Sicily Pistacchio Nut Italian Capital

Bronte Sicily
the Italian capital of the pistachio is the only Italian region which produces the pistachio (Pistacia vera) and the town of Etna with over three thousand hectares of specialized production, it expresses the main growing area
 (more than 80% of the surface region).
 A wealth of almost 20 million euros, which represents just over
 1% of the world's pistacchio.

                     Torta di Pistacchio  
Torta di Pistacchio, a very light torte made with pistachio nuts and eggs. It’s traditionally served with Rosolio, a homemade cordial
 
Duci cu  i pistacchi (DOOH-cheeh-kooh-eeh-peeh-STAH-keeh)
Cookies bakes with pistacchio and sweetened almonds
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                              Cassated di Fritti o ‘Nfurnati

These delicious ricotta cream turnovers made with bread dough and stuffed with ricotta, honey and spices, Photos Photo!

Cannoli Siciliani

Cannoli means "Little Tube"  Video Recipe   Cannoli originated in Palermo Sicily  and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine and in America are known as a general  Italian pastry. Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese and chopped succade. They range in size from "cannulicchi", no bigger than a finger, to the fist-sized proportions typically found in Piana degli Albanesi, south of Palermo, Cannoli can be bought in an  Italian Pasticceria                 Photos Photos!

Cucina Italiano

Siciliana Cassata Cake

The word Cassata derives from the Latin Caseus, which means cheese.  In other words, Cassata is one of the world's first cheesecakes. It comes as no surprise that there are a great many variations throughout Sicily; this particular recipe is from Trapani. About - Recipe                Photos Photos!

           

Buccellati	Mustaccioli
Italian Fig Cookies	Chocolate Cookies
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At Christmas the Mustaccioli are prepared with "Vino Cotto”
and flour, shaped in finger size sticks and baked enjoyed with a Sicilian dessert wine.
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Vino Cotto di Montillo is an authentic, naturally sweet "cooked wine" syrup that contains no alcohol. Its delicious, refined flavor tastes like figs, although it's made entirely of premium wine grapes. Traditional vino cotto contains no vinegar or alcohol, making it quite a versatile condiment and ingredient. It is typically made by individuals for their own use .  

Zeppoli Fried Dough Pastry
 
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                            Ricotta Torte  
Baked Sicilian Ricotta cake
 
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              Panettone  "Fruitcake Italian Style"

                                                          Italian Christmas Bread
 

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           Struffoli 
    

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   Only in Italy!

These little fried cookies are served all over southern Italy at Christmas time.  There is a wonderful story associated with them that shows just how irresistible they are … A Neapolitan woman left a large dish of homemade Struffoli on the back seat of her car. She was so busy with her Christmas shopping that she forgot to lock the door and a man stole them. He was caught and duly appeared in court charged with theft. Since he had been caught red-handed, things did not look good. But when the judge learned what he had stolen the culprit was absolved since “no one could resist such a prize”. The woman was admonished in future to hide her goodies 
 and lock her car. This is a true story!


 Cenci Fritti  -  Fried Fritters

Many people celebrate Befanas arrival with the first batch of a traditional pastry known by a variety of names, including
Cenci (rags) 
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Befana Cake Ingredients

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Befana Cake (video)

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Types of Italian Cheese

   
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Basic Recipe

 
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Italian Garlic Bread Recipe

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Antipasta Freddi (Cold Appetizers)
Assorted Italian Cheeses
Assorted Olives
Assorted Sliced Vegetables
Seafood Cocktail Salad
Antipasta Caldi (Hot Appetizers)
Stuffed Artichokes
Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed Peppers
Primi Piatti (First Course)
Manicotti or Stuffed Shells or Baked Ziti or Lasagna, maybe
 even Ravioli
Always served with Meatballs, Sausage, Braciole
Secondi Piatti (Second or Main Course)
Ham, stuffed artichokes, yams, potatoes, other Italian vegetables, perhaps mashed potatoes even, and of course an Italian salad
Dolce (Desserts)
Pastries from local Italian bakeries or homemade.
Roasted Nuts, chestnuts.
Beverages & Drinks
Soda: Any variety, of a regional soda that came in such favorites as black cherry, grape and orange.  And of course, for the "adults" lemon lime, ginger ale and club soda for "highballs" or cocktails as we call them today.  These bottles had a deposit, and you had to pry off the top cap,  delivered weekly like the milk in those days. 
Rosè and/or Red Wine by the Jug (I never recall seeing white wine, though I am sure the had it on hand), nothing fancy, whatever was cheapest, the wine would never take precedence over the food for any reason!  Of course, there was also a small amount of homemade wine on hand.

Sicilian Appetizers
The Sicilian cuisine has no tradition of antipasto.  It was an accomplishment when the majority of the people could get three meals a day!.. And in those days there were no problems of cholesterol or overweight...In the late 50s’, when the economy “boom” improved the social conditions in Italy, l’antipasto became part of all formal dinners and was not limited to...continue

Antipasto Salad  
green beans, halved
 Italian salami, minced
 red pepper, 
 marinated artichokes
 garbanzo beans 
 Lupini beans,

           Antipasta Freddi - Cold Appetizers
                 Difference Between Bruschetta and Crostini 
Both wildly popular, easy to make Italian appetizers of toasted bread with toppings.  

                  Photos Photos!     Crostini     Bruschetta  

Crostini, "little toasts" 

Crostini, "little toasts," are thinner, smaller slices of bread (usually from a baguette) that are always toasted then piled with various toppings, such as vegetables, savory spreads, and cheeses Crostini are made by thinly slicing bread, typically plain 
white bread, and toasting or grilling so that it becomes crispy. The crostini may be drizzled with olive oil and salt and served plain, or they may be dressed with an assortment of toppings and used as appetizers or garnishes.  

Brushcetta, from the Italian "bruscare,"
which means "to roast over coals," refers to
 the bread, not the toppings. Rather large
 slices of bread are grilled, rubbed with garlic, then drizzled with olive oil. They are usually topped with tomatoes and basil, though other toppings from meats to vegetables can be used.
Collection For 88  Bruschetta Recipes

Eggplant Salad - Caponatina Siciliana

Eggplant, olive, celery Appetizer

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Italian Mixed Olive Salad                                          Mouth-Watering Favorite

Crack the olives with a hammer or mallet until the pits show.        Ingredients Green olives Celery, chopped Black olives Green pepper, chopped Red pepper, chopped Garlic clove, crushed Vinegar, Olive oil. Mixed Italian Olives Freshly ground pepper to taste Oregano to taste . Combine the olives with the remaining ingredients. Let stand at room temperature for 2 days. Store in refrigerator in sealed jars.

 

Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing
      

          Italian  Spiced Ham  

Fennel with Ham is perfect main course dish. It is  made with fennels, ham and Italian cheese it's studded with cloves and fennel and anise seeds which give a spicy taste

  Pasta Basics, Baked Pasta, Seafood Pasta,
Sicilian Vegetarian Pasta, Pasta in Bianco'
 Pasta with Tomato Sauce...continue                    

Spaghetti Invented in Trabia, 
                  a small town outside Palermo Sicily?
Now in Trabia, pasta is made on a smaller scale, but the system and the art of making pasta from Trabia spread all over Italy and now Italy is the world’s biggest producer of pasta The industrial pasta is made in large quantities by 183 big Italian companies, with a production of over 20 million pounds daily, 45% exported to Germany, France, the U.K. and the U.S.A.

    and my favorite
  Gnocchi Potatoes not Pasta!
       Funny Video

Shelled nuts, especially those that have been cut or roasted, are more prone to rancidity and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

                        How to Roast Chestnuts