Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days for restaurants, but if you prefer to stay in and have the family over, we have selected some wonderful recipes to make the dinner a special and memorable event.
Focaccia di Recco
Focaccia from the town of Recco in Liguria is very thin and made with fresh cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 lb all-purpose flour
- 1 lb Stracchino cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups water
- salt to taste
Preparation
Begin by placing the flour in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and form a well in the middle. Then add cold water and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Start mixing the dough with a fork, incorporating the flour, little by little. Once the dough has come together, start kneading it with your hands. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and uniform. When the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour at room temperature. Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll out the dough, trying to keep it round and as thin as possible, almost transparent. Once you have rolled out both pieces of dough, begin assembling the Focaccia di Recco.
Grease a 10-in baking dish with extra virgin olive oil. Place one layer of dough on the bottom of the dish. Add the Stracchino cheese in pieces using your hands or a spoon. Cover the cheese with the second sheet of dough. Use a knife to remove the excess dough from around the edges of the pan. Seal the edges by pinching the dough. Pinch holes into the top layer of dough above the cheese so that the steam can come out during cooking. Sprinkle with salt and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Bake in a very hot oven, 425-450°F, for 5 or 6 minutes, until golden. When the focaccia is done, remove it from the oven and let cool. Cut and serve as an appetizer.
Pasta with Aeolian Island Sauce
A first course that encompasses the strong flavors of one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the Mediterranean.
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne rigate
- 3 ½ oz salted capers
- 6 San Marzano tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 basil leaves
- 2 oz olive verdi
- 2 oz black olives
- 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp oregano, chopped
- salt to taste
Preparation
Desalt the capers by passing them three times under cold running tap water and after being squeezed, mince together with the pitted olives. Place a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and once it is hot, add the peeled garlic. Once golden, remove from the pan and add the mixture of chopped olives and capers. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, add the oregano, basil and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Adjust the salt to taste. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta according to its directions until al dente. Drain and toss the pasta with the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Arrosto di Vitello
Ingredients
- 2-2 ½ lb veal roast
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 ¼ sticks unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup white wine
- A few pinches of sea salt
Preparation
Wrap the outside edges of the roast with sage leaves and rosemary sprigs, wrapping it with twine to hold the herbs in place. In a pan, melt the butter and garlic together. Cook over low to medium heat. Do not allow the butter and garlic to burn. Once the butter is melted, add the roast to the pan and sear all sides of the meat to seal in flavor. Add the salt to each side of the roast as you brown it in the pan for a total of about five minutes altogether. Use a wooden spoon to turn the roast and release its natural oils without burning it. Add white wine to the roast, cover the pan and simmer for another 20 minutes. At this point, the roast should be medium rare with a pink color inside. Slice and serve immediately.
Insalata di Finocchi, Arance e Noci
Crisp, shaved fennel tossed with sliced or segmented oranges in a citrus vinaigrette has been a popular salad in Italy since the time of ancient Rome.
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
- 2 small pink radishes, sliced
- 2 tbsp un-pitted mixed olives
- ½ watercress leaves
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
- 2 tbsp fennel fronds
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts, toasted
Dressing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- sea salt
- pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Using a small, sharp knife, peel the orange over a bowl, removing the white pith and skin, saving any juice. Cut out each segment, then squeeze remaining juice from the rest of the orange.
To make the dressing, whisk the lemon juice with 3 tablespoons of the orange juice, mustard, sea salt, pepper, cumin and olive oil until smooth. Shave the fennel as finely as you can lengthways and toss into the dressing with the orange segments, radish, olives, water cress, mint and fennel fronds. Place on salad plates and scatter with walnuts. Drizzle with any remaining dressing and serve.
Caramelized Strawberries
A deliciously decadent way to end your meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb strawberries, large
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 4 slices Italian bread
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ oz butter
- 2 oz almonds
- 2 tbsp lemon and orange zests, candied
Preparation
Carefully wash the strawberries, then drain and dry well. Using a knife, remove the stalks. Transfer strawberries to a small saucepan. Sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger, grated lemon rind and clove. Then add the white wine and stir over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the strawberries, reserving the liquid.
Place the bread slices in four oven-safe baking dishes that are just slightly larger than a slice of bread. Alternatively, you can use one dish, arranging the bread slices next to one another. Pour the reserved liquid on the bread and arrange the strawberries on top. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, chopped almonds, cubed candied fruit and thin slices of butter. Broil the strawberries in the oven until they have caramelized on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.
