Italian Anise Cookies

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These are the cookies that I shared at the 2008 IFAFA Conference in Sacramento. -Linda Coda Brigante

Dough:

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp anise extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Decoration: multicolored nonpareils

 

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat baking sheet(s) with non-stick spray.
  2. Dough: beat first 5 ingredients in a large bowl with mixer until blended. On low
    speed, beat in next 3 ingredients, until blended.
  3. Drop rounded measuring teaspoons of dough 2 in. apart onto the prepared baking sheet(s). (I used a small ice cream scoop to make a ball.)
  4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until bottoms are light golden. (Be sure to pre-heat oven. I baked the cookies about 15 minutes, gently lifting the cookie to check the bottoms. Be sure not to over bake.) Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.
  5. Dip tops of cookies in Glaze and while wet, sprinkle with nonpareils. (Take a cookie, dip or spread glaze and then sprinkle. Do not glaze the batch and then sprinkle, the glaze will have already hardened.) Let set. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.

Glaze

Whisk 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 to 5 tsp milk and 1 tsp anise extract in a small bowl until smooth.

The recipe stated it made 80 cookies. Using the small ice cream scoop, it made 40 cookies.


Penne alla Vodka

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Tasted this for the first time in Toronto, prior to driving to Buffalo , NY, for the 1997 IFAFA Conference. Got the recipe from the restaurant owner! -Jackie Capurro

  • 1 lb. penne pasta
  • 1/2 lb smoked pancetta* in one piece
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 4 oz brandy
  • 8 oz vodka
  • 1/2 pt. heavy cream
  • 1/4 lb parmesan cheese, freshly grated or shredded
  • 1 can of 28 oz peeled tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Cut up the pancetta in small cubes and sauté in butter till crispy.
Pour the brandy over the pancetta; let simmer a couple of minutes, then flame CAREFULLY.  (Use a LONG fireplace match!)
Add the cream, then the tomatoes crushed with a fork.  Add the vodka, salt & pepper and cook for 20 minutes.
Pour over cooked pasta and add parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.

* Pancetta is Italian bacon, sometimes found at a good deli.  It is almost like unsliced bacon, but smokier. If pancetta is not available, thick-sliced smoked bacon makes an OK substitute.


Garbanzo Pesto Dip

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Freshly-prepared home-made pesto is best, but you can substitute store-bought, usually found in a jar in the Italian/pasta aisle. -Jackie Capurro

Preparation time:  15 minutes

  • 1   can (16 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1   cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup prepared basil pesto sauce
  • 1/2   cup chopped red bell peppers and/or drained sun dried tomatoes
  • 2   tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Assorted crackers
  • Assorted fresh vegetables, cut upCoarsely mash beans with fork or pastry blender. Stir in sour cream, pesto, red pepper/tomatoes, lemon juice and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Serve with assorted crackers and cut up fresh vegetables.Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Garlic Artichoke Dip

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What better combination than two of Italy’s tastiest ingredients: garlic and artichokes! -Jackie Capurro

  • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
  • 1 cup freshly-shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 small can chopped green chili peppers, drained
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushedMix all ingredients in bowl. Spoon into baking
    dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
    Serve hot with crackers or Italian bread.

Italian Almond Torte

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This is a torte, not a cake, and will stay quite flat. Be prepared for pointed questions about what happened to your cake … until people taste it. -Jackie Capurro

  • 1 8-oz can almond paste
  • 3 T flour
  • 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 T dry-roasted sunflower seedsCrumble the almond paste into a large bowl with your fingers or a fork. With a mixer, blend in all the remaining ingredients except for the sunflower seeds.

    Spread the batter evenly in a 9-inch removable-bottomed cake pan that has been buttered and floured. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top.

    Bake at 325°F for 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and remove outer rim of pan.  Wrap in plastic after torte has cooled.

    Serves 8.