This is an Italian style chicken recipe with Parmesan cheese that I found on Southern Food.

Ingredients:

* 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (halves)
* 3 large eggs, beaten
* 1 cup Parmesan cheese
* 1 cup fine dry Italian bread crumbs
* 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
* 1/4 cup butter

Preparation:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Dip chicken into eggs. Combine cheese and bread crumbs. Coat chicken thoroughly with crumb mixture. Place on greased baking sheet. Drizzle with salad dressing and place pats of butter on each piece of chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Once in life everybody should go to Rome, and see all the greate artworks in the city…

If you are planning some days in Rome, here you will have some good advices for yur stay, the things to do and the places to visit!

Let’s have a brief description of one of its precious artwork, the Vatican Museum Setting, The Sistine Chapel.

“The frescoes that we are contemplating here introduce us into the world of the contents of the Revelation. The truths of our faith speak to us here from all ses. From them human genius took its inspiration undertaking to clothe them in forms of incomparable beauty” . With these words pronounced in the Homily during the Holy Mass celebrated on 8 April 1994, on the occasion of the completion of the restoration of the Last Judgement, the Holy Father John Paul II wished to place emphasis on the sacredness of the place in which the paintings, like the images of a book, serve to render the truths expressed in the Holy Scriptures more understandable.

The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere (pontiff from 1471 to 1484) who had the old Cappella Magna restored between 1477 and 1480. The 15th century decoration of the walls includes: the false drapes, the Stories of Moses (south and entrance walls) and of Christ (north and entrance walls) and the portraits of the Popes (north and south and entrance walls).

It was executed by a team of painters made up initially of Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, assisted by their respective shops and by some closer assistants among whom Biagio di Antonio, Bartolomeo della Gatta and Luca Signorelli stand out. On the Ceiling Pier Matteo d’Amelia painted a starry sky.

The work on the frescoes began in 1481 and was concluded in 1482. This is also the date of the following works in marble: the screen, the choir stalls (where the choristers took their places), and the pontifical coat of arms over the entrance door. On 15 August 1483, Sixtus IV consecrated the new chapel dedicating it to Our Lady of the Assumption. Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513), nephew of Sixtus IV, decided to partly alter the decoration, entrusting the work in 1508 to Michelangelo Buonarroti, who painted the Ceiling and, on the upper part of the walls, the lunettes. The work was finished in October 1512 and on the Feast of All Saints (1 November), Julius II inaugurated the Sistine Chapel with a solemn Mass. The nine central panels show the Stories of Genesis, from the Creation to the Fall of man, to the Flood and the subsequent rebirth of mankind with the family of Noah.

For a short stay in Rome, try Rome Cheap Accommodation a Bed and Breackfast in Rome near the major touristic attraction and the strategic points of interests of the Eternale City…

HAve a good stay in Rome and Rome Cheap Accommodation!

Versione Italiana

If you want to prepare true Sicilian Cannoli, just follow this recipe! (found on epicrious)

Ingredients

For cannoli shells

* 1 cup all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 lb cold lard
* 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
* 1 large egg, separated
* About 3 cups vegetable oil

For filling

* 1 lb fresh ricotta (2 cups)
* 2 oz soft mild goat cheese
* 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 tablespoon minced candied orange peel
* 1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water (also called orange-blossom water)
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red), chopped
* 2 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped (1/2 cup)

* Special equipment: a pasta maker; a 4- to 4 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer; 6 (roughly 5 5/8- by 5/8-inch) metal cannoli tubes; 2 heavy-duty oven mitts; a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip
* Garnish: confectioners sugar

Preparation

Make dough for shells:
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add 2 tablespoons lard and blend in with your fingertips until combined. Add wine and yolk and stir until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Make filling while dough stands:
Beat together ricotta, goat cheese, confectioners sugar, orange peel, orange-flower water, and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute (do not overbeat). Fold in nuts and chocolate until combined and chill.

Make shells:
Set smooth rollers of pasta maker at widest setting. Unwrap dough and cut in half, then lightly flour 1 piece (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap). Flatten floured dough into an oval and feed through rollers. Turn dial down 2 notches and feed dough through rollers again. Continue to feed dough through rollers, making space between rollers narrower by 2 notches each time, until narrowest setting is used.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Transfer rolled dough to a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 or 5 rounds with floured cutter. Transfer rounds to baking sheet and keep covered with more plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough and cut rounds in same manner. Gather scraps and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out scraps and cut in same manner.

Heat remaining lard with 1 1/4 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.

Meanwhile, lightly oil cannoli tubes. Lightly beat egg white, then brush bottom edge of 1 dough round with egg white. Wrap dough around a tube, overlapping ends (egg-white edge should go on top), then press edges together to seal. Make 5 more shells in same manner (keep remaining rounds covered with plastic).

Fry dough on tubes 1 at a time, turning with metal tongs, until 1 shade darker, about 45 seconds. Wearing oven mitts, clamp end of hot tubes, 1 at a time, with tongs and, holding tube vertically, allow shell to slide off tube onto paper towels, gently shaking tube and wiggling shell as needed to loosen. (If you allow shell to cool it will stick to tube and shatter when you try to remove it.) Transfer shells to paper towels to drain and cool tubes before reusing. Wrap remaining dough around tubes and fry in same manner.

Spoon filling into pastry bag and pipe some into 1 end of a cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat with remaining shells.

Margherita Pizza is a simple, delicious, classic Italian pizza.
This recipe for gluten free Margherita Pizza is made with crisp gluten free pizza crust, good quality mozzarella cheese, fresh sliced Roma tomatoes, pesto sauce and fresh basil bursting with flavor and fragrant aroma. It’s a real treat!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2 12-inch parbaked gluten free pizza crusts (recipe below)
* 1 cup good quality gluten free pizza sauce (see tips)
* 2 thinly sliced medium Roma tomatoes, remove seeds and blot slices with a paper towel
* 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
* 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut in thin strips
* 8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
* 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450°

1. Divide ingredients evenly between the two pizza crusts.
2. Ladle sauce over crusts, add pesto and spread evenly over crusts with a spoon.
3. Place sliced tomatoes and strips of fresh basil over sauces.
4. Add sliced cheese, parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.
5. Bake on a cookie cooling rack or a preheated pizza stone for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.

Source: Gluten free cooking

This is an Italian Pasta Salad Gluten-Free recipe that I found on celiac.com

Ingredients:

1 package of gluten-free rotelli pasta
1 package grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
¼ pound of deli salami, cubed
Chopped Fresh Basil
½ chopped red pepper
2 chopped green onions
Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Wisk together dressing ingredients, then pour over salad and pasta. You can add black olives and artichoke hearts if desired.

Here for you the Italian Potato Gnocchi recipe.

Ingredients

2 lbs whole baking potatoes
2 beaten egg yolks
1 1/2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
Your favorite pasta sauce (for example, this basic, delicious tomato sauce)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spear the potatoes with fork tines in several places around each potato to vent moisture as the potatoes cook. Bake the potatoes in their skins until tender, about an hour. Let cool on a rack, cutting them open to help cool and let more moisture escape.

2 Scoop out the potatos from their skins. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer and into a large bowl. (If you don’t have a potato rice you can mash the potatoes by hand and fluff them up a bit with a fork.) It is best to work with the potatoes when they are still warm.

3 Add the flour, egg and a pinch of salt. Mix by hand until you have a nice pliable ball of dough. Do not overmix.

4 Prepare a work area and dust it with flour. Take the dough, a piece at a time, and roll it out gently with your hands until you have rolls about 3/4 inch in diameter. It is very important to keep a light touch while you are rolling the dough. Gently roll the dough with your fingertips while while exerting the lightest pressure outwards, not down, to draw the dough out.

5 Cut the tubes of dough into pieces about one inch long. Using either the tines of a fork or your fingertip, press against a piece of the dough and roll it slightly to form an indentation (good for catching the sauce). As the gnocchi are made, place them on flat baking pan, lightly dusted with flour or lined with wax paper. At this point you can freeze the gnocchi ahead of time. Freeze them first on a floured or lined tray, then once frozen you can put them into a freezer bag for more easy storage. To cook, just put the frozen gnocchi into the simmering water for the next step.

6 Bring at least 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a shallow saucepan. Gently drop the gnocchi, a few at a time, into the water. As soon as they rise to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon, draining well. Arrange on a warm serving dish. Continue cooking the gnocchi in the same manner.

7 As soon as all the gnocchi are ready, pour heated pasta sauce over them and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Taken from Elise

A bit of Italian taste for my coeliac friends: a Lasagna gluten free recipe.

Ingredients

* 10 ounces lasagna noodles, gluten free
* 1 lb ground beef, browned
* 1 lb cottage cheese, fat free
* 1 lb mozzarella cheese
* 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
* 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
* 1 (14 ounce) jar marinara sauce, it has less carbs per serving (ragu old world style)
* 1 lb zucchini, peeled and sliced

Directions

Boil lasagna noodles as directed on box.

Brown ground beef with Italian seasoning and garlic.

Place a layer of noodles in pan.

Layer beef, cheese, cottage cheese, zucchini and sauce on top of noodles.

Repeat layers.

Cover with foil to prevent top layer from burning.

Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

Remove foil and bake 10 minutes till lightly browned.

Let stand 10 minutes to let the lasagna set up.

Taken from Recipezaar

Carciofi alla Giudia (the Italian name for Jewish Artichokes) are a typical Roman recipe.
I found it on Food Network.

Ingredients

* 12 young artichokes
* 2 fresh lemons
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups olive oil
* Grated Pecorino Romano, for garnish

Directions

Trim the outer leaves of each artichoke and the stem to 2 inches long. Using a peeler, peel the stems of each artichoke. In a bowl, combine the artichokes and juice from the lemons. Cover with ice water and allow to sit for 2 hours. Drain well. Using your hands, flatten each artichoke to the shape of a flower.

In a large earthenware pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the artichokes, side by side and stem up. Cook the artichokes until tender, turning the artichokes several times for overall browning. Using a wooden spoon, press each artichoke firmly to the bottom of the pan so that the leaves flatten out. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Carefully sprinkle a little water over the artichokes, this will crisp the artichokes. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Place the artichokes on a large platter and serve. Garnish with grated Pecorino Romano.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until ‘al dente’.

2. Meanwhile, heat a film of olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add the garlic clove and bay leaf, and fry briefly over medium heat until the garlic just starts to brown. Remove from the pan.

3. Throw in the porcini, and fry quickly over medium-high heat, tossing and turning until they are just tender and have released their juices. Season with salt and a good grinding of black pepper.

4. Add the cream and butter, and stir until bubbling.

5. Drain the pasta and add to the pan.

6. Sprinkle with a dusting of parsley, and serve at once.

Source: Pasta casereccia

In Tuscany, cantucci di Prato—miniature, anise-flavored almond biscotti—are traditionally served at the end of a meal with a glass of Tuscan dessert wine, vin santo, for dipping.

Ingredients

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3. 1 cup whole almonds
4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
5. 2 teaspoons anise seeds
6. Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
7. 1/4 teaspoon salt
8. 3 large eggs
9. 2 large egg yolks
10. 2 teaspoons vin santo or other sweet wine
11. 1 large egg white, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the flour with the 1 cup of granulated sugar, almonds, baking powder, anise seeds, lemon zest and salt. Add the whole eggs, egg yolks and vin santo and beat at low speed until a stiff, crumbly, slightly sticky dough forms.

2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it 2 or 3 times, until it just comes together. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each one into a 12-by-1 1/2-inch log. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the logs with the egg white and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake the logs in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and slightly firm. Let the logs cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cutting board.

3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. While the logs are still warm, cut them into 1/3-inch slices with a sharp serrated knife. Arrange the cantucci on the sheets, cut sides down, and bake, turning once, until golden, about 25 minutes.

Make Ahead

Once fully cooled, the cantucci can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Source: Food and wine