin and set aside.

Grab you baking dish, drizzle just a bit of olive oil on the bottom and start layering all ingredients. Start first with a even layer of the meat, a layer of eggplant, then add a layer of potatoes add a sprinkle of salt and some pepper and then layer mozzarella, a layer of meat, a layer of eggplant, a layer of mozzarella, a layer of potatoes, continue until all is finished you want the potatoes to be the last layer at the top, then sprinkle a dash of salt and finish off with pepper. Bake in the oven for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Allow to sit for 10 – 15 minutes and serve.

* You may replace ground chuck for ground turkey or even chicken.

 

A Healthy twist on an Old Italian Recipe

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Bruschetta is a typical Italian dish that is served with bread. I happen to love bruschetta and it always seem to be so convenient to make especially as an appetizer, for yourself, for guests, at a dinner party and as hors d’oeuvres.

The other day for lunch I suddenly craved Bruschetta, I opened the cupboard and didn’t have any bread, which came as no surprise because I don’t keep bread in the house. So, I came up with the next best thing to satisfy this craving; make the bruschetta sauce and pour it over pasta.  I looked to see what type of pasta might be good with this and I had some whole-wheat penne, what a fabulous idea.

What I really liked about this was that I like to respect the quality of the ingredients I cook with, so of course when being able to make a dish that doesn’t require cooking any of the ingredients besides the pasta, makes me feel more wholesome and appreciative of the dish, also the ingredients are able to maintain their natural source of vitamins and color.

This is a simple, quick, and low-fat dish.  You can make it when out of time, as a pasta salad and when you want to eat something light. Enjoy.

 

Ingredients:

 250 gr. Of Whole-Wheat Penne pasta

2 large vine Tomatoes

4 Basil leaves

1 small crushed Garlic clove

A handful of Rucola (arugola)

1 small fresh Mozzarella Ball (100 gr.)

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil

Salt to taste

 

Put a pot of salted water to boil, throw your pasta in and let cook for 9- 10 minutes. (Always follow the cooking time on the box).

Meanwhile, chop you tomatoes into small cubes, place in a medium bowl and add your garlic, olive oil and salt. Chiffonade your basil and add to tomatoes, mix the ingredients and let sit. Now cut your mozzarella into small cubes, add to tomato mixture.

Drain your pasta throw into bowl with tomato ingredients and toss together, until mixed well. Serve and enjoy.