Welcome to ciao Italy!

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I am so thrilled to share a Christmas Gift Guide custom picked for all of you! Simplifying the holiday season as a means to increase the quality time you share with loved ones is a passion of mine.

Pasta Grannies is a nice book for the ones who love cook or that want to learn this art. It is a wonderful collection of time-perfected Italian pasta recipes from the people who have spent a lifetime cooking for love, not a living: Italian grandmothers. It will be definitely appreciated! 

 GourmetFuel is an example of meal plan service in Ireland! The idea is to gift an amazing membership that offers monthly menu plans with grocery lists that help simplifying the task of nourishing the family with wholesome food. Your most busiest friends will be delighted! 

Cakes are considered the most auspicious and favorite sweet across the globe when it comes to celebrating an event. Therefore, I suggest you this easy Italian recipe that everyone will love! If your receiver have some allergies, do not worry because this cake is completely vegan! 

‘La caprese recipe’:

Ingredients - 130g of sugar, 250 ml of water, 50g of almond’s flower, 180g of whole flower, 80g of sunflower oil, 16g of baking powder, 30g of dark cocoa, 70g of dark chocolate, 1 spoon of vanilla flavoring.

Steps - 1)In a bowl, mix sifted flour, cocoa and baking powder with the almond flour and sugar.

2)Add the water, the oil and the vanilla flavor.

3)Add the melted chocolate.

4)Pour into a 24cm diameter mold lined with baking paper. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180 ° for about 30-40 minutes.

Add decorations and packing when it is cold! 

“There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box in your lap.” 

Below, my fav pizzas places in Ireland and tastes with relative price!

🍕 Forno 500 in Dublin, my suggestion is the Caprese/13,00€ (San marzano dop tomatoes, fior di latte, rocket, pesto).

🍕 Pompeii Pizza in Cork, my suggestion is Quattro formaggi /12,00€  (Gorgonzola, Fontina, Ricotta, Fior di Latte).

🍕 The Dough Bros in Galway, my suggestion is Hey pesto/11,50€ (Basil pesto, mozzarella, balsamic red onion, semi-dried cherry tomatoes, rockets, parmesan).

Supporting small businesses is more important than ever during these hard times. They may not generate as much money as big corporations, but their presence in local communities is essential to their growth. These shops add so much life and personality to their communities. That's exactly why I love shopping at them and working for them!

1) Share It's no secret that millennials like sharing their experiences, especially on social media. Then, follow the social medias of your local shop and share your videos, photos, stories and vice versa with your community. 

2) Comment Social media word needs your comments to be more and more visible but also is always nice to receive compliments. You are the reason why they do what they do and hearing from you would make their day different!

3) Like This can be banal but it is important to like what they post on their social networks and in this way you will help to grow their visibility and  community. 

4)Tag a friend This is very important too because when you tag a friend you are making possible interactions between the shop and other people! This is all about good engagement. It triggers media’s algorithm, letting the platform know that this is content people are enjoying.

5) Leave your review Nowadays when we go somewhere, we look at the reviews!! They help to decide whether a place is worth the visit or not! Therefore, it is important that you leave your positive reviews to small business because they will be trusted more and increased their value to future customers!

6) Order local If your financial situation allows it, ordering takeout or delivery from your local restaurants, cafes and bars is a great way to have something to look forward to during the week, while also supporting your local gastronomy scene. 

Puglia or Apulia is an agricultural region in the far south of Italy (it’s the heel of the country’s boot). With plenty of sun, fertile soil, and a flat landscape it’s ideal for growing vegetables. Puglia has over 60 million olive trees and produces 23% of the olive oil in Europe.

Friselle is a fresh, light, typically summer dish eaten so prolifically it has an almost iconic status. It consists of crunchy Taralli (similar to a cracker) prepared with durum wheat flour and cut horizontally in half and then baked until toasted. According to local tradition, the Apulian Friselle should be seasoned only with tomato, garlic, oil and salt.

Panzerotti is a type of dough turnover (like a calzone) which is fried and stuffed. The classic one is stuffed with tomato and mozzarella. The important thing is to eat it very hot immediately after it has been taken off from the oil, so that as soon as it is opened, the mozzarella will leak out. 

“Orecchiette” literally means “Small ears” and is a type of pasta. These are among the most common Apulian dishes, and there is no restaurant or trattoria that does not have it on the menu, cooked in various ways including with tomato sauce, meat sauce, or vegetables. But the classic recipe is with turnip tops.

Cartellate are a dessert made up of rose-shaped crunchy paper thin dough – carta means paper –  and is borne out of the Gargano tradition with Arabic influences.  It is a typical Christmas dessert, it’s sweetness come from the honey or vincotto (cooked wine) seasoning and sometimes both. 

La focaccia is round, tall, stuffed with tomatoes and olives, the focaccia is the queen of Apulian street food and should not be missed in Puglia. Warm and crunchy, it is perfect as a main dish or snack at any time of the day. 

La Collina offers authentic Italian dishes like homemade pasta (12 euro) and a fish starter with prawns and sea bass (19.95 euro). The quality and the price are balanced and are effective because the products used are of high quality. The taste is just incredible! You should try to order from: https://www.lacollinagalway.com/restaurant-menu-take-away-menu

Here's how to adapt your service model to the situation as it stands.

The first benefit to use digital menu is safe money for prints and in Covid-19 time is important to increase the hygiene of your Restaurant while with printed menu is hard to achieve. 

Get in touch with your guests through social media, email newsletters, a popup on your website, and a sign on your door. It is important to encourage your customers to buy from you and offer value to them. 

If you don't offer delivery or takeout in any capacity yet, set up your restaurant’s online ordering and delivery service on your platform of choice. Restaurants can set up digital channels, like online ordering, a mobile ordering app, contactless delivery, and e-gift cards. 

My grandma's authentic carbonara recipe! 

Ingredients for 2 people: -100g pancetta, -80g of pecorino cheese, -3eggs, spaghetti, oil and salt.

Step 1) – Browning the pancetta. Cut the pancetta into small pieces (cubes, slices … as you prefer) then simmer in a frying pan over medium heat. When ready, turn off the heat and set aside.

Step 2) – Making eggs-pecorino sauce. Whisk the Pecorino Romano (which is a very tasty Italian cheese) with the eggs and a little bit of ground black pepper. Stir quickly with a fork – or a hand whisk  – until you get a creamy sauce. Set aside.

Step 3) – Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water (one liter of water for every 100 g following the cooking time found on the pasta packaging. 

Step 4) – Add the spaghetti with the sauce. Drain when they are ready then put them in the frying pan, OVER HIGH HEAT, to season it properly with the pancetta and a bit of olive oil. 

Stick a routine each day can help us to feel more in control of the world around us, keep our minds occupied so we are less likely to feel worried or anxious!

According to the mental health charity Mind, spending time outdoors in nature can improve our mood, reduce stress and anger as well as boost our confidence and self-esteem.

Chefs say that "we eat first with our eyes"! Indeed, look at this “cacio e pepe” pasta and the “Kinder surprise” dessert! Would you like to try their incredible Italian taste for Friday night? Discover this Italian Restaurant in Dublin 6,  Rathmines. Order from their website: http://manifestorestaurant.ie/

1) Chips storage

Kelvin Fernandez, chef at the Institution of Culinary Education, said the best thing you can do for your chips is to put them in plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Many people leave them in their own bag at normal temperature and the day after they are less crunchy and tasty. 

2) Nuts leaved in warm temperature

A common mistake is to storage the nuts in warm places, such as near to the oven, this can cause them to go rancid. That is why the best thing to do is keep them in the freezer to  taste fresh for longer. 

3) Vegetables leaved in plastic bags

According with Fernandez, keeping your vegetables inside plastic bag can make veggie spoil faster or wash them if you are not actually ready to use it. It is important to keep them dry! An easy storage, is to divide even layers of lettuce  with paper towels in a sealable container. 

4) Wrapping your cheese to tightly 

Cheese develops moisture when it is wrapped too tightly because it develops mold and bacteria on the surface. Instead, the Institution of Culinary Education suggested using beeswax wrap or parchment paper. Both are made with materials that allow the cheese to breathe properly and contain the smell.

Did you find this post useful for your snacks storage?

These the 6 health benefits:

How can you eat them? Juice, just seems or a fresh extract!!

One of my favorite Italian desserts is classic tiramisu. Rich and creamy in texture with hints of espresso, almond, and chocolate.

Ingredients

·         1 cup (8floz/225ml) heavy whipping cream

·         1 cup  mascarpone cheese,

·         70g sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1 tablespoon Amaretto liquor or Brandy 

·         450ml espresso or STRONG coffee at room temperature

·         1 pack Ladyfingers (Boudoir biscuits/Savoiardi)

·         Cocoa powder for dusting the top

The steps

1)    Beat whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.

2)    Add in mascarpone cheese and amaretto (if using) and continue to whip to stiff peaks.

3)    Dip ladyfingers in coffee (and brandy if using) and place in an 8×8 pan to make the first layer – you can fit about 7 cookies in each layer. Don't let them soak as the will fall apart, just a quick dunk in the coffee is enough.

4)    Spread half of the whipped cream mixture on top of the first layer of ladyfingers. Repeat process with the second layer of ladyfingers and cream mixture.

1) Ripasso is famous for the starter ‘taglieri’ Antipasti Board For 2 (Original, Vegetarian Or Vegan), or try their ‘paccheri allo scoglio’ Paccheri(type of pasta), Daily Seafood in Cherry Tomato Sauce or their tiramisu’ a typical Italian dessert. Their delivery and website are Delivery: Mon-Fri 5pm-10pm; https://ripasso.ie/order-online/ 

2) Coppi is full of choices but I suggest the Classic Ragu Porcini Mushroom Ravioli, Truffle & Parmesan or try the Braised Lamb Shoulder cooked with Parmesan Gratin, Green Beans, Vichy Roast Vegetables & Red Wine.  Their delivery time Wednesday: 5pm - 9pm,Fri & Sat: noon - 9pm, Sunday: 1pm - 8pm. They offer “At Home with Coppi” meals. This service is available for both collection (Thursday to Saturday) and also as a weekend delivery service. The link: https://www.coppi.co.uk/

3) Pompei is declared as ‘2020 Travellers Choice’, guests must try the ‘Pizza Nduja’ with Tomato Sauce, Nuja (typical Italian chilli meat), Caramelised Onion, Fior di Latte (typical Italian cheese), Parmesan, Fresh Basil. Their delivery hours are 1pm – 9:30pm weekdays, and 1pm – 9:30pm weekends. Find the link: https://www.pompeiipizza.ie/2020/10/dining-delivery/

Happy Sunday everyone! 

Today I want to talk about the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (often synthetically called EVO). This is the most important element that distinguish the Mediterranean diet and its delicious and healthy dishes. Most of the Italian recipes cannot be executed or get excellent results if prepared without a good quality one.      

Happy Halloween everyone!! What an amazing opportunity to spend time alone or in company with your family or friends on cooking a scary Italian cake! 

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 180 g of sugar, 140 ml of sunflower oil, 300 g of flour, 260 g of pumpkin, 1 sachet of baking powder.                                             

Procedure: 1)Cook the pumpkin in the oven and remove the pulp of it 2)beat the eggs with a mixer, add the sugar and oil 3)add the pumpkin to the dough, flour, and baking powder and mix again 4)bake at 180° for 30 min 5)add scary decoration and enjoy!!!

For all families, couples and friends in Ireland... there is a news for Halloween at the door!!! I want to inform everyone that there is a competition waiting for you at the Restaurant Osteria Italiana da Simone!! Three simple steps to win: 1) Like the Facebook page of Osteria Italian 2) Like the post 3) Share the Post and sure tag your buddies who you think should win one too! The restaurant Osteria Italiana da Simone is located in Galway and it offers online delivery of 30 Euro to spend. Do not wait a second more!!!