Per La Famiglia Turns 10-CTV KITCHENER

Spiced Olives

If time is of the essence you can always pick some olives up at your favourite deli instead of infusing them with your own flavours. Just warm them up before serving. Letting these olives marinate is important because it gives them a flavour boost. Normally served cold or at room temperature, by simply warming them you can bring out the flavours more strongly. Warm olives offer up their juicy interior and salty sweet taste in a way that my family and friends love.

 

1 cup (250 mL) oil-cured black olives

1 cup (250 mL) green olives

1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Pinch of hot pepper flakes

1 strip lemon rind

 

In a small saucepan, heat olives, oil, herbs, hot pepper flakes and lemon rind over medium heat until heated through, fragrant and olives have plumped up slightly.

 

You need to let the olives cool a bit before serving them as they are very hot inside.

About 10 or 15 minutes after they are heated through should be enough time.

Serve warm or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week. Let olives come to room temperature before serving after being refrigerated.

Makes 2 cups (500 mL).

 

Tip: Leaving the herbs and lemon rind in the olives helps deepen the flavor and is a wonderful garnish when serving the olives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pancetta and Parmesan Pasta

This pasta combined with pancetta and cheese brings you real, down-home rustic cuisine. These simple flavours produce a pasta dish to remember. Serving it with a glass of your favourite Italian red wine is a perfect match. This sauce is a favourite of my father’s because of its simple flavour and how quickly the meal comes together. His pasta of choice to match up with it? Easily bucatini, a long thin tube of pasta. I think he likes it because it’s messy when you slurp it up.

 

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

4 oz (125 g) sliced pancetta, diced

1 onion, fined chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot pepper flakes

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) tomatoes, chopped

12 oz (375 g) spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste

Chopped fresh Italian parsley, to taste

 

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook for 5 minutes or until crisp. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add hot pepper flakes; stir to coat. Stir in tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes or until thickened.

 

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and return to pot. Add sauce and stir to coat well. Stir in cheese and parsley if desired.

 

Makes 4 servings.

 

Tip: Look for chopped or diced canned tomatoes for a quicker sauce, so you don’t have to chop the tomatoes. Using this type of tomato will give you more chunks of tomatoes and less juice. You will need 3 cups (750 mL) canned tomatoes for this recipe. Chop the tomatoes and be sure to add both the tomatoes and juice to the sauce.

 

Tip: Try other pastas such as linguine, bucatini, penne or tagliatelle instead of spaghetti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Panettone Bread Pudding

Panettone is a fruit studded sweet bread that is enjoyed by Italians all over the world. It’s traditionally served over the holiday season, but here it’s prepared differently as a warm bread pudding.  A perfect ending to a meal or as a comforting snack after a cold winter’s night. A super easy way to get rid of all those panettone you get for Christmas! Or better yet, wait until after the holidays and pick them up on sale. A great dessert for winter weather all season long.

 

8 cups (2 L) cubed Panettone bread (about half of a panettone)

1/4 cup (50 mL) golden raisins

1/4 cup (50 mL) cut mixed peel (optional)

5 eggs

3 cups (750 mL) milk or soy beverage

3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

 

Orange Marmalade Sauce:

1/2 cup (125 mL) orange marmalade

1/4 cup (50 mL) orange juice

2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice

Pinch cinnamon

 

Sprinkle bread in the bottom of a greased 10-inch (2.5 L) oval baking dish. Sprinkle raisins and candied orange, if using, over top. Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, orange rind and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 

 

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)

 

Uncover and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden and knife inserted in centre comes out clean.

 

Orange Marmalade Sauce: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat marmalade, orange and lemon juices and cinnamon over medium heat until hot. Serve with pudding.

 

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

 

 

Blueberry Sauce Option: Omit marmalade and use 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar, orange and lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until thickened.