Capri Phyllo Squares

If you’re a fan of tomatoes, it’s highly unlikely that you enjoy eating them this time of year. Like a good friend of mine said on one of her Facebook posts, “winter tomatoes are pretty with no personality”. The response posted by another friend, saying that “they have the personality of Ted Baxter” still makes me laugh. But just because we are not in prime time tomato season does not mean that you cannot enjoy a store-bought tomato that is jazzed up with a little extra flavor when added to the right dish.

One of my favorite Italian dishes that uses tomatoes is the classic Capri Salad. A simple combination of tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil, the Capri is the perfect marriage of taste and texture. Whether served as a traditional salad drizzled with aged balsamic, or served appetizer-style on a fancy toothpick, it may be one of the most refreshing combinations that I like to enjoy throughout the year.

For today’s post, I’m adding a bit more depth and texture by incorporating a phyllo dough wrap to make an amazingly simple and tasty appetizer!

Capri Phyllo Squares
4 roma tomatoes, sliced (you’ll need 12 slices in all)
12 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
(tomato and cheese slices should each be about 1/2″ or so thick)
12 pieces fresh basil
1 packet of frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
(one packet should give you 18 sheets phyllo dough. You will then cut the sheets in half, leaving a total of 36 sheets)
melted butter for brushing
olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
balsamic vinegar

Turn oven on to 350˚. Place tomato slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake tomatoes in the oven for 7 minutes to soften a bit. Remove tomatoes from oven, leaving oven on.

To assemble the wraps, you will need three sheets of phyllo, stacked. Lightly brush one side of the stacked phyllo with butter. Place the butter brushed side down on a new baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place on the phyllo one slice of tomato, one slice of cheese and one basil leaf. Gently fold all four corners of the phyllo to cover the tomato, cheese and basil. Flip the square so the folded side is face down on the tray. Continue these steps until you have 12 folded phyllo squares spread out evenly on the tray. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully remove squares from tray. Plate and serve immediately. For additional taste, add a very light drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the squares.

Saying “Cheese” to New Resolutions!

Another year, another round of New Year resolutions! Since starting this blog back in 2008, most of my resolutions have been food related (learning how to make home made pasta, new challenges with Una Mamma Italiana), and because of this my resolutions have been fun and enjoyable to partake in! This year, I have my cousin Jenny to thank for setting me up with my 2013 food-related resolution. Her Christmas gift to me was a fantastic book called Artisan Cheese Making at Home. The book is very well put together and is a lot of fun to look at – the pictures are absolutely mouth-watering. Everything from ricotta and mascarpone, to créme fraiche and greek yogurt, to cocoa rubbed jack cheese, ale-washed trappist cheese and tips on how to make smoked mozzarella are covered in appetizing detail. Obviously, some of these cheeses can’t even be considered just yet, not only for my lack of skills but for the lack of space and set-up in my basement. But that’s not going to stop me from reading and absorbing this book, attempting what recipes I can handle and sharing with you my journey in cheese making. If anything, I’m looking forward to trying out some of the suggested recipes included in the book…even if I have to sneak over to the 9th Street Market to get my hands on some good quality cheese, wrapped and ready to go.

I also have some other fun ideas in mind for the blog this year. Keep an eye out over the next few months for new recipes featuring:
• risotto
• soups
• pot pies
• pasta dishes
• my kids’ take on panzarotti vs. calzone

Plus…I’ll be joining my friend Carl for a very special home brewing post!

I’ll also be chasing down Una Mamma Italiana for another food challenge or two…and hopefully some other surprise visits from other special contributors.

Thanks again for visiting…here’s to a great and appetizing 2013!

Warm Italian Crab Salad

Now that we are just a few days away from celebrating the Feast of the 7 Fishes, which is one of the biggest and most important meals of the Italian and Italian-American culture, I am sure that most of you already have your menu planned. If you are looking for one more addition to your table, or another way to dress up one of your traditional dishes, this warm crab salad recipe is a tasty and versatile solution! With just a few basic ingredients and about 10 minutes of simmering on your stove-top, you can have this dish ready to be served in no time as an appetizer with crackers, mixed with a pasta in garlic and oil or even used as a stuffing in one of your other dishes.

From my kitchen to yours, I wish you a very Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Buona Natale!

WARM ITALIAN CRAB SALAD

1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
8 oz. canned crabmeat*
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

*8 oz. of canned crab meat equals two 6 oz. cans (found with other canned fish) drained, or a half of a 1 lb can of pure packed crab meat (found in grocery store seafood section)

Heat butter in a pan until melted. Add onions and celery; heat until soft. Add crab meat, wine and lemon juice; stir. Add breadcrumbs, stir until warm. You can then serve it on top of pasta with garlic and oil or as an appetizer with crackers, as pictured below.

Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Chances are that at some point in your life, probably when you were a child, you were ‘threatened’ with brussels sprouts. To me, this is sad for two reasons: 1) food shouldn’t be a threat, and 2) brussels sprouts aren’t really that bad. In fact, they have become one of my favorite vegetables as of late! Yes, I am no longer a kid anymore and my tastes have changed. But, like all other foods, if you prepare and season them properly, you too can enjoy brussels sprouts. They also pack a very healthy punch, so you get the benefit of a nutritional dish. The first step that I take to making tasty brussels sprouts is  cooking them in a bit of lightly salted water. It is said that a full boil reduces the nutritional value of the sprouts, so just a quarter cup of water in a pan does the trick. The addition of a little salt helps flavor the sprouts while cooking. Next, you mix equal parts balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey for a quick glaze. Adding this to the sprouts at the last stage of cooking makes for a delicious and flavorful coating. Toss them with a dash of onion powder, and you are good to go!

HONEY BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS
1 12oz package brussels sprouts, tips removed, then sliced in half
1/4 cup water, lightly salted
1 tbspn balsamic vinegar
1 tbspn olive oil
1 tbspn honey
dash of onion powder

In a large pan, add the salted water and brussels sprouts. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes. Mix the balsamic, olive oil and honey and set aside. Remove lid and let cook for another 4 minutes, or until the water has completely dissolved. When the water has completely dissolved, add the honey balsamic oil mixture, toss to evenly coat the sprouts, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, plate and lightly sprinkle with onion powder.