Category: Italian cuisine recipes

Risotto with chicken

For me risotto with chicken is the synonym of comfort food. I’m not sure if it is because of white wine or sweet carrots, but always when I prepare it, and then eat it, I’m in a good mood and I feel happy. It’s one of many recipes I found in the Encyclopedia of Italian Cuisine published in 2004 (in Polish) that I occasionally use when I want to prepare something new. The name of this risotto is risotto alla sbirraglia, and it has been the origin of northern Italy since the 19th century. During this period this part of Italy was occupied by Austrian soldiers, called by the Italians: sbirri, which means cops. I adjusted the recipe a bit, according to my preferences.

Risotto with chicken, Italian cuisine recepies
risotto with chicken

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Spaghetti with spinach

The need, or better empty fridge, is a mother of invention. I create my best recipies when I have almost nothing at hand. It was how I cooked for the first time this pasta. Spaghetti with olive oil and spinach is a very simple and fast to prepare dish. You can add chilli if you like spicy food, or not.

spaghetti with spinach
spaghetti with spinach

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Red risotto

Springtime is already in calendar, but cold and foggy evenings still don’t want to give up. It’s when I like to cook, especcialy risotto that warms up perfectly, especially with tasty radicchio. About  this vegetable I have already mentioned In one of one recepis – Radicchio – a red inspiration, so you can choose now between  vegetarian version and not and decise which one you prefere.

Risotto with radicchio

Serves: 4 – 5

Ingredients:

risotto with radicchio
risotto with radicchio

1 round radicchio

½  tea cup red wine

2 tea cups rise (short grain if possibile)

750 ml of stock

200 g freshly grated Parmezan cheese

½ tea cup butter

3 tablespoon olive oil (not extra vergine)

Salt to taste Continue reading “Red risotto” →

Steak with gorgonzola cheese

This time something tasty for meat-eaters, lovers of fast, tasty and very simple to prepare sirloin. In this dish the key is a nice piece of meat, the rest is a piece of cake… 🙂

Sirloin steak in blue sauce

Serves: 4

steak with gorgonzola cheese
Sirloin in blue sauce

Ingredients:

400 – 500 g of sirloin steak

200 g of gorgonzola cheese

1 big broccoli

1 butter tablespoon

Salt

Served with: well structured red wine (like Barbaresco)

Preparation method

First cut broccoli into florets and then start to steam-cook them for about 7 minutes. Chop cheese and melt it into a small container. On a large fry pan melt butter and fry steaks till are cooked according to your preferences. At the end add some salt on meat (not before frying!). While everything is ready and put them on plate and decorate with melted gorgonzola sauce. Enjoy your fast and tasty meal!

Christmas inspirations

This year, quite unusual (maybe because it’s untypical year for me), I spent Christmas holidays in Italy. Instead of Christmas tree I prepared decorations of picea branches, despite traditional Polish dishes I cooked Italian risotto with funghi porcini (my recipe you can find below) and as a bonus I was enjoying wonderful views and warm, sunny weather…

Italian Christmas tree
my Italian Christmas tree
The Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
sunset in the Langhe

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Pumpkin risotto

An Italian cuisine is famous not only for pizza and pasta, but also for many types of risotto. Usually it’s popular in northern regions like Piedmont or Lombardy, where rice has been cultivated for ages becoming an important element of diet, especially in winter. You can choose between classical versions – with porcini (boletus), with saffron, with seafood, with different cheeses (Parmesan, Fontina, Gorgonzola) or rather you should try less popular risotto: with chicken or even decorated with rose petals… I use to prepare rice accompanied with radicchio and risotto alla zucca (with pumpkin). The last one takes some time (about 40 minutes) and you need to put some effort in dealing with pumpkin , but in exchange you will gain fancy orange, very healthy and nutritious meal.

Serves: 4 – 5

Risotto alla zucca, Italian cusine recipes
pumpkin risotto

Ingredients:

800 g pumpkin already peeled

½  tea cup white wine

2 tea cups rise (short grain if possibile)

750 ml of stock

200 g freshly grated Parmezan cheese

½ tea cup butter

3 tablespoon olive oil (not extra vergine)

Salt to taste

Served with: white dry wine

Preparation method:

At the beginning you need to deal with the pumpkin, which has to be peeled, deseeded and chopped. In another pot prepare the stock. Heat olive oil and the half portion of butter in a large saucepan. Now add pumpkin and fry it on a low fire under the cover until it is almost tender. Then poor rise, fry it for 2 minutes. As it cooks keep stirring it so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add wine, mix it well and wait until absorbed. Poor one ladle of stock, continue stirring until absorbed and repeat this operation until the rise is fully cooked. Add some salt. At the end take the saucepan off the heat, add left butter, stir it and wait for about 2 minutes before serving. The Parmesan cheese you can add directly to the dish or sprinkle on your plate. And voila’!